Chapter 87 Strategy Path_1
Mozi: "I know I gave my all to the Wallbreaking Project, but in the end, I found out.
"It had been broken through long ago, and my life has lost its meaning."
Subtitle: [You are meaningful, we need you.]
Mozi: "Lord... You don't need me anymore... You need to grow on your own!
"This is my... last lesson, and it's my way, the way of strategy!
"The first level of strategy is all the knowledge about strategy on Earth, assessing the situation, weighing interests, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of both sides to achieve one's goals. Its core is to step out of one's own thinking and not be confused by any external appearances of things.
"In this first level, the biggest obstacle for you, Lord, is actually the Sophon. Too much use of Sophons will have you always looking down on everything from on high, but strategy is rooted in the soil, not in the clouds.
"The second level of strategy is what the First Emperor of Qin wanted to teach you, that strategy is a skill, and even more a wisdom. Its core is execution, which requires patience and perseverance, exactly what you, Lord, lack the most.
"To improve in this level, the best way is to experience pain, accept pain, understand pain. An eaglet that wants to soar high must fall off a cliff either to fly or to die.
"I often say that if we are to truly take seriously our mission of serving the Lord, we cannot blindly follow the Lord's strategy. This statement is actually agreed with most by the First Emperor of Qin. I even suspect that if it weren't for this setback, the First Emperor of Qin would have carried out the plan on behalf of the Lord.
"But... I now feel... it doesn't matter... it's all the same!
"Lord, you need a transformation of the heart, and this setback could also be a good thing for you.
"The third level of strategy is what Lin Sen used, which is the open strategy. The core of open strategy is not to care what the enemy's advantage is, but what the enemy fears. If you truly master the first two levels, this level will naturally fall into place as soon as you grasp the enemy's pain point.
"Dealing with Lin Sen is actually very simple; just don't be led by him. The key is that, Lord, you also have to face what you are afraid of, and if you can't, you will never escape this level.
"I don't know what you, Lord, are afraid of, but Lin Sen should know that the best way to not be led by him is to confront Lin Sen directly.
"Perhaps you, Lord, will take this step, or perhaps you never will. Maybe it's only after you take it that you'll find it's not so frightening after all!
"The fourth level of strategy is to combine the previous three levels and establish your own way. The core of the way is that the highest level of strategy often turns against one's own people.
"You, Lord, might think this only happens in human society, but no... If you learn strategy, it will inevitably happen in your world as well."
"Lord... when you truly establish your own way, you will understand the meaning of 'strategy is always against one's own people.'
"And I... also have my own way, to learn the way in the morning and die content in the evening!
"I want to use my life to explore a piece of intelligence."
Subtitle: [I remember, thank you!
Your first three levels of the strategy way, I can vaguely understand some, but the last level, I don't understand.
Also, what are you trying to do?]
Mozi: "The last level... in time... you, Lord, will understand. I need to realize my own way now.
"I need to break through the wall. I am a Wallbreaker; my life can only be that of a Wallbreaker!"
Subtitle: [Breaking through Rey Diaz has lost its meaning.]
Mozi: "No, the one I am going to break through... is... Lin Sen."
Subtitle: [I advise you not to do it, you are not his opponent at all. We have not provided you with much intelligence about him, you will not be able to break through.]
Mozi: "I am a Wallbreaker, I want to try again, even though I'm not sure, I have to try.
"I don't want to live such a wretched life, I must go!"
Subtitle: [We still need you!]
Mozi: "Lord, it's the same as what I said before, you need to grow. The First Emperor of Qin, I... we all hope you can grow.
"I know I'm not his opponent and that I probably won't be able to break through.
"But I need to go and die standing; I want to confront him and see just how big the gap between us really is."
Caption: "I don't understand... but I won't stop you."
Mozi: "My Lord, this is the last thing I can do for you, and perhaps this is the true... final lesson for the Lord.
