Alice in the Land of Steam

During the long time of 120 million years, as the graveyard of the old world, the Initial Star Domain was silent, allowing the memories of the past to rot here, as if it had accepted its fate of gradually dying as a tombstone, a relic, or an unknown spectator. The saddest thing is that even after death, it did not leave any legacy, or in other words, the world that was once shaped by the power of gods and finally destroyed by the desires of mortals did not have any legacy worth leaving to its successors.

If there is, it must be fate.

The fate of difference, the fate of confrontation, and - the fate of battle.

While whales were still swimming in the dark deep sea and travelers were rushing to their destined battlefield with an indescribable complex mood, Fisher, the commander of the space cruise force, who had been waiting outside the initial star field for a long time, captured the enemy's movements through the detection radar in the command room, and immediately conveyed this information to the combat command center of the alien philosopher. After a series of analysis, confirmation and summary, the information was finally passed from the first ship officer Floyd to the dark witch Carabosse. At that time, she was in her office, communicating remotely with the leader Tiantis, but after Floyd knocked on the door and was allowed to enter, the two stopped talking tacitly.

At the signal from his superior, Floyd placed the intelligence on her desk and summarized its contents in a simple sentence: "About fifteen minutes ago at Mirror Star Standard Time, the target group had left the initial star field and was heading towards our position."

"I see."

Caraboss was not surprised when he heard the news. He just nodded calmly and said, "Order the Interstellar Patrol Force to carry out operations according to the established deployment, blockade and intercept the target, and make sure to hold out until the Alien Philosopher arrives."

Yes, after a week of sailing, the Alien Philosopher still hadn't reached the scheduled combat position, and it wasn't because of any unexpected situations such as interstellar storms or extraterrestrial disaster beasts, but because this was the normal sailing speed of the Alien Philosopher. Among the Genesis series of constructed mechas, it has never been known for its mobility. Not only can it not compare with the prototype machine god driven by Favrona, the Taikong, it is even far less cumbersome than the Earth Witch, the Scarlet Night Gate, which needs a special orbital corps to lay anti-gravity magic tracks for it to pass normally in special areas.

Of course, poor mobility is not a flaw, but a price - the price paid for having more powerful firepower.

Just as the Scarlet Nightmonger is equipped with the Judgment Cannon that is capable of annihilating false gods, the Alien Philosopher is also equipped with strategic-level weapons that are capable of deciding the outcome of a war, or even more so.

Then, Carabos's intention was obvious. The Interstellar Cruise Force delayed the enemy's actions until the Alien Philosopher arrived at the scheduled combat position, which would put the final nail in the coffin for the battle. There was no overly complicated scheme or strategy, but it had been proven to be the most effective tactic in countless operations in the past. This was consistent with the simple and efficient style of action that the Dark Witch always advocated. If the wolf's claws were just enough to strangle the prey's heart, then there was no need to waste energy going deeper, just to show a false sense of strength.

There is no benefit in bluffing or playing tricks. Respecting your opponent, from another perspective, is equivalent to respecting yourself.

Floyd had no objection to this. He accepted the instruction and prepared to pass it on to Fisher, the commander of the Space Cruise Force, who was waiting for orders. However, before leaving the office, he couldn't help but ask, "Don't you believe in Fisher's command ability, Lord Carabosse?"

Carabosse glanced at him, her expression still calm, not moved by his questioning: "Since when did you start to guess my thoughts based on conjecture, Freud?"

“It’s not conjecture, it’s reasoning.”

Floyd said, "I noticed that you used a phrase in your order just now, which required the Space Cruise Force commanded by Fisher to 'hold on until the arrival of the Alien Philosopher'. This is extremely rare in past combat orders. You seem to think that Fisher and his fleet need to go all out to achieve this goal. However, from the existing intelligence, the enemy's forces are actually far weaker than ours. Therefore, from my personal point of view, perhaps the Space Cruise Force can achieve its combat objectives without the support of the Alien Philosopher. This is beyond doubt."

"No doubt?"

Carabosse repeated his adjutant's statement and then laughed softly. Although the laugh was very light and the arc of the corners of his mouth was so shallow, Freud was very sensitive to it. Perhaps because he did not think there was anything funny in his own opinion, he was a little confused.

Did I overlook something? Or did I point out Lady Carabosse's strategic mistakes so bluntly that she felt a little dissatisfied with my attitude? Freud couldn't help but reflect on himself, but the direction of his reflection was never to the angle of "Did I say something wrong?"

But there is no such thing as "no doubt" in the world, especially when you are facing those enemies.

So Carabosse could tell his lieutenant with certainty: "You are wrong, Floyd."

"It's not that I don't believe in Fisher and his fleet, but the objective facts are like this. Without the support of the Alien Philosopher, he would never have been able to stop that group of people, just like he failed to stop them from breaking into the initial star field. What they have is not data that can be compared on paper, but a more complex force."

At this point, Carabosse couldn't help but glance at the communication device beside her, which was flashing a faint blue light. The signal had not yet been cut off, indicating that the person on the other end of the communication device was eavesdropping on the conversation. So she used a statement that was not like what she would use, which was more lyrical than rational: "It's like a chess game. When all the chess pieces can no longer determine the outcome, only king against king can solve all problems."

"Now, there is an opportunity for those people to face off against each other."

She said softly, unquestionably, as if talking to herself: "Then they will not give up easily. Who can stop them before the king confronts the king?"

Fisher and his fleet can't, and neither can Celestial Themis.

……

Floyd left with Carabosse's instructions. No matter whether he believed in this explanation or not, a soldier's duty was to obey orders, so he would resolutely carry out his superior's instructions and convey the deployment to the fleet ahead. He also believed that Fisher would do the same, even though he might have doubts in his heart, might feel puzzled, or even feel unwilling to be questioned by his superior... But no matter what, this is the battlefield.

