While Li Chen was busy discussing the origins of wizard bloodlines and the ancient secrets of the Northern Elves with the beautiful married women, far away on the southern border, the war between the Great Luo Dynasty and the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty was quietly undergoing a tremendous change.
Sergei faithfully carried out Li Chen's instructions. In his capacity as "provisional governor of Grand Duke Andrei's domain," he officially cut off supplies to the hundreds of thousands of Southern Army soldiers under Tuoba Zhen's command.
Not only did he halt all shipments of provisions and weapons, he even ordered the troops belonging to Grand Duke Andrei's domain, who had originally helped defend the border, to withdraw a hundred li, surrendering a crucial supply corridor.
This move was like pulling the firewood out from under the cauldron, instantly plunging Tuoba Zhen's forces, whose offensive had been progressing fairly smoothly, into dire straits.
Their current grain reserves could still sustain them for a time, but replacement weapons and arrows were already running critically short. More fatal still was the wavering morale. The soldiers whispered among themselves, filled with doubts about what lay ahead.
Inside the command tent, Tuoba Zhen's face was livid. He slammed his fist onto the heavy oak table, making the markers on the map rattle.
"Sergei! That damned power-grabbing dog! That coward!" he growled, murderous intent blazing in his eyes. "He dared cut off my army's supply lines! Does he think he can sleep without a care just because he has that so-called 'Master Urge' backing him?"
An adviser cautiously urged him from the side, "Commander, Sergei is flying the banner of 'peace-loving' and publicly accusing you of launching an unauthorized war and throwing the dynasty into turmoil. If we attack him now, we risk losing the moral high ground