Volume 2 Chapter 84
After much discussion, Clyris resolved to retreat and defend the Dark City.
With both the East and West fronts breached, and no rear cities capable of serving as fortresses, retreat was the only option. They would rely on the Dark City's ancient defenses from the Dark Age to make their stand. Otherwise, they would simply be swept clean by the Alliance.
However, how to retreat was the problem. The two fortresses held over a million troops. The retreat had to be orderly, not chaotic. Simultaneously, it had to remain undetected by the main Alliance force, or they would be routed.
Most importantly—It had to be fast! There were few cities left in the East and West; they couldn't delay the Alliance for long.
Both of them realized this, but they differed on the method.
Clyris: "No, the troops in the fortresses are elites. We must evacuate as many as possible! We can trade Air Force losses for time! The current fighters are sufficient to delay the Alliance!"
Clyris's plan was a phased withdrawal from both fortresses simultaneously, using intense airstrikes to pressure the Alliance advance. This would trick the Alliance into thinking the demons were resisting to the end, covering the retreat until only a small rearguard remained.
Charlo: "Relying solely on air strikes cannot stop ground troops! Especially since the Alliance has anti-air capabilities now! Pitting the current Air Force against the heavily defended Alliance main army is nearly impossible!"
Charlo argued that the Air Force couldn't stop an Alliance army equipped with High-Rank Knights, Aerial Knight Orders, and War Behemoths. Ground troops had to be stopped by ground troops. In this scenario, the Air Force could only play a supporting role.
However, under Charlo's plan, Clyris could save at most two-thirds of her forces. She would have to leave about one-third of the soldiers behind to hold the line.
Here lay the conflict. Clyris wanted to save as many soldiers as possible. In her heart, leaving one-tenth was the maximum she could accept.
If possible, she wanted to leave only one-twentieth or less. After all, these soldiers on the front lines were experienced veterans.
The more veterans retreated to the Dark City, the stronger its defense would be. Defending with fresh recruits wasn't impossible, but they would never perform as well as veterans.
Clyris: "The combat will and experience of these veterans are essential for the defense of the Dark City. If I lose too many, I can't guarantee the strength of the Dark City's garrison!"
Charlo: "But if you don't leave enough ground troops and rely only on the Air Force, how many planes do you have for the Alliance to destroy?"
Charlo: "The Alliance has already occupied large areas of the East and West, hasn't it? You know how much manpower and resources you've lost! How many planes can you still produce every month?"
Clyris fell silent. As Charlo said, the loss of vast territories not only meant the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of demons but also a reduction in raw materials, leading to a drop in aircraft and artillery production.
Charlo: "And most importantly, Pilot Training. Every crashed fighter means the death of two crew members! Every lost bomber means the death of several... How many skilled aircrews do you have left? How many more can you train? What is the difference in training time between a skilled pilot and a skilled infantryman?"
As Charlo threw question after question at her, Clyris fell into silence, unable to say a word.
Or rather, she dared not say it!
An infantryman just needed to learn basic formations and how to use a gun before being sent to the battlefield.
But a pilot had to operate a plane, learn flight tactics, and crucially—have knowledge! If they couldn't even read the flight manual, they wouldn't know how to fly!
Even after learning, a pilot couldn't be sent to battle immediately like a grunt. They had to fly in the rear first. Only after completing takeoffs, combat maneuvers, and landings could they go to war.
Even though she had reduced flight training to fifty hours, the time and resources to train one pilot were still many times that of an infantryman!
Clyris: "I..."
Clyris hesitated, her face gradually turning pale.
Charlo: "It seems you understand... This is cruel, but it is the method with the least loss! Think about it, Clyris. There isn't much time left..."
Yes, time was running out! The Alliance wouldn't stop and wait for her to decide. She had to decide now. If she delayed, everything would be lost!
Charlo: "Make the decision as soon as possible! The sooner you resolve yourself, the smaller the loss, and maybe you can save more people!"
Clyris: "I don't know what to say... If I only had to leave a small group, I could find those who lost their families and have a bone-deep hatred for the Alliance, asking them to stay for revenge! But so many people... I don't know what to say... to make them stay! Do I just say 'I want you to stay and die?' I can't do it..."
Clyris looked up, covering her face, seemingly not wanting anyone to see her state.
Charlo: "There is no other way. Just tell them... A pre-battle speech! Tell everyone the situation clearly. Tell them you need people to die! Then show your determination to resist to the end! Make them understand their death has value! That it is glorious! It will always stir some hot blood..."
Clyris: "And then... send those hot-blooded soldiers who believe in me to a certain death... to save the cowards who lost their will to fight?"
Clyris's voice was hoarse.
