novelraw #215 - Section 215
#215 - Section 215
It was anger towards the Sea Kingdom and the Qing Teng Empire, and also towards… her colleagues.
This battle to seize the landing point was a divine mandate from the Sea God, a task that Nicole had to complete.
Just when final victory was within sight, the Sea Kingdom suddenly launched a surprise attack, wiping out the central army command.
This was partly due to the Sea Kingdom receiving reinforcements and their strength suddenly increasing.
However, the Naga side's overconfidence and arrogance, their failure to take Shark Prince seriously, and their complete lack of reconnaissance and defense in that direction were also significant factors.
Nicole had previously refrained from interfering in military command, knowing that specialization was key and that it was best to trust Cromwell and his staff's professional abilities.
But her trust only led to this outcome, and she had every reason to be angry.
Even if this expeditionary campaign was not a complete failure, it certainly gave the Sea Kingdom a chance to breathe and created unexpected variables, which was definitely not what the Sea God wanted to see.
Those present were all seasoned veterans, and even though Nicole didn't directly accuse anyone, they understood that she had hit the key point.
“Your Majesty Nicole, this is indeed the military's mistake, but now is not the time to dwell on it. Please command the next arrangements,”
Vice Marshal Camille Blue Coral responded through gritted teeth, directly handing over command.
Nicole glanced at him and immediately replied, “The landing point must be seized, it is the will of God. I order you to be the temporary commander, gather as many surviving forces as possible, and immediately retreat to the Second Fortress to prepare for the next round of attack.”
She wasn't good at specific battle command and still needed to rely on these generals.
But from now on, she would hold the highest strategic command in her hands.
Retreat was not an option. Believers must complete God's will at all costs, and a small failure would not change Nicole's determination.
“Then what about the Marshal's revenge? What we should be doing now is chasing after that Shark!”
A general immediately roared excitedly, his eyes red. If the people around him hadn't stopped him, he might have attacked Nicole right away.
“Shut up!” Camille, without waiting for Nicole to speak, immediately gave the general a heavy slap.
“Vice Marshal, the Marshal personally promoted you from the cannon fodder camp. Now you want to let the murderer who forced the Marshal to death get away with this cold-blooded Saintess…”
Another loud slap directly knocked the general to the ground.
“I told you to shut up, you idiot!” Camille said fiercely. “Commander K's death makes me sadder than any of you, but if the enemy can make a surprise attack, they have enough preparation. Do you think there's only one ice maze? Do you think our main force can really catch up with them? Pursuing them now is just a waste of time, even giving the Sea Kingdom a chance to encircle us… What we need to do now is reorganize and not let Commander K's previous achievements be in vain!”
His words were firm and conscientious, silencing the generals who were restless with dissatisfaction.
Nicole, seeing that the military had reached a consensus, slightly bowed: “Since Lord Camille doesn't need my help, then I will go to our Lord to atone for you!”
She walked towards the coral temple carried by a giant sea turtle. Through the pearl curtain, one could see her graceful figure making a kneeling, devout posture, praying.
Camille let out a heavy breath, helped up the general who had been slapped into a pig's head, took off his helmet, and personally applied medicine to him.
“Father, why…” Under the helmet, was a face that still looked young.
“I saved your life, you know?” Camille didn't control his volume, speaking to every military general present. “The Saintess is indeed kind, but she doesn't tolerate any sand in her eyes. The military has already made her dissatisfied, and she will not allow any uncontrollable factors to appear again, do you understand?”
“Just a cleric!” A general said indignantly.
“Clerics may be hateful, but God is real…”
Camille sighed softly, his gaze swept over everyone present, and began to retreat according to Nicole's instructions, hoping for the next battle.
……
……
Black Shark Fortress.
After eating the Naga rearguard, Doyle's troops did not continue to pursue, but returned to the fortress.
The enemy's formation was not chaotic, and they were always retreating in an orderly manner.
With the long-range attacks of the swordfish submarines lurking on the edge of the formation, the distance between the two sides became farther and farther.
Shark also sent a signal to retreat, and there was no need to continue the pursuit.
Even if he and Shark joined forces, it was impossible to completely eat the Naga main force. If the Naga fought desperately to break through, their own side would be severely damaged instead.
But Doyle looked at the battle report sent by Shark and couldn't speak for a long time.
The attack on the central army camp, Cromwell's failed escape and suicide by poison, led to the Naga main force on the front line urgently returning to defense?
