Chapter 553 - 451: Promotion to Colonel: Lieutenant Chen Bai, Long Time No See

No one tried to stop her.

After all, for someone to barge into the military compound at a time like this, and so casually call out for Gao Neng, it was obvious who it was.

Fang Tangtang burst in.

She looked both excited and nervous.

Gao Neng, however, was a little surprised.

He knew Fang Tangtang could be willful, but she still understood matters of principle. At the very least, as a soldier, she knew what military secrets were.

It was obvious this was a high-level meeting, personally presided over by Wu Qingjing and Qin Jianfei. Fang Tangtang’s military rank was clearly not high enough to attend.

So, for her to charge in like this, it couldn’t be for a simple matter.

"What did you see?" Although confused, Gao Neng immediately asked.

"I think I saw..." Fang Tangtang began to say, but then, as if suddenly realizing something, she clamped her mouth shut.

Then, Fang Tangtang quickly walked over to Gao Neng’s side, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered two words: "Gao Xiaomeng."

"Hm?!" Gao Neng’s heart lurched.

In truth, the moment Fang Tangtang had burst in, he had already guessed it was likely related to Gao Xiaomeng. After all, the list of things that could make Fang Tangtang so nervous, yet hesitant, was very short.

More importantly, Gao Neng had already been thinking about it. ’With such a huge commotion on the Northern District Battlefield, a certain someone is bound to show up.’

However, Gao Neng understood the current situation. After a moment of silence, he whispered, "Okay, I’ll be right out. Wait for me outside."

"Okay, hurry up then!" Fang Tangtang immediately nodded, glanced at Shen Ning’Er, and then quickly sped away.

Watching this scene, Li Tiannan’s eye twitched slightly.

In fact, it wasn’t just him. When some of the others, including Wu Qingjing and Qin Jianfei, looked at Gao Neng, their gazes were complicated.

Gao Neng glanced at the people around him.

’Who among the people allowed in this military compound could be simple?’

Forget wily old foxes like Li Tiannan and Wu Qingjing; even the generals from the Military Department could probably guess what Fang Tangtang came in to say if they gave it a little thought.

But as the saying goes...

See all, say nothing.

Since Li Tiannan and the others didn’t ask, Gao Neng naturally wouldn’t go out of his way to explain.

The reason was simple. The matter concerning Gao Xiaomeng was, for the time being, only in a state of "tacit acknowledgment" within the Human Alliance; it was far from being public knowledge.

"Councillor Gao, your plan is excellent. By taking the three main cities, the resource problem can be better resolved, and the Northern District’s defenses will become even more solid." Liang Qi, who had been silent until now, finally stood up.

His gaze was extremely firm. After sweeping his eyes across the room, his focus returned to Gao Neng. "However, do you have any idea just how big the gap is between the alien races and our Human Alliance?"

"A strength disparity of about five to one," Gao Neng said, looking at Liang Qi.

"Mm, you’re correct. It is indeed a five-to-one strength disparity. We humans currently have only twenty of the Strongest, while the alien races have over a hundred. Furthermore, the total number of our human troops is one and a half million. Including city garrisons and the like, our total forces number around two million. And yet, as far as I know, the total number of troops in the Alien Race Alliance Army has already surpassed five million, not to mention their innate combat strength..."

"What is Councillor Liang trying to say?"

"My meaning is simple. If we choose to defend, then what’s happening between us and the alien races is just a small-scale war. But if we choose to attack and occupy the three main cities in the Northern District, what do you think the alien races will do? We might win a battle, but the alien races still have millions of troops. If we do this, it’s tantamount to starting the great war prematurely. Has Councillor Gao considered the consequences?" As Liang Qi finished, he looked at Gao Neng with extreme seriousness.

"Start the great war prematurely?" Gao Neng chuckled. "The war already began the moment alien races from the Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts started sending reinforcements to the Northern District. Isn’t that so? Or does Councillor Liang believe that the Alien Race Alliance Army’s attempt to occupy the Northern District is just a minor skirmish?"

"..." Liang Qi’s brow furrowed under Gao Neng’s gaze. "Councillor Gao, please watch your words during this meeting!"

"Yes, I should watch my words. So, the Alien Race Alliance Army breached the walls of our Northern District, intending to slaughter twenty million of our people—is that not an act of war? Does Councillor Liang remember the total human population during peacetime? Seven billion! And now? Barely five hundred million! Is this not an act of war?" Gao Neng looked around the room again.

"Gao Neng, that rhetoric of yours is nothing more than reckless bravado! Do you have any idea how much pressure it will put on the other districts of the City of Hope if we start the war prematurely? If we push the alien races in the Northern District too hard and force them to shift their focus, can the Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts withstand their ferocious assault?"

"Councillor Liang, are you perhaps misunderstanding something?"

"What?"

"If the Northern District can go on the offensive, why can’t the Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts do the same?" Gao Neng’s gaze rested calmly on Liang Qi.

"You... Are you planning to lead the Human Race in an all-out offensive?!" Liang Qi’s eyes flew wide open.