Vostok gripped the receiver, shouting into the phone, practically begging Ketonli to hold out for just a few days. If he couldn't survive that long, sending reinforcements would be completely pointless!
"Supreme Commander, holding out for a few days is genuinely impossible! I implore you, dispatch armored forces immediately! As fast as humanly possible!" Ketonli screamed back.
"I know! But remember who you are! You command the Imperial Guard of the Holy Ancient Empire! In the centuries since our nation's founding, an Imperial Guard corps has never been annihilated in battle! You must hold the line in Jinhe City at all costs! I am issuing mobilization orders for your reinforcements right now!" Vostok roared before slamming the phone down.
Sitting across from him, Vitali hid a smirk. Ketonli's desperate call had just completely invalidated everything Vostok had just said to him. Every single one of Ketonli's previous tactical deductions had proven false.
However, Vitali kept his amusement internal. Outwardly, he maintained a grave expression as he looked at Vostok.
"I must immediately redeploy two tank divisions and two armored divisions from this sector to Jinhe City. My 7th Corps is collapsing. Hu Hao is launching a massive general offensive against them.
"If we don't send an immediate relief force, the 7th Corps will likely be annihilated, and we will lose yet another heavy corps! This Hu Hao... he must be eliminated. Even though it is the rainy season, I want him and his army destroyed!" Vostok declared, sinking heavily into his chair.
"Mm. He is undoubtedly the greatest threat to our coalition. The destruction of several of our corps is directly linked to him. But... it is the rainy season. How do you propose we mass a sufficient force?
"Even if the troops can physically march through the mud, sustaining them logistically will be a nightmare. Supplying the vast armies we already have deployed on the front lines is putting immense strain on our logistics networks as it is!" Vitali agreed that Hu Hao needed to die, but maintained that a major offensive now was impossible.
"The moment the rainy season ends, we will mass an overwhelming force and crush him!" Vostok stated firmly.
"I agree," Vitali nodded.
"I must issue the deployment orders for the relief force now. Sigh. I truly never expected Ketonli to cause such a disaster. Earlier, I genuinely believed his deductions were sound. It turns out he was just making wild guesses based on nothing," Vostok smiled bitterly.
"It's understandable. Frontline commanders operate with limited intelligence; they only see the enemy directly in front of them.
"We have thoroughly analyzed Hu Hao at High Command. We estimate his total troop strength in Late City and the surrounding territories to be roughly 180,000 men—approximately three corps. A portion of that comprises the remnants of the forces that initially retreated there, and the rest are conscripted refugees.
"Those refugees likely joined his army simply to secure a meal. But Hu Hao won't bother training them. Basic training isn't the responsibility of a frontline commander; that falls under the purview of the military depots.
"Therefore, I simply do not believe this theory that Hu Hao is using our elite corps for live-fire training. Hu Hao is too pragmatic to undertake such a risky, thankless endeavor!" Vitali analyzed the situation with a confident smile.
"Mm. Let's proceed as planned. I will detach armored elements for Jinhe City. Sigh. The fastest available units are two corps from the Kabu Kingdom. I'll requisition two tank divisions and two mechanized infantry divisions from them. It's our only option right now," Vostok decided.
"Mm. However, you must inform their Grand Marshal before moving their troops!" Vitali reminded him.
"I know," Vostok stood up and nodded.
Although he was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, manipulating large formations required formally notifying the respective Grand Marshals of the coalition nations. They needed to know where their troops were dying.
…
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital of the Eastern Spirit Empire, Liang Wanyu had just finished a grueling day at the office when her grandfather, Ma Zhenling, summoned her home for dinner. Unable to refuse, she drove her sports car to the sprawling Ma family estate. Arriving, she found several of her male cousins who lived in the capital already gathered.
"Wanyu is back. You boys chat amongst yourselves. Wanyu, take a walk with your grandfather in the garden!" Ma Zhenling smiled warmly the moment he saw her.
Liang Wanyu smiled back, nodded greetings to her cousins, and linked her arm through her grandfather's. They strolled out into the manicured garden. Night had fallen, but the path was illuminated by elegant lanterns.
"Grandpa, why did you call me back? Don't tell me you want me to meet the Fifth Prince again! I am so sick of him! He sends flowers to my office every single day!" Liang Wanyu complained, leaning against him affectionately.
"Haha! Isn't that normal? Just because you don't like him doesn't mean he can't try to win your favor," Ma Zhenling chuckled.
"Can't you just ask Eldest Brother-in-Law to rein his brother in?" Liang Wanyu pleaded.
