Four planetary ard landing craft took just over ten minutes to sink all the warships of the Black Flag Fleet. The landing craft from Iridium Star were very particular in their thods, focusing on sinking ships rather than killing the living forces of Shangduohan.
A large number of Shangduohan navy officers and soldiers who fell into the water were rescued by the people of Iridium Star and were then imprisoned in the prisoner of war camp, just like the Shangduohan City Defense Team mbers from Infia City.
Felix and his companion Jiye were also lucky to escape with their lives and were sent to the prisoner of war camp along with others.
This prisoner of war camp was built in a very simple manner, with prefab materials forming makeshift quarters, surrounded by an electric fence, while groups of prisoners were issued uniform prison garnts and gathered daily in the camp.
The experienced Felix did not protest being confined with ordinary sailors instead of enjoying the privileges of nobility or officers; his only slight concern was whether his companion Jiye might be bullied in such a place.
He was very aware of the kind of people who ca off those ships, regardless of gender, as long as they were useful, that was what mattered.
Dressed in gray prison clothes, Felix was sowhat surprised to find the prison garnt light, soft, and warm, even better in quality than his own officer's uniform.
As the commander of the Black Flag Fleet, even though he was locked up in a common prisoner's camp, he still had so unwritten privileges.
A lieutenant from the City Defense Team of Shangduohan who recognized Felix hurried over to greet him, "Marshal, sir, I am Pi Xin, a lieutenant in the Army from Infia City. I had the honor of eting you briefly at the Governor's reception."
Felix nodded slightly, actually unable to rember who this person was.
Pi Xin was very attentive, saying to Felix, "Marshal, sir, there's no need to panic. Although we're prisoners of war, the people from Iridium Star treat us very well, perhaps even better than the Kingdom treats its soldiers. As long as we don't violate any taboos, there should be no problem."
An older soldier beside him also said, "Exactly, I wouldn't even want to leave this prisoner of war camp. We get three als a day, enough to fill us up, and there's even at. I can't imagine going back to eating those baked crackers; I'd rather kill myself! Oh god, the soft and fragrant bread in the prisoner of war camp is simply a luxury."
Felix, curious, asked, "You eat that well here? What is this bread?"
Pi Xin explained, "Yes, the people from Iridium Star are visitors from beyond the stars, from another world. They are wealthy and powerful, and they have more food than they can eat. Their soldiers are even more formidable than mages. The bread made by the chefs in the prisoner of war camp is from a unique recipe of Iridium Star, made of flour, but it's especially soft and sweet.
I never want to eat those hard, baked crackers again."
Felix caught on to a crucial piece of information, "Visitors from beyond the stars?"
Pi Xin replied, "I don't know much about that; I only heard so things from our Supervisor during work. They said our world is actually a big sphere, called a planet. There are countless such planets in the universe. The people from Iridium Star co from another planet called Earth. They call our planet Erald Sea Star, and they've co here to conquer our world."
Felix sighed deeply, "Even the Black Flag Fleet and the Mage Corps couldn't stop them, it must be a piece of cake for them to defeat the powers of the Northern Continent."
Pi Xin nodded repeatedly and said, "The people from Iridium Star only sent a vanguard to occupy Infia, and their Emperor reportedly returned to their planet. After a while, he will bring thousands of troops, along with countless warships that can navigate the skies. Even if the six great Mage Towers co to help, the kingdoms of the Northern Continent would still be unable to resist."
The old soldier, picking his nose nonchalantly, said, "You nobles and officers, your good days are over. I see, however, that our hard days might be coming to an end. Under the rule of Iridium Star, we won't have to work day and night, won't be ordered around by you, working just eight hours a day, and still get to eat our fill and wear warm clothes.
If the people from Iridium Star want us to attack the Royal Capital of Shangduohan, I'd sell my bones to the Emperor of Iridium Star."
Felix was sowhat angry, but seeing that no one around him, including Pi Xin, reacted excessively, he couldn't help but be alard. Being a very smart man, he wouldn't go against the will of the majority at this ti, nor did he think his Marshall status could be of any use here.
Pi Xin pulled Felix aside and whispered, "Marshal, don't be too angry. In the prisoner of war camp, it's like this. The people from Iridium Star only ask that we keep a regular schedule for rest and work, they don't interfere much with other things; it's quite comfortable actually. I reckon they'll let us out after a while."
However, Felix sighed, "I just don't know if Shangduohan will even exist by the ti we're released."
Pi Xin said, "These are things beyond our control. The people from Iridium Star are godlike beings from beyond the skies, not sothing we can resist. Besides, the change of dynasties is just the norm. Shangduohan as a kingdom has only existed for a little over a hundred years; countless other kingdoms have vanished before it."
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The events in the Infia prisoner of war camp were actually all within Bai Zhongqi's expectations.
The Northern Continent of Erald Sea Star was very similar to 18th-century Europe, with the kingdoms of the Northern Continent at constant odds, waging wars to dominate and colonize the Southern Continent. anwhile, the life of the lower classes was extrely hard, and given that Erald Sea Star was less prosperous than Earth, the common people lived in dire straits.
To control Erald Sea Star and uncover why there were so many Star Warriors among the locals, Bai Zhongqi naturally needed the local people to submit to the United Empire and beco subjects of the Chancellor. Stirring up class conflicts and rallying the oppressed and exploited majority of the lower classes to eliminate the nobility clearly was a very reliable course of action.
Following Bai Zhongqi's strategy, Xiao Yu, although having controlled the city of Infia for just over a dozen days, had already restored so prosperity. Although the citizens were still not allowed to leave the city freely, the supply of various foods and goods was not a problem.
The Iridium Star people did not kill indiscriminately and even enforced the law strictly, preventing chaos from sweeping through the city.
But this did not an that Bai Zhongqi was soft-hearted. Since the siege of Infia, anyone with malicious intentions towards Iridium Star was executed. Local nobles and wealthy families who disobeyed orders from the Governor's Mansion of Erald Sea Star were purged by Xiao Yu. The wealth confiscated from these families, though insignificant to the Iridium Star people, had a great deterrent effect.
This also shows different strategies for different environnts. Excessive slaughter on Earth might lead to unfavorable consequences, while on Erald Sea Star, killing the troublemakers and nobles actually won acclaim from the lower classes.
Though Bai Zhongqi's main focus was still on strengthening the Star Alliance by supporting Country C, he did not intend to give up the great prize of Erald Sea Star. The conquest of Erald Sea Star by the Iridium Star people was also being carried out full steam ahead.
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