Siege on Yongtein: Turning the Tides (2)

"First of all, connect with the city guard, General Fai, and the other generals on site. Monitor the Featherwind Sect and the Alzar Kingdom's army for any movement. Reestablish the defensive line and raise the city's alertness to the highest level. We can't give them an opportunity to attack. Second, I want a preliminary report on the damages we've sustained, such as soldier and civilian casualties, and structural damages. Establish evacuation routes for the Outer City, and hospitals for anyone injured. Prioritize those with a higher chance of living. Have brigades ready to put out any fires before they spread. I want the entire area vacated by sunrise!"

"As you command, Your Excellency!"

"Their next move might be to strike the military's command. Have all officers of Brigade Commander rank or higher evacuate. In addition, confirm the safety of every minister from the Imperial Council, and every nobility family of Hou-Dan or higher. Release an emergency notice to the entire city that the eastern districts of the Outer City are now an active battlefield. Travel to the region is now prohibited under martial law…" 

Prime Minister Pon-Wai dealt with every problem in a clear and concise manner as he showed his monstrous leadership ability. He was not the second most powerful man in the empire without reason! However, while he gradually regained control of the situation, he was scowling on the inside because the problem was thornier than anyone realized. The Imperial Council's original strategy in this battle was to throw the battlefield into chaos. By blurring the lines between friend and foe and muddying the battlefield, it would make it harder for the Ten Dawns or the Featherwind Sect to use their large-scale means without implicating their allies in the process. Their enemies would become their shields. The Imperial Council could then slowly dominate them in a war of attrition. The one and only time their forces fully disengaged was at nightfall, but the Ten Dawns could not exactly capitalize on this opportunity with their large-scale tactical spells. They required line of sight and proximity to their target and their spells lacked the killing potential required. It would be risky to attempt an ambush with them at night.

The Featherwind Sect was the exception though. With their wings and flying ship, they could casually fly over the council's defenses and directly attack the city. Their destructive potential was also many times greater than the Ten Dawns! Nightfall was supposed to be the most peaceful time with the soldiers gaining their much needed sleep, but if the Featherwind Sect could attack them directly in the middle of the night, it instantly became the most dangerous time! The soldiers could die without knowing it! This was a huge problem. Aside from the enormous losses in manpower, supplies, and defenses, it would decimate the army's morale too. Many soldiers, especially those conscripted, would choose to quit, or desert, while those that stayed would never sleep well again. Their battle strength would diminish in an instant. With just a single move, the Imperial Council was pinned down. He had to admit it was a beautiful, yet brutal move by the Alzar Kingdom!

The Imperial Council mobilized a humongous amount of manpower to address the Featherwind Sect's attack. Thousands of people were sent throughout the eastern districts to excavate and evacuate anyone trapped under rubble. Hundreds of physicians from the city were drafted and sent to handle the influx of wounded and maimed. Makeshift beds and tents were erected everywhere, while medical supplies were stretched thin. The luckier survivors got off with a few scratches. The less fortunate had their armies or legs crushed, requiring amputation, and even then, the risk of subsequent infection would be high. Their lives would be short-lived. The really unfortunate were crushed to death by rubble as their families watched on! Large blazes sprouted up from every corner, greedily consuming the fallen lumber, transforming the landscape into a fiery domain. People hauled pails of water over to no avail. The fires were rapidly growing out of control! The skies above Yongtein were soon suffused in an orange tinge, while wafts of smoke travelled far. It looked like a scene straight from a nightmare!

News of the attack quickly spread to the four corners of the city and caused an uproar. Previously, the fighting was limited to beyond the walls, so the people had a false sense of security. The Imperial Council also reassured them that their victory was certain, so people carried on like nothing happened. The battle was a mere background in the distance. The Ten Dawns' large-scale tactical spells were surprising for sure, except their destructive potential was ultimately limited. They were not impactful enough to make waves… Elder Argo's Demon Wing Requiem was a different story though. That unbelievable aura, explosion, and shockwave that everyone felt firmly shattered their false sense of security. It was evident that the Imperial Council was losing this battle! People thus began to panic, grabbing their possessions and fleeing. The streets were immediately filled to the brim with carriages and wagons, as people rushed for the city gates. They wanted to escape before the council fell! The ensuing panic stretched the city guard thin, making it harder to address the actual emergencies. Yongtein fully descended into pandemonium!

"Report! Citizens are swarming the city gates to open them. The guards can't hold on!"

Prime Minister Pon-Wai's brow furrowed. "Contact the Aiyu Family and tell them that the Imperial Council accepts their proposal, so long as we can command their forces temporarily. Use them to reinforce the gates. We cannot give the Alzar Kingdom any opening to exploit."

"Report! The docks are overwhelmed by people trying to board ships. Multiple fights have broken out and several ships have been stolen already! They are requesting support!"

"Contact the Shifung Family and tell them that…"

Every additional report deepened the prime minister's brow further and further. The army was preoccupied with the Alzar Kingdom, and the city guard was stretched thin by the Featherwind Sect. This led to a huge shortage in manpower! Moreover, every problem was like a spark in a field of kindling. They would only continue to escalate when neglected. The only solution was to draw on the Imperial Council's long list of favors, to convince local powers into helping, but that placed the Imperial Council at their mercy. They could force whatever unreasonable demand they wanted, since they knew they had the upper hand. Like rabid dogs, every deal tore off more flesh from the council. It was a bloody sacrifice the prime minister had to accept. It was no wonder his mood deteriorated with every passing second.

"Rumors are also circulating that Your Excellency died in Liutianhe Pagoda, and that we are abusing Your Excellency's authority. They aren't willing to listen to the Imperial Council anymore."

"The kingdom must be testing whether I died or not," he clicked his tongue. "Find the source of the rumors and investigate their background. Check if they have any ties to the Alzar Kingdom. In the meantime, you may use another minister's name."

"Understood!"

The prime minister massaged his temple in frustration. It was a nonstop sea of problems ever since the Featherwind Sect's attack. Was this their plan all along or were the council's preparations this lacking? Either way, he might have underestimated the kingdom. Despite being numerically inferior, their resourcefulness put them one step ahead. The council needed to deal with the Featherwind Sect, or this would repeat again. He considered his options carefully. The original plan was to defeat the kingdom in a direct confrontation, and should that prove too difficult, then they needed to stall long enough for the Jian, Jun, and Shui Family's armies to arrive. The timeframe was around three days. Initially, he was feeling optimistic, but not anymore. Three days was plenty of time for the Featherwind Sect to attack them again and again. Things looked dire.

"Your Excellency, here is the preliminary report you requested from the army."

"Let me take a look."

He scanned over the scroll quickly. The writing was messy, hinting at the severity of the situation. No one had the leeway to be precise. His eyes dimmed as he drew a cold breath. The Featherwind Sect's attack had spanned a total of three districts across Yongtein's Outer City, destroying over three hundred buildings and damaging another twelve hundred. Forty fires were currently active and over half of them were out of control. Twelve roads were blocked and five walls were breached. The damage report went on… As for the casualties, the army suffered over twenty thousand. A number that might appear low when considering the devastation, but that was a twentieth of their army gone in an instant from an unavoidable attack. It was an insane display of power from the Alzar Kingdom and the Featherwind Sect! Given this, it was obvious what their next move would be.