Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high! Chapter 1077 - 732: Coordination Request_2

Bai E submitted two urgent requests via the recorder channel, directed at the Star Alliance United Fleet Command.

The messages called for a postponement of orbital strikes and requested coordination for other teams to assist with civilian evacuation. These requests rapidly found their way to the United Command, the body overseeing ground and special operations within the Aisera Star System.

Within the bustling command center, several high-ranking officers, each representing different member nations of the Sons of the Empire and holding at least the rank of major general, were scrutinizing the briefing compiled by the technical officers. Their expressions varied considerably.

"The 'New Bauhinia' Republic team reports that the main deep-sea nest on Jade Stone Star is of a scale far exceeding initial estimates. It has become deeply integrated with the planet's crust, rendering conventional destruction methods ineffective. Any forced orbital strikes risk triggering catastrophic global geological events," one staff officer relayed.

"They are requesting a delay in striking the main nest and are asking for assistance from other teams currently operating within the star system to help evacuate the civilians on Jade Stone Star," the staff officer continued.

"Heh..." A major general bearing the emblem of the Steel Alliance on his uniform let out a sneer. "Far exceeding estimates? It's only been a few days? The Bug Race's main nest has a limit to its growth rate. Could it be that they're simply unable to handle the situation themselves and are seeking an excuse to delay their mission, or perhaps to drag others into their predicament and dilute the pressure of scoring?"

Another general, representing the Holy Silver Church Country, furrowed his brow as he examined the transmitted excerpts from 'Traveler' and the preliminary scan data synchronized by 'Thorny Bird'. "The energy signatures do appear abnormal. However, to alter our entire star system's strike plan based on the one-sided account of a single contestant team? That seems excessive. Our primary objective is to repel the Insect Race Fleet and secure our strategic positions. Clearing and striking the planet's surface is already embedded within our existing plan."

The representative from the Golden Federation voiced a different concern. "Coordinating other teams for evacuation assistance? Those contestant teams, while individually formidable, are not regular military personnel and lack experience in large-scale battlefield command and coordinated operations.

Assigning them independent, high-difficulty tasks already represents the maximum utilization of their unique capabilities. Now, expecting them to undertake the numerous, complex 'dirty work' of civilian evacuation – a task spanning a vast frontline? Not only would it be inefficient, but it could also disrupt their own assigned missions, potentially leading to unnecessary casualties."

The prevailing sentiment among the generals leaned towards rejecting or setting aside Bai E's request.

In their estimation, these elite teams from various nations were essentially present to "decorate their resumes" and engage in "competition." Despite their temporary conscription, their core mission remained the completion of high-value special tasks assigned by the Star Alliance, for which they would be scored accordingly.

Entrusting them with large-scale civilian evacuation duties, typically handled by regular units, contradicted the very purpose of deploying these elites as a "spearhead."

However, just as the generals were about to formally record their rejection, another staff officer, tasked with intelligence summarization, entered the room, bearing the latest combat assessment.

"Generals, recent analyses indicate unusual patterns in the Bug Race's offensive operations within the Aisera Star System. The intensity and resource allocation across different planet assaults appear imbalanced. Jade Stone Star is facing significantly more pressure compared to other planets, with clear indications of Bug Race biomass and Spiritual Energy being concentrated there. When combining the 'Traveler' data with the intelligence provided by the 'New Bauhinia' team, we have grounds to suspect that the Bug Race has indeed committed resources far beyond the norm to Jade Stone Star, aiming to establish a 'core node' of some kind. Should this node successfully materialize, it could substantially amplify the Bug Race's operational capacity and resilience throughout the entire star system," the officer stated.

The staff officer paused for a moment before continuing. "Furthermore, our frontline reconnaissance has also detected that a considerable number of civilians on Jade Stone Star have not yet been evacuated. The evacuation efforts are proceeding at a snail's pace due to interference from ground-based Bug Race forces and the collapse of transportation routes. If we were to proceed with large-scale orbital strikes in the suspected main nest areas at this juncture, there is indeed a tangible risk of triggering geological catastrophes, resulting in massive collateral damage. This would not only contravene humanitarian principles but could also provoke considerable negative public opinion and political pressure within the Star Alliance."

