Fourth Fleet.
Mingna felt that her Commander remained slightly uneasy.
After all, the enemy was not foolish; why would they meekly fall into an obvious trap?
Only Mingna herself possessed complete confidence in this tactic.
She knew that to achieve victory, one couldn't just observe the initial layer.
She couldn't genuinely expect the enemy to be a mindless brute, the kind that would charge blindly toward easy bait.
Following Luna's previous action, the enemy would surely have learned their lesson, completely losing their composure or overcompensating.
Moreover, even if some elements couldn't maintain their calm, one shouldn't forget that the opponent wasn't a single individual, but an entire fleet. Many people within that fleet would be involved in decision-making. If even one person remained completely clear-headed, her scheme could not succeed.
Therefore, the only reliable method was deploying a secondary trigger.
"The separated fleets will absolutely lure the enemy. At that moment, if the entire enemy force commits, we will utilize the remaining ships of the first fleet to tear the enemy fleet into two distinct parts."
"But I anticipate they will choose to split at that precise juncture, allowing a single, fast-moving fleet to pursue the escaping vessels. At this stage, we don't need to attack either emerging group. What we truly need to accomplish is to divide them again."
Mingna was in no hurry to strike the enemy preemptively. Instead, she deliberately allowed the enemy to glimpse a genuine hope of annihilating her forces.
Her own forces, hidden behind the scenes, would always act as the crucial backup, delivering the final, decisive blow.
A wild beast whose initial hope has been thoroughly crushed will never pass up the opportunity presented by a second attack, precisely because they are already consumed by ravenous hunger.
Mingna understood perfectly well the intense craving for victory a defeated army possesses.
She turned her gaze towards the distant battlefield.
Due to the separation, she couldn't receive immediate first-hand intel, yet her eyes seemed capable of perceiving the unfolding events across the fray.
She waited for that singular moment.
Waiting to see precisely which direction her ships would be compelled to fly.
She quickly finalized the routes for all her deployed vessels.
"Proceed along this trajectory. I have marked the precise ambush coordinates. Divide yourselves into Teams A and B. Your assignments are specialized."
"Team A will head directly toward the enemy's pursuit contingent, masquerading as the main body of the first fleet. This is to convince the enemy that another segment of the first fleet is arriving to harass them, further ensuring they fragment their forces."
"And Team B will move toward the geometric center between the two separated enemy sub-fleets, effectively blocking all lines of communication between those two enemy groups."
"Notify the other sub-fleet of the First Fleet to rendezvous with the primary First Fleet. The enemy will undoubtedly react to that mobilization."
At this juncture, all aspects of Mingna's comprehensive strategy became fully apparent.
Her objective was to fracture the enemy force into four isolated segments.
Once all preparatory maneuvers were complete, the main fleet would then engage, forcing one-on-one confrontations, leveraging their superior speed to swiftly establish overwhelming numerical advantage on the localized battlegrounds.
This was far from a simple operation. To execute it flawlessly depended entirely on how "compliant" the enemy forces proved to be.
...
Winunder Fleet.
Witnessing the failure of the initial coordinated assault, N'daba decisively ordered a pursuit.
Because the White Dragon required a momentary halt in mid-air to execute its ambush sequence, even if they accelerated their departure immediately, their maximum speed wouldn't be exceptionally high.
Indeed, following the command, they observed that the enemy's escape velocity was merely 7,000 km per second, only one-tenth of their own cruising speed.
This significant speed differential made the pursuit seem incredibly straightforward.
However, N'daba quickly regained his composure.
"We cannot pursue further. This is highly likely an enemy ploy."
"They could not have possibly anticipated our initial attack so rapidly, unless they assumed we would strike as a single mass within 500 astronomical units. Their current flight path must be a feint designed to draw us in."
Yet, one Captain questioned, "Do we simply concede this opportunity?"
"The enemy is right there. If we press the pursuit, we can annihilate them in just half a month."
"That equates to over 2,000 enemy warships."
It sounded like a modest tally at first glance.
But considering that across over 300 years of continuous warfare, their forces had only managed to destroy fewer than 20,000 enemy ships, plus ten capital warships, these 2,000+ vessels represented a truly substantial gain.
It could boost their overall war gains by a tenth.
N'daba was, admittedly, quite tempted by the prospect.
To be perfectly honest, after calculating the enemy's exposed numbers, he was the very first to feel the lure of the potential prize.
