CHAPTER 880: CHAPTER 880: DEMONS DANCE IN CHAOS

Snake State, Battle Zone Command.

Upon hearing the triumphant news from Tiandu, Shaluk’s mouth hung wide open in disbelief.

After a moment, he paced to the window, pulled out a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and muttered under his breath.

"Damn... Absek really managed to hold it."

Originally, in his expectations, Tiandu City could not be defended. The turning point in the battle would be when the Southern Legion’s airships dispersed, which is why he hurried off to prepare in the south.

Unexpectedly, the Southern Legion was strong on the outside but weak within, five airships were entirely captured by the Alliance, and nearly a hundred thousand troops were pushed back a hundred kilometers, returning to the bend of the river.

After pondering for a long time, he threw the tissue into the trash and made a resolute decision.

"Damn... we need to move north!"

From Snake State north to Wolf State, then advancing from the northwest corner of Wolf State to Lion State.

In this way, a third front would be opened. This way, when the battle is over, he, as the "Horse King," wouldn’t have been idle the whole time, avoiding a reputation of passive combat.

A sudden idea struck him, and Shaluk immediately picked up the phone on the table, ordering.

"Get Zayed for me."

Over a month ago, that fellow named Zayed came with the Grey Wolf Army from Horse State to Snake State, with the title of Snake State War Zone Commander hanging over his head.

Can one state tolerate two commanders?

Shaluk could tell at a glance that this was Absek’s dissatisfaction with his desertion, sending a piece of cannon fodder to knock him into shape.

The reason it’s called cannon fodder is mainly because he had never seen this person before, clearly not a part of Absek’s loyal faction; even if he died, the latter wouldn’t be heartbroken.

However, precisely because of this, even if he killed the man, Absek wouldn’t necessarily turn against him.

This was like a move of casting stones to ask for directions.

However, interestingly, it seemed that Absek’s judgment has always been off.

The previous Anvo made sly maneuvers behind his back, and this cannon fodder is even less willing to be a sacrificial pawn. Upon arriving in Snake State, he held his hand, first expressing his admiration for him, then voluntarily relinquishing the title of commander.

This series of actions amused Shaluk, especially after Zayed detailed Absek’s incompetence and then promised to assist him in becoming the great leader.

Although Shaluk didn’t believe he had this ability, he did appreciate his skill in persuading the Grey Wolf Army.

This guy could talk well, not exactly fit to be a general, but suitable as a courtier.

Moreover, to irk Absek, he immediately gave Zayed an advisory title—posing the question of whether it infuriated him that the person sent to knock him had become his aide.

And Zayed took this advisory title quite cheerfully.

Later, Shaluk kept him by his side under surveillance and sent Gopal and the other Grey Wolves to the northern part of Snake State, essentially placing them under house arrest.

This development reached a conclusion at this point.

However, the sudden triumphant news from Tiandu reminded him of Zayed, the "Snake State War Zone Commander."

Soon enough, a gentle knock came at the door, and then Zayed walked in from outside.

"General, you called for me?"

Looking at Zayed at the doorway, Shaluk cleared his throat and said in a serious tone.

"The frontline situation is urgent. Now that the entire Poluo Province is resisting the armies, us remaining inactive isn’t right. It was previously impossible due to circumstances, but now that conditions allow, I plan to form a field army to head to Lion State for battle."

"With your capabilities, being an advisor is beneath you, you should be showcasing your talent on the battlefield. Let’s have you take Gopal and the Grey Wolves, and I’ll give you another fifty thousand men. Ensure that our flag is planted on the head of Lion City!"

Using someone else’s troops to achieve his own goals, the more Shaluk thought about it, the more he felt he was a genius!

Winning or losing didn’t matter.

As long as these Grey Wolves fought fiercely enough against the army, no one could say he didn’t make an effort.

However, Shaluk was unaware that his little schemes were already clearly seen through.

Zayed could tell exactly what was on his mind but didn’t rush, merely smiling lightly.

"General, please be patient, I understand your patriotic fervor eager for release, but it’s not yet time for you to move north."

Seeing this guy resisting, Shaluk raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly as he spoke.

"It’s not that I’m impatient, it’s just that the frontline situation is treacherously changing. I’m afraid that if we wait any longer, it would be too late. Could it be Zayed is scared? In my army, cowardice is punishable by bullets."

Amidst the provocations and threats in his words, Zayed remained unmoved, smiling calmly.

"You’re joking, General. When I was in West Sail Port, I was alone facing the army without fear, so why would I fear now after gaining an advantage?"

Shaluk responded with a sarcastic laugh, unmoved on the surface, but with an increasingly cold glint in his eyes.

So much for being alone.

Weren’t the one or two thousand who died back then people?

Didn’t they say you lost your shoes running?

