Chapter 1467: Chapter 1465: Timed Surrender
"Twelve hours?!"
Within the territory of Shalin, inside a military tent, Soron and numerous advisors witnessed another envoy wizard sent by Shalin.
Upon hearing the envoy wizard’s words, Soron hadn’t had time to express his stance before the advisors couldn’t hold back and called out, as it was utterly inconceivable.
"Mr. Envoy." One of the advisors stepped forward to address the envoy wizard, "We mean no offense, but could you repeat what you just said? Because my companions and I didn’t quite understand your message."
"What part didn’t you understand?" the envoy wizard asked earnestly.
"You just said you’re here to discuss the matter of surrender, correct?" the advisor confirmed.
"Correct," the envoy wizard nodded, "but to be more precise, it’s about your surrender."
"That’s the point." The advisor raised a finger, "Don’t you think there’s a problem here? The one at a complete disadvantage should be your Shalin. Your troops can’t return in time, while we have already penetrated your territory. Shalin will be completely conquered in a few days. And now you’re asking us to surrender? With a deadline, no less?"
"Indeed, we ask you to surrender within a twelve-hour timeframe—please provide a definitive answer in twelve hours, by the end of the day," the envoy wizard said calmly. "This is our persuasion letter, detailing what you need to do after surrendering. You might want to take a look at it. By the way, we’ve also sent the same letter to Reef Rock Castle, so if you’d rather respond from there instead of the front lines, that’s fine too. It will have the same effect."
In the military tent, a long silence ensued, with all the advisors staring at the envoy wizard as if he were mad.
After a full minute, Soron finally spoke, breaking the deadlock, to confirm with the envoy wizard: "Mr. Envoy, I want to know, where is your Lord Richard now?"
"Right in Atlantis City, not too far from where you are, General."
"Is he aware of the current situation in Shalin? That Shalin is under siege by our three-pronged army and numerous territories and special garrison troops?"
"Of course, he knows," the envoy wizard replied. "But Lord Richard has also said he doesn’t care about these matters because they are trifling, insignificant issues."
"Trifling, insignificant issues? Then what, for your Lord Richard, constitutes a significant issue?"
The envoy wizard smiled, "That’s something I cannot know. However, Lord Richard asked me to remind you, General, that although you might think you’ve grasped the situation entirely, there are certain conditions of your own that you might not be aware of, which could prove fatal."
"What?"
"For instance... food supplies," the envoy wizard replied. "If I’m not mistaken, even though your forces have conquered many of our Shalin’s small and large cities, you haven’t gathered much military food supplies, have you?"
"Did you do this on purpose?" Soron narrowed his eyes.
"I wouldn’t dare. It’s just that our focus in Shalin has always been on the development around Atlantis, with sparse populations in the peripheral regions, leading to almost no food reserves. Lord Richard mentioned that if you really desire food supplies, you could head to Atlantis, assuming you can reach it first," the envoy wizard said.
"Alright then." Saying this, the envoy wizard bowed and walked toward the tent’s exit, "I’ve completed the task I was entrusted with; if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave, General Soron. In conclusion, a personal suggestion: if possible, I hope you can provide a confirmed response regarding surrender within twelve hours. Believe me, this will be best for everyone."
Having said that, the envoy wizard quickly exited, under the murderous glares of all the advisors.
...
At the same time.
In a military tent outside a small town in southern Shalin.
Another envoy wizard met with the commander of the stationed forces from the Gray Rock Territory, delivering the same persuasion letter and the same words.
"Twelve hours?" The commander of the Gray Rock Territory forces, unlike Soron, immediately tore the persuasion letter apart after hearing those words, eyes rounded, cursing angrily, "Is your Lord Richard out of his mind, unable to discern who should be persuading whom? Go back and tell him, there is no good outcome for a King Slayer, he should accept his fate early and not play such strange games.
If he leads the entire Shalin to surrender to me, I might spare him, but as for me surrendering to him, that’s wishful thinking! You go tell him, while he might be a powerful wizard, killing or subduing everyone on the continent is impossible. Surrendering early is his only option."
The envoy wizard remained unruffled, "General Dake, please calm down. I’m just an envoy; I’m here to discuss your surrender, so let’s stick to the topic.
You tore up the persuasion letter, no problem, I know you came from Bor City in the Gray Rock Territory, and that’s where you’ve continued to receive military food supplies and other materials. So our people have also sent the same persuasion letter to Bor City. Within twelve hours, if you feel regret and want to understand the content of the persuasion letter, you can contact Bor City."
"You!" The commander of the Gray Rock Territory forces stood up from his seat, eyes wide, looking as if he were ready to swallow the envoy wizard whole.
Pointing a finger outward from the tent, baring his teeth, he said in a crystal-clear voice, "Get out, get out as fast as you can, or I can’t guarantee you’ll make it back to Shalin alive."
"Alright then." The envoy wizard sighed, turning to leave, "Anyway, I still hope within twelve hours, the General will make a wise decision."
"Get out!"
...
Elsewhere.
In the heart of the Sika Kingdom, in White Sand City, at the City Lord Mansion.
The City Lord received the envoy wizard sent by Shalin, read the persuasion letter in detail, and then looked at the envoy wizard with a face of confusion, a big question mark written on his face.
"Could there be some misunderstanding here?" the White Sand City Lord asked.
"No misunderstanding," the envoy wizard said earnestly. "This decision was made a long time ago, and I’ve been waiting in the city for quite some time for this. I only received the confirmation notice just recently, then immediately came to see you, City Lord. There’s absolutely no mistake."
"But you’re at war with the Sika Kingdom and the Alliance, why are you asking our Sika Kingdom to surrender? In twelve hours, no less? And unconditionally? And delivering it to me, not to the King of Sika? Come on, this is White Sand City, not the Royal Capital. There are no Royal Family Members here, no army, just some old grain stored in warehouses. Any way you look at it, you shouldn’t be handing me a persuasion letter, should you?"
The envoy wizard smiled, "No, it was meant to be handed to you. As for the Sika Royal Capital, there will be others to deliver a persuasion letter there."
White Sand City Lord: "..."
...
Around the same time.
In many places across the Main Continent, many people received Shalin’s persuasion letter.
The content was the same, demanding unconditional surrender within twelve hours.
Among these people, there were leaders of armies attacking Shalin and others completely unrelated, such as the City Lord of White Sand City of Sika.
They were either angry, confused, or stunned, but the persuasion letters had indeed been delivered.
...
