Chapter 1588: Chapter 1588

This past month has not been spent waiting idly; in fact, operations on various fronts have already been initiated.

"The reinforcements from the rear haven’t arrived yet?" Du You opened his mouth to ask, though he already knew the answer.

Ke Jisi held a document and said, "No movement. They claim other regions are more dangerous and that they don’t have enough forces left to send reinforcements." Of course, this was just the official explanation.

"Not a single dissenting voice?" Du You’s lips curved into an eerie smile.

"None. Everyone has aligned their responses, no matter what department you ask—the answers are the same."

"Then what’s the real situation?" Du You didn’t believe for a second that Ke Jisi would remain in the dark.

"The real situation is that they have at least three tier-6 fleets that could provide reinforcements, possibly more, though we’re unsure. These fleets are currently idle, held back deliberately and not allowed to deploy."

Ke Jisi added, "Furthermore, according to our intelligence, there’s likely no significant threat in other regions. The reason being, all enemy forces across the battlefield are converging on our location."

Du You nodded slightly. "Interesting. How did we manage to gather so much intelligence?"

Ke Jisi didn’t hesitate to explain. "Over the years, we’ve established a robust intelligence network that spans numerous locations, even within the Star Ring Alliance. Not only that, but our intelligence network extends beyond this scope; we’ve maintained contact with the Academy as well. Within the Star Ring Alliance, we also have allies."

"Additionally, in recent times, many Professionals have proactively shared intelligence with us. Some individuals with less sensitive backgrounds have even come forward to assist, bringing news from various territories."

"Oh? That’s quite intriguing. I didn’t expect people to approach us voluntarily—has my reputation grown so influential? You’ve done a great job, truly. These years must have been hard on you."

Ke Jisi quickly shook her head. "Not at all; serving the Lord is my greatest honor."

For someone as cold and detached as Ke Jisi to say such words was indeed unexpected. Du You looked back at her in slight surprise, only to catch a fleeting blush on Ke Jisi’s face—quite uncharacteristic of her. Perhaps he had seen wrong, Du You thought to himself, dismissing the matter from his mind.

"Then let’s keep waiting." There wasn’t much left to do for now.

The internal development and expansion had not slowed down, particularly on the Harry Asteroid. Thanks to territorial control and territorial buildings, troop mobilization was extremely swift. The forces bolstered during this period were all provided by Harry Asteroid.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and the surrounding situation began to come into focus.

The rear reinforcements still hadn’t arrived, even though most of the armies on the battlefield had already gathered here. The excuses provided remained laughable, but perhaps this wasn’t all bad.

The glaringly obvious issues meant that when the time came, Du You could take action with a solid pretext. At that moment, establishing autonomy in the region would likely garner significant public support and face reduced resistance.

Currently, they found themselves surrounded. Unbeknownst to them, certain fleets had somehow circled to their rear. Who knew how the military had managed this—or perhaps, done it deliberately.

A massive encirclement had completely isolated Du You’s territory. For an ordinary person, escape would be utterly impossible. Flying through uncharted starry spaces without planets for refueling en route was unfeasible. Large fleets, on the other hand, would surely be discovered, leaving them truly trapped within.

Of course, Du You himself had the ability to leave, but he had no intention of doing so now.

"How are our defensive forces positioned?" Du You turned to Ke Jisi for an update.

During this time, the person busiest of all was undoubtedly Ke Jisi. As for Du You, the so-called "Lord," he was essentially a hands-off figure. Naturally, Du You was aware that if he were to personally oversee things, he’d likely make an absolute mess of it.

"Everything has been prepared comprehensively. These past few years, we haven’t just lived off the territory’s resources."

As she spoke, Ke Jisi displayed the surrounding strategic layouts, and Du You nodded repeatedly in approval.

Indeed, given the vast expanse of the starry sky, the territory only occupied a portion of Harry Asteroid’s area. It was impossible to cover other planets entirely within their domain. As a result, Ke Jisi had been developing indigenous forces of this world.

On other planets, factories, defensive structures, and various other facilities had already been established—far from relying on last-minute strategies. Consequently, the defensive strength across major planets was relatively solid.

Nevertheless, compared to external powers, the forces they possessed were still considerably inadequate.

Even with Harry Asteroid’s support from the rear, it wasn’t enough—a vexing situation.

"On the various planets, we have numerous defensive buildings and factories, enough to misdirect them. Although Harry Asteroid is our first territory, the Blood-colored Empire doesn’t understand its significance. When the battle begins, their attention will likely be diverted elsewhere."

Du You shook his head. "You only mentioned the Blood-colored Empire, but you’ve forgotten that they also have Professionals. Perhaps most of their forces are unaware, but those Professionals undoubtedly understand."

"Those Professionals surely recognize the Lord’s strength; they wouldn’t dare provoke us in such circumstances, right?"

"Not necessarily. There’s always the chance some people resent me and purposely leak information. So, we must remain cautious. But you don’t need to worry about this—I’ve already made arrangements. If they decide to fight, then I can rest assured." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝓷𝓮𝓽

Du You was referring to the scenario where the enemy targeted Harry Asteroid. If that happened, it would mean the enemy’s Professionals were definitely involved.

Under such circumstances, he could act without restraint. Even if their fleets included Professionals, Du You wouldn’t hesitate to strike decisively. In such matters, no one could fault him for how he acted.

As a powerful figure and a semi-public personality, Du You needed to maintain his image. Tarnishing his reputation would not only affect him but also implicate his friends and subordinates.

Having a legitimate reason for action wasn’t just lip service; it was crucial.

"Understood. I’ll manage the defenses for the other planets then," Ke Jisi said as she resumed her work.

Du You shook his head with a sigh. "Ah, just like your sister, you’re both workaholics." He muttered in exasperation. Shaliya was , and Ke Jisi turned out to be the same—must be a family trait, he thought.