Nonetheless, he didn’t expose the truth.

An elephant has no need to argue with an ant; it would be easy for him to crush this guy.

Sense the murder intent from Shaluk, Zayed hastened his speech a bit, continuing.

"General, are you aware of how long the Eastern Legion’s eastward expansion faction has been fighting the Grand Canyon?"

Shaluk frowned and said.

"I don’t know... I know the Eastern Legion, but what’s this Expansionist Faction?"

With a calm demeanor, Zayed explained.

"...The Expansionist Faction is a niche political force within the Eastern Legion, and they’re not a significant power. They’re dedicated to expanding into the eastern parts of the Great Desert, which the Eastern Legion cannot control. To make an inappropriate analogy, if we compare the Eastern Legion to Poluo Country, then the Expansionist Faction is like the Family Meeting and the Gray Wolf."

Shaluk was stunned by the words, then burst into laughter.

"Your analogy is quite amusing."

Seeing that his show of weakness had an effect, Zayed smiled slightly and continued.

"Without support from the Eastern Legion, the Expansionist Faction gathered an army of a million, crossed tens of thousands of kilometers on an expedition, and only after a whole year of conflict with the Grand Canyon did they reach a conclusion. The ripple effects of that war are still being felt to this day."

"In contrast, the Southern Legion, while having factions internally, does not have the same clear divisions in their war against us as the Eastern Legion does."

"You can imagine that even a dog raised by a legion faction can have a hard time dealing with the remnants left by the War Construction Committee... Now the actual division of the legion has taken action, is there any chance this war will end so quickly?"

Shaluk’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"You mean... this war will drag on?"

His biggest fear was that the war would end too quickly, leaving him with no presence.

But if Zayed’s analysis was correct and the war would indeed drag on, then wading into these troubled waters now would be inappropriate.

His troops were supposed to play a decisive role, not just add fuel to the fire.

"Certainly," looking at the flickering eyes of Shaluk, Zayed patiently continued, "The Alliance will not be satisfied with a victory in a localized battle, and the Southern Legion will not concede a defeat in a localized battle either."

"The latter will continue to mobilize, and their mobilization has only just begun. The former will also continue to mobilize their allies, especially those on the East Coast."

"The scope of this war will not be limited to Poluo Province; it will extend to the western parts of the Great Desert, and to the colonies and even the homeland of the Southern Legion... And this war will not end with the fate of the survivors in Poluo Province, but will ultimately affect the majority of survivors on the Wasteland."

"The Alliance and the enterprises must have reached some kind of agreement. They want to eliminate all hidden threats once and for all, and this is destined to be a protracted war."

"It’s precisely for this reason that it’s far from the time to divide the spoils. Sending troops now is indeed a bit premature."

After listening to Zayed, Shaluk fell into deep thought and, after a long time, sat back in his chair.

Seeing the relaxed shoulders, Zayed knew he had successfully persuaded him and revealed a relaxed smile on his face.

These military factions might be cunning, but there aren’t many tricks up their sleeves, just the same tactics over and over again. It’s either borrowing a knife to kill or watching the fire from the shore.

Whether it’s Absek or Shaluk, in his eyes, they are both too weak.

While Zayed was thinking this, Shaluk was also calculating in his mind.

He asked himself if his intelligence was inferior to others, but when it came to "global vision," he really couldn’t compare with those who had seen the outside world.

Like now.

He didn’t even know there was an Expansionist Faction in the Eastern Legion, and that this faction had fought with the Grand Canyon for an entire year.

Letting Zayed and the Gray Wolf Army go out wouldn’t be appropriate; better to keep them close for peace of mind.

"But... wouldn’t it be bad if we keep our troops inactive?"

Zayed smiled and said.

"Who says you have to stand in Tiandu as cannon fodder to take action? Aren’t you the Snake State War Zone Commander? Isn’t this Snake State also a war zone?"

Seeing Shaluk with a strange expression, Zayed gave a mysterious smile and continued slowly.

"I rescued the Alliance messenger who was detained by the legion."

Shaluk was dumbfounded.

Good heavens...

A genius!

While Shaluk was amazed at Zayed’s methods, at the Gray Wolf Army’s camp in the northwest of Snake State, two people disguised as farmers carried a stretcher into the military camp.

The leading individual seemed to know the soldier on duty at the camp’s gate, exchanged a few words, and was granted entry, taking the person in with the help of another.

Having ridden the "sedan chair" all the way, Old Dog felt a bit uneasy.

Actually, on the way, his injury had almost healed, but these people insisted on carrying him.

As the two put him down, he was about to say "thank you," but the other party spoke first.

"Brother, sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble, no trouble..." Old Dog replied with an embarrassed smile, then looked around and asked, "May I ask where this is?"

