Trullinczentyr, Imperial Intelligence Headquarters.
This was the cerebral cortex and neural network of the entire Leithanien Empire. Countless streams of information converged here from every corner of the Terra continent. After being analyzed, organized, and categorized, they were transformed into concise, clear reports delivered to the desks of the Emperor and his ministers.
Gertrude sat in her stark, coldly furnished office, flipping through secret dispatches from every direction. As the Minister of Intelligence, she tirelessly wove a colossal net covering the entire continent day and night; not a single rustle of wind or grass could escape her perception.
The office door was pushed open silently, and a figure walked in. It was Cellinia Texas. Since joining the Intelligence Department, this Lupo girl from Siracusa had become Gertrude's most capable assistant due to her astonishing calmness and meticulousness. She never offered superfluous opinions, only completing tasks with the highest efficiency.
"Minister." Texas placed a document on Gertrude's desk. "This is an urgent report from the North Victoria border observation post."
Gertrude picked up the document, her gaze sweeping over it rapidly. The content was simple: one week ago, the observation post remotely detected a small-scale anomalous explosion within the Ursus-controlled zone. The Ursus side subsequently explained it as an accident. However, the attachment to the report was a high-definition photograph. The photo showed a fingernail-sized black fragment that had been scorched.
"What is this?" Gertrude frowned.
"Found by our sleeper agents near the explosion site," Texas's voice was flat and waveless. "According to the preliminary analysis by the technical department, this is a high-strength composite material. The craftsmanship is extremely advanced, not matching any model currently known to us. However, the residual code on the edge of the fragment highly matches the product coding format of the Columbia United Industrial Group."
Gertrude's eyes instantly became sharp. Columbian military materials appearing in the Ursus control zone, accompanied by a covered-up explosion. This was absolutely no coincidence.
"There is also this." Texas handed over another report. "This is intelligence sent back from the border by Lappland. She discovered a batch of Ursus standard ammunition being sold at a black market arms dealer. Tracing the production lot numbers on the bottom of the casings, this ammunition was supposed to be issued to the Ursus 3rd Army Group stationed in North Victoria."
Gertrude's fingertips tapped lightly on the desktop, connecting the two seemingly unrelated pieces of intelligence. Ursus was secretly selling off its conventional ammunition, while at the same time, Columbia's cutting-edge military materials were appearing on their turf. A deduction gradually took shape in her mind.
"Pull up all data regarding resource flows, personnel transfers, and communication encryption level changes in North Victoria for the past three months." Gertrude's tone turned icy. "I want you to lead the team personally and sift through this data for me, frame by frame. I don't care what method you use; I want to see results before dawn."
"Yes." Texas asked no questions; she simply accepted the order crisply, turned, and left.
A sleepless night passed. When the faint light of dawn shone into the office, Texas stood before Gertrude again, carrying a weariness about her and a thick analysis report.
"Minister, we found the problem," she said. "There are anomalies in Ursus's resource consumption in North Victoria. They have imported high-grade steel and rare metals far exceeding conventional needs, yet the production and consumption of conventional munitions are declining. Simultaneously, we intercepted several communication signals originating from the direction of Columbia, with the final reception points all pointing to the Ursus military control zone. Those were the highest-level communication protocols of the Columbian military."
Gertrude took the report, flipping through it page by page. Ursus was using Columbian technology and resources to secretly conduct some kind of weapon generation upgrade. They were using their status as Leithanien's ally as cover to commit an act of betrayal.
"Fyodor..." Gertrude spat out the name, her eyes cold. "That young bear is greedier and stupider than I imagined."
She picked up the final report and, without a moment's delay, walked straight towards the Emperor's study.
Lacey was currently having breakfast. Simple wheat bread, a glass of milk, and a morning newspaper from the Victoria Province. Serafina sat opposite him, reporting on the construction plan for the new batch of schools in Londinium.
Gertrude's intrusion broke this tranquility.
"Your Majesty."