Obey, execute, and win, and don't consider anything else.

Many people believe that the power of the association comes from the technology they master and the wealth they possess, but a long time ago, when this organization was just starting out, it was just a small association consisting of a mysterious leader, a group of frustrated researchers, and some extraordinary people who were forced into desperation by the war. Secret associations like this were as numerous as weeds in the chaotic East and West Continents at that time. Even if a wildfire burned, they would soon emerge one after another, so their birth or destruction was not worth taking seriously.

The reason why the Witch Society can stand out from these ambitious forces is not only because of the beautiful vision that the leader painted for them at the beginning, but also because all the people who joined this organization had already made some kind of awareness. They imagined that the world was a cruel factory, and only the most precise, efficient, and least prone to damage machines could escape the fate of being ruthlessly eliminated after being scrapped. So they were willing to make themselves a gear, a bearing, or even a spring wire on this machine. Through this rational and almost cruel operation method, this machine seemed to come alive, opening its huge mouth to swallow one of its kind after another, and only then did it reap today's glory.

But such extreme ideas must not be accepted by the world, most of them are sentimental, and another meaning of sentimentality is self-deception. Therefore, the True Spirit Sect promotes the doctrine of the Ring of Human Reason, the Druids advocate the vastness of nature, the Holy Spring Monks pay tribute to the Mother of Water, the source of all things, the Assyrian spirits in Paradise Township repeatedly insist that they have inherited the generosity, selflessness and fraternity of the King of Elves, and the Moryas believe that the great witches of all generations are guided by wisdom, emotion and human nature... They are all wrapping themselves with a veil of warmth, but this has become the root cause of their weakness. Today, some people who advocate the idea of ​​humanity have stood on the opposite side of the Witch Association, and this time, the ideas they promote are weaker, even naive to the point that children will laugh: love and justice.

It's like a fairy tale.

But when will they understand that many people in this world are no longer qualified to believe in fairy tales.

If they are unwilling to break free from such fantasies, then what awaits them is only the cruelest failure. The cruelty lies in that they do not regard this road as a battlefield, but have already stepped onto the battlefield.

……

Floyd's footsteps gradually faded away from the corridor, echoing in the cold steel space. Carabosse picked up the report on the desk, glanced at it, and then gently closed it and put it back in the drawer. During this process, his expression did not change at all. The blue light on the communication device flashed, and then Tiantis's voice came over: "Should I express regret, or am I not surprised? I didn't expect them to choose this path."

She sighed softly: "I clearly said that as long as they stay in the Holy Temple of Heaven, this war will have nothing to do with them."

"You really didn't mean to say that, did you, Tentis?"

Carabosse asked, "If you hadn't provoked them with these words, they might not have made up their minds so quickly. After all... you know her problem very well. It can't be solved in just one week."

Carabosse didn't say who "she" was, but both of them knew it.

Tiandis smiled helplessly: "What if I really mean it?"

"That only proves that you are still affected by some unnecessary weakness." Carabosse said coldly: "Don't forget, if they don't appear, how can you continue to implement your real plan? We have even prepared the stage, the East Emperor Vatican, a world that is being dragged into the abyss by backwardness, corruption, chaos and colonial wars. There, they will witness an even crueler fate, grow from sacrifice, sharpen their souls, and finally sublimate."

At this point, the Dark Witch's eyes became deep, as if hiding many unspeakable secrets: "Only in this way can I find my past self... the self before the holy vessel was destroyed by that man's selfishness, and the kingship still held the complete power of the law."

"Except for Favrona who has already found the Crimson Sword, we all need to go through this process. I think you know this better than me, Tiantis." Carabosse said, "So, don't say such weak words in the future. Pereike, Eve, and Timeis, their beliefs are far from being so firm. Your weakness will make them waver."

"I know. That's why I'm only telling you this, Carabosse."

The Reality Witch on the other side of the communication device whispered: "You are always so determined, more determined than all of us. In fact, sometimes I envy you. Of course, I still envy you now."

"Don't be silly, Tiantis."

Carabosse responded: "We all know what you've been through."

What kind of experience and what kind of suffering can be put forward to make such a plan. As we all know, the person who implements the plan is just pinning his hopes, while the person who puts forward the plan sacrifices his hopes.

"Even if you are just comforting me, I feel much better." Tiantis smiled and said, "Next, I have no other choice but to firmly believe that this plan will succeed."

"..." After a moment of silence, Carabosse calmly replied, "Who isn't?"

After saying that, she was about to cut off the communication, but suddenly she remembered something, and her outstretched hand stopped in mid-air, and she asked, "What is the current situation of the association?"

This question seemed a bit abrupt, but Tiantis magically understood what she meant, so the voice from the other side of the communication device suddenly became much lower: "...some news has spread. Although it is just a rumor, no witch or philosopher, including me, has come out to clarify. Many people have begun to believe it, and the rest are also half-believing and half-doubting. I have decided to confirm this news to them at the next witch meeting, and then... they can choose for themselves. So, after this war is over, find a time to bring Floyd and the others back. Everyone should know this news, and they are no exception."

"..."

After a long silence, Carabosse hummed softly.

She cut off the signal from the comm unit.

The room fell into deathly silence; even the sounds of breathing and heartbeats could be heard clearly.

However, vaguely, it seemed as if someone could still be heard talking to himself. The voice was so soft that it seemed to have temperature, making people feel the chill of snowflakes falling on their bodies, and even emotions and memories were frozen in it: "...People who can only follow one path to the end, that is not called determination, Tiantis."

"It's just a one-shot bet." (End of this chapter)