Chapter 294: Tools Of Mathematics
Xuan Chong sent his observations and speculations about the Ouke to his superiors in the military; the content was originally supposed to be transmitted to the Ministry of War, but it was intercepted by the Son of Heaven’s side.
In his own study, the Son of Heaven put on the smart analysis eyeglasses. Although Liu Haoxing’s letter had very rough wording and phrasing, and was somewhat verbose, the Son of Heaven still read it word by word and sentence by sentence four times over.
When putting down the letter, he frowned and said, “Can this kind of message really be reported so openly and aboveboard? So immature.”
Xuan Chong’s description of the Ouke on the frontline had some merit, but it unwittingly violated a taboo in the Imperial Court.
At this time in the Capital City, those scholars with vast learning were still speculating about the diet and culture of these alien beasts based on their vastly different appearances.
Regarding this matter, the Imperial Way and Hegemonic Way factions started arguing.
The Imperial Way faction believed that these invading orcs were simple-minded, just interstellar nomadic barbarians.
The Han Family Imperial Way advocates confidently believed that, according to the current pace of technological development, in a few decades their side would land in the starry sky and begin a new journey. By then, these barbarians would still be useful.
Imperial Way: This kind of alien species from the starry sky will be useful in the future; control them, and they can serve as vanguards for the Imperial Way.
It is worth mentioning that in this era of technological leap, various industrial countries already have concepts of future science fiction. It’s just that in future-related comics, the flying ships entering outer space are still in a riveted state, and even have neat chimneys drawn. The Ouke’s current crude painting style fits perfectly with the Imperial Way faction’s imagination of the interstellar future.
The Imperial Way faction is very optimistic about the current technology, believing that they are only one step away from the interstellar era.
As for the Hegemonic Way faction, they believe this is a good opportunity to control other disobedient forces in the world: drive these alien species to Taixi and be done with it, then use the prestige of repelling the invaders to control the various forces in Taixi.
These two factions are arguing very fiercely. If Liu Haoxing’s statement were reported to the Imperial Court at this time, it would inevitably be exploited by those with ulterior motives.
It must be said that at the level of the Three Dukes in the Imperial Court, the Minister of Works and the Minister of Finance’s impression of Liu Haoxing is “capable and efficient; stabilized the situation in half a month after arriving.”
But the Sima side was somewhat sarcastic.
Now, as long as Xuan Chong resolves the matters in the north, once the great merit is in hand and the officials confirm this “young and accomplished” good impression, promotion and ennoblement will be steady.
In the eyes of veterans who have navigated the official seas, Xuan Chong, as the “pillar of the overall situation,” should not and cannot get involved in the struggles within the Imperial Court right now. If the “pillar of the overall situation” exposes a weakness that can be pried at, then many petty people will use it to threaten everyone.
Son of Heaven: If this letter really gets transmitted to the cabinet, how would those grand scholars who were slapped in the face see it?
He imitated those grand scholars’ tone: Yellow-mouthed brat, talking nonsense. — Narration: Similar to online arguments where when you can’t win, you nitpick the opponent’s typos.
The accompanying eunuch: “Your Majesty, Liu Xuan Chong also meant well. Plus, he has achievements on the frontline now; it really isn’t suitable to criticize him.”
Son of Heaven: “Did I say I was going to demote him? I want him to learn more.”
Then he raised his hand and said: “This message will be cursed at, but the content is all gems. He says this kind of beast will listen to the human race’s myriad professions and imitate them. And it can even judge the leader of the professions!”
At this point, Liu Lu’s expression became very serious, because if what Xuan Chong said is true, the Ouke Orcs can see the location of the human “legitimate profession” group, and in the Xian Han, those who master the “legitimate profession” are all strictly protected.
Son of Heaven: “Have the several cabinet elders come to the Shang Yuan for a meeting; tell them not to bring any irrelevant people.”
