"There is one more thing."
At this time, Xu Tianyuan admonished, "Since rations are paramount, we must be even more vigilant regarding our stored provisions. After all, the Star Luo Army can cross the Mingdou Mountain Range silently, and their tactics are treacherous. We cannot afford to let our guard down. Otherwise, if something happens to those rations, let alone two months, our Sun Moon Army will collapse without a fight in less than a day, falling completely into a dire strait."
Ye Yulin agreed deeply without needing to think twice.
Early on in the war, he had already sent people to establish a frontline grain storage depot, guarded by a Class-9 Soul Engineer leading an elite soul engineer corps and an army of ten thousand.
However, with Xu Tianyuan's mention now and the interception of the grain having occurred, Ye Yulin paid even more attention to this matter. Thus, he let Xu Tianyuan personally lead the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps to guard it, showing just how much importance Ye Yulin placed on the grain depot at this moment.
He didn't even consider anymore whether losing the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps from the main battlefield would put them at a disadvantage.
Because if something went wrong with the rations again, they would lose everything!
Of course, aside from the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps, Ye Yulin wouldn't add more troops to the grain depot. After all, besides the previously mentioned strict defenses, its geographical location was also excellent, situated not far behind the Sun Moon Army, able to cover both fronts.
A distance of a hundred miles wasn't much. Meaning if the Star Luo Army really dared to raid the camp, they would have to pass right under the noses of the Sun Moon Army.
Of course, they might actually be able to pull it off. But if they successfully pulled off a deception, crossing the Mingdou Mountain Range and the Sun Moon Camp to raid the grain depot, their Sun Moon Army could quickly rush over to reinforce it.
Considering the grain depot would be heavily guarded, if the Sun Moon Army didn't deploy their main force, the depot couldn't be raided anyway. At that time, they could even go sneak attack the Star Luo main camp.
But this was just the most optimistic idea.
To actually pull it off...
Difficult!
"I want you to sign a military pledge!"
Ye Yulin's words were sonorous and exceptionally resolute. "If the Star Luo Army doesn't send anyone to attack our rations before we launch our general offensive, you will still have done a great deed. But if they do attack before the general offensive, then holding the line makes you a hero. If you fail to hold it before our reinforcements arrive and something happens to the rations, then you—will have committed a capital offense! Do you understand!?"
"Yes!"
Facing the military pledge forcibly issued by Ye Yulin, Xu Tianyuan didn't put on any expression like "I'm of royal blood, so you shouldn't treat me like this." After all, at this moment of life and death for the Sun Moon Empire, even he had to go all out!
After this, someone suggested to Ye Yulin that they send another Class-9 Soul Engineer with a thousand elites to act as a corner formation with the grain depot, further strengthening the defenses to prevent a sneak attack by Star Luo.
But as soon as this idea was voiced, it was ruthlessly rejected.
It wasn't that the suggestion was bad, but that it was unfeasible. Although the remaining rations were critically important, and keeping a closer eye meant more defensive power, if they split their forces too much, how many people would be left in their main camp? How many experts would remain?
By then, the main camp would definitely be empty. Once the Star Luo Army crossed the Mingdou Mountain Range and the main camp was breached, then even if the grain depot remained intact, what difference would it make? How would they even justify their positions then?
"Alright, it's settled."
Ye Yulin made the final decision.
Everything was to be prepared and stand ready for the general offensive.
"Yes!" ×N
Unlike the high-spirited Sun Moon Army officers, the Sun Moon Empire's soul engineer experts were thinking about other things. For example, Jing Hongchen.
A mysterious light flashed in his profound gaze.
Perhaps it was guilt, or perhaps something else... But in the end, it turned into resolve.
No matter what, he had to consider the future of his granddaughter and the Hongchen family. Since that was the case, then...
One general's success is built on ten thousand dry bones!
...
Star Luo Camp.
The return of Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng saw Dai Hao and Xu Jiujiu personally welcoming them, granting the squad the substantial rewards they deserved.
After the rewards and commendations concluded, Dai Hao gathered the Star Luo Army officers and the various powerful experts from the reinforcement factions together to discuss their strategy for launching a general offensive against the Sun Moon Army.
"This is a great opportunity!"
Dai Hao walked up to a massive map, simultaneously marking Dai Yueheng's successful operation. "According to intelligence, we have figured out the patterns of the Sun Moon Army's grain transports. With this severing of their supply lines, as long as the Sun Moon Empire doesn't replenish them in time, their army will be completely out of rations in about two months!"
"In other words!"
