Dealing with the Skyhawk Royal Court couldn't be approached the same way as before—blazing through with overwhelming force. Not because it was impossible, but because it was inadvisable.
Within the Skyhawk Royal Court, the Hu tribes held absolute supremacy. In the territories under their control, the Hu were revered, while descendants of Yan and Huang and other human races were enslaved. The law of the strong ruling over the weak was ruthlessly enforced.
If the population of the Skyhawk Royal Court numbered ten billion, then at most one billion were of Hu descent. The remaining nine billion were of Yanhuang bloodline. Once war began, the safety of those countless human civilians would be at immense risk. The Hu weren't like other alien tribes with any scruples—they ate humans and had long lost all traces of humanity. Their rationality could not be judged by common sense.
This time, the mission wasn't about total destruction but rescuing the human population on Skyhawk Island, bringing hope rather than despair. In the process of conquest, they had to do everything possible to ensure the survival of the innocent civilians on the island, rescuing as many as possible.
Therefore, recklessness was not an option.
Fighting against fellow humans was more dangerous than fighting aliens. The human heart was the most unpredictable, the most complex.
"Now that Golden Scale City stands firm here, it means our Great Yi Dynasty has established a foothold on Skyhawk Island. As long as we activate the teleportation array, we can continuously dispatch legions here. However, how to rescue the other human civilians as efficiently as possible still requires careful planning," said Yi Tianxing.
The situation on the island, according to what Golden Scale had reported, was even more dire than previously believed. The Skyhawk Royal Court had been frequently mobilizing troops lately, seemingly preparing for something big. If that was true, it wouldn't be anything good.
"Your Majesty is right to be cautious," said Zhuge Liang, "If we appear too aggressive, they'll likely retaliate by threatening those civilians, or even use them as hostages. That would put us in a dilemma. More importantly, we can't let the Skyhawk Court realize our true intentions at the start. We must proceed carefully."
If the Skyhawk Royal Court became alerted, the situation would spiral out of control, plunging billions into catastrophe.
"If we could somehow extract those civilians beforehand, the entire situation could be turned," said Zhou Yu after a moment of reflection.
Easier said than done. A surprise attack might save some, but once the alarm was raised, the rest would fall into peril. It was nearly an unsolvable dilemma.
"Think of it as a war—a different kind of war. If direct confrontation isn't viable, why not try a flanking maneuver? If we manage our strategies well, it's not impossible to rescue the civilians from Skyhawk's rule," said Jia Xu, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"To save the civilians, we can't rely on open tactics—we'll need a devious strategy. If we could lull all the Hu into a dream-like sleep, we could rescue the civilians without alerting anyone," Xu Shu proposed.
He thought of the Nightmare World, a mysterious power of dreams capable of silently invading the mind.
If everyone on Skyhawk Island could be put to sleep, rescuing the civilians or even wiping out the Hu would be trivial.
"Impossible," Yi Tianxing immediately shook his head. "Though I do have the means to induce dreams—using the Cloud Dream Illusion Butterfly—it's unfeasible to put an entire nation under sleep. Especially against a Destiny Dynasty, whose qi fortune protects them in unpredictable ways. Even a great sage wouldn't dare make such a claim."
"Still, it might not be as impossible as it seems," said Zhuge Liang. "If we focus on specific strategies, the problem might be solvable."
"We're listening, Master Zhuge," said Yi Tianxing eagerly.
"I have a plan that could at least rescue some of the civilians. While not a complete solution, it should be effective," Zhuge Liang said. "The Hu view human civilians as tools and property—nothing more. That means we might be able to purchase them. Slave trading was common in ancient times. As long as we offer them benefits they can't refuse, they'll be tempted."
To the Hu, the human slaves were of little value. But if they could be traded for crystal coins and rare goods, they would be eager to do so—perhaps even competing for the opportunity.
"We don't mind spending some money. After all, once we conquer the Skyhawk Court, we'll reclaim everything," said Yi Tianxing, though he noted, "Still, this will only let us rescue a portion of the people."
"It's a start," Jia Xu interjected. "But I have another plan—one that could break Skyhawk from within. I call it: Operation Falcon Hunt (猎鹰计划)."
"Tell us more," said Yi Tianxing, eyes lighting up.
"The grassland tribes love to drink. They celebrate with alcohol every day. So why not sell them alcohol? Then..." Jia Xu began to lay out his plan.
Everyone listened in awe, their hearts racing.
"Alcohol is just the first step. Next, we can implement dream infiltration methods…" Jia Xu continued, explaining with calm confidence.
"The Skyhawk Court is a coalition of tribes, many of which don't get along. If we stir up internal discord, their qi fortune will weaken," Zhuge Liang added.
Soon, Xu Shu joined in with his own ideas. The top strategists, using the intel they had, began mapping out the Skyhawk Court as if it were a chessboard. Plan after plan was refined until one comprehensive operation emerged:
Operation Falcon Hunt — a strategic blueprint to destroy the Skyhawk Royal Court and rescue as many human civilians as possible.
"Good. As of today, Operation Falcon Hunt officially begins. While we dismantle the Skyhawk Royal Court, rescue every civilian we can. Of course, if we fail to save them, then we ensure the Hu pay the price. One of the iron laws of the Great Yi's conquest: We do not yield to threats. Blood for blood."
Yi Tianxing made his decision with firm resolve.
If civilians became hostages, Great Yi would not be coerced. There would be only one response: kill, kill, kill—with blood to repay blood. At that point, mercy was no longer an option.
Kindness has no place in warfare. Only iron and blood can conquer.
Operation Falcon Hunt was not disclosed publicly—only the highest ranks were aware.
The army made camp.
The next day, the teleportation array was activated.
Suddenly, Xue Jin, He Shen, and other key economic officials stepped through the portal. Most were skilled merchants. After formalities, they boarded the skyships—each one still guarded by ten thousand soldiers.
Large quantities of rare treasures and luxuries from the Great Yi Dynasty were loaded aboard. The skyships' flags were changed.
The new banners bore the emblem of a wandering bird and the bold ancient script:
"Commerce Across All Realms (商通万域)"
Anyone who saw it would know—it was a merchant vessel.
"Step One of Operation Falcon Hunt: Trade with Skyhawk and Rescue the Civilians," Jia Xu said calmly, watching the skyships lift off.
Unless someone specifically investigated, no one would know these ships belonged to Great Yi. The presence of military guards could be excused—in an unstable Eternal World, protection was a must.
Soon, fifty skyships set sail in different directions—not directly toward the Skyhawk capital, but scattered across the island.
If they were merchants, they had to begin with trade—targeting other non-Hu tribes first, gradually showing their value.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The blue skyships appeared all over Skyhawk Island.
With their arrival, the entire island—erupted into a frenzy.