…Political acuity declining due to the urgent situation…
Perspective back to the frontline: after the campaign in northern Kunlun ended, Xuan Chong headed to the Yibohai area.
The space orcs possess an ability to “observe the sociality of invasion targets and imitate it.”
Currently, the “sociality” center responsible for coordinating the main army is here with Xuan Chong. Xuan Chong does not want the flames of war to be guided to the Western Regions core! — By the way, in Water Margin, before the ruffians fight each other, they tacitly take off their clothes to prevent tearing and ruining them, because clothes are expensive.
Now Xuan Chong also doesn’t want the Western Regions’ bottles and jars to be smashed to pieces. West of Yibohai, on the Ili Plains, there are seven million Han Chinese; they reclaim land and live and work in peace.
Xuan Chong has no concerns about “Heaven and Man Contradiction,” but he is clear that if, at a time when national power is so strong, foreign thieves pass through the border defenses and the rear suffers destruction, that would be the greatest shame for the “border guardians.”
Xuan Chong is certain that by going to the frontline himself, he can attract all the beasts’ attention to the “center.” He might as well go to the frontline and have a proper battle with this group of beasts.
After Xuan Chong fully absorbed that orc boss’s force field, the “waaagh!” he heard became increasingly loud, just like a cat in heat.
…Xuan Chong: Here they come, here they come, time to fight…
Perspective to another squad: Liu Yi assembled a combat rescue force heading to the Gaotianling area (rescuing 87th Division).
The gray-white armored troops of Gaochang City were boarding airships. Compared to the elite existences here with Xuan Chong’s “black guard” nano armor, which is routinely two and a half meters tall and can easily leap over waterfalls and gullies one or two zhang high.
This white iron armored troop merely has powered exoskeletons plus titanium alloy armor plates and helmets, appearing somewhat cheaper.
After all, the Jianye side is wealthy beyond compare, and during the strict defense process in the Yandu side, the Lin Group’s combat personnel numbers and staffing quota were tightly controlled; everything was top-equipped.
This Tiger Group directly administered troop is responsible for the Western Regions, projecting outward, with larger numbers. Moreover, the Guangxi Group is the poorest among the four economic zones; to this point, the Western Regions Corps still maintains a large cavalry staffing quota. So when arranging future equipment for the Tiger Group’s direct army corps, they simplified as much as possible.
Of course, the Tiger Group’s direct combat forces, no matter how cheap their equipment compared to other groups, are still mechanized infantry. They are codenamed Taigen Brigade, with weapons of automatic firearms, and combat power far exceeding this era.
Beside the mechanized infantry, there are two types of unmanned machines: one is mechanical dogs, and the other is mechanical spiders.
The difference is that mechanical dogs carry gun grenade launchers and walk on roads passable by people; while mechanical spiders can climb walls and infiltrate through places without roads.
However, just as this troop was ready to board the transport airships, Liu Yi received a telegram from the rear. He frowned, and the airships temporarily delayed takeoff.
Ma Feiyan flickered in place, then nodded thoughtfully.
Liu Yi glanced at her, clearly somewhat unhappy about “being spied on.”
This in-place flicker was because she activated “time stasis,” and in an instant, she finished reading the content on Liu Yi’s screen.
Space is king, time is supreme; those with time abilities disdain asking others. Liu Yi was gradually understanding why this Heavenly Rank from the Tiger Group was disliked by all the powerhouses within the Xian Han.
Liu Yi frowned; the photon fence he had just set up had been breached, but with a great enemy at hand, he didn’t want to fuss over it.
Actually, even if he was unhappy, there was nothing he could do; this woman was often just that domineering.
Liu Yi: “The combat plan has been reset; do not attempt to have the main troops (Xuan Chong and the other three divisions’ army corps) cooperate again.” His finger circled on the map, bypassing the Han army regular troops’ frontline combat area, to raid the Ouke’s rear node.