He paused for a moment in contemplation.
"Still, let's implement a contingency. Not the entire force needs to commit."
"Fleets five through ten will deploy. Their absolute directive is to secure every enemy warship."
Upon hearing this command, the six Captains cheered in unison.
They had been anticipating this exact moment for a considerable period.
Nearly 10,000 ships surged forward, leading 214 warships. This concentration of combat power could undoubtedly overwhelm the target force.
They were intimately familiar with the White Dragon's combat specifications. No matter how much the Supernova Technology Corporation optimized their design, the White Dragon remained marginally weaker in direct combat output and defensive rating compared to comparable capital vessels.
The remaining warships and ships continued along their original, somewhat meandering trajectory. These residual fleets felt considerable disappointment watching their comrades peel away.
Although N'daba had issued the order, his internal state was turbulent.
He harbored a strong, almost primal premonition that this calculated decision would inevitably lead to complications.
But ultimately, it was just a premonition. There existed no verifiable scientific basis for accurate precognition in this reality; all such premonitions, when rigorously analyzed, were merely extreme expressions of self-doubt regarding one's own judgment.
Therefore, N'daba could not possibly recall the fleet based solely on an unquantifiable premonition. He could only hope intensely that his instinct was incorrect.
At this critical moment, he couldn't even find the mental clarity to calculate what unforeseen countermeasures the enemy might possess to drive him into utter despair.
As the main pursuing force moved farther out.
Gradually closing the distance on the decoy element.
The main server relayed updated tactical information.
[Flank attack reduced. Enemy fleet is now closing on our main formation. They appear to intend to reinforce the pursued fleet.]
[Enemy fleet entered evasion state. Traces of enemy fleet temporarily lost. Evasion predicted. Evasion prediction complete.]
N'daba immediately made a counter-decision upon viewing the evasion data.
"To ensure there are absolutely no vulnerabilities on that flank, we must intercept this reinforcing fleet immediately."
"Modify evasion pattern!"
If the first step of the plan was forced to deviate, a second necessary countermeasure must already be in place.
N'daba had unknowingly stepped directly into a meticulously laid trap. Although he maintained sufficient calm and clearly judged many variables, he lacked precise knowledge of the enemy's maximum strength and fleet composition, and this unknown variable proved fatal to the accuracy of his judgment.
...
Ten days later.
They intercepted the rendezvous route with the First Fleet.
In reality, because the primary mission for this segment of the First Fleet was harassment, the distance remained quite substantial, exceeding 2,000 astronomical units. Even rushing now, they might not achieve interception.
But long-range assistance could still provide effective harassment. N'daba needed to ensure absolute certainty, so he naturally had to prevent the two enemy groups from merging.
Besides, in his estimation, this was hardly a difficult objective.
However, this very decision proved to be the fatal one.
...
Fourth Fleet.
Observing every action of the Winunder Fleet proceed exactly as Mingna had predicted, all the Commanders almost felt as if they were witnessing a pre-scripted battlefield sequence.
Was this sheer coincidence?
Or was it meticulously pre-designed?
They were certain it wasn't coincidence.
Thus, only one reason remained: Mingna's comprehension of human nature was too profound.
On an interstellar battlefield, a Battle-Director doesn't always require overly brilliant tactical maneuvers. A true grasp of human nature is sometimes the most crucial element.
Because of the sheer vastness of interstellar space and the inherent delay in information acquisition, any decision—or indeed, more complex sets of decisions—becomes highly susceptible to error.
If one only analyzes the battlefield dynamics.
Any subtle shift in the enemy's actions could render the original plan obsolete, demanding an entirely new contingency.
Therefore, a Strategos needs to analyze human nature; to guide human nature itself.
Only by controlling the enemy's inherent nature can one truly lead them by the nose, rather than simply trying to predict their next move.
The greatest Strategos figures must possess this capability.
For Strategos from small nations like the Rusty Star Nation, this quality is naturally lacking, including those from the Ynun Star Nation.
Mingna emerged from the Divine Mortality Selection. Such an ability was naturally extremely simple for her.
This was also why Luna had to employ Divine abilities.
Compared to Divine, the skill level of Rusty Star Nation officers was truly inadequate.
They might have survived longer than Divine individuals like Mingna.
