Tu Yuan military camp.
Mitri left the camp and hurried to where Mokodin was.
At that moment, a lieutenant general also happened to go in.
The two entered the tent and saw Mokhtin with a somber face. Mitri keenly noticed Mokhtin's reddened eyes, but before he could speak, the adjutant said in a trembling voice:
"Reporting to the Marshal, the headcount has been completed, and we now have less than... 200,000 troops left!"
"All siege equipment was abandoned, and more than 10,000 of the returning soldiers had lost their weapons, including many wounded. Most of them were unable to continue fighting."
As he said this, his throat bobbed, and his face showed deep sorrow.
Mokhadin's face was somber. Although he was inside the tent, screams and groans could be heard from outside from time to time. Some of the wounded soldiers had been splashed with scalding asphalt, and the excruciating pain made it impossible for them not to cry out.
For some of those burned by the flames, the armor that was originally protecting them had now become a burden, as it had stuck to their flesh and they couldn't even take it off.
The military camps are now filled with cries of pain.
The arduous journey of fleeing and the complete loss of fighting spirit pushed them to their physical and mental limits.
Upon arriving at the military camp, many people relaxed, and a wave of exhaustion washed over them, leaving many unable to even stand up.
Upon hearing his subordinates' report, Mokhadin's spirits plummeted, and his face turned completely pale.
He wasn't inexperienced in defeats. As a marshal, he had fought on the battlefield for many years, experiencing both victories and defeats. But this was the first time he had suffered such a crushing defeat.
Three hundred thousand people died in Xijing, a fact that is hard for anyone to accept.
At this point, they were even unable to engage the enemy in direct combat.
When he returns to China, he will inevitably be condemned by thousands of people, and may even be directly dismissed and investigated.
Unless they turn the tide and win, their fate is already sealed.
Mokodin sighed heavily in his heart. He clenched and unclenched his fists helplessly, his eyes darting around. He didn't even know how to appease his subordinates.
It was Mitri who broke the silence, speaking first:
"Marshal, the situation is out of control. The Prince of Zhenbei has exceeded all our expectations. They will definitely continue to fight."
"We can't stay in the military camp now. We should return home as soon as possible, avoid the limelight, and then make plans for next year."
I think we should leave tonight!
As soon as he finished speaking, the deputy general beside him hesitated and said, "But there are too many wounded, and everyone is exhausted from today's battle. How can we travel at night?"
"We haven't even had a hot meal yet, and it's freezing cold. How can we possibly leave?"
Mitri frowned and said in a deep voice, "We have to leave. If they come tomorrow, with those weapons, we won't be able to stop them."
"Make a decisive decision when necessary; do not delay!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Mokodin raised his head and looked at Mitri with a cold gaze.
"You mean, we'll rush back to China at night? And we'll just ignore those who can't keep up?"
Mitri remained silent.
The adjutant standing to the side had a somber expression, and one could tell that he was extremely conflicted. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "If we leave now, at least tens of thousands of people will not be able to keep up."
"If this continues, wouldn't it mean they..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mitri interrupted, "Let them rest here for a day. Let those who can leave go first."
"Are we all supposed to stay here and wait for the Prince of Zhenbei and his troops to arrive?"
He paused briefly, glancing at the open space, and casually remarked, "As long as they hold their ground, this military camp should be able to hold out for a while..."
"Moreover, the Prince of Zhenbei's army may not arrive tomorrow..."
These contradictory words prompted Mokodin, who had been silent all along, to give a cold snort.
He looked directly into Mitri's somewhat evasive gaze and said, "They have war halberds and heavy crossbows, and their troops haven't suffered any losses today. Do you think... they won't come?"
"How can this military camp possibly hold them off?"
Faced with Mokodin's scrutinizing gaze, Mitri felt a surge of anger, and his face flushed red.
"I'm just stating the facts! Do you think I want to slink back home in disgrace?"
"There's no other way! Can we even fight the next battle? If we don't leave now, when will we?"
"Hesitation will only ruin everyone!"
"I don't care about anything else! I'm taking the Eagle Army with me. They are the elite force of my Tu Yuan Kingdom. I can't let them die in this foreign land!"
After saying this, Mitri walked out of the tent with a cold face.
Upon seeing him speak like this, the adjutant immediately shouted angrily, "Mitri! Everyone respects you so much! How dare you speak to the marshal like that!"
"You came to Xijing under the Marshal's command! You are deserting your post before the Marshal has given you orders!"
"You already did it once before on the battlefield!"
Mitri stopped in his tracks, turned his head, his face already frosty, and looked at Mokodin.
Mokodin's face was gloomy; he knew all too well that Mitri was right.
The only correct choice right now is to escape the military camp and return home as soon as possible, but this means that many people will be left behind here.
And all that awaited them was death.
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