Having been with these people for so long, he had picked up some everyday language. His United Human language was no longer as stuttered as before.

That person laughed heartily and said.

"This is Snake State! Our own territory!"

Snake State!

Hearing this word, Old Dog had some impression of it.

During a previous boat trip, he and Eagle seemed to have passed by here. He remembered it being at the southernmost corner of Poluo Province.

However, he quickly realized.

This isn’t right.

These people said they would take him to meet with the Alliance brothers, so how did they end up twisting and turning all the way to the southernmost part of Poluo Province?

The distance from here to the front line is unknown; it feels like another turn would take them to Jinjaron Harbor on the East Coast.

Thinking of this, Old Dog said with a helpless smile.

"...Wait a minute, brothers, didn’t you say you’d take me to find my compatriots? How did I end up in Snake State?"

"It’s all the same, no difference, we’re all family," the family member said with a hearty laugh, showing a nonchalant willingness to incur some losses, before continuing, "By the way, brother, folks from Sulak County said you’re a messenger of the Alliance. Are you really a messenger of the Alliance?"

Seeing the person staring at him intently, Old Dog felt a bit embarrassed and coughed dryly to explain.

"...Strictly speaking, I should be considered a volunteer, came along with my own meals to help out."

After hearing him, that family member seemed to have not heard a word, kept smiling and said to himself.

"Brother, you don’t need to be so nervous, there are no Vellante people here, we’re all our own."

Old Dog was speechless with a wry smile.

"But I really am not."

The two of them had a conversation going on for quite some time, talking past each other, until Old Dog started to doubt if he had learned Human United language wrong, turning "black" into "white," "thick" into "thin," "yes" into "no."

He was not a confident person, even somewhat introverted and self-conscious in reality, instinctively feeling that the problem might lie with himself.

Finally, by the time the sun set, that self-talking family member went quiet, and Old Dog sighed in relief.

After staying on the stretcher for a while, feeling quite stifled, he came out of the tent to find a toilet.

And just when he turned around a few corners and finally found a convenient spot, he happened to overhear those two family members whispering.

"That guy doesn’t really seem to be a messenger of the Alliance..."

"Whether he is or not, just assume he is, since we’ve already saved him back, he’s a citizen of the Alliance. This can be considered a great achievement, neither of us can afford to be careless."

"That’s true... What about tomorrow’s interview?"

"Just don’t let him speak... say he’s unwell, and we’ll accept the interview on his behalf."

"That’s a brilliant idea!"

"Keep it low-key, low-key, it’s all for the family... heh heh."

Although Old Dog listened vaguely, he more or less understood the general idea.

Precisely because of this, he was utterly shocked.

Good heavens.

These NPCs weren’t incomprehensible, they were pretending to be confused while being perfectly clear all along!

Having such awareness, this artificial intelligence is indeed a bit niubi...

Old Dog vaguely felt like he seemed to have boarded a pirate ship, yet without divine foresight, and with too little information about the Family Meeting on the forum, he wanted to learn a bit more before making a judgment...

...

While Old Dog was secretly observing, the news of the Southern Legion’s heavy setback on the eastern line was also brought back to West Sail Port by those returning to the rear to recuperate.

However, real failures and spiritual failures are two entirely different matters.

Though Commander Ryan and his subordinates suffered a painful defeat on the eastern line, the battlefront does not lie; at least Triumph City is still in the hands of the Vellante.

Even if Triumph City has harsh words for Yavente City, that is nonetheless the Vellante people’s own business.

Later the next day, the local newspapers in West Sail Port provided euphemistic rhetoric on the "strategic shift" at the front line and focused on reporting the collapse of the Heavenly Palace and the "incompetent King" Absek’s protests against the Alliance and his denunciations of the Academy.

Although they hadn’t interviewed the parties concerned, it didn’t hinder their reports.

Nonetheless, these newspapers, while catering to the feelings of the Vellante people, have utterly forgotten their beloved "old friends."

Although no paper explicitly mentioned it, they all implicitly hinted that the collapsed Heavenly Palace was the work of five iron airships, while also serving as the Southern Legion’s warning to the rebels.

In a sense, these news indeed served a "positive" function to some extent.

Upon hearing of the Heavenly Palace’s collapse, almost every Poluo felt somewhat devastated and dejected.

Their ancestors indeed hadn’t left them much to stand proud of; whether it’s Red Soil or the City of Thousand Pillars, there are more voices of ridicule.

Only the Heavenly Palace is different.

When speaking about the wonders of the Heavenly Palace, even a tattered beggar can puff out their chest with pride.

Committee Member Kaba actually doesn’t truly understand his fellow countrymen.

In his eyes, the Heavenly Palace is a shackle, a cage, but in others’ eyes, it’s a castle preserving the last shred of their dignity.

