You want me to take out a loan to practice cultivation? I'll just pay off the debt physically.

Chapter 116 Within Sunset Territory, the Sword Will Never Be Sheathed! (5k)

In October of the 132nd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, the Crimson Heart Society recaptured the eastern border defense line in a major victory against the Sunset Empire.

However, before leaving, the Sunset Empire destroyed all the array formations and enhancement runes along the eastern border defense line, leaving not even a single complete inscription. They even destroyed all the large buildings within the eastern territory they occupied.

Even residents of several provinces in the eastern border of the Federation suffered an unprecedented massacre before the Sunset Empire withdrew.

This act of destroying everything and killing everyone fills you with immense anger.

Although the Red Heart Society has strong infrastructure capabilities, with sufficient manpower, resources, and finances, rebuilding the Eastern Border defense line is only a matter of time.

[The Eastern Border defense line rebuilt by the Red Heart Society is even stronger than the original Eastern Border defense line built under the supervision of the Federation.]

[But the people massacred by the Sunset Empire in several eastern provinces, and the prospective members of the Red Heart Society killed by the Sunset Empire, will never return.]

At this moment, you suddenly understood the resentment that Liu Wentao and his group of high-ranking military officials harbored towards the Sunset Empire!

The Sunset Empire, with its perverse culture, committed acts that are utterly outrageous and despicable!

Therefore, you gave Deng Qi the order not to shelve his sword.

[From today onwards, the Red Heart Army need not sheath their weapons in any Sunset Empire territory conquered by the Red Heart Society.]

Regardless of gender, age, status, or profession, wherever the Sunset Empire is located, kill them all!

Not a single one will be left behind!

[Extinction of the race!]

[Starting today!]

This brutal order to massacre was met with opposition from some high-ranking members of the Red Heart Society.

They believed that civilians were innocent in the war between the two countries.

The Red Heart Society's sword should not be used against ordinary people.

However, these ideas from the higher-ups were directly rejected by Lin Xue. When the Sunset Empire extended its sword to the eastern provinces, did it not foresee this day would come?

Are we only allowed to allow the setting sun empire to slaughter our compatriots, but not to retaliate?

【Why? 】

There's no such logic in this world.

Just because we are kind, because we are sincere and friendly, does that mean we should be humiliated like this?

If that's the case, then it's better not to be a good person!

During the national war, Lin Xue consistently advocated for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

Since the Sunset Empire dared to slaughter my people, then when the Red Heart Society's army besieges the Sunset Empire's capital in the future, we will ensure that not a single person in the entire Sunset Empire is spared.

[But Lin Xue still has some objections to the order you issued. Mainly, she feels that as the founder of the Red Heart Society, you shouldn't have issued such a negative order.]

You should be surrounded by light and magnificence.

The only sun should not have any blemishes on it!

Even if this stain is seen by everyone as a satisfying act of revenge, something everyone has been hoping for, it still won't work.

People in our time might not say anything, but if we extend the timeline to three or five hundred years from now, when future generations write history and evaluate you, then perhaps historians will label you a tyrant.

Even though the possibility is small, she won't allow it to happen.

As for the sins and poisons that occurred during the rise of the Red Heart Society, let her bear the burden alone!

You smiled slightly at this.

[Some things, when pioneers do them, may only leave behind some points of controversy.]

[But if the heir were to bear the burden, they would probably be severely criticized.]

[In the previous timeline, Lin Xue lacked prestige within the military and therefore had insufficient control over the Red Heart Society.]

This time, Lin Xue shone brightly on the southern border defense line, even single-handedly suppressing the Winter Empire's army to the point of being unable to raise their heads.

Therefore, when considering the future, there are some things you can do, but Lin Xue may not be able to do.

[In November of the 132nd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, you appealed to the entire Red Heart Society, rallying all forces to launch a fierce attack on the main battlefield against the Federal Central Army.]

[At the same time, you explained the root cause of the tragedy in the Eastern Frontier to all members of the Red Heart Society!]

The true root of the tragedy of the Sunset Empire's massacre lies in the incompetence of the Federation.

If the Federation hadn't ceded territory and sold out the country, if the Federation hadn't ceded the Eastern Territory, how could such a tragedy have occurred?

As long as this land beneath our feet remains in the hands of the Federation, the comrades of the Red Heart Society will suffer the devastation of powerful families and the plunder of corrupt forces.