This was a message from the Son of Heaven. According to Xuan Chong’s theory, “the more humans cooperate, the faster the Ouke imitate and progress,” but if it is “regardless, single soldier penetration,” it is exactly the orcs’ blind spot.
Ma Feiyan: Whatever. (Time advantage can break any cooperation.)
Liu Yi nodded, then thought of something: “Mm, Sovereign, these 3 divisions are the Imperial Court’s elite western garrison. Please do not let them be sacrificed.”
Ma Feiyan glanced over: “The brave warriors who shed blood for the country—I will try my best to preserve them.”
Behind this statement was that Ma Feiyan had once been “unruly.”
By the way, the Western Regions is also Han Land, yet the “Taigen Brigade,” a force of five thousand not recruited or supplied by the Imperial Court, appeared. This is very special.
The Xian Han high-level figures seem like “elephants in the room,” turning a blind eye to certain behaviors of the Tiger Group and the Guangxi Group behind it.
…Western Regions grand stage…
Mid-December, the intensity of the orcs’ offensive rose once again. After being silent for seven or eight days, they seemed to have confidence again.
That day, Xuan Chong heard a massive “waaagh!” shaking the heavens. Xuan Chong, who was still in bed, directly flipped out like a sparrowhawk, changed into nano armor, and arrived at the command post.
After that two-and-a-half-meter nano muscle armor wrapped himself like a liquid giant serpent, it normally required half an hour of basic calibration for the acupoint-piercing probes and muscle true qi to synchronize. Xuan Chong directly moved into action, actively controlling his muscles to synchronize with the nano mechanical muscles.
Worth mentioning is that if others skip this step, there will be discrepancies between the nano muscles and the wearer’s movements; during intense exercise, the nano muscles’ movements will misalign with the human body, and the wearer’s internal true qi, as the information conduction medium, will produce shocks due to the misalignment. This shock will make the wearer feel a “cramp”-like soreness.
Many in the troop find the process of disassembling and maintaining the nano battle suit each time, then putting it on again, very troublesome.
This set of nano armor is just like the heavy iron cavalry of Li Han several hundred years ago; mounting and dismounting the heavy armor required dedicated attendants and took half an hour.
And this advanced armor equipment requires five hours for calibration and donning.
These past few days, Xuan Chong had been thinking that this “startup” process was too slow.
Thus, Xuan Chong began practicing standard movements: stand like a pine, walk like the wind, sit like a clock. When all his actions are as precise as “machinery,” even though the muscle and bone data are in motion, the related dynamic data stabilizes, allowing immediate synchronization with the inputted nano armor.
Xuan Chong’s attempt reduced the “synchronization” for entering the nano armor from five hours to being able to walk and run within ten minutes.
As for taking off the armor, his movements remained perfectly standard military demeanor, every gesture representing discipline.
Xuan Chong’s operation inspired Lu Changfeng and others to imitate, greatly reducing their armor donning time.
This surpasses the newbies on the Jianye side, mastering more practical combat techniques and experience.
…Inexplicable excitement…
Back to the present, Xuan Chong quickly arrived at the command post. The brigadier generals who were originally smoking hurriedly extinguished their cigarettes, then turned on the exhaust fan. After the staff officer saluted Xuan Chong with clasped fists, he asked: “General, you’re here so early today.”
Xuan Chong blurted out: I feel like there’s a big “waaagh!” today, but after saying it, he felt it was wrong and quickly corrected: “The beasts today will come in a big wave.”
The people in the military camp had stiff expressions, but Xuan Chong indicated: Don’t be nervous.
These past few days, Xuan Chong had been a bit overly excited. Because for the first time, there was such an exciting “calculation problem” for him to solve.
Calculating the distance of every road on the upcoming battlefield, calculating how to project ammunition for maximum killing efficiency.
This excitement was like in his previous life, when he first got a new real-time strategy game, his enthusiastic research into “firepower” efficiency, trying to find alternative ways to clear the game.