"Alright. I'll speak with him tomorrow," Ma Zhenling agreed, surprisingly agreeable.
"Really?" Liang Wanyu was taken aback. Her grandfather usually brushed off such requests.
"My dear girl, Grandpa heard a rumor... is it true you and Hu Hao are close? That he pursued you for years at the academy? And that his conflict with Zhang He's grandson was over you? Which is ultimately why Zhang Liangqiang exiled him to the Southwest Combat Zone?" Ma Zhenling asked, smiling as they walked.
"You investigated Hu Hao?" Liang Wanyu looked at him, surprised but not displeased.
"Of course I did! He is the brightest rising star among our Empire's generals! He is our youngest full General, commanding a Group Army of over 400,000 men, and he holds His Majesty's absolute trust.
"Furthermore, the boy undeniably possesses true capability. Annihilating that many Allied units... such brilliant young talent is incredibly rare. As Commander-in-Chief of the Army, how could I not investigate him?" Ma Zhenling smiled warmly.
"He is amazing, isn't he?" Liang Wanyu smiled, her heart swelling with pride for Hu Hao.
"Mm. He is amazing. Far more amazing than most," Ma Zhenling noted her expression, confirming his suspicions.
When Liang Wanyu had burst into his office weeks ago demanding he launch a propaganda campaign for Hu Hao, he hadn't fully grasped the situation. Now, looking back, he realized his granddaughter's relationship with Hu Hao ran much deeper than casual acquaintance.
"Hehe! I always knew he was brilliant! When I was with him in Nanlin City, watching him command the battle... it was incredible! Every soldier on the line called him 'Hao-ge.' He single-handedly held that entire defensive sector!" Liang Wanyu boasted proudly.
"Mm. My dear girl... do you have a way to contact him?" Ma Zhenling asked gently.
"Ah?" Liang Wanyu stopped, finally sensing that this conversation had an ulterior motive.
"Grandpa wants you to cultivate that relationship. If the two of you were to... become a couple, Grandpa would absolutely not oppose it!" Ma Zhenling stated clearly.
"Grandpa!" Liang Wanyu blushed furiously, but a serious question quickly surfaced in her mind. Why was her grandfather bringing this up now?
She had assumed he was just curious about Hu Hao, but this sudden push for a political marriage suggested deeper currents.
"Mm. My dear girl, Grandpa needs to start making preparations for the Ma family's future," Ma Zhenling said, resuming their walk.
"Ah? The Ma family's future? What is there to prepare for? So what if we support Eldest Brother-in-Law and he fails to secure the throne? It's not like the Ma family will be exterminated! This happens in every dynasty. Is it really that serious?" Liang Wanyu asked, confused.
They were a powerful aristocratic clan. Siding with a prince in the succession struggle was standard political maneuvering. Even if their chosen candidate lost, the clan wouldn't be wiped out; they might lose some influence and key positions, but they would remain a powerful force at court. The struggle for the throne happened every generation; if they lost this round, they would try again in the next.
"Mm. No, it's not about the succession. If your Brother-in-Law fails, he fails. That doesn't matter; it won't fundamentally impact the Ma family. What worries me is the fate of the entire Central Region and the Empire itself. Once the grand momentum shifts against us... sigh," Ma Zhenling sighed heavily.
"Grandpa, the Empire will be fine! Yes, we've lost territory, but once our newly raised armies are ready, we will launch a massive counter-offensive! Isn't that why His Majesty is forming all these new Group Armies? To prepare for the counter-attack?" Liang Wanyu asked, not understanding his deep pessimism.
"Mm, yes... a counter-offensive! But what if it fails? What if our frontline armies simply cannot hold the line? What happens then? If our Empire falls, what happens to us? What happens to the Ma clan? What happens to your brothers and sisters?" Ma Zhenling spoke softly, but his words carried a chilling finality.
"Ah?!" Liang Wanyu stared at him, utterly shocked.
"The Empire is in grave peril. If the nation falls, the only thing we can rely on is the Ma clan's private armies. But... sigh. Your uncles, your brothers... hmph. None of them truly know how to fight a war.
"Even I, your grandfather, am a politician in uniform; I am not a true battlefield commander. Our private armies cannot protect the Ma clan. They simply can't!
"His Majesty hasn't signed off on the recent officer promotions yet. Originally, I planned to select several promising regimental commanders from within our private forces and promote them to General, hoping they could lead our troops effectively.
"But... that was merely a desperate hope. Hu Hao, however... Hu Hao is a true General who knows how to win wars!" Ma Zhenling finally revealed his true intent, looking deeply into Liang Wanyu's eyes.
(End of Chapter)