"Pong!"
"Heh, Hu!"
At a Celestial Jade table in Changgeltian, Miss Qingque – the real Jiang Qiao, that is – excitedly slammed down her tile, her face flushed with triumph.
Goodness knows, after first enduring non-stop overtime as Acting Master Diviner, then handling affairs for the recuperating Jing Yuan at the Seat of Divine Foresight… well, there were some 'vacations' in between.
After all, while both the Divination Commission and the Seat of Divine Foresight were busy places, the Xianzhou ultimately respected basic rights.
Besides, an interstellar civilization like the Xianzhou wasn't like those inhumane corporate entities who treated people like disposable assets, imposing a 'blessed' 996 schedule.
However, due to her own inexperience – even though she was exceptionally talented, and even though a certain someone would leave behind considerable 'residual experience' after using her body, mitigating her lack of experience and allowing her to handle the position without major issues – the responsibility weighed heavily.
To ensure perfection and avoid mistakes, despite desperately craving a wonderful vacation, Miss Qingque had to suppress her longing for blissful holidays. Getting a full night's sleep was already considered a luxury!
As for coming to Exalting Sanctum to play her beloved Celestial Jade like she was doing now? She had practically bid farewell to it ever since encountering that certain someone.
Until now, she could finally, carefree, enjoy Celestial Jade and the beauty of a holiday.
And because that certain someone had arrived with a tour group, she didn't even need to find other players. Qingque, Elysia, and the others made a perfect table of four, with one person to spare.
Although the clouds of war cast a grim shadow over the entire Xianzhou Luofu, with vigilant Cloud Knights patrolling everywhere, the basic recreational life of the Xianzhou citizens remained largely undisturbed.
"Ah... oof..."
Staring at her terrible hand, Elysia looked annoyed.
While she found this game called Celestial Jade quite interesting, even with a veteran player like Miss Qingque introducing her, the pink-haired lady was clearly no match for this hardcore Celestial Jade enthusiast.
Tidying the tiles on the table and watching the patrolling Cloud Knights pass by, Elysia remarked with a hint of concern:
"I wonder how bad Jiang Qiao is doing over there."
"Don't worry. For Qiao, something of this level is probably just a walk in the park," Eden said reassuringly.
Hearing this, Miss Qingque's cheerful mood threatened to turn cloudy.
While she did feel a bit worried, the thought of that person's detestable actions instantly soured her mood, especially since she had brought his tour group to Exalting Sanctum specifically to unwind.
"He's so capable, isn't he? This little thing is surely beneath him," she said, rolling her eyes with a rare hint of sarcasm, making no effort to hide her deep resentment towards a certain Mr. Jiang.
But then, another thought occurred. Although Qingque didn't think that person would run into any trouble, hearing Elysia and the others mention it made her suddenly worry – Is he going to cause more trouble for me?
...Hmm, probably not.
After all, he was just holding the fort at the Seat of Divine Foresight, overseeing the Luofu. It wasn't that big of a deal. The real action, the real focus, was on the front lines with the Cloud Knights and General Jing Yuan.
If that person were on the front lines, she might actually worry about his safety, and also about whether he'd instantly rack up a mountain of inexplicable 'military merits' for her. But on the Luofu... relax, relax...
Looking at her excellent hand, Qingque's worries vanished instantly. Her luck with the tiles was pretty good, which clearly meant the situation wasn't that serious!
Instead of scaring herself and getting all anxious, it was better to immerse herself in the joy of Celestial Jade!
With that thought, Qingque instantly pushed aside all concerns about 'herself'.
---||---
Meanwhile, at the Seat of Divine Foresight.
General [Qingque], aka Jiang Qiao, having fulfilled the General's most basic function of 'coordinating all parties' while holding the fort, was now reviewing battle reports from the front lines.
Normally, this aspect required the General's personal command and decision-making. However, with both Jing Yuan and Feixiao personally on the front lines, he didn't need to worry about it.
Even so, leveraging the vast power of the Xianzhou Luofu itself, the six commissions could still provide significant support to the Cloud Knight fleet at the front.
For example, the Divination Commission's Matrix of Prescience. While it appeared to be merely a divination device, it was essentially the central computer terminal for the Xianzhou Luofu, capable of mobilizing the entire Luofu's computational power to assist the front-line fleet when needed.
Gazing at the frontline reports and the various scenarios projected after war game simulations, the young woman fell into thought. Then, she looked towards the dazed young woman standing beside her.
"Sushang, from which direction do you think the Antimatter Legion's next offensive will come?"
Little Sushang had naturally been transferred over.
Of course, not for consultation, but purely to fill the role of the General's Guard.
