I'm in Terra

Victory was inevitable, and the ministers' efforts were merely a spur to minimize losses and expand gains. He was more concerned with the loosening of the Seal of the Years and the conspiracy behind Ursus's series of bizarre decisions.

These things are the hidden dangers that could really shake the foundation of Da Yan.

In comparison, Yan State can still afford to fight a tentative war.

A week after the fall of Hulao Pass, Ursus dispatched three legions through the pass to attack the heartland of Yan. The Fourth Army chose no specific target, instead garrisoning around Hulao Pass. The First Army selected a nearby town and began their plundering spree. Another "army," a composite of various factions, chose the theoretically most fertile central region—Shangshu.

The war has quietly begun.

Battle reports from the three legions continued to come from the front line, and these reports were passed on to Victoria through the mouths of the snake-scaled soldiers, allowing him to clearly understand the situation on the front line.

The First Army made gains almost every day or two. After the Battle of Longmen, the First Army's commanders chose a more cautious approach, continuously plundering towns with the goal of clearing out surrounding strongholds. Conversely, the Combined Army was stuck in a stalemate from day one. Shang Shu's defenses were unexpectedly strong, and the various forces were unable to break through, and were already showing signs of retreat.

Only the Fourth Army, which controlled the entrance and exit to the pass, remained motionless and firmly maintained the security of Hulao Pass.

"Nekalov has finally learned his lesson. He seems to have realized something is wrong."

"It's useless. There's no point in being cautious. Domestic pressure will definitely force him to send troops. Then it will depend on whether he can calm down and eat a bite of meat and run away."

"Who do you think will be eliminated first?"

"The First Army. The combined corps has stalled in Shangshu. Yan State will prioritize dealing with the more threatening First and Fourth Armies. As long as Nikalov can hold his ground and hold Hulao Pass, the First Army will undoubtedly be the first to suffer."

Wine and Meat: 156 War Failure

The facts were just as Victoria expected.

Only three days later, news of the First Army's defeat came from the front line, shocking all those who knew about it. The Yan State used a carefully planned ambush to strangle the First Army's throat - the landship cluster.

No one knew how Yan Nation figured out their attack route, but the fact was that the moment the First Army's land-based ships stopped, the originally peaceful and quiet town was instantly filled with endless murderous intent.

A large number of ambushes suddenly emerged from hard-to-find corners, entangling the plundering troops. A little further away, hidden in the shadows, were the Celestial Masters. Their eyes were piercing, and wherever their gazes were focused, explosions would continuously occur.

Their goal was clear: to destroy the First Army's mobility, which was essential for its survival. As long as they could destroy the land-based ships, they were confident that they could completely bury these invaders.

This scene happened almost throughout the Sichuan-Chongqing region.

The support from Yan State came faster than Ursus had imagined, but these reinforcements did not rush to support Shang Shu, which was fighting fiercely, immediately. Instead, they ambushed the First Army in an almost impossible way.

Encircling Wei to save Zhao would reduce the amount of supplies the Ursus army could plunder. Yan Nation's purpose was obvious, but Ursus had no choice but to accept this move. Whether to preserve their strength or for the sake of those supplies, they needed to rush to the aid of the already half-destroyed First Army.

So, a military intelligence telegram was urgently sent to Hulao Pass and delivered to Nekalov, who had been keeping his troops idle.

"General, the Council's order is to send soldiers to support the First Army. We must ensure the First Army's combat capability and supply."

Nikalov waved off the signalman and quietly lit a cigarette. He had long anticipated the Council's request. Reasonably, he should have followed orders and supported the friendly forces.

but.......

Nikalov exhaled a puff of smoke, his vision gradually becoming hazy. If the First Army suffered, could he and the Fourth Army advance further? Compared to the treacherous and dangerous battlefield, the nearby cities, with their severely under-protected defenses, were more appealing to him...

To save or not to save?

Nekalov thought alone for more than an hour, then called the signalman who had been waiting for a long time.

A day later, the Fourth Army was dispatched in large numbers, but they did not support the First Army as everyone expected. Instead, they quietly attacked a smaller mobile city, Yuqing.

He also knew a thing or two about besieging Wei to save Zhao.

In just three days, the entire central region was in chaos, with the armies of both countries battling each other, each seeking to completely bury the other side in the sand.

Change home, change home again.

