"Welcome Captain Griss to the official live broadcast room. We will conduct a post-battle interview with Captain Griss. Captain Griss, please greet everyone!"
Having just returned to base, Griss shook his hand with a troubled frown.
The host immediately took over the camera, "First, let us observe a moment of silence for the warriors of the Empire who sacrificed themselves in this battle... Captain Griss, we want to know, how do you view this war against the Insect Race, and has the casualty rate exceeded your pre-war estimates?"
"Yes," Griss sighed, "At this moment, I’m not in the mood to answer too many questions, I’m only here to clear up public doubts because my superiors required it."
"Yes, Captain Griss, I can understand how you feel."
Griss rubbed his brow, his expression still showing an unshakable fatigue.
"The casualties were mainly concentrated in the space battle. The firepower of the Fourth Rank Insect Swarm was fierce, and they had also arranged ambushes, erupting in sudden attacks on airborne units at critical moments, leading to the destruction of some small and medium-sized warships with weaker defenses... That was the main source of our losses.
"On the ground, learning from the experience of Zubin Star, we upgraded our firepower several scales when building our positions.
"When the Spearhead Team broke through later, they also encountered considerable resistance. Although we managed to open the underground passages, the relentless waves of insects launching surprise attacks from all sides made our advance very difficult."
The reporter immediately said, "Does that mean if it weren’t for the timely arrival of the White Ghost, we would have suffered even greater losses?"
"Yes, it cannot be denied, but..."
The reporter said, "We are still relying on the White Ghost, aren’t we?"
"Let me finish, I said ’but’," Griss interjected, "You must respect every aspect of this battle, every Empire soldier who participated in the fight and in support."
"Oh, Captain sir, I absolutely meant no disrespect!"
"Then let me finish what I was saying!"
Griss’s gaze grew stern, and the reporter immediately gestured for him to proceed, shrugging helplessly towards the director off-camera.
Griss took a deep breath and continued:
"The White Ghost is the sharpest point of the Spearhead, but without a hilt, without the Spearhead itself, without the arm wielding it, even he could not confront such a large number of the Insect Swarm.
"So, the establishment of the landing point, the construction of the downward passage, and the enemy firepower drawn away by my comrades, are all external reasons why the White Ghost could strike decisively.
"Of course, I must say that with the White Ghost joining the fight, the pressure on the Spearhead Team was greatly reduced. In the final moments, it was he who carried the Energy-Gathering Bomb, stuffing it into the mouth of the Mother Worm, which I think you all saw in the live footage.
"The White Ghost is the hero of this battle, destined to shine dazzlingly, capable of gaining the recognition of most of the public. The other sacrifices and participants are also heroes; they all gave everything to protect the interests of the Empire’s citizens."
"Captain Griss, there is another question of high concern on the internet," the reporter asked, "We’ve suffered such massive casualties and expended so many ships just to protect an uninhabited Administrative Star. Was it really worth it?"
"This is a basic common sense question," Griss retorted:
"Though soldiers only need to follow orders, I still can’t help but ask back.
"The average population of the Empire’s main Administrative Star is 1.2 billion. How many resources does an Administrative Star with a population of 1.2 billion consume in a hundred years?
"Having ample resources ensures that the citizens can live happily, which is the key to national stability and the effective functioning of the entire social system.
"This Administrative Star is extraordinarily valuable. Not destroying it directly is also to protect these resources. Though the Empire’s territories are vast, the population is the largest in the Milky Way, and the amount of resources available for future use is not too high.
"Is there anything to be puzzled about with such a problem? In the history of human warfare in the Galaxy, most wars have been fought over resources. Those idle nitpickers should not, on the one hand, enjoy the good life brought by abundant resources, while on the other hand, question the warriors who create this life for you!
"This is a war against the Space Worm Clan, where it’s a fight to the death!"
"Alright Captain Griss, I think everyone has heard your heartfelt words."
The reporter adjusted his posture slightly and asked softly:
"Then, regarding the War against the Insects that ended six hours ago, is there any moment that deeply impressed you?"
Griss thought carefully for a moment, a hint of a sigh crossed his lips, and a flicker of memories appeared in his eyes.
"The most memorable part, I suppose, must be before the White Ghost appeared when the situation had already become extremely critical. Three Spearhead Teams were at risk of being buried underground at any moment..."
Underground combat for the Spearhead Team was a hundred, a thousand times more complex than surface combat.
The Insect Race had already hollowed out the underground; the first wave of bombings created a large number of voids underground, and the area above where the Mother Worm was located had extensive crustal collapse.
The pathways created by the vanguard were not vertical to Mother Worm’s location; not every region was suitable for deploying combat formations, with some of the passages so narrow that only three people could pass side by side.
Heavy firepower could not be brought to bear, and all three Spearhead Teams had to rely on squad combat capabilities to break through the defensive web organized by the insect swarm below.
The first third of the assault went relatively smoothly, and the resistance they met was not intense.
But when they tapped into the rocky corridors the Insect Race had opened underground, the swarm immediately became alert. Large insects blocked the passages, and a bizarre variety of bugs launched surprise attacks on the Spearhead Team.