Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 303 Intelligence War

At 6:30 in the morning, as dawn broke, Su Ming finally enjoyed a hot breakfast in the bustling crew mess hall, dispelling the chill of the early morning and his rumbling stomach.

Afterwards, he convened a brief morning meeting in the command room with the ship's main management team. In addition to Eunice and Hanster, the attendees included more than ten mid-level managers promoted from the new members, who were in charge of various specific groups and departments.

Su Ming signed the personnel adjustment plan submitted by the administration department and coordinated the work progress conflicts among the various departments.

At the same time, he announced the replacement of the team responsible for the bridge construction project.

"Find some students with a more normal aesthetic sense to take over," Su Ming said firmly. "Throw the entire original group into the ice water to try and catch fish!"

"Understood!" Yunier suppressed a laugh and quickly memorized the instructions.

"Finally," Su Ming raised his wristwatch, his gaze sweeping over everyone, "the departure time is set for 4:00 PM tomorrow. Each group must keep a close eye on their respective deadlines! All secondary tasks that do not affect the startup of the propulsion system or the ship's timely departure must be postponed!"

"Received!" the attendees replied in unison, their expressions serious.

****
As the sun slowly peeked over the horizon, the massive ship, silent all night, came alive once more. The decks and cabins were filled with busy figures; shouts, the clanging of tools, and the dull thud of undead servants carrying heavy loads mingled together.

Su Ming completed the transfer of the water treatment equipment to the selected installation location on the ship.

This large vacuum boiling water maker uses a low-pressure environment to cause water to boil and evaporate at a lower temperature, thereby obtaining highly pure water for boiler use.

The standby water purification team immediately stepped forward and began the operation.

Then, Su Ming arrived at the lower deck's power core area. Between the massive boiler body and the even more sophisticated steam turbines next to it, the robust and complex piping system had been initially connected, resembling steel blood vessels.

The generator was also securely fixed to the base, but its input shaft was not yet connected to the steam turbine—this was so that the system could be commissioned independently next.

Referring to the list, Su Ming activated "Summoning of All Things" again. Condenser, water supply system, electrical control board, frequency converter cabinet... one by one, key subsystem equipment appeared in the reserved installation positions.

Next came various auxiliary systems: instrument panels, control valves, integrated control boxes, cooling water pipes... Soon, the space that had been reserved for transmission and temporarily cleared was once again filled with these silver-gray devices, leaving only narrow passageways.

The materials team members, armed with lists and labels, followed closely behind Su Ming. Each time a piece of equipment was placed, they quickly checked it off on the list to confirm its placement, and simultaneously affixed a label with the equipment information to a prominent location.

After delivering the last piece of auxiliary equipment planned for today, Su Ming couldn't help but raise his hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh.

"Modern power systems... are really troublesome."

Fortunately, yesterday's experience with extreme teleportation gave him a deeper understanding of the structure of space and matter. He has been trying to precisely control the "teleportation resolution," and the rate of magic consumption is slowly decreasing during the operation.

"Wow!" A vibrant voice rang out in the slightly stuffy hold. Beanie walked in excitedly, peeling a boiled egg and stuffing it into her mouth. Her eyes lit up like stars that had discovered a treasure when her gaze swept over the newly installed, gleaming equipment components.

"Again... mmm..." She swallowed the egg in her mouth and said excitedly, "So many new components, this is amazing!"

Zijin silently followed her in.

"You guys are really fast." Su Ming looked at Zi Jin.

“It’s alright,” Violet replied calmly. She walked to a large, newly connected pipe and ran her fingers over the clear numerical codes on the interface. “They’re all brand new equipment. Even the connecting screws are pre-numbered, which simplifies the alignment and installation process a lot.”

“But in any case, the overall workload is enormous.” Su Ming glanced at his watch. “I’ve arranged to meet with Catherine at 10:00 sharp to discuss the subsequent battle plan.”

"Keep it up, you two!" he said, looking at Angie and Violet.

“You too!” Beianqi replied energetically.

"Thank you for taking me back to my room yesterday," Su Ming said.

"Is there anything to thank me for?" Violet asked, puzzled.

I just wanted to say thank you.