Perhaps describing it as “battle intent” is more appropriate, but Xuan Chong’s self-logic rejected such chuunibyou wording.
Xuan Chong tried to correct his abnormal mindset: “War means people die; be serious.”
But despite repeatedly emphasizing it to himself, the inexplicable excitement couldn’t be suppressed. Xuan Chong self-diagnosed and found he didn’t have hyperthyroidism; just a slightly elevated metabolic rate.
Ignoring that, Xuan Chong looked up at the rear; the ruler’s lines extended to the sky twenty kilometers behind.
Xuan Chong frowned and murmured: “Friendly forces have arrived.”
Xuan Chong could not only hear the beasts’ massive pre-battle “organizational nature” waaagh!, but gradually also sense his own side’s “organizational nature” under high mobilization, though very faint; he had to be very patient to hear it.
Tentatively, call this “organizational nature” sound the quantum information transmission sound when different brains of intelligent life like humans align brainwaves during cooperation. (Xuan Chong: I don’t understand either, but when in doubt, quantum effect.)
…Space-time and measurement…
Far away, Ma Feiyan, seeking opportunities on the stealth airship, suddenly staggered back two steps, staring that way with an extremely peculiar expression.
In Liu Yi’s eyes nearby, this was already several times: first it was astonishment, then curiosity, and now it was like a little girl whose braids were touched, showing a fierce look.
Liu Yi was very curious about what happened, but Ma Feiyan wouldn’t ask. Time ability users don’t need to speak at all; they can fully assume the future to understand—traverse to one second later to ask, get the answer three seconds later, and return to now with the known answer.
But Liu Yi vaguely sensed it should be related to Liu Haoxing!
This was across twenty kilometers; Liu Yi was very curious how Liu Haoxing could provoke Ma Feiyan, the “strongest ability user” within the Xian Han, from so far away.
“Strongest ability” is no exaggeration; within the Xian Han, at least seven or eight Dragon Power Users’ abilities can interfere with Ma Feiyan’s space-time ability to varying degrees. But in terms of countering, basically none.
Any Dragon Power that can last two moves under “time ability” is a very special ability.
Liu Yi couldn’t help but think: Liu Haoxing’s ability seems not that simple.
Indeed, when Xuan Chong’s ruler drew lines extending around, Ma Feiyan happened to “future walk” to that position.
Ma Feiyan had unfolded the “future” timeline, “hovering above Xuan Chong four hours later,” but just bumped into Xuan Chong’s current “torque radar network” at that space-time position.
The lines Xuan Chong drew penetrated through space-time like “ink soaking into paper.” So during Ma Feiyan’s future walk, she was in a frozen state where “she couldn’t move a muscle,” and only after Xuan Chong finished “measuring” did Ma Feiyan return to the timeline. However, she had just been made to stand in place in the “future.”
This caused the always “freely overlooking” Ma Feiyan to suddenly encounter “annoying” constraints. Or rather, an embrace from the “present” to the “past and future.”
In the next few minutes, Ma Feiyan avoided Xuan Chong’s torque network lines when observing the battlefield.
And crucially, even if she dodged now, Xuan Chong would occasionally “glance” at Ma Feiyan, directly draw a line to poke her. Yes, described that way—like a tiger lying down, and a bratty kid poking the tiger elder with a stick. Simply—”annoyingly to death.”
…Special stationery…
Why could Xuan Chong see Ma Feiyan? At this moment, an “electronic watch” appeared on Xuan Chong’s hand—yes, the one he wore as a junior high student before math exams.
After this electronic watch flashed, Xuan Chong could see “chromatic aberration fluctuations” in space-time; each “chromatic aberration fluctuation” is “one second,” but some places “one second” is a bit faster, meaning the chromatic aberration fluctuates quicker, as if time was stolen.
Math! That is, calculation, measurement.