But inherent ability and lifespan are not directly correlated. One can study mathematics for ten millennia and still fail to grasp history as well as someone who studied it intensely for a decade. Specialization is key, and officers from minor states like the Rusty Star Nation lack experience in this domain.
This necessary experience demands repeated, grueling warfare to truly hone.
Whether it was Divine or Luna, the paths they navigated were infinitely more arduous than those trod by the officers of these small states.
"A, B, commence action."
Mingna gave the order.
Fleets A and B had, in fact, departed long ago and had now stealthily approached the vicinity of the Winunder Fleet and First Fleet engagement zone.
Fleet B initiated action first, effectively severing communication links between the two enemy fleets.
Fleet A then made its appearance.
...
Winunder Fleet.
Fifth through Tenth Fleets.
The six Captains were now positioned less than 100 astronomical units from the First Fleet of the Fourth Fleet.
This was considered close engagement range in space warfare.
They commenced attacks using laser weaponry.
Due to the sheer volume of lasers and the participation of the main warships in the assault, over 20 Rusty Star Nation ships were quickly destroyed. This energized the Winunder Fleet soldiers and officers immensely.
At this juncture, they hadn't even realized they had lost contact with their other supporting fleet.
At this precise moment, only one objective occupied their minds: Annihilate the enemy!
"After closing to within 50 astronomical units, deploy the tethering and guidance devices to reduce enemy speed."
The Captain issued the command.
"Tethering and guidance devices" was a very explicit term, meaning exactly what it implied: equipment used to decelerate enemy vessels.
Ships in space primarily rely on initial acceleration, subsequently moving via inertia. Applying a force vector to the hull can slow them down.
At long range, applying a sufficiently powerful force vector is impractical. But needing only to close to within 50 astronomical units, the specialized equipment aboard the warships was capable of gradually applying the necessary resistance, making enemy ships progressively slower.
During the protracted approach.
The Winunder Fleet managed to destroy another 175 ships belonging to the Fourth Fleet.
Finally, after spending over a full day, they successfully closed within the 50 astronomical unit threshold.
"Report: All restraining protocols are complete."
All officers and soldiers cheered with excitement.
The climax of the battle had arrived.
"Release!"
The tethering and guidance device operated by launching specialized dark matter particles to exert a localized gravitational influence on the target object, thereby achieving restraint.
This technology did not demand overly advanced theoretical physics; it primarily required substantial energy output. Only a warship's power core could supply the necessary energy for the devices to function effectively.
After several hours of operation.
The Fourth Fleet ships were successfully tethered and began to decelerate noticeably.
A loud cheer erupted across the Winunder Fleet.
Just then.
Flanking from the side, a fleet of over 2,000 ships emerged from its evasion state, positioned merely 170 astronomical units away from them, and directly assaulted their formation.
"Where did these ships come from?"
"Perhaps it is the fleet that was attempting harassment."
"Impossible. If that fleet were moving here, our other vessels would certainly have intercepted them by now."
On the Winunder Fleet, every single expression instantly changed in shock.
Over 2,000 ships and over 4,000 ships are not equivalent.
On a battlefield of their current scale, having an enemy force that was two-thirds smaller would drastically prolong the engagement and introduce significant uncertainty.
"Contact the rear echelon, inform them to dispatch reinforcements. We cannot afford to be tied up for an extended period."
The Captains were not foolish; they had already perceived that something was amiss.
It was plausible the enemy possessed another hidden tactic.
After utilizing Tachyon communications, 1 full day passed, and they still received no response.
At this moment, those enemy ships that had arrived as reinforcements launched an assault on them, forming an angle with the First Fleet, appearing intent on encircling them.
If the opponent possessed even one additional fleet of ships, this Winunder Fleet might truly face peril. But unfortunately, there were no "ifs" to consider.
The Captains aboard the Winunder Fleet, having received no reply, began to deliberate amongst themselves.
"Should we initiate a retreat?"
"The enemy's firepower isn't overwhelming; we still have a viable chance!"
"But if we refuse to retreat now, we risk falling into a complete snare!"
"I scanned the immediate vicinity earlier and found no traces of additional vessels. I suspect they are merely posturing, intending only to salvage that initial pursued fleet."
"Do not forget, that fleet began its retreat before we engaged. If they truly intended an ambush, such a maneuver would be unnecessary. It can only be an integral part of the overarching plan."
"Perhaps they managed to detect our probing signals?"
Some individuals remained stubbornly unwilling to concede the potential advantage.
