The Emperor's Authority

Luo Yin kept his composure and responded politely. "I believe we have the advantage for two reasons," he said. "Firstly, the enemy forces are divided along three vectors, while our forces are concentrated in one place. Although they may have greater numbers overall, we have the advantage over any of these three divisions."

Luo Yin granted his request. thinking to himself, "I will rip that irritating tongue of yours out once this is all over." With a pleasant smile on his face.

Meanwhile The admirals listened, saying nothing.

Yin paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.

"Secondly, when it comes to moving from one area to the next, our force, which is located in the center, is able to take a shorter route than any of them. In order for them to move to another Area without fighting us, they will have to make a wide detour. This makes both time and distance our allies."

The admirals listened attentively, their faces impassive. Luo Yin's words were clear and persuasive, and he had made his point with ease.

But when he finished speaking, there was a long, awkward silence. The admirals looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

"In other words," Yin said, his voice sharp and cutting, "We have greater mobility and concentration of firepower than the enemy. If these are not the conditions for victory, I don't know what are."

Despite his frustration with Vice Admiral Zhao, Yin remained composed and professional.

He knew that winning the war would require not just tactical skill and strategy, but also patience and diplomacy.

And with that in mind, he smiled politely at the admirals and waited for their response.

Lieutenant Commander Lin Feng paused for a moment, contemplating the sudden stillness of the five admirals.

A grin slowly spread across his face as he realized the gravity of Luo Yin's achievement.

"It appears that Excellency has upended the thinking of these seasoned military veterans," he mused. "Just as expected of my Lord, the Young Master of Luo Clan."

Indeed, Luo Yin's insights had turned the tables on the admirals, who had always prided themselves on their strategic prowess.

With a few carefully chosen words, he had illuminated a new path to victory and exposed the weaknesses in their opponents' defenses.

It was a remarkable feat for someone so young and relatively inexperienced.

As Lin Feng watched the admirals struggle to process Luo Yin's words, he felt a surge of pride and admiration for the Young Admiral.

"Truly, He is a brilliant strategist," he thought to himself. "With him on our side, there is no limit to what we can achieve."

The weight of the silence hung heavy in the room as Luo Yin gathered his thoughts.

He knew he had to speak up, to break the stillness and push his point.

"Gentlemen, I believe we have a tremendous opportunity before us," he began, his voice strong and unwavering.

"We are not in danger of being enveloped by the enemy. In fact, we have the chance to destroy them on each vector. You tell me not to make the most of this opportunity and to make a meaningless withdrawal?"

Luo Yin's words were met with skepticism by Vice Admiral Zhao, who urged caution and a withdrawal. But Luo Yin refused to back down.

"To withdraw now would not only be passive, it would be criminal," he declared. "Our mission is to battle with the rebel forces and destroy them. To do anything less would be a dishonor to His Imperial Highness, who charged us with this task."

As Luo Yin spoke, he fixed Vice Admiral Zhao with an ironic gaze, pressing his advantage.

"You call for an honorable withdrawal, but where is the honor in failing to complete our mission?" he challenged. "Does this not resemble the self-justification of a coward?"

At the mention of "His Imperial Highness," a ripple of tension ran through the bodies of four of the admirals, excluding Rear Admiral Yang. Luo Yin thought it all absurd.

He knew that his arguments were sound and his cause just.

"So you say, although Your Excellency may call this a 'fine opportunity,' you are the only one here who believes it to be so. Even from the standpoint of commonsense tactics, it is impossible to accept. For a strategy which has no proven track record." Vice Admiral Zhao soon Implied.

"This one's not just incompetent, he's an imbecile," Luo Yin concluded in his thoughts. "Just as it has always been, the world won't change. I will change it."

Luo Yin then continued, "An unprecedented operation can't have a track record. Its record will begin with the coming battle, will it not?"

"Then tomorrow, Milord, you will verify its record with your own eyes. Is that not acceptable?" Speaking aloud, Luo Yin said it with an unwavering commitment.

"Are you absolutely certain of success?" Vice Admiral Zhao asked with a somber expression on his face.

Luo Yin replied with casual ease, "I am. But only if all of you follow my strategy faithfully."

He cared little for what they thought or for whatever reason they might put forth to convince him to retreat as he had already thought of winning this upcoming battle.

"What is your strategy?" Vice Admiral Zhao asked, making no attempt to hide his suspicion.

Luo Yin glanced at Lieutenant Commander Lin Feng, realizing that he had not yet shared his plan with him.

He had formulated it by observing the enemy's formations as such he began to explain the operation to everyone now.

" . . . . . . . . "

After a significant amount of time had elapsed, Vice Admiral Zhao's booming voice broke the silence within the soundproof chamber.

"That may seem acceptable in theory, but it's not practical, Your Excellency. This type of plan—"

The interior of the soundproof array was filled with the sound of Vice Admiral Zhao's shouts as he protested against Luo Yin's strategy.

"That's enough! Cease this pointless argument," interjected Luo Yin. "Your compliance with my directives must be viewed as an indication of your fealty towards the emperor."

Luo Yin, with a vexed expression, implied, "Isn't that what's expected of a soldier of the empire? Let's not forget, I am your superior in this operation." He made it clear that he held authority over them.

There was a moment of silence before Luo Yin declared, "I hold the power of life and death over you. If you choose to go against the wishes of His Majesty, it's entirely up to you."

"I will merely exercise my authority and remove you from duty, punishing you harshly for insubordination. Are you willing to face those consequences?"

Luo Yin glared at the five men standing before him. They did not answer.