There was silence in the conference room.

The officers and generals stared at Hastings in silence, their eyes full of disbelief.

Hastings said slowly, "Perhaps in your opinion, the most critical task right now is to defend the [Treflan] system and the [Al-Aqsa] fortress. But in my opinion, the most important task for us now is to defeat Sober. And he's not in the [Palai] system, but in the southeast! ”

"Your Excellency, Marshal!" An emotional Lieutenant General Ryan stepped forward: "If we continue to move south now, then once the Triflan system is breached, not only the iron triangle defense line of Fiyan, Chuckner and Ryan will be broken, but it will also be a disaster for the entire Fijian Alliance." What is the use of losing strategically to Western Covenant, even if we defeat Sober personally on a tactical level?! ”

Lieutenant General Lane's words caused a commotion in the conference room, and the senior officers echoed it. From everyone's point of view, which side of the Leray or Lane space is more important, there is no need to think about judging at all.

When the hustle and bustle gradually subsided, Hastings shook his head lightly and said: "War is war, and the victory or defeat of war has nothing to do with the level of strategy and tactics. Strategy is the overall situation, and campaign tactics are local. On the surface, strategy determines the direction of war and the allocation of resources, while tactics serve to achieve strategic goals. But in reality, in war, strategy often changes because of a single battle. ”

The electronic light in the conference room dome was bright and white, shining on the old man's bloodless face, making him look old and haggard. However, when he spoke of military affairs, every Filipino officer listened in abruptness.

Except for a few high-ranking generals in Feiyang, how many people in this world can have the opportunity to listen to Hastings's teachings?!

"There is always only one goal in war, and that is to win by violence, so when we find that a local battle is enough to change the strategic disadvantage, what we need to do is to do our best to defeat the opponent at the tactical level, rather than limiting ourselves with a rigid strategic direction."

"Sober's raid on the Republic of Lane looks like it has the upper hand on a strategic level. However, this is only a military strategy. Compared to the real national strategy, this is simply insignificant! ”

Hastings looked around: "As a soldier of the Filipino Alliance, everyone must have had a lot of feelings in the past two years since the war. Now that you think about it, do you really think that our country and our servicemen are ready for the hardest preparations for this war? ”

The officers of the Filipino Alliance looked at each other in silence for a while.

Everyone knows that although the war has been going on for two years, many politicians, the public, and even the military still have illusions, and they still do not understand that this war will not be as distant and inconsequential as the regional armed conflict during the previous period when the Filipino Alliance overwhelmed Spain.

If you want to win, everyone in this situation must be prepared to pay the full price and even die with the enemy!

"Our combat readiness disadvantage is not at the military-strategic level, but at the national strategic level."

Hastings' deep gaze seemed to have traveled through time and space.

"I'm Hastings. I can dissolve the upper house of the Union Parliament, I can forcibly bring the allies and the allies together, I can temporarily reinvigorate the old and stale coalitions, and I can make these democracies prioritize military needs in everything. It is even possible to issue orders, impose martial law, and suppress public opinion, but ......"

The old man's voice, echoing in the conference room, was like a hammer hammer hitting everyone's heart: "Can I live forever and change our national strategic disadvantages with the power of one person?" ”

The hearts of the Allied officers were unusually heavy. Everyone understands that once the old man in front of him leaves, perhaps, the entire Filipino Alliance will become a mess of sand.

"When the Great Patriotic War broke out in the Le Ray Federation, they had no chance of winning at the military-strategic level. Neither their military strength nor their national economy were sufficient to support them in a war with four or five major members of the Western Covenant. According to your logic, they would have lost or surrendered long ago. ”

The old man said, smiling slightly: "But they don't." To this day, the country is still standing tenaciously. Even more important and stronger than before! ”

"There are two reasons why they have been able to hold on until now. One is that their president, Hamilton, and their top elite leaders have been firmly committed to national strategy. They know better than anyone that since they have started a war with Gacharin, there is no way out for the Lelei Federation!

Freedom and dignity are not obtained by the two ends of the first mouse, let alone by surrender. They don't know who will be the ultimate victor, but once the war breaks out, they must stick to one path, they must stand on the boat of the Filipino League, and defend the bet placed by this country. ”

Hastings spoke slowly, his tone calm, but every word was as loud as steel.

