Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 316 Battle Plan
In the year 2112 of the Han calendar, on the battlefield north of the Tianshan Mountains, the Taigeng Legion, clad in power armor, infiltrated the "Golden Mountain" (Altai) in the northern desert. This was a "hibernation" base for the Orks.

"Hibernation" is a deceptive term; in reality, it's a biological genetic modification base. Here, the Orks, through sleep, fuse the genes of bears and tigers, becoming more powerful and ferocious. This technology was devised by the Orks based on hybridization experiments conducted by Europa.

The Europeans are currently conducting hybridization experiments on humans and apes; and their hybridization of tigers and lions is an attempt to create a more ferocious species. Coincidentally, during a conversation among the Orks, they found this very waaagh!, so some of the big guys decided to perform this kind of repair on the injured kids.

However, this desecration of life was sensed by the "Ji" type superhumans of the Dragon Group, who then relayed the detailed information to the Tiger Group, leading to this surprise attack.

When the Taigeng Legion arrived, the carnage resembled that in "The Terminator," with swarms of bullets sweeping across the battlefield. Waves of Orcs leaped out of their trenches to block them, but were killed the moment they showed their faces. If Xuan Chong were to "measure" the battlefield, he would discover something quite strange: during the Taigeng Legion's assault and infiltration, the bullets fired at the Orcs' hiding places would hover in the air, seemingly frozen in time, after traveling between 100 and 200 meters.

However, when the orcs jumped out to stop them, the bullets from the Taigeng Brigade's "time freeze" technique were deactivated, and they instantly knocked down the orcs.

This makes the Taigeng Brigade's firepower efficiency incredibly high; it's not that every bullet eliminates an Ork, but every ten bullets will kill an Ork.

Currently, the Northwest still relies mainly on packhorses for transportation, and the army has only recently begun to popularize water-cooled heavy machine guns at the regimental level.

For the Northwest Army, "large-scale firepower coverage" was still a long way off; the main mode of combat in this region was actually based on the number of gray-horsepower troops on both sides, seeing who dared to rush onto the battlefield and exchange fire.

The Orks were also only at the level of "gray animals" in terms of organization, and they didn't even have many machine guns.

As a result, the equipment of the Taigeng Brigade was like the equipment from Battlefield 6 suddenly being parachuted into Battlefield 1.

The advance of the Taigeng Brigade, equipped with future weapons, left behind large empty areas. Subsequent troops, still operating from the World War I era, cleaned up the remaining vacant areas.

The cavalry, armed with lances and sabers, charged into the battlefield, driving away the short, scrawny bastards. Just as a broom sweeps up trash, once the bastards had gathered, the soldiers following behind, carrying water-cooled heavy machine guns, set them up in stable locations, much like they had operated muskets a century ago, and then unleashed their firepower.

And so, the battlefield ahead was filled with the buzzing of high-velocity Gauss bullets; behind them, the roar of water-cooled heavy machine guns echoed, the weapons of two eras separated by only a few hundred meters. The Orks' splattered sap on the sand.

…The perspective shifts to the forefront…

Within the Taigeng Brigade's lines, in twelve spacetime halos, members clad in white ceramic combat suits were engaged in battle. These twelve individuals were all Tiger Group members, and the spacetime halos around them were generated by Ma Feiyan.

Ma Feiyan was responsible for providing the "time-space freeze" ability, but the specific selection of "time-space freeze" areas on the battlefield and the determination of the size and number of Orcs were all decided by these twelve people.

Meanwhile, on the front lines, as the common Orks were dying or hiding, these twelve were searching for the elite Orks who were in hiding.

Yes, Oak also hides, but Oak's hiding is not out of fear, but rather like a player in a game deciding to temporarily avoid a boss they can't defeat.

The Orks huddled together, waiting for their chance. However, the tracking bombs did not give them that opportunity. The bombs flew into the crater where they were hiding, and soon a fountain of earth and Ork flesh and blood gushed out of the crater.

These bombs are only the size of a fist, but their explosive power is comparable to that of artillery shells. They are filled with enhanced explosives.

The Taigeng Brigade, comprised of veteran soldiers following behind, wouldn't give the enemy a chance to turn around and launch a counterattack. Some were even worried that there might still be survivors of the Orks in the tunnel, so they threw another incendiary grenade, adding fuel to the fire in the crater.

Meanwhile, the Tiger Group Dragon Warriors, directly ahead, finally captured the Orc elites near a tunnel.

An eight-man Orc team burst out. Caught off guard, Combat Member #3 activated his ionization ability, unleashing an arc of electricity comparable to a Tesla generator, instantly blasting away an Orc half-werewolf.