So the key to this victorious war was really his always thought-to-be-useless Crown Prince brother?
“This is definitely not Shark's strength. The Qing Teng Empire's help to him is so great?”
Doyle showed a pensive expression, clearly victorious, but suddenly had a huge sense of crisis.
And intense unwillingness.
He also knew that the Qing Teng Empire was now the number one power on land. Shark was just a hostage captured by them. He didn't know what agreement he had reached, but he was able to win a battle.
If the Qing Teng Empire supported him, wouldn't that be…
Wuhu take off?
While frowning and thinking, a confidant came in with a strange expression, looking hesitant.
“Speak quickly,” Doyle asked impatiently.
“Your Highness, we have a traitor, he is working for the Empire.”
“Execute him directly.”
“But he took the initiative to expose himself, saying that the Night Watch Commander wants to talk to you.”
“Then… should we talk?”
The always decisive Doyle rarely hesitated.
Chapter 192 The Fourth Prince Who Can't Kneel?
Sea Kingdom's second line of defense.
Above the narrow trench, a base coral resembling a primeval forest had sealed off the area, leaving only one opening in the front and back for whale groups to enter and exit.
Countless planktonic predators scurried back and forth in the coral reefs, and new biochemical fish groups were constantly falling into the water from the hatching sacs, lurking into designated gaps according to their species, entering a state of low-temperature hibernation.
These fast-growing species have a very limited life cycle. If you want to hoard numbers, hibernation is a necessary means, otherwise the self-explosive fish produced in the early stage will die out.
About one-tenth of the base corals, at this time the newly formed fruits are not self-explosive fish, but coral insects that appear dark red like lava.
This is an insect species that the base coral naturally adapts to and improves after entering the marine environment.
Planktonic predators will carry these coral insects, look for suitable areas with submarine volcanic veins, and open up and plant "branch bases".
Of course, such behavior will only be carried out with permission.
After all, the base coral is just coral and does not have much intelligence. Lydia has designed relevant expansion programs for them, which need to be activated by the controller at the appropriate time.
Now the production capacity of this base coral group has reached the critical point that the nearby organic matter supply can accommodate.
If the speed of organic matter consumption continues to increase, it will inevitably drastically destroy the ecological balance, causing both marine plants and animals to disappear, gradually turning into a dead zone.
That would really be the effect after the Zerg invasion: the earth is barren, covered with their breeding creep, towering huge hatching pools, and full of hideous insects, with no living space for any other species.
The ocean is also regarded as its own territory by the Empire, and the battle situation is not so urgent, so Roger will not allow the base coral to enter the destructive mining mode.
He is just testing weapons and sending the latest combat and production data back to Lydia for remote debugging and modification by the Life Ritual.
Use new varieties to open up new bases in farther areas, and then expand production capacity, hoard troops, and configure more targeted biochemical fish groups, and tentatively take a sustainable development route.
If the Naga Empire does not increase its troops, the victory of the Sea Kingdom is only a matter of time.
In the camp in the canyon, the Sea Kingdom soldiers who had experienced the first battle were resting, but most of them were sleepless due to the excitement of victory.
The Sea Kingdom had been suppressed by the Naga for too long, especially this time Cromwell advanced all the way, which can be said to have stunned the mermaids.
As a result, the first battle they followed the Crown Prince in directly wiped out the enemy's central army tent, the Naga Marshal committed suicide by poison, and countless supplies were seized. What a glorious victory this was?
According to the officers, because of their victory, the Black Shark Fortress, which was about to fall, was automatically relieved.
Rounding it off, didn't their Crown Prince save the Fourth Prince's life?
So who is the Sea Kingdom's God of War?
The real situation is that the fortress troops that left the city were besieged, and the officers also described the situation.
But after word of mouth, details continued to appear wrong. By the time it reached the ears of these middle and lower-level officers and soldiers, it was exaggerated into the Sea Kingdom version of encircling Wei to save Zhao.
It was their successful surprise attack on the central army that defended the Black Shark Fortress.
However, the military generals loyal to Shark would not explain it to Doyle.
This version can better increase the soldiers' sense of honor and understand the great significance of their victory, making them more valiant in the next battle.
Young soldiers defend their country not only for military pay, but the passionate sense of mission is the real source of their morale.
If the fight continues, a strong army may be forged in this way.
