He pulled up the timing diagram of the battle, his fingers tracing through the air.
"Look here. The Wells Sub-Fleet attacked the Elvira Star System in three prongs. Conventional thinking would assume all three were genuine assaults.
But Qin Bei Wang saw through it. He judged the attack from Planet Agbag was a feint, but one concealing a lethal trap.
So he used a single cruiser as bait, forcing out the ambush force Wells had hidden behind the satellite."
"Now look here."
Wen Tingtao zoomed in on the data from the battle at the Seventh Jump Point.
"In the midst of completely blinding smoke, he was able to direct artillery bombardment with precision, achieving consecutive precision kills on five flagships.
Yang Shao wrote in his report that they later discovered Qin Bei Wang had pre-deployed two reconnaissance ships to shadow the Wells Fleet, using passive detection to track enemy vessel positions in real-time.
But here's the question:
How did he know Wells would definitely go to the Seventh Jump Point?
That's prediction, and an extreme one based on the enemy commander's psychology.
What puzzles me, though, is this.
Even in the chaos of battle, the quantum communications sent by those two reconnaissance ships could have been counter-detected by harmonic direction finders.
Ultimately exposing their positions.
Why would Wells allow those two reconnaissance ships to keep transmitting their locations!"
Du Jing looked at the analysis data, his expression growing serious.
"You're saying... this wasn't a coincidence?"
"Once is chance, twice is luck, three or four times..."
Wen Tingtao shook his head.
"That's capability. Battlefield intuition, psychological analysis, tactical execution capability.
This kid has it all. And at a frighteningly high level."
He paused, looking at Du Jing.
"What reward do you think a 22-year-old Lieutenant Commander who achieved such battle results deserves?"
Du Jing thought for a few seconds.
"According to convention, at least promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, awarding of a high-level combat medal, and possibly an honorary title.
But considering he's Marshal Qin's son, perhaps..."
"No."
Wen Tingtao cut him off.
"Don't consider whose son he is. Only consider what he did."
The Admiral stood up and paced a few steps in the Command Hall.
His gaze turned to the star chart of the Elvira Star System displayed on the main screen.
A major battle had just taken place there, but the war wasn't over.
Although the Empire had lost a sub-fleet, the pressure along the entire Ten Stone Starfield front remained immense.
"Who is currently in charge of the Elvira Star System?"
He asked.
"Colonel Yang Shao of the Iron Fist Sub-Fleet has temporarily taken over defense duties.
But according to the organization, there should be an independent squadron stationed there."
Du Jing replied.
"The original garrison fleet suffered heavy losses three months ago in the Blackstone Campaign. Its organization hasn't been rebuilt yet."
Wen Tingtao nodded.
He walked to the control console, pulled up the theater establishment table for the Ten Stone Starfield, and ran his finger over several vacant squadron commander positions.
Finally, it stopped at the column for "Elvira Star System Garrison Squadron."
Current Status: Pending appointment.
"Du Jing!"
Wen Tingtao turned, his voice decisive.
"Draft two orders.
First, promote Lieutenant Commander Qin Bei Wang, Commander of the Pluto Fleet, to Lieutenant Colonel in the Federal Starfleet, effective immediately."
Du Jing quickly noted it down.
"Yes!"
"Second!"
Wen Tingtao paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"Appoint Lieutenant Colonel Qin Bei Wang as the Elvira Star System Theater Commander, commanding all Federal military forces within that star system, including the rebuilt garrison sub-fleet.
Grant him independent combat authority, reporting directly to the Theater Command."
Du Jing's fingers froze.
He looked up, shock flashing in his eyes.
"Commander... isn't this promotion too rapid?
From a Sub-Level Fleet commander directly to a squadron commander, independently responsible for an entire star system theater...
He's only 22, and this was his first independent command in battle..."
"So what?"
Wen Tingtao countered.
"Alexander the Great ascended to the throne at twenty and began his eastern campaign at twenty-two.
Huo Qubing was enfeoffed as a marquis at eighteen and sealed Mount Langjuxu at twenty-one.
Age has never been the issue; capability is."
He walked back to the main screen, pointing at the star chart of the Elvira Star System.
"This system has three habitable planets, seven major mining sites, and two strategic-level shipyards.
The Empire spent three months and deployed a full sub-fleet trying to capture it, only to be crushed by a 22-year-old.
Who do you think is more suitable to defend it than him?"
Du Jing fell silent.
Wen Tingtao continued.
"And this isn't a reward; it's a test.
The Elvira Star System is now the front line of the front lines. Having lost so much face, the Empire will certainly counterattack with madness.
Whether Qin Bei Wang can hold it, whether he can continue achieving such results—that will be the true test of his ability."
He paused, his voice lowering slightly.
"If he can... then the Ten Stone Starfield will truly have produced a military star capable of changing the course of the war.
If not..."
"If not, the loss is only one star system."
Du Jing finished his sentence.
"But at least we tried."
"Right."
Wen Tingtao nodded.
"Draft the order.
Additionally, send an encrypted communication in my personal name to Qin Qianfan."
Du Jing looked up.
"Content?"
Wen Tingtao thought for a moment, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Write: Old Qin, your son is even crazier than you were back in the day.
But... it's a good kind of crazy."
The order was officially issued an hour later.
When the notifications of promotion and appointment reached the returning Iron Fist Sub-Fleet via quantum communication, the entire fleet's communication channels fell silent for a full ten seconds.
Then, they exploded.
On the bridge of the Kunlun Mountain, Qin Bei Wang looked at the refreshed military rank information on his personal terminal.
Starting from the Lieutenant Colonel entry, followed by a long string of new position and authority descriptions.
He simply closed the screen calmly.
He gazed out the observation window, where in the direction of the Elvira Star System, starlight shimmered peacefully.
Zhuang ZhiXuan walked to his side, her voice suppressing excitement.
"Commander...
No, Lieutenant Colonel Qin.
The Theater Command directly appointed..."
"I know."
Qin Bei Wang interrupted her, his gaze still fixed on the starry expanse.
He said calmly,
"This means the war has only just begun."
He turned and looked at all the officers on the bridge whose eyes were on him:
"Notify the entire fleet, change course. We are not returning to the Iron Fist Sub-Fleet's garrison."
"We are heading to Shiva Star."
"That is our home now."
Outside the window, the starship began to turn.
And in the distant Ten Stone Starfield Theater Command, Wen Tingtao stood before the observation window.
Gazing at the blue dots representing the Federation's control zones in deep space, the one marking the Elvira Star System had just been tagged with a new commander code.
Qin-BW.
Qin Bei Wang.
"Kid!"
Wen Tingtao murmured under his breath.
"Let me see just how high you can fly."
The starry sky remained silent.
But the gears of war had already begun to turn faster.