However, an Ork wearing armor made of rubber tires seized the opportunity, resisted the electric current, and rapidly approached; just as it was about to succeed and injure Number 3, a diamond-shaped spacetime rift suddenly appeared on the battlefield, and the Ork was instantly torn to pieces.

Then the spacetime rift returned. Following that, from the rear, Ma Feiyan, dressed in combat gear and with her white hair neatly bound by her helmet, walked from the battlefield. —She was now only responsible for loading abilities and rarely communicated with the front lines. This was a way to prevent the Orks from overhearing "their" communications.

Ma Feiyan, having returned from the battlefield, leaned back on the sofa and watched a projector TV.

The television was showing a simple scene: the wedding of Prince Dongtu (Xuan Chong), and what she had glimpsed that night through a small fragment of time and space within Xuan Chong. —Speaking of that night, after carefully observing everything with a learning attitude, she confirmed that Xuan was avoiding her, and Miss Ma was displeased.

“I’m not against him getting married!” Ma Feiyan emphasized, because she and Xuan Chong had agreed not to make demands now. However, she felt that Xuan Chong seemed to have forgotten their agreement regarding the “past” and the “future.”

With a whoosh, she teleported to the front lines once again, sending a Chrono Bomb that blasted the orc leader into the sky.

Meanwhile, Xuan Chong and Qin Tianyi were living their daily lives. Xuan Chong was compiling a manual for digging cellars, while Qin Tianyi was finalizing the arrangements for community life in each settlement.

After emerging from the cellar, Xuan Chong calculated the insulation efficiency and then devised a plan to maximize the use of underfloor heating. Suddenly, he felt another spatial projection around him. Xuan Chong looked up, stretched out a ruler towards the time-space node, and took a measurement. He seemed to sense a sense of "reproach."

Xuan Chong: I'm doing this for the war too...

In the autumn of 2112 AD, the Hanbei Protectorate completed a survey of 154 tribal villages in the Qian River basin.

A representative was selected from each tribe to receive literacy education at the Hanbei Protectorate. They were then given the status of tribal representatives to discuss further control of the region by the Protectorate. A key focus of the work was to construct a dedicated trade fair in each tribal village, installing telegraph machines, broadcasting towers, and other equipment.

It's called a building, but it's actually a three-story fortress, with plenty of steel bars and underground tunnels.

Currently, the prices of fur and even gold mines traded among various tribes are clearly not in line with normal market prices. For example, some tribes are even trying to trade nuggets for rifles? The local residents may not understand other goods, but they know that exchanging a gun for something valuable in the freezing cold is the most profitable thing.

Xuan Chong issued an order: the armed forces must be organized and controlled by the local tribal chiefs. The armed forces shall be trained by the Protectorate General.

Because if a conflict arises between locals and outsiders, the local chieftain can be held responsible. But if, for petty gains, young individuals within the local tribes are allowed to freely exchange guns, and an outsider dies, who will be held accountable? If even murder cases cannot be resolved, it's tantamount to declaring disorder.

With the arrival of the first batch of standardized "mutual trade" teams, the residents of these northern villages saw "canned goods," "cloth," and "lighters" for the first time, learned that fur could be exchanged, and that the "subsidized consumption points" received from the Protectorate could also be exchanged for these goods.

The indigenous people began discussing in their homes how to integrate with modernization. Meanwhile, the Protectorate's trade caravans obtained lists of local needs from the village chiefs of these settlements, which were officially recognized by the Protectorate.

For example, some horse-drawn carriages need to increase their passability on snow, and each village needs enough honeycomb briquettes and gas cylinders. Each household needs to organize enough manpower to solve these problems.

It is worth mentioning that the "market" in the Hanbei Protectorate area is very small. Without sufficient "administrative" pressure, merchants would not make improvements to such a small market.

Similar to the heavy-duty truck market in Russia in the 21st century, due to the unique northern climate, trucks designed by the world's largest manufacturing nation in the south, despite their very low prices, have been the subject of much complaint from Russians. This is because many designs are unsuitable for the extremely cold northern climate. However, domestic companies lack the incentive to improve their products because the northern market is too small.

When Russia was still a communist power, it wasn't exactly an industrialized nation. However, while its truck industry originated from the East German system, it had the capacity to improve upon it. But after complete deindustrialization and transformation into a gas station industry, it lost the ability to adapt key industrial products to its unique geographical climate. Consequently, it lost the ability to modernize Siberian infrastructure, and its control over its territory visibly declined.

Currently, the Protectorate's maintenance of control over the Qian River basin in central Hanbei is essentially a net drain, not a profit. Xuan Chong's current strategy for this land is to "strengthen control as much as possible while keeping costs under control."

Of Hanbei's various expenses, most are manageable except for the design of climate-adapted industrial products. This requires a solution from a major industrial power, and it must be mandated from the top down, not regulated by the market.

