Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 436 Paraguay Crisis Ends

The rainstorm stopped, and the howling wind that had been raging all night finally vented its pent-up emotions and gradually calmed down. The sky above was still gray, with thick, gloomy clouds moving and rolling near the river bank, as if they were gathering strength for the next, even more violent storm.

Both sides of the river, wherever the storm passed, were in ruins.

The collapsed and tilted wooden and brick houses, the crying and shouting children staying near the houses, and the barefoot Paraguayan women wearing tattered clothes running back and forth in the flood...

The power of nature was truly displayed before little Lopez's eyes, but compared to what he saw before his eyes, the damage to the fleet and the subsequent reports from various parties made him even more worried and anxious.

Two transport ships sank and five were damaged. 5 soldiers fell into the water and went missing in the storm at night. The situation in Toso Grosso do Sul continued to deteriorate. An infantry battalion under the Second Division was attacked by Indian armed forces. The major battalion commander was seriously injured and died. The entire infantry battalion lost 39 soldiers. The remaining soldiers, led by a captain, were forced to retreat.

The situation on the front and rear was becoming increasingly unfavorable to the Lopez regime. Before Lopez Jr. had digested the impact of the two pieces of bad news he had heard yesterday, Lieutenant General Francisco Isidoro, Chief of Staff of the Paraguayan Army, came quickly to him with a telegram.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, please forgive me for disturbing your rest at this time."

"Tell me, where did the telegram come from?"

"We just received a telegram from General Hopkins. A border guard team from the Fourth Army Division captured three black people who were trying to escape to the area controlled by the Brazilian army while on patrol. The three black people were carrying weapons, and the guards also found a military map from them that showed the deployment of the Royal Army in the southern part of Goiás State."

Lieutenant General Isidoro said as he handed the telegram to Lopez Jr.

"Is the information true?"

After reading the contents of the telegram, Lopez Jr. asked calmly.

"General Hopkins is 100% certain that the former Brazilian black community in southern Goiás State has established private contact with the Brazilian army."

"I understand. Order General Hopkins not to alarm the black community and pretend that this incident never happened."

"But the blacks in Goiás have already contacted the Brazilian border guards. General Hopkins is worried that the southern part of Goiás may be attacked by the Brazilian army. Your Majesty, you know that there are only 8200 people in the southern part of Goiás under General Hopkins's Fourth Division. If the Brazilian army launches a surprise attack with the assistance of the southern blacks, it will be difficult for Hopkins to complete the task of defending the southern part of Goiás with the existing forces."

"The current situation in the kingdom does not allow us to fight the Brazilians in another direction. Be patient for a while. Once the rebellion in Mato Grosso do Sul is resolved, those ungrateful blacks will feel the punishment from the Paraguayan Army!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The old lion still retains the majesty of the grassland overlord. Even though Lopez Jr.'s prestige, strength and physical condition are declining, he still has unparalleled power among other generals in the Kingdom of Paraguay that he controls.

Lieutenant General Isidoro obediently accepted Lopez Jr.'s orders, stood silently behind him, and did his best to play the role of a loyal general.

"Let's go back. I'm a little tired."

After sitting on the bow deck for more than 20 minutes, Little Lopez stood up and looked up at the dark clouds covering half of the sky. He suddenly felt a heavy sense of fatigue in his heart: "Is it another storm?"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

His consciousness gradually became blurred, and the calls from his side became weaker and weaker. When little Lopez woke up again, he was in a land environment instead of on water.

"Your Majesty, you are awake."

"Where am I?"

"This is Concepcion. You suddenly fainted on the ship yesterday, and the fleet encountered a storm. For your safety, Doctor Doug suggested that you be transferred to land for treatment. In order to avoid the storm, the fleet temporarily docked at a port near Concepcion for repairs."

Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Isidoro stood two meters away from the bed and explained respectfully.

"Doctor Doug, how is my health now?"

After learning what happened when he was in a coma yesterday, Lopez Jr. turned his gaze to Dr. Doug, who was closest to him.

"Your Majesty, the cold and humid weather on the Paraguay River, as well as the rough and rough environment on the water, have aggravated your condition. For your health, I suggest that you stop your plan to go north to command the war and rest and adjust in Concepción for five to seven days. Once your condition is under initial control, return to Asuncion for comprehensive treatment."

