Just lost in thought, suddenly heard the Mecha being pounded with a thumping sound, in the midst of a flurry, a voice full of resentment cried out: "Tian Xingjian!"

Fatty shivered involuntarily, sticking his head out to see, but it was Nia standing outside [Logic], hands on her hips: "Get down here!"

Fatty was startled, pretended not to hear, and continued to appear deep in thought.

"Aren't you coming down?!" Nia raised an eyebrow, threateningly kicked gently at [Logic]'s leg: "If you have the guts, never come down!"

Fatty had no choice, slowly walked out of the Mecha, gloomily said: "I don't remember doing anything to wrong you, what's going on?"

"What's going on?" Nia poked her slim finger at Fatty's flesh: "You have the nerve to ask what's wrong? You let me go shoot a battlefield promotional video for the Freedom Front, out for a few days, and you, behind my back, are flirting with someone else. You tell me what's going on?"

Fatty rolled his eyes upward in deep thought, blinking and muttering to himself: "Who was I flirting with?"

"Stop playing dumb with me!" Nia glared with her beautiful big eyes, fiercely said: "It's that red-haired vixen!"

Fatty was momentarily speechless, secretly cursing, when suddenly Bonnie's voice came: "Who are you calling a vixen?"

Fatty almost fell to the ground, trouble upon trouble; this could be fatal.

Nia turned around, seeing Bonnie standing there like a fairy, her beautifully unparalleled face with a trace of a smile, instantly infuriated, she pouted and snorted: "Who is a vixen knows it in their heart!"

Bonnie gently took Fatty's arm, indignantly said: "...She called me a vixen!"

Fatty looked at Bonnie in disbelief, having the heart to die. Vixen, isn't this adding fuel to the fire? "I say, aren't you playing me?" Fatty lowered his voice, helplessly.

"Can't I play with you?" Bonnie quietly replied, raising her fair face, her watery eyes darting around, speaking in a tone just audible to Nia: "Fatty, who told you to flirt with me?"

Knowing full well Bonnie was deliberately teasing Nia, but that seductive fiery body rubbing against his arm, Fatty, a long pent-up man, felt liberated at this moment, his second-in-command thoughtlessly rose to attention.

"Fatty! Good for you! I made lunch to invite you!" Nia saw this tent clearly, embarrassed and angry, turned her head and left: "Just wait till I tell Milan, daring to bully me!"

Fatty thought of Milan's gentle gun, and instantly his soul flew out of him, just prepared to chase, but considering Bonnie beside him, stopped abruptly. In an instant, left indecisive.

"Go then!" Seeing Fatty hesitate, Bonnie unexpectedly released his arm.

Fatty looked back in surprise at Bonnie, who in her familiar coolness, showed a trace of gentleness. She smiled lightly, helped Fatty straighten his clothing: "In Gazalin, no woman bothers with these things... She likes you, I'll take care of her. Don't like her bullying you, being your usual honest self."

Honest man Tian Xingjian, surprised, rarely flushed red.

*****************

"...Chita has fallen, two elite armored divisions of the Fei Alliance Southeast Expeditionary Army have driven straight into the Migratory Plain, their forces aimed directly at Longshu. The Tanville Eastern Defense Line, consisting of our 121st Armored Division and the 196th, 139th Infantry Divisions, was attacked from front and back by four enemy armored divisions and ten fully mechanized infantry divisions, resisting for nearly five hours, over half casualties, now forced to retreat to the southern city area. East District Command has issued orders to join the 58th Armored Division."

In Stephen's depressing office, Ritter closed the electronic folder, ending the Eastern Theater report.

Stephen sat at the desk, expressionless, nodded, then turned his gaze to Worlington, the Chief of Staff responsible for the Northeast Defense.

Worlington flustered, flipping open the electronic folder, reported: "Difak encountered a massive airstrike at one o'clock in the morning on the 16th, only emergency scrambled 106 armored aircraft across four air bases, due to being outnumbered, lost 74, the rest forced to transfer to Jiacuo, currently, Difak has no air force."

"Furthermore, two Feiyang Armored Divisions and two Independent Army Armored Divisions from the enemy have taken two routes, attacking our western and southern Difak defense lines. Currently, the southern No.6 Resource Highway defense line has been breached, the enemy rapidly advancing along the highway into depth, the 103rd Regiment and 73rd Armored Division left in Difak have quickly moved south to establish a blocking position. Northeast Defense Command has issued orders to halt the attack on Jistock by the 103rd and 108th divisions, to move north for support!"

"Move north for support?" Stephen suddenly raised his head, angrily said: "Who ordered the 103rd and 108th divisions to return?" He slammed the table, making a "bang" sound: "Take Jistock at all costs, it's a prior issued death order, now it's a critical assault stage, what's the point of recalling two main divisions? To protect Difak or to have a frontal clash with the enemy's four elite armored divisions?! Confused!"

