Chapter 23: A Role for the Solar System Defense Command

Solar System Defense Command?

Everyone was stunned at the mention of that name.

“Wait, are you actually sending the Defense Command’s ships into battle? You can’t be serious.”

You couldn’t really blame anyone for reacting like this.

Because…

The truth is, the Solar System Defense Command is basically…

The equivalent of traffic police on Earth, except…

Instead of roads, they oversee the safety of orbital routes within the Solar System and handle ship inspections and the like.

The biggest ships they use are just about the size of a frigate, and most of their fleet is even smaller…

Mainly patrol ships.

Right now the Defense Command owns 1,500 ships in total.

About 300 of those are frigate-sized, while the other 1,200 are patrol ships.

But here’s what’s key…

Being the size of a frigate doesn’t mean these ships pack the same punch as actual war frigates.

After all, they’re an enforcement agency, not a combat fleet.

It’s not like they’re totally unarmed—most have a few electromagnetic rapid-fire cannons onboard. But besides that…

They don’t really have anything else.

As for the patrol ships, they’re even weaker—just a single electromagnetic rapid-fire cannon each.

Throw these ships into a real battle, and they couldn’t even scratch the shields of a Klein warship.

Honestly, it’s no exaggeration to say…

A thousand of them wouldn’t be a match for just one enemy ship.

Unless you rammed them into the enemy at point-blank range, maybe then they’d be useful.

So no one could figure out what Lin Yu was really thinking.

“Colonel Lin Yu, are you seriously planning to use the Solar System Defense Command as cannon fodder?”

A few moments later, a major general stood up and voiced his outrage.

“No, that’s not my intention at all!”

“Actually, in an orbital chase, both sides are like two snakes biting each other’s tails, locked in a cycle of attrition.”

Lin Yu shook his head.

Then he pulled up an animation.

Red and blue, like twin serpents, circled around Jupiter’s orbit.

The head of the red fleet kept attacking the tail of the blue fleet, while the blue fleet’s vanguard struck at the red fleet’s end.

Just like Lin Yu described.

Throughout the whole battle, each ‘snake’ kept devouring the other’s tail.

And in the end, both sides would be left in ruins.

That’s exactly why Lin Yu called it an extreme war of attrition.

“So, unless the fight goes all the way until both sides are destroyed, the ships in the middle aren’t fighting and won’t get attacked either.”

“The 1,500 ships of the Defense Command—their job is to hold those positions right here!”

So, Lin Yu was bringing the Defense Command in just to have them play a role?

They wouldn’t attack and wouldn’t get attacked.

Which meant no one would even notice anything was off.

Weapons on Federation warships stay stowed when not in use, so you can’t tell at a glance if they’re unarmed.

Suddenly everything clicked for the crowd.

So that’s what he was up to!

“Lieutenant George, any other questions?”

“No, sir!”

George gave a sharp shake of his head, saluted, and sat down.

He honestly couldn’t find any flaws in Lin Yu’s explanation.

Of course, Lin Yu was still the man whose shadow had loomed over him for ten whole years.

But…

How could Lin Yu’s innate brain development rate be under twenty percent?

Wait, Lin Yu’s scan showed nineteen percent, which bumped George from fourth to third, giving him a spot in the First Fleet.

Yet the guy who should’ve gone unnoticed somehow became a colonel and ended up commanding a special task force in the Fifth Fleet.

And then there was…

The strange look on his father’s face when he saw Lin Yu, and all the decisions that came after…

All at once, a strange realization dawned on George.

Even if his suspicion sounded absurd, it…

Seemed like the only explanation that fit.

So, Lin Yu, he…

When George looked up at the stage again, eyes fixed on Lin Yu…

His gaze…

Was filled with absolute shock.

——

One hour later.

Lin Yu’s battle plan had been approved, and the meeting drew to a close.

Once the remote link was cut…

“How are you feeling?”

“Pretty tired, honestly. I still prefer the battle sims!”

“Battle simulations?”

“Yeah, because there, I don’t have to explain every tactic step-by-step, and no one’s grilling me with questions for hours. I can just get on with it!”

“Pfft, just get on with it, he says. You do realize this plan is about humanity’s very survival, right? Kind of different from leading a fleet in a sim.”

Mu Qingxue couldn’t help but laugh at Lin Yu’s words.

She gently scolded him, amusement still in her voice.

Lin Yu stared in surprise.

It was his first time seeing Mu Qingxue laugh.

And the first time he realized that this admiral at home…

Was more beautiful than any woman he’d ever met.

Wait, what was he thinking?

The admiral was fourteen years older than him!

At that thought, Lin Yu quickly shook his head, trying to banish it.

“Colonel Lin Yu!”

Mu Qingxue raised her voice, snapping him back.

“What’s wrong? I’ve called your name three times!”

“Uh, sorry, Admiral, my mind wandered for a second!”

“Anyway, once you’re back, go find Serena and hand over your duties.”

“Hand over?”

Lin Yu blinked in confusion.

Wait, am I being transferred somewhere else?

No one told me about this!

“Of course! Your new warship arrives in three days. What, planning to stay glued to my Qiongxiao any longer?”

“Wait, what? Three days? I thought the cruiser wasn’t done for another three months!”

Lin Yu was genuinely stunned.

He knew the special task force had been approved and the fleet positions set.

But…

The ships for the special task force weren’t being reassigned from the Fifth Fleet—they’d be made up of new ships and crews as reinforcements.

One of those was a cruiser, set to become the flagship for the task force.

But that cruiser was still fitting out, and would need test runs before launch.

At best, it should’ve taken at least three more months.

Mu Qingxue had made that clear to Lin Yu before.

So how did three months turn into three days?

“What are you thinking? Not the old ship—this is a brand new experimental warship, finished with sea trials. Originally, it was meant for the First Fleet, but those three up top really believe in you. Plus, after the whole Stephen situation…”

“So now the new ship is coming here instead!”

“I’ve already sent you all the details. Take a good look once you’re back, and in three days, make sure you have the bridge crew decided!”

After tapping on her wrist terminal a few times to send Lin Yu the files.

Mu Qingxue turned and walked away.

As for Lin Yu…

As soon as Mu Qingxue left, he immediately opened up his terminal.

He dove excitedly into the documents.

A warship!

His very own warship!

And a cruiser at that!

At eighteen, how could he possibly contain his excitement?