Chapter 118: Yun Shichu’s Decision

Chapter 118: Yun Shichu’s Decision

At nine o'clock in the morning, Earth time, the command staff had already taken their seats in the headquarters conference room.

"The situation in the various theaters has been relatively optimistic of late, but the current stalemate is not without conditions. Everyone has seen the notice from the Integration Department. I believe you all share my opinion on this point, so we must now make a decision." Yun Shichu slowly laid out the current state of affairs.

However, there were many things that Yun Shichu found inconvenient to voice in this setting.

He scanned the room slowly, paused, and then spoke again. "The coming days will undoubtedly be arduous; the Integration Department has run out of patience. I believe some of you here understand this better than I do."

The others listened to Yun Shichu’s words without interjecting, each harboring their own hidden agendas and silently calculating the implications.

"When necessary, the Huaxia Star Sector may need to pull back," Yun Shichu continued. This decision represented a concession on his part, yet it was an unavoidable one. Consolidating forces was not an act of fear, but a way to better confront the approaching enemy.

"How exactly do you intend to consolidate?" asked a commander from an outer military district. If this plan were to be executed, the military districts in these peripheral star sectors would be the first to suffer the consequences. Consolidate? Where to? Where would the people go? Where would the armies go? These were all major issues.

Small-scale conflicts had already broken out within the Federation. With the front lines falling and troops pulling back, the inevitable mixing of personnel between the inner and outer military districts made friction unavoidable.

"I have considered this. All troops in the designated buffer sectors will withdraw inward and be reorganized under new designations for mobile warfare," Yun Shichu replied.

"Mobile warfare!? Commander Yun, with one word you are breaking us apart. Is that really appropriate?" another peripheral military district commander interjected.

Yun Shichu had been prepared to face such questions when he decided to speak today. In the past, he certainly would not have made so many enemies, but this was no longer a time for indecision.

"Of course, if you are willing to hold your ground, I have no objections. However, you will be entirely responsible for your own supplies while operating outside the planned combat zones. Furthermore, the direct fleets of all military districts will be unified and reorganized," Yun Shichu stated.

As soon as these words left his lips, the expressions of those present became turbulent. These were the parties with a direct stake in the matter. Of course, there were some who gloated, seeing no downside for themselves and preparing to treat the proceedings as a spectacle.

"Commander Yun, this approach seems rather inappropriate, doesn't it?" another peripheral district commander asked. The threat behind his words was palpable.

"Commander Qiu, if I recall correctly, I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Huaxia Theater of Operations, am I not?" Yun Shichu countered.

"And what if you are?" asked the middle-aged man known as Commander Qiu.

"If I am, then my orders represent Huaxia," Yun Shichu said solemnly.

Qiu Jijie fell silent. Here, every statement did not merely represent an individual, but one or more interest groups. He chose silence, seeing no need to provide Yun Shichu with leverage. It would not be worth it to be the first one made an example of.

"Does anyone else have any objections?" Yun Shichu intended to conclude the meeting.

No one spoke. Those present were not fools; no one wanted to stick their neck out at such a critical juncture. Had they not received word before the meeting began, the situation in the room would have been entirely different.

When Yun Shichu first took office, no one had taken him seriously. In Huaxia, one's rank did not necessarily equate to one's authority; the key was whether one had backing. Previously, Yun Shichu had none. But now, he did.

The group realized that Yun Shichu’s ascent was no accident; it felt more like a conspiracy.

If it were previously true that Yun Shichu only had the backing of Chairman Hua, who had personally appointed him, he now stood with the prestigious Dalu family. For reasons unknown, the Academic Faction and the Universal Space Corporation were also clearing the path for him.

Yun Shichu had not revealed these maneuvers the moment he took office, but had unfolded them gradually. By now, he was no longer a lone commander or a naive youth.

More importantly, that very morning, the "Galactic Dawn" think tank—a group with immense prestige in political circles—had signaled its support for Yun Shichu. Only then did the others realize that, amidst the chaos, they had forgotten this behemoth. Finally, the group had become active again.

They all understood that Yun Shichu’s implementation of the new combat plan was a foregone conclusion. All they could do now was try to minimize the impact on themselves.

As the meeting ended, Yun Shichu did not feel much lighter, as even greater burdens pressed down upon him.

He connected to a secure line: Chairman Hua.

"Hello, Chairman. The meeting has concluded... Yes... I will handle it..." The brief communication ended quickly. After reporting, all that remained for Yun Shichu was to issue the transfer orders.

***

Kyushu Island.

