Chapter 204 Early War

Bai Quan directly put out the star map of the entire empire.

The straight-line distance from one end of the empire to the other end is almost equal to two galaxies laid flat there, but the entire territory of the empire can accommodate more than two galaxies.

So although Chen Ming had some understanding of the vast territory of the empire before, he still felt a little shocked when he saw it again now.

After the star map was completely released, Bai Quan pointed to the countless orange-marked areas on the edge of the empire and said, "First of all, not all places where fighting occurs are battlefields."

"Those low-intensity battlefields are not battlefields at all, they can only be regarded as places for training."

"Just like the borders between us and the mechanical race, although we fight to the death with them, most of the time it is just a small-scale friction."

"After all, the mechanical race is not stupid. They don't have a large enough cluster on the border of the empire to pose a threat to the empire."

"Under the premise that we have no intention of actively expanding, they dare not harass us too much."

"The only real large-scale battle is the battle with Yuhui's headquarters."

Bai Quan pointed to another star field called Sunset, which is opposite to the Galo star field at both ends of the empire. This is the only place marked in red on the star map.

"So we are just opening up a second battlefield for a full-scale war."

"And the reason we are opening up a new battlefield, or starting a war..."

"Have you seen the recent news? There are waves of deformed children all over the empire. You should know this, right?"

Chen Ming nodded and said, "It seems that the empire has no good solution."

"Of course there is no solution. As the person involved in the cause of this wave of deformed children, how do you think it should be solved?"

"I can't."

The president of the Psychic Society has no solution, what can he say.

Bai Quan obviously knew the answer and asked, "Since this internal conflict cannot be resolved, what do you think the Empire should do?"

As someone who had taken political courses, Chen Ming immediately understood and said, "Of course, it is to transfer the conflict to the outside world and use the war to transfer the spearhead to the mechanical race and Yu Hui."

"Why doesn't the Empire continue to invest in the front battlefield?"

Bai Quan explained, "The war started a long time ago and has never stopped, but you can see that the battle line is still very close to the border of our Empire. You can understand what the front line is like."

"Yu Hui's main force blocked our attack, and they have been shrinking as defenders. The progress of the front line can be said to be quite slow."

"Although we successfully advanced a distance on the front line during the period when you just emerged and were taken away by Yu Hui, the result was a failure."

"The front line is completely deadlocked, and we can only find another way."

"If we continue to invest in the front battlefield, it is very likely that it will not transfer the conflict, but will make the Empire further difficult to recover."

Chen Ming understood.

If the Empire's investment in the front line fails to work in the first place and is instead held back by the afterglow, the Empire's means of using war to divert conflicts will become ineffective, and the domestic chaos may become more severe.

Therefore, the Empire must open up another battlefield where it can definitely win and open up the situation in a local area.

Rely on this great victory to ease the pressure caused by internal conflicts.

Bai Quan continued, "As long as the empire launches a war and survives the first wave with the dividends of the war, it will not be directly dragged down, and it will achieve the first victory. All the internal problems in recent years will be solved by themselves."

"As long as this tough battle can be won thoroughly, the development of a mechanical star field can at least bring the empire a fifty-year development period."

"Subsequently, the star field will be completely digested, the resources inside the star field will be obtained, and the heritage of another civilization will be obtained. The benefits are even more unimaginable."

"What bullshit internal conflicts are all fake in front of the dividends brought by the war. The entire empire is thriving."

As soon as Bai Quan finished speaking, Chen Ming said as if to summarize: "So this is the reason for the war."

"That's right, and then you continue to think about it. What happens after that? What if the dividends are eaten up?"

"Fifty years is just two or three generations. The dividends eaten up in these two or three generations are not dividends at all."

"Dividends are things that the predecessors leave for the younger generations to eat for a long time. ”

“So think about it from a longer-term perspective. After we win the war in the Galo Star Region, do you think we should continue?”

Chen Ming thinks the answer is yes: “Of course.”

As the initiator of the question, Bai Quan also knows the answer. He nodded and continued: “So after winning the war between the Galo Star Region and the Mechanical Race, the Empire will put the focus of the war back on the front line.”

“The huge bonus in front will allow the Empire to easily drive its huge body. If the entire Empire works together, can it find trouble with Yuhui on the front battlefield? Or find trouble with other Mechanical Races?”

“Of course.”

“Then this is the complete answer to your question just now.”

“In fact, the thoughts of the people in the empire can be guessed. Isn’t it normal to sort out the logic a little bit?”

“And, it is said, I mean it is said that the ideas of the top leaders are not limited to obtaining war dividends. They even want to use this war to stimulate the entire empire and start the second era of development.”

