358: scorched earth

"Scorched Earth Strategy?"

"Exactly. Erwin isn't just releasing monsters; this is a sinister plot with multiple objectives."

He pointed to a large symbol on the star chart representing the Trisolarans' largest underground city.

"First, through some means, perhaps deception or coercion, he orchestrated the orderly evacuation of almost all Trisolarans from the surface into easily defensible and controllable underground fortresses, like 'Abyssal City.'"

"This left the surface almost a ghost town."

Then, his finger slid towards the markers representing the Nova People's strongholds and cities.

"Next, he unleashed these monster tides that were already out of control, or rather, in his view, 'conveniently' out of control."

"The characteristics of these monsters were designed, or evolved, to be extremely suitable for war. They swept across the surface, purposefully clearing out hostile life forms."

"Which is to say, us, the Nova People, Erwin's biggest competitors on the surface."

Kohl nodded thoughtfully, then continued Kane's line of reasoning: "This inference is logical. In this way, Erwin, without shedding a drop of blood, used the monsters to clear out the Nova People's forces on the surface."

"And our company, due to communication breakdowns and an unclear situation, would likely adopt a wait-and-see attitude initially, not immediately intervening on a large scale, which bought him valuable time."

"Not only that, he could also conveniently accomplish some things that were inconvenient to do openly." Kane brought up several blurry reconnaissance images of border regions, which showed some small Trisolaran settlements also being attacked by monsters, but the damage was far less severe than to the Nova People's strongholds.

"In the process of cleansing the surface, these monsters would also 'incidentally' eliminate internal opposition or fringe groups within the Trisolarans who might not have obeyed the evacuation order, or who were deemed 'unstable elements' by Erwin."

"A brutal internal purge was thus perfectly concealed."

The conference room was silent, save for the faint hum of equipment. This hypothesis was bold and cruel, yet it was tightly interconnected, explaining many perplexing phenomena.

"As for the last point," Kane finally pointed to the entrance of 'Abyssal City,' "Erwin sealed himself and his core ethnic group deep underground. He likely confidently believes that with the complex structure and defensive fortifications of the underground city, he can resist or even 'control' these monsters."

"He may already have a way to eliminate or even control these 'weapons,' or perhaps he is waiting for the monster tide to exhaust the Nova People's strength before emerging to clean up the mess and become the sole and ultimate ruler of Three-Body Star."

"He has turned the surface into a giant trap and gladiatorial arena, and we, the Nova People, are the gladiators forced to participate in this death game."

Kohl was silent for a moment, digesting this terrifying inference.

Judging by the current results, the entire speculation was quite reasonable and consistent with the intelligence the company had gathered from its reconnaissance of the Trisolarans.

Moreover, the monsters' 'relatively' lower destructive intent towards Trisolaran facilities was also very likely due to some residual identification mechanism or influence exerted by Erwin.

Kohl silently gazed at the flickering dots on the map, Kane's inference echoing repeatedly in his mind.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of some crucial information, he quickly operated on his data pad.

"President Kane, your analysis is brilliant, but I'd like to add a detail that we might have overlooked." Kohl's voice carried a hint of urgency. "Our company's intelligence analysis team once proposed a possibility, which at the time we considered extremely low probability, but now it seems it might not be a low-probability event after all."

"If they really intend to regain the initiative with this 'flood-like' method of washing over the world, then they should at least leave a channel to assess the external situation."

"If they truly know nothing, they can't just seal themselves underground for decades or even centuries, can they?"

"They have no satellites, no ground-based observation stations. How would they assess the effectiveness and progress of the 'Scorched Earth Strategy'?"

Hearing this, Kane suddenly had a bad premonition, and his face instantly turned pale.

Kohl seemed not to notice Kane's state, merely continuing to relay his own intelligence.

"Therefore, we have another speculation, though this possibility isn't exactly good news either."

"From the first time we discovered these monsters until our arrival at Base B-21 yesterday, we've noticed that the number, distribution, and frequency of monsters emerging from known Trisolaran underground facilities have begun to lose their regularity."

"Their sources of appearance have become scattered and random, as if the underground system has lost order."

Kohl took a deep breath and looked at Kane: "So, President Kane, the most terrifying possibility is that Erwin might not be hiding in a safe underground fortress, controlling everything."

"His plan may have already spiraled out of control, and the Trisolarans themselves have become victims, perhaps even... consumed by the 'monsters' they created."

"He and his people may already be trapped in the nightmare they themselves created. That act of 'harvesting' you Nova People might not be Erwin's command, but rather the uncontrolled 'entity's' instinctive need for its own growth and expansion."

"Perhaps it's not just you; in its eyes, we might just be another flavor of nutrient."

Kohl's words echoed in the conference room, each word striking Kane's heart like a heavy hammer.

Kane's face turned from pale to ashen. He slowly sat back in his chair, his hands trembling slightly.

This new possibility was even more terrifying than Erwin's conspiracy. A completely out-of-control, instinct-driven, devouring entity was far more unpredictable and difficult to counter than an enemy with a clear strategy.

If Kohl's inference was correct, then they were no longer facing a war, but a man-made extinction-level disaster.

He stood up and instinctively walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze sweeping over the defensive fortifications being hastily built outside Bastion City.

Those tall electromagnetic shield generators, automated turrets, and trenches seemed so fragile in the face of the potentially existing "thing."

"Mr. Kohl," Kane turned, his expression more solemn than ever, "I must admit, if the situation is truly as you say, then the Nova People are on the brink of despair. By our own strength alone, we absolutely cannot resist an entity capable of consuming its creators and viewing us as 'nutrients.'"

Kohl watched Kane quietly; he could feel the immense struggle the leader was experiencing internally. Allowing external forces to intervene in internal affairs was a difficult decision for any independent government.

Kane took a deep breath, as if having made up his mind. Political independence and autonomy were important, but if even survival could not be guaranteed, these would be meaningless.

He walked to the control panel, activated the official recording system, and looked solemnly at Kohl: "Mr. Kohl, as the head of the Three-Body Star Nova People government, I formally issue an urgent request for aid to you and the Interstellar Peace Corporation."

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly became even heavier. Several assistant officials exchanged worried glances, but they also understood that this was the only reasonable choice given the current situation.

"I request that your company immediately provide comprehensive military, technical, and intelligence support to assist us in dealing with this disaster that threatens the civilization of our entire planet."

"At the same time, I authorize your company, when necessary, to take all necessary measures, including but not limited to direct military intervention and tactical decision-making authority."