The Chairman of Huaxia was the supreme leader of the Huaxia Republic. This was Hua Xuyang's seventh year in the position. With the extension of human lifespans, the term of office had grown from four years to ten. As Huaxia’s territory expanded and its affairs grew more complex, the symbolic weight of the position had expanded accordingly.

"Things are on the right track," Hua Xuyang said in his living room. There was another person present, and the remark was directed at him.

"Sigh, I was hoping to spend my twilight years in peace. I never expected to encounter something like this at my age," an old man said slowly. Though his face showed his age, his voice was remarkably resonant.

If Liu Shaoyu were here, he would have recognized this old man as the dean of his Fleet Academy: Dean Xu.

"It only goes to show that Huaxia still needs you, Teacher," Hua Xuyang said.

"Haha, you were always the one best at buttering people up. Time flies; in the blink of an eye, you’ve been Chairman for seven years," Dean Xu sighed.

"And I remain your student."

"Haha, stop pouring honey in my ears. Tell me, what else do you need me to do? I’ve already committed all my remaining influence to you." Dean Xu knew that while Hua Xuyang spoke kindly, it was because he was still useful. If he were just an ordinary old man on the street, Chairman Hua’s attitude would surely be different.

"This operation was only this smooth thanks to your support. Do you remember a man named Liu Shaoyu?" Hua Xuyang asked directly.

Though aged, Dean Xu’s mind remained sharp. Remembering people was his specialty. Not just the students who had graduated in recent years, but even those from classes far earlier—Dean Xu could remember every single one of his students.

"That boy? He was quite good when he was in school. He liked tea; he was very interesting," Dean Xu smiled. "Why do you ask about him?"

Hua Xuyang knew that Dean Xu was a man of few words; for him to call someone "quite good" and "very interesting" was high praise indeed.

Hua Xuyang smiled. "You know that a conflict recently broke out between the military and Department A. It is said to have been caused by an attempt to rescue Liu Shaoyu."

"Rescue? Is he not a soldier? Even if he committed some offense, he should have been handed over to a military tribunal. How does Department A have the authority to do this?" Dean Xu asked, slightly indignant.

"Please don't be alarmed. It is said that the 'Group of Five' requested his involvement. As you know, the computers no longer provide us with data, so the specific circumstances remain unclear," Hua Xuyang explained hastily.

"The Group of Five? How did they notice a boy like Liu Shaoyu?" Dean Xu wondered.

Though Dean Xu had an impression of Liu Shaoyu, with so many students graduating every year, he could not know every one of them in depth. Thus, he was curious why the Group of Five would pay attention to him.

"Do you remember a man named Wang Weifu?" Hua Xuyang asked, dropping another name.

The name Wang Weifu was indeed famous in Huaxia, both in the scientific community and the military.

"I remember. That boy who developed the 'God Project'," Dean Xu recalled immediately.

"Yes, that's the one. He is a close friend of Liu Shaoyu; the two are very intimate," Hua Xuyang explained.

"Does the matter with the Group of Five involve Wang Weifu?" Dean Xu guessed.

"Yes. The Group of Five suspects that Wang Weifu knows the method to repair the 'Glory of the Republic'," Hua Xuyang said.

At this, a smile appeared on Dean Xu's face. "Indeed. It was discovered early on that the boy’s true talent wasn't in genetic biology, but in hacking."

Like many others, most people only knew of Wang Weifu’s brilliance in genetic engineering, forgetting his other forte: hacking. In a Federation where computers were claimed to be almost flawless, "hacker" was an absolute pinnacle of a title.

"Have you found him?" Dean Xu asked, naturally referring to Wang Weifu.

"The computers cannot locate him," Hua Xuyang replied.

"That is interesting. I recall the last time such a situation occurred, it was... that incident?" Dean Xu said.

The two men looked at each other and nodded.

"How many years have passed," Dean Xu leaned back on the sofa, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused.

"That is in the past, Teacher," Hua Xuyang said, seeking to comfort him, knowing what the event meant to the older man.

"Could there be a connection between these two things?" Dean Xu mused, squinting as he considered a possibility.

Hua Xuyang did not rush to deny it, as all signs indicated that such a possibility did indeed exist. If that were the case, things would become far more complex. Yet, he soon felt a sense of relief—as the saying goes, one does not fear more lice when one is already infested. The situation was already a tangled mess; if it were even more chaotic, so be it. Perhaps a turning point might emerge.

"I cannot rule out that probability," Hua Xuyang answered after some thought.

"Find Liu Shaoyu," Dean Xu said in a deep voice, his tone almost like a command—even though he was speaking to the Chairman of Huaxia.