A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

"That's right, in fact..."

Wang Chong's voice also carried a hint of surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and concisely informed Talulah of the crucial information regarding Baikal's death and the Emperor's urgent order for Constantine to lead troops back to reinforce the south.

"...Constantine's retreat was a genuine order. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity to expand your gains and further increase your advantage, you may proceed."

Wang Chong advised, "But we must be extremely vigilant and be prepared for the enemy to counterattack or set traps at any time. We must not let our guard down just because the enemy is retreating, lest they seize the opportunity to bite us back..."

However, after a moment's thought, he offered another suggestion: "Of course, adopting a more conservative strategy is also the best option. You can choose to remain still and consolidate your existing defenses. The enemy is eager to rush south to reinforce us and won't linger. Once they see that you've stopped pursuing them, they will definitely make their way as quickly as possible."

Wang Chong's voice, reflecting a clear grasp of the situation, continued his analysis:

“But if we do that, won’t all the pressure be transferred to you?” Talulah’s voice was filled with worry. “We’re already struggling to resist this army of 400,000, and you’ll have to face it all alone…”

“No problem…” Wang Chong said confidently, “Given the marching speed of Constantine’s army, it will take them at least twenty days to get from the North to our southern battlefield. By then, we will be well-rested and have the advantage of terrain and popular support, so we can catch them off guard.”

"Moreover, we now have the full support of the people of the southern cities. They are the ones who are actually outnumbered, not us. In these twenty days, I can capture three more cities. By then, I will have enough support to hold off that 400,000-strong army."

"Talulah, your primary task now is to subdue the northern cities as quickly as possible. Currently, those stationed there are mostly the 100,000 defeated soldiers under Georgie's command that you defeated before."

"They have long been terrified by the enormous explosion you created, and only dare to cower in the rear to defend the city. They don't even have the courage to join this army of 400,000 to fight you to the death. When you arrive at the city gates, they will surely surrender at the first sign of trouble and be used by you."

"You must sweep across the north with overwhelming force, then march south, seize the central cities, and open a passage connecting us to the south. At that time, our northern and southern armies can successfully join forces and engage in the final battle with the Ursus Third and Fourth Armies!"

After listening to Wang Chong's clear and grand strategic plan, Talulah pondered for a moment and solemnly responded:

“Okay, I understand. I will immediately adjust our strategic deployment, sweeping through the northern part of the Eastern Region as quickly as possible, and then making a full-scale advance into the central and southern regions.”

"Furthermore, Ah Chong, in the fierce battles of the past few days, we have eliminated about 50,000 enemy troops, but Constantine still has about 350,000 combat-ready soldiers under his command. You must be very careful in dealing with them and not act rashly."

“Understood, Talulah,” Wang Chong replied.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries and briefing each other on the general situation on their respective fronts, Wang Chong severed the telepathic communication after confirming that both were safe and sound.

After the communication ended, Talulah had already quietly made an even bolder decision in her heart:

"We must find a way to relieve the pressure on Ah Chong and his men! After Baikal twice sent 100,000 troops north to reinforce the southern region, even though Ah Chong and his men have recently annihilated many enemies, the local garrison is estimated to still number over 300,000."

"If we add Constantine's 350,000 fresh troops... even if Ah Chong is exceptionally strong, the foundation that the South has painstakingly built could very well be completely washed away by this torrent."

"Although it involves considerable risk... at least it can give Ah Chong a greater chance of winning... and perhaps even allow us to completely capture these 350,000 troops!"

Talulah's gaze hardened, and she turned and strode toward the ground command tent where the generals had already gathered.

……

"Huff...huff...have they stopped chasing us?"

About five days later, Constantine, panting heavily, coughed once and came to the only river that ran through the entire Eastern Region, scooping up water to wash the blood off his face.

"Your Excellency...it's gone. Two days have passed, and there's been no sign of integration...What are you all still watching for? Go fetch water for Your Excellency!"

A general nearby quickly came to the Grand Duke's side, answering him while ordering his soldiers to send him away.

"Besides, we've already passed through a city. Even if those people want to show up, they'll have to take over the city's garrison first before they can catch up."

