Chapter 773: To Fool the Opponent, You Must First Fool Yourself

Chapter 773: To Fool the Enemy, You Must First Fool Yourself

North Island Naval Command.

Hasty footsteps and murmured conversations intermingled, a bustling crowd, all in a flurry.

Ever since the Sandbar Island incident, the powder keg of the southern seas had been fitted with a fuse, now only awaiting a single spark to ignite it.

This "quiet" war had entered its most critical phase. The stakes on the table grew ever higher, both sides tensed to the breaking point, clutching their cards tightly.

Especially within the nerve center of the entire Federal Navy—many had been working overtime for a month straight. Charlas had even moved his office from the Presidential Palace to this very place, dumping all the trivial, inconsequential daily affairs onto the puppet vice president he had appointed.

No matter how poorly he governed, it wouldn't cost him the presidency. But lose the war, and everything would be gone. He knew well what mattered most.

Time dragged from September into October. In a few more days, the new destroyer would be launched.

It would be the newest and most advanced destroyer in Federal history. Though not enough to tip the entire war, it would at least add another chip to his hand.

Just as Charlas was patiently awaiting the moment for a decisive battle, a new twist suddenly emerged in the situation.

And it was tilting in the Federal favor!

The *Reef*, previously captured by the South Sea Alliance, suddenly sent a telegram. Not only did it reveal its patrol route and details about the South Sea Alliance, but it also expressed dissatisfaction with the Alliance's extreme distrust of its crew, along with a plea to return to the Federation.

Here, one must mention the South Sea Alliance's strategy toward this "captured vessel."

Due to a shortage of officers in the South Sea Alliance, there were no experienced sailors capable of fully replacing the *Reef*'s crew. Thus, the Alliance authorities retained 80% of the original complement, replacing the remaining 20% with their own monitors, who took control of the destroyer's communications, radar, and daily security.

For now, the *Reef* was under surveillance, like a blindfolded donkey, receiving operational orders from the Anle Island command without any say in the planning or any right to speak during war councils.

The lives and safety of every officer and sailor aboard the destroyer were not guaranteed. Even the "monitors" tasked with watching the *Reef* felt deep unease and resentment toward Commander Li Minghui's autocratic rule.

If they were to have a dictator, why not choose a stronger one?

Zhang Ruowen, still serving as captain of the *Reef*, successfully bribed a radio operator among the monitors and, during a shift break, sent this encrypted message to North Island.

Logically and emotionally, it made sense.

The captain of the *Reef* had not surrendered willingly; he had been captured by the Alliance's frogman unit. Though he still sat in the captain's chair, it was only out of necessity. It was only natural that he was not trusted.

If the Southern Alliance had any substitute officers capable of taking command, they would have replaced him without hesitation.

They might even have sent him to a military tribunal.

Of course, North Island Command did not immediately reply to the encrypted message. Instead, they waited patiently for a few days, confirming that the *Reef* was indeed patrolling along the route specified in the telegram, before making contact using the communication method mentioned.

In their exchanges, they discussed a series of operational details, including the rescue route and how to block pursuers, all to ensure the *Reef* could return intact to the North Island military port.

If this succeeded, it would undoubtedly be a massive morale boost for the soldiers and civilians of North Island!

Charlas personally orchestrated the entire rescue plan, scrutinizing every detail to ensure there were no mistakes.

Yet, just as the moment of action approached, a flicker of unease stirred in his heart. He turned to the staff officer standing nearby and asked repeatedly,

"Is the intelligence reliable?"

The officer replied immediately.

"It should be correct."

Charlas nodded, but his eyelid twitched ominously. He couldn't help asking again.

"Could it be a trap?"

"It should—" The officer was about to say "should not," but after being questioned so many times, he began to doubt himself. After a long pause, he said, "The possibility is very small."

Charlas suddenly said,

"So it's not impossible."

That was certain.

Even eating could choke a man to death, let alone such a complex operation.

"Yes." The officer nodded, staring intently at him, waiting for the order.

Charlas frowned, lost in thought, suddenly wavering.

Nothing had gone right lately.

First, they lost Sandbar Island, then the *Reef*. The entire North Federation was in a panic.

Worse still, the factions on the wasteland, which had previously kept to themselves, suddenly united. Word had it that even the natives of the Brahmaputra Province had gone to the Ten Peaks Mountains to join the fray. The situation for the Torch Church was growing increasingly unfavorable.

