Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires-Chapter 173 : Divided We Stand

"General Warren!" a tired soldier entered the tent of his general and bowed.

"What is it?" Warren asked, shifting his gaze to the man.

"The Crimson Sun Empire is sending scouts at the eastern and western cities, they are most likely searching for a weak link to attack."

Hearing his subordinate's words, Warren scratched his chin deep in thought.

"How is the army morale?"

Hearing the general's question, the soldier's eyes darkened for a moment. "Honestly, not good, sir. Most of them think that it is pointless that we have divided our forces so much. The general perception is that we should unite and crush the enemy once and for all!"

Warren smiled at the man's words and stood up from the old chair he was sitting in.

Picking up a map that had been set aside, he spread it onto the table.

It was a highly detailed map that showed the Draconian Empire in its entirety. Not only were the cities shown, but even the smallest of villages on their lands.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

Warren pointed at the few cities that had been crossed out with a marker, indicating that they had been conquered already.

"Have you heard that the best way to fight an enemy with large forces is to divide them… just like we are currently?"

The soldier parted his lips as he answered, his voice lingering with hesitation. "… Yes, I have. That is why I also share the common belief that we should unite and strike."

Warren smiled faintly at his words. "Your way of thinking makes sense… that is, if one ignores the bigger picture."

The soldier raised an eyebrow. "What is it, sir?"

Pointing to the map, the general commanded, "I am not going to be around for much longer, as such, I will have to be replaced with others—hopefully more capable than me. Try and see what I am talking about. Come to your own conclusions."

The soldier hesitated for a second, then studied the map.

The four closest cities to the enemy had already been conquered, forcing the Draconian forces to retreat and fortify the surrounding areas. Their troops were now stationed along the borders of those lost cities, ready to respond to any further incursions.

"..."

Despite his efforts, the soldier couldn't grasp the full reasoning behind the general's decision.

With a sigh of disappointment, Warren spoke. "There are several reasons why our forces are divided and why we are waiting rather than attacking."

He pointed to the crossed-out cities. "First, our army is large, while the enemy has yet to deploy their main forces. That means we are slower. If we gather all our troops in one place, the enemy could simply bypass us, advancing deeper into our lands—closer to the capital, where they intend to rescue their princess."

Holding up two fingers, he continued, "Second, while their forces are few in number, the strongest units they have are commanded by their best general, Hadrik. If we attack recklessly, we would lose too many men."

Warren then gestured toward the cup of water on the table. "And third, keeping our forces divided makes supplying them easier, reducing the strain on our cities. A true leader doesn't only think about the war but also the people who sustain it. If our actions cause their suffering, we risk internal unrest, which could prove disastrous."

The soldier frowned. "That may be true, but doesn't that still put us in a bad position?"

"No. Right now, we are at a stalemate. General Hadrik is no fool—he has likely seen through my plan. If he wants to push deeper into our territory, he will have to go through one of our fortified cities first."

The general's eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity. "If that happens, the forces stationed there will slow them down while confirming their attack. Meanwhile, we can mobilize our troops and encircle the enemy army as they focus on the city. No matter how strong they are, once surrounded, they will be doomed."

Scratching the back of his head, the soldier hesitated. "So… we're at a stalemate because Hadrik understands your plan and doesn't know how to proceed?"

"Precisely," Warren spoke as he got back in his seat.

"Even if that's true, isn't it still a problem? If word spreads that we allowed a small enemy force to cross our borders unchecked, wouldn't that make us a target? If that happens, wouldn't other empires see us as weak and seize the opportunity to attack, not just the Crimson Sun?"

Hearing his question, Warren smiled, it seemed that the soldier was able to somewhat think for himself.

"Yes, sadly, your words are correct."

"Then why aren't you doing something to address the matter?" the soldier asked.

With a sigh, Warren shifted his gaze to the ceiling.

"The emperor's orders were to slow them down. Not stop them. It seems that His Majesty has something in mind."

Upon hearing the general mention the emperor, the soldier flinched slightly before quickly bowing in respect.

He might have been brave enough to question the general's judgment, but doing the same to the emperor would just mean he would be given the death penalty, no questions asked.

Shifting his gaze to the entrance, the soldier was about to leave until the general's words stopped him.

"You said our morale is low, right?"

"Yes, sir," the soldier said, frowning.

Without saying anything further, Warren tossed him something.

The soldier caught it with his right hand, and as his eyes fell on the object, he realized it was one of the numerous orbs used to observe the grand tournament from a distance.

"Sir, is that—"

"The emperor has ordered a number of these orbs to be transported to the places where soldiers are stationed. You can blow off some steam by watching the fights. One must rest their mind every once in a while, too."

"Thank you, sir!" the soldier shouted, bowing at a ninety-degree angle.

"If you want to thank someone, thank His Majesty. Now, leave. I have more work to do."

Leaving the general's tent, the soldier observed the surroundings. There were about a hundred tents hosting about a thousand soldiers.

Reflecting on the general's words, he noticed that, despite their irritation, the troops were well-fed and in decent condition.

"The old man seems to know what he's doing," he muttered, heading off for his meal.

"I just hope the emperor does too."