First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 81
Chapter 81: Speculation
Lian Sheng stared at the map, verifying the positions of all troops before commanding: "Zhao Zhuoluo, slow down further and create distance from the vanguard. Second Company in the front, actively withdraw to regroup with the rear squad."
"Super Bright Bulb, advance forward and retrieve your own unit. Fengyi and Leibao mechs prepare to move toward the front lines. Low-spec mechs gradually swap positions to the rear. Jiang Fengyu Huo, be ready to lead troops. Vanguard maintain formation—don't panic! Adjust while attacking—you're still in combat! The enemy is already showing fatigue. As long as we control the formation, they won't counterattack." Watching the green dots flicker on the map, Lian Sheng braced a hand on her thigh and continued: "Bright Bulb withdraw to the rear and regroup with Zhao Zhuoluo. All infantry who've lost mechs fall back. Separate positioning from the forward troops—we're forming two columns, but don't make it obvious."
The frontline's execution of orders always had slight deviations. The green dots began dispersing at a noticeable pace, creating distance from enemy forces.
Lian Sheng's voice suddenly sharpened as she barked across the channel: "Mid-spec mechs in the vanguard—do not retreat! Don't slow down! Unless I give explicit orders, hold your positions! Seize this chance to rack up kills—maintain your fierce offensive! Such ideal terrain and formation won't come again! Will you let your enemies escape? Bite down and kill!"
Bright Bulb was retreating when he raised a hand to scratch his head: "Wow, terrifying."
Fang Jianchen's Qixing mech passed by and immediately said: "Scared of what? You're skilled—fight her!"
Bright Bulb asked: "Why don't you fight her?"
Fang Jianchen declared righteously: "I'm a sniper!"
Bright Bulb said: "Isn't she one too?"
Fang Jianchen: "So snipers shouldn't harm each other."
Bright Bulb gave him an inscrutable look before withdrawing to regroup with the main force.
Lian Sheng reallocated the previously disrupted troops to various company commanders, essentially overhauling the entire formation. Zhou Shirui hurriedly adjusted their communication channels.
"Less than four minutes until we exit this map." Zhou Shirui created a schematic comparing speeds. "The enemy's retreat is accelerating."
Lian Sheng said: "Of course they'd retreat quickly. Their vanguard is all low-spec mechs. Even if they're just grunts, allowing too many casualties would cause panic."
Seeing the rear columns finally regroup, Lian Sheng continued over the channel: "No rush. Zhao Zhuoluo will command the second battalion. First, reorganize your units and hold position near the edge."
Zhou Shirui roughly pulled up the desert map behind them.
The desert map didn't require much detail—just golden sand grains forming undulating dunes stretching endlessly.
Yet this terrain was perfect for ambushes. Sand covering mechs made them nearly impossible to detect immediately.
His fingers flew across the controls as he glanced at her.
"You've pulled so many mid and high-spec mechs to the rear—the frontline will be severely understaffed." Zhou Shirui said. "The desert is a deathmatch zone and Liu Team's final map. They won't let us capture it easily."
"You're absolutely right. That's precisely my assessment." Lian Sheng raised a hand as if testing the wind. "Counterattacks or pursuits, initiative or passivity—sometimes the difference hinges on a single moment. It comes down to who thinks further ahead, who predicts more accurately, who seizes the wind's direction."
Lian Sheng continued: "It's fact that we breached their flank with high-tier mechs—and succeeded. High-spec mechs are deterrents by nature. Since the enemy has withdrawn, to reverse their disadvantage, they'd likely ambush us at the exit. Our ultimate objective is undoubtedly the desert. With the main route's defeat established, their best recourse is using the subsequent battle to recoup losses. Doesn't the desert terrain itself fulfill this condition?"
"The central deployment wasn't a mistake—just differing strategic premises leading to outcomes both sides could accept. One side suffered heavy low-spec mech losses, the other expended extra mid and high-spec mechs." Lian Sheng said. "But there's one thing they must reclaim—the initiative, the so-called advantage. They must make their troops believe everything proceeds as command predicted, that their counterattack begins now. Only then can the unit stabilize, marking the true start of the next phase."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger watched Liu Hao issue commands while still monitoring his panel. Then he looked up, staring directly at his face.
Liu Hao felt unnerved, shuddering as he asked: "Boss, what's wrong?"
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger smiled: "Know this—commanders never consider just one or two moves ahead. Every side's decisions create divergent battle outcomes. Like data analysis—predicting ten minutes ahead might yield ten possibilities, but twenty minutes could mean hundreds. I only convey the most probable, otherwise it breeds confusion. This is what machines can't replace."
Liu Hao listened dumbfounded: "Uh... naturally."
"Lian Sheng's an exceptionally forward-thinking commander. Though I've only seen one match, every prediction followed an offensive-defensive interplay until battle's end. However you refuted or hypothesized, she provided reasoning—meaning she'd doubted but convinced herself, choosing what she deemed correct from the labyrinth." Hundred Meter Flying Dagger paused. "No one stays perpetually dominant in battle. But you must see the endpoint yourself."
Liu Hao lowered his head.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger clapped his shoulder: "I'm not questioning your decisions—strictly speaking, they're sound. But as commander, have you seen the endpoint?"
Liu Hao grabbed a handful of sand, letting it trickle away as he mentally simulated the entire battle.
Flanking route breached, main route breached, then opponents logically assault the desert with infantry advantages nearly useless there...
This seamless progression felt suspicious. Lian Sheng's offensive was fierce—but would she ignore her current predicament?
