November 19, 829 common era, 8:30 PM.
The 127 Marine Corps gorillas of the 101st Company, plus one Security Guard miscellaneous, had already arrived near the Alqi Highlands. They lay prone among the steep peaks, observing their intended target across a hundred-meter-wide ravine.
Everything went very smoothly, so smoothly that Captain Winter and the officers of the 101st Company were a little surprised. In comparison, Yu Lian, who had long guessed what the situation would be, was probably the calmest one.
"You see, Captain, I told you it wouldn't matter. Now that we've made it here, we're halfway to victory."
Captain Winter agreed, but his gaze towards Yu Lian held a few more traces of surprise: "You guessed it from the very beginning?"
He had watched Yu Lian's performance all the way here. Even he, a seasoned veteran, was a little nervous, but this 'student soldier' was so relaxed that he even seemed carefree, always wearing a light expression as if he were going on a picnic, only missing hotpot and a song.
"Yes, the enemy's chances of discovering us are very small. I can almost certainly confirm this. Even if there are some unexpected incidents, they are within our scope of handling."
Seeing Captain Winter and the big brothers of the 101st Company looking somewhat confused, Yu Lian felt it was better to explain, lest he be truly regarded as a lunatic.
"The Sand People are gathered by the personal prestige of Grand Elder Hessen, but they are still 'barbarians' and cannot establish a reliable scout and surveillance network at all. The major tribes don't even speak the same language, and many even have long-standing feuds. If they accidentally stir up trouble, it will be quite a commotion, which will objectively cover our actions."
In fact, it wasn't just a commotion. Two tribes of several hundred people even started fighting, attracting twenty times as many onlookers. It was truly lively and noisy, almost comparable to last year's Celestial Sphere Galaxy Cup finals. This forced the Grand Elder to send people to suppress it, and it still hasn't been completely resolved.
Furthermore, not only these numb, ignorant, carefree onlookers who could never be awakened by medicine, but even the tank crews of the Sand People elite objectively created convenience for everyone.
Yes, the tank crews had read a little, and more or less had a sense of national mission and honor. Naturally, yesterday's crushing defeat was seen by them as a great humiliation. The Sand People tank crews knew that this was largely due to their own lack of skill—which was unavoidable, as most of these Sand People tank crews had only learned basic tutorials and driven for a few hours before being forcibly sent to the battlefield, so their lack of skill was understandable.
However, it's not a problem to be unskilled, but it is a problem to lack even basic shame. Fortunately, these Sand People elites were commendable; they simply cleared out several open spaces in the massive encampment and practiced tank driving overnight. Thus, the roar of tanks and the shouts of young Sand People constantly echoed from the encampment, a scene of vigorous training.
"With such a commotion, even if Sirilka's black panther cars and tanks were accidentally exposed, they might be mistaken for their own people. But all our mechs have optical camouflage and sound suppressors, maximizing concealment. The enemy's numbers are large, yet they are not unified. Tank crews and gunners look down on city-state lords, and city-state lords view nomadic Khans as bandits, guarding against them day and night. They lack coordination and cooperation. The armies between tribes and city-states are clearly demarcated, and the empty zones between them are subconsciously treated as buffer points, with no one sent to monitor them. Instead, it's easy for us to exploit the loopholes."
"So, the marching route you led us on just now passed right through the gaps between the enemy's various encampments." Captain Winter nodded in admiration: "Truly surgical marching!"
Uh, that was your original marching route.
"You've been observing from the mountain for so many days, all for this, right?" the Captain asked again.
So what exactly was it for? I've been on the mountain for the past few days just waiting for you all to arrive and watch the show. At most, I seriously looked for Hessen's main camp, so I could save my senior sister from her tragic fate of lying in the hospital for half a year. Yu Lian thought.
After so many days of careful reconnaissance, he must have memorized the division of all the enemy camps, patrol routes, and exploitable loopholes, then analyzed the most perfect stealth route, right? That's what the Captain thought.
Thinking of this, although Captain Winter didn't gasp, he couldn't help but raise his evaluation of this person again.
This child is truly terrifying! Could it be that all 'Moon People' are like this?
He immediately denied it in his heart. He had served in the Outer Rim Fleet for a considerable amount of time and had seen countless officers from prominent families. He knew too well the level of those 'elite bureaucrats,' who strutted around like peacocks every day, but in essence, they were just a bunch of groundhogs wrapped in feather blankets eating with silver knives and forks. Although 'Moon People' were rare, he had seen them, and essentially, they just had more luxurious blankets and more exquisite knives and forks than other groundhogs.
"Warrant Officer, after graduation, have you considered serving in the Outer Rim Fleet?" the Captain asked abruptly.
Uh, what is this? Recruitment? Yu Lian was a little bewildered.
"Oh, but I heard you're from the Department of Strategic Studies. Even if you do go to the Outer Rim Fleet, you should go directly to the Command HQ. General Paris is a warm and honest superior; he will definitely appreciate you very much."
