activa-t 1461 The Octopus is in the Trap
1461 The Octopus is in the Trap
"Just give us time..."
He glanced cautiously at the captain and added, "The only hidden worry..."
It was the support fleet for Yangxing a few years later.
However, as long as we can gain a foothold in the West, accelerate the mining of spiritual essence, and enhance our strength, we may not be unable to fight.
Moreover... during this period, we can also take advantage of Xiao Ce's focus on the Abyss Roar and East Asia to send elite teams, or even use the western channels, to infiltrate and sabotage East Asia, thus restraining Xiao Ce!
Weakening his rear will buy us more time to develop!
After Xiao Dingshan finished speaking, it seemed as if he had used up all his strength.
He lowered his head again, resuming his fearful and uneasy demeanor, and stammered, "This subordinate...this subordinate's humble opinion is probably not worthy of the Captain's approval...but...but I was forced into this situation..."
Silence fell once again in the command center.
This silence was different from the previous deathly stillness; it carried a sense of profound contemplation.
The captain's crimson electronic eyes were fixed on Xiao Dingshan's lowered head, and the processor under his mask was running at an unprecedented speed.
This time, he did not immediately fly into a rage.
The “trap” scene described by Xiao Dingshan was strikingly similar to the tragic reality of the Abyss Roar being easily captured, sending chills down his spine.
The plan to manage the West and make a comeback using spiritual essence... although it sounds like a retreat, is extremely practical and full of feasibility.
In particular, the insidious idea of "infiltrating East Asia" struck a nerve with his current desire for revenge but his inability to confront it head-on.
A thought popped into my head uncontrollably!
If... if I could have calmed down and listened to the advice of this "defeated opponent" back in the Arctic!
Instead of being blinded by anger and splitting forces to the west... perhaps the Abyss Roar is still in our hands right now?
A sense of shame surged up again, but this time, it was forcibly suppressed by a cold, self-serving rationality. He needed strength, he needed time, he needed to catch his breath.
Xiao Dingshan's plan is currently the only viable way out.
"Humph…"
The captain broke the silence with a cold, ambiguous snort.
He slowly stood up from his seat, his metallic body appearing exceptionally tall and imposing in the cramped space.
He walked up to Xiao Dingshan and looked down at him.
"Xiao Dingshan!"
The captain's voice remained cold, but the deliberate contempt and violence had vanished, replaced by scrutiny and a subtle hint of approval.
"Although you were defeated by Xiao Ce, your understanding of him is indeed... valuable."
He stretched out his huge metal hand and, unexpectedly, patted Xiao Dingshan's shoulder heavily!
The force was so great that Xiao Dingshan staggered.
"This time, what you said... makes some sense."
Past failures do not mean permanent failure.
I'm giving you a chance to prove your worth.
From this moment forward, you shall serve as my chief strategist and advisor!
The reconstruction of the Western base, the extraction of spiritual essence, the construction of the defense system, the infiltration plan into East Asia... are all under your full responsibility and planning!
"I want to see results!"
Xiao Dingshan suddenly raised his head, his face a mixture of disbelief, surprise, fear, and a perfectly measured "overwhelmed with gratitude"!
He bowed deeply, his voice trembling with emotion: "Thank you... thank you for your trust, Commander! I... I will do my utmost, even unto death, to live up to your expectations!"
However, in the instant he lowered his head, a cold, triumphant glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, a smugness belonging to Xiao Ce.
The plan is progressing perfectly along the pre-set track.
Being "re-employed" means that he can have a deeper grasp of the movements of this remnant army and turn every effort they make into a situation more favorable to Xiao Ce.
Deep within his consciousness, the faint light of the Star Network Hub flickered, silently conveying signals of loyalty and mission progress.
When the wrecked fleet finally arrived over Lingas City, the sight that greeted them shocked all the remaining Hyena soldiers and officers, including Xiao Dingshan, who had just been entrusted with an important mission!
He acted out shock, and everyone felt a chill to the bone.
The city still exists.
The magnificent yet bullet-riddled alloy fortress still stands, only its shields have long since been extinguished...
Like a dead steel behemoth.
The once bustling city is now a desolate ruin.
The streets were deserted, save for the wreckage of abandoned vehicles and trash drifting in the wind.
No resistance, no cheers, no spoils… only
There was a suffocating, completely emptied silence.