The Yan Kingdom reinforcements were relentless in their pursuit of the First Army, intent on completely annihilating it. The mixed armies lacked the ability to maneuver flexibly, and they were unwilling to shift their focus, determined to fight the fertile and fortified Shang Shu. Meanwhile, the Fourth Army, disregarding the fighting on either side, focused intently on its own objective, acting as if it were the greatest food in the world.

The long-thirsty empire finally got the long-awaited war profits, although only the territories within the Fourth Army's sphere of influence enjoyed such treatment.

The Fourth Army's actions infuriated everyone. Yan Nation's support was limited, so they could only grit their teeth and fight the First Army. Ursus itself was also deeply dissatisfied with the Fourth Army's insubordination, but the daily reports of battle and looted supplies silenced them. They had no way of ordering the Fourth Army back, the only army with clear gains and guarding a vital chokepoint.

For a moment, the manpower on both sides was frozen in place, and no one knew which army would collapse first.

It wasn't until two weeks later that the first eliminated force appeared. The First Army, gradually drifting away amidst continuous blocking actions, struggled for a week after completely losing contact with its land-based ships. Ultimately, their calls for assistance proved fruitless, and they were dragged to death in the desert. Only a handful of scattered troops managed to reach the vicinity of Hulao Pass.

The battle report instantly shattered the balance of power between the two nations. The Fourth Army quickly withdrew, abandoning the half-taken Yuqing. The Combined Army retreated dozens of miles overnight, completely abandoning any plans to take Shangshu. They raided several nearby villages before preparing to return to the vicinity of Hulao Pass.

But how could the Yan State, which had already started to fight, give them another chance? It destroyed the troops of the First Army and rushed to the rescue at night, successfully blocking this force before the combined army withdrew.

Another chaotic battle ensued. The Fourth Army had intended to support its allies, but the Yan Nation had already laid out a decoy. Rather than encircling the entire army in one fell swoop, they chose to use a large number of landships as chariots to penetrate the divided battlefield, forcing the army to split in two.

These improvised armies lacked coordination and, without unified command, were effectively scattered. Nearly half of the troops that managed to escape the encirclement did not return to support their allies, but instead fled in disgrace back to Hulao Pass.

At this point, the Ursus invasion was completely blocked by the Yan State. Except for the Hulao Pass which was still firmly controlled, the Ursus army had almost no way to enter the territory of the Yan State.

The war had essentially concluded, but Yan Nation wasn't prepared to let it go so easily. A week later, all troops except the Fourth Army withdrew from Hulao Pass. The supplies the retreating troops had taken with them far outweighed the losses incurred. Regardless of the outcome, Ursus was doomed to fail.

The only thing that can be considered a victory was Hulao Pass.

However, Yan State did not intend to hand over Hulao Pass. As the gateway to the Sichuan-Chongqing region, if Hulao Pass could not be taken, Ursus might make a comeback at any time, which was absolutely unacceptable to Yan State.

As a result, Yan State's retaliation quickly unfolded. The still-well-organized army firmly surrounded Hulao Pass, while multiple troops attacked and harassed the Ursus border. Even the East State responded to Yan State's call, sending a lightly armed force straight to the northeast of Ursus.

After three weeks of siege, the Fourth Army stationed at Hulao Pass completely lost its supplies and had to deal with probing attacks from Yan State every few days.

After a month and a half of siege, the supplies at Hulao Pass were completely exhausted and the supply line was completely severed. The Fourth Army was forced to abandon the pass and break out.

After nearly three months of fierce fighting, Ursus's invasion war had completely failed. Furthermore, they would face retaliation from Yan Nation and hostility from other countries.

And Victoria also faced his first battle after becoming governor - attackers from the East.

Wine Pond and Meat Forest: 157 Calculation

The war was lost, and the defeat on the front line could not be concealed at all. The battle situation spread throughout the country and even the entire earth at an unimaginable speed.

The stereotype that "Ursus is declining" began to gradually appear in the minds of various countries. In contrast, the threat posed by Yan Country was also taken seriously by other countries on earth.

However, for Ursus himself, these rumors were no longer important. After the Fourth Army failed to hold Hulao Pass and was forced to break out, a new problem was about to arise.

Yan State’s revenge has come.

Although the number of troops sent by the enemy was far less impressive than the three Ursus legions advancing simultaneously, it was still a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, the Eastern Kingdom, which had always had an ambiguous relationship with the Yan Kingdom, had also sent a force to avenge the invasion during the Blood Peak Campaign.

