Chapter 2141 - 2126: The Crown Prince Goes to War

Chapter 2141: Chapter 2126: The Crown Prince Goes to War

Shrink the defensive line, hold firm and wait for reinforcements, seek opportunities for battle.

These twelve-word strategic guidelines, under Ye Zhen’s command, reached the hands of all reachable military leaders in less than an hour through various channels.

Instantly, it sparked countless discussions on the Human Demon Battlefield.

It’s important to note that according to the military system of the Great Zhou Dynasty, military leaders, especially those commanding independently numbered armies, possess absolute command authority in their jurisdiction.

Just like Ye Zhen’s Heavenly Wave Army of North Sea, when facing a Demon Clan assault, they have full autonomous command authority at their Blood River Fortress.

This includes strategic retreat of a unit, shrinking the defensive line, proactive attacks, and so forth.

Even under such strategic command, losing military fortresses or strongholds does not violate military law as long as Blood River Fortress remains secure.

Unless there’s a direct military order intervention from the Military Department or the Grand Governor’s Mansion, Ye Zhen’s established strategy can’t be changed.

In other words, these strategic recommendations or directive powers are exclusive to the Grand Governor’s Mansion of the Human Demon Battlefield and various war zone governors’ offices.

The strategic guidance sent by Ye Zhen, from a certain perspective, greatly overstepped bounds.

It can even be directly said that he was exercising the strategic command authority of the Grand Governor’s Mansion.

Therefore, when this strategic guideline appeared on Grand Governor Ji Yuan’s desk, Ji Yuan was remarkably enraged.

"Utterly audacious!"

With a slap, the Jade Scroll on Grand Governor Ji Yuan’s desk turned instantly into dust, yet the jade desk remained unharmed.

This perfect control of power represented Grand Governor Ji Yuan’s incredible strength and indicated that his anger was entirely within his control.

The corners of the mouths of several generals and Advisor Gu Yue twitched subtly.

They were all well aware of why the Grand Governor was upset and the source of his anger.

Simply put, Ye Zhen’s strategic guidelines were not incorrect. Among the entire Grand Governor’s Mansion leadership, at least half might choose to implement Ye Zhen’s strategic plan.

But the problem was, these strategic guidelines came from Ye Zhen, the notorious troublemaker.

It’s worth noting that prior chatter regarding the Demon Clan potentially launching a thousand-year war had been rampant but was definitely denied by the Grand Governor’s Mansion.

Yet the troublesome thing was, soon after, such a major conflict erupted.

Though it was not yet confirmed as the thousand-year war, the battle had already begun, and those who believed Ye Zhen’s prediction suffered minimal losses, while those who didn’t faced significant setbacks with a highly passive strategy.

This awkward situation embarrassed the Grand Governor’s Mansion and also somewhat impacted its prestige.

And now, Ye Zhen dared to issue this strategic guideline suggestion, challenging or rather trampling on the Grand Governor’s Mansion’s authority.

However, crucially and unfortunately, Ye Zhen’s twelve-word strategy was merely a suggestion.

I am just giving you a suggestion; whether you listen or not, that’s your decision and has nothing to do with me.

In other words, Ye Zhen was merely suggesting, while the real decision-makers were the generals and marshals of each army.

This is what infuriated the Grand Governor Ji Yuan immensely.

Clearly, Ye Zhen trampled on the Grand Governor’s Mansion’s authority, yet from a military law perspective, they couldn’t do anything about Ye Zhen!

More troubling for Grand Governor Ji Yuan was, due to the previous debacle regarding the thousand-year-old Battle Pattern Theory, the stark consequences for the disbelieving commanders meant that Ye Zhen’s twelve-word strategic guidelines would now have even more far-reaching effects.

The corps believing or executing this approach would definitely outnumber the previous count significantly.

In a certain sense, Ye Zhen’s suggestion had substituted for the Grand Governor’s Mansion in executing a round of strategic command.

This is truly why Grand Governor Ji Yuan was furious beyond measure.

"Intelligence, I need extensive intelligence support!"

"I want to know with certainty whether this battle marks the Demon Clan launching a thousand-year war!"

"I want to know the actions of the thirty-six main allied corps leaders of the Demon Clan!"

"I want to know the direction of the high-ranking Demon Clan’s troops!"

"At all costs, activate any hidden agents necessary; I need specific intelligence to issue the appropriate strategic orders!"

After a brief silence, Grand Governor Ji Yuan’s roaring command resounded, and subsequently, all generals, especially those overseeing intelligence, along with the Heavenly Patrol Department Human Demon Battlefield’s Dark Patrol branch personnel, sprung into action.

One must admit that Grand Governor Ji Yuan is indeed quite wise.

Gaining accurate intelligence before issuing strategic commands is currently the most correct choice.

Had Grand Governor Ji Yuan opposed Ye Zhen’s strategy in anger and issued contrary orders, it would have been manageable if correct, but disastrous if wrong, as it would severely degrade the Grand Governor’s Mansion’s authority and influence.

Or, if Grand Governor Ji Yuan issued a conservative command, for instance, one similar to Ye Zhen’s strategic guideline.

