Everyone had moments of helplessness, and so did nations.
A country farther east of the Peng Joe Empire was facing such a dilemma.
The entire country had a population of more than four million, and around 120,000 young and able-bodied men had died on the battlefield.
On top of that, years of being drained by the Peng Joe Empire had left the domestic economy on the verge of collapse.
They had managed to hold on before because the authority of the Peng Joe Empire was sacred and inviolable. Moreover, years of "subordination" had instilled a blind admiration for the Peng Joe Empire in many people, especially the older generation!
At the same time, the people's material needs were not particularly high. Life was difficult, but it was not impossible to endure.
For most people, as long as they could stay alive, even poor conditions were still bearable.
Under military intimidation and political coercion, this Small Country could only continue transfusing blood to the Peng Joe Empire.
But now, they could no longer afford to.
"Opposition forces" began emerging in large numbers immediately after the defeat in the war. These people counted up the Peng Joe Empire's demands and atrocities over the years.
More than 200,000 people had starved to death over the previous year alone, even more than had died in the war! The main reason for this result was the grain requisition system!
As an Axis Power and a Metropolitan State, the Peng Joe Empire held a lofty position and tremendous prestige within the entire Military Group.
Moreover, its habit of casually annihilating countries over the years had struck fear into people's hearts. At the same time, the country's upper echelons were basically rulers who favored the Peng Joe Empire, so this utterly unreasonable decision was still carried out.