Though he didn't know how the war in the north was going, the flames had already spread to Haiya. No matter how one interpreted it, it was hard to see this as an advantage.

The Torch Church was stalling for time, trying to increase its strength in the southern seas to open a strategic path southward.

The same strategy applied to the South Sea Alliance.

Though their fleet was slightly weaker, they could still hold him back, maintaining the stalemate until the Torch war ended—then everything would naturally conclude.

The pressure in the south was entirely on his shoulders…

Even for his own sake, he had to help the Torch Church open a strategic path southward.

Just as he was about to make a decision, a thunderous voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Idiot! It's a trap!"

Alzu appeared abruptly beside Charlas, startling him.

Only he could see that pale golden figure. The others cast confused glances at him, wondering what had suddenly come over him.

Charlas snapped awake. A cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Close call!

He had almost fallen for it!

In truth, he should have realized it earlier. Even before Alzu spoke, he had vaguely sensed something amiss.

During the Sandbar Island landing operation, Captain Zhang Ruowen of the *Reef* had clearly refused to carry out his orders. Instead of bombing the settlement, he had dropped shells on the outskirts.

The mutants that had landed were caught in a crossfire by the Alliance's airborne troops, and an entire thousand-strong unit was annihilated.

That man had already set a precedent of defying his orders. How could he suddenly have a change of heart?

He feared the South Sea Alliance's military tribunal, but did he not fear facing his own wrath?

Seeing Charlas silent, Alzu, standing beside him like a ghost, spoke slowly.

"I planted a Sanctum in Zhang Ruowen… He has already sided with the South Sea Alliance. The so-called defection is just bait. They plan to lure your *Haiya* battleship out of port, then use their new equipment—a giant submarine capable of launching carrier-based aircraft—to sink it."

Sanctums were independent of one another, but when the network was active, they exchanged information beyond the host's control.

Just now, during the routine communication between the North Island military base and the *Reef*, he had sensed the message from the chip embedded in Zhang Ruowen—

The so-called defection was a trap.

The South Sea Alliance fleet was lying in ambush nearby!

Charlas narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting to Alzu.

"When did this happen?"

Alzu replied calmly, "Just recently."

Charlas pressed on, each word deliberate. "I'm asking—when did you plant a Sanctum in my officer's head?"

Facing that questioning gaze, Alzu gave a dry chuckle, a hint of mockery curling at the corner of his mouth.

"He was already an apostle of the Torch before the Federation fell apart... Why do you question me in that tone? And if I hadn't made preparations ahead of time, you and your fleet would have blundered like headless flies into the South Sea Alliance's trap. You should thank me for saving your life."

Charlas let out a cold laugh.

"I could have guessed it was a trap without your reminder."

"Oh?" Alzu smiled noncommittally, then vanished from before the command table without a sound, as if he had never been there.

A pair of eyes fixed on Charlas; all the officers awaited their leader's orders.

Reining in his turbulent emotions, Charlas cleared his throat, swept his gaze over the men standing before the table, and spoke in a slow, deliberate voice.

"This is a trap!"

A stir ran through the command room; the officers exchanged glances, sharing their astonishment.

"That possibility can't be ruled out..." The fleet commander stroked his chin, his expression growing grave.

The adjutant beside him nodded as well.

"I think so too..."

The very men who had been discussing battle details moments before suddenly made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, all agreeing there might be deception, and their analyses were reasoned and persuasive.

Seeing how swiftly they shifted, Charlas's brow twitched sharply, but he said nothing.

In his heart, he was clear-headed—this was a problem nearly every autocrat inevitably faced.

Once people were branded with the ideological stamp of "no dissent," they lost the ability to think in reverse. It was impossible to maintain a unity like worker bees while offering a different opinion from the queen on how to build the hive.

Even in matters of professional expertise.

Having become a dictator, he was doomed to hear only what he wanted to hear.

People would only echo his words, whether consciously or unconsciously, even in the "professional fields" where he hoped for differing views.

So when he said to save the Reef, even the most experienced officers dared not think against his direction—they only thought about how to save it, never whether it could be saved.

Fortunately, he realized in time, or he would have fallen into the enemy's pit.

