Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Williams stood at the window, and the night view of Washington was particularly bright in his eyes.

“You know what, Dex?” he whispered. “This is our only chance to turn this around.”

"You mean..."

"Think about it," Williams turned around, his eyes flashing with ambition, "the current situation is very favorable to us. The Republicans control the federal army, but if the independent states want to fight against the federal government, they must rely on the support of us Democrats."

He walked to the wall with a map of the United States and said, "One-third of the officers in the southern states are inclined towards us. Once the war breaks out, these people will be our bargaining chips."

"You mean..." Dex seemed to understand something.

"That's right," Williams said with a sly smile, "Let the Independent State fight against the Federation with our support. When both sides are defeated, we can come forward as mediators. By then, the military power will naturally be redistributed."

“It’s a big gamble.”

"No, this is a carefully designed chess game," Williams said confidently. "Scott is now in disrepute. The Republican Party must be tough to the end in order to maintain unity. And if the independent states want to fight against the federal government, they cannot do without our support."

He walked to the wine cabinet and poured another glass. "Imagine how history will record this when I, as a peacemaker, helped the states return to the Union?"

"Williams, the great man who saved the Union..." Dex thought thoughtfully.

"That's right!" Williams said excitedly, "Lincoln united the North and the South, and I will quell this new civil war. History will remember that it was the Democratic Party that saved the divided America."

“But if we fail…”

“We’d be separatists and traitors,” Williams said with a nonchalant smile. “But that’s politics, isn’t it? It’s either win or lose.”

He walked up to Dex and said, "The military power is in the hands of the Republicans now, but the army will eventually obey the will of the people. Once the states become independent, the army will inevitably split. At that time..."

"We can reorganize the military power." Dex took over.

"Smart," Williams patted him on the shoulder, "Let Scott be his tyrant. The tougher he is, the more the states will want independence. When the war breaks out, we will be the ones who can put it out."

His eyes grew more fiery. “Think about it, Dex. When this storm passes, the Democratic Party will rise again. And I, Williams, will be written into the history books.”

"As a divider or a unifier?" Dex asked softly.

Williams laughed: "It depends on whether we can win this gamble. But..."

His voice suddenly became deep: "For the future of the party and for the sake of history, this gamble is worth a try. Let the storm come even harder!"

Late at night, Dex returned to his private residence in Georgetown.

He carefully examined the room, drew the heavy curtains, and took out an exquisite copper device from the secret compartment behind the bookshelf - this was the latest micro telegraph developed by China.

"Mo Qilin reports to the East." He coded quickly.

Soon, Yan Shuangying replied: "Tell me about what happened tonight."

"Williams has acted exactly as planned. His ambition and thirst for power made him the best chess piece."

Dex continued to send the message: "He is planning to support the independence of the states and attempt to use the war to reorganize military power. He thinks he is playing a big game, but he doesn't know that he is just a pawn."

“Very good,” Yan Shuangying replied, “Williams’ ambitions are just what he wants. Let him continue to push for division.”

"Yes," Dex tapped on the keyboard, "he was completely immersed in his own 'great plan' and dreamed of becoming the second Lincoln. But he didn't know that this was exactly the effect we wanted."

“What about other aspects?”

"The military has begun to secretly split. Officers in the southern states are biding their time. Once Texas is attacked by the federal army, they will switch sides."

After a pause, Dex continued: "The most interesting thing is that Williams thought he was using this turmoil to reorganize military power, but he didn't know that this was the best opportunity to disperse the American military."

Yan Shuangying replied: "Four years of lurking, just for this moment. You did a great job, Mo Qilin."

“I’m just worried,” Dex said carefully, “that once a war breaks out, the situation could get out of control.”

"This is exactly what we want," Yan Shuangying replied coldly, "Let them fight among themselves. When America falls into civil war, the situation in the Pacific will naturally change."

"Got it. I'll continue to encourage Williams and make him believe that this is his 'great plan'."

“Remember,” Yan Shuangying finally warned, “don’t let anyone discover your true identity. Your twenty years of lurking in the Democratic Party are too important.”

"Don't worry. I will continue to play the role of Dex and be Williams' most trusted staff member."

After putting away the communicator, Dex - no, Mo Qilin, stood in front of the window, looking at the night view of Washington.

Four years ago, he sneaked into America as Dex.

Over the past four years, he has gradually climbed to the position of core staff of the Democratic Party.

Now, it's finally time to close the net.

Let these politicians continue their power games.

They don’t realize that every move they make is part of a bigger game.

Ten days later, at five in the morning, on the Texas border.

The first gunshot broke the silence of dawn. The Union Army launched an attack on Texas, and the war officially broke out.

The New York Times urgent news:

"Fighting ensues between federal troops and Texas guardsmen on the border. President Scott addresses the nation: 'Any attempt at secession will be suppressed.'"

But the situation quickly got out of control.

At noon, Louisiana declared independence and joined the Texas camp.

In the afternoon, the Florida Legislature passed an independence resolution.

In the evening, Alabama and Mississippi responded.

The southern states fell towards the independence camp like dominoes.

What shocked the federal government even more was that nearly one-third of the officers in the Southern garrison declared their defection and supported independence. The army began to split.

Williams called an emergency meeting at Democratic headquarters:

“This is a historic moment! We must support states’ autonomy!”

The stock market on Wall Street plummeted and bank runs began to spread.

On the West Coast, the governor of California made a vague statement suggesting that he would consider independence.

There were divisions within the Pentagon, with some generals advocating a tough crackdown and others advocating a negotiated solution.

Black Phoenix issued a briefing to Yan Shuangying:

“The situation is completely out of control. The federal government’s authority is collapsing. Troops from various states have begun to be mobilized.”

People began rushing to buy supplies on the streets.

Store shelves were cleared out and long lines formed at gas stations.

Demonstrations took place in major cities, with clashes between people supporting and opposing independence.

Scott held an emergency cabinet meeting at the White House:

"The rebellion must be put down immediately! All troops loyal to the Union must be mobilized!"

But more bad news:

Several arsenals are controlled by the separatists

Splits within the Navy

Border states and counties have declared their allegiance to the independence camp

Railway and road traffic began to be interrupted

Mo Qilin (Dex) reported to Yan Shuangying:

“Everything is going as planned. America is coming apart. Civil war is inevitable.”

Yan Shuangying replied: "Very good. Let them kill each other. Wait for the next instruction."

The night sky over Washington was lit up by flames.

There were sporadic gunshots in the distance.

The lights in government buildings were on and emergency meetings were held continuously.

This country is falling apart.