Luxembourg, where Victoria is located, is located in the northeast of Ursus, which happens to be the primary target chosen by the Eastern Task Force.

This is a challenge and an opportunity.

Even before the Reunion attacked Longmen, Victoria had anticipated the potential for retaliation from the Yan Kingdom. Therefore, he personally assisted Tallulah in forcibly killing Wei Yanwu at Longmen.

With the threat of Sui Xiang, it was impossible for Yan State to launch a large-scale attack on Ursus, and those small-scale harassing and retaliatory armies were exactly the opponents that Victoria had been dreaming of.

When news arrived that Yan Nation was dispatching troops to attack the border, Victoria sent two letters requesting assistance. One was addressed to the Congress and His Majesty, stating his commitment to defending his territory and requesting material support from the Empire. The other, secretly delivered to Chervin through the Undead Black Snake, contained simpler details.

He wanted neither money nor troops, only the Empire's mechanized forces and related technology. If Chervin could secure support from Congress, he would send all the money and food allocated by Congress to Chervin.

Yes, he intended to reveal a little of his ambition to Chervin. They were all shrewd people. Chervin had been able to suppress his desire to go further and choose to hold back during the invasion. He naturally understood that the young and strong Victoria had greater ambitions.

But if Victoria is willing to stand on his side, he doesn't mind helping the young man.

After all, the Ursus Empire was in turmoil, and even he had to win over some supporters. The noble generals of other legions might respect him, but when the storm came, they would definitely be the first to target him.

Therefore, the emperor was far away and the young and rational Victoria became his best choice for an alliance.

Within three days, the Imperial Parliament's vote was delivered to Victoria. Cherven not only found a way to help him get a large amount of food and equipment, but also allocated a commando force consisting of armored vehicles.

Although it wasn't the portable mortar unit Victoria desired most, the armored assault troopers were still a powerful weapon on the battlefield. Victoria accepted the gift without hesitation and returned the money and food that had been brought with them.

Eating meat together is the ideal cooperative relationship in Victoria's mind.

After solving the supply problem in the rear, Victoria temporarily put aside the increasingly obvious party struggles within the empire, and also stopped paying attention to the warlock reserve camp, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to military training.

Luxembourg has a generally flat terrain. The northeastern half is mostly plains, while the southeastern half has a large number of frozen forests. If the enemy wants to harass from the east, they will definitely choose the northern region with a flatter terrain and can enter and exit quickly.

This is good news for Victoria, because when Luxembourg was first established, the issue of border defense was already taken into consideration. This is why, as a border city, Norvinsk is much larger than other small towns.

Holding on to the north can not only prevent blitzkriegs from Yan or Dong, but also provide necessary support during periods of active evil spirits.

However, to prevent his opponent from acting unpredictably, Victoria had stationed an additional troop garrison in the southern town. If any foolish enough chose to attack through the jungle, this pre-positioned force would be a welcome surprise.

But the enemy was clearly no fool. The day after Victoria received support, reports of attacks began to arrive around Norvinsk. However, the enemy didn't target the heavily fortified Norvinsk, but instead chose to attack the relatively weakly defended mines.

In just three days, Victoria received reports of attacks on more than five mines. The attackers were very smart. They neither coveted supplies nor intended to control some of the mines. They simply used the small Originium cannons on the landships to blow up the outer walls of the mines, then rushed in to kill everyone and left.

This is a provocation and harassment.

This was the first time Paul encountered such a tough opponent, and he was very worried about the attack on the mine, but Victor ordered him not to take the initiative to attack, but to hold the city firmly.

He knew full well that the attack on the Norvinsk area was merely a test. The enemy had come a long way and could not simply overthrow a few mines and call it a day. Their losses from the journey alone far exceeded those suffered by Victoria, not to mention how much food reserves those lightly armed troops might have left.

He had one purpose in having Paul hold his ground, which was to force the enemy to give up the tough nut to crack in Norvinsk and focus on the small town deeper into Ursus.

Sure enough, after three or four days of harassment, a fleet flying the Eastern Kingdom's flag attempted to attack Norvinsk. But in the face of Paul's long-prepared fortress and powerful artillery, the firepower network formed by those land-based ships was completely insufficient.

Therefore, after two rounds of tentative attacks, the fleet wisely gave up the siege, returned along the same route in the sight of the sentinels, and disappeared at the end of the snowfield.

