Chapter 434.2: Peak Showdown

If the Army was able to achieve their goals in the Sunset Province, they would be able to use the Pioneer and the members on board as a chip to obtain the key from him.

Everyone in the command center looked at each other before speaking in hushed whispers.

Venus turned to look at Chu Guang next and asked, “Actually... There’s still something else. Do you need me to continue explaining?”

Chu Guang nodded once again. “Speak your mind.”

Clearing his throat, Venus continued, "Deploying nuclear weapons is an open scheme, but where the nuke is actually used may not be. I believe the intelligence from our allies is trustworthy, but the problem is that their intelligence is too detailed."

"They not only know that the Army is deploying nuclear warheads in the Sunset Province, but they even know exactly where this warhead is intended to be used... I can’t help but wonder, how did they find out?"

"Unless the King of the Falcon Kingdom is a traitor, I can’t think of anyone else who could obtain such specific operational plans."

"Our respected administrator... I fear that this is precisely what troubles you now."

Hearing this subtle flattery, Chu Guang smiled. To be fair, Vanus really was quite shrewd.

Ever since his meeting with Kariman, Chu Guang had been dwelling on the matter. Even during the diplomatic reception with the Enterprise and during his mobilization speech that morning...

It really was too suspicious.

Before launching the blitzkrieg, the kingdoms had not gotten the slightest hint. Yet after being pummeled by a storm of blows, it was as if their meridians had been suddenly unblocked, and their intelligence system flared to life, seeing straight through the Falcon Kingdom and the Army.

That was nuclear weapons they were talking about. They should be part of the highest level of military secrets.

Vanus’s assessment was still conservative.

Not even the King of the Falcon Kingdom would know. Likely only Griffin himself in the whole of the Sunset Province, would know where that warhead was meant to fall.

Chu Guang always had a sense of foreboding. Perhaps the bait was not only meant to draw out the spy who leaked the importance of Camp 530, but also part of an open strategic trap.

Underestimating the enemy was a no no when it came to war.

The Army was strong. If it came to a full-scale total mobilization war, even the Academy and the Enterprise together might not defeat those fanatical warmongers... No matter how impressive Ideal City and its equipment seemed, they would be up against the strongest force on the Wasteland.

Take the earlier battle of Lucky Valley Municipality as an example. Even with the entire New Alliance united against the Heart of Steel, even with players’ overwhelming superiority in individual combat skills, the Corps’ decisive execution of orders, and the commander’s extraordinary performance, the New Alliance’s odds of victory had barely reached thirty percent.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

If not for McClennan’s arrogance and a series of tactical misjudgments, even a loss would not have cost him the Heart of Steel.

In fact, even with those mistakes, he nearly managed to turn the tables at the very end.

And the New Alliance was not facing McClennan, but a far more cunning, cautious old fox, rumored to have clawed his way up from the ranks of an ordinary enlisted of the army.

Rather than imagining him recklessly throwing out nukes, Chu Guang felt that man was more like someone calmly sitting at a poker table, telling him with a faint smile...

“I’m going to use a nuke.”

“Now it’s your turn to play your hand.”

Just as Chu Guang was pondering over the complications, Little Seven’s voice suddenly rang in his ear.

“Master, your players have spotted traces of the Army northeast of Oasis No.4. It looks like a 10,000-man strong battalion is stationed there. Your player... Tail, says they’re treasure hunting, but Little Seven feels it’s not that simple...”

Little Seven had been monitoring forum posts and, upon finding what looked like important intel, it reported immediately.

Chu Guang froze for a moment.

Oasis No.4?

Northeast of the desert?

His gaze fell upon the Tzobar Mountains on the map, traced eastward, and finally stopped at the Lost Valley. It was 150 kilometers northeast of the Camel Kingdom, near the southwestern edge of Oasis No.7.

The Lost Valley was nearly 900 kilometers from the City of Abundance of Oasis No.9, meaning it was quite far from the frontlines.

Further east another 800 kilometers would bring one to the River Valley Province...

Wait a fucking second....

Suddenly struck by a thought, Chu Guang grabbed a marker and circled Lost Valley in red.

Vanus, seated at the table, frowned. “Is there something there?”

Chu Guang replied succinctly, “... According to reports from our informants, north of Oasis No.4 a large number of Army ground troops were sighted, numbering between 10,000 to 30,000.”

A murmur of shock spread through the room.

Commander Liu Ding of the Second Corps widened his eyes.

“Oasis No.4? Could the Army be planning to split their forces and invade the Camel Kingdom?”

Another officer frowned.

