Outside the command building in the heart of New Cato, four regiments stationed within the city had assembled. They stood in neat formation in an open space, meticulously inspecting each piece of their equipment.
The soldiers were filled with enthusiasm; several days had passed since their last conflict, and now the prospect of battle loomed once more.
"Spread out a bit, lads! I have no desire to hand your parents a jumbled corpse!"
"The Legion Commander is here! The Commander has arrived!"
"I won't wear a helmet during combat, Commander, so you can witness my bravery firsthand!"
Amidst the soldiers' shouts, Qin Mo, alongside Klein and Kreed, made their way toward the command building.
Kreed observed the gathered troops with confusion, questioning why they did not march promptly but instead remained stationary.
An obvious yet difficult-to-believe answer struck him: these troops were to be teleported en masse directly to the battlefield.
"They will be teleported out," Qin Mo stated.
"Mass teleportation?" Kreed found it hard to accept. "Is this teleportation technology stable?"
"Indeed," Qin Mo nodded, continuing forward.
The trio ascended to the highest level of the command building, entering the operations room.
At that moment, reconnaissance drones hovered above the enemy, concealed amidst the labyrinthine nest conduits, transmitting images to the war conference room's holographic display. On the left side of the projection, the enemy's specific numbers and details were shown.
"Two hundred thousand," Qin Mo remarked, studying the holographic images. The enemy's numbers did not astonish him; rather, he was surprised to find a Knight-class battle mech among the rebels.
As Qin Mo raised his hand to enlarge the holographic display, everyone present could see clearly that it was indeed a Custodian-class Knight.
"How do we eliminate this behemoth?" Klein inquired.
It was Kreed who responded: "If we lack similarly sized war machines, we must use smaller, agile vehicles to assault it, then rush between its legs to plant a thermite bomb."
"Are you joking?" Klein pointed to the Knight's dual arms. "With two Avenger Gatling cannons? I've heard that this is a fortified version of the assault cannon."
"What he suggests is indeed feasible," Qin Mo concurred with Kreed's assessment.
The most effective way to counter a Knight or even a Titan is to deploy a Knight or Titan of equal measure; if that's unattainable, then one must rush between the legs of the war machine and devise a means to dismantle it.
However, this remains a theoretical tactic, and its viability in the field would depend on the specific circumstances and environment.
Qin Mo minimized the holographic image and surveyed the enemy's overall deployment.
Compared to the last encounter, this time the enemy appeared more densely packed; the spacing between regiments was less than a kilometer, clearly an adaptation for a teleportation assault strategy.
While this strategy wasn't optimal, it at least mitigated the risk of troops becoming isolated and swiftly annihilated.
Kreed found the enemy's formation somewhat foolish, but he recognized that a lack of intelligence could not command an army; their arrangement was undoubtedly a necessity dictated by the circumstances.
"I will personally handle this Knight," Qin Mo asserted, gesturing to the Knight situated at the heart of the enemy formation. He then turned to Kreed, saying, "You may not be my subordinate, but I would greatly appreciate any suitable suggestions you are willing to offer."
Although Kreed was not yet the Supreme Bastion capable of breaching Abaddon the Reaver's defenses, he possessed considerable tactical acumen. His presence in the operations room alongside Qin Mo was intended to provide counsel in gratitude for receiving the power armor.
"What does our military strength look like?" Kreed asked. He hoped the infantry he had observed over the past days did not constitute their entire armed forces; otherwise, the coming conflict would be arduous.
Qin Mo did not respond immediately. Instead, he raised his hand and manipulated the holographic display, revealing their armed forces to Kreed in vivid detail.
Seventeen combined regiments of infantry and armor.
An unmanned artillery brigade with over two thousand multipurpose cannons.
And five additional elite guards.
"What purpose do these five serve?" Kreed inquired, puzzled.
"They serve a significant purpose; each of them is equivalent to an entire regiment," Klein replied.
Kreed nodded thoughtfully and then asked, "Can we teleport our forces directly to the front lines?"
"Certainly, but there are certain considerations to keep in mind," Qin Mo began explaining the advantages and drawbacks of the current teleportation technology.
The advantage was evident: large-scale teleportation. The drawback, however, was the necessity of finding open ground or a beacon; otherwise, there was a risk of becoming lodged within a wall.
"By the Emperor," Kreed exclaimed with comfort, "I have never witnessed such a lavish campaign."
He then contemplated carefully, pointing toward the enemy's front and offering several suggestions.
"My recommendation is to teleport ten regiments to their front line, then enter zones thirteen to seventeen for defense, attempting to intercept the enemy as much as possible."
"My second suggestion is to teleport seven regiments around the enemy; they need not engage in fierce combat, merely probing to identify weaknesses in the enemy's line."
"My third suggestion is, once we ascertain the enemy's vulnerabilities, to dispatch our strongest breakthrough forces to shred their line from the weak points and then find a way to deal with the Knight."
"If the Knight proves difficult to neutralize under normal circumstances, I suggest luring it into the city; it will be much easier to handle in urban combat."
"The artillery brigade should be stationed behind the city, provided their range can cover the enemy; if they can fortuitously obliterate the Knight with artillery shells, so much the better."
After presenting his suggestions, Kreed addressed Qin Mo: "Of course, I am merely offering advice; the final decision rests with you."
Qin Mo hesitated briefly before replying, "It seems we are of one mind."
After finalizing the strategic details, Qin Mo picked up the communicator and began issuing orders in succession.
At that moment, Kreed noticed that the designations of all the armies under Qin Mo's command were not in sequential order but rather erratic. The first regiment was the 48th, followed by the 31st, then the 87th.
However, Kreed recalled the stories he had heard over the past days, realizing that the entire First Army had nearly been annihilated in the nest; perhaps Qin Mo had not altered the designations as a tribute.
"You have been incredibly diligent these past few days," Qin Mo remarked after issuing his commands. "I know you are not only formulating training plans but also preparing to help me establish a system for cultivating officers. Once I finish repairs on your ships, I will grant you one more request as a reward."
"Thank you, but I do not seek a reward; this is simply my duty," Kreed replied calmly, shaking his head.
"I believe you should consider it carefully," Klein interjected to dissuade Kreed, "lest you regret it for a lifetime."
"He is right," Qin Mo nodded in agreement.