The next sentence was again issuing orders.
“Alien star air zone troops, continue fighting in place. Starships in the universe domain, all move vertically downward, compress the battlefield into the alien star’s atmosphere, execute immediately.”
This time, there wasn’t even a three-minute buffer preparation time.
The starships engaged in chaotic battle in the universe domain all tilted their cannon angles upward, retreating while fighting, approaching Alpha Alien Star.
Rita’s heart was pounding, her face pale as she called out to Xie Yuduo. “Major General! At this rate of movement, air superiority will soon fall to the enemy’s hands!”
Xie Yuduo, on the contrary, became calm at this moment. He furrowed his brow, pondered for a while, then suddenly pointed at the battle situation map. “But have you noticed, the troops are moving.”
Rita was stunned.
Indeed, the light blue three-dimensional battle map showed that the imperial army, which had been in chaos unable to break free from the Crystal Cult’s suicide tactics, had begun to move in an orderly manner following commands!
Before this, Xie Yuduo had been issuing orders non-stop to allow the imperial army to regroup, but with little effect.
Why? It wasn’t because the Major General’s commands were improper, but precisely because those orders were too precise. In an extremely chaotic environment, it was difficult to ensure every link could be completed.
If one unit failed to execute, even if another unit successfully completed its task, it might fail to converge due to the lack of timely coordination from the failed unit.
But now Jiang Jianming’s orders were simply to move up, down, or fight in place, and were issued to all troops.
The soldiers didn’t need to consider coordination or worry about time limits. Combined with their mindset of disregarding life and death, they were finally able to accurately carry out orders!
The battle map flickered constantly, with the forces at the top and bottom like two giant guillotines, slowly converging towards the center.
It was at this moment that a window flashed on the screen in front of Xie Yuduo. The two-way communication was established, and Jiang Jianming’s face appeared.
“Major General Xie, it’s me.”
Xie Yuduo immediately stood up. “Little Excellency!? Oh my goodness, you finally showed up. Are you piloting the Crown of Golden Dawn? What’s the situation with the authority? Where is His Highness Ryann?”
Jiang Jianming: “Authority? What autho…”
He had been immersed in the mental data world controlling the mecha, and only now looked down to realize.
He belatedly noticed that he had been speaking with the supreme commander’s authority all along.
Jiang Jianming’s face remained expressionless. “…That’s not important.”
As they spoke, L-Crown of Golden Dawn had already charged into the mid-air battlefield. Its long blade flashed, cleaving through both Crystal Cult mechas and alien crystal skeletons upon impact.
The nine mecha cannons mounted on the body fired simultaneously, and another wave of energy light arrows smashed downward.
The cockpit door opened, and in the next second, crimson golden crystal bones stretched out!
Instantly, the morale of the imperial army surged to its peak.
The Crown of Golden Dawn and those iconic crystal bones made everyone believe Ryann was there.
Being able to witness the legendary mecha descend onto the battlefield after three years of silence, being able to fight alongside His Highness the Crown Prince, even death would be worth it.
However, Jiang Jianming inside the cockpit remained exceptionally calm.
“…Using this method of simplifying complexity to directly and brutally compress the battlefield space. If the Crystal Cult on the fortress surface and in the universe domain doesn’t follow up, we can ensure absolute troop superiority in the mid-air domain.”
Jiang Jianming’s finger circled an area on the battle map, “First, annihilate the enemy forces in this area.”
“Of course, compressing the battlefield like this will cause the battle density to rise sharply. The crystal particle concentration will quickly reach the central area of the fortress.”
Jiang Jianming slowly said, “So the premise of fighting is not fearing death.”
Xie Yuduo pondered for a long time, suddenly feeling a sense of realization. “I see.”
The phrase “trading absolute casualties for absolute victory” emerged in the Major General’s mind.
Even at this moment, he still couldn’t quite believe that this was the strategy Jiang Jianming would adopt.
Rita held back, but still couldn’t help herself. “Little Excellency!”
