While talking, Di Feiwen narrowed his eyes and looked at Han Baling.
Understanding what he meant, Han Baling immediately replied, "Of course, it's best when the storm is pouring!"
"You're wrong."
Di Feiwen smiled. "When the sky is clear, it is true that an umbrella cannot be sold at a good price. But if the storm is already pouring, and all the passersby are soaked, what's the point of buying an umbrella at all?
"Therefore, an umbrella must be sold at a high price. The best time to sell it is not when the sky is clear, nor is it when the storm is pouring, but when the wind is blowing before the storm!
"Judging from the war between the Imperium and the Holy League, although it is a protracted battle involving hundreds of Sectors, thousands of planets, and millions of starships, the real 'decisive factors' are undoubtedly the most critical battles. It is especially so when we predict the coming 'battle in the capital' based on the intelligence from various sources.
"The mysterious main fleet of the Holy League is sharpening its blades in secret. When the anti-rebel army of the reformists is most deeply entangled with the remnants of the four Kurfürst families and cannot free themselves, the shining saber of the Holy League will definitely slash the vulnerable defense line of the Empyreal Terminus Sector.
"Judging from the fact that the reformists are faced with both internal and external troubles, their troops are barely enough, and their hearts are still not at peace yet. If the capital is lost, the entire battle line will collapse. By then, the flames of defeat will raise a chain reaction among the hundred Sectors, resulting in an avalanche collapse. The Holy League will take the opportunity to march forward unstoppably. Who can possibly stop them? Not just a couple of years, I'm afraid that the Holy League will be able to secure the victory in only a year and a half.
"By then, the Imperium that is falling apart and struggling to catch its breath will be like the passersby who are soaked in a storm. However large and sturdy the umbrella of the Federation is, what can it do? How can it be sold at a high price?
"Another possibility is that, assuming that the main-force fleet of the Covenant Alliance is not as strong as we expected, or that the army of the reformists is miraculously able to finish the remaining forces of the four Kurfürst families unstoppably and return to the Empyreal Terminus Sector in time, resulting in a stalemate with the Covenant Alliance, there will be a clear winner in the next two to three years.
"Is there any reason for the Imperium, which can compete with the Holy League on its own, to attract the Federation at such a high price? Is there any reason for people to buy umbrellas after the storm?
"All in all, in short, if the Federation is not going to send troops to the center of the cosmos right now, there will be no need for you to send troops at all, because in a couple of years, the targets that you want to 'rescue' will either be gone or have defeated the enemy on their own and do not need to be rescued.
"In that case, the Federation might as well concentrate all the resources and build an overwhelming fleet of immigrants, carrying all the important people and strategic resources, to escape to the dark domain at the end of the cosmos, because whoever wins the war between the Imperium and the Holy League will not let go of the Federation."
"General Di, watch your language," Bai Kaixin said coldly.
Bai Kaixin said coldly. "The federation does not accept threats in any way."
"It is not a threat but a fact. In fact, if the army of the Imperium does attack the Federation one day, it will not be you who will end up the most miserable but the Immortal Cultivators who have surrendered," Di Feiwen said with a bitter smile.
Di Feiwen smiled bitterly. "You are the 'enemy', and we are the 'traitors'. People always hate traitors more than enemies. Enemies can be persuaded and negotiated with, but traitors must be executed brutally and brutally.
"Therefore, trust me. The Immortal Cultivators of the 'black wind school' value our life in the Federation more than any Cultivator. We do not want the Imperium to extend its claws to the peaceful land at the edge of the cosmos, nor do we want it to fall into the hands of the Imperium again.
"However, the development of a situation does not usually follow our will. If the Federation turns a blind eye to the crisis at the center of the cosmos right now and intends to take advantage of the situation, destruction will be our only outcome.
"Let me repeat myself. If we must maximize our value, this is the best time. The opportunity will not come again. Yesterday, we received the latest batch of packaged files from the Imperium, including the 'liquefaction of the Dragon Bud Crystals', the 'structure model of spiritual shields in the environment of three thousand degrees', the 'optimization algorithm of the regular cruise routes', and other critical technologies. They have all been offered to the Federation for free. The establishment of a special area for Cultivators and a platform for the Xing Yao Federation at the center of the cosmos in the name of the 'Black Wind King's Dominion' is also negotiable.
"Think about it, everybody. If the reformists were not in dire need of such a strong aid as the Federation, would they have broken all their principles and reached such a compromise?"
"We admit that the new Imperium's terms of trade do seem sincere," Bai Kaixin said. "But as I said, no matter how big the pie is, it has to be eaten first. Even if it is already in your stomach, you must be wary of the barbs in the pie.
"An expedition alone is a taboo for military strategists. Compared to the Imperium and the Holy League, the Federation is too weak. There are three Deep Sky Fleets, namely the Burning Prairie Fleet, the Kunlun Fleet, and the Great White Fleet. If one or two of them are lost at the center of the cosmos, half of the sky will collapse, and the Federation will be at anybody's mercy!"
