Gravelax.
Dawn finally broke, and the battered city welcomed the morning. The pale blue sky was as fragile as porcelain, torn by columns of smoke rising from the ruins.
As the sun rose, the massive fires that had lit up the sky across the city gradually died down, yet this did nothing to alleviate the unease in Cain's heart.
The only thing worth celebrating was the relatively peaceful journey back to camp, save for a few dazed bandits the convoy encountered. These bandits were so high on their homemade drugs that they didn't even realize they had picked the wrong targets until they were easily repelled by the Soldiers.
Afterward, Cain's only thought was to find a corner and get some good sleep.
Since the assassin attack, Cain had been running almost entirely on adrenaline. When he finally had a chance to rest, he collapsed onto his bed like a puppet with cut strings, not even getting a sip of the large pot of tanna tea Yugen had specially brewed for him.
Despite his exhaustion, Cain still forced himself to complete a report for Lord Li Feng as the head of the Commissariat; he wished he could pass this troublesome task on to someone else as quickly as possible.
After writing it, he immediately returned to his quarters, instructing Yugen that no one was to disturb him unless summoned personally by Lord Li Feng or the Emperor.
With this measure, Cain finally managed to sleep fitfully for an hour until persistent knocking woke him.
"Get out!"
Cain roared, but the knocking continued, indicating that the person outside had plenty of patience.
"I apologize for disturbing you, Political Commissar."
Brocklaw squeezed through the doorway, his voice devoid of apology, his face instead alight with excitement.
"But I'm afraid I cannot obey that order. You must get up and see what has happened! We won!"
Despite his extreme fatigue, Cain knew Brocklaw wouldn't have come to wake him personally without good reason. Yawning, Cain slowly turned his sluggish mind a few times and reluctantly climbed out of bed.
"Wait! I need to get dressed... Where are my pants?..." Cain said.
He spent twenty minutes putting on his Political Commissar uniform and washing up. To perk himself up, he also had Yugen prepare an extra-strong cup of Recaf. Afterward, Cain carefully traversed the camp and entered an unassuming but heavily guarded building: the Brigade Special Communications Center, the domain of the Intelligence Department.
Along the way, Cain paid no attention to the growing number of high-ranking officers in the marble corridors, their faces showing excitement and cheer, nor did he question why he had been summoned so urgently, as he was now completely enveloped by his 'waking-up grumpiness.'
When Cain entered the office, he saw a group of senior officers popping champagne. Even the usually stern Cadia officers had stripped off their shirts and were dancing belly dances on the tables.
Even the Krieg colonel, who constantly lived with death, peeled back a corner of his heavy gas mask to sip champagne and eat two bites of cake.
As soon as everyone saw Cain enter, they immediately surrounded him, naturally because of the friendship between Lord Li Feng and Cain. Also receiving similar treatment were Lord Li Feng's right-hand men on land: Chief of Staff Winters and Frontline Commander Spears.
Winters was a respectable man, merely standing with his hands clasped behind his back, sipping champagne and chatting with those around him. Spears, meanwhile, was smoking a cigarette and drinking champagne while lounging in a chair.
"What happened?"
Cain's only answer was a bottle of champagne. These wines had all been pilfered from the Governor's basement cellar; since the Governor was dead, they had simply confiscated them.
"Political Commissar! Our army has won a great victory! Our army has won a great victory!"
Cain was bewildered: "What do you mean?"
"Lord Li Feng! A song! A miracle! Annihilating a fleet!"
It was then that Cain noticed the large screen above the command post. The screen showed numerous docking ships clearing a channel next to the wreckage of the Tau fleet, while simultaneously salvaging high-value materials.
At this moment, an officer stood on a table, raising his glass:
"To Lord Li Feng! May he be healthy and victorious! Long live!"
...Gravelax, Highway 54.
The Valhalla 597th Regiment was on the highway, conducting the final mop-up of Tau ground forces and remaining Gretchin. Lord Li Feng's troops were now having a blast on the ground, and a large number of Tau Soldiers had even surrendered directly.
Of course, the conditions given by Lord Li Feng's side were that Tau could surrender and be accepted, but traitors and Gretchin would be executed on the spot. After all, with a race like the Tau, with whom communication is possible, warfare involves fighting and negotiating simultaneously. These captives could later be used to 'extort' the Tau.
Cain sat in a new JLTV Joint Light Tactical Mine-Resistant All-Terrain Vehicle, a new gadget Lord Li Feng had acquired. It featured thickened protection, a raised, mine-resistant chassis, and air conditioning... Cain was now happily resting his head on the thickened honeycomb bulletproof window, sleeping. Ordinary bulletproof glass could stop small-caliber solid rounds, but not Las-fire.
However, this honeycomb bulletproof window, with its multiple layers of honeycomb glass and insulating materials pressed together, would cause laser light to lose over 85% of its energy upon refraction.
In other words, a Las-fire that would normally punch a hole in a person's head would now only cause a burn.
One hour ago, the Tau fleet was completely annihilated. Now, the Tau ground forces had become 'lambs to the slaughter,' and the advance of a large number of troops across the planet was overwhelming.
What was the casualty ratio for Lord Li Feng's complete annihilation of the Tau fleet? It was zero. He wiped out the Tau fleet at the cost of zero casualties. It was said that the only person injured was a ground crew member whose foot was crushed when a Servitor was loading an air-to-air missile onto a plane.
Lord Li Feng had gained another title: "Sword of Damocles."
At this moment, high morale was spreading throughout the troops. Now, Lord Li Feng's title of "friend of the emperor" was even more solidified by "hero of frax" and "Sword of Damocles."
These Soldiers believed that Lord Li Feng was the incarnation of the Emperor, and "Solar Lord Macarius" was Lord Li Feng's "designated reincarnated spirit child" from back then.
At this moment, the sound of fighter jets flying in the sky startled Cain awake from his sleep, and he quickly looked up at the sky. Realizing they were his own F-16s and a large airborne early warning aircraft, Cain breathed a sigh of relief and immediately leaned back in his chair, preparing to sleep a little more.
But at this moment, a communication came through the car's radio. It was a young man's voice:
"Commissar Cain, this is Sicario. Our flight squadron has been personally assigned by Lord Li Feng to operate with you. We will be on standby in the air, awaiting your orders."
Cain twisted his body and picked up the radio: "This is Cain. Thank you for your help. Please go ahead and strike... that Tau position."
Upon hearing this, the quantum engine nozzles of several F-16s quickly began to accelerate, flying forward... And in the distance, Tau armored units and mechanized units were driving on the highway... The Tau Lords seemed unaware of what... absolute air superiority... meant.
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