Damn those powerful families!

They leech off everyone's heads, and they want to perpetuate this vampiric state forever through the existence of laws.

After they die, the inheritance passes to their sons, their sons to their grandsons, and so on, generation after generation, without end!

These idiots who control the Federation want us all to grovel at their feet for the rest of our lives, growing up only eating the garbage they discard!

【Now! 】

We, the Red Heart Society, have the power to overthrow them!

Then we must use the sword in our hands to lay a solid foundation for our bright future!

The land that the Federal aristocratic families have seized through various means will eventually be forced back by our swords and military might!

Only the gallows will be the true final resting place for these corrupt forces!

[For a time, the Allied forces suffered repeated defeats on the main battlefield.]

The White Eagle Empire's army looked at the frenzied Red Heart Army before them, somewhat bewildered.

They weren't particularly enthusiastic about fighting when they came here.

The presence of an unnamed high-ranking spy within the coalition forces dealt another severe blow to their morale.

Especially after being targeted by the Red Heart Army, resulting in heavy losses, their morale plummeted and war-weariness gradually increased.

[Under these circumstances, a general from the White Eagle Empire declared at a pre-battle mobilization meeting that the Allied forces' true strength had not yet been unleashed!]

[Once deployed, the Red Heart Society's offensive will inevitably be suppressed.]

Soldiers!

I promise you, next year on Our Lady of the Nile, I will definitely take you home for the New Year!

[After a passionate speech, large quantities of supplies and recreational facilities were transported from the Federal Center to the White Eagle Empire's military camp.]

The sumptuous feast, the delicious breakfast, and even the beautiful women dancing on stage provided great comfort to the soldiers of the White Eagle Empire.

In contrast to the carefree lifestyle of the White Eagle Empire soldiers, the soldiers and warbands on the Federation side suffered from a relative lack of supplies.

As a result, dissatisfaction grew among the Federal Central Army and various major battle groups.

How come the foreigners who are slacking off on the battlefield have such a high standard of living compared to us?

【Why? 】

The Red Heart Society, having accurately grasped the psychology of the Central Army and the warbands, began to promote the benefits of joining the Red Heart Society and the various preferential treatments it offered to its members on the battlefield.

[In particular, the Red Heart Society's call for the Federation's central army and numbered battle groups to join the conquest of the Abyss battlefield almost directly shook the morale of the Federation's military.]

As soldiers, our primary duty is to protect this land beneath our feet!

Protect our compatriots!

Protect our loved ones!

What did the Federation do?

[That beast of a Federal Headquarters ceded the Eastern Territory to the Sunset Empire, the Northern Territory to the White Eagle Empire, and the Southern Territory to the Winter Empire.]

If it weren't for the active resistance of our Red Heart Society, the Eastern and Southern territories would likely have been devastated long ago.

When the Federation can no longer protect us, provide us with a sense of security, or offer us a future and hope, we should unite and overthrow it!

The abyss is humanity's greatest enemy in the future!

Fellow countrymen!

We can't continue this internal strife!

Civil war will only deplete our nation's strength, giving the abyss, other countries, and foreign powers an opportunity to exploit.

Despite this constant propaganda, the Central Army, as the direct subordinate of the Federal Headquarters, has not undergone any significant changes.

[However, within the Federation-numbered warbands, their ideas began to take shape.]

[Especially after they learned of the Sunset Empire's massacres and the Red Heart Society's relentless counterattack, their goodwill towards the Red Heart Society swelled dramatically.]

[In December of the 132nd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, the 12th Federation Battle Legion openly joined the Red Heart Society on the battlefield.]

This immediately stirred up a huge storm within the Federation camp.

[Once this loophole is opened, it will be difficult for the Federal Office to close it again.]

In January of the 133rd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, the Federal Headquarters executed four high-ranking members of numbered battle groups on charges of defection.

This news caused further hesitation among the Federation-numbered and Class A battle groups.

Now, they all understood one thing.

Even though they had no intention of defecting, and even though they were utterly loyal to the Federation, the Federal Headquarters still harbored suspicions about them.

[Defecting greatly increases the chances of survival!]

[If they don't defect and instead stay here, they're likely to be drawn into the political vortex and face retribution.] [Therefore, everyone already knows the choice.]

[Thus began a large-scale defection of Class A and numbered combat groups.]

