Ch.425Central District is always chaotic. (1)

Of course, looking a bit further, there were other outposts of similar or higher levels.

Just about a week away by regular navigation in a battleship-class vessel, there was a level 8 outpost. And nearby that one was the Central Zone’s only level 9 outpost, surrounded by four level 3 outposts serving as escort fortresses.

But at this point, I learned about another minor feature that had been updated while I was away…

With nothing major to do, I was completing daily quests and browsing the gallery when I saw it.

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Title: Did you guys know? When user territories overlap, security fleets and outpost networks stop working lol

Author: I Want Kimchi Fried Rice

Content: [Image showing security fleets not patrolling where clan outpost territories overlap]

If outposts are close to each other like in a triangular zone with no other outposts between them, security fleets patrol around and form a kind of patrol route.

And that route needs to be connected for the gateway network between outposts to function.

But if it overlaps with another clan’s or user’s outpost territory route, the patrol fleets stop circulating and the internal gateway network gets disconnected.

And since it affects the other side too, it really sucks when it happens.

Comments:

-[How can routes overlap in three-dimensional space?]

-˪[They just do](Author)

-[How do you solve this?]

-˪[This was updated pretty recently, so the only solutions are exchanging outposts or taking out the other side]

-˪[Not easy](Author)

-[So what are you going to do? ㅇㅇ]

-˪[Our clan leader will have to figure it out](Author)

-˪[Oh]

-[But if someone creates a huge territory like that, wouldn’t all other users be screwed?]

-˪[No]

-˪[There must be a distance limit. If the distance is too far, it’s not a triangular zone but just three separate points](Author)

-˪[I see]

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“Hmmmm.”

As that gallery post showed, if I were to try to take that distant level 8 or 9 outpost instead of one nearby, the moment any of the numerous level 5 or lower outposts between us started sharing territories, their connection to this triangular zone would be cut off.

“So even if we take a new outpost, it would be hard to defend.”

“Exactly.”

Of course, once captured, the basic functions would be shared through the system, but to reach it, we’d have to teleport through Tannhäuser’s own gateway.

And the only forces that could travel that way would be the “main force” and “mercenary corps” under my direct control.

If a large number of users came rushing in, it would clearly be indefensible—essentially a pie in the sky. Besides, I didn’t have the military strength to take a level 8 or 9 outpost that was clearly stronger than Tannhäuser anyway.

“No matter how I look at it, I can’t capture a level 8-9 outpost with just the forces I can mobilize, right?”

“Level 9 is definitely impossible, and level 8 is probably too much as well.”

The orbital ring had increased the base’s overall performance and resource storage capacity, but…

“Honestly, our maximum resource storage capacity is only 32.5 million combined, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So even if we used all our resources, we could field at most 1.05 to 1.06 million ships for just one day? Maybe 1.1 million at most.”

“We can’t just use one day for a siege. In reality, we’d need to subtract at least 300,000 to 400,000 from that.”

“With only 600,000-700,000 mercenary ships and no special ships except yours, Commander.”

“It’s not going to be easy.”

As Jessica and I discussed, even if we gathered everything without thinking of the consequences, we’d have at most 1.1 million ships.

If we wanted to maintain a reserve for at least three days of siege, we’d actually be limited to about 700,000-800,000 ships.

“Plus, mercenary corps mostly consist of small ships, so they’re weaker than the forces commanders can mobilize.”

“Hmmmm.”

From what I’ve heard from clan leaders, though they don’t explicitly say it, when clans like Humanity or Justice captured level 8 outposts in the past, they brought most of their 20,000-30,000 users along with mercenary corps and faction delegations.

So for me to take a level 8 outpost with just my own strength…

“We’d need at least five times our current resource storage capacity.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

We’d need to field three times our current forces and have enough resources to last at least three days…

“This is impossible.”

“I think so too.”

After finishing our calculations, we cleanly gave up on any ambitions for level 8 outposts or higher.

Of course, there were still some level 1 or 2 outposts around, but…

“How many fleets do level 1 or 2 outposts have again?”

“For level 1, about 2-3 security fleets and 5 combat fleets?”

“That’s few.”

“Very few.”

Even if we captured them, they’d be difficult to defend in our current situation, and if the surrounding wolves got excited and rushed in, we’d just end up stressed out.

So for the time being, I decided to put aside any thoughts about capturing additional outposts, whether level 8 or otherwise.

==========

Aside from all that, after being dragged(?) along as a mercenary during Humanity’s Earth Federation coup, I was living a remarkably peaceful, idyllic life.

Especially since the “Leviathan Squadron” had settled comfortably within my territory and was busily making repairs in real-time.

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<Tanaba Triangular Zone Official Chat Room>

<Notice: Contact Icarus for outpost docking issues>

<Aragon has entered.>

-[Where can I see the Leviathan?]

-[Just give anyone about 100 gold and they’ll tell you]

-[Is this tourist touting?]

-[lololol]

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There were even tourist(?) users coming not to fight but simply to see the “super-large ships,” and naturally, following capitalist logic, some users had started charging gold for directions.

Seeing these realistic developments was oddly satisfying and helped pass the time, putting me in a relaxed state of mind.

And in the midst of this daily routine…

“Oh, Commander? About those Dimensional Causality Fixation Usage Rights.”

“Why bring up gacha tickets suddenly?”

“If you complete today’s daily quest, you’ll have exactly 150 of them. What would you like to do?”

“…Have they accumulated that much already?”

Between the previous event rewards and the perfect overlap of monthly, weekly, and daily quests, I suddenly found myself with 150 gacha tickets.

I was about to casually use them, but as I stood up to do so…

‘Wait, I’ll probably just get a bunch of resource boxes again.’

Thinking about it, I’ve never been particularly lucky with gacha, and the times I’ve actually gotten something good could be counted on one hand.

This time would likely yield just a bunch of resource boxes again, and I still remembered the “memory” of succeeding on the 9,980th attempt out of 10,000 reroll gacha last time…

‘…I won’t use these now. I’ll save them for later.’

Rather than wasting them needlessly, I decided to save them for when I might need emergency resources or equipment.

Of course, after making this decision…

“…Hmmmm.”

“What’s wrong, Commander?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

For some reason, I had this strange suspicion that the gacha would betray me in a different way.

It was just a small doubt that I could quickly dismiss, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

However, that feeling was completely erased from my mind just 2-3 hours later, when various incidents began to unfold in the Central Zone.