Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 257 Summary of Gains and Losses from the Military Conference: Limited Intervention
The great battle between the elves and Xiyue was like a thunderclap, shaking the entire situation in the southeast.

Almost simultaneously, three battlefield reports from different channels and perspectives were placed on Chen Mo's desk.

The first report came from the military observation group led by Major Junzi, sent from the front lines of the battlefield.

While busy searching for people, Junzi never stopped observing the front lines. This time, the elves encountered a "flood of the three armies," and Elder Aiona ordered the guards to prioritize the evacuation of the Han Hai Territory observation team.

Upon reaching the safe zone, Major Junzi immediately established contact and sent a complete war report to the Supreme Military Command of the Vast Ocean. The report included firsthand observations from the front lines, such as the Elven Command's response, the chaos and reorganization of the troops, the extent of equipment losses, and the approximate scope and subsequent assessment of the flooding.

He reported everything without reservation, down to the smallest detail.

The second document came from the elves' own military organization.

After the establishment of a more advanced cooperative relationship between the Vast Ocean Territory and the Silvermoon Forest, they sent foreign affairs departments to each other. Unlike the previous liaison agencies between other countries and elves, which were usually located in the Redwood Highlands, the Vast Ocean Territory was given direct access to the central courtyard of the Silvermoon Forest.

As the forest decision-making body, represented by Aiona, moved forward, the Foreign Affairs Liaison Office of the Hanhai Territory in Silvermoon also opened a consulate in Whitestone City. The elves would regularly report their war situation to the Consul General stationed there, who would then send the reports back to the Hanhai headquarters.

This is essentially an overview and summary of the battlefield situation from the elves' perspective. To avoid interfering with Han Hai's own military observation team, Chen Mo specifically instructed that the two sets of information be completely independent and not to overlap.

The third one came from the First Army Information Support Column of the Hanhai Army.

Lord Chen Mo's advancement this time brought an increase in transport capacity. Apart from a portion being used to supply the composite bows and special arrows for the elves, and a small amount being used to replenish the territory's industrial equipment, the remaining transport capacity was all invested in the construction of the strategic information support system of the Vast Ocean Territory.

This system has been planned by Dongxia for a long time.

When Chen Mo completed his transition from a preparatory apprentice to a formal apprentice, meaning his spatial transport capacity increased from single digits to approximately 120 kilograms, Dongxia's strategic planning department had already begun to calculate, based on models, the potential increase in transport capacity that each subsequent promotion might bring, and accordingly formulated a detailed material transport plan spanning several levels.

In other words, the high-tech creations that have now crossed the dimensional barrier and been delivered to Chen Mo were likely already on the planning list two years ago, and began manufacturing on a military-intensive production line a year ago. The new plans are already in place for Chen Mo beyond the third transformation.

Even with Lord Chen Mo's current growth rate, it's unlikely he'll survive long enough to reach the second job advancement, even if he relentlessly uses life-saving potions...

Overall, this strategic information support system is equivalent to giving Han Hai Ling a complete "sky eye".

Centered on the Vast Ocean Territory, the Information Center prepared a total of six large stratospheric airships, namely the [Penglai III]. One was stationed above the Vast Ocean Territory as the general command node; two were deployed in the north, one of which was docked at the White Deer Plains, and the other directly entered the airspace of the Orc Wasteland to closely monitor the Orcs' actions.

As expected, the orcs, as the strongest neighbor of the Vast Ocean Territory, received special attention.

A [Penglai III] was positioned in the west, slowly cruising north of Tianshuang City, its reconnaissance range covering the new Cloud Mist Territory, a part of the old Cloud Mist Territory, and a small part of the Mist Moon Divine Court area.

Two other ships, which were originally supposed to control the outer perimeter of the Vast Ocean Territory, one to the south and one to the east, were directly transferred to the southwest due to the war between the elves and the Stream Moon. One hovered in the Green Vine Pass area of ​​Green Pine, while the other entered the Stream Moon Federation directly, reaching the airspace of White Stone City.

These "Penglai III" airships are strategic nodes in the Han Hai Territory. They not only provide persistent and wide-range surveillance, but also serve as relay hubs and navigation and positioning cores for the entire military communication network of the Han Hai Territory.