"There's no need to belittle yourself, Chief Bai," Di Feiwen said unhurriedly. "After years of technical exchanges, I believe that we are all clear that the military capability of the Federation is not as weak as you imagine. In many fields, it is even better than the Imperium and the Holy League.
Di Feiwen said unhurriedly, "The federation is in the lead for two reasons. Firstly, it developed the Kunlun relic and acquired tremendous primeval technology, which was significantly improved and strengthened by the relics below the Ancient Sages Sector.
"Secondly, the Federation has excavated tremendous intact Colossi and relatively intact components below the Kunlun relic and the Ancient Sages Sector. With the marvelous weapons, they have built a legion with the highest average number of Colossi per capita. In a space battlefield, they will be able to bring out a hundred Colossi for collective use!
"I believe that I don't need to tell you how terrifying the enhancement of the Colossi is. Even if the top combat ability of the Cultivators of the Federation is not as good as that of the Immortal Cultivators of the Imperium, it is still possible for them to crush the latter with the enhancement of the Colossi.
"The Federation's weakness is obvious, too. Compared to the center of the cosmos, it is short of resources and population. It is not suitable for a protracted war of attrition or a war of attrition.
"However elite the Kunlun fleet is and however many Colossi there are, both the Imperium and the Holy League boast ten times or even a hundred times more strength than you do. Even if the ratio of battlefield exchange is five to one, or even ten to one, the Federation will not be able to bear it.
"General Han Baling, you are a seasoned general who has been through hundreds of battles. In your opinion, should such a Union Army fight a quick battle or be projected into a battle of attrition?"
"A quick battle, of course!"
Han Baling replied without any hesitation. "The Union Army today is a sharp saber that is as thin as a cicada's wing. As long as the critical location is located, it will be able to kill any enemy in one attack!
"On the other hand, the thinner and faster the saber, the easier it will be to be worn out and broken. It will be very troublesome if it sinks into the enemy's scales!"
"Exactly. That's why I suggested that the Federation send out troops as soon as possible in time for the 'Battle of the Capital'," Di Feiwen said.
Di Feiwen said. "Only in such a short, specific, and critical battle as the Battle of the Capital City can the federal army carry out its greatest advantages and secure the most glorious achievements. It is even possible that the final word will be decided once and for all!
"On the other hand, in a couple of years, when the Imperium and the Covenant Alliance are engaged in a protracted tug-of-war in hundreds of Sectors, it will be a competition of attrition and logistics. By then, it won't matter whether the federation has a couple of fleets or not. Do you want the best forces of the federation to be devoted to such a bloody bottomless pit?"
"That being said …"
Bai Kaixin pondered for a moment and said, "But who can guarantee that the Imperium will not have ill intentions after the Federation departs the most elite fleets, including most of the Colossi, to the center of the cosmos?
"It must be noted that once we are involved in the swirl of war, everything will be beyond our control. By then, our logistical supplies will be greatly hindered by the Imperium. Who can guarantee that the Immortal Cultivators of the Imperium will cooperate sincerely and willingly give the confidential technology and the prosperous worlds to the Federation without turning hostile and stabbing each other in the back?"
"I can guarantee that," Di Feiwen said sincerely.
Di Feiwen said sincerely, "The Immortal Cultivators of the Imperium are definitely not sincere about our cooperation. They are definitely scheming something and will stab us in the back mercilessly."
"Well —"
Bai Kaixin and the other experts of the Federation were all dumbfounded. They looked at Di Feiwen in a daze, not understanding what he meant.
"There are no eternal friends in the universe, only eternal interests. Of course, the Immortal Cultivators of the Imperium are not sincere about cooperating with the Cultivators of the Federation, but it does not stop them from forming an unbreakable 'common interest group' and guaranteeing the safety of the expedition army of the Federation with interests."
Di Feiwen said confidently, "The Imperium today is not an iron plate. The selfish Immortal Cultivators do not have the determination to fight the Cultivators just because of their 'different beliefs'. The conflicts among the major forces within the Imperium are very intense, which is something that the Federation can take advantage of.
"For example, why does the Federation have to help the reformists annihilate the remnants of the four families? Is it possible to 'capture' the remnants of the four families as bargaining chips in the negotiations with the reformists?
"For another example, within the reformists, the 'Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors' led by Jin Yuyan, the 'Deep Sea Fleet' led by Empress Dowager Li Linghai, and the 'military system' led by Lei Chenghu are actually very different. Is Emperor Yongjia, who is under the pressure of the three forces, willing to be a mascot and a puppet forever?
"Hehe. Although I do not have much contact with His Majesty, who is known as' Gold Lion ', I vaguely feel that His Majesty is absolutely unwilling to be manipulated by anybody, including Lei Chenghu, Jin Yuyan, or his mother Li Linghai.
"What is even more amazing is that His Majesty does not seem to be interested in the fundamentalist true path of immortality. It is very possible that he will walk further on the path of reform than Li Linghai.
"Then, is it possible that the Federation can reach an agreement with His Majesty in secret, making His Majesty the most important member of the 'pro- Federation' faction so that His Majesty can suppress Lei Chenghu, Jin Yuyan, and Li Linghai's factions in secret and push forward His Majesty's ideal cause of reform?
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