"Dungeon? Never heard of it."
"Founded by Emperor Okaz? That was a thousand years ago."
The surrounding officials whispered among themselves. Senator Frost Serpent cleared his throat, and they immediately fell silent.
"The dungeon is going to be opened. All civilians must enter the dungeon within two days, and some supplies will be stored there."
Senator Frost Serpent's voice was not loud, but his words brooked no argument.
"What about the Ango City we're in? Half-abandon it? The dungeon can indeed accommodate a million people, but hiding there means abandoning all the resources aboveground. How long can we last?"
Senator Rose clearly had no intention of completely opening the dungeon. Once it was fully opened, it would provide a way to cling to life, making it difficult to fight their way out. The soldiers defending Ango City aboveground would become resentful. Why should they be the ones to die while the other soldiers hid in the safety of the dungeon?
"I never said we were going to defend Ango City."
"Frost Serpent, you've finally come to the same conclusion as me."
"Civilians and some soldiers will enter the dungeon. If those monsters truly attack, we'll immediately send troops to meet them. Ango City has no walls or military fortifications. This place is only for stationing troops. We'll have a chance only if we take the initiative and attack. Defending passively will only get us surrounded."
Senator Frost Serpent's words made the officials secretly nod. They had previously planned to defend Ango City, but now it seemed that would merely be digging their own graves.
Without walls or military fortifications, holding their position would only result in encirclement. Taking the initiative was different. At the very least, they could clash with the enemy head-on. Even without a numerical advantage, they could