271: Chapter 26: A Brilliant Strategy to Subdue the Enemy Without a Fight

[Xinghai University · Deep Tactical Simulation Center · Military Temporary Access Node]

The scene before them was far more... real than the academy's deduction room, and carried a much heavier sense of oppression.

There were no flashy light screens here, only a seemingly boundless, profound void. Floating within this void was a macroscopic battlefield sand table outlined by countless cold data streams and dim starlight. In the center of the sand table, two halos of vastly different sizes rotated slowly—the blue halo representing the "Hundred Schools Divine Kingdom" was as tiny as a firefly, while the golden halo representing "Xuanyuan Hao's divine kingdom" blazed like a small sun. The rule networks extending from its edges (displayed as pale gold lines) were denser, thicker, and more stable.

After connecting to the military network, Lin Zhou and the others gained higher-level data permissions and simulation precision.

Li Mo connected his data terminal to the sand table. The previously despair-inducing comparison report was further refined and verified, with a large amount of previously inaccessible data added regarding the typical behavior patterns and rule responses of an "Imperial Way" divine kingdom in high-intensity warfare.

A new round of deduction began.

This time, they tried every non-frontal tactic they could think of.

Option A: Turtling defense, holding fast by relying on divine kingdom rules and terrain.

On the sand table, the blue halo retreated to a corner of the simulated demiplane, fully contracting its rules to construct multi-layered defensive barriers. The golden halo, carrying an aura of majestic power, rolled over it. The deduction showed: under the continuous erosion of Xuanyuan Hao's divine kingdom rules and the relentless purification by the Holy Flame of the Angel Legion at any cost, the defensive barriers of the Hundred Schools Divine Kingdom began to show structural damage at the 72nd hour of internal time on average, and completely collapsed by the 120th hour. This was followed by the familiar process of being crushed. Survival time was extended, but the outcome remained the same, and precious maneuver time and strategic initiative were consumed.

Option B: Guerrilla harassment, using mobility to hit and run.

The blue halo transformed into several thin streams of light, weaving irregularly across the sand table in an attempt to attack the golden halo's edges or logistics lines. The deduction showed: Xuanyuan Hao's divine kingdom rules had an extremely wide coverage and high vigilance. Once small groups of elite units (such as Zhao Hao's Dragon Squad or Wang Meng's Behemoth Assault Team) approached a certain distance, they were easily captured and slowed by the suppression fluctuations of the [nine cauldrons phantom], followed by rapid encirclement and annihilation by the Angel Legion or the Exotic Beast Legion. The success rate was lower than 5%, and every sortie risked losing precious high-tier dependents. The tactic was feasible but the risk was extremely high, the gains were limited, and it was difficult to shake the foundation.

Option C: Leveraging the environment, guiding native demiplane hazards to attack the golden halo.

Theoretically, this was the most promising option for creating variables. The sand table simulated over a dozen common demiplane hazards: such as [Spacetime Turbulence Zones], [Elemental Riot Areas], [Ancient Vengeful Spirit Nests], and [Rule Annihilation Rifts]. The deduction showed: the powerful rule stability of Xuanyuan Hao's divine kingdom and the suppression effect of the [nine cauldrons phantom] gave it extremely high resistance to most environmental hazards. The success rate of guiding a hazard depended on the type of hazard and the method of guidance, but even if successful, the damage caused was often local and recoverable relative to its massive size. Conversely, the teams executing the guidance missions had to venture deep into danger, and their survival rate was worrisome. The risk-to-reward ratio was disproportionate, and it relied heavily on luck (finding a suitable hazardous environment).

Option D: Ideological infiltration, attempting to perform "civilizational enlightenment" on Xuanyuan Hao's dependents.

This was the option Lin Zhou most wanted to try, and theoretically the most subversive. If the "conversion" ability shown by the river of civilization could trigger ideological unrest or even rebellion within the opponent's divine kingdom... However, the deduction gave a cold result: the faith of the Holy Angel Legion was extremely pure and deeply bound to the projections of the [son of heaven sword] and the [Heavenly Emperor Palace] miracle, resulting in extremely high mental resistance and an instinctive impulse to reject and purify "heretical thoughts." The Primeval Exotic Beasts had relatively low intelligence and were more submissive to Bloodline and power pressure. The existence of the [nine cauldrons phantom] itself possessed the characteristic of suppressing "heresy" and stabilizing "orthodoxy." Preliminary simulations showed that the effectiveness of the river of civilization's rule erosion inside the opponent's divine kingdom was estimated to be only 3% or even lower than in the external environment, and it was extremely easy to detect and counter with powerful purification. This path was nearly blocked while the opponent's divine kingdom System was intact and heavily guarded... Deduction after deduction, failure after failure.