Charlo: "No! On the contrary, most of those who step forward with hot blood should be retreated! Leave a small portion of them to lead the majority of soldiers who have lost their will to resist!"
Charlo: "You must say, 'I will not abandon anyone! But the retreat must happen in waves.' Finally, calculate the Alliance's encirclement time, and leave the soldiers without fighting will, led by a few spirited leaders, to die! That maximizes combat power!"
Clyris froze.
Clyris: "Charlo... you..."
Charlo: "A group of lifeless soldiers only needs a few energetic leaders to spark vitality! Especially when surrounded. If it's just a bunch of soldiers with no will, they will collapse instantly. But once led by determined men, the instinct to survive will erupt! They will hold! They will break through! They will fight! As long as the leaders don't give up, as long as you don't say give up! Then they won't collapse! So you don't need all the determined fighters to die. Just maintain a ratio of one high-morale leader for every thirty to fifty low-morale soldiers. That is enough!"
Clyris: "This..."
Clyris looked at Charlo's words in shock, her body trembling slightly. She didn't know whether to be impressed or chilled.
Charlo's words were like a boulder thrown into the lake of her heart, raising monstrous waves that refused to calm.
In this moment, Charlo was no longer just a kind, approachable lord, nor a knowledgeable sage, nor a partner she trusted with her life!
He was a... calculating conspirator! A ruthless noble!
Clyris: "Why... would you think of such a cruel plan? You are tricking them into dying! They won't know they were abandoned even until death! They will die thinking they could live! They won't know... their hope... never existed from the start!"
Clyris was triggered. She remembered her past. She too was deceived, betrayed! She lost everything because of it! She loathed this to the extreme. But now, Charlo was asking her to do the very thing she hated most! To send soldiers who had no grudge against her to their deaths!
She couldn't agree! She couldn't accept it!
Clyris: "When exactly... did you become like this..."
Clyris covered her face in pain, her heart spasming, almost suffocating.
Charlo: "...Sorry! I didn't consider it thoroughly!"
Charlo also remembered Clyris's past and realized his slip of the tongue. He apologized immediately.
Clyris: "Why... are you like this? I... can I still trust you?"
Clyris asked the question she cared about most, her tone fearful, waiting carefully for Charlo's reply.
She felt like someone receiving a blind box. She didn't know what was inside, but looking at the packaging, it likely wasn't anything good. Yet, she held onto a shred of hope—maybe the packaging was just a prank, and the inside was still good! She hoped, hoped Charlo would give the answer she wanted... even if it was a lie to deceive herself!
Charlo: "Sorry... I won't lie to you anymore... I have always been like this!"
However, Charlo gave the answer she least wanted to see! Clyris's body shook, and two clear tears slowly rolled down her face...
Charlo: "You must be disappointed... But that is the kind of person I am! Sometimes I come up with dark, cruel ideas. And coincidentally, I have the knowledge required to execute them! So sometimes, extremely cruel thoughts pop up! I am no sage. I am just an ordinary person!"
Charlo: "I can only control myself not to implement those cruel ideas—even if they are useful and effective. I will choose the harder, gentler path! Only this time, because I am behind a screen, not commanding, not facing them... I unconsciously adopted a 'God's Eye View' and spoke that cruel plan... Sorry!"
Clyris gradually calmed down. Is that so... An ordinary person? An ordinary person who makes mistakes... Yes! She had almost forgotten. Charlo wasn't a god. His rank was even lower than hers. Making mistakes was normal!
Charlo: "Clyris, let me ask you—Why do you fight? For revenge? Or for survival? Or for conquest?"
Just as Clyris calmed down slightly, she saw Charlo ask.
Clyris: "Revenge... and survival. Half and half, I suppose..."
At this point, it was hard for Clyris to define her thoughts. Revenge? Yes, she wanted it. But right now, survival was more critical!
Charlo: "The disparity in combat power is visible to the naked eye. If you want to survive, you cannot lose! Therefore, tell them the situation! Tell everyone clearly that you need a Suicide Squad! Tell them you fight for survival! There is no retreat, but for victory, sacrifice is destined!"
Charlo: "You can still follow my previous method, but tell them clearly: They are going to die! At the same time, promise them that if they hold until the retreating troops reach the Dark City, they can break out according to the situation!"
Clyris paused. What did that mean?
Clyris: "Didn't you say... they were going to die?"
Charlo: "There must be some hope... You can't leave them with nothing! And rest assured, this isn't lying to them. After the main force enters the Dark City, you can send fighters to find a suitable landing spot to pick up those who break out. After all... by that time, there won't be many left! This isn't deception! Just... a cruel ending that everyone knows!"
Clyris was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "I understand..."
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