Earlier, without troop distributions or deputy commanders, she'd deduced his strategy. Would she fail now?
So what would she do?
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger shrugged: "Though overthinking causes failure too. Reading people—perhaps command's greatest trial."
Liu Hao said: "Following this logic, wouldn't inaction be safest? However they attack, we can adapt."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger replied: "Because caution and boldness aren't always opposites—just differing vantage points and considerations."
After further contemplation, Liu Hao watched the green dots move and finally decided.
He opened a channel: "Any activity from Lian Team on the flanking route?"
The ambush squad behind the flank's endpoint reported: "Nothing yet."
"Dispatch two mechs immediately to investigate. After main route forces withdraw, the flank ambush teams rejoin!" Liu Hao ordered. "We're consolidating now—intercept them head-on. Their numbers are inflated—nothing fearsome. Low-spec mechs can barely traverse desert terrain—exploit this advantage to erase earlier setbacks!"
Liu Hao commanded: "Ambush teams on both desert flanks hold positions! Enemy forces entering the map are primary targets—kill on sight! Don't block retreat routes—focus on eliminations!"
On the display, Lian Team's vanguard approached the desert map.
Zhou Shirui covered part of the screen: "If Liu Hao's sole commander... assuming it's him alone, I might agree with you. But if he—"
"Regardless how many steps he anticipates, two choices: ambush to cut off retreat after we enter the desert, or frontal assault for direct kills. Either way, losses are inevitable. But if we don't penetrate deeply, with allies at the map's edge, escape remains possible."
Lian Sheng patiently explained: "Low-spec mechs entering the desert is suicide, but they're invaluable elsewhere. If we escape, this formation can absorb the risk. Though frontal assault means heavier losses, we can't risk total ambush. Without certainty, I chose separation."
Zhou Shirui frowned: "If both options are traps, why not stall further?"
"Then they can stall too—what then?" Lian Sheng countered. "We're the attackers—wasn't breaching the mountain pass for this? Halting now nullifies prior battles."
Lian Sheng inhaled deeply: "To lure enemies from advantageous terrain, you must cede some advantage without revealing intent."
Students in the stadium clutched their heads hearing this dialogue. Recalling both analyses left them breathless with one thought: "Wow."
"Holy—so who's the mantis and who's the oriole?"
"Command really isn't human work..."
"Are commanders' brains compressed? How else would they have enough capacity?"
"Why's Brother Dagger a deputy? He'd make a fine commander."
"Our professor said good deputies can become good commanders, but good commanders might not handle deputy work."
"No—on the battlefield, if the commander dies, the deputy can replace them. But if the deputy dies, finding timely replacements is hard. That's skilled labor's pride!"
"Deputies witness the most command mistakes—data lays everything bare for immediate recognition."
"I think Sister Lian will win, though I don't get why she's feeding kills."
As discussions peaked, the central screen suddenly switched to another battlefield.
"What the—? What's this?"
"Seems results came. What is it?"
"Military Academy League, folks..."
"...Still ongoing? I want Brother Dagger!"
"I want Sister Lian! Switch back, professor!"
The crowd roared: "Switch back now, professor!"
The Military Academy League's dignity meant nothing!
The frontline finally sighted golden dunes.
Current kills matched earlier projections.
Lian Team (3512) : Liu Team (2977)
Lian Sheng said: "It begins."
She opened the public channel, tone turning severe as she enunciated: "Fengyi units! Frontline Fengyi—fire at the ground while advancing! Root out all ambushers—spare no energy!"
Super Bright Bulb charged forward first, attacking the desert surface.
Liu Team's ambush couldn't be too deep. Wind scattered sand, revealing mech fragments as concentrated fire rained down.
Frontline Fengyi units swept the battlefield, yellow sand blasting everywhere. Visibility plummeted—even nearby allies grew indistinct.
"Spread out! Don't let them wipe us wholesale!" Lian Sheng shouted. "Flanking units diverge! Advance and penetrate their ranks! Leibao—prepare assault!"
Mechs trudged unevenly toward the flanks.
The enemy abandoned stealth, rushing out to engage. Combined with forward troops, chaos erupted.
"Forward! Leibao forward! Rear units stow cannons to avoid friendly fire! Fengyi keep suppressing ground to obscure vision and prevent enemy reorganization!" Lian Sheng commanded. "Identify allies via your maps! Let's test your eyesight!"
Jiang Fengyu Huo brandished his weapon, attacking shadowy enemies.
"Damn!" Seemingly frustrated, he fought viciously while cursing: "Damn damn damn!"
Each exclamation accompanied reckless charges.
Lian Sheng called: "Frontline comrades, follow Jiang Fengyu Huo's example—chant something meaningful."
Jiang Fengyu Huo instantly roared: "Holy damn—!"
Lian Sheng: "Why all the damns?"
"I feel duped!" Jiang Fengyu Huo fumed. "Why am I helping you fight when I joined to fight you?"
Lian Sheng asked: "Then why?"
"Hell if I know!" Jiang Fengyu Huo raged. "I already agreed—can't back out now!"
After stewing, he'd realized his unease's source.
Joining the enemy would've been faster revenge. Yet here he was leading stragglers aimlessly.
Bright Bulb advanced in his new mech: "Why play mind games with a commander? A female commander at that. Double tragedy—suicidal much?"
Jiang Fengyu Huo: "..."
Lian Sheng said: "For ultimate victory, preserve yourselves! Don't overextend—be ready to withdraw! I repeat—be ready to withdraw!"
Lian Sheng: "Zhao Zhuoluo, advance with troops for rescue."
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