Strategic Gambit: The Alliance's Weakness

Ge Xiu had never been to this part of the ship before.

The defenses here were obviously stricter and more meticulous than elsewhere. The outer protective layer, made of indestructible Albert Asia stainless steel, was scanned and monitored by independent AI systems. This was the command center of the entire ship. Even if the hull suffered a devastating strike, the protective measures in place ensured the command structure would remain intact, allowing the ship to continue functioning during combat.

Lulai's adjutant was already waiting in the meeting room.

Each person present looked solemn, eyes fixed on the flashing screens in front of them. Occasionally, they whispered among themselves. But when Lulai entered, all conversation stopped abruptly, and they stood at attention, saluting together. "Captain!"

Lulai nodded slightly. "Sit."

He stepped aside, revealing the strict-faced Ge Xiu, who had been standing just behind him.

Seeing the small, thin boy, the group froze for a moment, realizing their captain wasn't alone. But no introduction was necessary—they already knew who he was.

Ge Xiu.

This seemingly fragile young man had singlehandedly captured an alliance warship, set up an ambush, and annihilated the enemy's pursuing fleet with brilliant tactics. The intense preparations leading up to today's confrontation, and the almost immediate engagement, were largely thanks to him—not to mention the bombs he'd placed on the main ship.

Though he'd cooperated fully in revealing the locations of the explosives, each one had been hidden in bizarre and dangerous spots, nearly all in blind spots of the ship's surveillance systems. It had taken an entire afternoon to dismantle them. The officer in charge had even ordered an exhaustive scan of the ship, just in case, but a lingering sense of unease remained. Who knew if this little devil had left behind another surprise or two?

Unfriendly eyes turned toward Ge Xiu from all directions.

Ge Xiu didn't seem to notice. His eyes curved into a smile, revealing a friendly, innocent grin. He looked completely harmless.

It made their teeth itch with frustration.

Lulai raised an eyebrow, his narrowed eyes carrying a faint warning.

Everyone immediately stiffened and forced awkward, unnatural smiles, nodding stiffly in Ge Xiu's direction.

After a brief round of introductions, they all took their seats. Ge Xiu was placed on Lulai's left, while Hall, the unfortunate soul who had been pushed out of his chair, had to stand for the meeting.

Ge Xiu swung his thin legs as he sat, sucking on a candy he had been saving while he looked around the heavily guarded room with curiosity. His gaze lingered momentarily on the AI's scanning systems before moving away without drawing attention.

Hall began his report.

It turned out that the Alliance had begun mobilizing its elite fleet that afternoon, preparing for action. The frequency of reconnaissance ships had increased, and the production of weapons on the mineral planets had ramped up. The Alliance, spurred into motion by external threats, was now flexing its strength.

The projection on the conference table shifted with Hall's words, displaying the gathered intelligence for all to see.

The officers seated around the table were all veterans from Lulai's days in the Alliance. They had fought in many battles and were well-acquainted with Alliance tactics. The meaning of this activity was clear to them: the Alliance was gearing up for war.

A major battle was imminent.

"We should launch a full-scale offensive immediately!" one of them suggested. "We can't match the Alliance fleet head-on. If we wait for them to organize, it'll be too late!"

The speaker had a long scar running from his temple across his left eye to the bridge of his nose. His eyes gleamed with fighting spirit.

Another officer nodded in agreement. "Richard's right. The Alliance is pulling troops from distant DE-class galaxies. They're stretched thin right now, and their defenses are weak. If we concentrate our elite forces and strike now, we can seize the advantage!"

A female general at the far end of the table frowned. "This information is too easy to obtain. What if it's a trap to lure us in? I think we should proceed cautiously and confirm the intel before making a decision."

The room erupted in debate. Some argued the opportunity would slip away, while others pushed for caution. Each person was convinced they were right, and the room became a cacophony of voices.

Ge Xiu yawned, clearly uninterested.

At first, he had paid attention to the discussion, but he quickly lost interest and began playing with his fingers.

Lulai remained calm, his expression indifferent, showing no hint of emotion in his silver-blue eyes, which seemed as deep as an abyss. He appeared to be listening intently, yet also lost in thought.