The general said.

"How hateful! How hateful—!"

Constantine punched the snow and cried out in pain, "In my sixty years of fighting, I have never suffered such a humiliating defeat! To be chased away like a dog!"

"Fifty thousand soldiers perished on the road to defeat! I brought five hundred thousand men here, and now I'm slinking away with only three hundred thousand."

"Heh, now the father really is like the son, he's become a damn good-for-nothing too!"

"Your Excellency... Your Excellency, this is not your fault. Not to mention that 100,000 troops left because of Baikal, the loss of 50,000 men in this escape was something we never expected the Reunion Movement to be so cunning!"

The general quickly offered words of comfort:

"Their pursuit and attacks on the first and second days were feigned; they were simply sending small groups of troops to deliberately harass our formation and try to slow down our southward march."

"But who could have imagined that on the third day, they would actually launch a surprise attack. What's even more fatal is that we all thought that captain was the main force of the attack. But who could have imagined that two more troops would suddenly attack from the flank and the sky, almost wiping us out in one fell swoop."

"Especially that air force! They... they actually attacked us riding the legendary flying dragons. If Your Excellency hadn't taken off your helmet in time and disguised yourself as an ordinary soldier to escape, you would probably have been captured long ago."

The general recalled that day. How those flying troops, which blotted out the sky, had their mounts spewing dragon fire one by one, and how they had used their flying abilities to slaughter his army one after another.

Thinking of this, the general couldn't help but shudder, his face filled with a shadow of fear.

Aside from skilled warlocks, our side is completely helpless against those flying units.

The other cavalry unit, whose soldiers were all equipped with large bows, possessed archery skills that were in no way inferior to the elite troops of Qazimir.

It was precisely the terrifying firepower of these mounted archers that completely shattered the morale of the army group, causing it to collapse and flee.

"In that case, Your Majesty, our retreat might have inadvertently averted a major defeat. Imagine if we had encountered these two forces during the siege... the consequences would have been..."

The general didn't continue, but the implication was clear. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

Constantine remained silent, but he understood his general's meaning perfectly. If that guard had actually given in and allowed him to launch a hasty decisive battle, the consequences would have been utterly disastrous.

Unfortunately, it was too late to express gratitude, as the other party had already died at the hands of Patriot and his adopted daughter Frostnova.

"Just how many high-end combat forces does the Reunion Movement possess...? These monsters, the legendary dragons, and those warriors comparable to legendary heroes... Where did these people come from? Why has Ursus's intelligence network been completely unaware of them for decades?!"

Constantine understood better than anyone that the Reunion Movement possessed such a large quantity and quality of high-end combat power, which meant that they already had the military strength to establish a nation!

He could imagine that once the Third and Fourth Army Groups in the Eastern Region were completely wiped out by the enemy, the entire Eastern Region would be completely integrated and occupied.

Even if Ursus launches a full-scale attack, if it cannot be crushed with overwhelming force in a short period of time, the immense military and political pressure from neighboring countries taking advantage of the situation will force Ursus to abandon its revenge and withdraw in disgrace.

The foundations of the empire will be utterly shaken!

Chapter 435 The Coming Nation War

"Grand Duke... the power that the Northern Unity group of infected has displayed is truly beyond comprehension..."

The general before him clasped his hands in a deep, solemn voice, which sounded particularly heavy in the cold air:

"That is why we should avoid their sharp edge for now and head south as quickly as possible to seize the key towns and cities in the central and southern regions that have not yet fallen."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the exhausted and demoralized soldiers around him, and lowered his voice to emphasize:

"Especially the strategic choke point connecting the central region of the Empire with our eastern region—the main city of Yakunitz! This city must not be lost, otherwise once it falls into the hands of the unified forces, our army will be completely locked in the eastern region with no way to retreat."

"At that time, we will be forced to fight the Integration forces in the Eastern Region to the bitter end, until one side is completely drained of its last drop of blood..."

"How could I not know the importance of Jakunitz!"

Constantine's voice was hoarse but carried an undeniable determination. He slowly straightened up, supporting himself on his knees. The humiliation of days of retreat and the fear of integrating the fighting force were replaced by a ruthless determination to burn his bridges.