"Should we abandon the Reef?" The commander looked at Charlas, cautiously seeking the boss's opinion.

Just as with the initial decision to save it, now "the Reef is a trap" had become the new indisputable truth.

"Abandon? Why abandon?" Charlas smiled faintly and continued unhurriedly, "To strike more conveniently, the South Sea Alliance fleet must be lying in ambush somewhere near the Reef, including that submarine capable of launching carrier aircraft mentioned in the intelligence."

The officers exchanged looks and murmured among themselves.

That was indeed possible.

Or rather, almost certain.

Scanning his subordinates, Charlas clenched his right fist and slammed it heavily on the command table, speaking excitedly.

"Gentlemen! This is a trap, but also an opportunity! The traitors in the south don't know that their tricks have been seen through—our dagger is already at their throats!"

"New operation plan, codename 'Aground'! To be executed simultaneously with 'Tropic Line'!"

"Reply to the Reef! Tell them we are ready! Have them proceed to the coordinates we designate for rendezvous!"

The officers snapped to attention and saluted.

"Sir!"

...

On the turbulent sea, a lone vessel slowly advanced northwest.

Zhang Ruowen suddenly felt that this ship was very much like himself, or that he was very much like this ship.

He didn't know where he was supposed to go.

This confusion deepened after Charlas's new declaration.

Over the past two hundred years, the survivors of the southern seas had done many things, but it all seemed futile—in the end, they were repeating the mistakes of two centuries ago.

The Federation was born in flames and fell apart in even fiercer flames.

They turned to the Torch because of their enemies' opposition, but that scorching energy burned them all.

So what was it all for?

"...Your confusion is normal. The root of all error lies in the human species itself. This is a physiological limit. Old humanity belongs only to Earth and is only fit to live on Earth. Fish wanting to go ashore must evolve limbs, but limbs alone are not enough to reach the distant stars—we still lack a transformation of our own life form."

A calm voice came from the depths of his sea of consciousness, like a gospel from heaven, granting him a moment of peace.

Zhang Ruowen glanced sideways at the old man standing in the captain's cabin and smiled faintly.

"Then why don't you simply abandon your flesh like your kind?"

He knew this man was high-ranking in the Torch Church.

And the only apostle who had obtained Sanctuary authority without becoming a Forerunner.

"That would be too extreme." Alzu shook his head and spoke slowly, "They rush to draw a line with humanity, putting themselves at a disadvantage. If it were me, I would use my human identity to maximize the recovery of old civilization's legacy, and then push for the final transformation."

If his method were followed, the Torch might not fool the Academy, but it could still deceive the Corporation.

The residents of Ideal City still felt some guilt about what happened a hundred and fifty years ago—otherwise, they wouldn't throw money at the wasteland or try to correct past mistakes.

As for the Legion, they could be bought with the technology the Velantians craved and promises of ruling the Great Rift. Even if the Eastern Expansionists failed, outside the Eastern Legion, a considerable number of Velantians still longed for "revenge" against the War Construction Committee.

Overthrowing the Great Rift and throwing off the shackles of their suzerain were also what the Free State desired—they could form a tacit community of interests, just like during the Bone-Chewing Rebellion.

Thus, no matter how hard the Alliance tried, they couldn't build the encirclement they had now.

But unfortunately, those Forerunners thought too highly of themselves, believing that "advanced ideas and concepts" would surely defeat the old, mistakenly treating what had not yet become history as historical inevitability.

And this was the result.

In the end, it fell to him, a human still retaining his flesh, to turn the tide.

Alzu sighed softly in his heart.

Thank goodness he had used a few tricks, or the situation would have been beyond salvage.

The other self on the chip should have warned Charlas by now; North Island should already know the whole operation was a deception.

The South Sea Alliance probably wouldn't imagine that the captain of the Reef was actually their own apostle. And that apostle probably wouldn't imagine that all his secrets were known.

The two were silent, each lost in thought, gazing at the surging waves beyond the bridge.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the corridor. The adjutant pushed open the door, saluted, and spoke with a grave expression.

"Reporting, sir! As you ordered, we have released the 'signal'... North Island Naval Base replied that they have received the request, and the destroyer Flying Fish is heading to the designated coordinates for reinforcement."

"Mm." Zhang Ruowen nodded. "Proceed with the plan as arranged."