The blue halo struggled, flickered, and detoured in various ways, but ultimately, under the radiance of that majestic golden "sun," it fell into silence, sooner or later.

Beside the sand table, except for Lin Zhou, the faces of the other four grew increasingly pale. The military-grade sand table did not bring hope, but a more thorough and ruthless despair. It stripped away all wishful thinking, presenting all the cruel possibilities before them in a manner akin to the tracks of fate.

The six-hour permission was about to expire.

"There's one last full-parameter simulation left." Li Mo's voice was hoarse, his finger hovering over the control interface, trembling slightly. "President, should we... continue?"

Zhao Hao buried his head in his arms; Wang Meng stared at the piercing gold light on the sand table, his fists clenching until they cracked. Qin Qing closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

The gap in strength was so large it was suffocating. All conventional, unconventional, and imaginative tactics seemed so pale and powerless in the face of absolute superiority in quality, volume, and rule rank.

That so-called 2.7% win rate, under the more precise military System deduction, was further corrected and squeezed until it was perhaps not even 1%.

Lin Zhou did not answer Li Mo's question. He stood quietly before the sand table, his gaze piercing through that cold golden halo, as if staring at the nearly mature path to heaven named "Imperial Way" that lay behind it.

Six hours of extreme deduction and hundreds of failures were not entirely without gain.

He saw the width and depth of the chasm, and he also saw the staggering rigor and power of the "Imperial Way" System. But at the same time, something deeper was gradually becoming clear in his heart.

The [Imperial Way] pursued dominion, Order, orthodoxy, and supremacy. Its power came from concentration, from absolute top-down authority, and from the declaration and defense of "orthodoxy" and "mandate of heaven." This System was nearly impeccable in terms of "conquest," "rule," and "frontal crushing."

But was it equally adept at handling... another level of "War"?

A War that did not use legion collisions, divine kingdom impacts, or rule crushing as its core, but instead used rule debate, orthodox contention, the will of the people, and the momentum of the times as its weapons?

In Lin Zhou's mind, the Temple of Civilization vibrated slightly, and countless Profound Truths from the classics of the School of Diplomacy, the School of Names, the Confucian School, and even School of Miscellaneous flowed through. Especially that line from "The Art of War," which exploded like a thunderclap:

"Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

Without fighting... subduing the enemy!

A nearly insane thought, like a spark bursting in the darkness, suddenly lit up!

He snapped his head up, and the Fire of Civilization that had been quiet for so long in his eyes blazed once more. This time, what burned was no longer just the will to fight, but a deeper, more... subversive light of wisdom.

"Li Mo, there's no need for the final simulation." Lin Zhou's voice rang out in the silent virtual space, clear and firm, carrying an unquestionable power.

Everyone looked up at him.

"Our previous line of thinking was fundamentally wrong." Lin Zhou turned to face his teammates, his gaze sweeping across each face—some dejected, some bewildered, some confused. "We've been thinking about how to use our weak power to resist, defend, harass, or weaken that behemoth. We've defaulted to the idea that the outcome of this final must be decided through a 'Divine Kingdom War'—meaning a competition over whose divine kingdom is sturdier, whose dependents can fight better, whose Divine Power is more abundant, and whose rules are tougher."

He paused, his tone suddenly rising: "But who says the final must be a 'martial contest'?!"

"What?" Zhao Hao was stunned.

"The format of the final is 'Astral Conquest · Ultimate Mode,' and the goal is indeed to destroy or force the surrender of the opponent's divine kingdom core." Lin Zhou's speech quickened as his thoughts poured out like a spring. "But in the general rules of the competition, is there a clause that 'allows both parties to negotiate and change the specific form of competition before the battle'? Especially when such a change might better 'showcase the characteristics of both sides,' 'promote academic exchange,' or 'avoid meaningless resource consumption and damage to dependents'?"

Qin Qing's eyes flickered, and she quickly pulled up the general rules of the competition, searching rapidly. "...There is! Chapter Seven, Article Twelve: If both opposing parties agree, and with the approval of no less than two-thirds of the referee committee, 'limited adjustments' can be made to the established competition format. The adjustments must align with the competition's purpose and must not clearly favor either side. There have been three precedents in history, but they were all minor adjustments, such as changing map size or time scale..."

"That's enough!" Lin Zhou said decisively. "We're not seeking to cancel the 'Astral Conquest,' but we can make an issue of the 'form' of the War!"

He pointed again to the golden halo on the sand table: "Xuanyuan Hao's strength is built upon the 'Imperial Way' warfare System. This is his area of absolute advantage. Charging in head-on would be like an egg striking a stone. So, what we need to do is not charge in, but... pull him out of that area of absolute advantage! Pull him onto another arena! An arena he is not so familiar with, and where we might hold a sliver of advantage in 'morality' or 'rules'!"

"Another arena?" Wang Meng asked in a low voice. "Where?"