With the full cooperation of the Red Heart Army, the number of Federation chapters gradually decreased, while the number of Red Heart Army members increased daily.

The newly arrived battle groups were extremely uneasy, almost like frightened deer, filled with fear.

After all, in their eyes, all crows are black.

There's nothing new under the sun!

[If the Federation is like this, and other empires are like this, is the Red Heart Society any better?]

However, Chi Xin's sincere attitude quickly won them over.

Food and drink are the most basic necessities, so I won't go into detail.

[Members who choose to join the Red Heart Society's battle group only need to perform a raised hand salute and shout "Red Heart, victory!" daily to receive cultivation techniques.]

This unexpected windfall left the team members completely dazed.

Most importantly, high-ranking officers of the former Federation military and high-ranking professionals who had previously joined the Red Heart Society quickly arrived upon hearing the news and found their relatives and friends in various numbered warbands across the Federation.

[In an instant, the Chixin Society entered an even more fervent atmosphere.]

In contrast to the fervor of the Red Heart Society, the Federation appeared extremely subdued.

The large-scale defection of Federation-numbered battle groups weakened the Federation's strength while significantly enhancing the Red Heart Society's offensive capabilities.

[As the battle progresses, the Red Heart Army is growing in number, putting immense pressure on everyone.]

Even the White Eagle Empire is showing faint signs of withdrawing.

In March of the 133rd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, exciting news arrived for the Federation and the White Eagle Empire: the Winter Empire had temporarily sealed off the Abyss Battlefield and mobilized all its forces to launch an attack on the Winter Defense Line.

[The Federation and the White Eagle Empire suffered repeated defeats on the main battlefield, and the Winter Empire's Extraordinary Knights and Mage Orders were there to provide assistance, so the Winter Empire's high command was well aware of this.]

On the Sunset Empire's side, they were being overwhelmed by the suddenly surging Red Heart Army.

Ultimately, this led to widespread tragedy, enraging the Red Heart Society to the point of issuing the insane order that the Red Heart Army would not shelve its weapons.

According to the analysis of the Winter Empire's think tank, Lin Xue's strategic awareness and domestic affairs handling abilities are extremely formidable.

If the allied forces are routed on the front lines, the Winter Empire may never be able to reclaim the Winter Defense Line, which it built at great expense.

If the Winter Defense Line is truly incompetent and a complete waste of space, then so be it.

In Lin Xue's hands, the Frostfire Line transformed into a war god, allowing the Crimson Heart Army to withstand the Winter Empire's frenzied counterattack with only one-tenth of its strength.

Such a powerful artifact must never fall into foreign hands!

According to the think tank's analysis of the Red Heart Society, this organization is extremely aggressive and harbors unparalleled hatred for aristocratic families.

If the Red Heart Society were to establish a regime, all the surrounding countries would be doomed.

Just as the Winter Empire sends spies to other countries and establishes various organizations and institutions to gather intelligence, the Red Heart Society will inevitably open branches all over the world.

Most importantly, under the Red Heart Society, there is also the Winter Army!

【This name!】

[It already carries many meanings!]

Putting ourselves in their shoes, if they had the power, they would definitely seize the territory of other countries.

[Following this line of reasoning, the most cost-effective course of action is to retake the Winterhold Line while Redheart is currently tied down by the Allied forces and unable to support the Southern Territory.]

Delay may lead to unforeseen changes!

[Once the Red Heart Society gains a foothold, the Winter Empire will likely become their playground, where they can come and go as they please.]

Thus, following the pre-battle mobilization by the Emperor of the Winter Empire, all the armies of the Winter Empire understood the importance of this battle!

If we don't recapture the winter defense line, it's like the enemy is sleeping right next to our bed.

How can this be possible?

[Thus, under the overwhelming propaganda of the Winter Empire's high command, a military movement called Patriotic Defense swept across the entire Winter Empire.]

The Frostfire Defense Line, where Lin Xue is stationed, is facing a tremendous crisis.

However, Lin Xue, with decades of life experience to her name, had anticipated this.

She might not know about other countries, but she knew her old neighbor, the Winter Empire, all too well.

Therefore, while the eastern border defenses were being repaired, she summoned Liu Wentao and his group of high-level professionals who had burned through their lifespans.