A series of exchanged glances passed between the generals. The circumstances had demonstrably shifted.

If Jade Stone Star indeed represented the Bug Race's primary focus, then provoking it prematurely through potentially catastrophic means might not be the most prudent course of action.

To be sure, evacuating civilians and buying time could, on one hand, reduce potential collateral damage, and on the other hand, grant the command precious time to mobilize more precise strike forces or devise more comprehensive strategies. After all, the main strength of the Star Alliance Fleet remained engaged in a fierce confrontation with the Bug Race's primary force on the outskirts, meaning the orbital strike capabilities within the star system were limited and required judicious deployment.

"Regarding the 'New Bauhinia' team's request... While their intention might solely be to save lives and fulfill their mission, their proposed actions—attempting to evacuate civilians and delay the full formation of the main nest—objectively align, to a certain degree, with our phased strategic objectives," the Steel Alliance major general mused.

"But they are merely one team, twenty individuals, how many can they realistically save?" the Holy Silver Church Country general questioned, his voice laced with skepticism.

"That is precisely why they are requesting coordination with other teams," the Golden Federation representative chimed in thoughtfully.

"Although I find these 'competition participants' to be of limited utility in this large-scale conflict, utilizing them for evacuation guidance, clearing out small Bug Race squads, and breaching critical pathways—tasks demanding flexible yet elite combat prowess in smaller engagements—could indeed compensate for the shortcomings of our regular ground forces and their current confinement to the primary defense line. This could, in turn, accelerate the civilian evacuation pace on Jade Stone Star, thereby paving the way for our subsequent operations," an officer elaborated.

Ultimately, the command reached a compromise.

"We will agree to forward the 'New Bauhinia' team's assistance request to all contestant teams currently operating within the Aisera Star System. Furthermore, we will include suggestions from command: Prioritize your main mission objectives, but if feasible, voluntarily offer support to the Jade Stone Star civilian evacuation. The form of support is unrestricted, and the results will be factored into the final task scoring."

An admiral finally rendered the decision, "However, this is not mandatory, nor is it a specific task assignment. Everything shall adhere to team autonomy and mission priority. As for the strike plan against Jade Stone Star's main nest... it will be postponed, but we require the 'New Bauhinia' team to maintain continuous monitoring and provide more precise target data. Concurrently, command reconnaissance units will enhance their surveillance of Jade Stone Star."

This decision, rather than directly aiding Bai E, was more about "instrumentalizing" Bai E's request. It aimed to leverage potentially available "free elite labor" to serve coalition strategic goals while shifting the burden of decision-making and risk onto the teams themselves.

The command's "suggestions" were swiftly disseminated via secure channels to the other seven contestant teams engaged in combat throughout the Aisera Star System.

However, the responses received were largely sparse and predominantly negative.

The Steel Alliance team, currently undertaking the "Anvil" operation on Jade Stone Star, was theoretically the most positioned and capable of responding to the request.

Their mission already involved evacuation, and their presence was on Jade Stone Star.

Yet, upon receiving the message, the team commander merely cast a cursory glance before instructing his advisor, "Inform command that my unit is currently establishing a defensive perimeter in the core area of 'New Athens,' fending off the main Bug Race offensive. We are under immense pressure and cannot divert attention. Evacuation efforts are being handled by the local defense force and the Star Alliance Marine Corps. My primary duty is to ensure the defense line and key nodes do not fall."

After the communication link was severed, team members exchanged scornful glances. "Preposterous! Why should we expend our efforts on their tasks, or assist in evacuating the planet's populace... Do they fancy themselves saviors wherever they venture?"

"Precisely. Holding the core city is our most significant contribution to the overall war effort. Dispersing our forces to aid scattered civilian outposts would be prioritizing the trivial over the essential, potentially jeopardizing our mission scores."

"If they wish to play the role of saviors, let them. It's no wonder they hail from the Edge Star Zone; a bunch of uncivilized brutes who cannot discern primary objectives from secondary ones!"