"And the other reason is that they have someone who can constantly do miracles for the country on a tactical level in big and small battles. Everyone knows who he is. From Milok to Mozic, and then from Mars to Reske, everything he did was a typical example of using tactical superiority to promote the strategic posture and change the overall situation locally. ”

The Allied officers glanced at each other, each recognizing the mixed emotions in each other's eyes.

Although many of them were not very convinced by the fat man, and even thought that there was a lot of luck in it. But no one can deny that this guy's is so dazzling that it is impossible to despise. And as Hastings said, if he hadn't been struggling desperately, starting from a destroyer and going through one battle after another, it would have been absolutely impossible to have the current bandit army and the current Leray Federation.

And this person is the rumored successor designated by Hastings!

"You may have wondered why I went to great lengths to support the bandits, why I helped a little-known young man in a small and medium-sized country. And why, after such a long silence, began to command the battle," Hastings's sharp gaze seemed to be able to see through everyone in an instant: "The answer is actually very simple—because I see in him the hope of victory!" ”

"Democracies in times of war often face much more complex problems than ** countries. And when such a problem rises to the level of an alliance, then it is hundreds of times more difficult to solve. I can use coercion to cure the symptoms, but I can't cure the root cause. This is definitely not something that can be done by one person, not even ten Hastings! ”

Hastings' wheelchair moved automatically to the middle of the crowd, and the old man's voice echoed in everyone's ears.

"It's like a young eagle that has grown all its feathers and has enough strength. No matter how much you tell it to flap its wings and use the air currents before it takes that step, it won't fly! The only way to fly is to make it jump from its lair in the cliff to the abyss! ”

"Our alliance is the young eagle in this war.

I watched it fall off a cliff because I never thought it would fall to the ground. ”

The spacious and bright meeting room is so quiet that you can hear the fallen leaves.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling portholes, the battleships are like floating islands, and the dense porthole lights are continuous in the dark space.

"If it does fall to the ground, then it proves that we shouldn't be fighting at all. We have our mission, and they have theirs. Our mission is to defeat Sauber after the division of troops, and their mission is to live! This is war, don't be under the illusion that there will always be someone in front of you. ”

Finally, Hastings' tired voice was tinged with a chilling coldness: "The fleet sets off at once. Now, it's not yet time for everyone to wipe their tears and hug each other and tremble! ”

……

……

The officers left in silent salute and flew back to their fleet by shuttle.

When they returned to their respective ships, their faces were even more ugly and serious in the eyes of their subordinates than they were before they went to the flagship for a meeting.

They still seem to be chewing on something, still confused about something. And the order they gave made the entire fleet a mess!

"Continue south?" All the Allied officers and soldiers had exactly the same expression on their faces, and they couldn't believe their ears!

"God, Siyo has hit the [Palai] galaxy! Why don't we go south? ”

"yes, do you want us to watch the Allied headquarters being beaten into a honeycomb by the enemy, theirs, that would be refreshing, wouldn't it?"

"What's the use of holding the Southeast Passage if the Lane Pass is lost? Don't tell me that with our strength we can fight all the way from the southeast to Sidon! ”

"When we get to Seaton, I'm afraid that Fiji, Ryan and Chuckner will be finished, right?"

"We will be cursed by all the Fimeng! Definitely! ”

"That's the only force the Allies can muster. Even Fei Yang can't get any more fleets now. If we don't go back, don't we watch them die? Which bastard made the decision? ”

All sorts of voices were ringing in the ears of the Allied commanders. Although he knew that Hastings' decision was irreversible, and any complaints now would be useless, the imminent threat of the arrival of the Celestial Warriors in the Triflan system still made it impossible for everyone to look to the future.

Do you really want to see Filipino just jump off the abyss?!

Is this really the right thing to do?

Can these people save the Filipino League in the southeast?

The same question flashed through their minds, and the captains clicked on a document from the flagship command room almost at the same time that followed them almost in their footsteps, as soon as they returned to their respective fleets.

Then everyone's eyes froze.

It was a report on the Battle of Metis. Ten hours ago, the Battle of Metis had just ended. As a result, everyone can't believe their eyes!

Countless eyes pierced through the portholes to look at the whale-like space carrier in the void.

There's an old madman in there!

And in the direction of the advance of the fleet, there is also a little madman!