It was precisely because of this integrated platform, which stretched from the Orcish border in the north to the Green Pine Central Region in the west and the Stream Moon Kingdom border in the south, that Chen Mo was able to communicate with the troops in each division in real time.

Of course, airships alone are not enough.

For each of the [Penglai III] airships, Dongxia also equipped it with six [Feiyun V] units.

As part of the Five Clouds Super Space Project of Dongxia, the Feiyun Project manufactures ultra-long-endurance solar-powered drones for use in the near-space region of Earth.

After obtaining information about the "New World," Dongxia immediately invested heavily in a comprehensive technological upgrade, iterating from [Feiyun II] all the way to [Feiyun V], finally achieving a perfect fit for the sky of the Starry World.

When Chen Mo first saw it, he only had one feeling: this thing is a bit... too skinny!

Indeed, in order to achieve near-permanent flight at altitudes above 20,000 meters, the wings of the Flying Cloud are covered with solar panels, with more than 10,000 photovoltaic cells, which has extended the wingspan to 60 meters.

In order to reduce weight as much as possible, it was made extremely slender. Despite its huge size, the weight of a single unit is less than one ton. From the outside, its shape is just like a damselfly with its wings spread out.

The functions of the Feiyun-5 include communication relay, remote sensing and mapping, meteorological detection, emergency signal support, etc. That's right, they are all for civilian use. It doesn't even carry weapons.

In summary, this is a reconnaissance and communication system that floats entirely at an altitude of 20,000 meters. The one-ton Feiyun-5 has good maneuverability and a high reach rate, and can get close to the reconnaissance area or target in the first instance.

The modified [Penglai III], weighing thirty tons, possesses superior penetration and reconnaissance capabilities as well as high-definition imaging capabilities. In addition to its refined reconnaissance capabilities, it also serves as a temporary high-altitude helipad for [Feiyun V].

The two complement each other, together weaving a "sky net" covering the surrounding area for Hanhailing.

The First Army Information Support Column, responsible for controlling and managing this system, delivered a third report to Lord Chen Mo: a comprehensive assessment report based on a high-altitude overview, relatively objective, and focusing on battlefield dynamics and data analysis.

Chen Mo immediately convened a military meeting.

With the support of the communication platform, Han Hai Ling is now able to hold video conferences, and commanders at all levels have engaged in heated discussions about this major battle between "quasi-allies".

Of the four brigade commanders, two old-school officers, Charles, the commander of the Second Brigade, and Lynn, the commander of the Third Brigade, both believed that this battle could be described as a crushing defeat for the elves.

Of course, the two have different focuses.

As the former legion commander of Cloud Mist Territory, Charles was the most experienced veteran among those present, and he focused his analysis on battlefield performance.

"The elves have suffered losses in at least three aspects this time."

"First and foremost, it's about morale. Stepping out of the forest, we easily captured Baishi in an hour, conquered Qingze City in two days, and expanded our territory by hundreds of miles in less than a month. In the words of the lord, this is the pinnacle of fighting spirit!"

"A series of victories can also make opponents intimidated before the battle even begins."

"The war between the Green Pine Kingdom and the Emerald Duchy was like this before. One side would win one after another and feel that it would continue to win. The Emerald Duchy, on the other hand, suffered repeated defeats and its soldiers would instinctively retreat when they saw the enemy's flag."

"This kind of emotion on the battlefield has a huge impact!"

Charles raised his voice slightly and then changed the subject: "Until later, with the support of Commander-in-Chief Chen, our Lord Frost shattered the myth of Green Pine's invincibility with just one spear and one horse. Green Pine's offensive momentum suffered a major setback afterward, and last year they were unable to launch any decent attacks. Meanwhile, Emerald's resistance also increased significantly. This is a case of one side gaining and the other losing!"

That statement is both right and wrong.

The frost did indeed interrupt the invincible momentum of the turquoise, and the jadeite did indeed become increasingly tough, blocking the turquoise army from advancing an inch, but in addition to the morale factor, there were some other reasons.

