Two days later, at night.
Inside the Bewildering Mountain Range, in Soren's staff headquarters tent.
A staff officer reported to Soren with a troubled expression. "General, only a small portion of our military rations remains. They are expected to be exhausted in another day. Even if we reduce the portions for each meal, we will not last more than three days, and the soldiers below are already deeply resentful. I suggest..."
At the end, the staff officer swallowed, somewhat hesitant.
Soren looked at the staff officer and narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Ke Bo, what do you suggest?"
"I suggest..." The staff officer raised his head, glanced at Soren, and said softly, "Should we try contacting Shalin?"
"You mean surrender?"
"This..." The staff officer hesitated for quite a while before finally nodding without denying it.
"I want to know, is this the opinion of the entire staff headquarters, or your own?"
"It... it is my own opinion, General."
"Then do you understand what that represents?"
"Well..."
"This is treason!" Soren said sternly.
The staff officer's eyes contracted as he cried sharply, "General, I am only considering everyone's sake. If we remain trapped like this, we will all starve to death."
Soren did not listen at all. He turned toward the entrance of the tent and shouted, "Guards!"
At once, two fully armed Magic-armored Knights entered. After glancing around, they dragged away the staff officer who had proposed surrender at Soren's signal.
After the guards left, Soren swept his gaze over all the staff officers in the tent and asked in a low voice, "Does anyone else wish to propose surrender?"
Not a single person spoke.
"Good." Soren raised his tone slightly. "Gentlemen, I know the situation is terrible right now, but I do not think we have reached the worst point