Chapter 88: Hector's Star (2)

One year ago.

Jackson, the commander of the Ranger unit, remembered the day he had a conversation with Edwin Hector.

"Jackson, the Kingdom of Hector can no longer hold on. With the increasing pressure from Golden Bank's interest rates, if next year's harvest is poor again, the national treasury will be depleted. That's why I want to propose something to you. How about we join forces and occupy the southern front of the Kingdom of Cairo?"

It was a bold proposal.

Hector's Star.

While he knew that Edwin Hector was an extraordinary person, as the rumors suggested, he mentioned the attack on the Kingdom of Cairo as if it were nothing.

His tone and actions.

It felt as if Cairo would fall into his hands with just a nod.

At that time, he naturally refused.

Even if Cairo was a minor country like Hector, it was impossible to defeat a war nation without any losses.

Two hours.

That was how long it took for Jackson to accept the proposal.

After hearing the plan Edwin Hector had already devised, he realized it wasn't just empty words.

It might actually be possible.

Rumors spread that Hector had been cursed by the gods due to the continuous poor harvests, and an extreme but certain method was needed to solve the current situation.

In that sense, Edwin Hector was like a timely rain.

Called the greatest genius in Hector's history, he was undoubtedly a hero born into a chaotic era.

Thus, one year.

They steadily advanced the plan.

They planted spies to dig tunnels behind enemy lines, and Jackson's Ranger unit successfully infiltrated in secret.

Edwin Hector had said,

"We have no choice but to win this war. After 48 reconnaissance missions over a year, the Kingdom of Cairo never realized we were watching the southern front. They won't be able to see through our diversionary tactics and protect the warp gate. What we need is a cautious attitude. Follow the plan step by step. Cut off the communication devices at the southern training ground and enter the rear base through the tunnels, and the southern front's warp gate will fall into our hands."

It was almost magical.

As planned.

Jackson was now in front of the warp gate.

Thud!

"Gasp!"

He instantly assassinated the soldier guarding the warp gate.

Screams echoed from various places as assassinations were carried out simultaneously, and Jackson rushed to the warp gate without clearing the bodies.

From now on, it was a race against time.

If the enemy discovered them before the connection was successful, they would all be annihilated, but if they succeeded, they would win the war.

"Hurry."

The technicians quickly began their work.

It was a tense moment.

If the Kingdom of Cairo had been vigilant,

they should have already discovered the situation, but they were still in shock from the news that the front line was under attack.

Finally.

Whoosh.

"...We did it!"

The warp gate glowed brightly.

After a moment,

Edwin Hector appeared, breaking through the intense white light.

* * *

One step forward.

He set foot on Cairo's land.

With Edwin Hector's red hair fluttering in the wind, the Ranger unit's soldiers all knelt down.

"Prince Edwin Hector, we see you."

"Prince Edwin Hector, we see you."

Their voices were filled with passion.

This operation.

The soldiers of the Ranger unit had set out with the single-minded determination to sacrifice their lives for the Kingdom of Hector.

They had prepared thoroughly, and ultimately achieved the desired result.

It felt like they had already won the war.

Some soldiers shed tears of joy, while others stood proudly with a sense of pride.

However,

Edwin Hector did not smile at all.

As he walked forward, he asked Jackson,

"What's the situation?"

"Most of the rear base's troops have been dispatched to the front line. As expected, due to Cairo's complex command structure, the support troops have not yet arrived. This is the perfect opportunity. If you give the order, I will completely occupy the rear base."

The Kingdom of Cairo.

Their divided power structure caused problems even in emergencies.

They did not send support troops for over two hours after the southern front was attacked, allowing the Kingdom of Hector to successfully occupy the warp gate.

From now on, time was on Hector's side.

Since Cairo could not send support troops, they needed to handle the situation thoroughly, even if it took longer.

"Kelan."

"Yes."

The knight who had been following stepped forward.

"I will put you in charge of the 1st Division. Eliminate the remaining forces at the rear base and fortify the defensive positions to prepare for Cairo sending troops overland. We don't know how long we will stay on the southern front. It could be a week, a month, or even a year. We must be prepared for the worst."

"Understood."

Kelan stepped back.

Some of the soldiers appearing through the warp gate followed Kelan in a different direction.

"Jackson."

"Yes, sir."

"The connection with Viscount McClarely, who is in charge of the 5th defensive line, has been cut. Do you know anything about it?"

"I haven't confirmed the exact situation yet, but it seems that they are too busy fighting to communicate. There's no need to worry. The 5th defensive line is not just any place. The commander of the southern front is known for being the most problematic, so they probably judged that they could collapse the 5th defensive line with just a portion of their troops."

He stopped.

Edwin Hector's expression twisted.

"I told him not to attack recklessly under any circumstances. Is that not so?"

"...Yes."

"After this operation is over, regardless of the outcome, Viscount McClarely will be punished. Do you agree?"

"Yes, I agree."