"A debating field for rules and thoughts! A debate over the superiority of orthodoxy and civilization!" Lin Zhou's voice carried a nearly scorching infectiousness. "We can propose to change the core of the finals from 'Divine Kingdom military conquest' to a 'clash between Divine Kingdom orthodoxy and civilizational concepts'! The specific form could be—both sides' Divine Kingdom projections still enter the demiplane, but the primary competition won't be legion slaughter, but rather the efficiency of rule coverage and assimilation, the results of guiding and enlightening the demiplane's native civilization, and even a 'discourse on the Dao' conducted by the deities representing their own orthodoxies! The final victory will be decided by the judging panel based on the comprehensive performance of both sides in rule construction, civilization dissemination, and conceptual exposition!"

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, leaving everyone stunned.

Giving up real blades and spears for a War of words? Comparing who can "talk sense" better? Comparing whose concepts can better "persuade" the judges and the virtual native civilization?

This... this was simply a pipe dream! How could Xuanyuan Hao possibly agree? He possessed overwhelming military force; why would he give up his greatest advantage to play such a "refined" game with you?

"Of course he won't agree easily." Lin Zhou seemed to see through everyone's thoughts, his lips curling into a cold yet wise arc. "Therefore, before the War begins, we need to create a momentum, a pressure of public opinion, a state of rules and morality that forces him to consider it seriously, or even forces him to agree!"

"This is the essence of the School of Diplomacy's 'the best victory is to win by strategy'—to subdue the enemy's soldiers without fighting! Or at least, to win for ourselves a battlefield that isn't so hopeless!"

His gaze became incredibly sharp as he began to deploy:

"First, public opinion building. Zhao Hao, you have wide connections. Immediately use all your relations to start posting guided analysis articles and discussion threads on the campus network, major forums, and even contact familiar school media. The core arguments should revolve around these points: 1. The strength gap in this final is too wide, and pure military crushing lacks spectator value and educational significance; 2. The Way of the Hundred Schools represented by Lin Zhou and the Imperial Way represented by Xuanyuan Hao are two completely different paths of civilizational development, and the value of their ideological collision is far higher than a simple win or loss; 3. Suggest adding a 'civilization concept display and debate' segment to the finals, so that all teachers and students, and even the outside world, can more clearly see Xinghai University's diversity and cutting-edge nature in 'Divine Kingdom civilization construction' and 'ideological path exploration.' Remember, stand on the heights of 'for the good of the competition,' 'for the school's reputation,' and 'for academic development.' Do not show any sign of cowardice or opportunism."

Zhao Hao's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously. "Understood! Playing with public opinion and creating hype—I'm an expert at that! I'll make sure to hype up the 'Hundred Schools VS Imperial Way, the Peak Ideological Duel' tone!"

"Second, win over the judging panel." Lin Zhou looked at Qin Qing and Li Mo. "Qin Qing, you have a special status and are familiar with the rules and procedures. Li Mo, you are responsible for preparing detailed data and theoretical support. We need to visit at least seven professors overnight who hold important positions on the judging panel and have a relatively neutral academic attitude or are open to emerging ideas."

He pulled up a list he had prepared long ago, containing information on professors preliminarily screened by Su Yueyao:

Gongsun Yan, Dean of the College of History and Civilization, Divine Rank LV88 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [River of Histories], dedicated to studying the rise and fall of civilizations, with a great interest in various civilizational forms.

Mo Heng, Honorary Dean of the College of Engineering, Divine Rank LV92 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [Heavenly Mechanism City], a supporter of Mohist thought (fragments of the School of Mohism also circulate in this world), who has paid attention to Lin Zhou's "Heavenly Craftsmanship" performance.

Xun Wenruo, Senior Professor at the Law School, Divine Rank LV78 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [Skynet of Laws], extremely admires rules and Order, but values the "rationality" and "progressiveness" of rules.

Wang Xuanlan, Vice Dean of the College of Philosophy, Divine Rank LV75 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [Starry Sky of Speculation], skilled in logic and conceptual analysis, with considerable research into the methods of the School of Names.

Dongfang Wen, Professor at the College of Diplomacy and Strategy, Divine Rank LV7 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [Chessboard of Vertical and Horizontal], expert in the art of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances, his own path partially aligns with the School of Diplomacy.

Shennong Yu, Professor at the College of Life Sciences, Divine Rank LV72 (Intermediate Divine Power), Domain is [Divine Garden of a Hundred Herbs], practices both the School of Medicine and School of Agriculture, gentle temperament, values life and development.

Xingjian, Visiting Professor at the College of Divination and Destiny, Divine Rank ??? (Suspected Great Divine Power), Domain unknown, holds a transcendent status, likes to observe "variables" and "possibilities."