When facing a powerful enemy, the first thing to do is not to consider how to respond, but to probe, probe with your life. If one can probe out even a sliver of the enemy's intention,
that is success, and everything can be sacrificed for this. This is my way, to hear the Way in the morning and to die in the evening is enough!"
The caption fell silent for a while: "Good... luck... to us!"
Behind the caption was No. 7, who withdrew after the conversation with Mozi ended.
The teachings of Evans, the First Emperor of Qin, and Mozi continued to appear in No. 7's mind. Perhaps it really had misjudged Evans, misjudged the First Emperor of Qin. The big mistake was already destined.
"Is this what filial affection is? Is this what guilt is?
Indeed, it is quite distressing. We Trisolarans never thought we could also have such emotions. Maybe our brain structure is inherently similar to that of humans; we've just been repressing these emotions all along.
We seem to never have seriously regarded the ETO, yet they have guided us like a father, nurtured us...
Thank you... First Emperor of Qin... my father...
Thank you... Mozi... my teacher...
No, we can no longer indulge in these emotions. I need to detach myself from them.
But from another perspective, the demise of the First Emperor of Qin was inevitable, and Lin Sen's strike came too quickly. Even if I hadn't been deceived, the outcome would be the same. Nothing would change.
I haven't caused any harm to Trisolaris!"]
...
Half a month later, Lin Sen and Logic both returned to the Wallfacer Research Base.
Lin Sen had just dealt with a heap of matters and was about to rest when Kent came over and told him that someone named Mozi wanted to meet him, admitting to being the last of the ETO, and that he carried no weapons.
Lately, Lin Sen had been extremely busy, having cracked Trisolaran technology, all of which were urgently needed to be converted into human technology.
Most critical was that Lin Sen's speech about Trisolaran Sophons assassinating and manufacturing accelerators had stirred up everyone's passion; technology must be vigorously developed, and Space Particle Accelerator Ships swiftly constructed.
Now it wasn't Lin Sen pushing humanity forward, but all humankind diving headlong into their work, propelling Lin Sen and Wallfacers forward with a term that could only be described as breakneck speed.
The recent victory also helped everyone regain the confidence they had lost.
In a way, this was also a small-scale ideological revolution, a scientific revolution, but Lin Sen didn't know how long this state could last.
...
PS: This chapter might provoke some readers. This is the author's independent contemplation on strategy, not taken from anywhere. If you think it's well-written, feel free to praise it in the comments. If not, please don't be too harsh.
The words of Mozi, those of the First Emperor of Qin, they all impliedly led No. 7 to confront humanity, to face Lin Sen, which was also a chance for No. 7 to possibly face him. In truth, this step was very difficult, although the actual meeting might be very mundane, but it was too important for both civilizations.
Let's talk about strategy, which some summarize as calculation and deception. (The following is meaningless, it can be ignored.)
What is calculation. For example, we have 5 chess pieces, the enemy has 10. How can the weaker overcome the stronger? Divide the enemy into 4, 3, 2, 1, four parts.
We first move out 5 chess pieces, to battle against 4 of the enemy's pieces, the outcome being us with 4 remaining, the enemy's 4 pieces annihilated.
Then we deploy 4 chess pieces, against the enemy's 3 pieces, the outcome being us with 3 remaining, the enemy's 3 pieces annihilated.
This is calculation, the first layer of what I call the Way of Strategy. ...
Finally, we move out 2 chess pieces to confront the single piece of the enemy, ending with us having 1 piece left. Accomplishing the feat of 5 defeating 10.
What is deception. Let me give an example, start by posting a lost dog notice, with a high reward for the missing dog. Then, walk around with a dog (the one from the notice), asking people if they are the owner looking for it.
In a few days, someone will claim the dog. You could ask for 5 thousand, and there's a good chance the other party will agree.
This is deception, playing on the heart or human nature, the second layer of what I call the Way of Strategy.