At that moment.
Ruan Xingwei, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, wore a faint, almost mocking smile at the corner of his mouth.
His gaze swept over everyone present before finally settling on Lü Yanlin.
"Could it be..."
He drew out his words, his tone laced with unconcealed sarcasm.
"...that the Pluto Fleet merely took a stroll through the Bushman Star System, casually destroyed a few Empire transport ships, and then just ran back?"
The Wargaming Hall fell silent for an instant.
Right then, Lü Yanlin stood up.
His movements were slow and deliberate.
He picked up the paper report from the table and gently placed it in the center.
Then he spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear.
"See for yourselves."
As his words fell.
He reached out and pressed a button on the edge of the table.
A beam of white light shone from the table's center, illuminating the report.
Immediately after, a series of light screens rose in a ring before the assembled group.
Twelve light screens.
Each one clearly displayed the contents of the report.
In the Wargaming Hall, silence instantly descended, broken only by the sound of breathing.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the light screens before them.
Then, someone gasped sharply.
"My heavens..."
A lieutenant general muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.
"...sneaking into the Bushman Star System... using the shadows of meteorites?"
The adjacent light screen clearly displayed the Pluto Fleet's movement route.
That route was unlike any of the plans they had simulated.
It didn't bypass the monitoring stations.
Nor did it avoid the patrols.
Instead, it hugged the meteorites.
Using those massive rocks, dozens of kilometers in diameter, as moving cover.
Inch by inch.
Bit by bit.
It wormed its way through the detection zones of the Empire's monitoring stations.
Zou Qishen stared at that route, his eyes widening more and more.
His lips moved, emitting a low whisper he himself didn't even notice.
"Is this the kind of infiltration plan a normal Commander would think of..."
Tang Huaiqian marveled beside him.
"No wonder no matter how we simulated..."
He paused, then continued.
"...we couldn't find a method to infiltrate the Bushman Star System without alerting the Empire Patrol Fleet and the monitoring stations."
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"So this guy..."
"...found a physical exploit."
"That's just too bold!"
Everyone continued reading.
Zou Qishen stared at the light screen before him, his eyes growing even wider.
"Attacking the Transport Fleet..."
He murmured.
"...to lure the garrison at the Stargate into dividing their forces for a search..."
On the light screen, the line of text was clearly displayed.
[Phase One Operation: Successfully lured the Stargate Defending Forces into dividing their forces to pursue by using attacks on the Transport Fleet as bait.]
The corner of Zou Qishen's mouth began to curl upward.
"And then..."
He paused, looking further down.
"...took the opportunity to annihilate the fellow mother-class fleet..."
"...the Demon Claw Fleet?"
His voice suddenly rose, carrying a barely suppressed excitement.
"This kid!"
He slapped his thigh:
"What a sneaky old fox!"
A wave of laughter rippled through the Wargaming Hall.
Zou Qishen leaned back in his chair, laughing until he was short of breath.
"The Demon Claw Commander on the other side must be furious!"
He gestured animatedly in the air.
"Thought I was chasing a small fleeing fleet..."
"Ended up being swallowed whole by them!"
"Hahahaha!"
Tang Huaiqian couldn't help but laugh as well.
"Layered bombardment, echelon firepower. How did he even come up with that!"
Zou Qishen laughed his fill before turning his gaze back to the screen.
His eyes slowly drifted downward.
Abuja Stellar Ring.
Zou Qishen's brow furrowed slightly.
"Abuja..."
He murmured.
"That Prairie Fire Fortress Cannon is a tough nut to crack."
The screen detailed the Pluto Fleet's method for dealing with that fortress cannon.
Zou Qishen took only one glance and froze.
"Special Assault Team infiltration?"
He paused, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"They sent people in?"
Major General Chen Qingyu stood up and walked over to the star chart.
His voice echoed through the Wargaming Hall, carrying a barely suppressed admiration.
"Senior Colonel Qin Bei Wang's tactical application is simply miraculous."
He reached out and tapped the location of Abuja Stellar Ring on the star chart.
"Facing the Abuja Stellar Ring with its high-powered fortress cannon..."
"He employed the tactic of Special Assault Team infiltration."
His finger traced an arc on the star chart, simulating the assault team's infiltration route.
"First, send people in to paralyze that Prairie Fire Cannon."
"Then launch the main force attack."
He turned to look at the others present.
"Only after destroying the fortress cannon did they successfully cripple the Abuja Stellar Ring."
His voice rose slightly.
"Otherwise..."
"A single mother-class fleet alone could never have taken Abuja Stellar Ring."
The Wargaming Hall fell silent for a second.
Then, a low murmur of discussion arose.
"Special infiltration..."
"That's a ruthless move."
"That Prairie Fire Cannon, if assaulted head-on, would require at least three sub-fleets as cannon fodder."
"And he just sent people in to take it out."
However, just as everyone was astonished by Qin Bei Wang's various tactics.
Only one person remained silent.
That was Ruan Xingwei.
He sat there, arms crossed, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
Finally, he spoke.
The sneer wasn't loud, but it pierced everyone's ears like a thorn.
"Hmph."
He paused, his voice dripping with undisguised contempt.
"Up to this point..."
He drew out his words.
"He's just been playing petty tricks."
His gaze swept over everyone present.
"All small-scale skirmishes."
The Wargaming Hall fell silent for another second.
Zou Qishen's smile froze on his face.
Tang Huaiqian's brow furrowed slightly.
Chen Qingyu stood there, staring at Ruan Xingwei, silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
And spoke.
"General Ruan Xingwei."
"What's the hurry?"
Ruan Xingwei's brow twitched.
Chen Qingyu extended his hand, pointing at the screen before him.
"Just keep watching..."
He paused, enunciating each word clearly.
"...and you'll find out."
The Wargaming Hall quieted down once more.
Everyone's gaze returned to the screen.
As their eyes slowly drifted downward.
Everyone present drew a sharp breath.
As if something terrifying was displayed on that screen.
Even the ever-silent Ruan Xingwei, upon seeing the content on the screen, opened his mouth wide.
A look of utter shock on his face.
"How is this possible?"
"This is simply impossible!"
Ruan Xingwei exclaimed repeatedly.
That expression on the other's face amused Chen Qingyu.
He then taunted.
"Admiral Ruan, where there's a will, there's a way—nothing is impossible!
I think you've been sitting in the rear for too long!
It's only natural that you can't understand the command decisions of front line officers!
But next time, you'd better keep your mouth shut!"
"You!"
Ruan Xingwei's veins bulged on his forehead.