The decoy plan was highly classified.

On the entire destroyer, apart from him, no one knew the codename "Laken" or that they were the decoy.

His close confidants only knew that he was defecting to the north, while most of the junior sailors didn't even know the ship had deviated from its patrol course, let alone that its movements were exposed to the North Federation fleet.

Everything was part of the plan.

Looking at the expressionless Zhang Ruowen, the adjutant hesitated slightly and spoke in a low voice.

"Commander..."

Zhang Ruowen said casually.

"What is it?"

The adjutant was silent for a moment before continuing.

"Is this... really appropriate?"

Zhang Ruowen looked at him, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"In what regard?"

"I don't think Charlas trusts you more than General Li Minghui... Once we return to North Island, we might receive a nominal welcome, but our actual situation could be even worse. Moreover..."

The adjutant hesitated, as if unsure whether this was something he should say.

But after a moment of silence, he finally gritted his teeth and voiced his thoughts.

"Moreover, I think... compared to Charlas, what the Southern Alliance advocates is what we truly need."

What they needed was not false reconciliation and unity, but genuine alliance!

Hearing this, Zhang Ruowen was silent for a while, as if waiting for something.

And just as the hour and minute hands aligned, he suddenly burst into two loud laughs, then said in a very soft voice.

"Not bad, this is good."

The adjutant was stunned.

"Good?"

Zhang Ruowen nodded, smiled faintly, and continued.

"You've started thinking about our future, that's good... Although I haven't figured out where to go yet, at least someone is thinking. Perhaps my confusion is only temporary."

Looking at the bewildered adjutant, he went on.

"The reason I chose Charlas is largely because I didn't know what to do anymore. Maybe a tough and somewhat capable fellow could think for everyone... At least he wouldn't be as indecisive as Mongo, or as noisy as our cabinet, arguing from dusk till dawn without reaching any conclusion."

"Maybe that guy isn't bad either... That's what I thought at first. Perhaps he could lead us to a brighter future."

"But then I suddenly realized... that was just my laziness and illusion. That fool is no smarter than any of us. The mistakes we make through quarrels, he makes them too, over and over again, silently."

I've heard that survivors from the southern seas have been gradually emerging, using the legacy of the prosperous era to change others in the wasteland, to unite more people.

If it were Charlas, he probably wouldn't allow them to do that.

That guy still dreams of establishing a vast maritime empire after dealing with the Alliance, using the biological technology provided by the Torch to rival the Legion, Corporations, and Academies, treating the survivors of the southern seas as chess pieces and bargaining chips in his game.

How petty...

Both in ability and ambition.

He's already the President of the Federation, yet he doesn't even dare to dream bigger!

Above their heads lies a vast sea of stars, but that guy can only see the pond beneath his feet.

If they followed him, they would never return to the places they had once set foot on!

A smile curled at the corner of Zhang Ruowen's mouth. He was immensely grateful that he had made the right choice at that moment—hesitating for two seconds when he received Charlas's order.

But seeing the smile on his face, the adjutant asked bitterly.

"Since you think Charlas is unreliable, are you still going to choose him in the end?"

He didn't agree with the commander's defection, but now it seemed too late to say anything.

The Reef had entered radio silence, cutting off all contact with the Southern Sea Alliance.

Even if Commander Li Minghui was slow to react, by now he should have realized the Reef had mutinied.

Only the North Island command post knew their position and course; they could only go down this path to the end.

At least, that was how it seemed to him.

"You only see the surface... It's normal to think that way," Zhang Ruowen said, taking out a telescope and looking northward. After a pause, he continued, "There's no need to keep secrets now... I can tell you clearly: we are just bait. A decisive battle codenamed 'Laken' has already begun!"

"Pass my order! The entire ship is to enter first-level combat readiness! Prepare to engage the vessels coming to rendezvous with us!"

As he expected, the adjutant's face showed a stunned expression, his eyes gleaming.

Including the other officers on the bridge, they were all caught off guard by the sudden change, never imagining that a routine patrol—or defection—would turn into the final decisive battle with the Northern Federation!

Except for one person.

That was Alzu, whom only Zhang Ruowen could see.

The latter's facial muscles gradually twisted into a sinister grin, like that of the sea beast Laken.

So that's it!

This guy was indeed pretending to surrender while actually leading the way!

