"Report to the Chief of Staff: a total of three thousand enemies have been eliminated, over ten thousand captured, including Ndebele high-ranking officials such as Lobengula. Six thousand firearms were seized."
Lobengula had been very lucky. He had suffered grievous injuries but had not died, regaining consciousness when the East Africans cleared the battlefield.
Svit said, "Organize men immediately to haul these corpses away for cremation. Do not let an epidemic break out. Also, bring Lobengula to me."
"Yes, Chief of Staff!"
Soon, two East African soldiers carried a stretcher before Svit. Lying on it was the ruler of the Matabele Kingdom—Lobengula.
Though he had survived, Lobengula had broken five ribs. Given the current medical conditions, whether he would live was still uncertain.
Svit asked, "You are the king of the Matabele Kingdom?"
Lobengula lay on the stretcher, looking at this young pale-skinned man who was far thinner and weaker-looking than himself. He answered weakly, "Yes. I am the 'King of Kings' of the Matabele Kingdom."
Lobengula was not putting on airs. Indigenous kings were merely chieftains, but the many chieftains had submitted to Lobengula and accepted his rule. Was that not precisely what made him the "King of Kings"?
Svit did not care about that. No matter how formidable he claimed to be, he was still a defeated foe, and his kingdom had previously been a vassal state of East Africa. Svit continued, "Why did you launch this rebellion?"
Lobengula sneered. "Hahaha, rebellion? The Matabele Kingdom and East Africa were two separate countries to begin with. We merely resisted invaders as we should have!"
Svit said, "Heh, you really know how to gild your own face. As far as I know, you Ndebele people were merely outsiders who invaded the Matabele Plateau from South Africa a few decades ago