Chapter 751.2: Genetic Sequence, LV7!
Chapter 751.2: Genetic Sequence, LV7!
She wasn't very good at comforting people, nor was she good at reading other people's emotions. After all, she spent most of her time immersed in scientific research. Halfway through her sentence, she stopped awkwardly.
Chu Guang was slightly taken aback. It took him another two seconds to realize that she was actually trying to comfort him, and he smiled. “What are you talking about? Why would I worry about something like that? Though I was actually thinking... It'd be nice if I could grow a pair of wings.”
That would be a little too fantastical, though. With his skeletal structure and nervous system needing to change completely, it would probably be impossible without installing cybernetic implants.
“So I was worrying for nothing!” Hyrja's face reddened in a rare display of embarrassment. She coughed heavily, trying to hide how awkward she was.
“Not at all,” Chu Guang interrupted her, wearing a bright, genuine smile. “Thank you. It actually feels pretty nice to have someone care about me.”
“You... You really... W-when you're not talking, you actually seem... seem pretty normal.”
Watching Hyrja turn her head away in flustered confusion, with a faint blush visible beneath her silver hair, surprise appeared on Chu Guang's face.
That’s strange. Isn’t that supposed to be my line?
...
[Yesterday, the coalition achieved a decisive victory in its offensive around the Ten Peaks Mountain. The Hive deep within Blood Peak finally fell under the combined assault of the Alpha Mobile Task Force and the Death Corps, and the blight buried beneath the Guardian Manor Plains was completely excised. With this, the Torch Church’s stronghold in the Brocade River Province has been liberated!]
[Although the soil corroded by Na Fruit is still undergoing purification, completely eradicating the corruption left behind by the Torch Church is now only a matter of time... To prevent the seeds of chaos from taking root again, the administrator announced plans to establish the New Alliance's seventh survivor settlement, Guardian Manor City while also adding Guardian Manor City Station to the New Alliance's railway network. Construction of the settlement is currently being overseen by the Southern Construction Corps. Please stay tuned for further updates.]
[Meanwhile, at the initiative of New Alliance’s administrator Chu Guang, the Mutant Slime Mold Research Committee has proposed Resolution No.6, under which representatives will discuss pensions and compensation for the soldiers who fell during the war against the Torch Church, as well as for their families. The list of fallen soldiers is currently being compiled. However, due to the varying levels of communication technology among the survivor factions, limitations in household registration systems, and other objective factors, this work will likely take considerable time to complete.]
[In addition, following the Beast King's defeat, the Mutant Human tribes stationed throughout the Ten Peaks Mountain have begun migrating south one after another. For the first time since the first tribe settled there over a century ago, the Ten Peaks Mountain have been completely freed from the mutant threat.]
[At present, the Enterprise's 100th Mountain Division has already been deployed to garrison Lai Peak. Given the complexity of the situation in Ocean Edge Province, the Army, Enterprise, and the Academy have all stated that they will dispatch additional reinforcements to the front. However, due to the width of the front, logistical capacity, and various other objective constraints, the northern front is unlikely to support more than 20 divisions at maximum strength.]
[Military analysts believe that the northern front has successfully opened a breakthrough, and the next major turning point of the war may emerge on the southern front.]
[This report was brought to you by Sammy, Chief, Reporter, and Editor of the Fries Harbor Branch of the Survivor Daily!]
On the southern shore of the Baiyue Strait, inside a standalone wooden cabin within the military camp at Dough Stick Harbor, Isair, commander of the Xilande Empire Expeditionary Force, was reading the newspaper in his hands.
Despite the temperature being well over 30 degrees, his hands and feet felt ice cold.
What made him hold his breath wasn't the victorious headline on the front page, but the casualty statistics for each coalition force listed on the second page. Excluding the Army’s expendable clone soldiers, the Xilande Empire ranked second in total losses, with 14,700 soldiers killed in action alone!
Nearly three-quarters of the force that had arrived at the frontline had died. He couldn't even imagine whether he would still be alive now if he hadn't boarded the wrong mode of transport back then.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside. Stepping over the threshold was his adjutant, a man named Conrad. He, too, carried a newspaper in his hand, and judging by how freshly printed it looked, it was clearly the same edition.
Just as Isair expected, Conrad got straight to the point the moment he entered. “Sir, General Babita's forces suffered catastrophic losses. That's not good news for us... Ah, it seems you already know.”
Halfway through speaking, his eyes landed on the newspaper in Isair's hands, and he wisely stopped.
However, Isair had already heard the first half of his sentence and frowned. “What does that have to do with us? We're responsible for the southern front.”
“Strictly speaking, that's true. But General Babita is still our superior. Given his personality, do you really think he'll honestly admit his mistakes?” Conrad sighed.