Then, Lulai tapped the table.

The sound was soft, rhythmic, but it carried a strange authority that cut through the noise. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to the head of the table.

"I've heard your opinions," Lulai said. Then, lowering his gaze to the seemingly distracted Ge Xiu, he asked, "What about you?"

Ge Xiu blinked, startled. "Me?"

The eyes of the entire room were on him, some impatient, others irritated. Who would zone out during such an important meeting?

Lulai didn't seem to mind Ge Xiu's behavior and repeated his question patiently. "Yes, what do you think?"

Ge Xiu, realizing he'd been addressed, swallowed the last bit of candy in his mouth and jumped down from his chair. He walked over to the star chart on the table and studied it for a moment before asking thoughtfully, "What's the power comparison between the two sides? Weapons, troops, everything."

Lulai gestured to Hall, who quickly pulled up the data.

A wall of figures and statistics appeared, casting a faint blue light across the room.

Ge Xiu imitated Hall's movements, tapping a few spots on the floating display to pull up the latest intelligence from their reconnaissance ships. After examining it for a moment, he returned to his chair and lazily said, "The uncle just now was right. There's a huge gap between your forces and the Alliance. If you wait for them to fully mobilize, your chances of victory are slim."

Richard puffed up with pride.

"But," Ge Xiu continued, "even if you launch a surprise attack before they're ready, you won't win easily."

Richard bristled. "What do you know? The Alliance's weapons are inferior to ours, and their troops are disorganized! We're familiar with their defenses—it's a fortress built on sand!"

Ge Xiu swung his legs and replied casually, "That's why you're not the commander."

"You—!" Richard shot up from his chair, but the people on either side restrained him before he could act.

Ge Xiu smiled and winked at Lulai. "You understand what I'm saying, right, sir?"

Lulai's expression remained unreadable. He neither confirmed nor denied Ge Xiu's statement but made a simple gesture, quieting the room.

Emboldened by Lulai's tacit approval, Ge Xiu continued without restraint.

Pointing to the star map, he circled the Alliance's territory and then marked the location of their fleet. His voice carried a hint of contempt. "Even if you're strong enough to take one of the Alliance's A-class galaxies, do you have enough troops to surround the capital and prevent the council from escaping? No. They'll retreat north, where three of the five major mineral planets are located. Those will provide them with endless reinforcements. Even if you establish a foothold in the south, it'll turn into a decades-long war of attrition."

Ge Xiu shrugged. "Of course, maybe you'll last longer than expected. Who knows?"

The room fell into stunned silence.

Richard, though furious at Ge Xiu's mocking tone, stayed in his seat. Even though the others had stopped holding him down, he recognized the uncomfortable truth in Ge Xiu's words.

They were skilled officers, but not strategists. As frontline generals, they focused on winning battles, not the bigger picture. The temptation of this opportunity had clouded their judgment.

A flicker of approval crossed Lulai's eyes. He broke the silence. "So what do you suggest?"

Ge Xiu grinned. "Since the Alliance relies on its energy and military strength, why not cut off its roots?"

He tossed a small storage device onto the table. "Remember the spoils I brought back today? Use the captured Alliance warships to disguise your forces, then launch raids on poorly defended supply ships."

"The Alliance's power is built on the slave trade. With the war approaching, they're pulling troops from the DE-class galaxies. Send covert ships to expose the truth about the slaves on the labor planets, and let the public see the reality behind the Alliance's humanitarian claims."

"Don't worry—I have experience with this sort of thing." He winked. "I've got a few planets in mind."

Ge Xiu gestured to the storage device. "This contains the location data for all the transport ships I captured. Have the 3,118 kidnapped individuals return to their home planets using those ships and leave them there. These planets are the easiest to incite."

A gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes as he smiled. "Once the Alliance starts to crumble from within, the rest will be much easier."

For the next half hour, Ge Xiu pointed out several strategic locations on the star map that could turn the tide of the war. He casually rattled off tactics—ambushes, feints, and diversions using captured ships—all designed to confuse the enemy and exploit weak points. His suggestions, though understated, were clever and ruthless.

Finally, Ge Xiu took a sip of tea to moisten his throat. "These are just ideas for now. Take them