The position Yanqing usually held.
While having a Cloud Knight guard an Emanator might sound ridiculous, the position existed for a reason, implying necessity.
Jiang Qiao hadn't overthought it.
He just brought Little Sushang over.
Why? Because although she was a bit spacey, compared to those other tin cans, she was at least relatively easy on the eyes.
"Ah... I don't know."
Pulled back from her daydreaming, Little Sushang's eyes glazed over just looking at the complex battle map.
"..."
[Qingque] sighed. Alright, expecting useful input from Little Sushang was probably asking too much.
He chewed on his finger, studying the reports, lost in thought.
The Iron Tomb held the Eastern Front against Jing Yuan, while Celenova fought fiercely against Feixiao on the Western Front.
After Phantylia's plan to attack the Xianzhou itself failed, the Antimatter Legion had actually reached a stalemate with the Xianzhou.
In fact, the Xianzhou held the upper hand.
This was because the Xianzhou itself provided an endless supply line – the very reason the Legion wanted to strike the ship directly.
Each Xianzhou functions as a mobile strategic base combining production and military might. As long as the Xianzhou itself is intact, it can provide a continuous stream of warships, troops, supplies, and support.
Even if the Antimatter Legion didn't rely heavily on logistics, they still needed some supplies.
Without neutralizing the Xianzhou proper, the Legion couldn't win a war of attrition against them.
Furthermore, the quality of Xianzhou soldiers was incredibly high. The Xianzhou Alliance, in its state of total mobilization, was one of the most formidable forces in the universe, second only to the Family, the Swarm Disaster, and the Intellitron forces.
Even the Interastral Peace Corporation wouldn't dare pick a real fight with the Alliance.
As for the three major universal Crisis? Don't make me laugh. Before they turned 'respectable', the Xianzhou were the strongest element within one of those Crisis – the Denizens of Abundance.
Who wasn't a universal disaster back in the day?
Given this situation, the Legion had two choices: retreat or continue fighting.
Jiang Qiao felt retreating was unlikely.
The reason was simple: the Legion wasn't cowardly enough to run away after taking a hit. Unless faced with an overwhelming force like the Family angering Xipe and sending infinite Emanators to cleanse the area, deploying such a large force only to be driven off by the Xianzhou and lose an Lord Ravager... they might as well just wait for Nanook's punishment.
Besides, even if the Legion wanted to retreat, the Xianzhou wouldn't allow it.
Did they think the Xianzhou were pushovers made of mud?
They were the largest faction following the Path of the Hunt. The Hunt's principle is vengeance, meeting violence with violence.
You launch a massive surprise attack on me, and then think you can just pat your butt and leave? If word got out, wouldn't all the powers in the universe think the Xianzhou were soft targets?
When Iron Tomb first appeared, the Xianzhou had already marked the Legion down and were preparing for an expedition to settle the score.
Who knew they'd deliver themselves right to their doorstep this time?
Could they possibly let these bastards escape?
Feixiao's aggressive actions had already sent a clear message to the Legion: You are the prey.
As for Jing Yuan's front, although it appeared defensive, it was merely a cautious approach, waiting for Feixiao to break through the Legion's offensive on her side before launching a counter-attack.
The Alliance had already dispatched Cloud Knight fleets from the Yuque and Zhuming Xianzhou to join the war against the Legion; they were currently en route.
"That prophecy doesn't seem very accurate."
Looking at the favorable situation, no matter how Jiang Qiao saw it, this looked like a guaranteed win for the Xianzhou, hardly the 'ten deaths, no life' scenario predicted.
Although his trapping of Phantylia played a part, [Qingque] didn't believe the Legion would be defeated so easily.
Watching the shifting front lines, gazing at the unoccupied northern and southern sectors, the young woman narrowed her eyes, deep in thought.
"...General, bad news! There's a problem with the Yaoqing's defensive line!"
"?"
Jing Yuan, who had just been smiling slightly at the seemingly positive situation, planning to hold Iron Tomb by remaining reactive and waiting for the Legion's desperate breakthrough attempts to reveal weaknesses for a counter-attack, was stunned by Qingzhu's words.
He was puzzled, confused:
"Wasn't General Feixiao's situation excellent just fifteen minutes ago?"
Jing Yuan was already considering preparing to coordinate with Feixiao for a major counter-offensive, aiming to deal the Legion a heavy blow.
And now you tell me the Yaoqing's line has problems?
"It's the Borisin! The western front defended by the Yaoqing was attacked by Borisin... no, there are signs of Wingweavers too. It seems the Denizens of Abundance have joined the war!"
"...I see."