He nodded.

Edwin Hector disliked when plans went awry.

However, even he,

had not considered the variable of Viscount McClarely's defeat.

It was inevitable.

The 5th defensive line was the weakest on the southern front, and in all the calculations, no variables occurred there.

Edwin Hector said,

"From now on, everyone except the 1st Division will deal with the remaining Cairo forces isolated on the southern front. The war is not over. Do not let your guard down until we plant Hector's flag on the southern front."

"Understood!"

At that time,

the Kingdom of Hector had not yet realized the existence of the variables.

Not just one, but two variables had emerged.

* * *

The 1st defensive line.

Fortunately, it had overcome the crisis.

The enemies had retreated after a fierce counterattack by the Kingdom of Cairo, giving them a chance to catch their breath.

"Quickly repair the walls before the enemies attack again! Our lives depend on it! Hurry!"

Lord Donald walked around, shouting.

The walls were being repaired.

Due to the enemies' attacks, some sections of the wall had collapsed, and the gate was almost breached.

Fortunately, the Kingdom of Hector had not pushed their advantage.

If they had continued to attack despite the losses, one of the two sides would have been annihilated.

Once things were somewhat settled,

Lord Donald sighed.

At that moment,

a soldier approached and said,

"Commander, we have received a message from the southern training ground."

"Connect me."

He moved.

When he arrived at the command room, everything was already set up for the communication.

[My lord, I am Roman Demetri, a member of the 5th defensive line's reserve force.]

On the screen,

Roman was there.

Recognizing the name, Lord Donald acknowledged him.

"What does the youngest ranker of Cairo want?"

[Let me get straight to the point. The Kingdom of Hector seems to have used a diversionary tactic to occupy the rear base's warp gate. We are isolated on the southern front. Before we are completely surrounded by Hector's forces, we need to abandon the city and take refuge in the mountains.]

"…What?!"

He jumped up from his seat.

They had just managed to repel Hector's attack, and now the warp gate was in enemy hands.

He felt dizzy.

It was a reality he could not readily accept, and thus Lord Donald denied the truth before his eyes.

"The rear base cannot have fallen so quickly. And if what you say is true, wouldn't it be better to defend the city rather than abandon it? There's no way to survive in the mountains, where we would be completely exposed to the enemy's attacks. Therefore, I will strengthen the defenses at the 1st defensive line."

[To be frank, we cannot withstand Hector's attacks any longer. The Kingdom of Hector intentionally did not collapse the front line. It's not that they lack strength, but they needed a distraction while attacking the rear base. My lord, think realistically. Do you really believe they are doing their best?]

For a moment,

he was speechless.

There were many strange points.

The Kingdom of Hector had a clear advantage but suddenly made an inexplicable decision to retreat.

However,

they had received word that the support troops from the rear base would soon arrive.

Roman said,

[Retreating to the mountains is not about fleeing. If we stay in the city, we will be isolated and overwhelmed by the enemy's superior forces. We need to wage guerrilla warfare from the mountains to prevent the enemy from fully controlling the southern front. We must become a thorn in their side.]

Roman's persuasion was meaningless.

Lord Donald had already made up his mind.

He could not believe that the rear base had been occupied, and he firmly believed that the city was safer.

Moreover,

Roman Demetri could be a spy for Hector.

"We will make our own judgment. Let's end the communication here."

Click.

The magical communication ended abruptly.

The other defensive line commanders were no different.

Their reactions were the same.

Some accepted that the rear base had been occupied, while others did not, but they all said it was impossible to abandon the city.

In their minds, the city was a safe zone.

Defending the city until the end was what they considered the best option.

Only one person,

Stephen, who was currently guarding the 5th defensive line, followed Roman's orders.

[We will join you immediately.]

The commanders' refusals.

It was a ridiculous situation.

Even though he had told them the truth, they did not understand.

Roman had anticipated their reactions.

'If they were knowledgeable about war and could understand the situation, the southern front wouldn't have deteriorated to this point. I will abandon the front line troops. Forcing them to come with us would be suicidal.'

Through numerous wars,

Roman had realized one thing.

What was more terrifying than a powerful enemy was an ignorant ally with power.

The reason he had tried to contact them was clear.

He belonged to the Kingdom of Cairo, and if they listened, he could use them strategically.

He had done his duty.

That was all.

Roman did not try to force their agreement but cleanly dismissed their presence.

He gathered the soldiers.

"Pack your belongings. We are heading to the mountains now."

"Yes."

The soldiers moved busily.

From now on, they would face a difficult and arduous battle.

There was no fear.

In his previous life, he had faced even worse situations and always emerged victorious, ultimately reaching the pinnacle.

One hour after Roman left,

Thud.

A group of soldiers appeared.

The soldiers of the Kingdom of Hector, waving their flag, stepped forward, trampling over the scattered bodies.

Their destination.

The first target of the Kingdom of Hector was the 1st defensive line.