While the Sunset Empire is certainly hateful, its undefended advance without a proper defensive line makes it vulnerable to encirclement and annihilation.

The atrocities committed by the Winter Empire were not much better than those of the Sunset Empire.

The Sunset Empire is perverted, violates human ethics, acts disgustingly, is shameless, and has an extreme personality.

But the Winter Empire is a hungry wolf; it's the kind that will try to take a bite out of the Federation as soon as it sees it's weak.

Overall, none of them are good.

Therefore, given the opportunity to subtly attack the opponent, Liu Wentao wouldn't hesitate to ruthlessly sabotage them.

This time, however, the Winter Empire was very well prepared.

Even the Winter Empire's capital guards and royal mage corps have been dispatched, which is undoubtedly a message to the world that they are absolutely determined to do this!

Anyone who tries to stop them is an enemy of the Winter Empire.

Fortunately, the Red Heart Society has a large membership, and with the people's hearts united, a large number of Red Heart Society professionals spontaneously began to rush to the Southern Territory to provide support.

Because they know very well who created their happy life, and once their loyalty is overthrown, they and their descendants will be enslaved forever, with no chance of ever rising up!

[Under such overwhelming force, a clash between a frigid winter tide and a torrent of righteous indignation erupted into a massive war, a veritable meat grinder of death, on the frigid winter defense line.]

At all times, professionals are engaged in fierce battles across the winter defense lines.

Every single second, the blood and flesh of professionals are spilled all around.

Whose husbands are they, and whose children are they?

At this moment, no one is paying attention to these things.

In May of the 133rd year of the Extraordinary Calendar, with the White Eagle Empire's emperor continuously revealing strategic information, the Crimson Heart Society achieved repeated victories on the main battlefield.

[And over time, the fruits of victory grew ever greater.]

Finally, the White Eagle Empire's army devised a plan to launch a surprise attack against the Red Heart Society.

Because of the plan's critical importance, the White Eagle Empire's high command believed that there were high-ranking spies within the Federation, and therefore did not share the operational plan with them.

There was no other way; the Red Heart Society's reaction made them suspicious.

[It was even rumored within the military that the founders of the Red Heart Society might know even what kind of underwear their high-ranking officers were wearing that day.]

Therefore, this crucial plan, this retaliatory plan against the Red Heart Society's advance, was being carried out intensively by the White Eagle Empire's army after obtaining permission from the White Eagle Empire's capital.

When the Federal Central Army sent someone to inquire, the White Eagle Empire's army immediately drove them away.

Why are you asking this?

What's there to ask?

[To find out the details, so that it's easier to tell the spy and leak this information, right?]

They were fooled so many times, lost so many comrades-in-arms, and their strategic goals were repeatedly retreated from; that was a clear indication of the Federation's irresponsibility.

Despite the Federation's heavy losses, the White Eagle Empire's army did not trust them.

[The Federation and the Red Heart Society share the same roots, so there's a certain probability that this was orchestrated by the other side.]

[Are we supposed to prevent them from suspecting the Federation, or are we to blame His Majesty the Emperor for the battlefield defeats and the presence of high-ranking spies within the Federation?]

Isn't this a joke?

What does this have to do with His Majesty the Emperor, who is millions of miles away?

In this incident, the Federation's high command clearly sensed the White Eagle Empire's distrust of them.

In an effort to regain trust, they presented a pre-prepared self-investigation report: a deputy secretary in charge of federal economic affairs.

Regardless of whether the other party is a spy or not, the Federation's economy has long since collapsed to the point of no return.

[Furthermore, their family is the weakest, making them the most suitable cannon fodder.]

When this news reached the Red Heart Society, you were slightly taken aback as you looked at the battle plan that the Emperor of the White Eagle Empire had just sent.

[Not only are you confused, but the Emperor of the White Eagle Empire, who is currently having a private conversation with you, raised an eyebrow.]

[Isn't he the spy?]

However, seeing that you weren't paying attention to this, he knew it was all a show orchestrated by the Federation.

The war has dragged on so far that even the White Eagle Empire's finances are starting to strain.

After all, the compensation for a soldier's death is an extremely high sum.

Although aristocratic families bore part of the cost, a significant portion was covered by the national treasury.

Therefore, at a great cost, he must seize this opportunity to reclaim the imperial power that rightfully belongs to him.

His broadsword was itching for a strike!

(End of this chapter)