"I'm handing over command to you. You'll take command?" Zoe said, raising his chin and speaking coldly.
"This...you must be joking, sir?" Tachino asked, looking troubled.
"Come here." Zoe beckoned to him, and Tachino quickly rode his horse over to Zoe's side.
The next moment, Zoe suddenly reached out and grabbed Tachino by the collar.
"Fool! I don't think you can even organize a picnic properly! If I put you in charge, you'll ruin everyone's life!"
Zoe was furious and started cursing. Tachino was almost dragged off his horse by the tug. His face changed drastically as he stared at Zoe with wide eyes.
"What? Do you have any objections?! You idiot!" Zoe glared at Tachino and reprimanded him mercilessly.
This reprimand also drew the attention of the surrounding soldiers. Under the gaze of so many eyes, Tachino's face burned with shame and anger. He had never been reprimanded so mercilessly in front of so many people before.
“Sir, you can’t…” He had just opened his mouth to argue when Zoe released his grip and shoved him hard. Caught off guard, Tachino stumbled and fell off his horse.
"Shut your mouth! Just behave yourself and come back with us! General Brewster will give you a proper punishment!" Zoe said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Tachino felt a sudden panic. It sounded like he was going to be punished, which would be troublesome. Thinking of this, resentment and anger intertwined in his heart. Tachino gritted his teeth, remained silent, and grabbed the reins to get back on his horse.
'I have to do something...' he thought to himself, head bowed.
——
The following day, January 14th.
In the afternoon, a small cavalry squad that had traveled a long way arrived at the Heinrich military base.
The cavalry squad consisted of only thirty-odd men, all of whom looked haggard with purple lips. The days of rapid march had left them battered and bruised. After confirming their identities, the guards at the Heinrich base immediately escorted them into the base.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, in the conference room on the first floor of the government building, the fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, and the temperature inside was like summer compared to outside. However, the man sitting in front of the fireplace was coughing incessantly. Even though he was wrapped in a blanket and holding a scalding hot teacup, he was still trembling like a leaf.
His appearance made the officers sitting by the fireplace look solemn. They knew how difficult it was to travel for eight days straight in this cold weather, covering more than 300 kilometers, especially considering that it had snowed in the past few days.
"Your health is terrible, and I think what you need most right now is to rest." The usually irritable and easily angered Volcano Admiral spoke gently for once.
He crossed his arms and looked sternly at the young man in front of him who was shivering from the cold. He remembered the young man; he had stood next to Bernhardt at the military parade two years ago. After all, among the middle-aged generals in their forties and fifties, he was the only young face.
“I’m much better now, sir,” Dingle said, his voice trembling slightly as he sat in his chair.
Eight days ago, he set off from Wilton with more than 100 cavalrymen and more than 30 air-riding warhorses, and hurried along the remote road. Most of them were forced to fall behind during the journey, and even the warhorses could not withstand the cold weather. But in the end, he still managed to reach the military base with the remaining 30-odd men.
Now is definitely not the time to rest. After arriving at the military base, Dingle learned that the munitions factory had fallen, and he told Brewster all the details of the Macedonian campaign.
"Sir, please trust my judgment. In open terrain, even if we have several times the enemy's strength, it will be difficult to suppress them," Dingle said in a deep voice, placing the cup he was holding on the table.
"Furthermore, we can now determine that the enemy has at least 200,000 troops that have entered our territory, while our military base currently only has 300,000 troops. I believe this is far from sufficient."
Brewster's expression was grave. Hearing this, he touched his nose and said, "There may be that many who have entered the country, but it's impossible for them all to be mobilized. They will always need to station troops in the areas they already control."
Dingle coughed and nodded, saying, "That's correct, but my estimate of the troop strength is already an underestimation."
"After the port fell, they could send reinforcements without restraint, and the fact that the Yan people launched an attack in this season must mean they had already made all the necessary preparations."
"They also have better weapons, which is a problem we cannot currently handle. In a direct confrontation, I cannot imagine how we could defeat them with our current forces."
Upon hearing this, Brewster raised an eyebrow, and Dingle, keenly aware of this, added:
"Through the Battle of Macedonia, I think this has been proven, and it is by no means that I underestimated our army."
"The fact that the military factory fell overnight also shows that even with strong fortifications, the enemy can still break through our defensive lines if they find a place to launch a fierce attack."
Upon hearing these two sentences, the officers present exchanged glances, their faces gradually darkening. Brewster, his expression particularly grim, said:
"Is this why you're suggesting we evacuate the military base?"
Dingle's gaze was deep as he said, "Yes, even with an army group and a military base, there is still a possibility of being defeated if we engage the enemy on flat ground, and the possibility is very high."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Brewster chuckled for no apparent reason. He walked up to Dingle, patted him on the shoulder, and said:
"Kid, you've commanded one battle before, but only a few divisions. The strength of an army group that includes multiple branches of the armed forces is beyond your imagination."
At this point, Brewster's voice grew even lower: "The defeat in the Macedonian campaign was due to your misjudgment of the enemy's strength, your mistaken belief that Foster Harbor was where the enemy's main force was located, and that's how you stepped into the trap set by the Yan people."
"But things are completely different now. I don't care how many troops the enemy has or how they attack. The army group is right here, and the military base is an impregnable fortress. If they try to get through here, they will only face a cruel fate."
"Once they begin their attack, in addition to the main force defending with fortifications, I will also deploy two units to cut in from the flanks. I know their artillery has a longer range than ours, but my cavalry will quickly close the distance and break through in one fell swoop."
Dingle frowned and said:
“This place will indeed become their target, and your idea is not wrong.”
"But this enemy is no ordinary one, and this is not a suitable battlefield for us."
“General Brewster, we should put the battlefield in the Enzos Mountains. If the Yan people want to get to Pokamia Province, they must pass through the mountains. Once they enter the mountain pass, it will be the best time for us to annihilate them.”
“Only by utilizing the terrain can we possibly defeat them,” Dingle said, standing up, looking up at Brewster with a grave expression.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