For example, the orcs' attacks used to be the responsibility of Cloudlands, but now it's the turn of Greenpine Kingdom, which has brought considerable military pressure.

For example, as the Jadeite front is gradually compressed, approaching its core territory and the capital of the principality, the spring is compressed, and its resistance will inevitably increase accordingly.

But Xia Er selectively ignored the off-field factors; anyway, Princess Liushuang was mighty and Lord Chen Mo was awesome!
Charles flipped through the notebook in front of him and continued, "The second aspect is the loss of weapons, equipment and logistical resources. We saw that the Elven Second Northern Army abandoned all its supplies, and the First Army hastily retreated to Qingze City, where it was also forced to destroy many catapults that had been transported there with great difficulty."

"The loss is not only of the materials themselves, but also of the effort and time spent on reorganizing, transporting, and manufacturing them!"

"Third, and I think most importantly, is the loss of strategic initiative."

"Before this battle, the elves were the attackers. They could attack cities whenever they wanted and fight in the field whenever they wanted. The Creek Moon Federation could only respond passively and was exhausted."

"But now, with the floodwaters receding, the elves are forced to switch to strategic defense. How to fight, when to fight, and what method to use are now up to Xiyue to decide!" "Even if the floodwaters recede and the supply lines are reopened, how can the elves be sure that the enemy won't come back on the dam again? This psychological shadow will greatly limit the elves' subsequent tactical options."

"Therefore, I believe that the elves have suffered a rather heavy defeat this time. Next, we need to focus on whether to defend one city or two cities."

Charles's analysis was clear, logical, and well-structured, winning the approval of most of the mid-level officers at the battalion level in the video conference room.

Next to speak was Lynn, the commander of the Third Brigade. This mercenary general, who was privately jokingly called "loyalty in both force and tactics," agreed with Charles's judgment while offering his own perspective from another angle.

"Personally, I think the loss of the elves may not be a bad thing."

Lynn stroked the stubble on his chin: "During the last military conference, the wise leader and great lord pointed out that the elves were having too much of a good time, especially after acquiring a large amount of resources from the occupied territories, and their dependence on my Vast Ocean Territory would decrease significantly."

"If the elves continue to fight so easily, there is considerable uncertainty as to whether they will still need our Han Hai in the future, and whether they will be able to supply the special resources that Han Hai needs in a timely manner. In other words, after our compound bows are delivered one after another, the variables will be extremely large!"

"So, although the elves lost this battle, it was a good defeat. The situation didn't completely collapse, and they were able to stay clear-headed."

"One of the important conditions for cooperation proposed by the lord was that the elves would send troops to destroy Xiasha Port. As everyone has seen, the elves have been dragging their feet and delaying action, repeatedly using the excuse of observing the opportunity to fight as a pretext."

"Now that the western front has suffered a defeat, the elven forces on the eastern front have immediately emerged from the forest. In my opinion, this is what a proper ally should look like!"

These words were quite flattering; the idea that the elves lost meant the Vast Ocean won was true. This sparked whispers and nods of agreement among the commanders of the various divisions in front of their screens.

Originally, the officers of the Hanhai Territory were quite domineering, and their understanding of allies was probably like that of Tianshuang City—they would do whatever you were told. From this perspective, what Lynn said made a lot of sense.

Next, finally someone came up with a dissenting opinion.

Brigade Commander Macaja, as the lord's top general, made his grand entrance as the final character.

Did we miss one? That's right, it's Liu Zaiyue from the Fourth Brigade. Everyone assumed that this guy had no military skills and only knew how to charge around recklessly, so we just skipped over him.

Maka's very first sentence revealed his distinctive characteristics, which set him apart from others and made him more aligned with the modern military theories of the Eastern Xia.

"The great military theories we've learned tell us that if we lose land but save our people, we can save both! Gentlemen, what losses have the Elven main force suffered?"

"I don't think it was a crushing defeat for the elves, just a minor setback at best. Their only problem is that they've never encountered this kind of fighting style before."

"It's like when we first fought the orcs, they had never seen automatic weapons or artillery fire. They suffered heavy losses at first, but can we conclude that the orc army was invincible because of that? Obviously not!"