Although it would avert potential fallout from strategic errors, it might also be criticized by army marshals as picking crumbs from others.

The authority of the Grand Governor’s Mansion will inevitably be affected to a certain extent.

However, if accurate intelligence support is obtained, Grand Governor Ji Yuan can make the most detailed and direct strategic command.

At that time, even if the strategic command approach is the same as Ye Zhen’s, as long as it is more detailed and specific than Ye Zhen’s strategy, then the brilliance of the Grand Governor’s Mansion can completely crush Ye Zhen, and the little influence caused by Ye Zhen will disappear.

However, accurate intelligence from the Demon Clan is not easy to obtain.

Like the Great Zhou, the Demon Clan also follows the bloodline hierarchy.

However, in the Great Zhou, besides the innate nobles, many civilians can also rise to become new nobles based on military achievements.

But in the Demon Clan, it’s different. Low-ranking demons can also attain some promotion through military merit, but only to a certain extent.

Once promoted to a certain level, no more military merits can increase their rank.

Bloodline!

The real high-ranking officials and holders of power in the Demon Clan are all born into it.

For example, a low-level Earth Digger Demon can never become a Corps Leader commanding an entire army.

This poses enormous challenges for infiltration and intelligence gathering by the Human Clan from the Great Zhou.

Demon Clan individuals are inherently difficult for humans to masquerade as, and those with noble bloodlines are even harder.

Therefore, even with Grand Governor Ji Yuan’s power, issuing orders to gather intelligence at all costs still requires time.

When the intelligence returns, it is normal for it to take half a day to a day, or even one or two or three days.

Before accurate intelligence is supported, what Grand Governor Ji Yuan can do is just wait.

However, the Demon Clan may not necessarily give Grand Governor Ji Yuan time to wait.

Half a day.

Only half a day passed after Ye Zhen’s twelve-word strategic plan was sent out.

In the demon army camp in front of a fortress in the Northern War Zone, surrounded layer by layer by the demon army, the Demon Clan priests meticulously prepared a grand formation for half a day and completed the final preparations.

Then, tens of millions of High Grade Spiritual Stones were swiftly thrown into the formation’s nodes, and one by one, powerful Demon Beasts were beheaded by the Demon Clan soldiers.

The scorching Essence Blood of the Demon Beasts, containing massive energy, sprayed into the grand formation and was immediately absorbed by the mysterious talisman patterns within the formation.

After absorbing the Essence Blood from over fifty thousand Demon Beasts, at least three hundred thousand Human Clan slaves were pushed forward, crying as they were sacrificed and beheaded.

Their Essence Blood and Divine Souls transformed into profound energy, under the strange syllables sung by the Demon Clan priests, and injected into the grand formation.

When the last bit of Divine Soul and Essence Blood energy was absorbed by the grand formation, the Demon Clan priests simultaneously spat out a mouthful of golden heart blood, and a gigantic portal opened swiftly above the formation.

In the next instant, as if a black cloud, the demon army surged through the portal, occupying crucial positions in all directions in a flash.

As many as one hundred thousand exceptionally elite vanguards tightly guarded each vital position. Following them, a three-zhang tall One-eyed Demon, donned in a blood helmet, blood armor, and a blood-red cape fluttering behind it, stepped out from the portal, protected by a group of awe-inspiring demon elites.

At the moment of stepping out, the Demon Clan military department members, vanguard legion marshal, generals, and soldiers, all knelt on one knee, shouting in waves.

"We humbly welcome Seventh Prince His Highness!"

"We humbly welcome Seventh Prince His Highness!"

"We humbly welcome Seventh Prince His Highness!"

Amidst the deafening cheers, Seventh Prince Congyun waved his hand, and the blood-colored talisman light in his hand turned into a massive One-eyed Seal, enveloping the entire camp.

The One-eyed Seal emitted an unnerving atmosphere, instantly silencing the entire demon camp.

"By the decree of the Demon Emperor, from this moment, all forces attacking the Northern War Zone are under my command, violators will be executed!"

A chilling killing intent rose from the Seventh Crown Prince Congyun, casting terrifying glimmers from the large one-eye in his brow, slowly sweeping over the kneeling demon army.

In the next moment, with reverential shouts, the voices erupted again.

"Obeying His Majesty’s decree, may the Seventh Prince’s might be unparalleled, the Seventh Prince’s might be unparalleled!"

Amidst the deafening shouts, squadrons of Winged Demon Army, Bull Demon Army, Winged Demon Army, Spider Demon Army, Snake Demon Army, Bone Demon Army, neatly stepped out from the blood-red portal overhead, converging below into the army.

Such mixed legion formations only exist under the command of the most elite Marching Chiefs of the Demon Clan!

The Great Zhou military leaders inside the besieged fortress watched this scene, with the color fading from their faces.

With trembling hands, they conveyed this scene to their superiors as quickly as possible. ℴ

The intelligence ended with three blood-red characters — Urgent Reinforcement Request!

Simultaneously, similar scenes unfolded in different war zones, in front of different besieged fortresses.

And the urgent reinforcement request Jade Scrolls flew like snowflakes to the desks of various war zone governor’s mansions, and the Human Demon Battlefield Grand Commander’s Mansion!