After the news of the Heavenly Palace’s collapse reached the newspapers, West Sail Port was pervaded with a mood of depression—or rather, nihilism.

People consoled each other, it’s just a palace, it collapsed, so be it, it’s not like the sky has fallen, life still goes on.

Yet all didn’t realize the metaphor within the comforting words they blurted out.

Living seems to have become their sole purpose for living.

Although it has been like this for a long time, that negative void has never been this thorough...

Of course, the victories flaunted by the Southern Legion in the newspapers didn’t necessarily leave the locals entirely despondent.

For instance, Emperor Akba was extremely furious at this moment.

"...That damned Absek!"

Looking at the Southern Military Victory News in his hand, Akba’s face turned pale and then flushed. Finally, he couldn’t help but slam the newspaper onto the table.

His body shook with anger, clenching his teeth as if he wished to grind that name to dust.

"That damn Buseik dares... dares to destroy my palace! When I catch him, I’ll skin him alive and feed him to the dogs!"

Observing the furious Emperor, the old Lion Clan man beside him trembled in fear, keeping his head low, not daring to lift it.

Yet, although he was scared, his heart was filled with confusion.

The newspaper clearly stated that it was the airship that bombed the Heavenly Palace, so why did His Majesty curse Buseik?

Then, he suddenly recalled a detail: shortly after this "victorious report" arrived, the 30,000 troops led by Commander Ryan moved to Akale County—the strategic point contested countless times between the Southern Legion and the rebels.

If he remembered correctly, Akale County should be behind the front lines, so how come the more they win, the fewer positions they have?

The old man pondered secretly.

There must be something hidden behind this...

At that moment, footsteps from outside suddenly interrupted the old Lion Clan man’s thoughts.

There was no knocking; the room’s door was pushed open suddenly, and an officer strode in.

Seeing his nose, Akba immediately displayed an overwhelmed smile.

"General Giulion?! What brings you here?"

Giulion’s face was somber, and his slightly protruding cheekbones made him look somewhat haggard.

The chief of staff was very dissatisfied with his performance and had cursed him severely over the phone.

Due to the front line troops’ failures, the Southern Legion’s initial plan of "sweeping through Poluo Province in two months" was no longer feasible.

To win this war, they must mobilize the colonies and even the homeland!

This is not a good thing.

Since they planted their flag on the southernmost tip of the Great Desert, such a thing hadn’t happened for a very long time...

Seeing Akba’s flattering expression, Giulion’s brows slightly relaxed, and his nose regained its straight stature.

"There’s something I need you to do."

Regarding that arrogant tone, Akba didn’t feel anything amiss. Instead, he joyfully nodded.

"Please command, General! As long as it’s something I can do, I’ll do my utmost to accomplish it!"

Giulion didn’t beat around the bush. He gestured to his attendant, who then handed a document to Akba.

Before Akba could ask, Giulion spoke.

"I need you to write an edict; you can copy what’s in this document."

An edict?

Akba paused for a moment, then opened the document in his hand and glanced at it. Initially, it seemed like a declaration to hold bandits accountable, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was not that simple.

This was a mobilization edict.

The Southern Legion hoped to recruit one million troops from Lion State and Dog State to support the front lines.

"Isn’t it too many to mobilize so many people?"

A trace of distress appeared on Akba’s face. Watching General Giulion’s furrowed brows, he continued,

"One million... Even if they manage their own food, clothing, and daily necessities, we don’t have enough guns for them."

Hearing that this guy was worried about not having enough guns, General Giulion’s furrowed brows relaxed again.

"You don’t need to worry about that. Not just guns, food, clothing, supplies—everything will be provided by us."

Upon hearing this, Akba had no more objections, exclaiming joyfully,

"That’s great! Rest assured, General, Poluo Country is never short of people! Not just one million, even two million or three million—we can definitely gather them!"

Young ones die, then send the old ones; old ones die, there are still young ones.

Akba didn’t care at all about the deaths of those people.

The collapse of the Heavenly Palace made him understand.

If he couldn’t be the emperor of the West Winds, what was the use of those insignificant lives surviving? It’s better they die more so his throne would be more secure.

General Giulion looked at him, smiling a bit, and the gloom that shadowed his face was dispelled somewhat.

Perhaps this is the meaning of companion animals.

He suddenly wanted to get a dog.

Watching Akba’s ingratiating smile, he instructed in a neutral tone,

"Knowing what to do, go write it quickly. I hope to see this edict on my desk by tomorrow."

Not knowing what the man before him really thought of him, Akba was secretly thrilled at last being able to play a role.

General Giulion hadn’t forgotten this old friend.

The legion still needed him!

"No need to wait until tomorrow! I guarantee I’ll have someone deliver it to your residence before it gets dark!"