"No, the soldiers on the front need the leadership of their king. I cannot abandon my promise to the soldiers on the front and return to Asuncion halfway."

Little Lopez struggled to move a little, and said firmly: "I know my physical condition. It's just a minor problem due to the damp and cold weather. It will be fine after a few days of rest. The transport fleet and the soldiers on board will temporarily rest in the port for three days. After three days, if my physical condition improves, I will accompany you to continue to move north. If my physical condition recovers slowly after three days, Lieutenant General Isidoro and Rear Admiral Falcon, the commander of the naval fleet, will lead the transport fleet to set off first, and I will stay in Concepcion to temporarily set up a central command center to command the front-line counterinsurgency war."

"His Majesty……"

Dr. Doug wanted to persuade him, but was stopped by Little Lopez.
"According to my arrangement, General Isidoro and General Falcon went back to arrange the repair of the transport fleet and soldiers.

Lieutenant Colonel Mandereli and the Cavalry Battalion took over the defense of the port camp from the 1st Guards Regiment.

Colonel Alonso was in charge of liaising with the commander of the Concepción garrison."

"Yes, Your Majesty."…………

Several generals and officers who were called accepted the order and then left Lopez Jr.'s room one after another.

On the fourth night after the transport fleet was transferred to the port of Concepcion, which was the day before the transport fleet was scheduled to depart, Lopez Jr., who stayed in the port camp to rest and recover, became ill again.

Chest pain, breathing difficulties, weakness in limbs! The intense pain from limbs to chest made Lopez feel the closest to the truth about his body: "I'm afraid I can't make it this time."

As his life was about to run out, even if Lopez Jr. had a lot of regrets in his heart, he had to consider a most pressing question: "What will happen to Mrs. Lynch and their children after I die? What will happen to the fate of the Kingdom of Paraguay?"

"Guard! Guard!"

Little Lopez, stimulated by the pain, let out several hoarse cries.

"His Majesty!"

The guard in charge of guarding the house came in and saw little Lopez lying on the bed, struggling in pain. He immediately shouted to the other guards, "Hurry up and inform Dr. Zhige and Lieutenant Colonel Mandely!"

"Yes, sir!"

Lopez Jr.'s condition deteriorated extremely, and dozens of guards near the core area of ​​the camp hurriedly passed information in other directions.

"Your Majesty, please hold on for a while. Doctor Doug is here."

Two or three minutes later, Lieutenant Colonel Mandely, the commander of the cavalry battalion, and Dr. Doug, who lived nearby Lopez Jr., quickly arrived at the scene.

Lieutenant Colonel Mandely replaced a soldier, carefully placed Little Lopez's upper body against his own, and said anxiously, "Doctor Doug! Treat His Majesty quickly!"

"It's too late. It's too late."

Amid the noise, the weak breathing of little Lopez could be heard.

"I won't make it this time. After I die, I hope you will support Carlos as you supported me."

With his last breath, Lopez Jr. told Lieutenant Colonel Manly and Elie: "The combat plan to support Mato Grosso do Sul is terminated immediately. Order the Third Division stationed in Puerto Casado to support the Second Division's retreat. Temporarily agree to the Indians' political demands and promise to give the Indians the same rights as the Mestizos (Indo-European mixed race).

He ordered General Hopkins, commander of the 4th Division, to withdraw his troops and strengthen vigilance against Brazil.

Order Major General Ames Washburn, commander of the Second Brigade stationed in Concepcion, to lead the troops of the Second Brigade to join the Guards and return to Asuncion together, and then accept Carlos' command.

After explaining several important matters intermittently, Little Lopez's blue-brown eyes gradually lost their luster: "Tell Carlos... ... to improve the relationship with the Han Kingdom... ... and never become an enemy of the Han Kingdom..."

The oil lamp that emitted a dim light was knocked to the ground, and the glass cover was shattered.
A breeze blew in from outside the open door, and the remaining light could not resist the breeze, losing the last bit of warmth.

Just like a broken oil lamp on the ground, little Lopez, who had exhausted his last bit of energy, came to the end of his life, and finally closed his eyes with reluctance to leave this world.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!......"

The shouts of officers and soldiers echoed in the large room, but there was no response from the Paraguayan leader.

(End of this chapter)