“On the contrary,” Kaga leaned forward slightly, “I think the elven command’s emergency response when they were in such a passive situation was quite decisive and correct. They made a quick decision to abandon their supplies and evacuate the main forces of the northern and southern legions almost completely. They couldn’t have done better in terms of saving lives.”

"Having experienced this setback, their subsequent battles may become even more refined!"

"Personally, I think the final crisis for the elves lies in whether they can hold Qingze City before the flood recedes. If they can do that, once the transportation lines are reopened, the elves will still have an absolute advantage, whether it's a siege or open field battle."

"Don't forget, Xiyue's elite North Wind Legion was repeatedly defeated by the elves on the main battlefield!"

"At that time, as long as the elves avoid the waterways or prepare more boats, it's only a matter of time before they take over half or even the entire Stream Moon!"

Makaja's explanation offers a new perspective: no one can remain victorious forever. Clearly, this brigade commander values ​​real-time responses on the battlefield more.

From this perspective, the elven army's emergency response was perfect; apart from the two thousand-strong archer units covering the rear, the main force was basically evacuated from the floodplain intact.

With just a few minor corrections and additions, Xi Yue will still be unable to defeat them; we can't just flood the entire country's boats!
Next, in the order of speaking, it was the turn of Lord Liushuang, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Supreme Military Command.

The little girl looked up and, as everyone expected, said, "What you all said makes a lot of sense!"

"Commander-in-Chief, what do you think?"

Chen Mo slowly stood up from the main seat, walked to the huge sand table, and glanced at the red and blue marks that represented the battle area between the elves and Xiyue.

"Everyone has already discussed the war situation, the gains and losses of both sides, tactical approaches, and future trends in great detail, so I won't go into details."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, but finally said directly, "In my opinion, the real loser in this battle is the Xiyue Federation!"

“Blowing open the North Foothills River will flood 40,000 elves, hundreds of thousands of people in this area, and vast fields that are about to be harvested.”

"The elven army consists mostly of professionals with exceptional physical strength, capable of wading through floodwaters to escape. But what about the ordinary farmers, craftsmen, merchants, women, and children? How many of them will survive this man-made catastrophe?"

"Even if they manage to escape the flood, their homes will be destroyed and their crops will be lost. What awaits these survivors is an even greater disaster!"

"I've been thinking about this all along: if Vincent the magician who insisted that the elves were invaders and refused to talk to me hadn't been executed by now, would he still be able to hold onto his beliefs after seeing this scene!"

Chen Mo turned around and tapped the edge of the sand table twice with his hand: "As you all know, I have always put right and wrong above interests. There are some things that are right, even if the conditions are not right now and I can't do them well, I still have to try my best to do them. For example, these laws of Hanhai that some people think are 'absurd and unruly'!"

"Similarly, there are some wrong things that, even if they seem to bring significant benefits in the short term, I don't think should be done! For example, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians for the sake of winning a battle!"

"Therefore, I think the Elf suffered a minor loss, while Xiyue suffered a major loss."

"They have stripped themselves of the legitimacy of their rule!"

"Or rather, from the moment they colluded with the orcs to attack their own kind, covered up the facts and confused right and wrong, their legitimacy to rule had already been almost completely eroded."

"Although it is absurd to talk about legitimacy on the battlefield where strength is paramount, because in any world there are many illegitimate people who control everything by force."

"However, once they encounter an equally strong opponent, legitimacy will become their fatal weakness."

"Therefore, my opinion is that from now on, we should strengthen our support for the elves, intervene in the Xiyue War to a limited extent, and also try our best to... save some people!"

There was a brief silence, followed by a collective rise to their feet.

Some people say that this world is built by diligent altruists, while sophisticated egoists enjoy it.

This applies to the blue planet, and it applies to all the stars.

His own lord was an obviously overly altruistic leader. Chen Mo never hesitated to help the sand people, slaves, centaurs, and even those orcs who were enemies just a moment ago and were on the verge of death.

Some people can understand because they themselves are refugees.

Some people don't quite understand why the old nobles looked down on the common people, let alone the common people from other countries.

Whether you understand it or not is not important.

This is the sun over the vast sea; its radiance guides us forward.

(End of this chapter)