Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

Chapter 666: Chapter 203 Early Days of the War

Bai Quan directly displayed the entire Empire’s galactic map.

The straight line distance from one end of the Empire to the other is almost equal to two Milky Way Galaxies laid out there, but the entire Empire’s territory can hold more than just two Milky Way Galaxies.

So although Chen Ming previously understood the vast expanse of the Empire, seeing it again now still feels somewhat overwhelming.

Bai Quan pointed to the countless regions marked in orange at the Empire’s edge after the map was completely revealed, and said: ”Firstly, not all places where battles happen are battlefields.”

”Those low-intensity battlefields can’t be considered as battlefields, they’re just places for training troops.”

”Just like the various borders where we meet the Mechanical Race, although it’s life-or-death when we fight them, most of the time it’s just small-scale skirmishes.”

”After all, the Mechanical Race isn’t foolish; they don’t have a large enough group at our Empire’s border to pose a threat.”

”In the absence of our proactive expansion intentions, they dare not excessively harass us.”

”The only real large-scale battle is with Dusk’s main force.”

Bai Quan pointed to another region named Sunset which opposes the Gallo Star Realm on the two ends of the Empire. It’s the only area marked in red on the map.

”So we are only opening the second truly comprehensive war battlefield.”

”And the reason we’re opening a new battlefield, or initiating a war...”

”Have you seen recent news, where malformed wave tides have started appearing across the Empire’s regions, are you aware of this?”

Chen Ming nodded: ”The Empire doesn’t seem to have a good solution.”

”Of course, there’s no solution; as someone who went through the reason behind this malformed tide, how do you think it should be resolved?”

”I don’t know.”

If even the President of the Spiritual Ability Association doesn’t have a solution, what could he possibly say?

Bai Quan evidently knew the answer, and asked back: ”Since this internal conflict cannot be resolved, what do you think the Empire should do?”

Having taken political classes, Chen Ming immediately understood, and said: ”Of course, shift attention to external conflicts, using war to redirect focus to the Mechanical Race and Dusk.”

”Then why doesn’t the Empire continue to invest in the front-line battlefield?”

Bai Quan explained: ”The war started a long time ago, it never stopped, but seeing the front line remains close to our Empire’s border position, you understand the situation of the frontline.”

”Dusk’s main force has blocked our attacks, and as defenders, they continue to withdraw, progress on the front line is rather slow.”

”During the time when you had just begun to shine and were taken away by Dusk, although we managed to advance on the front line for a while, the result was a failure.”

”The frontline instead fell into a complete stalemate, and we had no choice but to explore alternative paths.”

”If we continue to invest in the front-line battlefield, it’s likely not shifting conflicts, but further entrenching the Empire in its difficulties.”

Chen Ming understood.

If the Empire’s initial investments at the front aren’t effective, and are instead stalled by Dusk, the means to transfer conflicts via war will fail, domestic unrest could potentially intensify instead.

Hence, the Empire must open another battlefield where they are certain to win, breaking through in local regions.

Relying on this great victory to alleviate pressure from internal conflicts.

Bai Quan continued: ”As long as the Empire initiates warfare, surviving the first wave with war dividends and achieving initial results, all internal issues in recent years will resolve themselves.”

”A complete victory in this hard battle and developing a star realm of the Mechanical Race can provide the Empire with at least fifty years of development.”

”Subsequently, thoroughly digesting the star realm, acquiring internal resources, gaining another civilization’s legacy, the returns are unimaginable.”

”Whatever internal contradictions become trivial before the dividends from war, the entire Empire thrives vigorously.”

As Bai Quan finished, Chen Ming summarized: ”So this is the reason for warfare.”

”That’s right, and then think further, what happens afterward? Once the dividends run out?”

”Fifty years is just two or three generations, such dividends consumed by then aren’t real dividends.”

”Dividends should be something left by predecessors for successors over a long duration.”

”So, considering further, after we win the war in the Gallo Star Realm here, do you think we should continue?”

Chen Ming believed the answer is obvious: ”Of course we should.”

Bai Quan, knowing the answer as the initiator of the question, nodded and proceeded: ”So after winning the war against the Mechanical Race in the Gallo Star Realm, the Empire will refocus its war priorities back on the front line.”

”The massive dividends in the beginning will allow the Empire to easily drive its large entity, the entire Empire united, can it cause trouble for Dusk on the front lines? Or trouble for other Mechanical Races?”

”Certainly.”

”Then, the complete answer to your earlier question is this.”

”Actually, the thoughts of the Empire’s top people can be guessed, doesn’t it feel normal to organize the logic a bit?”

”And, supposedly, I’m saying supposedly, the higher-ups not only intend to gain war dividends, but they also wish to use this war to stimulate the entire Empire, starting the Second Expansion Era.”