Chen Ming knew what benefits the first pioneering era had for the empire, but the opening of the pioneering era...

"It's not that easy, is it?"

Bai Quan said matter-of-factly: "Of course it's not that easy. The expansion of the empire stopped not because of the enemy, but because of the empire itself."

"Because the size of the empire was too large compared to the technological level of the previous era, there was no way to effectively control it."

"The breadth effect of continuing to expand is far more than the positive benefits."

"And after the period of barbaric growth, the empire must cultivate itself and recuperate for a period of time."

"In addition, there are mechanical tribes and Yuhui blocking the road outside, so there is basically no profit from winning."

"That's why the pioneering era will stop."

Bai Quan suddenly gave an example and said: "If a person goes for a long-distance run, it will be difficult to start again if he stops halfway."

"You can imagine how difficult it will be for the empire to return to the pioneering era."

"But the recently developed antimatter technology and the energy crystallization technology you developed before ensure that the endurance and flight capabilities of all spacecraft equipped with these two technologies are almost doubled."

"Coupled with the advancement of technology during the many years that the empire has been dormant, the upper limit of the empire's management scale has been greatly increased."

"The prerequisites for pioneering the era have been met."

"As long as the empire that has stayed in place is allowed to move again, the empire will embark on the path of pioneering."

"This is the best opportunity we've had in years."

"If we can open up the era again, all internal contradictions will be submerged under the huge interests of the entire universe."

"This Gallo Star Territory is where the show kicks off."

As Bai Quan spoke, he felt the emotions in his words were slightly excited.

However, Chen Ming didn't have any special feelings. After all, he didn't know much about the history of the empire.

It was only when I saw the actual map that I felt a little emotional.

Seeing Chen Ming's reaction, Bai Quan did not continue to talk in a general direction, but changed the topic to something closer to Chen Ming.

"Actually, if you are concerned about commodity prices in normal times, the prices of some wartime supplies are slowly rising, and the prices of various raw materials are also changing."

"Although it seems to be just a normal fluctuation at the moment, it should rise soon."

"Even if I don't tell you now, you will definitely notice it in half a year."

Chen Ming thought for a moment and said, "Prices are indeed rising a bit."

"But you said it would take half a year for me to notice it. Does it mean that the war with the machine tribe will not start until half a year?"

Bai Quan immediately denied: "No."

"It's just that a war against a star region is not that simple. It requires the entire empire to take action."

"Although the empire is a huge thing and it is difficult to move, it is not impossible to turn around."

"The empire will try its best to maintain the normal prices of various war-related materials in the country. Generally speaking, it will be no problem to stabilize them for half a year."

"So I say that after half a year you will definitely feel that various supplies are starting to be scarce and prices are starting to rise."

"But in fact, the war has already started, and it is still in its earliest stages."

Chen Ming asked subconsciously: "What stage?"

"Investigation. Our war against the machine race can be roughly divided into five stages, investigation, infiltration, destruction, frontal attack and ending."

"There should be no other answer as to whether it can be executed completely from beginning to end, but whether it can be executed smoothly depends on the performance of our 14th Army Corps in the middle."

"Only the Fourteenth Legion participated in the war?"

"Of course not. The strength of the mechanical race in a star field cannot be achieved by one legion of the Fourteenth Legion."

"We are only responsible for the initial work and overall coordination. When the war officially begins, the empire's official army and other legions will enter the battlefield under our guidance and command."

Chen Ming thought for a while this time and said, "I understand."

"So the empire was preparing to rely on war to divert conflicts, and then when selecting targets, it changed its targets because of me."

"That's the first half of the thing related to me, so the second half... I guess you want to invite me to join the war against the machine race."

Bai Quan said without denying: "Yes."

"I just said that the empire's war against the machine race has begun, and the investigation has been ongoing since some time ago."

"But all investigations are shallow. The only deeper investigation is the investigation carried out by our ship quietly after we had the video recording of the phase beast that you transmitted back."

"The other initial investigations into the shallow areas of the mechanical family are almost complete so far. Next, we must go deeper."

"Your psychic power has the ability to control the mechanical race, which will definitely be of great help."

Bai Quan suddenly stood up from behind his desk, looked at Chen Ming and said seriously: "I now formally invite you, Mr. Chen Ming, to join the empire's battle against the mechanical star field as a temporary tactical instructor as a psyker."

"Enjoy all the benefits of an imperial colonel-level officer, and only need to bear the obligations that an imperial citizen must bear."

It sounds like a simple treatment, but the value contained in it goes beyond these two sentences.