"Reporting to the Commander!"
The scouts who had been sent out in advance reported with a voice filled with confusion and a hint of fear:
"Lingas City... is a ghost town! All important facilities have been completely emptied! The energy core has been physically dismantled and taken away! The factory assembly lines..."
Only an empty shell remains! The database…
They didn't even leave behind a single data cable!
Only a small number of elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people who are unwilling or unable to leave remain…
"What?! An empty city?!"
The captain's anger, which he had barely managed to suppress due to the appointment of Xiao Dingshan, was instantly ignited, like a suppressed volcano erupting!
He let out a deafening roar, slamming his metal fist into the bulkhead of the landing ship, leaving a deep dent.
"Xiao Ce! You despicable and shameless thief! Coward! You won't even leave me a piece of scrap metal?!"
The immense sense of shame and the anger of being mocked nearly consumed him.
He sacrificed his main flagship and suffered heavy casualties to capture what turned out to be a worthless empty shell.
This was more humiliating to him than defeat!
"Commander-in-Chief, please calm down! Commander-in-Chief, please calm down!"
Xiao Dingshan immediately stepped forward, his face showing both anxiety and reassurance, and comforted her, "Although the city has been emptied... this may not be all bad for us!"
He pointed to the vast land outside the porthole and the faintly visible mineral veins on the scanned map:
"Look! They took everything they could, but they couldn't take the spiritual marrow veins buried deep underground! Those veins are the real treasures!"
It is the foundation for our comeback!
Moreover, they voluntarily abandoned the city and cleared out the population, which saved us the trouble of cleaning up and resettling them!
This fortress, these city frameworks, can serve as an excellent defensive fortification and reconstruction base for us!
The engineering expertise we bring can be immediately deployed to the mining and infrastructure repair, without requiring us to worry about anything else!
Xiao Dingshan's voice carried an exhilarating sense of hope as he spoke:
More importantly, Xiao Ce's actions precisely exposed his weakness!
He has concentrated all his resources and strength on the Abyss Roar and East Asia, which means that he has now reached his limit and is unable to maintain multiple battlefields at the same time!
This is the perfect opportunity for us to quietly amass wealth and accumulate strength!
As long as we make good use of the spiritual essence underground, within six months we can build an iron army that is no less powerful than before! Then…”
He paused at the opportune moment, his eyes flashing with a vengeful light: "What we've lost, we can take back with our own hands!"
Xiao Dingshan's words did indeed calm the chief commander down a bit...
The captain's crimson electronic eyes were fixed on Xiao Dingshan, then swept across the silent yet infinitely rich land outside the porthole. A surge of furious magma churned within his chest!
But the words "make a comeback" and "take back the throne with your own hands" are truly important!
Like a curse, it ignited the last vestige of an undying flame in his heart.
He needs power, he needs revenge!
Right now, this emptied western land and the buried spiritual essence are the only straws he can grasp.
"Humph!"
The captain let out another cold snort, forcefully suppressing his boiling killing intent, and gave the order in an icy voice:
"Order! All units, land immediately! Engineering units, prioritize repairing the basic energy and defenses of Lingas Fortress, and establish a command post! Mining units, according to the coordinates provided by Military Advisor Xiao, immediately establish mines and mine spirit marrow at full capacity!"
The defensive forces, relying on the city ruins and fortresses, established a deep defense system!
Intelligence agencies, immediately begin planning a penetration strategy into East Asia!
"I will forge a new blade to pierce Xiao Ce's heart on these ruins, right under his nose!"
The command was issued...
The surviving hyena legion, like a wounded pack of wolves, driven by resentment and greed, surged into this abandoned western heartland. Huge construction machines roared into the ruins, beginning the clearing, excavation, and reconstruction...
The drilling platform began to greedily pierce the strata rich in spiritual essence...
Xiao Dingshan stood at the hatch of the landing ship!
Looking at the bustling scene below, his face showed a solemn expression and a hint of barely perceptible worry.
Deep within his consciousness, an encrypted message was traveling through the hidden passages of the Star Network Hub, traversing vast distances, towards East Asia:
"The fish are in the trap, building their nests. Mining of the spirit marrow vein has begun. The infiltration plan is underway, inducing them to join the trap. We await the opportune moment to close the net..."