Xuan Chong: There is no standard template for modernization, but every region has its own path to modernization. However, the cost of "modernization" is not something every region can afford independently. From a purely market perspective, many inland regions on the planet with inconvenient transportation are not qualified to develop modernization. — To modernize, one must exchange sufficient "united front value."

…regional imbalances…

On October 10th, in the autumn of 2112, Xuan Chong established communication with the Lin Group. This was mainly because Xuan Chong needed to maintain proper social etiquette and send birthday greetings to his superior, with a two-meter-long sturgeon from the Black Dragon River as a gift.

This strangely shaped ferocious fish, after being identified by "Ji's" abilities, is a native species with a 100% compatibility with the northern ecosystem. It is not some aquatic Skullgo hybrid of the Orks.

Instead of being polite, the ruler asked directly, "Many officials in the south are wondering how far you intend to go in the north."

Faced with such doubts, Xuan Chong said: "Sun Tzu's Art of War says that those who calculate more win more, those who calculate less win less, and those who calculate no win no. In other words, on a certain battlefield, as long as you calculate more than others, you can achieve victory."

Lin Zhu: "Don't try to be pedantic with me." Xuan Chong opened the map and pointed to the south line, which was the area around Yanmen Pass controlled by the Phoenix Group: "This place is full of outstanding people, and many heroes are here. They are currently locked in a tug-of-war with the Orks. Right now, one more or one less of me won't make a difference."

However, regarding the situation in the north, all sides have made numerous oversights, and since everyone considers this a matter for Hanbei, they have entrusted it to me with confidence. A major conflict in the north is inevitable sooner or later, and the more preparations I make here in advance, the more useful they will be.”

Xuan Chong had accurately predicted the characteristics of the Orks: they were persistent "war tools," but strategically passive.

Before the arrival of the Orks, the Han Dynasty no longer faced northern threats because the north was a wasteland, and both Eastern and Western human powers considered controlling Siberia a burden. The current human investment in controlling the Hanbei region, as exemplified by Xuan Chong, was not a worthwhile undertaking for Europe. The Slavs would only strengthen their defenses along the Volga River.

Unlike humans, the Orks have a passive strategy; as long as there is a war in the north, they will jump in without caring how bad the place is.

This is Xuan Chong's understanding of war: to choose a war in which the opponent "makes a foolish mistake" to fight.

The lord frowned and said, "You've been quite peaceful in the north." (Clearly referring to the fact that there has been no war with the orcs at present.)

Xuan Chong: "The Orks will come."

Lin Zhu paused: "You're that confident?"

Xuan Chong: "Yes, although Hanbei is currently peaceful and stable, if I ask the Oukes to come, they will definitely come."

Lord Lin: "What methods do you have?"

Xuan Chong: "That thing in Liu Yingshou's base."

Lin Zhu's eyes lit up, and he nodded: "So that's what you were planning."

Currently, that thing in Liu Yingshou's base has become a hot potato. It would be a great pity to throw it away, as it is the only Orc gene that can communicate. However, if it is not thrown away, this Orc individual's current waaagh! stance, according to Xuan Chong, does seem to be able to reveal the organizational model of the human heartland to the Orcs, causing some of the Orcs' current technological advancements to be similar to the situation in Xijing.

The high-ranking officials of the Imperial Ancestral Temple had been discussing how to deal with the individual figure "Nuwa," and Xuan Chong's suggestion was a wake-up call.

Lin Zhu knew that the Dragon Group members who had been listening to his conversation with Xuan Chong were eager to hand over "Wa" to him immediately.

Lin Zhu certainly wouldn't betray Xuan Chong. Note: Similar to playing the Arctic Circle map in Red Alert, you need to place bunkers, form an arc of tanks, and put up Tesla coils before inviting the computer to attack.

To allow Xuanchong to engage in battle now would be tantamount to undermining the strategic investments made earlier.

The more he looked at the young man, the more satisfied he became. He was quick-witted and responsible. Previously, he hadn't understood why Xuan Chong was in the north, mistakenly thinking he was running away; now, knowing the truth, he realized this was a honeymoon in the harsh north—if that wasn't responsible, what was?
Having received a hint from someone, the Lord of Lin felt compelled to add, "When will you be ready?"

Xuan Chong: "It will take another year to fully grasp the information about the region."

Xuan Chong didn't wait for the other leader to bargain or say anything like "only six months allowed," and immediately sent over his planning proposal for the north.

The first requirement is that a series of outposts between the Dalie River and Beihai Lake need to be fortified, with internal supplies sufficient to withstand a year's siege and depletion. The second requirement is the completion of a regional airship network. The third requirement is to establish contact with all the indigenous villages on the Hanbei Plain, employing these savages as guides for the army.