Suddenly, his voice sharply rose!
"The Sun Moon Army will very likely launch a general offensive within two months! When that happens, we will fight a decisive battle with them!"
"Even if we don't want to, they will force us!"
A decisive battle?
Expressions of excitement appeared in the eyes of many officers. But similarly, quite a few officers maintained their rationality.
"A decisive battle in the near future might not be the best timing."
Shattered Star Douluo spoke up first. "Once a decisive battle breaks out, the result will inevitably be heavy losses for both sides. When that happens..."
He didn't continue the rest of his words. But many people caught Shattered Star Douluo's meaning. He was afraid of someone taking advantage of the situation! After all, while enemies must be guarded against, allies are the same. Sometimes, allies can stab you far more painfully than enemies! Especially when their common enemy isn't performing well.
"Whether we fight a decisive battle or not is not up to us."
Dai Hao summed it up in one sentence. As long as one side decides on a general offensive, the other side has absolutely no possibility of not responding.
Dragging it out was absolutely impossible.
In an instant, all the officers turned serious.
Dai Hao swept his gaze over the officers, his expression resolute as he shouted, "Star Luo will be victorious."
"Star Luo will be victorious!" ×N
"Long live His Majesty."
"Long live His Majesty!" ×N
After setting the policy for the general offensive, the officers' morale continuously climbed. By the time the meeting ended, this boosted morale had spread throughout the camp; everyone was brimming with fighting spirit!
However, after the meeting ended, while the mid-level officers had left, the high-ranking officers and some powerful experts remained in the command tent to discuss a matter of extreme confidentiality.
"Everyone, take a look."
Dai Hao drew on the map, marking the flag symbol of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps. "We just received intelligence from the ultra-high-altitude soul tool detectors. The Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps has completely withdrawn from the frontline and retreated over fifty miles to the rear."
Over fifty miles?
This meant they had left the frontline battlefield.
For their ace corps to leave the frontline, what were they trying to do? In their eyes, this meant there was another conspiracy at play. Otherwise, no one would believe an ace soul engineer corps would leave for no reason!
The high-ranking officers frowned one by one, bowing their heads in thought.
Until...
"Rations."
Xuangji Douluo's voice suddenly broke the silence. With his rich experience, he voiced his thoughts. "Half a month's worth of rations being hijacked has already caused heavy losses to the Sun Moon Army. If their remaining rations meet with an accident before the general offensive, then there's no need to even fight the battle. Furthermore, don't forget one thing."
He raised his head and looked outside the tent.
"The Sun Moon Army still doesn't know how we crossed the Mingdou Mountain Range unnoticed. In their eyes, this means troops descending from the heavens."
"Unconventional methods that are impossible to fully guard against."
Makes sense.
Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. Since the Sun Moon Army couldn't stop these unconventional methods, they would definitely have defensive, or even counter-attack, capabilities ready. With that being the case, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps was undoubtedly the most suitable choice.
"It's a pity."
Suddenly, a high-ranking officer spoke up. He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning. That was, if they could learn the exact location and defensive layout of the Sun Moon Army's grain depot, they could settle it in one fell swoop.
"It's not impossible, either."
Out of nowhere, Dai Hao said this.
Hearing this, everyone sharply turned their heads to look at their Commander. Only a few insiders like Princess Xu Jiujiu remained composed, though even among them, some showed a sliver of doubt. Was it really possible? Would Jing Hongchen sell such crucial intelligence?
"One month!"
At this moment, Dai Hao's eyes showed absolute resolve as he said, "In just one month, we will definitely shatter the Sun Moon."
"I hope we can all strive for this together!"
Receiving such a guarantee from their Commander, the officers were instantly energized and returned to their tents. Even if they felt in their hearts that the probability wasn't very high, they all chose to believe it.
This was the prestige of the White Tiger Duke in the army!
Before long, "The Supervising Envoy has arrived."
The tent flap was opened again.
"Supervising Envoy, what brings you here?"
Dai Hao looked up and saw Princess Xu Jiujiu enter the tent, followed by Man Yi.
"Does the Commander really have that much confidence?"
Xu Jiujiu's rhetorical question made the atmosphere turn silent.
"Naturally, I do."
A rather confident admission broke this atmosphere.
Dai Hao put down the report in his hand and spoke truthfully: "Based on previous information, Jing Hongchen will definitely see this through to the end. So there's no need to doubt that he will sell the intelligence; he will definitely do it."
"I believe that."
