Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

“However strong the Astounding Thunder Fleet is, it is terribly outnumbered after all. It’s easy to crush the four families’ coalition fleet, but they cannot be destroyed or swallowed overnight.”

Jin Yuyan analyzed calmly, “It must be noted that Yun Xuefeng is commanding a fleet of a million starships. Even if Yun Xuefeng is a pig whose subordinates are a million pigs that can breathe and fly in the vacuum, how long will it take Lei Chenghu to completely capture and butcher them?

“Also, according to your theory, Lei Chenghu is not just crushing and swallowing Yun Xuefeng’s fleet but also taking the opportunity to control the fleets of the many warlords from the peripherical worlds of the Imperium and even the garrison fleets of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors. None of the goals can be achieved anytime soon. Can Lei Chenghu completely control the Seven Seas Space Zone given one month?”

Li Yao was lost for words.

Having been through the battle between the Black Wind Fleet and the Star Glory Federation in person, he knew that it was much easier to defeat an army in the boundless space than to annihilate or capture the enemies.

With the Astounding Thunder Fleet’s sudden arrival and unexpected assault, it would naturally be invincible and unstoppable.

However, as time went by, the shining saber would be sinking into the mud, and it would not be easy to draw it out.

Jin Yuyan claimed that it would be a month, but Li Yao felt that it was an overestimation of the Astounding Thunder Fleet’s abilities.

Like Jin Yuyan said, even if everybody in the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors and the coalition fleet of the four families were pigs, as long as they were capable of breathing and wandering in space, it would take Lei Chenghu at least a couple of months before he finally got the Seven Seas Space Zone under control.

In other words, the moment Lei Chenghu’s fleet jumped over, it would be stalled by the four families and the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors who each had their own plans, thereby losing mobility.

Without the threat provided by the Astounding Thunder Fleet, the capital would be wide open. As long as the highest commanders of the ace fleets of the four families were not dumb and blind, they would never let go of such a rare opportunity!

“I believe I do not need to explain which between the capital and the Seven Seas Space Zone is more important.”

Jin Yuyan continued coldly, “If I were the highest commanders of the ace fleets of the four families, and I discovered that the Astounding Thunder Fleet had disappeared to reinforce the Seven Seas Space Zone, I would certainly not be chasing after the Astounding Thunder Fleet like a dummy, joining the war of attrition in the gigantic, messy swamp that was the Seven Seas Space Zone.

“I would certainly seize the momentary opportunity and drop the conflicts with the other few families for now. We would launch our ace fleets at the same time toward the capital, destroy the nest of the reformists, and capture Li Linghai, Yue Wushuang, and the other rebels in the ‘Reform Committee of the Council of Elders’!

“If the ‘Reform Committee of the Council of Elders’ is annihilated and the capital falls back to the four families’ control, it would be the doom of the reformists. By then, even if the reformists secure a minor victory in the battle of Seven Seas, it would be useless. Everybody would be inclined toward the four families. Even the expedition army would not stand behind Lei Chenghu. Everything would be over.

“Vulture Li Yao, if you were the highest commander of the ace fleets of the four families, would you find my previous analysis reasonable?”

Thinking for a long time, Li Yao struggled to reply. “Fair enough, the Astounding Thunder Fleet is truly the key to stop the four families from attacking the capital. Now that the Astounding Thunder Fleet has volunteered to leave the heartland of the four families for an insignificant battle at the edge of the cosmos, if I were the highest commander of the ace fleets of the four families, I would certainly attack the capital without any hesitation!

“Then, even if Wuying Qi has combined all the strengths in the capital, could he resist the ace fleets of the four families with the Imperial Guards who are exceptionally young and untrained?”

Jin Yuyan asked again, “Or maybe Wuying Qi could get reinforcements as strong as the Astounding Thunder Fleet from elsewhere?”

“It’s impossible.”

Li Yao closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. “Even Wuying Qi cannot turn a stone into gold. He cannot transform the Imperial Guards who haven’t fought any hard battles for hundreds of years into an invincible army in only a couple of months.

“As for the other strong reinforcements, I fear that the expedition army is the only choice.

“However, the expedition army has been reluctant to publicly state their support for the reformists. It is obvious that they are still observing the situation. Now that Wuying Qi has made such a horrible mistake, it is even less likely for them to help him at such a critical moment. They would be showing Lei Chenghu enough respect if they do not stab the reformists in the back.

“Besides, even if the expedition army does reinforce the capital from far away, the ace fleets of the four families would not necessarily be scared of them. Those few ace fleets are the greatest reliance of the four families. From the commanders to the middle-level officers and even to the bottom-level soldiers, they are made of the most loyal, central descendants of the families. The resources consumed in their daily training and the configuration of warships are multiple times more than those of common fleets. Even the Adamantine Fleet that Yun Xuefeng commands is far from them.