Hearing this, Jing Yuan understood.
Honestly, he wasn't surprised.
The deep-seated hatred between the Xianzhou and the Denizens of Abundance needed no explanation; they were fundamentally in a kill-or-be-killed relationship.
With the Xianzhou under attack by the Legion, even though he knew the Borisin were supposedly in the midst of a civil war, the various warlords wouldn't hesitate to kick the Xianzhou while they were down if given the chance.
"...Divert a portion of the eastern fleet to help stabilize the western front."
Jing Yuan sighed. The situation earlier had been too favorable, leading to over-aggression... The Yaoqing should have been more restrained, waiting for Alliance reinforcements before launching a major assault.
For now, maintaining a defensive posture was best.
"...General, it seems that won't be necessary."
"?"
"According to reports from the Yaoqing, the Luofu dispatched fleets originally assigned to defend the Xianzhou itself. They joined the defensive line and helped the Yaoqing repel the Denizens of Abundance's surprise attack."
"Additionally, the Luofu reports that supplies and Cloud Knight reinforcements from the Zhuming Xianzhou will arrive at the battlefield in six standard hours. Eight standard hours after that, reinforcements from the Yuque Xianzhou will also arrive."
Hearing this, Jing Yuan instantly smiled, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Also..."
Noticing Qingzhu's subtle expression, Jing Yuan asked curiously, "What is it?"
"The Seat of Divine Foresight has issued a suggestion, hoping you, General, will personally go to the western front."
Instantly, Jing Yuan understood Qingzhu's odd expression, feeling a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
He, the actual General, was being ordered around by that child, [Qingque].
He wasn't particularly angry, of course. This proved [Qingque's] independence, which he was happy about.
However, after glancing at the map, he frowned again.
"I'm afraid that's unwise."
According to the Yaoqing's report, Celenova on the western front had already engaged and was currently locked in fierce combat with Feixiao.
His understanding was that [Qingque] likely wanted to move him there for a surprise attack, catching Celenova off guard to eliminate her, break the western front, and then encircle the eastern front from the rear.
While it was a decent plan, it was far too risky.
It mustn't be forgotten that Iron Tomb on the eastern front hadn't personally entered the fray yet. If he went west and Iron Tomb found out, a direct assault on the eastern front could cause it to collapse first, leading to a catastrophic breakdown of the entire line – the potential gains wouldn't outweigh the risks.
"Iron Tomb must be thinking the same thing," Jing Yuan affirmed.
Since the eastern front had been focused on defense and counter-attack, he estimated Iron Tomb was deliberately applying intense pressure with fierce offensives to pin down the Luofu fleet, while holding back personally to deter Jing Yuan from attempting any risky maneuvers, precisely preventing the scenario [Qingque] suggested.
Jing Yuan was content with this, as Iron Tomb's relentless assaults were prone to creating openings for counter-attacks. If he could tie down Iron Tomb himself, the eastern front's situation would only improve.
"That child is still too young... Hmm, perhaps I should have brought her here after all."
Jing Yuan felt a pang of regret. He suddenly thought it might have been necessary for [Qingque] to be on the front lines. Unlike that conflict over a decade ago, this war against the Legion was a proper interstellar war. [Qingque], lacking firsthand experience in major interstellar warfare, naturally had some 'naive' ideas.
He was probably due for retirement after this battle. Compared to letting 'her' gain experience commanding from the rear, experience in this kind of major war was far more valuable...
"The General speaks wisely."
Qingzhu readily agreed. Over the past decade or so, she had taught the child extensively. Based on her personal instruction and observation, she felt Jing Yuan's assessment was correct.
"In that case, I will reply accordingly."
The Xianzhou certainly had more efficient communication methods. Normally, Jing Yuan could command the front lines even while stationed on the Luofu.
Unfortunately, with Iron Tomb present, and wary of its potential for machine infiltration – coupled with the memory of the terrifying communication blackout during the conflict a decade prior – they could only resort to slower but safer communication methods when facing such enemies, to avoid exploitation.
"Let it be so," Jing Yuan nodded, calmly surveying the battle map before him, contemplating how to break the stalemate on the eastern front.
The enemy was full of weaknesses; they just needed to remain stable... stable...
Gazing at the interstellar battle map, contemplating how to counter Iron Tomb and the Legion's next moves, putting himself in their shoes... a flash of insight struck him, and he suddenly froze.
Recalling [Qingque's] earlier suggestion and comparing it with his own assumptions, an utterly terrifying thought emerged in Jing Yuan's mind.
His pupils constricted:
"...No, that's wrong... That's not right!"
"Qingzhu, Qingzhu! Head to the western front immediately!"