Free Web NovelChapter 1424: Chapter 1424: Yue Qiyuan’s Response
Time slowly passed, as if waiting for a definite signal to start the war, neither side made any moves. Using the border river as the dividing line, Yue Qiyuan’s forces, except for those on the defense line who were constantly on the move, rotated every thirty minutes. After resting, they replaced the previous shift on duty.
At the outpost, someone hastily ran over to report: "Commander, the enemy still shows no signs of moving, but they’ve started cooking."
Hmm?
Yue Qiyuan was stirred internally.
He recalled the idiom of "breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats." Both sides knew that prolonging the conflict would be to no one’s benefit, so once the fighting started, it would be a major battle.
The food supplies on our side were already pathetically low, and it was the same for Chu Jiaojiao’s side.
So—
It’s almost time.
Upon hearing the report, Yue Qiyuan’s expression was not panicked. Initially silent, everyone waited quietly for him to speak. Instead, Yue Qiyuan suddenly bowed deeply in the direction where Wei Xiaoxiong had been carried off.
Everyone: "???"
What’s going on?
Praying? Blessing?
Yue Qiyuan explained: "Paying respects to Commander Wei."
Everyone: "..."
Viewers outside the screen had their lips twitching, unsure what to say, and then suddenly wanted to interview Wei Xiaoxiong, curious about his thoughts.
But Wei Xiaoxiong was severely injured and had been carried into the medical room for emergency treatment, not yet available to share his thoughts.
The audience was somewhat disappointed.
On the screen.
"I pay my respects to Commander Wei; don’t laugh or criticize. I truly appreciate our Commander Wei. It’s not just me; everyone should also feel grateful because Commander Wei has silently done so much for us. First, he ordered the setup and construction of this defense line, which allows us to firmly defend against the enemy’s main troop attacks. Secondly, Commander Wei sent people to draw the complete map of our camp’s geographical location. Further, the Commander quietly had half of the military base emptied, significantly saving time on transporting materials and equipment, greatly enhancing our team’s efficiency. And..." Wei Xiaoxiong spoke clearly, articulating Commander Wei’s great accomplishments for everyone.
Cough cough...
Many of Wei Xiaoxiong’s former subordinates on the scene felt extremely embarrassed upon hearing this.
First, the defense line. It didn’t encompass the entire second camp but was built after abandoning half of it.
That meant Wei Xiaoxiong planned to relinquish half of the land and personnel, prioritizing the elite soldiers and key generals on his side.
Secondly, the map?
This is a necessity; any commander stepping in must have a sufficient, accurate map. There’s nothing commendable about it.
Third, emptying half the military base was even more awkward. If that half of the land and population was meant to be abandoned, then of course you’d empty it out; why leave anything? Leave it for the enemy?
The others...
Cough cough...
The former Wei Xiaoxiong team’s members all kept stern faces, maintaining very serious and attentive listening postures, and as for their internal thoughts, they wouldn’t reveal them even under duress.
Yue Qiyuan shared these things with everyone, not to mock the former Commander Wei Xiaoxiong, but because he sincerely appreciated Wei Xiaoxiong’s contributions.
Wei Xiaoxiong, though self-serving, was adept at infrastructure, saving Yue Qiyuan a lot of work.
The time left for Yue Qiyuan was too short; the enemy would not grant him much more time, so he had to devise strategies with the available resources.
Under everyone’s gaze, Yue Qiyuan asked: "Is the cooking unit ready?"
Immediately, a young man replied: "Commander, the stove, firewood, food, and personnel are all prepared."
Yue Qiyuan raised his hand, saying: "Then start the stoves, remember, pick a few who can’t handle fires, make the smoke as dense as possible."
Young man: "???"
Yue Qiyuan said: "If the smoke isn’t dense enough, how will the other side know we started cooking too?"
Upon hearing this, the young man froze internally, quickly responding: "Understood. I’ll pick the people immediately."
After the young man went to execute the task, Yue Qiyuan summoned several other squads, assigned tasks, and said: "Remember, try to occupy high ground and prepare more fuel."
"Yes."
"Rest assured, Commander."
"We’ll definitely take care of it."
Once these squads left, Yue Qiyuan suddenly called out another group’s members individually, instructing the squad leader to specifically find durable fuels like deadwood branches, shrubs, etc.
Others were somewhat baffled but didn’t let it hinder them from following orders.
Yue Qiyuan gave final instructions to the last batch: "Keep in mind, you must complete it within thirty minutes."
"Yes."
The entire second camp activated rapidly, everyone had tasks, and they knew this battle would be a major one. No one had thoughts of slacking off; everyone worked hard to complete their missions.
Liang Youqing stood behind Yue Qiyuan, couldn’t help but ask: "You’re still planning to use this method?"
Yue Qiyuan looked towards the border river, whispering: "We have no other choice. The enemy camp must have already obtained intelligence about us, knowing that most of our military base is empty. And now, we don’t have enough time or energy to recover those bases. Once Chu Jiaojiao attacks, she’ll certainly occupy the other side of the land. Regardless of whether it’s a strong attack or a stalemate, we have no advantage."
Liang Youqing furrowed his brows slightly and said: "It’s all Wei’s fault... cough cough... I mean, it’s our fault for not thinking of these things." Remembering Wei Xiaoxiong’s petty personality, Liang Youqing was unsure if he was watching the match, so he changed his words quickly.
Yue Qiyuan said: "Anyway, it’s all a mess; we might as well play the cards randomly."
Liang Youqing twitched his lips: "Cough cough... I don’t want to play randomly; I want to advance."
Only God knows how much time and effort he had dedicated behind the scenes for this competition slot. He worked tirelessly, only resting during meals and sleeping time, never allowing himself a break. Why? To represent his school and secure a spot to advance, to obtain entry into the Space Rift.
Yue Qiyuan patted Liang Youqing’s shoulder and said: "The situation is already unfavorable to us. Don’t overthink it. Overthinking is useless and only adds worry. Once the war starts, you and I only need to kill as many enemies as possible; each one more is one gained."
Liang Youqing: "..."
The entire atmosphere suddenly turned inexplicably solemn.
