Armed Citizens

This was exactly what List and the others wanted: to force Fernandez I into action, then drain his war potential.

In modern warfare, the attacker's losses had not diminished; instead, they had grown ever greater.

Of course, that depended on... advanced weaponry and logistical support.

Fernandez I was not a god. He could not imagine just how drastically the nature of warfare had truly changed.

Still, he had his own areas of expertise.

Since ancient times, tools had undergone innovation from time to time, but people's hearts had never changed.

There was nothing new in history; only human nature remained unchanged.

Set wolves upon tigers, eliminate rivals, kill with a borrowed blade.

Methods had never been right or wrong. There were only winners and losers.

The New Divine United Kingdom and the New Holy Cross Kingdom possessed the foremost military strength. Otherwise, even if Fernandez I had wanted to be crowned, he would have faced many obstacles.

Now that he had seized the banner of righteousness and held the commanders of every faction in his grasp, he naturally would not abandon such an effective weapon.

The first large-scale offensive, regardless of victory or defeat, would certainly incur heavy casualties.

If he did not send the non-core forces forward at such a time, trouble would come one after another later on.

By preserving the New Holy Cross Kingdom's army, he could easily suppress any dissent from the United Kingdom's other territories afterward.

Thus, he effortlessly conscripted more than a hundred thousand second-line troops and began advancing.

Emerald Town!

The Great Xia Empire had pulled back its defensive line, abandoning the outermost small mines and newly reclaimed farmland.

Those newly developed lands lacked sufficient fortifications.

Crude wooden fences could only stop ordinary tool mutes and wild beasts.

The long border also