Lin Zhu glanced at the form and nodded: "I trust you; you're reliable. (Without this plan, this wouldn't be the case.)"

He tapped the form again: "I'll have someone help you complete the above information. You should start training as soon as possible."

…The lord's tone was very cold; this was an implication…

After ending the communication, the Lin Lord glanced at the others. In this projected chat space, the leaders of the current Han Dynasty's "Five Directions Ancestral Temple" were meeting. Of course, the highest leader was the Emperor.

Lin Zhu: "I've asked around, and that's roughly how it is on his end."

At this moment, the emperor and the other bigwigs were all looking at Xuan Chong's "Arctic Circle" plan. It was the only plan that seemed to "improve the situation" during this period, and although deployment would take more than a year, it was still a glimmer of hope.

Compared to the current situation where the Ministry of War increases its military budget every year, and the super-powered groups like Dragon, Tiger, and Black Tortoise launch decapitation strikes every month to contain the virus, yet the problem persists, Xuan Chong's plan is very timely.

Several great figures continued their research.

The perspective shifts to the west, within the Taigeng Brigade. Ms. Ma, seated in the cockpit of an airship, logged off early from the meeting. She had already seen the "future" directly regarding what the meeting was discussing.

Ma Feiyan rested her chin on her hand, a hint of daydreaming in her eyes.

"Why not me?" the girl asked, looking at her wedding dress. She regretted giving up her right to accompany him "now."

…A hasty dividing line…

In the frigid Siberian region, Xuanchong initiated an information-based survey of the area.

The reasons behind the ghost stories of the indigenous people who have claimed to have "ghosts and demons appearing in the jungle" over the past few generations have all been unearthed, especially the related legends from "recent years".

Xuan Chong believed that these recent legends might be caused by the spread of "Ork spores," and because the north was so cold, the Orks that grew there did not form military forces.
After summarizing and analyzing the mandrill incidents that had occurred in the mountains of the Qian River basin in recent years, Xuan Chong hired local guides and organized a search team of two hundred people, who then entered the relevant area by airship to conduct a search. With the assistance of packhorses and some motorcycles, the search began.

In a certain mountain range, the howling of hunting dogs led to the discovery of some bear dens. In the cold forests of Xianbeili, there are many eerie legends of expeditions that have resulted in the complete annihilation of expeditions.

As the search of the mountains continued, some strange legends were deciphered! Among them, three caves were found to have been created by some indigenous people who were forced to leave mainstream society and became wild in the mountains.

In the East, the same thing often happens: criminals hide in the mountains, playing hide-and-seek for ten years or more, afraid of running into residents, because the local mountain people know which ravines and gullies are where people can hide.

Sure enough, when Xuan Chong saw these savage-looking men dragged out of the bear's den, the armed men were astonished. These disheveled, inhuman creatures had actually managed to raid the brown bear's lair. However, after Xuan Chong measured the situation at the den entrance, he determined that they had likely lured the brown bear out with smoke and then killed it with a trap.

After this guy came out, the indigenous guide immediately shouted out two loud tones, and everyone understood that this was the man's name.

One of the soldiers accompanying Xuan Chong advised him, "Sir, this might be a trick the guide played, deliberately using our entire Protectorate's men to search for criminals their tribe couldn't catch."

Just as the guide was shouting in an unintelligible local language, preparing to shoot the man, the Protectorate officials stopped him. After a final interrogation, it was discovered that the man who had robbed the bear's cave had raped and murdered a village girl before fleeing to the mountains.

Xuan Chong glanced at the details of the "case" as described by the locals, but he wasn't drawn in by their accounts.

Such cases often present a "Rashomon effect," meaning that each side tells a different story.

Judging from this wild man's survival skills, he was clearly a master hunter. When pursuing a girl, wouldn't such a person be carrying all sorts of wild game to her family, and would the girl's family accept it? —As for the tragic guide's claim that the (victim) girl was originally his (guide's) lover.

Tsk tsk, even an honest official finds it hard to manage family affairs. Xuan Chong looked at the lush pine forest: I didn't come here to be an honest official either.

Ultimately, the fugitives captured from the bear den by the Protectorate's search and rescue forces were handled by the Protectorate. Once the Protectorate intervened, local autonomy was no longer a factor.

In this regard, the Protectorate began to pressure the local self-governing villages. These villages could make demands on their daily lives, but "when adults are present, children should not speak out of turn."

Xuan Chong said to the head of the local patrol army, "This man (the savage) might be useful, so we can't kill him. If he's no longer useful, it's not up to the locals to take his life." Xuan Chong then reported to the Dragon Group, asking them to send someone who knew the "mind control technique."

(End of this chapter)