“What is there to argue about?” Isair let out a derisive laugh. “That bastard who even covets the money on his subordinates' meal cards? Even if he refuses to admit it, can he argue to bring those 14,700 dead back to life?”
The Dough Stick Harbor branch of the Survivor’s Daily was run by the Moonfolk, and those Moonfolk girls always liked to slip their own opinions into the paper. They paid no attention to the Army’s clone soldiers, focusing exclusively on the Xilande Empire's Expeditionary Army, and only reported bad news while ignoring the good.
At first, he had despised those Moonfolk. But after working alongside New Alliance citizens for some time, he had gradually come to believe that General Babita really was a complete idiot, and whoever had appointed him commander of the expeditionary army was an idiot as well.
Although Isair looked down on the man, Conrad still spoke cautiously. “... It's not surprising that you think that. To be honest, even I can't stand that fool. But I have to admit, he's quite skilled when it comes to political maneuvering. For example, he could blame this entire defeat on your failure to reach the front according to the original plan, then claim that thanks to his heroic efforts, the two divisions that should have been wiped out managed to preserve 20% of their strength...”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!” Isair slammed his fist onto the table. “No matter what he says, His Majesty couldn't possibly believe such blatant lies!”
Conrad shook his head and replied quietly, “Twisting the truth is the most basic skill of political maneuvering. At court, having thick skin is more important than ability. Since he's your superior and much closer to His Majesty than you are, he'll naturally be far more practiced at this than you...”
Looking at the increasingly uneasy General Isair, he paused before he continued, “Of course, even though the situation is extremely unfavorable for us, we aren't without opportunities...”
Over the past month, they had turned Dough Stick Harbor into something respectable, and as promised, the New Alliance had paid them part of their wages.
It wasn’t just wages, either. The Baiyue Strait was far more prosperous than before. While Dough Stick Harbor couldn't compare to French Fry Harbor, it had benefited greatly from its growth. Merchants from Silvermoon Bay, traders from the Southern Archipelago Alliance, and even wealthy businessmen from Dawn City had all established businesses there.
Managing plantations, working on construction sites or docks, warehouse management, and import-export operations... The 3rd division of the Expeditionary Army had their hands in all of it. Although they still carried the title of an expeditionary army, in practice they had transformed from a military organization into a large labor contracting agency.
After all, the Jungle Corps was simply too formidable in combat. Those from the Xilande Empire hardly needed to take the field at all.
Over the past month alone, they had accumulated at least 5,000 to 6,000 Silver each. For the impoverished people of Poro Province, that sum itself was an enormous bargaining chip.
Seeing the serious expression on Isair's face, Conrad continued, “His Majesty's opinion is what matters most. So as long as we get our battle report to the Heavenly City before anyone else, convince His Majesty that General Babita's incompetence caused the Empire to lose face before the Army, and then propose splitting the Expeditionary Army into separate northern and southern commands... I believe His Majesty will consider your recommendation.”
After hearing his adjutant's proposal, Isair was clearly tempted, though hesitation still lingered on his face. Eventually, he mumbled, “But... bypassing the chain of command is a serious taboo.”
Conrad replied patiently. “That's easy to solve. Do you remember Governor Nihark?”
Isair nodded. “Of course I do. He's one of His Majesty's closest confidants. Are you suggesting we use his connections? But isn't he imprisoned in Port Gallon?”
Since Duke Garawa had refused to sign, the New Alliance and the Xilande Empire had remained in ceasefire negotiations without ever signing a formal ceasefire agreement. As a result, both the Grey Wolf Army prisoners and Governor Nihark himself were still being held in the labor camp and prison at Port Gallon. He simply couldn't see what good could come from relying on a prisoner.
Seeing Isair's puzzled expression, Conrad patiently explained, “... Things are different now. The Empire suffered devastating losses in the war against the Torch Church, and the New Alliance has adjusted its diplomatic strategy toward the Empire. Even if it's only out of sympathy for the weaker side, they won't continue making unreasonable demands.”
“Besides, things haven't been peaceful within the Empire lately. The Black Panther Army and the Fierce Tiger Army, both commanding massive independent forces, have become increasingly difficult to control. His Majesty also intends to ease relations with the New Alliance so he can free up his hands to deal with the internal turmoil. I imagine he'll be willing to make certain concessions. That ceasefire agreement that's been stalled for an entire month will probably be signed very soon.”
Isair's expression changed immediately. “You mean Governor Nihark is about to be released?!”
Conrad nodded seriously. “Without a doubt. Including Prince Dilip, who's imprisoned alongside him, they’ll be released together. I expect they'll both be boarding ships home before long.”
His eyes flickered as he laid out his entire plan.
“... Reporting directly over your superior's head won't work. But if Governor Nihark or Prince Dilip is the one who delivers the letter, then that problem disappears entirely.”