"However, to deal with those elusive, sky-dominating dragon cavalry, and that light cavalry that is as swift as the wind and terrifyingly accurate in mounted archery, relying solely on our existing conventional forces would be tantamount to throwing eggs against rocks. We must... we must unleash the full force of the Third and Fourth Army Groups!"

Constantine's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept towards the snow-covered southward horizon, and he commanded, word by word:

"Order the entire army to prepare for full speed ahead! The next target is the Yargo military base in the central region! Get there as quickly as possible!"

"Yargo?!" Upon hearing this, the general's pupils contracted sharply, and a trace of panic flashed across his face. "Your Excellency... do you intend to awaken 'that'?! But... but our Originium energy reserves are already stretched thin."

"Even in the absence of war and under the condition of merely maintaining minimal operations, 'it' can only support us for a maximum of three months! This... this is already the limit! Once it is put into actual combat, the consumption will be immeasurable, and the time will only be shorter!"

"Three months... is enough!"

Constantine took a deep breath of the cold air, as if inhaling all the pent-up emotions and resolve in his chest, and said:

"We are no longer facing ordinary bandits! If we cannot quickly recapture and control those mobile city fortresses, if we cannot effectively suppress and integrate those terrifying flying units and high-speed cavalry... sooner or later we will be gradually devoured by them and repeat the same mistakes as before!"

"This is a matter of life and death. Without 'it,' what will we use to stabilize the situation? What will we use to deal with the surprise attack from the integrated forces?!"

Constantine stared intently at the general, his tone leaving no room for argument as he continued to issue commands:

"Furthermore, immediately draft a detailed and truthful battle report! Describe the entire incident of being ambushed and utterly defeated by the Reunion Movement's surprise attack... word for word, and urgently submit it to the Imperial Council and His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Your Excellency, you mustn't!!"

The general's voice trembled slightly with extreme fear:

"The defeat in battle, coupled with the fall of a distinguished guard... His Majesty is in a fit of rage. If he were to learn of this devastating news, I'm afraid... I'm afraid he would be just as furious with you as he was with Prince Shuysky and Prince Kolchakov, and would unleash a thunderous wrath upon you, punishing you severely!"

"Hmm... severe punishment?"

Constantine let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, his eyes filled with a desolate understanding of the situation:

"Do you think the deaths of the Imperial Guards can be concealed? The life of every Imperial Guard is linked to the secret arts of the inner court. His Majesty will know of their demise immediately!"

"Instead of hiding it, we should lay out the truth and expose the terrifying power that the Integration Movement has demonstrated, which is far beyond what ordinary bandits can match, to His Majesty and all the important ministers of the Empire!"

Constantine clenched his fist tightly, his voice rising sharply with a warning:

"I am not only warning His Majesty, but also those dukes. What we are fighting against is not some rabble of infected rioters! They possess top-notch combat power comparable to legendary heroes, and their organization, discipline, and tactical skills completely surpass our proud Imperial Legion!"

"This is clearly another 'Ancestor Emperor Igor'-style rebellion, powerful enough to shake the very foundations of the empire! And now, we Ursus stand in the same position as the Eagle Empire that we overthrew!"

Constantine's voice struck the hearts of the general and all the officers around him who could hear it like a hammer blow:

"This is a national war! A true national war that will determine the rise and fall of the Ursus Empire! If His Majesty and those dukes in the council still hold onto the mentality of 'suppressing bandits,' and still fantasize about relying solely on the remnants of our Third and Fourth Armies to clean up the mess..."

"Then, it's only a matter of time before the entire Eastern Region falls into the hands of Unification! And this will become their springboard for swallowing up the entire Ursus Empire!"

“I especially warned those dukes… if they continue to fight amongst themselves, then just wait and see! Watch how the Reunion Movement, with their doctrines and followers, storms into Saint-Germain Castle and hangs those high and mighty dukes from telephone poles in the streets!”

……

On the fifth night, a biting wind howled, and the Reunion Movement camp quieted down after a brief rest. The soldiers seized the time to replenish their strength, preparing for the night raid that was about to take place later that night.