Being a princess of the royal family, Xu Jiujiu understood politics and ambition very well. Once the floodgates were opened, they couldn't be closed again.
What she truly couldn't figure out was the timeframe. Why did it have to be set at exactly one month?
"Naturally, it's to give the officers time to prepare."
A smile tugged at the corner of Dai Hao's mouth. "The Supervising Envoy might not know this. If the army prepares too far in advance, they will inevitably become fatigued and lax in the later stages. And right before the war, they will inevitably be on high alert."
Hearing this, Xu Jiujiu frowned tightly.
The first half sounded like a response, but the second half...
"Are you talking about our army?"
As soon as she asked this, she suddenly realized.
"You're talking about the Sun Moon army stationed at the grain depot."
"Exactly."
Dai Hao nodded slightly, openly admitting it.
It was precisely out of this consideration that he set the timeframe at one month. For the first month, the army stationed at the grain depot would inevitably have their vigilance gradually eroded by "comfort." Then, with another month passing and facing the eve of war, the entire grain depot would definitely be on twelve-tenths alert.
The timing he was aiming for was exactly when they were the most lax!
...
Three days later, Star Luo Camp.
Gu Tianchen looked at the command tent before him, seeing the two guards who had just announced him, and sighed helplessly.
"I've just been a messenger these past few days."
Just a day ago, he had finally arrived in Mingdu.
He found that the battle was already over. With the Myriad Demon King sealing off the entire city, not even a fly could fly out. Upon entering the city, all the residents were terrified and anxious. Gu Tianchen ignored them completely, going straight to the Sun Moon Imperial Palace, only to find it had already been reduced to ruins.
It wasn't until Chen Junting personally came to find him and took him to a temporarily prepared administrative venue. The entirety of the Sun Moon Empire's officials were gathered here, and the one presiding over affairs was none other than Meng Hongchen.
Once Chen Junting had the Evil Emperor spirit soul use its mental power to monitor everyone, it ensured that the Sun Moon Empire's government orders remained clear while preventing any officials from making small moves. It also prevented the other cities in the Sun Moon Empire from noticing the changes in Mingdu.
In this way, Mingdu was completely brought under control.
"How long are you going to keep control?"
Sweeping his eyes over the many officials who looked ashen-faced, Gu Tianchen asked about Chen Junting's plans. Maintaining long-term control of Mingdu was impossible unless the Sun Moon Empire was destroyed; otherwise, Mingdu would eventually slip out of control due to various factors. Controlling it right now was purely for strategic considerations.
"That won't be up to me to decide."
The words were spoken casually.
Hearing this, Gu Tianchen instantly understood.
"It will be decided by the frontline."
Chen Junting nodded slightly. "The news from Mingdu must allow the frontline to achieve the greatest battle results. That way, it's a win-win."
One win was for them, as for the second win...
'Mhm, mhm…' Chen Junting glanced imperceptibly at Meng Hongchen, who was listening in, and Xiao Hongchen, who was constantly guarding her.
At least he felt this could be considered a superficial second win.
"Old Gu."
A soft call made Gu Tianchen instinctively feel that something was wrong.
"What are you trying to do now?"
"Nothing much. Just go for a run."
"..."
"Get lost!"
Thus, the scene before them unfolded.
"Sigh—"
Gu Tianchen had just sighed and was about to walk into the command tent. But the tent flap was suddenly thrown open, and Dai Hao strode out, coming up to Gu Tianchen with a pleasantly surprised expression.
"Little friend, what brings you here again? Quick, please come in!"
...
One day later, inside Mingdu City.
"Old Gu, you've worked hard."
"Save the nonsense."
Gu Tianchen snatched the cup of tea that had just been perfectly poured into Chen Junting's hands, ignoring the scalding temperature as he downed it in one gulp.
'Tsk—just make me run fewer errands next time.'
Chen Junting didn't speak, only smiling continuously.
Running fewer errands was obviously impossible. With the convenience of spatial abilities, how could he not be made to run errands?
Seemingly seeing right through Chen Junting's thoughts, Gu Tianchen sighed helplessly. Making bad friends! The number of times he had sighed recently exceeded his entire life combined.
After Gu Tianchen rested for a bit, Chen Junting turned serious and asked, "How long do they need it suppressed?"
Gu Tianchen's expression turned equally serious as he held up two fingers. "Are you sure you can maintain control?"
"Twenty days."
Without careful deliberation, Chen Junting agreed decisively.
"I can."
"With the Myriad Demon King controlling all the land outside Mingdu City, as long as a living being sees Mingdu, they will be directly controlled."
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