The tactic's failure had been expected. Given the current balance of power, the decapitation strike had only been an attempt with some chance of success. Success would have been a welcome surprise, but there was no reason to assign blame for its failure.
At daybreak, the Ilkhan Kingdom's army intensified its offensive again. No troops recklessly charged into Hillkin City, however. Instead, they increased the frequency of their bombardments and once again sent airships to drop leaflets.
Under pressure from every direction, fear grew among many of the worker rebels inside Hillkin City. Many had already begun wondering whether they should surrender.
Not only Evan and the others from Dawn noticed these warning signs; the Workers' Party did too. In truth, even some party members had lost their way. The kingdom's army had surrounded them, after all, and they seemed to have no chance of victory.
Under the circumstances, even the Dawn Members who had arrived to help could not easily enter Hillkin City. Evan told them to remain outside for now and prepare to receive the others.
Days passed. Lately, the Ilkhan Kingdom's army had maintained its encirclement without attacking-or rather, it had only conducted small probing attacks on the outskirts while keeping up an unrelenting bombardment, placing enormous psychological pressure on those inside Hillkin City.
Hillkin was already bitterly cold in May, and snow fell on the wind at night.
Some rebel sentries hunched in the shadows along the perimeter, not daring to warm themselves by fires as the troops outside the city did. Along with the snowflakes, more leaflets drifted down from the sky.
Someone instinctively caught one. It bore promises from the king, conveyed by General Ilkhan, along with a final ultimatum.
Evan caught a leaflet too. Several Dawn Members around him were also reading them.