The outline of the target city in the distance was faintly visible in the night, like a lurking beast.

Inside Talulah's tent, the light was dim. She was concentrating on using the black mist flowing within her body to communicate telepathically with Wang Chong, who was far away in the south.

She recounted in detail how, since the last communication ended, the Reunion Movement had exploited the inertia of Constantine's forces to launch a successful surprise attack on the third day of their retreat, achieving brilliant results.

"So, Xiao Lu, you took advantage of their habitual thinking and successfully launched a surprise attack on the third day, catching them completely off guard..."

Wang Chong's voice, tinged with approval, echoed clearly in Talulah's mind:

"I never expected that the armies that Jeanne Alter and Attila had painstakingly cultivated and kept hidden for so long would achieve such remarkable results in their first appearance under your command."

Wang Chong took the initiative to contact him because today, when he led his army to successfully capture another southern city and killed 10,000 Ursus soldiers, he began to calculate the expected reward of 30,000 reputation points, but unexpectedly found that his total reputation points had increased by a huge amount of 150,000.

After a moment's thought, Wang Chong realized that this huge extra gain could only be due to Talulah's major breakthrough on the northern front.

Sure enough, once they made contact, they heard that Talulah had led her troops in pursuit of Constantine's forces and achieved a great victory.

"It's a pity...we failed to capture Constantine..."

Talulah's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible regret, her breath dissipating in the cold air.

"Moreover, the enemy's sorcerer forces are numerous and well-coordinated, and their counter-firepower is exceptionally fierce. If we continue to pursue and annihilate them regardless of the cost, it will only result in heavy losses to our elite forces, which would be a losing proposition."

She paused, then analyzed frankly:

"In fact, this victory was more the result of taking a risky tactic. Fortunately, Attila's light cavalry charge instantly shattered the enemy's morale with overwhelming force, causing them to completely lose the will to continue fighting and only care about fleeing in a sorry state."

"Otherwise, once the enemy recovers from the initial chaos and regroups to fight us to the death with their superior numbers, even if our army wins in the end, it will suffer a heavy price, with less than one-tenth of its troops remaining, and its strength will be severely damaged."

"...I know you want to share the immense pressure on the southern front." (You Mei isn't here, Yong isn't free, Lin is here, isn't here...)

Wang Chong's voice lowered, revealing a complex emotion:

“But Talulah, promise me you won’t take such risks again. This is not only for me, but also for the future of the movement as a whole. We cannot afford the excessive loss of our core strength.”

"Um……"

Talulah responded softly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing across the cold tabletop, not delving deeper into the topic.

They understood each other implicitly and were doing their best to share the heavy burden from the other's perspective.

The conversation then naturally turned to the south, where Wang Chong was located.

"As for my side, following the capture of the three cities and Chern City, we have successfully taken another city today." Wang Chong's tone regained its calmness and confidence. "Now, five important cities in the south are under our control."

"However, the new 100,000-strong Third Army has successfully moved from the central region to the remaining cities in the south that have not yet fallen. The upcoming battles will not be as easy as before."

"In that case, there are nearly 300,000 troops on the southern front, right?" Talulah asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

Chapter 436 The Southern War is About to Begin

Wang Chong nodded and said:

"Yes, there are about 290,000 troops in total. Fortunately, they have to be temporarily dispersed and stationed in various key passes and cities, busy maintaining order and suppressing the uprisings that are happening one after another..."

"These high-pressure tactics may temporarily suppress the wave of resistance in the city, but they are like a tightly sealed powder keg, which will only cause public resentment to accumulate more fiercely."

Wang Chong's voice carried an air of unwavering confidence, as if he were in complete control of the situation:

"More importantly, as long as the Southern Integration Army I lead reaches the city, the people inside will naturally cooperate with us from within. At that time, breaking into the city and completely eliminating the garrison will be a natural outcome."

"So, if these 290,000 troops were to be concentrated in one group, I might have to put in some effort. But now that they are scattered and fighting their own battles, don't blame me for picking them off one by one and devouring them piece by piece!"