“So, are the fortress and soldiers unable to take off in time all considered bait? Also, if we give up air superiority, we’ll be at a disadvantage later. How should we fight then—”
Xie Yuduo and Jiang Jianming interrupted her simultaneously.
Xie Yuduo: “Enough.”
Jiang Jianming: “This is a necessary sacrifice.”
“…I said I would annihilate the Crystal Cult here, while keeping the crystal disorder under control. For this, I will spare no cost.”
Jiang Jianming: “For subsequent battles, we naturally have corresponding tactics. But they’ll be similar in style, so please be mentally prepared.”
“…Yes.”
Rita reluctantly lowered her head.
The Crown of Golden Dawn’s mechanical arms exerted force, forcibly tearing a Crystal Cult mecha in half. Another alien creature pounced from the thick smoke of the explosion. When it was about a meter or two from the cockpit, its head was sliced off by the crystal bones.
A drop of blood splattered onto the corner of Jiang Jianming’s eye, like a bright red tear mole.
Is it almost time? He thought to himself.
Hurry, hurry up.
…
Eastern zone of the fortress.
Tang Zhen’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He glanced at the remaining energy of his mecha and the preset self-destruct program.
Now that the new crystal weapon grenades had been used up, when it came time to sacrifice their lives, they could only blow up along with their mechas.
The battle wasn’t over yet. The main force had left, but the fortress still had cannons, defense systems, and undamaged intelligent machines.
Tang Zhen chose to return and hold his ground outside the temporary medical area, and almost all soldiers still capable of fighting made similar choices.
— Not hiding or avoiding, fighting in place, taking down one enemy was one less.
The surroundings were gradually brightening. The mecha crushed thick ice, charging towards the enemy for the umpteenth time.
Bang bang! Boom!!
The mechanical arm grasped the alien creature’s head, firing several shots at close range.
As it struggled frantically, the reddish-brown crystal bones delivered the fatal blow.
Tang Zhen panted heavily. His eyes red with killing intent, he manipulated the mecha to twist its body and crash into another alien creature.
However, that one retreated warily. After several rounds of pursuit and combat, it writhed out a pair of crystal bone wings from its flesh lumps and shrieked as it flew away.
“Heh… coward.”
Tang Zhen grinned, caught his breath for a moment, then vaguely realized something strange.
What’s going on…he frowned and thought to himself: When did these highly intelligent alien creatures become so easy to deal with?
When the main force took off, Tang Zhen had imagined his own ending.
It would surely be a dark tide of enemies surging in, while he fought bravely to the death, perhaps holding out for a few hours, and finally, heroically and dashingly detonating his mecha, perishing together with the enemy.
That would make him a heroic martyr praised by future generations.
But now…
Tang Zhen looked around and realized that the scene of “heroic sacrifice everywhere” he had imagined hadn’t materialized at all.
The intelligent alien creatures that were just carrying out suicide attacks had clearly weakened in their speed and ferocity of attack. Many even began to passively avoid combat.
“Lieutenant Tang!” someone called out, “Why are these alien creatures becoming such cowards?”
Tang Zhen was stunned for a while, and an impossible idea surfaced in his mind.
Could it be that these alien creatures were… losing their will to fight?
No way, he suddenly became confused, how long had they been fighting?
From when Little Jiang ordered the army to start suicide attacks until now, had it been 15 minutes? 10 minutes?
Crash…
Suddenly, a tremendous noise. Countless imperial soldiers looked up to see nearly a hundred alien creatures taking to the sky. Their shadows swept over the ruined fortress, gradually becoming smaller.
“They…”
Someone lowered the grenade in their hand in disbelief, with excitement and incredulity at narrowly escaping death, “They’re just leaving like this!?”
Tang Zhen’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Then, it felt like all the blood in his body heated up, rushing to his head with a buzzing sound.
“Little Jiang…”
Tang Zhen suddenly lowered his head and chuckled, pounding his fist on the mecha’s control panel, muttering in a voice no one could hear. “…Little liar.”