Of course, there were still battle losses, but the Sea Kingdom has a large population. The news of the victory and the request to replenish troops and expand the army have been sent back to the royal capital together, and the results will be available soon.
At this moment, in Shark's whale car, the conference room.
The Sea Kingdom's staff and the Empire's military advisors, combined with the latest intelligence, are constantly making arrangements for the current situation and subsequent battles.
It's just that they have a cheater who can see the whole map, but this kind of intelligence advantage is not omnipotent.
The Naga's frontal combat power is still stronger than the Sea Kingdom's. Suitable strategies must also be constantly collided and summarized in order to fully promote strengths and avoid weaknesses and avoid falling into blind spots in thinking.
With so many tragic cases in front of him, Roger was cautious in the first place, and even more intolerant of the slightest carelessness. He always controlled the troops he was in to maintain the necessary calmness.
The soldiers below can swell, can be fanatical, but the upper levels must be able to clearly judge the situation.
Margaret was holding the latest intelligence in her hand and said with some disappointment: "The enemy did not pursue, but gathered their surviving forces and retreated backward. They are more calm than we thought."
The biggest advantage of base coral is its rapid manufacturing ability. At this time, they actually have more biochemical fish groups than when they attacked before.
Even if the Naga main force launches an attack on the canyon on the second line of defense, they have absolute confidence to defend it. With the support of the Black Shark Fortress, basically this Naga expeditionary force will be buried here.
Although the Sea Kingdom is weak, it is after all fighting in its own territory, and the replenishment of troops and equipment is simpler. The Naga is different. Although the army that suddenly lost command has the attributes of a desperate army, there must be shortcomings in strategy.
It's a pity that the enemy did not lose their minds because of the death of Marshal Cromwell, and become mad dogs who only knew how to take revenge.
The successor commander controlled the emotions of the troops well and chose to retreat and reorganize in order to carry out a new round of attack.
Roger knew more about the upper-level situation of the Naga expeditionary force than Margaret.
Even if the military generals were not calm and wanted to pursue them, Nicole, the Saintess who prioritized completing the oracle, would definitely stand up and stop the military's random moves.
Thinking of that kind girl, who might also kill people at this moment to control the situation, Roger couldn't help but feel a little唏嘘.
I really don't know how much humanity will be distorted by things like faith and war.
Although it was a bit of a pity, since there were no pursuing troops, they had more time to rest. The somewhat heavy atmosphere in the conference room relaxed a lot.
This battle gave the Sea Kingdom hope. The Naga's new equipment was not invincible, and the Empire's support gave them the bargaining chips to fight against it.
Soon the meeting was completed.
Roger returned to his own luxurious camp, and a Night Watch appeared silently beside him: "Sir, the Sea Kingdom's Fourth Prince has agreed and said that he is available at any time."
“Then let’s do it now.”
Roger nodded, guessing that Prince Doyle was not feeling well at the moment and was extremely curious about what happened on Shark's side, right?
Soon a teleportation door appeared in the camp, and Roger got up and greeted him actively.
The one who walked out of the teleportation door was Doyle, the Fourth Prince of the Sea Kingdom, who had a higher voice for inheritance.
He was a head shorter than Shark, but because he had been fighting in the army for many years, he was stronger, with a fierce aura on his face and firm and sharp eyes.
Roger invited him, and he dared to come to Shark's army to keep the appointment alone, which can be fully described as courage and decisiveness.
Perhaps there was also a gambling element, gambling that Shark would not take action against him at this time, using dark means to completely solve the competitor for the throne.
“First, thank you, Lord Charles. With Cromwell dead, I finally don’t have to have nightmares anymore.”
Doyle took the initiative to salute Roger, with sufficient etiquette, showing neither humbleness nor arrogance.
But as the prince of a country, showing an equal attitude towards Roger, the Duke of the Empire, already defaulted to the power of the Empire.
“Your Highness, please rise. Now the Naga and Terra are in collusion, they are our common enemies, there is no need to distinguish between each other.” Roger asked him to sit down.
“Indeed, I believe that the Sea Kingdom and the Empire have many common interests.” Doyle sat down and hinted at the chips he brought.
If the Empire supports him in becoming the next Sea Emperor, he will undoubtedly represent the Sea Country in supporting the Empire, establishing a mutual defense alliance between the two.
"As expected of Your Highness, you are indeed an intelligent person. The Empire and the Sea Country will certainly move further ahead, and we also hope to see a compliant ally ruling the four seas."