Todd asked doubtfully, "The enemy's weakness?"
The Cumberland two-handed telescopic model transforms the entire 3D battlefield into a bird's-eye view.
At this point, Todd noticed something amiss.
The enemy's formation appeared tight, but it was actually subtly divided into three group formations.
Two group formations were in front, and one was behind.
"This is……?"
"The enemy forces are not a monolithic entity. The two square formations in front are the armies of the secular kingdom, respectively from the Central Diocese and the Eastern Diocese, while the square formation at the back is the direct force of the Church."
Todd carefully examined the battlefield map, and after a long while, he said, "The church's direct troops are at the very back, and they look a bit like a supervisory force."
“That’s not wrong.” Cumberland zoomed in on the image to the back half of the battlefield and pointed to the church formation, saying, “The Knights of the Holy Mark, the Baptist Knights, the Maldrin Cult, and so on—these are the strongest fighting forces, but in my opinion, their main purpose is not to participate in the battle, but to monitor it.”
"Inspection?"
Cumberland stroked his chin and said to Todd, “Your Majesty, think about it. In just a few short years, the three kingdoms of Silver Ring City, Twilight City, and Holy Guard City—the Western Diocese—have all defected and broken away from the Church’s control. For the Church, this battle is not only about reclaiming lost territory, but more importantly, about testing whether there are any disloyal individuals among the remaining kingdoms.”
Todd began to understand the deeper meaning behind the other person's words.
"Therefore, it's clear from the military formations that there are conflicts between the secular kingdoms and the Church within the allied forces, and according to my guess, these conflicts are probably quite significant. The specific reasons should be related to the religious reforms initiated by Your Majesty. Abolishing religious taxes and protecting royal power—these two measures alone are enough to make these kings re-examine their relationship with the Church." Cumberland raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "If we can amplify these conflicts or completely disrupt their balance, we can achieve victory in this battle with minimal losses."
As Cumberland spoke, he suddenly remembered something, and frowned as he asked Todd, "Your Majesty, while the enemy has weaknesses, our army, as the defenders of the city, also has weaknesses. Do you know where our weaknesses lie?"
"Do we also have weaknesses?"
Todd was taken aback at first, then said in a deep voice, "Are you referring to the army of Holy Guard City?"
Cumberland nodded with delight. The king's growing maturity and wisdom gave him the feeling of watching his disciple grow up.
“Your Majesty, you are right. Our weakness lies in the unstable army within Holy Guard City. If I were the commander of the Church Alliance, I would do everything in my power to contact the nobles within the city, plant spies, and have them defect during the war.”
Todd asked with a serious expression, "So, what's our plan?"
Cumberland nodded: “There are several methods. First, after the battle begins, I will divide and isolate the Holy Guard, ensuring their operational positions do not affect the overall situation. Second, Queen Mary persuaded Lord Gordon, the lord of White River, who enjoys high prestige among the nobles, to help us monitor any unruly individuals within the city at all times. As for the third…”
Seeing Cumberland's hesitant manner, Todd became a little anxious: "What's the third one?"
"Although I hate to admit it, Rachel, the leader of the Alien Association, is indeed a resourceful commander. Under her command, all the aliens in the city know exactly which brick is hiding a rat..."
Todd found Cumberland's slightly sarcastic tone odd: "Isn't it a good thing that Rachel can mobilize the Alien Association to gather intelligence within the city?"
Cumberland sighed softly: "Your Majesty, you can take this as an old man's stubbornness and prejudice, but I always feel that the woman is hiding something, and frankly, I don't trust her."
Todd shook his head helplessly and said, “The war in Holy Guard City is of paramount importance to the kingdom, and no force that can provide assistance should be ignored. I know that Rachel does indeed appear somewhat ‘mysterious’ at times, but her loyalty to the kingdom is trustworthy. However, Cumberland, you are the commander on the battlefield, and I respect your judgment and opinion. If you feel that Rachel’s subordinates are not trustworthy, then use this force as an auxiliary force and use it carefully.”
Cumberland pondered Todd's words for a long while, then nodded solemnly: "Your Majesty, I understand what you have to say. I must now return to Holy Guard City to prepare the battle plan. After the war begins, I will report the day's results to you at this time every evening."
Todd nodded, then instructed Huggins to copy down some of the supplies Cumberland needed, and watched the two leave the soul space.
"Your Majesty, do you have time?"
The pleasant female voice that reached Todd's ears startled him. He turned his head with difficulty and saw Queen Mary's stunningly beautiful face.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com