However, Chen Ming did not give a direct answer, but asked: "Do you really believe that I can help with the affairs of the mechanical race? This is a major event in the star field."

"You have proved yourself."

Chen Ming was silent for a moment.

Some time ago, Chen Ming went to Yu Hui's star field, and when he left, Yu Hui was disturbed.

And the star field of the mechanical race...

Chen Ming did not ask Bai Quan what would happen if he refused, because it would only be nonsense.

The empire has already started running, and it will not stop because of personal ideas.

It was already a surprise to him that the trajectory could be changed because of him, and it was absolutely impossible to stop.

Even if Chen Ming did not join, the empire would definitely get other solutions, but it would be more difficult.

So Chen Ming's silence at this time was indeed considering Bai Quan's proposal.

After all, this proposal coincided with his previous ideas.

Chen Ming was already considering where to go next.

Because in the next period of time, the possible habitable planets near the temporary base have almost been searched, and the second jump will soon begin.

Then he would have only two choices, either to go out with his pioneering fleet, help out occasionally, and concentrate on research.

Or to stay here and do some things that need to be done in the empire, such as providing some improved technology to Shao Yang, and providing more logistical support in the empire.

To be honest, Chen Ming didn't want to choose the first option.

Of course, it doesn't mean that Chen Ming doesn't want to continue to explore, but it's just too uncomfortable to go out.

Since Chen Ming can do basically the same things as going out with the pioneering fleet, and whether he is in the pioneering fleet or not, his psychic power can always reach where it should be in the first time.

So if there is a choice, Chen Ming would rather stay in a place with more people.

The feeling of loneliness and loneliness outside alone cannot be relieved by chatting with people on the phone every day.

He must return to the human world in person to experience the feeling of returning to the human world.

So Chen Ming's idea is to stay in the empire and remotely control Huihuang and others to explore.

And it won't be long before Shao Yang will send the second Supreme Point.

Chen Ming can even directly hand over the matter of opening up the hyperspace channel to other Yuhui individuals.

He could turn around and do something else.

In that case, when Bai Quan suddenly told him about this, he might as well just get involved.

Not only for the benefits that Bai Quan said he could get by participating, but also for the precious things or technologies hidden in the ruins of another civilization.

Chen Ming was very envious of that civilization, but the coordinates he found were far away.

There was a nearby one, and the chances were much greater than that coordinate.

And since the Empire was going to take action against the Mechanical Clan, it meant that there would definitely be countless battles in the Mechanical Clan's star field in the future.

A large-scale battlefield was the best opportunity to test command capabilities.

Chen Ming felt that he could definitely give it a try.

"I can cooperate with you in the research on the mechanical race, but..."

Bai Quan understood the meaning of Chen Ming's words and added to what he said before: "Any contribution you make in the war will be rewarded by the empire accordingly."

"Any spoils captured in the battles you participate in will not be restricted by the spoils capture rules within the Fourteenth Corps."

"And it's not just the rewards from the empire, we also have a reward and punishment mechanism within the Fourteenth Corps."

"If you don't want to participate directly in the battle, you can be affiliated with our research institute."

"If various research institutes make effective analysis reports or research on the enemy during the war, they can have corresponding military merits."

"Of course, if you don't need it, I can try my best to help you replace it with something you may need."

Bai Quan thought for a while and said: "We can influence the local government and provide you with policy support, and directly green light you to release various restrictions."

"And haven't you been purchasing supplies over there? I can provide you with a new way, and all the basic supplies you need can be sold to you at cost price."

"As long as the investigation and research on the mechanical race can go smoothly."

The policy release means that it is easier for Lao Wu to purchase supplies, after all, the transaction of bulk supplies always has to go through the local government.

Although Lao Wu has been in the pirate space station, all the supplies are sent to the boss's colony.

Although there will be no problems with the boss's relationship with the government, Chen Ming is still more stable with his own relationship.

And the cost price mentioned by Bai Quan is even better.

One-third of the supplies for Chen Ming's temporary base are provided by the boss.

Although the boss wanted to provide it to Chen Ming for free, Chen Ming refused, at least buying it at cost price.

Later, with the construction of the temporary base, the data of the galaxy planets surveyed can be used to offset a considerable part.

So this one-third of the supplies are not bad.

But the other two-thirds are bought by Lao Wu from various manufacturers, relying on his own relationship or the relationship of the factory director.

Compared with the current purchase price from the boss, there is at least a 50% profit.

This is very unfriendly to Chen Ming.

If these two thirds can be purchased at full cost price, that will definitely be good news for Chen Ming.

Chen Ming currently has a capital flow of less than 20 billion.

