Capítulo 1827: Chapter 1744: Speaking From the Heart
On the streets of Dalkas, convoy trucks moved eastward. The Tang Army had fully occupied the area, and the Dwarf Eastern Front Army’s Supre Command had already surrendered.
All the officers and senior military officials inside surrendered their weapons, and except for Xie Ke himself, all beca prisoners of the Great Tang Empire.
As the Tang Army’s armored vehicles charged in front of the Command Departnt, Xie Ke swallowed a poison he’d long prepared. By the ti the Tang Army entered the command, he was already a corpse.
Thus, the Dwarves’ Eastern Front Army group, consisting of three corps under its jurisdiction, was completely annihilated by the Tang Army and removed from the ranks.
On the sa day, the Tang Army’s reconnaissance units crossed the Port River, advancing south of Furnace Fortress. The situation within the Ice Cold Empire’s borders was essentially settled.
The Dwarves’ resistance thoroughly collapsed, and the 11th Corps, unable to continue alone, chose to surrender on the second day of the Eastern Front Army’s annihilation.
Apart from Furnace Fortress, there were no longer any Dwarven resistance units nearby. Further south, Dwarven local officials and a few garrison commanders began discussing surrender.
They had no capabilities left to resist, leaving surrender as the only option: all supplies and produced weapons were sent north. Now, when asked to fight, with what would they fight?
Personnel and everything else that could be mustered were consud in the Battle of Furnace Fortress. At this mont, they couldn’t even assemble enough troops.
Of course, the Allied Forces’ liaison officers, still active in these regions, hoped that the local Dwarven troops could resist. As long as they fought, they could buy more ti for the Elf Race.
But even they knew it was unrealistic to expect these local second-rate garrison troops to hold out for long.
As the situation crumbled, in the underground shelter of Furnace Fortress, the Ice Cold Empire’s Pri Minister stood agape at the dust-laden Emperor Binghan the First, feeling utterly lost.
He believed Binghan the First had gone south, yet unexpectedly, the Emperor returned to the encirclent of Furnace Fortress…
“Your Majesty, why… why have you returned?” he asked in shock, seeing Binghan the First walk back into his office.
“Marshal Xie Ke has achieved decisive victories in the Southern Region; of course, I must return here,” Binghan the First replied calmly as if unaware of recent events.
In fact, he truly did not know what had happened, rushing back to Furnace Fortress to personally confirm if the 11th and 12th Corps had indeed broken through and returned.
“How is it? Did the 11th and 12th Corps reach the Western City Region? They can counter-attack to reclaim the west station and expel the Tang Army from the western city area.” During his journey, he received no radio communications and was completely unaware of the situation.
When he left his command, heading north back to Furnace Fortress, Xie Ke was preparing to attack Anliqi in the south, while the 11th and 12th Corps fought desperately in the north. The situation hadn’t deteriorated as it had today.
Yet, upon leaving his command and returning north, the skies had changed. The Tang Empire’s troops swept around Furnace Fortress, rendering it an isolated city.
“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t have returned,” said the Pri Minister sternly, ignoring Binghan the First’s question.
“Hmm?” Binghan the First shot an annoyed glance at his Pri Minister and snorted: “This is my empire; I can go wherever I wish. Is there a problem?”
The Pri Minister, unsure of any solution, understood that speaking now was too late. His final fantasies were dashed; His Majesty now stood before him.
“For military matters, speak with Chief-of-Staff Larb and Marshal Balov. Your Majesty, I… have nothing more to report to you.” Finished with fatigue, the Pri Minister finally bowed his head, silent.
What else could he say? At that mont, dizziness overtook him, and he felt utterly drained. He’d dedicated his all to the empire, and it seed all was in vain.
“Then call them in, inform them that I’ve returned, and have them report the latest situation,” Binghan the First, sensing sothing amiss, commanded with furrowed brows: “Prepare so food and fine wine…”
When Larb hurried in, shock still painted his face. His Staff Departnt, close to this underground shelter, allowed him a swift arrival.
But he didn’t see Binghan the First imdiately; instead, he entered the Pri Minister’s office. Bursting in, he asked, “Dammit, what’s His Majesty doing here at this ti? Doesn’t he know that it’s already…”
“Indeed, he doesn’t know,” the Pri Minister replied bitterly, “Now, is there still ti to get him out?”
“I don’t know, with all the routed soldiers and refugees flooding the southern routes… The Tang Army might appear near those routes at any mont, leaving little guarantee of safety,” Larb shook his head: “If he departs imdiately, he might still reach the south. But… given the size of the escort accompanying him… it’s not the sa as ten days ago.”
Escorting tens of thousands from the Eastern Front Army south is vastly different from heading south alone now, setting him at significant risk.
The Allied Forces might abduct him, dragging him to Elf territories to incite unrest among Dwarf factions. Local Dwarf officials might also seize and hand him over to the Tang Empire for safety and personal gain…
In essence, escaping south now wouldn’t be a retreat but a flight. Retreating ant so hope of struggle, but fleeing surrendered him to fate.
“Then tell him everything with Marshal Balov. Let him know how many foolish decisions he’s made this past year,” the Pri Minister, now unrestrained, voiced his true thoughts.
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