The situation in Ryan is very unstable. Six border fortresses, five resource stars, thirty cities, and nearly ten million people were all gone in a week. The people are calling for a counterattack against Phos.
The Senate was also secretly fueling the flames, attributing the Ryan army's repeated defeats to long-standing problems within the military.
Since these are long-standing problems, the issues of the Ryan National Army being equipped with outdated equipment, lacking training, and having "old man soldiers" and "young man soldiers" who are paid without working are not due to the Senate cutting defense spending, nor are they due to the senators forcing their children into the army to gain prestige.
Rather, it is a "historical legacy" left behind by the "outsider" who had long controlled Ryan's military affairs.
The Senate possessed "deliberative power" and "oversight power," which served as their "get-out-of-jail-free card" and "imperial sword." Even if it was later proven to be fabricated, they were not legally responsible for their words. However, once caught by them, they would attack like mad dogs.
Letters impeaching Marshal Zhu Yifu flew to the Duke of Ryan's mansion like snowflakes.
Disciplinary violations, embezzlement... a long list of charges, detailed and elaborate, with even the smallest details meticulously listed.
Why did the Senate know so much? Because these were the things the senators did on a regular basis. They projected their own shameful deeds onto others, and it was easy for them to do so.
You've been a marshal, wielding immense power for decades. I don't believe you haven't taken or accepted bribes!
Even if you don't have it, can you honestly say your family doesn't either? Your relatives don't have it? Your subordinates don't have it? The people around you don't have it?
As long as they can pinpoint a crime, the Senate will seize the opportunity and relentlessly pursue them! Countless "disobedient" individuals have already been killed in this way.
In the eyes of the elders, it didn't matter if the entire Ryan army was wiped out; any force not under their control should not exist.
As for the problem of the Fas Khanate, the worst that could happen is that they could just seize more resource stars and pay them more Lai coins. Lai is a vast and resource-rich country, with a population and economy several times larger than Fas. As long as they can bring down Zhu Yifu, the elders believe it's all worthwhile, like giving this vicious dog Fas a treat!
However, the sudden appearance of a lowly soldier caused the letter impeaching Marshal Zhu Yifu to be quickly returned by the Duke of Rhine's mansion, making the elders feel as if they had swallowed a fly.
The Grand Duchy of the Rhine, Marshal's Residence.
"Marshal, a great victory in Milan!" General Andrei drove to the Marshal's Mansion early in the morning.
"At dawn last night, Major General Huangfu led the 'Shadow Fang' Special Operations Brigade and successfully killed Lieutenant General Domir Khan, commander of the 3rd Division of the Fas Khan Army!"
"As a result, the Third Division of the Faskha Army began to shrink its defensive line and withdrew from the battle after dawn. We achieved our first victory in the defense of Milan!" Andrei reported to Zhu Yifu with great joy.
"Oh?" Zhu Yifu, who was eating breakfast, put down his knife and fork. "Didn't you say yesterday that Qingyi and his group's operation failed?"
"Marshal, it's like this, I also have a report submitted by Major General Huangfu here."
Andrei handed a document to Zhu Yifu with both hands and continued speaking.
"After Major General Huangfu's operation failed, he was captured during the retreat when he was surrounded by Fas Khan's army. He was later taken to the headquarters of the 3rd Division, where Lieutenant General Domir Khan, the commander of the 3rd Division, personally came out to interrogate him."
"At that very moment."
"A sniper from our army, hidden nearby, killed Domir Khan with a single shot!"
"Snipers?" Zhu Yifu looked up. "Why didn't I see any sniper names on the 'Shadow Fang' operation list?"
"This sniper is not from the 'Shadow Fang' special operations team; he is a new recruit named Zhang Fan."
“A new recruit?” Zhu Yifu was somewhat surprised. “I don’t remember this name. I recall that Erwin didn’t give me this name on the list of trainees.”
Erwin is the Dean of the Royal Military Command Academy of the Duchy of Lane, the highest military academy in Lane. During the recent defense of Milan, Erwin sent Zhu Yifu a list of outstanding graduating seniors who were urgently recruited.
“He wasn’t a student at Lane Military Academy either,” Andrei said with some emotion. “He was a cook in the 102nd Airborne Brigade.”
"A cook?" Zhu Yifu was also taken aback. "What's that?"