Yu Lian wanted to laugh but also felt a little touched. However, he hadn't fully made up his mind about his future yet, so he could only say: "This subordinate is very grateful for your trust and appreciation. However, I haven't decided what my future path will be. Also, as a soldier, I must prioritize obeying the Defense Committee's deployment."
"That's true, graduating from military academy doesn't necessarily mean you have to serve in the military. You're so outstanding; you have a great future wherever you go. It truly is a pity for you to be a soldier."
Even an excellent grassroots officer like Captain Winter held this view. The prevailing atmosphere throughout the Commonwealth, and even the entire Milky Way Civilization society, was thus imaginable. It was not difficult to understand why the future would turn out that way.
The topic ended there, and everyone chatted quietly for a few more moments, beginning to wait for the general offensive to commence.
Yu Lian checked the time, estimating that Ina's battle should have begun, but he hadn't heard any movement. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Just as Yu Lian was wondering whether to call the other party, Ina's voice finally came through the helmet's built-in communicator: "Sir, everything is going smoothly."
"...Does 'everything is going smoothly' mean your infiltration was smooth or your attack was smooth?"
"We have already taken the enemy's position. We are setting up the firing positions as per your prior arrangements!"
This is even faster than I imagined!
"...Is that guy still cooperative?"
"Mr. Stein helped a great deal; he was very cooperative and very brave. He seems to be able to deploy something similar to a domain, covering our tracks. Upon reaching the destination, he was also the first to launch the attack, which is why it was so smooth."
Of course, Travelers are one of the few spiritual energy users who can provide buffs to a group in the early stages, and they also have quite good stealth abilities. This was precisely why I chose this path in my previous life.
"Also, there are indeed two quadruple-barreled anti-aircraft guns set up here, and Uncle Karl is working hard to modify them."
"Alright, don't rush. According to the original plan, completing the pre-set firing positions before 9 o'clock is fine."
"The firing positions are basically complete, and most people are in place. Hmm, I can even see you now, Sir."
Yu Lian looked in the direction of Ina's position, but in the darkness of night, he couldn't make anything out.
"When blocking the enemy, be sure to watch everyone carefully and do not charge recklessly. If you can eliminate the enemy with artillery fire, use artillery fire as much as possible. We have plenty of firepower now! Ultimately, don't be reckless! Understand?"
"...Understood." Ina replied in a not-so-firm tone. Of course, with this girl's personality, since she agreed, she would definitely comply.
Yu Lian turned off the communication and found Captain Winter looking at him with a strange gaze.
"There's a theory in the General Staff Headquarters about 'infantry uselessness,' Warrant Officer. Do you agree with them?"
"Sir, those are just a bunch of idiots who believe that robots plus 'spiritual energy users' can completely replace the Marine Corps and assault teams. Sir, I am not against close combat and charging, nor am I against the existence of mobile infantry, but our army tactics indeed have problems, at least the timing of choices is problematic. If we can eliminate the enemy with firepower, why should we risk getting close to the enemy? Firepower, more firepower, more powerful firepower, more powerful and more precise firepower—this is the essence of war!"
Captain Winter was moved, but still asked. "How do you figure?"
"During the Ten-Year War, the number of people who died from orbital bombardment was more than three times that of land battles. And within the scope of ground combat, those who died from long-range artillery and low-altitude bombing were more than three times that of firearms; finally, those who died from firearms were four times that of close-combat damage from swords, axes, hammers, and so on!"
Yu Lian's words actually slightly twisted a concept. He ignored boarding actions in space, and he ignored close-range 'master duels' like Star Realm Knights against Guerrillas. One should know that even if a high-level spiritual energy user dies, it only adds 1 to the casualty count, but the blow to the entire battle situation and even morale is no less than the complete annihilation of a legion or the sinking of a Dreadnought.
Despite this, Yu Lian still believed he was right.
If it were someone with deep theoretical knowledge, they would probably debate back and forth with Yu Lian at this point, like his classmates who would also become famous in later generations. However, Captain Winter was, after all, just a grassroots officer. He wanted to refute but didn't know what to say, and even felt that Yu Lian made sense. After thinking for a moment, he finally sighed: "Doesn't this just prove that infantry are useless?"
"I never said that. Orbital suppression, ship boarding, stronghold occupation, and mopping up remnants all require excellent mobile infantry. More importantly, the existence of mobile infantry, who do the most dangerous work, is the source of courage for the entire army and the ultimate bottom line of the nation's and people's will to war. Sir, this is why I propose the firepower theory. Assault teams, Marine Corps, your duty is to always be in the most dangerous battlefield, so our... or rather, my future duty, is to try to create a relatively less dangerous battlefield for you."
Captain Winter, and the other officers and soldiers around who had been listening intently, remained silent for a long time. This silence lasted for a few more minutes, until the Captain's timer in his helmet sounded a reminder. It was time for the general offensive.
He took a deep breath, checked the firearm in his hand, the Vulcan cannon at his side, and the chainsword on his back, while still unable to resist asking, "Warrant Officer, are you really not considering serving in the Outer Rim Fleet?"
"Uh..."
"Heh heh, just kidding. Well then, please come with us, let's prove the meaning of our existence together!"