Chapter 552: Proposal
As Mowei had pointed out, thanks to the positioning of this battlefield, the Swarm forces were backed by their home base. While this shortened their supply lines, it also restricted their maneuverability. Given the sheer size of the forces on both sides, they could even obliterate entire planets. Any fixed defenses on those planets would have little impact on the overall course of the battle.
The Ketou Civilization representative nodded in agreement with Mowei’s assessment, but he still felt an underlying sense of unease. The aggressive strategy meant launching a full-scale attack. While it was true that the Swarm had no room to maneuver, their terrifying numbers—exceeding 1.5 billion—and their more advanced energy and combat systems meant that even a direct firefight would result in unimaginable casualties for the attackers.
As one of the races on the front lines, the Ketou Civilization would inevitably bear the brunt of these losses. If they engaged the Swarm head-on, they might end up worse than the Yuntu Race, who were now being quietly mocked, or even face complete annihilation like the Sangqie Race had.
This was not what the Ketou Civilization wanted—it was completely different from their initial expectations. The representative did not want to choose this path. He wanted to hear Mowei’s alternative, more cautious approach. If the consequences of that option were even worse, then they would have no choice but to go all in.
“So, what is the other option?”
“The other option is simple—withdraw from the battlefield. Even the Swarm likely does not want a mutually destructive war, so they probably won’t pursue. Of course, some price will have to be paid during the retreat.”
“Mowei, retreating is not a viable option. We’ve already wasted too much time here. Our earlier sub-light speed march was already heavily criticized.” General Mid of the Yuntu Race couldn’t resist speaking up, despite not wanting to engage Mowei. Among those present, he was one of the most staunch pro-war advocates, eager to see the Swarm utterly destroyed.
“General Mid, I believe that your race—having already withdrawn from the war—has no right to dictate what happens here.” Mowei retorted sharply. His words were met with silent approval from several races, led by the Ketou Civilization.
The Yuntu Race had already been wiped from the order of battle, making Mid’s stance hypocritical. Even if they wanted to send troops back into battle, it would take them decades to do so. They had no immediate stake in the upcoming battles, unlike the current frontline races who were reluctant to suffer heavy losses. Fighting a one-sided war was one thing, but engaging in a brutal, drawn-out struggle was another—they instinctively sought a way out.