Half an hour later, Lynn stepped onto the bridge of the Gemstone.
The damaged lobby and access control system are under emergency repair, and Dominic remains seated in the central seat.
His left arm was still wrapped in thick bandages, and his face was still pale, but his eyes were unusually bright, filled with a desire for victory.
His military uniform was still covered in dust and blood, clearly indicating that he had just come from the battlefield and hadn't even had time to change his clothes.
Upon seeing Lynn, Dominic quickly walked over.
A rare smile graced his face, clearly indicating his satisfaction with the defensive operation of Carl II.
"Governor Kerry, well done!"
Dominic reached out his right hand and patted Lynn's shoulder hard.
"I was worried you wouldn't be able to hold out on Carl II, but not only did you hold it, you also devoured all those millions of Orks."
"That really surprised me."
This was already a rather tactful way of putting it; he had originally thought Lynn had simply run away.
Lynn shook hands with him and said with a smile, "It was just good luck. If the main force of the Orks hadn't suddenly retreated, we wouldn't have had it so easy."
Dominic's eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of the retreat of the Orks forces.
"Speaking of which, that's exactly what I came to you about."
He walked up to the holographic star map, pointed in the direction of Planet Dorito, and said excitedly:
"Governor Kerry, now is the perfect time for us to press our advantage!"
"Look, in this battle, only the Gemstone sustained minor damage; the rest of our warships were basically intact."
"As for the Orks, Ragnar is dead, and they hastily elected a new warboss in a short period of time, so their foundation is definitely unstable."
"Moreover, our intelligence indicates that the Orks Fleet is currently in a state of great disarray, with many leaders eager to instigate internal strife."
"If we lead our fleet in a full-scale attack now, we can definitely catch them off guard and take Dorito in one fell swoop!"
"Once the main fleet of the Deffskull Clan is destroyed, the Orks threat to the entire Calixis System will be completely eliminated!"
Dominic became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He could almost see the Imperial Fleet conquering Dorito and wiping out all the Orks.
This would not only avenge Ralfa and all the fallen soldiers, but also add a glorious chapter to his military record.
Seeing Dominic's anxious expression, Lynn couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the governor of Brevis, even more impatient than the governor himself.
He shook his head gently, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
"Lord Dominic, I think it's too early to launch an attack now."
"Why?"
Dominic suddenly looked up at Lynn, his smile gradually fading.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we miss it, once the Orks stabilize, we'll have to pay ten or even a hundred times the price to attack Dorito again!"
"Does Governor Kerry have other brilliant ideas?"
Lynn did not answer his question directly.
He walked to the star map and pulled up the surveillance footage of the Orks Fleet's retreat.
Before I answer you, let me ask you a question.
Lynn pointed to the Orks warships on the screen, which were retreating in a "neat and orderly" manner, looked into Dominic's eyes, and said earnestly:
"Based on your understanding of the Orks, what will the Orks fleet look like when a war boss is killed and a new war boss takes over?"
Dominic paused, then instinctively replied:
"Of course it descended into chaos, with leaders killing each other and vying for power."
"If we're lucky, the match can be decided in a few months; if we're unlucky, it could take years."
This is basic common sense about the Imperium's fight against the Orks, something every Imperium commander would know, let alone a general like him who has fought against the Orks.
But as soon as he said that, Dominic seemed to realize something, and his momentum weakened considerably.
"That's right." Lynn nodded. "Then take a look at the current Orks fleet."
He zoomed in on the surveillance footage, which showed hundreds of Orks warships lined up in neat formations, flying towards the planet Dorito.
Although some warships still flew off into the air and got separated from their formation, or even fired at each other.
This is Orks; it's impossible for it to maintain complete order.
However, this level of chaos is clearly still within the normal range.
"Do you think this resembles a Orks fleet that has just undergone a power shift?"
Dominic frowned.
He looked at the Orks fleet on the screen with a puzzled expression.
Something does seem off.
No matter how powerful the new war boss is, it's impossible for him to make all the leaders and bosses submit in such a short time.
This is completely out of character for Orks people.
"Perhaps, perhaps this new warboss is particularly powerful?" Dominic's tone was no longer as firm as before.
"Or perhaps, a successor has already been prepared?"
Lynn shook her head.
" The Orks never designate a successor; they only recognize might. Whoever has the strongest fist is the boss."
"Furthermore, no matter how powerful this new war boss is, it's impossible for all the Warboss to willingly abandon their infighting and retreat with him."
" The Orks are born for battle. They're about to take down Carl II, how could they possibly give up so easily?"
Lynn looked into Dominic's eyes and said earnestly:
"Therefore, based on my intelligence and understanding of the Orks, I have come to a conclusion."
" Ragnar is probably not dead yet."
"What did you say?!"
Dominic's expression changed instantly.
He suddenly stood up, glaring fiercely at Lynn.
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"
His voice suddenly rose several octaves, then he lowered it again, realizing he had lost his composure.
"We have confirmed it repeatedly. Ragnar died in the Psychic Power collapse of the banquet hall, leaving not a trace!"
"His flagship, that giant cauldron-shaped ship, was also destroyed by our firepower; he had no chance of surviving!"
Dominic was somewhat agitated.
He stared intently at Lynn, his eyes bloodshot.
"Governor Kerry, I know you are always cautious, but you can't just say such things out of thin air!"
Do you know what your words mean?
This means that the sacrifices of Ralfa and all the soldiers who died trying to kill Ragnar were in vain.
This is a reality that Dominic absolutely cannot accept, absolutely not!
His voice echoed through the bridge.
The guards beside him all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
They all knew how much of an impact Ragnar had on Dominic, and how devastating Ralfa's death had been for him.
Lynn watched the agitated Dominic silently, without saying a word.
He could understand Dominic's feelings.
Anyone who has experienced such a fierce battle and made such great sacrifices would find it impossible to accept the fact that the enemy is still alive.
Until Dominic's emotions calmed down a bit.
Lynn spoke slowly, his tone calm yet neither humble nor arrogant.
"Lord Dominic, I know it's hard for you to accept."
"To be honest, I don't want to believe this conclusion either."
But all the evidence points to this conclusion.
"And think carefully about Ragnar's performance in that battle."
Lynn's gaze deepened, as if he were recalling that fierce battle.
"He was targeted by seven Stormblade, and his entire body was on the verge of destruction, yet he managed to regenerate by devouring objects with his mouth."
Have you ever seen such a self-healing ability before?
Dominic's breath hitched.
He remembered the bloody, mangled mass of flesh, and the horrific scene of it regrowing after devouring soldiers and even tank wreckage.
A chill I didn't want to admit crept up on me again from behind.
That strange ability was something he had never seen before.
"Including his flagship, with its exaggerated ability to devour a fleet's salvo."
"None of this can be explained by common sense. Even demons from the Warp couldn't do it."
Lynn's voice continued to ring in his ears.
"So why is it impossible for him to come back to life?"