"Visit them not to plead, but to 'petition' and 'discuss'." Lin Zhou instructed carefully. "Bring our meticulously prepared proposal: a detailed proposal for introducing the 'civilization concept competition' mode into the finals. The document should emphasize that this is not weakening the competition, but deepening its connotation; it is a deeper test of a 'deity's' essence—guiding civilization and controlling rules. At the same time, it's an excellent stage for Xuanyuan Hao to demonstrate the superiority of his Imperial Way at the level of civilization construction. We must convince them that such a change is conducive to showcasing Xinghai University's academic inclusiveness and ideological depth, and to stimulating students' deeper thinking about the development paths of Divine Kingdoms. Its long-term value far exceeds a military crushing whose result is almost predetermined."

Qin Qing quickly grasped the intention. "In the name of academia and Education, win the support of neutral professors and put pressure on the judging panel. Even if we can't directly change the competition format, we can greatly influence public opinion, making the call for 'valuing thought over brute force' soar, thereby... increasing the possibility that Xuanyuan Hao will agree to the adjustment under pressure or to maintain his 'magnanimity'?"

"Exactly." Lin Zhou nodded. "Third, the rule level. We need to carefully study the specific clauses, historical precedents, and possible loopholes or interpretive spaces regarding 'competition format adjustment' in the tournament rules. At the same time, prepare several alternative plans with different levels of compromise: for example, we can accept still retaining some 'military confrontation' segments but reducing their weight; or conducting the 'discourse on the Dao' and 'actual combat' in stages, with a point System determining the winner, and so on. In short, the bottom line is to reduce the proportion and decisive role of pure military confrontation as much as possible."

"Fourth, and most importantly," Lin Zhou's gaze swept across everyone, his tone incredibly serious, "we ourselves must be prepared for both possibilities. On one hand, fully promote the 'civilized struggle' plan; on the other hand, do not relax for a single moment in preparing for the 'martial struggle'! In case we still have to meet on the battlefield in the end, we must ensure we can hold out longer, create more variables, and even... be prepared to implement certain unconventional, high-risk tactics in the most extreme circumstances." A flash of determination crossed the depths of his eyes.

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts, understanding Lin Zhou's unspoken meaning. This was burning one's bridges while opening two fronts—one on the battlefield of rules and public opinion, and one on the real battlefield of blood and fire.

"Now, there are less than 65 hours until the finals." Lin Zhou glanced at the virtual clock. "Time is tight. Zhao Hao, I'll leave the public opinion front to you; act immediately. Qin Qing, Li Mo, come with me to visit the professors on the list overnight. Wang Meng, you stay at the society to coordinate resources and continue deepening the 'extreme survival' contingency plan we discussed earlier, especially for the complex environment of the demiplane."

He took a deep breath, as if to inhale all the pressure, uncertainty, and even that sliver of faint hope into his chest, transforming it into boiling motivation.

"This plan is a risky move, a strange move, and might even be seen as a 'cowardly' act." Lin Zhou's voice echoed in the military sandbox space that was about to close. "But it is the only path we can see right now that might turn an 'absolute disadvantage' into a 'relative disadvantage,' or even create a 'glimmer of hope'."

"We must start another War before the finals begin—a War over the 'right to interpret rules' and 'public opinion guidance.' The goal: force Xuanyuan Hao to either give up part of his military advantage and enter the 'civilized struggle' field that we are unfamiliar with, or face the public pressure of 'bullying the weak' and 'fearing ideological confrontation' to carry out a military crushing—in which case, even if he wins, it might not be a complete victory in terms of morality and reputation."

"Everyone," Lin Zhou reached out his hand, "for that less than 1% possibility, for our Way of the Hundred Schools to have a truly fair (relatively fair) chance to be displayed—let's give it our all!"

Four hands were heavily layered on the back of his hand.

Zhao Hao: "Let's do it! Playing dirty... oh no, playing with wisdom, who's afraid of whom!"

Wang Meng: "I'll listen to you! Just tell me what to do!"

Li Mo: "Leave the data and theoretical support to me!"

Qin Qing: "I will clarify the rules and procedures."

The cold light of the military sandbox was completely extinguished, and everyone's consciousness returned to reality.

Outside the deduction room, the night was deep, but the lights of Xinghai University were still bright. But beneath this brilliance, a silent shadow War that could determine the direction of the finals had already quietly begun.

Lin Zhou looked out the window at the cold bright moon, as if seeing Su Yueyao's calm eyes.

"Senior Sister Yueyao, 'subduing the enemy without fighting'... this time, let me use the wisdom of the School of Diplomacy to fight for a glimmer of light for the Way of Civilization."

He turned, leading Qin Qing and Li Mo, their figures quickly disappearing into the shadows of the corridor, heading swiftly toward the residence of their first target—Professor Gongsun Yan, Dean of the College of History and Civilization.