The explanation ended.
Silence fell over the meeting room.
After a long pause, an officer asked:
"So, those points of light are the movement paths of the Calamity Beast?"
"Hmm." Shen Heng nodded, sitting in his seat.
"So, which direction is it?"
"Base!"
Those two simple words plunged the room into silence once again.
Everyone sat in their seats, their brows furrowed as they stared at the projected map.
The Calamity Beast are heading towards the base? What are they planning to do?!
No one spoke, but at that moment, everyone's hearts inexplicably sank in unison.
Li Boyuan sat on the left side of the long table, pondered for a moment, and said:
" The Calamity Beast plan to surround the base and cut off our supplies?"
Below, some officers nodded.
"If that's the case, it does seem feasible?"
"Yes, that's feasible!" another officer agreed. "After all, this way we only need to surround one part of the base, without needing to mobilize so many Calamity Beast, and we don't have to worry about any supply teams being missed. Compared to the previous harassment method, it's far more efficient!"
"No, that will cause problems!"
"What could it be...?"
The group discussed the matter on either side of the long table.
Li Boyuan listened for a while in his seat, then looked up at Zhou Zhenguo, who was sitting at the head of the table.
Without an immediate response, Zhou Zhenguo listened to the discussion among the officers below for a while before turning his gaze to Shen Heng.
What do you think?
The moment the voice was spoken, the discussion below immediately fell silent.
Everyone looked over.
Shen Heng rested his right hand on the table, and his index finger, lost in thought, unconsciously tapped lightly.
"It's possible, but... the probability is probably low."
Upon hearing this, the eyes of some people below immediately widened slightly.
" Captain Shen, why?" a general immediately asked.
"The biggest problem lies in the distance between the two Light Gate," Shen Heng replied.
"The distance between the two Light Gate?" The officer frowned slightly.
"Hmm," Shen Heng responded, his gaze turning to the general.
"To surround the base, we need a large number of Calamity Beast, but the distance between the two Light Gate in the Erosion Zone is too far. If any Calamity Beast Calamity Beast besieging the base suffer casualties, it will be difficult for them to replace them immediately!"
"The base only needs to target this point, sending out some higher-ranking warriors every now and then to launch a counterattack, and the encirclement of the Calamity Beast will be difficult to maintain."
"Well, can't we send some higher-ranking Calamity Beast to surround them?" the officer asked, opening his mouth slightly.
"Sure, but the method I just mentioned will still work. After all, if you want to encircle them, it means you have to disperse the Calamity Beast," Shen Heng explained calmly. "Dispersed mid-level Calamity Beast are no match for the concentrated force of the base. This method simply prolongs the time a little!"
"Then, the Sixth Tier?"
" Sixth Tier beasts are indeed possible, but there are only a handful of Sixth Tier Calamity Beast in the entire Erosion Zone. Sending too few won't be enough to completely contain them, since we can still bring in people from outside to handle the situation; sending too many, what about the Earth Eye? Besides, given the nature of the Calamity Beast, Sixth Tier Calamity Beast leading the charge to deal with those supply transport teams..."
He paused there before continuing:
"The probability is too low!"
This time, the officer didn't ask any more questions. He also couldn't understand why Sixth Tier Calamity Beast would be doing such trivial things.
After all, if a Sixth Tier Calamity Beast really blocked the entrance, it's obvious that the base wouldn't be able to transport out a large amount of supplies at once like before.
At that time, we'll transport a little at a time.
Will you deal with it or not?
If we don't deal with it, it will really be shipped out. Dealing with it... is unlikely to kill you with exhaustion, but it will definitely keep you so busy that you won't be able to put your feet on the ground for long!
Li Boyuan sat in his seat, deep in thought.
He had no objection to the fact that his earlier guess had been refuted.
That's how war councils are; every idea put forward is actually just waiting for others to refute it.
If it's been rejected, then it's naturally rejected!
If it can't be denied, it means that this opinion is very likely correct!
However, this hypothesis has now been refuted; the Calamity Beast didn't go there to block the gate, so...
"If that's the case, why do you think the Ruins Realm transferred a large number of Calamity Beast to the base?" Zhou Zhenguo asked in a deep voice.
Shen Heng turned his gaze to those eyes, which were usually clouded but now held an even sharper edge, and said:
"The sudden action of the Calamity Beast must have a purpose; it couldn't have been done for no reason."
If we categorize objects by purpose, there are only three types:
One possibility is a base; another is two cities like ours located outside; and the third is something unknown within the Erosion Zone.
The first type is something we don't know.
The probability is too low; if it were possible, the Calamity Beast would have acted long ago, there would be no need to wait until now.
Furthermore, even if it did exist, the probability would be even lower if it happened to be heading in the direction of the base.
Second, the target is us.
Including what was mentioned earlier, cutting off supply lines could also be a feigned visit to the base to lure us out, or to draw our attention and then launch a surprise attack.
However, the probability of these situations occurring is also very low.
First, there's no guarantee we'll find out; second, there's no guarantee we'll get out; third...
He paused slightly at this point, then continued:
"Just like the cities that were destroyed when we first started building cities abroad last year, destroying a single city built abroad doesn't mean much to the Calamity Beast."
"So, after eliminating these two extremely low-probability targets, the most likely possibility is that it's targeting the base."
"As for the base, for us, there are really only two options: either we fight, or we don't!"
"But if we don't fight, then there's really no need for any action."
"So..."
"Is this the only option?" Zhou Zhenguo continued the conversation.
"Hmm." Shen Heng nodded.
The scene suddenly fell silent.
Everyone was pondering what had just been said.
Fight, Calamity Beast, Base...
One by one, the officers' faces darkened.
"If the Calamity Beast wanted to attack the base, couldn't they have done so much earlier? Why did they have to wait until now?" Li Boyuan asked Shen Heng, sitting opposite him.
Upon hearing this, the others also turned to look at Shen Heng.
"Yes, indeed, so... it must be that some condition has been met." Shen Heng replied thoughtfully.
Everyone frowned slightly.
"Has a certain condition been met?"