Her voice was heavy as she placed the report beside Lacey's dinner plate. Lacey's gaze moved from the newspaper to Gertrude's serious face. He didn't look at the report immediately, simply asking calmly, "What is it?"
"Ursus has betrayed us," Gertrude said concisely.
Serafina's expression changed instantly, and she looked straight at Gertrude. Lacey's expression, however, showed no change whatsoever. He picked up a napkin, wiped the corners of his mouth, and then unhurriedly picked up the report.
The study was dead silent, save for the sound of turning pages. Lacey read quickly, but very carefully. His eyes were as calm as a deep pool; no one could read his emotions from them. When he saw the photo of the fragment, his finger rubbed against it gently.
"Columbia United Industrial Group..." he murmured the name softly, his tone betraying neither joy nor anger. "President Mark Max is truly a generous merchant."
He put down the report, took a sip of milk, and then looked at the uneasy Serafina and the tense Gertrude, suddenly smiling. "Why do you have those expressions? You look as if the sky is about to fall."
"Your Majesty, this..." Gertrude was somewhat perplexed. "Fyodor is arming his army with Columbian technology. He could stab us in the back at any moment! We must take action immediately, expose their conspiracy, or even..."
"Even what?" Lacey interrupted her. "Declare war on Ursus? Just when we have finished a great war, the Imperial treasury is tight, and the hearts of the people in Victoria are not yet steady?"
"But..."
"Gertrude," Lacey's tone remained gentle. "Before a chess player makes a move, they must first see the entire board clearly. Fyodor thinks he has obtained a trump card and can jump off the board to become a player like me, but he is wrong. He has merely moved from one position on the board to another. He has never been a player; he remains a pawn."
Lacey stood up and walked to the map of Terra. "Does he think I don't know what he's doing? From the moment I decided to hand North Victoria over to his trusteeship, I anticipated this day." Lacey's finger tapped on Ursus's location on the map. "A bear that cannot be fed will never be satisfied with handouts. And a bear that thinks itself clever will always assume it can steal the hunter's gun. The reason I tolerated him was that I was waiting for an opportunity, and also waiting for the Empire to fully recover."
"Now, it seems the time has come," Lacey said with a smile.
Serafina and Gertrude looked at each other.
Upon the vast frozen soil of the Ursus Empire, the Red Square outside Saint Petersburg was covered in pure white snow, yet it could not freeze the fanaticism in people's hearts.
Hundreds of brand-new tanks—"T-34" medium tanks—clad in dark green paint and the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle insignia, crushed across the stone-paved road amidst a deafening roar. Their hulls had sharp angles and fluid lines, completely different from the clumsy, big, black, and rough style of Ursus landships in the past.
The Imperial Emperor, Fyodor Vladimirovich, stood on the terrace of the square, dressed in a white military dress uniform, his face flushed red. Behind him were the Speaker of the Imperial Parliament, Islam Witte, and a crowd of new and old nobles. The expressions on their faces varied: some fanatical, some exhilarated, and some hiding deep worries.
"Subjects of Ursus! Soldiers!" Fyodor's voice spread throughout the square via amplification Arts, drowning out the roar of the tanks. "Look at the torrent of steel beneath our feet! This is the rebirth of Ursus! This is the unyielding will of our Ursus nation!"
The crowd erupted in cheers like a mountain tsunami.
"Once, the Leithanians were our allies. We fought side by side and carved up Kazimierz and Victoria. But what did they do? That mud-legged upstart who calls himself Emperor used a hypocritical marriage alliance to steal the spoils that should have belonged to the warriors of the Ursus Empire! He used cheap promises to buy people's hearts, yet blocked our Ursus warriors from the wealth of Londinium!"
Fyodor skillfully incited the simple patriotism of the populace. "They thought a few outdated blueprints could dismiss us! They thought the warriors of Ursus would be satisfied with the crumbs falling from their table! They were wrong!"
Fyodor waved his hand violently. "Today, we possess weapons more advanced than theirs, and a more powerful army! Past humiliations will be washed away! The glory of the North of Terra shall return to Ursus!"