After the attack failed, Victor instead deployed every available force at his disposal. All is fair in war. If the enemy were to resort to underhand tactics, Victor would naturally not succumb. In less than half a day, the entire Luxembourg army had deployed a massive insect-catching net centered around Norvinsk, and the mortar unit he controlled was the end of this net.

Nothing happened that night. Victoria asked Paul to send sentries to patrol the northeast of Norvinsk symbolically, and then ordered them to lift the alert and resume the construction of factories and mines, as if the attack from the East had ended.

When night falls, all you can hear is the roar of the land-based ship on the dark snowfield.

When it comes to military strategy, Victoria has never been afraid of anyone.

PS: Hedgehog Cat has been having seizures a lot lately, it’s really a headache.

Oh, by the way, I have started my own business, please give me your advice.

Wine Pool and Meat Forest: 158 The only winner

A low tremor could be heard faintly in the darkness of the night. The land fleet, which had disappeared for a whole day, returned to the outskirts of Luxembourg under the cover of darkness.

The ninjas they left behind had confirmed that the Ursus soldiers, who had relaxed their guard, seemed to think that they had left and had completely relaxed their vigilance.

Too naive. They will prove with their actions what a surprise attack is.

The towering walls of Norvinsk passed by in the distance, but the attackers had no intention of choosing this difficult target. Their sole objective was to inflict the greatest possible casualties at the lowest possible cost.

Therefore, they have a bigger target choice - Luxembourg.

Yes, they were ready to do something big. Compared to those seemingly poor and shabby small towns, they wanted to make a big noise. Even if they couldn't capture the city, they could at least teach these Ursus people a lesson.

The fleet was like a dark ghost in the middle of the night, calmly passing through one small town after another, until the towering walls of Luxembourg appeared in front of them, and the fleet did not encounter any obstacles.

They succeeded. The fleet commander licked his lips and drew the sword from his waist: "All troops, attack!!!"

BOOM! BOOM! ! BOOM! ! !

A violent explosion tore through the darkness, illuminating the sky. The fleet's anticipated barrage of fire didn't materialize, for the explosion landed right beside them. The source of the fire wasn't the Originium cannons mounted on the ships, but a more intense and deadly attack.

Mortar team.

The lights in the villages they passed by were all turned off, but that didn't mean there were no people inside. On the contrary, a large number of soldiers were hiding nervously in the houses, waiting for the moment the fleet stopped.

The sky-high artillery fire is the signal for attack.

The long-suppressed cries of killing shook the heavens and the earth, pouring in from all directions. At this point, how could the fleet commander still not understand that he was surrounded? He brandished his command knife and screamed desperately to get the ships moving.

It's too late.

As a surprise attack fleet, their fleet was designed for lightness and speed, both in terms of numbers of soldiers and ship types. This meant their ships lacked the robustness of traditional large vessels. Furthermore, their artillery bombardments targeted the bulkier rear section, not the spearhead, making it difficult for their fleet to launch quickly.

The outcome is sealed, General.

The gates of Luxembourg were wide open, and the armored vehicle troops that had been ready for action roared out of the city. Even though their opponents were landships that were much larger than the armored troops, there was not a trace of fear in their eyes.

How could a wolf be afraid of a sheep? No matter how big a sheep is, it is just fat meat in the eyes of the wolf pack.

Sprinting, crushing, crashing. Under the driver's delicate control, the heavy armor slammed into the side of the landship, the prepared ramming angle of the front of the vehicle fiercely embedding into the seemingly solid shell.

If the collision of one armored vehicle is like an ant trying to shake a tree, what about five? Ten? Twenty?

One armored vehicle after another fearlessly embedded itself within the land craft, forcing the moving vessel to a halt with its weight and impact. The valves on the roofs quickly opened, and the fully armed elite troops successfully landed using hooks.

In less than thirty minutes, the fleet fell silent.

"It's time to rest, Lord~"

At the highest point of Luxembourg, Victorinox was gazing at the distant flames through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Even in the city center, he could still see the faint flickering flames in the distance.

Kasheina, dressed in a dress, brought a cup of hot milk tea and placed it elegantly on the table behind Victoria.

Victoria shook his head and sat back in his chair. "No rush. It's not too late to sleep after the war is over. The land-based ship technology from the East Country can be exchanged for a lot of good things."

The fragrance of milk tea soothed his tense nerves. Even though the plan was foolproof, he still felt a little uneasy in his heart.