"Well, you're welcome!" Violet raised an eyebrow.

****
Communication with Catherine did not employ the instant communication method that requires multiple relay points. The magical energy required to traverse a distance of over seven thousand kilometers is no joke.

Moreover, the more nodes there are, the worse the reliability becomes. Such a span has already exceeded the scope that otherworldly magical communication technology can guarantee.

The command center is located on the second-highest level of the bridge structure, below the main bridge. At this moment, a meticulously crafted North Sea sand table model by the service department has been placed in the center of the room.

The sand table accurately outlines the winding coastline, major islands, and reef areas, and marks the seabed depth of key waters, with remarkably detailed depictions.

Su Ming walked to the table and began to present the latest intelligence he had just received from the communication array.

Currently, there are two main sources of intelligence:
The first source was Catherine, an informant network lurking within the Church of Light. However, due to the strict wartime information control implemented by the Light Fleet, much crucial intelligence remained unclear.

However, large-scale naval mobilizations are difficult to completely conceal. The sudden departure of main warships from their permanent dockyards, their whereabouts unknown; the appearance of a far greater number of auxiliary vessels in a certain location, along with the simultaneous mobilization of massive logistical supplies—these signs constitute strong evidence.

Based on this analysis, Catherine compiled and sent detailed information on seven capital ships that were assessed as having a very high probability of participating in the war, including their ship type, tonnage, and known firepower configuration.

Meanwhile, there was some slightly unexpected good news: the Star Empire confirmed it would not participate in the operation. It's unclear whether the Temple of Light's offer was insufficient, or whether King Shariko of the Star Empire had other plans. The Cold Mountain Kingdom, on the other hand, was willing to participate, eager to send some warships to infiltrate and act as traitors, but unfortunately, they were politely refused by the Church of Light.

The second source of information was Princess Daphne.

As a local power, she received a constant stream of information, big and small, about the cargo throughput of ports along the northern coast and the resupply information of ships stopping there.

Judging from the scale of logistical support, the Temple of Light should have had two or three more capital ships involved in this operation, but their specific names and models are still unconfirmed.

****
Su Ming focused intently on integrating and analyzing the existing intelligence. He quickly discovered that the enemy's fleet assembled this time was highly biased towards long-range attack capabilities.

Close-combat assault warships, which are usually an important part of the otherworldly navy and rely on heavy armor and boarding maneuvers, are nowhere to be found.

In her intelligence report, Catherine proposed two strategic speculations: First, this artillery fleet might mainly play a supporting role, assisting the elite dragon squad aboard the "Azure Sea Valley" in its combat operations.

Secondly, the enemy may have prepared a special tactical system that revolves entirely around long-range artillery warfare.

Su Ming's expression turned serious. The superior performance and devastating power of the MK71 naval gun had already been demonstrated in the previous battles against the pirates and the Ice Maiden Yesia.

The predecessor of the Pansy, the White Triangle, already holds the absolute record for the number of enemy ships sunk in the world, with its record leading by a precipitous margin.

The fact that the enemy still dared to assemble their fleet to seek a battle of artillery despite such a powerful deterrent indicates that they must have something they believe is enough to counter or even defeat them.

One may question the enemy's tactical arrangements or fleet strength, but one point should never be underestimated: the enemy's determination and fighting will to risk their lives in this naval duel, knowing full well its glorious achievements and terrifying power, could not have come from nowhere.

Through a thorough investigation of the movements of the enemy's command personnel, it was finally confirmed that the supreme command of the Bright Alliance Fleet was held by the experienced Admiral Theodore.

Su Ming picked up the detailed file about Theodore that was attached to the communication device. His gaze swept over the resume and found that this man was a veteran of the navy, having participated in many important naval battles, and was known for his steady command style.

His core staff members possess extensive theoretical and practical experience in naval gunnery tactics, which further confirms the possible tactical inclination in this operation—to win with long-range firepower.

Su Ming pondered for a moment and drafted a reply to Catherine. He outlined his initial tactical plan and wrote down a speculation: he suspected the existence of a third possibility—that the Light Fleet possessed some kind of melee combat method or unit that was superior to traditional melee-type warships.

