Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1004 (Second Update)

Light armored personnel carriers rolled across the muddy ground covered with weeds and a thin mist, the roar of their engines echoing from the valley floor all the way to the river mouth. The Latvian Legion, clad in dark green bulletproof armor, gathered on the riverbank, led by their sergeants, awaiting the passage of their assigned armored personnel carriers. The light armored personnel carriers slowly crossed the makeshift pontoon bridge, the soldiers following closely behind, advancing towards their target location. Compared to the past hardships of hunger, these Latvians had more color on their faces; their previously emaciated bodies had become much stronger after training, and their previously lax discipline was gradually taking on a steely form under the guidance of their political commissars.

The river shimmered under the sunlight, and in the distance, snow-capped mountains were whipped up by the fierce winds, their white mists billowing upwards. Two squadrons of assault transport boats, painted in crimson and gold, trailed trails of engine exhaust as they soared over the mountaintops. Below, the Latvians looked up at the sky, raising their hands in a deafening cheer to the assault transport boats soaring through the air. A week earlier, during the siege, these strange-looking aircraft had descended upon the battlefield, wiping out the enemy with their terrifying firepower. Their powerful main cannons had blasted the fortifications erected by the local nobles into worthless fragments with a single shot. The Latvians' confidence had been built through such battles, and many Latvian children, just beginning their education in the Immortal City, dreamed of one day piloting such an aircraft.

The mechanized infantry's destination is a village near the capital of Latvinia. Two days ago, guerrillas captured several nearby villages, evacuating the local population. Now, the guerrillas are about to leave, intending to control the roads around the capital to cut off the noble reinforcements. Upon arrival, the mechanized infantry will cooperate with the guerrillas to completely control all access routes to and from the capital, and deploy anti-aircraft missiles to block the Latvinian royal family's escape routes, buying time for other Latvinian rebels to liberate villages and cities one by one.

High in the valley, two golden-armored giants wielding massive shields with golden eagle and lightning emblems flanked a figure in a deep red robe. A man in iron armor and a dark green cloak stood beside him, quietly waiting for the other to speak first.

You'd never guess what my childhood dream was.

"They must have fried the sausages with a shovel that's been used to shovel elephant dung in Africa," Victor von Doom said, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Latvia's information network was built by the Immortal City, and that New York art exhibition made the headlines. How could I not know?"

Salomon looked like he was choking on a sausage.

He withdrew his downward gaze and turned to Victor von Doom. He knew the other man had some reservations about his actions; after all, if the Latvians knew their monarch was acting so recklessly, their confidence in the cause might be greatly diminished. Latvia wasn't a place obsessed with entertainment; such amusing escapades wouldn't win votes. The Latvian monarch had to project absolute authority. "Anyway, no one will recognize me," Salomon said. "On the bright side, no one will suspect that such a fool is the mastermind behind this war, which helps clear my other identity of suspicion."

“Not entirely,” Victor von Doom said slowly, his voice heavy with exhaustion. The small-scale guerrilla operations had yielded decent results; the Latvian Legion had seized a significant amount of resources exploited by local tycoons, as well as evidence of foreign collusion within the Latvian royal family. He needed to handle this intelligence and supplies personally, and coupled with the numerous military affairs, even with the Immortal City managing most of the work, Victor von Doom still felt utterly exhausted. “We’ve captured several CIA agents according to the list; their superiors are all CIA branches operating in Eastern Europe. According to their confessions, one of them came from Serbia and reportedly instigated several riots against the Serbian government. It seems the US has taken notice of Latvia. Considering the time you wasted on your vacation, your opportunities are dwindling.”

"Do you expect me to handle foreign affairs, my dear Regent?" Salomon said with a broad smile. "Serbia is our first step into Europe, and it's also the easiest neighbor to annex with us, but this is something you need to negotiate," he said. "Latvinia is far too small; we must expand. We can provide Serbia with satellites, we can provide nuclear weapons to deal with NATO neighbors like Montenegro and Bulgaria, but only if you can resolve the issues within Latvinia as quickly as possible and deploy troops to the northern border to fight alongside me against NATO's military forces."

Viktor von Doom hissed menacingly. "When I proposed the outright annihilation of the Latvian royal family, you demanded the complete liberation of Latvia," he said. "You demanded that every inch of Latvia be turned upside down, that the tycoons hiding there be wiped out, and that the deepest fears in the hearts of the Latvians be eradicated. I simply cannot do this quickly enough; I need time!"

“As many as you can come, Victor. I know it’s a difficult request, but you must do it.” Salomon’s smile didn’t fade despite Victor von Doom’s anger. “Now every camp has a television. The Latvians must see that they have not only defeated the monarchy, but also the invincible NATO. They must build their confidence; they must believe they are the best and most ambitious human beings; they must believe what the ‘United Truth’ tells them—that they are the only ones capable of liberating all mankind. Hammurabi—”

"My lord?"

"—Please give me this battle banner, thank you." Salomon took a battle banner with a distinctly Roman style. At the top of the banner was a golden eagle with outstretched wings, its layered wings as sharp as a giant axe. Rust-resistant black chains were wrapped around the banner's seemingly ordinary but actually technologically advanced black steel handle. The dangling crimson composite fire-resistant silk was tightly gripped by the golden eagle's talons, embroidered with a golden oath, hand-stitched by master craftsmen, representing the monarch of the immortal city. "I am very pleased that you have advanced the education of 'Unified Truth' to such an advanced level; this proves my judgment was correct. They fight united under one banner; the Latvians should know the meaning of this emblem."

Salomon gestured for Victor von Doom to pick up the battle flag. This flag not only housed a powerful refraction shield generator but also a teleportation beacon. Victor von Doom understood the flag's tactical significance: Salomon's Royal Guard would use it for location-based teleportation, joining the battlefield in emergencies. Similarly, the Royal Guard was inseparable from their king; wherever the Royal Guard was, Salomon's presence was inevitable.

"I will stand with the Latvians, Victor, this is my mission," Salomon said to Victor von Doom after he took the battle flag. "When you launch the general offensive, I will join the battle here, and I assure you, the Latvians will see their lord fight to the death alongside them."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)