239: Chapter 239 Lu Chen Demands a List of Blueprints! The North Star as Bait

Most of the static noise in the communicator had cleared up.

Cheng Zheng's voice came through the speaker, carrying a metallic rasp.

"City Lord Lu, Forge had me arrive first not just to pass on a message."

Lu Chen didn't bite, waiting for him to continue.

"The Vanguard Formation's three lv.3 fortresses are under your command from now on."

Cheng Zheng showed his hand immediately.

"Forge's original words: Polaris's radar is the only set of eyes on this wasteland. Where the eyes look, the barrels point."

Zhou Yuan hissed next to him, unable to hold it in.

Zhao Tiezhu's hand rested on his knee, his knuckles tightening and then slowly relaxing.

"Under my command."

Lu Chen chewed over those words.

"What are the limits of this command?"

"Fire support and positioning—you call the shots."

Cheng Zheng answered crisply.

"But the internal affairs and personnel safety of the three cities are my responsibility. Simply put, you manage where to hit, and I manage how we survive."

Understood.

Lu Chen picked up a pen and began writing in his notebook.

Firepower command of the Vanguard Formation belongs to Polaris.

"Cheng Zheng."

"Here."

"Report the ammunition counts for your three lv.3 fortresses."

There was no immediate reply, only the sound of rustling paper.

"Iron Spear: six 180mm main guns, 40 rounds per gun, total 240 rounds. Twenty-four medium-caliber rapid-fire guns, 300 rounds per gun."

"What about the Starbreaker and the Lava?"

"Same configuration, same ammunition count. Total for the three: 720 180mm main gun shells, 21,600 medium-caliber rapid-fire shells."

Lu Chen filled the numbers into a table.

Seven hundred and twenty 180mm shells.

This firepower projection, for the lv.3 fortress level, could be considered top-tier.

"Range."

"The 180mm main guns have an effective range of 12 kilometers and a maximum range of 18 kilometers. The medium-caliber rapid-fire guns have an effective range of 6 kilometers."

Twelve kilometers effective range.

Polaris's radar coverage was eight kilometers.

There was a four-kilometer blind spot in between.

"What about your own radars?"

Lu Chen asked.

"Standard lv.3 configuration, 6 kilometers."

Cheng Zheng answered honestly.

"Two kilometers shorter than yours. That's why Forge said to let you be the eyes."

Six-kilometer radar paired with twelve-kilometer main guns.

Lu Chen broke down the math.

"How do you usually handle beyond-visual-range combat?"

"Relying on forward Observers."

His voice carried a hint of self-deprecation.

"We send out scout vehicles, use visual rangefinding, and report coordinates via communicator. It's a crude method, but it works."

"No need for crude methods now."

Lu Chen made the decision.

"My radar is 8 kilometers, your guns are 12 kilometers. I'll provide coordinates, and you fire. The four-kilometer gap will be filled once the Main Formation's Observer arrives."

"Got it."

Cheng Zheng responded readily.

"How should we set up the formation after taking our positions?"

"Forge gave a general framework."

The sound of unrolling blueprints came from Cheng Zheng's end.

"The three lv.3 fortresses will spread out south of the Rustwind Wasteland, two kilometers apart, in a fan shape facing north. Your Polaris will stay stationary next to The City-State, and we will deploy five to eight kilometers south of you."

"Five to eight kilometers."

Lu Chen visualized the terrain in his mind.

"If Iron Hoof presses down from the north, the first things they'll hit are The City-State and Polaris. You being five to eight kilometers behind means you're essentially the second line of defense."

"Correct."

"Then Polaris is the vanguard."

"Forge's original words were: bait."

Cheng Zheng didn't mince words.

"The intel reported back by Iron Hoof's scout vehicles only includes The City-State. When their main force presses in, their first round of fire will target The City-State. You'll be tucked in The City-State's shadow; once they finish the first round and reveal their formation, we'll strike from behind."

Lu Chen didn't respond.

Only the hum of the ventilation fan remained in the Cockpit.

"Cheng Zheng."

"Here."

"The message Forge had you bring: 'The guns are already on the way.' Does 'guns' refer to the 720 180mm rounds of your three lv.3 fortresses, or the hardware of the Main Formation behind you?"

"Both."

Cheng Zheng answered vaguely.

"But Forge specifically meant the Furnace. That lv.4 fortress is equipped with two 300mm Siege Cannons. Effective range is 25 kilometers. One shot can tear through a lv.3 fortress's front wall from end to end."

300mm Siege Cannons.

A range of 25 kilometers.

Lu Chen circled those two numbers with his pen.

"When will the Furnace arrive?"

"The main force will be in position by 8 or 9 PM. The Furnace is in the Main Formation, traveling with the Observer."

"Good."

Lu Chen set the communicator on the table.

"Cheng Zheng, keep the direct communication line open. From now on, I'll give you a radar status update every ten minutes. If there's an anomaly, report it immediately."

"Copy that."

"One more thing."

"Speak."

"Forge promised me that the reward for participating is the core weapon blueprints. You know about this, right?"

There was a pause on the other end.

"I know."

Cheng Zheng lowered his voice.

"Forge instructed that after the battle, he'll discuss the blueprints with you personally."

"Don't wait until it's over."

Lu Chen leaned back.

"After the main force is in position tonight, I want to see the list first."

"This..."

"Just pass it on to Forge."

Lu Chen cut him off.

"When the main force arrives around 8 or 9 tonight, I want a list of the blueprints. After I see the list, I'll decide Polaris's specific role in the Joint Strike."

The communicator went quiet, leaving only the hiss of static.

Four or five seconds passed.

"I'll pass it on."

Cheng Zheng accepted the task.

"Good. Keep the direct line open."

"Keeping it open."

The communication switched to standby.

Lu Chen leaned back in his iron chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

Zhou Yuan leaned in, his voice extremely low.

"City Lord, negotiating terms with Forge at a time like this, will it..."

"It won't."

Lu Chen cut him off.

"Forge knows better than anyone that Polaris's radar is the lifeblood of his plan. Without my 8km radar, his three lv.3 fortresses are just firing blind. If I don't negotiate now, and he goes back on his word after the battle, who am I going to complain to?"

Zhou Yuan opened his mouth but swallowed the rest of his words.

Zhao Tiezhu spoke up gruffly from the side.

"City Lord, is this Cheng Zheng guy reliable?"

"Whether he's reliable doesn't matter; what matters is the alignment of interests. His guns need my eyes, and my Degradation needs his guns as a shield. In this deal, neither side can afford to lose the other."

Lu Chen opened his notebook and began writing on a new page.

After writing the last word, he looked up at the panel.

Three light dots to the south were advancing steadily, their signal strength rising.

The north remained empty.

"Zhou Yuan."

"Here."

"In the next announcement, add the news of the Dawn Vanguard Formation's arrival. While sending it to Forge, CC Lin Xiao."

"Okay."

"Zhao Tiezhu."

"Here."

"Go over the Reconnaissance Platoon's equipment one more time tonight. The plan to depart on the evening of the 72nd day remains unchanged. But if signals appear in the north tonight, the departure time moves up."

"Understood."

Lu Chen picked up his thermos and shook it.

Empty.

He set the cup back and focused on the panel again.

3:52 PM.

The allied forces to the south were getting closer.

The enemy to the north was still in the shadows.

He added a line at the bottom of the notebook.

Main force in position at 8 or 9 PM tonight; request blueprint list at the same time.

He moved the pen down half an inch.

Degradation countdown: 72 hours.