Population as a Bargaining Chip
"The main problem is that the enemy's reaction speed is too fast, and their location is difficult to pinpoint, making it impossible for various heavy weapons to hit them."
"Yes, I understand. So, the next step is..." Yun Cangyuan nodded.
At this point, a young tactical analyst offered a cold but realistic suggestion. "The inability to pinpoint exact locations will always be a big problem, but we can repeat the process."
Before Yun Cangyuan could even ask any questions, one of the staff officers nodded:
"Absolutely, just keep repeating that process."
The analyst pulled up a star chart and marked several regions on it. "Based on the computer simulations of the enemy's possible activity areas and directions of advance, we can continuously and in rotation send small, rapid deployment teams to these areas."
"The mission of these detachments is not annihilation, but 'contact'—using a wide array of sensors and proactive reconnaissance to force the enemy to constantly react, reveal their positions, and engage in combat."
He then pointed to the battle replay data. "In every engagement, even if we lose a detachment, the enemy will inevitably expend energy, expose more of their capabilities, and may even suffer casualties. They are fighting on foreign soil, so energy replenishment is a major problem. We, on the other hand, are backed by the productivity and energy network of the entire civilization, and can withstand this kind of consumption."
This suggestion plunged the meeting room into a brief moment of deliberation. Someone frowned. "Wouldn't that be using the fleet's officers, men, and equipment as bait? The casualties would be enormous... And, in this Final Showdown, it seems there's no chance of account retention like in the expedition..."
The advisor's tone was uncertain because it involved higher-level information such as "World Master authority" and "player mechanics," which were not things he could know in a timely manner.
"In interstellar warfare, human life is the least valuable asset." The commander-in-chief shook his head. "War is Essence a contest of resources and wills. Necessary sacrifices... are unavoidable for the sake of strategic objectives."
"Too..."
During the discussion, Yun Cangyuan stared into deep thought as he looked at the ship designations marked "lost" and the estimated crew numbers on the screen.
Of course, it's not about thinking about those who are already dead or about to die; that would be meaningless.
Yun Cangyuan's thoughts leaped to a higher level.
From a higher, colder perspective, the Yuncang Civilization had already been "defeated" when faced with the incomprehensible behemoth that is the [Ten Thousand Worlds].
No, it can't even be called a defeat. It was just that an unimaginable organization or individual reached out and pulled the vast Yuncang Civilization into the [Ten Thousand Worlds], as if they had obtained a new toy.
Behind seemingly grand terms like "game integration," "player identity," "civilization reliance," and "Final Showdown" lies the helplessness and struggle of an entire civilization being forced to relinquish its autonomy and be forcibly incorporated into an unfamiliar set of rules.
How well or poorly one performs in this "game" may determine the Future status and treatment of the Yuncang Civilization in the new "community" of [Ten Thousand Worlds], much like goods being labeled differently.
However, even amidst this monumental transformation of civilization over millennia, the internal power struggles and rifts within civilization remain clearly visible.
Yun Cangyuan's gaze swept over the senior officers in fleet uniforms in the conference room, but he did not offer any opinion.
The Yuncang Civilization has been venturing into interstellar space for hundreds of years, and its power structure has long been solidified. Currently, the Yuncang Union, which appears united but is actually divided, has a complex power structure— Four Great Powers occupy its home planet and major colony planets, with intertwined interests.
The influence of several transnational super-consortia and religious and cultural organizations is also pervasive.
Originally, the fleet system, which controlled the machinery of violence, was the most likely to break this deadlock and become a new independent and powerful force.
However, the Four Great Powers have deeply infiltrated the fleet, and the personnel at the top are complex and intertwined. In addition, the fleet has always lacked a strong and decisive commander, which has prevented it from truly breaking free from the control of the major powers. The responsibilities of the top leadership are blurred, and it is more like a "public tool" serving the interests of all parties.
This sudden "game invasion" is both a crisis and a major upheaval for the established power structure.
The Four Great Powers and other major forces outwardly appear to be passionate and determined to live and die with civilization, but what they secretly do not know is that...
Yun Cangyuan couldn't help but think of Yun Sha, the mysterious Pillar of the Qixing Republic. Some of his arrangements always seemed to have profound meaning, and his true intentions remained unclear.
There are three International Major Powers, each corresponding to the major power behind one of the three Pillars. In Yun Cangyuan's view, two of them are the Arrivalists and one is the Resistance Faction.
As for the fleet itself, it was undoubtedly the backbone of the "Resistance Faction," with many mid- to high-ranking officers eager to make outstanding contributions in this war that would determine the Future of civilization.
This would allow them to accumulate enough prestige and capital to propel the fleet toward true independence, becoming the "fifth pole" on par with, or even above, the Four Great Powers.
The commander-in-chief of the three ships in front of us probably has the same idea.
In this war, all the people of Yuncang were losers. So, who were the "relative winners"?
Inevitably, Yun Cangyuan began to ponder this question, feeling a chill rise up his spine.
A dozen minutes later, the fleet commanders and staff had basically finalized the subsequent tactical adjustments. The commander-in-chief turned around and saw Yun Cangyuan brow and a thoughtful expression. Thinking he was worried about the battle situation, he reassured him:
"Cang Yuan, there's no need to be overly anxious. Although we haven't fully clarified the specific 'scoring criteria' yet, what's certain is that population loss and the destruction of important facilities will inevitably lower the final Campaign Rating."
He pulled up another star chart, which was marked with countless points of light, scattered like stars:
"Therefore, the highest levels of the consortium have already activated the 'Tinder' contingency plan, dispersing the more than 30 billion registered players across more than 5,000 disguised and heavily fortified settlements throughout the Fixed Star system. The number of invaders is limited, and hunting them down one by one is virtually an impossible task. Our real focus of defense lies in those extremely valuable critical facilities."
Yun Cangyuan was pulled back to reality from his reverie, and upon hearing these words, he shuddered.
Has the highest level come to view "population" as an "asset" or "bargaining chip" that can be dispersed and preserved?
"It seems that our joys and sorrows, our Life and Deaths, are merely Campaign Rating in the eyes of those unknown masterminds behind the [Ten Thousand Worlds]..."
He composed himself, sighed, and expressed his immediate impressions of the expedition:
"Based on my experience dealing with those 'Wardens,' most of them are highly intelligent individuals with clear will and unique behavioral logic, not simply killing machines or system puppets."