Ch.515The Madman Strategy Works Sometimes and Doesn’t Other Times (1)

And if they were just having a meltdown among themselves, that would be one thing.

But these crazy folks, whatever they were thinking, started openly requesting support from all directions.

—————————————–

Title: Need Help

Author: Anonymous

Content: [Verification.jpg of a user docked at Base B554]

We need your help to resist Icarus’s vicious dictatorship

Please support our effort to reclaim freedom in the Central Zone

Comments:

-[???]

-[LOLOLOLOL]

-[What the hell are these guys doing?lol]

-[They captured one Level 1 base and now they’re starting a rebellion?]

-[Well, the Central Zone needed something like this lol]

—————————————–

And they weren’t just vaguely asking for support like that—there were plenty of cases where they called people out directly.

On top of that, they weren’t just using the gallery, but actively trying to wage a public opinion war by utilizing all kinds of public chat rooms.

—————————————–

Title: Status of Icarus’s Rebels LOLOL

Author: Anonymous

Content: [Image.jpg of people openly requesting support from the “Central Base Alliance” or “Freedom Legion” clan in the public chat room]

Nothing’s happening with events so time to inject some dopamine~

No joke, they’re literally begging for support from everywhere

Looks like they’ll be asking the 4 major clans for help soon

Comments:

-[LOLOLOLOL]

-[This is hilarious]

-[They’re also asking regular users in the Central Zone for help]

-˪[Why would gold farmers help them??]

-˪[Exactly]

—————————————–

But in response to the desperate meltdown from the users of Base B554, most other users just shook their heads or laughed.

Some users did try to give the B554 users a piece of their mind…

—————————————–

Title: B554 friends, just give up and surrender quickly, that’s the best path;;

Author: FlameNippleProstatePleasureMan

Content: [Image.jpg showing B554’s location and territories of other nearby users]

You keep asking for support from other users nearby

The Central Base Alliance openly supports Icarus so that’s pointless

And of the major clans in the Central Zone, the three closest ones

Have no reason to help you guys

The only one with potential is the Freedom Legion clan who has reason to check Icarus

But they don’t have the resources to worry about Icarus LOLOL

Finally, most regular users in the Central Zone called nomads or raiders would rather plunder you than support you

Looking at what you’re doing, it seems like you’ve been manipulated by some weird propaganda and are now floundering

If I were you, I’d get on my knees and surrender right now, for real

They say they’ll be lenient if you surrender

Comments:

-[The content is so kind and helpful, but why is your username like that]

-[The username ruins everything]

-[But seriously, I don’t understand why they’re acting like this]

-˪[This is exactly the style of idiots who rush in thinking everyone else will join them]

-˪[There’s your answer]

-˪[What can I do if you answer your own question, gay]

—————————————–

Unfortunately, the users of Base B554 who had become our popular idols were in such a state of confusion that they couldn’t respond to each of these criticisms.

Especially “DatePalm,” the clan leader of the “Date Palm” clan, who had staged an uprising believing the rumor that “of course everyone will join us!” was in a complete state of panic.

—————————————–

<DatePalm-Alliance Chat Room>

-[Help us]

-[You said you’d help]

-[All our base defense fleets are destroyed, why aren’t you responding?]

-[Hello?]

-[You bastard!!!]

-[Hey!]

-[You fucking asshole!!!!](DatePalm)

—————————————–

Of course, despite DatePalm’s frantic messages, the Central Base Alliance wasn’t responding with even a single word.

Given that “trust” is fundamentally necessary for political maneuvering, this was truly incomprehensible behavior considering the Alliance’s usual attitude.

The already panicking DatePalm and the users of Base B554 were thrown into complete chaos upon realizing that the Base Alliance had “abandoned” them.

The Date Palm clan’s actions defied everyone’s expectations as they boldly proceeded with their insane plan.

The Central Base Alliance, witnessing what “true madness” looked like, was hastily cutting ties.

Of course, such abrupt distancing would likely severely hinder the Base Alliance’s future political maneuvering, but…

—————————————–

<Central Base Alliance Official Chat Room>

<Notice: Let’s Get Along Peacefully>

<Icarus has entered the room.>

-[We both know what’s going on, right?](Icarus)

-[Let’s pretend we don’t know anything?](Icarus)

-[Oh]

-[I don’t care if you operate internally or build your forces](Icarus)

-[But if you act like this time, it won’t be fun for either of us](Icarus)

-[Sure thing]

-[Date Palm clan? What’s that place?]

-[For real lol]

—————————————–

While each individual base was weaker than Icarus, together they formed essentially the strongest force in the Central Zone.

Seeing Icarus approach diplomatically with “let’s negotiate” rather than confrontationally…

The Base Alliance users put their heads together to deliberate.

They decided that stepping back through negotiation with Icarus was far better than helping the Date Palm clan, which had filmed UFC instead of performing WWE.

They accepted Icarus’s “offer they couldn’t refuse.”

And as expected from political masterminds…

—————————————–

<Central Base Alliance Official Chat Room>

<Notice: Let’s Get Along Peacefully>

-[By the way, it seems one of our gold transport convoys moving between our bases has disappeared, it would be terrible if someone picked it up]

-[For real lol]

-[<Coordinates of the gold transport convoy.jpg>]

-[Oops]

-[Hope we continue to get along well in the future]

-[Sure](Icarus)

—————————————–

They were subtly offering Icarus an indirect bribe(?), showing their in-ten-tion to “let’s get along well from now on^^”

And perhaps because all the strings they were holding suddenly dropped?

Looking at Base B554 where the Date Palm clan with their clearly broken mental state was located through the command center screen, I recalled all the forces I had deployed to pressure users back to the Tannhäuser.

“We just need the Leviathan Squadron to go in and unleash a full barrage.”

-“That would be spectacular.”

-“About 200 Jormungand-class and Ouroboros-class ships firing all at once—it would be an incredible sight.”

I was about to summon the Leviathan Squadron, which had been pressuring a settlement, to turn our Date Palm friends into dried date palms.

But at that moment.

“But Commander, do we really need to use the Leviathan Squadron to handle this?”

“Huh?”

While all the other Superhumans, even Berial and Tiamat who were experts in fleet operations, were in agreement…

Jessica, my Adjutant, suddenly expressed this unexpected opinion, making me wonder why she would say such a thing.

Of course, that question was soon answered.

“Commander, if you let the Leviathan Squadron finish this job… you might be called a ‘Leviathan Squadron one-trick’ by the other commanders.”

“…Tell me more about this.”

As I listened to Jessica’s explanation while receiving complicated looks from others, I began to think she had a point.