Chapter 43: Very Well, Let It Be Here

"Good heavens, to think you would choose to land right under the nose of that madman Amasja! I know the soldiers of the Song Empire are brave, but the attrition will be agonizing, my dear," Victoria said, staring at Sun Li in astonishment. She was deeply skeptical of his chosen landing site.

"If we are making comparisons, wouldn't the Germanic Republic be the weaker target?" Sun Li asked, puzzled.

"Yes, that is true. In every measurable aspect, the regular army of the Dwarf Empire is far superior to Amasja’s forces. But! The Germanic Republic prides itself on being a 'nation of the people'! The people! The power of the masses! The Republic has just been founded and is in a period of reconstruction; its citizens are currently intoxicated by the promise of a prosperous future. If an invader dares to shatter that beautiful dream, they will inevitably be drawn into a total resistance across the entire Islian Peninsula, much like what the Elven Empire experienced!

Furthermore, as long as Amasja lives, even if the Song Empire wins consecutive victories on the front lines and occupies the peninsula, that madman will incite rebellions everywhere. A rebellion led by such a core figure is a hundred times more dangerous than the loose guerrilla organizations that plagued the Elven Empire in the Istanbul region. You must understand, Amasja is a warrior of Grand Knight caliber; if he is determined to escape, he will be nearly impossible to kill!

I fear that the moment the Song forces land on the Islian Peninsula, they will be bogged down in an endless war of suppression. Once that happens, any further offensive will become incredibly difficult. Other powers on the Europa continent will certainly intervene in the Germanic people's war; weapons, grain, and even troops will flow in to support Amasja. The peninsula will become a brutal war of attrition—a massive meat grinder! It will consume the lives of Song soldiers and Germanic civilians alike!" Having once been Amasja's enemy, Victoria knew exactly what the potential of the Germanic Republic was.

"If we land in the Funipo region, 100,000 Song troops would face nearly 200,000 soldiers of the Dwarf Empire. Even if we win, the losses would likely be catastrophic." This was the Song Empire's greatest dilemma. He had been aware of the potential for a 'people's war' in the Germanic Republic, but after hearing Victoria’s words, that possibility had solidified into a certainty.

"My dear, in the Funipo region and the former territories of the Franconia Empire, the Dwarf Empire is just as much of an alien invader as we are. The local civilians do not support these foreign dwarves, and the humans who would have resisted have already been largely purged by the Empire's powerful military. There is no unrest in the occupied zones now, thanks in part to their populist policies. If we defeat their regular army and take their place, maintaining the same policies, how could the humans of Funipo and Franconia not accept the rule of the Song, who are, after all, human?

These numb, conquered people are entirely different from the brainwashed nationalists of the Germanic Republic. All they need is bread and a measure of freedom. This poses no pressure on us, does it? The only difficulty is defeating the Dwarf Empire. Think about it: once the Song army crushes their main force in a frontal battle, the 'cleansed' land—which the dwarves have already softened up for us—will fall under our rule without much further trouble. This is the very foundation upon which the Song Empire will unify the Europa continent." Victoria suggested this with a charming smile. As a traitor to her own 'mainstream world,' she knew she could only survive by relying on Sun Li. If the Song Empire were to fall, the Norman family would surely be buried with it.

Victoria had to support Sun Li with everything she had. Since she could not stop his ambition for expansion, she had to find ways to help him conquer. She knew his character well; once he made a decision, he would not change it. He had declared his intent to unify Europa, and she had no choice but to support him.

As Victoria spoke, the hesitation in Sun Li’s eyes gradually vanished.

*Yes, what has come over me? Have the constant victories of the Song Empire made me timid? When have I ever faced an enemy that wasn't formidable?*

Sun Li recalled the early days against the Orc Empire, where he had led his small, weak army forward without looking back, regardless of how many enemies stood in his way. How had he reached a point where he was calculating how to minimize losses instead of simply crushing the dwarves?

Only victory and iron-blooded resolve could unify Europa!

*As for the enemy, what does it matter if I pick the strongest one to destroy first? Once I trample over the corpses of the Dwarf Empire’s army, no other power on the continent will be able to stop my advance!*

Victoria’s warning served as a wake-up call. Sun Li realized that a series of victories had clouded his judgment. At some point, he had become cautious, constantly trying to avoid heavy casualties instead of daring to seize even greater victories. He regained his initial, unstoppable momentum. Let the Song army and these Europa natives clash head-on like men!

The following day, a series of orders were issued from the imperial palace, all centered around one objective: preparing to land in the Funipo region!

In this era, landing operations were not like the beach assaults of the world wars; there was no concept of 'storming the beach.' Without naval support, defending troops would not stand at the shoreline under the fire of the enemy's warships. After all, armies of this period could not effectively guard every single landing point, limiting their efforts to coastal defenses at major ports.

Similarly, while the landings lacked the horrific slaughter of a beach assault, they remained a complex engineering feat. The enemy would not defend the sand, but they would certainly set up defenses nearby—safely beyond the range of naval guns!

The Dwarf Empire had enough troops to patrol every potential landing site. No matter where they landed, the Song vanguard would have to engage the dwarf forces. It was only because the Song Empire held complete command of the sea that such an invasion was even possible.

At Sun Li's command, the island of England, which had been peaceful for months, became a hive of activity. All officers and soldiers on leave were recalled, ready to board the transport ships. Under the protection of ironclad warships, they would set sail to land in the Funipo region across the sea.