Chapter 26: The Furious Governor of Mexico

*Bang!* The intelligence report from Guatemala was slammed onto the desk by the Governor of Mexico. Glaring at the colony’s officers gathered in his office, he roared, his face twisted with rage:

"You idiots! Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?! How was such a vital military stronghold captured in a single day? And are you all blind? A massive army of 40,000 from the Song Empire arrived right under your noses, and not a single soul reported it to me! Do I feed you wastrels just so you can consume my rations?"

"My deepest apologies, Excellency," one of the officers began, his voice wavering as he sought an excuse. "The Song Empire’s previous behavior was truly deceptive, and there was also Sun Li, who..."

Before he could finish, the Governor cut him off with a brutal wave of his hand. "Don't you dare mention that treacherous scoundrel Sun Li to me again! And don't talk to me about any so-called 'allies' from the Song Empire! Is your head filled with sausages? How could there ever be eternal friendship between nations?!"

After a long, sputtering rant, the Governor—whose body was weakened by years of indulgence—felt lightheaded. He took a deep breath and continued in a flatter, colder tone:

"Our complacency has allowed this duplicitous nation to get the better of us. From this moment on, the Song Empire is an enemy of the British Empire! My dispatch is already en route to the British mainland, declaring the Song army’s actions against our Mexican colonial government an act of aggression. I order a full mobilization of the entire Mexican colony. Recall the forces currently suppressing the Wood Elves; stop attacking those primitive natives and focus on securing our human settlements and gold mines. Gather all other units. I will show the Song Empire and Sun Li that the authority of the great British Empire is not to be trifled with!"

"Excellency," an officer in charge of military deployment reminded him cautiously, fearing another outburst, "Sun Li is leading 30,000 Song troops toward our Governor’s Mansion. By the time they arrive, I fear we will not have enough time to assemble all our forces..."

After seizing the Guatemalan stronghold, Sun Li had left 10,000 men to hold the position and raid the surrounding gold mines, while he led his 30,000-strong main force directly toward the Governor’s Mansion. His strategy was simple: by forcing the Governor to defend his center of political power, he would compel the enemy into a head-on battle before they could consolidate their strength. Sun Li estimated that, at most, the enemy could muster 60,000 men, only 5,000 of whom would be regular troops. He felt no pressure facing a force primarily composed of mercenaries.

If the Governor chose to avoid battle to build his strength, he risked losing the capital—and being besieged would shatter the morale of his mercenary-heavy army. If the Governor couldn't see that, he wasn't worthy of being Sun Li's enemy.

Hearing the officer’s concern, the Governor fell silent. Sun Li was pressing them hard, weaponizing the advantage of a surprise attack to force the British Empire into a decisive battle with incomplete strength. Having served as Governor in Mexico for years, he knew the nature of his mercenary auxiliaries all too well: they were fine for hunting down Wood Elves, but he doubted their resolve in a high-stakes, uncertain conflict.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing campaign against the Wood Elves, there were only about 5,000 regular troops available. Even bolstered by tens of thousands of mercenaries, the Governor lacked confidence in holding the mansion for long. Mexico lacked the sophisticated star-fort systems designed for warfare found on the European continent.

Furthermore, the Song army had captured over a dozen cannons at the Guatemalan stronghold, making defense infinitely more difficult. He cursed the commander of that stronghold; couldn't that coward have died defending his post? The Governor conveniently ignored the fact that the city gates had been opened by internal traitors, focusing only on the commander's surrender.

The Governor weighed his options: his only choice was to muster every available soldier to intercept the Song army. The colonial government had deep pockets; with enough gold, he could quickly recruit around 50,000 mercenaries. Combined with the garrison, he could scrape together a force of 60,000. Sixty thousand against thirty thousand—if nothing else, seeing double the enemy's numbers should bolster the morale of his mercenaries. *Let’s see if the Song army is truly invincible,* he thought. *I will drown you in a sea of bodies.*

As he consoled himself, the Governor grew frustrated with Sun Li. He wondered where the British intelligence agents were spending their budgets, failing to discover the massive revelation that Sun Li was the Emperor of the Song himself. Thinking back to how he had treated Sun Li with such hospitality and respect, the Governor wanted to slap himself—though he decided that was perhaps too difficult to actually carry out.

"You see the situation," the Governor announced. "Sun Li is marching toward us. This is the moment for us to unite against a foreign enemy. Cast aside any unrealistic fantasies. You all know the strength of the British Empire. The Song army only holds a temporary advantage due to a intelligence failure. Once the British mainland learns of this treachery and their main fleet arrives, Sun Li and his pathetic force will meet a grim end. If we repel this first wave, past failures will be forgiven, and those who perform well will be recommended for honors by the Parliament. The fate of the Mexican colony rests on this battle!"

"I order the Mexican fleet to mobilize and blockade the Caribbean. Not a single supply for the Song army is to reach the region! As for the army, recruit mercenaries without limit. If they can hold a weapon, bring them here. Even if we assemble in haste, we will still vastly outnumber Sun Li’s 30,000. Every thousand men you recruit brings us closer to victory. Is that understood?"

"Understood, Excellency! We are prepared to fight to the death for the Mexican colony! Long live the British Empire!"

Seeing the high morale of his officers, the Governor felt a sliver of confidence return. Though the mercenaries might be unreliable, his core group of officers remained fiercely loyal to the Empire.

*Sun Li!* he thought. *You dared to lead a lone army deep into the great territory of the British Empire. Once our fleet cuts off your logistics and we break your desperate gamble, let us see if your Song Empire has any capital left to survive!*

As the orders went out, the region was flooded with government agents brandishing gold vouchers to recruit mercenaries. Time was short, and only the cities surrounding the capital could contribute troops. Thanks to the Governor's generosity, the government quickly assembled over 50,000 mercenaries—a testament to how deeply entrenched British colonial rule remained in Mexico.

If not for the sudden appearance of Sun Li’s army, the Wood Elves would have likely never dreamed of rebuilding their homeland. In that sense, Sun Li was truly their savior.

Meanwhile, Su Yunyun watched Sun Li, who rode his warhorse at the front of the column, her eyes shimmering with admiration.

Since capturing the Guatemalan stronghold, the Song army had expanded relentlessly. Every town along their route that dared to resist was crushed. Only now did Su Yunyun realize the true gap between the Wood Elf warriors and a professional army. Compared to the disciplined, methodical maneuvers of the Song forces, the battles the Wood Elves had fought were little more than street brawls—albeit ones where many people died, mostly on their own side.

Seeing the Song army dismantle strongholds that the Wood Elves had deemed impregnable, she finally realized that without Sun Li, her people would have been doomed to tragedy.

As her understanding of warfare grew, so did her esteem for Sun Li. A man who would lead his entire nation to help the Wood Elves—was he truly just a passerby intervening in an injustice?

For some reason, her face flushed red. She thought back to his aggressive gaze when they first met, and the care he had shown her since. She had once thought him annoying and pushy, but now, it all felt like meticulous, unwavering devotion.

Women, it seemed, could find beauty in every memory once they fell in love. Sun Li’s thick-skinned nature became persistent pursuit; his tall tales became the stories of a king recounting his past. From the moment his status was revealed and his reputation for "bragging" was proven true, he had become, in her eyes, a perfect man. With his promise to help rebuild the Wood Elf homeland appearing more attainable by the day, she found herself drifting into a beautiful, inescapable daydream.