Worlington, a direct lineage of the Howard family, is usually considered a notable figure in the Gazalin Nobles Circle. At this moment, witnessing Stephen slam the table, he dared not utter a word in defense and only glanced at Duke Victor, the first figure of the Howard family and Stephen's uncle, sitting on the office sofa.

Victor, with his head of gray hair, leaned against the back of his chair, his slender eyes seemingly open yet closed. The nearly seventy-year-old duke famously cherished his words like gold, but everyone knew that any word he uttered was unquestionably obeyed!

The Howard family has remained firmly in the top three of the Gazalin Nobles over the years, weathering storms without falling. This is precisely due to the extraordinary political skills of the family leader, whose manipulative prowess in political maneuvers turns adversaries and political enemies into oblivion unknowingly. Without him, Stephen would never have had the opportunity for a coup nor could he have seized control of nearly half the power of the Gazalin Nobles in the coup's early stages!

What constitutes a noble? Beyond richness and privilege, the hallmark of nobility is that they are a group of vested interests who control the upper structure of the country, most of the wealth and military, and are intricately interconnected amongst themselves!

When James lost control over the nobility, the Howard family and the forces it controlled were adequate to replace the Morton family and intimidate everyone! Without the Howard family, there would be no today's Stephen. Whether this is fortunate or unfortunate for Stephen is unknown. However, regardless of fortune or misfortune, he cannot part from the Howard family.

Therefore, when Victor gently raised his hand, Stephen merely snorted angrily and heavily sat down!

"Worlington's handling was indeed too hasty." Victor looked kindly at his nephew, speaking slowly, "But, given the suddenness of the incident, he had limited options. The only way to prevent the enemy's eastward advance is to redeploy the 103rd and 108th divisions."

"But..." Stephen glanced at Victor with a meaningful look but did not continue.

Victor smiled faintly, "I know what you want to say, but compared to our current predicament, the threat of Jistock is much smaller!" He waved his hand towards Worlington, "You may leave now."

With Worlington leaving, Victor said, "Upon first contact with the Fei Alliance Fleet, I promptly reached Alexander Binart. However, I didn't expect the action against us to come so swiftly and fiercely! Deploying six entire Level 1 armored divisions equipped with Ninth Generation Mechas—Feiyang has made a significant move!"

He stood up and approached Stephen, "Glarenz, the envoy, is still negotiating with Binart. Although no final agreement has been reached, it's apparent that Binart is quite satisfied with the commitments and concessions we made! They prefer seeing a relatively peaceful Little Pyrenees without Fei Alliance forces serving as a forward base for the Leray Channel!"

"Then this time..." Ritter furrowed his brows.

"Hold on at all costs!" Victor spoke decisively, "Time is the most crucial right now! As long as we can hold on, Reinhardt won't have the chance to act. Dispatching troops during the stalemate phase will only cause the retreat of the Fei Alliance Southeast Expeditionary Army, which doesn't benefit him. He wants to wait until we are utterly defeated, but once our agreement with Binart is reached, he won't be able to act even if he wishes to!"

"Then… what about the Miracle Army and George?" Stephen finally voiced his doubt. George is still alive, right in Jistock, together with the Miracle Army! Ever since receiving this news, Stephen has been restless!

"Not differentiating priorities, Stephen, is your flaw. We must focus our efforts on constructing defenses at Jiacuo and Fulan Fortress, maintaining our current control zone." Victor gave Stephen a light glance, waved his hand, and said, "Among the Gazalin Nobles, how many supporters of George remain? If he had the power, he wouldn't have stayed hidden in Jistock all this time. Furthermore, do we act as if the Howard family doesn't exist?"

************

Plans perpetually struggle to keep pace with changes.

Just as the Fei Alliance Mezrich Battlefield united forces broke through Chita and Difak, advancing irresistibly in-depth, as the Stephen Group core researched countermeasures, and as Fatty rolled his eyes dramatically, choking on the deadly meal lovingly prepared by Nia when the laughter turned to tears.

No one knew that two swift ships carrying special envoys from the Western Alliance Joint Operations Command had already respectively landed at the Desic Palace and Reinhardt's headquarters.

*****

Three days, achieving the total monthly ticket volume of last month's thirty days. Thank you all for the support. The competition from behind is pressing, so please continue your support!!!

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.If the previous plot has given you confidence in my ability to craft an exciting story, then, on May Day, cast your ballots for me.

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.I am looking with innocent little eyes, hopeful.

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.(To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please log on to www.qidian.com, where more chapters await, and support the author and legitimate reading!)

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