Meanwhile, when Lin Cuo saw that the red area in the Northeast Salient had stopped expanding, the tension gripping his chest finally eased considerably.
He immediately began dumping work on other people.
"Li Xingke."
On the video terminal, Li Xingke had just finished reviewing the Northwest Four Garrisons' entry into the combat zone. Hearing Lin Cuo call him by name, his eyes took on an unmistakably guarded look.
"What is it? You'd better make it quick."
"I'm putting you in charge of overall coordination for the outer combat zone on Kashgar's Western Front."
"Nine member states in the Southern Ocean are reconsidering their positions, three regional commands have only just ceased fire, and two member states are demanding that we renegotiate their autonomy provisions."
"So you just need to handle them all together."
Li Xingke stared at him. "Do you think that as long as something is important enough, you can ignore the limits of how much work a person can do?"
"Takemi Tae prescribed ten hours a day."
"I've already worked thirteen hours today."
"Those were the last thirteen hours. Start counting the next stretch now."
Li Xingke took a deep breath.
The imperial channel connected just then. Jiang Lihua had evidently heard their conversation. Rather than resorting to Lin Cuo's shameless nonsense, she said earnestly, "Minister Li, the Western Front truly does need you now. For the time being, the Secretariat, Commissioner Cao, and the local military and civil committees will share responsibility for Southern Ocean affairs. I have already issued an edict suspending prosecution of all overt acts of rebellion for thirty days. Those willing to restore transportation and common defense may first sit down to negotiate."
Li Xingke fell silent for a while. He could refuse Lin Cuo, but not the Son of Heaven, especially since