Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 1578: Chapter 894: The Meaning of a Meal

After initial contact, the Expeditionary Force and the Saints Battle Group reached a temporary agreement to establish a joint command.

Although the temporary agreement did not cover political or economic matters, a substantial military alliance between them had already been formed.

In this temporary agreement, the Alliance showed considerable respect for the Saints Battle Group.

After all, it is a newly formed group.

The joint command sees both sides collaborating, not extremely closely, but it can be considered a co-command.

On actual ground combat, both sides fight side by side, generally establishing who will take the lead in a specific direction or battle; it could be anyone from either side.

Initially, the primary role in ground combat fell to the Saints Battle Group and the Mortal Troops they organized—the Holy War Army.

After all, it was a home game for them; they were familiar with the situation on Guard Star and the enemies.

Once the Alliance forces descended, it was only natural that they should listen, learn with humility, as expected.

But soon, the leadership in combat shifted to the Alliance.

The reason was simply their financial power.

Often, being financially powerful means being able to fight effectively.

…

Raymond Vis listened to many frontline battle reports.

He never doubted the Alliance Army’s characteristic of being ’wealthy.’

Just look at their brand-new, beautiful warships, and you’d understand.

However, from his many years of inertia within the Human Empire, he lacked a concrete understanding of to what extent this so-called ’wealth’ actually extended.

Until one day, an event gave him a true and concrete sense.

It was while he was on his way to the front line, reinforcing a somewhat difficult battle.

He saw an Alliance platoon retreating from the front lines.

This platoon looked like a typical Alliance Army unit, fully outfitted in battle gear, with lightweight ceramic steel vests and helmets. They lacked Feedback-Type Power Armor, and there were only a few exoskeletons. About ten Heavy Bomb Machine Guns, two individual plasma beam cannons for position setup, fixed firepower. Five Hot Melt Guns, along with a military truck loaded with ready-to-use individual anti-armor rockets, high-explosive grenade launchers, and company mortars… in any case, the truck was loaded.

Raymond Vis didn’t feel envious at all.

So what? Our elite infantry battalion in the Holy War Army can have this setup too!

You say this is the Alliance’s disposable cannon-fodder company?

There is no such organizational title in the Alliance Army, don’t try to deceive me!

He could only comfort himself this way, seeking some mental balance.

What comforted him more was hearing several ordinary soldiers of this platoon complaining about food issues as he passed by.

They were cursing the logistics unit, calling them worse than pigs and dogs for making them, who were fighting hard on the front lines, eat this pig food for nearly half a month without any improvement!

Raymond Vis was not a bitter person and didn’t find joy in the Alliance soldiers having a rough time. But… he needed some balance, otherwise, the backbone of the Seven Star Corridor he proudly built, the Mortal Troops Holy War Army, wouldn’t seem too lacking, right?

But his joy didn’t last long, and his face even changed a bit.

He saw the ’pig food’ these Alliance ’cannon-fodders’ were complaining about.

It was a standard individual ration pack that included a self-heating meal pack containing high-calorie carbs like noodles/rice/white bread, sauces, meats, and vegetable jerky, ready to eat a minute after opening.

A snack, often sandwich cookies, small cakes.

Two meat cans, looking like some animal meat and seafood.

Additionally, there were various snacks like cheese sticks, candies, jellies, energy bars, chocolate bars, a bit random.

Quick supplements, with composite energy/vitamin/protein, a tube made a meal. Soldiers were too lazy to eat it unless during a battle when they didn’t even have time to use the ration pack, then they would take one go.

Besides, there were beverage packs, usually instant powders, tea, drink mix, milk powder, instant coffee… all sorts, instantly drinkable with water.

What could Raymond Vis say?

He recalled that since the start of the war, he had never eaten this well!

Interstellar Warriors were strong and consumed much more energy than regular soldiers at each meal. However, in terms of taste and variety, they were nowhere near as rich. It was probably just those composite energy bars, eating more of those, or simply heated synthetic starch blocks…

Of course, it wasn’t that he couldn’t afford it.

He was a leader, if he wanted to satisfy his appetite, why could he not do so? No matter how big of an eater an Interstellar Warrior was, it wouldn’t bankrupt them.

He didn’t value gourmet pleasures much and was determined to set an example, to share the same hardships with the lower soldiers.

This exemplary role had a little effect.

When ordinary Holy War Army soldiers were not full from eating synthetic starch, and they thought their leader, the Emperor’s Death Angel, this noble Living Saint, ate the same as them, perhaps their morale would be a bit higher?

Indeed it was so.