…….
“Report! The enemy’s offensive has slowed down, they seem to be retreating!”
“Our formation has connected! The two squads that lost contact on the left wing have reunited and can now execute orders.”
“Latest report from the fortress battlefield, the alien creature tide has stopped attacking, we’re tallying our casualties…”
“This, what’s happening…!?”
Inside the Crown of Golden Dawn, Jiang Jianming listened to the reports filled with excitement and surprise.
The mecha slid under an alien creature’s belly. In the fleeting moment of light and shadow interplay, a glimmer of a smile flashed in his eyes.
He had discussed the special nature of this war against the Crystal Cult with Major General Xie and His Highness Ryann.
The Crystal Cult’s goal was to create crystal disorder. To truly win, they needed to tackle this root cause.
But at that time, Jiang Jianming hadn’t found a good method. The suicide attacks being implemented now could certainly curb the occurrence of crystal disorder. He had come up with the plan but was reluctant to use it.
The preciousness of human life went without saying. Even if they considered reasonable sacrifice as a last resort, it still wouldn’t do. This batch of troops was the elite of the imperial elite. To fight the Crystal Cult to mutual destruction would be too heartbreaking.
It wasn’t until just now in the underground, between life and death, that he guessed the secret of the intelligent alien creatures.
If his guess was correct, these so-called intelligent alien creatures were controlled by the consciousnesses of the Crystal Cult members.
That made things easier—
If they were human, human methods could be used.
Tactics, strategy, deception, psychological warfare.
There was no need to actually sacrifice the entire army, as long as they could make the Crystal Cult “believe so”, the opponent would lose their composure first.
Isn’t your only purpose to create crystal disorder to nourish the Crystal Nest?
Now the imperial army would rather commit suicide than succumb to crystal disorder. Not only that, they’ve declared they’ll annihilate the Crystal Cult here at all costs.
Are you afraid? Will you retreat? If you don’t, not only will you fail to fulfill your mission of welcoming the ultimate, but you’ll die in vain in the wind and snow of Alpha Alien Star.
Unfortunately, a death wish can’t be faked. Given the urgency, he could only trust in the loyalty and obedience of the imperial soldiers, deceiving his own people along with the enemy.
Another trait of the intelligent alien creatures gave Jiang Jianming room to deploy his deception.
Through the racial consciousness of crystal particles, the Crystal Cult members could partially share information after the death of the alien creatures they possessed.
Information… information is the easiest thing to manipulate. What one sees and hears can be both true and false, real and illusory.
And what does consciousness sharing mean? Extreme efficiency, but is this efficiency really all beneficial without drawbacks?
His Crown of Golden Dawn could kill dozens or hundreds of alien creatures in one sweep.
At the same time, other “alien creatures” on the battlefield would instantly receive dozens or hundreds of messages saying “failed to create crystal disorder”, “imperial army is fighting desperately”, “suggest retreat”.
If three people can make a tiger, who could withstand dozens or hundreds of voices shouting in their head?
(TL: 三人成虎/three people can make a tiger=to illustrate the overwhelming and unbearable nature of many voices or opinions influencing someone’s mind.)
Therefore, in this situation, the collapse of the enemy’s will to fight would be much faster than under normal circumstances!
Jiang Jianming slowly narrowed his eyes, and the Crown of Golden Dawn fired again.
After a sweep of fire, as the smoke and dust cleared, a dozen starships appeared on the opposite side, surrounding Major General Xie’s flagship, the Tianshuhao.
They had successfully joined forces.
“Little Excellency! Are you—”
As Xie Yuduo’s excited voice came through, Jiang Jianming, fearing the Major General might speak out of turn, abruptly cut off the communication.
The enemy hadn’t completely collapsed yet, so to be safe, it wasn’t time for honesty just yet.
However… Jiang Jianming’s eyes were deep. He knew the Crystal Cult couldn’t hold out much longer.