“I recall... the Camel Kingdom has a population of around 1.5 million, and its industry and commerce are developed. Conservatively, they can muster five full 10,000-man-strong battalions. If it’s just a single battalion of the Army, they might have some hope of defending, but with the Falcon Kingdom’s troops... How do they plan to win?”

Wrench nodded heavily.

“Besides, Oasis 4 is separated from the desert by the Tzobar Mountains, a natural barrier. Tanks may not even work there... To assault Petra Fortress head-on, they’d need massive support squadrons and coordinated infantry-artillery offensives to have any hope of taking it.”

“The target likely isn’t Oasis No.4,” Vanus suddenly said.

The noisy conference room fell silent as all eyes turned toward him.

Chu Guang, staring at the map, nodded and spoke slowly. “Mm. If their goal was Oasis No.4, they wouldn’t bother camping there... They would set up camp in the northwest, closer to their rear lines, instead of letting their supply routes cut through the fortress they planned to capture.”

After pausing, he continued, “Their target... might very well be us.”

A wave of surprise rippled across everyone’s faces.

Some had considered the possibility, but hadn’t dared to believe it.

To seize air superiority over Clearspring City, they would have to face not just the New Alliance, but also Boulder Town!

Even if that City Lord’s presence in the war was negligible, practically nonexistent, the radars, anti-air guns, and missile launchers deployed on the Great Wall were no joke.

“You mean... That nuke is actually meant for us?” Liu Ding’s expression shifted slightly.

Chu Guang nodded. “If the City of Abundance falls, the Lion Kingdom’s resistance will collapse... As the New Alliance commander, by all logic, I must prevent that. The best strategy is to redeploy the Heart of Steel to Oasis No.9. With its air defense and battlefield suppression, it can prevent the nuke from being delivered nearby.”

“But if we do that, we’ll fall right into their trap.”

“They’re clearly desperate to end this war quickly. They know we’ve figured out their plan, so they feign impatience, even flashing the nuclear card at us, deliberately leaving a gap for us to see, while in truth playing a diversion.”

Chu Guang’s eyes narrowed slightly, as his thoughts snapped into place. All the clues marked on the map were suddenly connected.

“... Once we shift our strategic focus to Oasis No.9, their aircraft will launch to deliver a nuclear strike right on our home.”

The Lost Valley’s terrain was a natural shelter.

Compared to the rolling sands of the desert, it was better suited for large forces to camp long-term.

They didn’t need to gain absolute air superiority over the River Valley Province.

All they needed was one or a few suicidal pilots, flying Mach 2 jets, to drop the nuke the instant they breached the defenses.

All they had to do next was to detonate it in midair.

What happened to Clearspring City 200 years ago would happen again.

With a megaton-class warhead, the lethal radius against exposed troops in open terrain was 6.3 kilometers, 3.6 kilometers for entrenched troops, and 2.8 kilometers for tanks. Those weren’t numbers pulled from thin air. It was reference data calculated during the Cold War.

The actual effect might vary, but the apocalyptic destructive power was unquestionable. It would be enough to wipe out Boulder City and Dawn City off the map together.

And precision aiming wouldn’t even be necessary.

“From the Falcon Kingdom near the Great Desert to the River Valley Province is too far. It is likely beyond their aircraft’s range. So they need a springboard.”

“If my judgment is correct...”

Looking at the map covered in markings, Chu Guang declared with certainty. “What they’re building near the Lost Valley is an airfield!”

...

On a sand dune seven or eight kilometers from Lost Valley.

Tail stirred with her eyelashes fluttering. She opened her eyes to meet a pair of bright ones looking back at her.

“

Mm...

” Rubbing his eyes, Tail smiled sheepishly.

“Hehe, just logged off to report to the others. Sorry for the wait.”

Sisi joked. “Oh, if you hadn’t woken soon, I was about to draw tally marks on your forehead with a pen.”

Tail gasped. “Eh?! Then maybe I’ll sleep a bit longer.”

“Do it when we get back.”

Tail looked worriedly at the distant valley, clearly concerned about the treasure buried there being discovered first by others.

It might actually be possible.

Who knows how long those people had been digging there.

Sisi spoke casually. "Yeah, better to retreat for now. There are at least 10,000 people stationed there. If we get caught, it's not just about having ticks on your forehead."

"Yikes! Scary!" Tail shivered and also quietly climbed down from the dune.

Watching Sisi lift the motorcycle from the sand, she whispered, "But what if our treasure is dug up first by the Army? It could be a Titan! It might even be operational."

Sisi revealed a helpless expression. "Don't mention a Titan. Even if it were a star cruiser there, just the two of us won’t be able to do anything."

At the very least, they needed to make some preparations...