The supply of materials for the subsequent construction of the second temporary stronghold and two temporary strongholds will only last for three or four months at most.

Of course, this is without counting Chen Ming's current regular income that has not yet been received.

His hyperspace jump engine patent and the pirate business, which has been booming recently, can sustain him for another month or two.

If the second batch of royalties from the antimatter patent is obtained, it will last even longer.

But Chen Ming is not sure when it will be delivered.

So when open source is not that easy.

Saving money is also a good choice.

Therefore, Chen Ming said decisively: "That's easy to say."

As long as he is given money, he can directly take off the underwear of the machine clan.

Anyway, his psychic power cannot completely control the entire mechanical clan due to the mechanical clan's own psychic network.

He can trick the mechanical race even more easily than Yuhui.

"Generally speaking, I don't participate in other combat matters, but if you are willing to come out of the spaceship, I will be happy to help."

Bai Quan smiled and did not directly take up Chen Ming's topic.

Instead, he took out a contract that seemed to have been drawn up long ago and sent it to Chen Ming and said, "Let's see if there are any problems."

"If there's no problem, let's sign it."

Chen Ming took a rough look and found that the content of the contract was the same as what Bai Quan said.

Let him be a temporary tactical instructor without a military rank and without being forced to join the army.

But they can enjoy the treatment of a colonel-level officer and the obligations of an ordinary person.

You must know that the one above the colonel is the senior colonel, and if it is higher up, it is directly the major general.

This treatment is definitely not low.

It's just that Chen Ming feels that something is missing.

But before he could ask, Bai Quan spoke first: "It's not easy to write down the preferential treatment in the policy and when you actually purchase materials in bulk, but they will all be there. I can personally guarantee this."

Chen Ming immediately suppressed his words.

He thought about it for a moment and said, "That's okay."

After confirming that there were no other problems with the contract, Chen Ming signed his name happily.

Bai Quan also accepted the contract with a smile and said to Chen Ming: "A certificate will be mailed to Wu An in a few days. Remember to sign for it."

"Then I want to confirm with you again. Is there any way for the mechanical clan you control to blend into the original mechanical clan?"

Chen Ming shook his head and said: "There is really no way, the mechanical race is more troublesome than Yuhui."

"Every individual of Yuhui is different. I control it. As long as I don't give some obviously abnormal orders, it won't look any different from other Yuhui." "

"But the individuals of the mechanical race that I control will be judged as abnormal sub-individuals, and they are just like aliens in the eyes of the mechanical race."

Chen Ming's serious answer made Bai Quan ponder for a moment, and then asked: "Then how does the machine race judge whether the same kind is abnormal? Can it be achieved by modifying the 'identity mark' of the machine race you control?"

Chen Ming actually hasn't thought about this problem.

After all, the machine race he controls is directly separated from the machine race's own hive network.

This is not a matter of recognition at all, but rather the ability to detect anomalies in individual anomalous individuals without identifying the machine race.

So Chen Ming could only answer with some ambiguity: "This may be more metaphysical, I'm not completely sure."

Bai Quan reassured Chen Ming and said, "It's okay. Psykers who officially join the empire's official forces generally have a think tank behind them."

"Specialized people can help think about the direction of psychic expansion. They can also help think about and test the upper limit of psychic power, and how to use psychic power."

“As long as you can figure out the basics, there will always be someone who can help you figure out a solution.”

"Although you have not officially joined, I will definitely not give you anything less."

Chen Ming was not happy because Bai Quan said he would arrange for someone to help him. Instead, he frowned slightly.

Bai Quan noticed this keenly, and after his recent contact with Wu An, he quickly understood Chen Ming's concerns and said, "I told you about your theory of psychic associations."

"It is said that psykers should develop naturally, but we generally think that is for potential psykers."

"In fact, more psykers should carry out systematic learning. The earlier they do it, the final achievements will definitely be higher than those achieved by slowly exploring on their own."

"Of course you definitely have potential and are a genius, so we definitely respect your opinion and will not conduct actual psychic tests."

"Our people will only give you some suggestions based on the situation you explain."

"If someone crosses the line, you can tell me directly and I will stop it immediately."

Chen Ming nodded and said: "Do you have any researchers from the mechanical tribe? It would be better if they know a little bit about psychic energy. It might be easier to talk to them about some things."

"I'll help you make arrangements right away, but I'm not at the headquarters right now, and it may take a day to mobilize the manpower."

"I'm not in a hurry. I think you might be more anxious."

"Too."

Bai Quan showed an expression that was not sure whether it was embarrassment or laughter.

"Let's start with what I said yesterday. I'll help you review the battle between you and Cheng Xinghe."