Because victory seemed tantalizingly close.
"What is the current status of the fleet?"
The Captains responsible for decision-making were completely unable to reach a consensus.
They urgently needed confirmation regarding whether the rear fleet had encountered any issues.
"It appears everything is proceeding normally. They are continuing their advance."
"We can relay information to them using Fleet-Syntax."
"Right, Fleet-Syntax! Why didn't I recall that sooner? Execute it!"
Fleet-Syntax is a specialized language formed by arranging multiple warships into specific configurations, essentially analogous to the flag signaling systems of previous eras.
Because long ago, Tachyon communication, a form of trans-dimensional transmission technology, was notoriously difficult to disrupt, Fleet-Syntax saw little use.
However, with technological advancements, Tachyon jamming systems were also developed, making archaic flag signaling somewhat necessary again. Yet, on this remote civilization border, its frequency of use remained low; successful jamming attempts were rare.
Consequently, many personnel here had largely forgotten about this function.
Nevertheless, even if individual officers were unaware of how to execute flag signaling, the warships and associated communication vessels retained the core function and could complete the process autonomously.
"As long as we achieve rendezvous, no matter how many tactics they employ, they will collapse without a fight."
Undoubtedly, this was a strategic game of war.
Even a Divine entity like Mingna could not guarantee absolute, overwhelming superiority.
This only held true if the enemy acted with sufficient caution.
...
Fourth Fleet.
In the command meeting.
They had already observed the detached enemy fleet successfully re-establishing contact via Fleet-Syntax.
"What is the next step now? Once the two wings re-establish firm contact, we will be forced into a reactive, passive state."
All the Captains turned their gazes toward Mingna.
This scenario was certainly not part of their initial blueprint. Even participating in the overall strategy, it was inherently difficult for them to visualize and adapt to subsequent plan modifications.
It's akin to being at work when a colleague asks you to refine another team member's plan. Only by fully grasping the original planner's thought process can modification proceed smoothly. Otherwise, one is truly left scratching their head in vain, only to produce something useless.
Of course, this also fundamentally involves inherent ability.
Mingna held no illusions regarding the operational capabilities of these officers.
She needed to have anticipated every possibility beforehand, including the current predicament.
"Next..."
Just as she was about to articulate her revised directive, another voice suddenly rang out.
"Of course, we must continue to stimulate their avarice. At this critical juncture, we must absolutely restrain the impulse to engage immediately. We cannot reveal our true strength yet."
"This time, I estimate we will need to sacrifice 1,000 ships before the enemy gains sufficient confidence to commence their full pursuit."
"Our current visible fleet strength approaches a thousand vessels. They won't be able to accurately determine our final total ship count. When they confirm our numbers, that is when they will completely take the bait."
Mingna turned her attention toward the speaker.
It was a Captain.
Previously rather inconspicuous.
It now seemed that among these Captains, there were still some who were not merely dead weight.
The Rusty Star Nation couldn't possibly thrive if it only consisted of useless personnel.
"Excellent, a very clear insight."
"On the battlefield, there truly cannot be too many variables. Every change signifies that all previous efforts were rendered moot."
"We are the ones fishing; why wouldn't the enemy be doing the same?"
"They intend to make us anxious, to force us into making the first decisive move."
"In this situation, maintaining one's independent judgment is paramount. An individual lacking self-belief is highly unlikely to secure victory on the battlefield."
In simpler terms, it's about going all-in on the initial premise.
The original plan is invariably the most flawless; all subsequent adjustments are merely compromises made under pressure.
Did Mingna have absolute faith in her strategy?
Undoubtedly!
The enemy would never correctly estimate their precise warship complement, and that was the very source of her confidence and excitement.
In reality, this also depended heavily on the enemy's disposition.
If the enemy proved overly stubborn, her intricate strategy would yield no effect.
But based on the opponent's preceding actions, Mingna had already deciphered their fundamental intentions.
"Victory in this engagement is more or less guaranteed."
...
Winunder Fleet.
Original evasion path.
The main server deciphered the departing sub-fleet's Fleet-Syntax for the Commander.
[Detected the enemy's second fleet assaulting, numbering 2181 ships. It launched an attack against us. They should also possess a fleet blocking our communication.]
"So, there was a contingency after all?"
N'daba didn't feel surprised.
Although they had previously speculated the enemy might be an isolated harassing force, this didn't mean they dismissed other possibilities.