He had finally shown his hand!

Before entering radio silence, he had already notified the North Island Naval Command. As long as these guys continued along their original route, waiting for them would not be the Flying Fish destroyer, but the Laken cruiser!

That was an anti-ship vessel specifically designed to counter destroyers!

Over the past century, what Vault 70 feared was not just the Legion that had overthrown the Construction Committee; what they truly dreaded were the survivors of the southern seas. To counter this, they had designed a series of mutually balancing weapons to prevent them from using Vault technology against the Vault.

Meanwhile, the Haiya battleship, under the cover of the Flying Fish and Defender destroyers, would simultaneously engage the Southern Sea Alliance's surface and underwater ambush forces!

No matter how formidable that submarine carrier and its aircraft were, they couldn't be a match for destroyers specifically designed for anti-submarine warfare.

Of course, if it surfaced, it would be even worse!

As for the Harpoon cruiser and the other two destroyers providing cover for the submarine, they were a joke in front of the Haiya battleship's main guns!

Alzu smiled as he looked at Captain Zhang Ruowen, only to find the latter staring back at him.

That expressionless face showed no ripple.

But then, Alzu noticed an unusual smile curling at the corner of that calm mouth.

This guy was smiling!

How could he still smile!?

Suddenly, Alzu thought of something, and his ethereal pupils contracted sharply.

Wait—

Codename Laken!?

The Southern Sea Alliance's bait plan was actually codenamed Laken!

This was no coincidence!

There was only one explanation: these people had been targeting the Laken cruiser from the start!

They had anticipated his and Charlas's predictions, calculated that Charlas would never trust the Reef, and even predicted that he, Alzu, could read the thoughts of the Apostle and leak the secret—even though the Torch had never revealed this to anyone!

Not even Charlas knew!

"I bet you're surprised now, wondering how I managed to keep the operation's codename hidden from you, right?" Looking at the smile that had shifted from ecstasy to fear, Zhang Ruowen said in a very soft voice.

Without severing the bond of consciousness, Alzu's Adam's apple bobbed. He slowly nodded.

Zhang Ruowen, unconcerned, continued casually.

“To fool the enemy, you must first fool yourself... To be honest, I only just learned the code name for this operation myself.”

“Impossible!” Alzu stared at him fiercely, only to mistakenly find that he was not lying.

A terrible conjecture surfaced in his mind, and along with it fell a bead of non-existent cold sweat.

Zhang Ruowen continued.

“You already know this is an ambush, so the one coming to ‘rendezvous’ with me cannot be another destroyer. Neither the Flying Fish nor the Defender is possible—that would take a while to yield results. Nor could it be a battleship... That fellow Charlas wouldn't risk his only treasure leaving the fleet's protection just to eliminate a single destroyer.”

“By that reasoning, it can only be the Laken. After all, you have explicitly declared that the ship coming to ‘rendezvous’ with me would be an anti-submarine destroyer, and since we are certain the plan hasn't been exposed, we would never let any submarine stay near the Reef—they would certainly be lying in ambush farther away.”

“In that case, even though the Laken's anti-submarine capability is weak, it would have ample time to turn around immediately after sinking us, rendezvous with your fleet lying in ambush nearby, and lure the surface and underwater fleets of the South Sea Alliance into your trap.”

If that were true, it would undoubtedly be a disaster.

The submarines of the South Sea Alliance were helpless against the destroyers of the North Federation, and the South Sea Alliance's only cruiser, the Harpoon, was no match for the battleship Haiya.

The entire battle would end as cleanly as rock-paper-scissors, without a shred of suspense.

Yet precisely because of this, they could turn it around and exploit it—using Charlas's prediction of the South Sea Alliance's prediction!

If he was not mistaken, at this moment a South Sea Alliance submarine must be lying in ambush nearby, already aimed at the 'Laken' that was falsely claiming to be the Flying Fish and approaching this area!

“Li Minghui did not tell me the code name for this operation, so all of this is my speculation. If the operation code name is actually Flying Fish or something else, then it proves I guessed wrong.”

Watching Alzu's terrified expression, Zhang Ruowen's gaze passed through that insubstantial face, looking out at the rolling waves beyond the bridge and the 'Laken' hidden behind them, a faint smile rising on his face.

“But your reaction tells me I'm probably right!”