This kind of non-instant communication is troublesome. It took Su Ming about twenty minutes to receive Catherine's reply after he sent his reply.

This is truly a reminder of the slow pace of travel and the long distances it took for letters to arrive!
Su Ming remained wary of Catherine, partly because of the complex identity of this Star Queen, and more importantly, because her cunning and abilities could truly inflict serious damage on him.

However, if given a choice, Su Ming would prefer to have a face-to-face discussion with her, to jointly analyze the fog of war, assess the situation, and devise a plan.

In her reply, Catherine acknowledged Su Ming's assessment of a "third possibility." She even went on to list several potential possibilities.

Su Ming took a deep breath, knowing that complaining would be useless. His gaze kept shifting between the sand table and the reply, continuing to discuss the battlefield situation with his distant allies in this "channel" full of delays.

****
Mingquan Village, on the northern coastline of the Cold Mountain Kingdom.

On the calm sea, a small cargo ship of about two hundred tons appeared. It slowly approached and eventually anchored not far away.

Soon, several small boats were launched from the cargo ship, laden with empty wooden barrels, and creaked as they paddled toward the shore. Before the ship was even fully docked, sailors with faces tanned dark by the sea breeze jumped into the shallows and pushed and pulled the empty barrels ashore.

Mingquan Village was mobilized instantly. The village chief struck the summons gong, and villagers of all ages, even the usually unruly livestock, were harnessed to makeshift trolleys.

The rules are simple: for every empty bucket you collect, fill it with the clear spring water flowing from the crevices in the rocks behind the mountain, and then carry it back to the shore, you can receive a reward! A large bucket of water can be exchanged for a full five shiny copper coins!
This is a lucrative job!
The labor force of Mingquan Village alone was clearly insufficient, and people from several nearby villages also joined the water transport effort. In no time, the mountain roads were teeming with people, water buckets were piled up like mountains on the shore, and shouts and the neighing of livestock filled the small village.

A villager from out of town was mixed in with the crowd. He worked extra hard to earn more copper coins. He carried the first two buckets of water with sheer grit, his shoulders already raw and chafed. But as he carried the heavy buckets for the third time, trudging down the steep slope, his foot slipped, and he and the buckets fell heavily to the ground, sustaining serious injuries.

Left with no other choice, he limped back to the shore, found the first mate who was counting the buckets, and demanded payment for the two buckets of water he had previously completed.

"Get out of here!" the first mate shouted sternly without any politeness. "Your few copper coins aren't even worth the money for the bucket you broke!"

The color drained from the face of the visiting villager instantly, and he left dejectedly.

****
Two hours later, the report documenting the Temple of Light's supply ship collecting large quantities of spring water in the northern village of Bright Spring was delivered to Su Ming via Princess Daphne.

Su Ming frowned. The enemy, undertaking such a large-scale naval operation, couldn't possibly have carried ample freshwater reserves. Even if there were shortages along the way, it wouldn't warrant venturing into remote villages to collect it in this manner.

Without dedicated port facilities, cargo transshipment is extremely troublesome. Even if everything goes smoothly, it would take a day and a half for just a few dozen tons of water to go from being filled into empty barrels, transported along the coast by small boats, and then hoisted onto a cargo ship.

The same supply volume, carried out in a well-equipped port, would take no more than two hours, and could even be completed in an hour if things go smoothly. The required funds would likely be less than one-fifth of the total cost.

The significant difference lies in the fact that the fresh water provided by the port is certainly not as clear and pure as the high-quality spring water in Mingquan Village!
Su Ming and Catherine reached the same conclusion: there must be a silver dragon known as the "Pure Dragon" in the fleet!

Upon hearing the news, Zijin also came to the command room and carefully reviewed the intelligence report.

“It’s a silver dragon, made of iron!” Violet answered confidently. “These guys are the pickiest when it comes to water!” She explained, “They can dig up grass roots in the mud and eat them without any fuss. But when it comes to drinking water, they’re incredibly picky. They can spend an hour searching for a clear stream. When I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was to throw mud clods into the stream while they were focused on drinking.”

There's a reason why you were chased and beaten by other baby dragons when you were a kid! Su Ming couldn't help but think to himself.

(End of this chapter)