The battlefield is not a simple network; bipolar thinking is unacceptable. Any officer must consider the duality of outcomes.
If one assumption proves incorrect, the other must be considered. This allows officers to quickly pivot their decisions based on battlefield developments.
"Instruct them to abandon the pursuit and return to the main channel with all possible speed."
"Our next objective is simply to reach the M36 Star Cluster."
"Greed is a cardinal sin. The current gains are sufficient."
This was actually uncharacteristic of N'daba's past behavior.
Previously, he would absolutely have pursued every possible means to dismantle the enemy's schemes.
But the Binom incident had taught him a harsh lesson.
Never underestimate the enemy's cunning.
At this critical moment, the entire warship suddenly trembled slightly. Dark ripples appeared on the external energy shield. The energy striking the shield scattered, releasing intense light, akin to staring directly at a close-range star with the naked eye.
"Commander, the enemy's attack has arrived. Shall we retaliate?"
N'daba's flank also had enemy forces engaging them.
This sub-fleet was the one that had been harassing them from the very beginning.
N'daba had assumed this sub-fleet was still executing diversionary harassment and attention-grabbing maneuvers. Thus, the enemy's objective seemed obvious: annihilate the other sub-fleet.
"But how will they accomplish that?"
"Could it be that the enemy has even more hidden vessels?"
Beyond this, N'daba genuinely couldn't conjure any other viable explanations.
"They must be concealed somewhere."
N'daba had already made a partial deduction. The overall complexity of the war wasn't exceedingly high, meaning there were only a few plausible tactical setups. The attack launched against Luna earlier felt a bit too transparent.
While he was lost in thought, his warship was struck by a laser blast.
The tremor instantly cut off his contemplation.
He opened his mouth and ordered: "Retaliate with lasers. Ignore their harassment. We will maintain our current speed. They will surely deplete their energy eventually, and then they will naturally withdraw."
N'daba resolved to disregard the skirmish.
This was actually the most difficult command to issue; he needed to resist numerous temptations.
Currently, some Captains were advocating to annihilate the opponent immediately; their ship count was clearly not overwhelming.
However, N'daba rejected all those suggestions!
"The enemy understands how to exploit human flaws to formulate tactics... One... Two..."
At this moment, it was just another routine monthly report, and Binom's voice rang out, further cementing N'daba's resolve.
Fleet-Syntax began recalling the other sub-fleet.
Only 5 hours later, the other sub-fleet received the confirmation.
"The Commander is recalling us."
"Abort the attack!"
These Captains had long desired to disengage.
If it had been earlier, they could have done so without hesitation.
However, this delay was too significant.
Mingna herself had never intended to sever all communication methods. She only needed to ensure communication lagged slightly using Tachyon channels. The distance between the two sides guaranteed a time delay.
The Fleet-Syntax round trip required a 10-hour transmission time. By this point, this sub-fleet had already closed significantly on the Fourth Fleet, which was acting as the lure.
They were now within a hair's breadth.
"This is the optimal attack range; we must attempt something at least."
"Just a little more, just a little more and we'll close the gap. Their destruction is unavoidable."
At this moment, all Captains and soldiers aboard the warships could clearly see the enemy moving at a snail's pace, seemingly unable to resist, like a flock of small rabbits.
At this juncture, did they truly possess the will to retreat immediately?
This directly challenged their inherent nature.
Just then, a celestial body belt appeared ahead, blocking the enemy's path.
The personnel aboard the Winunder Fleet grew anxious: "Scan for any enemy presence."
"The celestial bodies are too small, only tens of meters in scale. They are effectively stationary; evasion-type ships cannot easily bypass them."
"This is a godsend opportunity! The enemy is decelerating. The celestial body belt is too dense."
Rushing into it at thousands of kilometers per second, even with AI piloting, collisions with the celestial bodies would be difficult to avoid entirely. While ships could withstand such high-speed impacts, they would certainly sustain serious structural damage.
Therefore, deceleration became mandatory.
This slight slowdown meant they could catch up.
"Not even 2 hours left? Give up?"
"At least make an attempt!"
"The enemy's plan cannot possibly be that meticulous."
"To fish, one must also provide the bait. The fish and the fisherman in a game of strategy don't always guarantee the fisherman wins."
"Initiate the assault! If there are no satisfactory results, then retreat immediately!"