Uncovering and Destroying I

-Well done everyone, you are discharged for the rest of the day- I announce putting down my bow

-Thanks Sir!-

-Miss... Why's so?- ask the young boy in charge of helping me

-We got called for a meeting by the Generals... I'll come tomorrow with some news to share I suppose- I reply handing him my bow

-Uhm... We are in your hands then- he smiles before rushing to the armory, looking like a happy puppy

-Are you done?- Qin Luo's dry voice drags me back

-Yes, shall we go?-

-After you- he bends over mocking me

-Tz shut up!- I push him away laughing while we walk away

...

We radunate in the main tend and try to sneak as close as possible to the table where the 2 head Generals are standing...

It's more crowded than I thought, I recognize some other Generals, a few Commandes and Liutenant I saw during dinner time, but most of those men are still nameless faces to me

I pull on Qin Luo's sleeve calling him close with my hand, until he lowers a little -I wanted to ask you before but I forgot...

Is the Head General Tian someone renowned?- I whisper by his ear and he nods

-He's actually the brother of the 4th Royal Concubine... The Emperor's favourite one, even if he would never admit it in front of the Empress-

-Oh I see...-

-Look there- he points with his chin to a young general by Tian's side -Notice anything?-

I stare at the young pretty man, long light brown hair with soft heart shaped lips and high cheekbones

-He does look familiar-

-He's one of the cousins of the Head General... The young man's aunt is the second wife of the Emperor-

-So this means he's...?!-

-Prince XianLen's direct cousin, haha I know what you are thinking... The Royal family sure is a mess.

The Empress is from a different kingdom and her first son was the Heir and after she had no other children...

The second Wife is the mother of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Princes along the 1st Princess, and Aunt to that young lad there...

Then all the other concubines had the other Princes and Princesses... 2 of the concubines have been gifted by their Noble families, struggling with financial problems, but the remaining ones have been rumored to be actual love interests of the Emperor...

That's why their Head General is so favoured-

-Woah... I couldn't imagine such a terrible life- I shake my head and he chuckles

-Fortunately you don't have to ever experience it... Oh it's starting- he stares at Tian XuWen, now standing up

-Thank you all for coming... As you all know we managed to win the last battle.

So as they say... You have to forge while the metal is still hot...

That's why we are all radunated here now.

We'll be going to war in 2 days... Our exploration team just got back at the camp so I suggest we begin by examining the known factors first...-

...

-... As for their new base camp that's still unknown but we shouldn't bother too much with it...

As we just said, the Enemy received a big blow and it will take them some time to recover

To say it in a few words... We must destroy the remains of that Armada and push foward to the next battlefield... We received report of our brothers being decimated and in need of immediate support-

-Sir... You are asking for us to discuss about our next move and come out with a strategy, but honestly... Our group thinks it's impossible- replies one of the strategists

-How's that so?- ask the Li General angry

-The next battlefield is too uncertain... Fighting between two mountains? it's a trap for sure!-

-Yeah not to mention that we have no idea where their new base is... What if they already recovered and are dragging us there to massacre us?-

-That's exactly why we have to plan something beforehand- answer the Tian General

-I think we need more time Sir!-

-Yes, We cannot throw our men into such an unknown war! We must gather more informations first-

Qin Luo moves his stare toward me, now standing a bit behind the yelling crowd as I am focused reviewing the informations given

-What's your thought?-

I shake my head -It's difficult... They are less than us and low on both supplies and morale.

So they probably are trying to win with tricks now... But thinking about "who" was inside that base, and the fact it got destroyed, change things a bit-

-You think we'll make it?-

-Your success rate is low now... But we can get it to rise with a good strategy-

-I suppose you already have something in mind-

-Not really... I have an idea but I'm missing the main factors to realize it-

-Like what?-

-If we knew where they are grouping currently, we could sneak in and fight them... But... We actually know something the Generals don't.

The way they move on the land. Look at the last battlefield, right at the feet of their base...They can't let it ungraded, since they needed the Core energy... It's just an assumption but...

They can't distance themselves from the base too much-

-That could have made sense before maybe, but they now lost such base... There's no energy to rely on anymore-

I shake my head

-The core wasn't all... That smoke I told you... It was able to fight and buried deep inside the base... It took energy not just from that core.

I feel like there's something more keeping them close to it-

-So you mean the new base must be close to the next battlefield?-

-Yes-

-How do we prove it to them tho?-

-We can't...- I sigh

-So it's all useless... We must find an actual strategy to win with simple manpower-

I hold my chin focusing more on those informations

-Oh no... Don't you even try to think about it-

-I...-

-You won't go alone again-

-I won't be alone-

-No you won't, what if they... Wait, you what?- he studders

-It's just about manpower, didn't you said so? And guess what? I have quite a few men under my command now...

I just need to find their new base and make my move with my squadron-

-And I suppose you won't warn the Generals but risk punishment again...-

-Of course, I don't want anyone to ruin my plan-

-You are too reckless girl... I'm coming too-

-This time I have no reason to stop you-

I say smirking back at him as we are closed in our own little world