“The 102nd Airborne Brigade was a ragtag army hastily cobbled together from ‘outsiders’ and mercenaries from other countries, so the unit designation was rather arbitrary,” Andrei explained. “100 years ago, our Ryan National Army did have cooks.”
"Marshal, I only learned about this branch of service by checking military records. It's normal that you didn't know about it."
"I see." Zhu Yifu nodded and asked, "Wasn't the 102nd Airborne Brigade completely wiped out?"
“Yes, but this sniper was an exception. He hid in a waterlogged shell crater all night! He avoided the thermal imaging cameras of the Fas soldiers cleaning up the battlefield.” Andrei became somewhat agitated as he spoke. “Later, the tent of the 3rd Division’s temporary command post was set up not far from him, and when Domir Khan came out of the command post, he was shot dead by him!”
"Waiting for the rabbit to run into the tree stump." Zhu Yifu put down the report in his hand. "This is how Domir Khan walked into the line of fire himself. He deserved to die."
“Yes, that sniper was incredibly lucky,” Andrei said, rubbing his hands together excitedly. “Or rather, our Ryan was incredibly lucky!”
“Luck?” Zhu Yifu picked up his teacup and took a sip. “I don’t think luck can enable a sniper to kill Domir Khan with a single shot after staying in a cold water pit for five or six hours.”
"What happened next?" Zhu Yifu also became interested in the sniper. "Given Qingyi's personality, didn't he keep him around?"
"Major General Huangfu personally invited him to join 'Shadowfang,' but was rejected to his face." Andrei paused for a moment as he said this.
"Hmm? Interesting, continue."
“I also immediately asked the General Staff to investigate the sniper’s file.” Andrei paused here, then smiled at Zhu Yifu, “Marshal, he may be the second ‘outsider’ after you to successfully obtain Ryan citizenship through combat points.”
"Oh." Zhu Yifu chuckled slightly and handed the report back to Andrei.
How many people have read this report?
"This is a battle report submitted by Major General Huangfu through the emergency confidential channel. Currently, besides me, you, Marshal, are the second person to see this report."
“Good.” Zhu Yifu stood up and paced back and forth before finally stopping and saying, “Ryan needs a victory to boost morale. The killing of Domir Khan must be publicized extensively, as this will be a major turning point in this war.”
"If the propaganda is maximized, it will be just as effective as sending an army group to the Milan front."
“However, the fact that he is an ‘outsider’ will weaken this effect,” Zhu Yifu said after thinking. “Let’s temporarily conceal the sniper’s identity and send the good news to the capital planet using ‘Shadow Fang’ as the main force.”
"Yes, sir!" Andrei gave a military order.
"By the way, what's this sniper's name... Zhang Fan? Send me his information."
...
On this day, the whole country of Ryan was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and there was a jubilant atmosphere, sweeping away the previous gloom.
Domir Khan, the lieutenant general commander of the 3rd Division of the Fas Khan Army, known as the "Eagle of Fas Khan," was killed.
This is the highest-ranking commander of the Fas Khan army to be killed since the two countries began fighting.
The news made the front page of newspapers across Ryan, and was repeated on television news broadcasts every time it aired.
As a hero, Huangfu Qingyi's handsome military uniform photo made it to the front page of major news media. Even some entertainment news and tabloids placed this photo on their front page.
There's no way around it, he's just too handsome.
At the most critical moment concerning the survival of the nation, he led a special forces team deep behind enemy lines, single-handedly turning the tide of battle. This fulfilled all the fantasies young men and women had about heroes.
Huangfu Qingyi has now become an idol in the hearts of the boys of Ryan and a dream lover for the girls, with his popularity rapidly approaching that of top-tier celebrities in the Ryan Duchy.
The elite Third Division's lieutenant general commander was beheaded, severely damaging the morale of the Fas Khan army that invaded Milan Star, while the morale of the Milan defense forces soared to unprecedented heights.
With the balance of power shifting, although Fazhan's army still maintained air superiority in Milan, its offensive against the Rhine army was no longer as overwhelming as before. In some areas, the two armies even entered a stalemate of protracted fighting.
For the past few days, Zhang Fan has been hiding in a cave in the dense forest, warming himself by a fire. The battle outside is no longer relevant to him. He has enough points to become a citizen, and as long as the battle ends and he returns safely to Ryan's rear, he will immediately apply for retirement.
"Walk!"
There was a lot of noise outside the cave.
There were shouts and curses from the Fass soldiers, the cracking sound of whips striking bodies, screams, and the cries of girls...
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