“Many people say that the soldiers of the few ace fleets are more expensive than marrow crystals of the same weight. They are the real tough warriors and the greatest support for the four families to dominate the Imperium. Even if they run into the Astounding Thunder Fleet or other fleets of the expedition army, those hardcore nobles would never betray their families or back off.

“If the two parties have the most intense collision in a head-on clash, it remains to be seen who will win in the end!”

“Therefore—”

Jin Yuyan smiled. “You said that the whole thing was Wuying Qi’s arrangement. Then, what is his ultimate purpose? Abandon all the defense so that the best fleets of the four families will be attracted to stab his heart?

“Tactically, it is true that the arrival of the Astounding Thunder Fleet may very likely change the outcome of the battle of Seven Seas. However, strategically, such a decision is most idiotic. Unless caught in desperation and it is absolutely necessary, not a single highest commander would have made such a decision!”

“That’s right…”

The swirls of mists grew larger and larger still in Li Yao’s head. He seemed to have been lost in a hazy fog by himself, and he could not find a way out however hard he struggled. He could only mumble, “I need to think. I need to think about it carefully.”

“You can take your time to think about it, Black Wind King. After all, we have plenty of time.”

Jin Yuyan said with a bitter smile, “The Astounding Thunder Fleet has successfully jumped over and joined the space battlefield in an organized formation. However strategically idiotic the decision is, and no matter how many schemes and traps it entails, our army has earned more advantages at least tactically, and we will not be killed for the time being!”

Hardly had Jin Yuyan concluded his sentence when explosive cheers burst out in the command center.

Li Yao’s head was dizzy because of the overwhelming cheers. He did not know whether he should burst into fury or frustration. “Director Jin, how could you?”

“Like I said, I don’t have a choice.”

With helplessness popping on his face, Jin Yuyan said in a low voice, “The Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors does not belong to me alone. The scandals about me that were exposed to the internal network significantly diminished my control. Many senior managers and great shareholders are already very dissatisfied with me.

“Besides, I’m merely the leader of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors in business and politics, and I’m not the highest commander of the garrison fleet or the military leader. How could I exceed my authority and take over military affairs?

“To accept the reinforcement of the Astounding Thunder Fleet is a military decision. I received the message with a few senior managers and commanders of the garrison fleet together. How could I have stopped it when everybody was cheering for it? What reasons did I have?

“Also, the news that the Astounding Thunder Fleet would soon arrive spread throughout the Seven Seas Grand Market. Even the soldiers fighting and bleeding in space had learned that reinforcements were coming. They considered the Astounding Thunder Fleet as their last chance. They managed to deal with the enemies ten times more than themselves and to keep the battle formation stable only because of the prospect of reinforcements.

“If I tell the soldiers now that the reinforcements are no more and the Astounding Thunder Fleet can’t make it, guess what consequences there will be? We might as well surrender to the four families directly!”

Li Yao was lost for words again. His body was cold as he fell into the ice cave of helplessness exactly like Jin Yuyan.

“Black Wind King Li Yao, perhaps you’re right that the whole thing is a scheme or a trap. However…”

With the most bitter smile, Jin Yuyan struggled to say, “However, Blackstar the Great’s capabilities and calculations are far beyond our imagination. He seems to have grasped every detail and forced us into a choiceless situation in every step.

“You’ve come so late that the space gate has been opened and all the soldiers and merchants have learned the arrival of the Astounding Thunder Fleet. Nothing can be changed. However, even if you had returned half a day earlier and told me everything, and even if I believed 100% of what you said, we still would have had no choice except to let the Astounding Thunder Fleet in, wouldn’t we?

“In short, the situation right now is beyond our estimation and control. There’s nothing we can do about it except to observe.”

“Who says that?”

Clenching his fists, Li Yao gnashed his teeth. “Wuying Qi must have a most insane scheme that involves both the Seven Seas Space Zone and the capital. We have to unravel his scheme and kill him no matter what!”

“How are we going to stop it?”

Jin Yuyan opened his hands and said, “Look at the light spots on the hologram of the space zone. Lei Chenghu’s fleet has jumped over in an organized way and is about to launch an attack at Yun Xuefeng’s flagship-in-general. No matter who wins in the end, the battle will not end in a couple of days. In the meantime, the ace fleets of the four families must be marching at the capital aggressively. Whatever scheme Wuying Qi has, it will be activated very soon, won’t it?

“And you, ‘Vulture Li Yao, Black Wind King’, you are still at the edge of the Imperium. Even if you get a starship, jump back to the Empyreal Terminus Sector, and sneak into the palace again, what can you do? Are you capable of taking down the ace fleets of the four families as well as Wuying Qi’s Imperial Guards in the space battlefield, or are you confident enough to approach Wuying Qi without alarming anybody and kill Blackstar the Great in a one-versus-one battle?”