"Ura!"
"Ura!!"
"Ura!!!"
The waves of fanatical sound almost overturned the Red Square.
[After obtaining technical assistance from Columbia, the Ursus Empire developed quite a few new weapons, including special armaments specifically targeting Leithanien's steel torrent.]
[At this time, Ursus Emperor Fyodor believed that Ursus had already surpassed Leithanien in military strength. Under his speeches, the entire Ursus fell into a kind of false fanaticism.]
[Upon learning of this, you did not pay it excessive mind. You continued to systematically order Taylor to reorganize and strengthen the formation of the legions.]
[The Industrial Technology Research Institute and the Imperial Academy of Sciences were brightly lit, conducting technical breakthroughs day and night. From more efficient engines to guided weapons with longer ranges, Leithanien's technology tree was climbing at a speed visible to the naked eye, preparing for the coming war.]
In the distant East, the capital of Great Yan, Baizao.
Inside the Imperial Palace, the True Lung sat upright on the Dragon Throne, his gaze profound, betraying no emotion. Below, the civil and military officials stood with heads bowed in silence.
The True Lung spoke, "Speak, all of you. The fellows in the West are stirring again. Columbia is taking the lead to form a strategic alliance. How do you think my Great Yan should position itself?"
The court was silent; no one dared to speak first.
Leithanien's rise was too rapid. The modern mode of warfare it displayed in Victoria caused deep apprehension in all traditional powers. And Columbia, a young nation founded on commerce and technology, possessed equally unfathomable potential.
"Your Majesty." A clear voice broke the silence. The Grand Tutor, holding a jade tablet, stepped out slowly. His hair and beard were completely white, but his spirit was hale and hearty, his eyes clear as mirrors.
"This subject believes that this is a crisis, but also a golden opportunity."
The Emperor nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.
"Although Leithanien's momentum is fierce, its foundation is still shallow. The hearts of the people in the newly occupied Victoria are not yet attached, and the alliance with Kazdel is akin to seeking hide from a tiger—internal hidden dangers abound. Its sharpness is fully revealed, and it has become the target of all."
The Grand Tutor's voice was sonorous and forceful. "Columbia uniting with Ursus appears to be a massive movement, but in reality, each harbors their own sinister designs. Ursus is greedy and rash, while Columbia is mercenary. Such an alliance will scatter once the benefits run out."
"My Great Yan, possessing favorable timing and geography, should implement the strategy of 'Distant Alliance, Close Attack'."
"Distant Alliance, Close Attack?" The Emperor repeated.
"Precisely," the Grand Tutor bowed. "'Alliance' means befriending Columbia. That country is separated from my Great Yan by the East and West, with no territorial disputes, yet we share a common enemy. We can maintain contact with them, exchange what we have for what we lack, and use their technology to strengthen our armaments. This is the 'Distant Alliance'."
"'Attack' does not mean an attack with blades and soldiers. Although the Lord of Leithanien appears wise, his heart for hegemony is clearly revealed. We must guard against his ambition to expand eastward in the future. Therefore, we should strengthen the armaments on the Western Border, dig deep trenches, and build high walls, so that he dares not harbor covetous thoughts. This is the 'Close Attack'."
The Grand Tutor's words caused the officials in the court to nod in succession.
"What the Grand Tutor says is extremely true!" The Minister of War stepped out to second the motion. "Leithanien's armaments cannot be ignored. Although their planes and tanks are no match for my Great Yan, their tactical thinking is worth vigilance. This subject requests a decree to transfer elites to garrison the Western Border and strengthen defenses."
However, there were different voices. A civil official advocating for union spoke up in rebuttal, "Grand Tutor, why do we not formally ally with Columbia and Ursus? If the three powers join hands, it would be enough to completely extinguish Leithanien's arrogant flames and eliminate future troubles forever!"
The Grand Tutor merely smiled faintly at this. "Do you know that it is easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away? Ursus is a hungry bear of the Northlands, and Columbia is even more so. Allying with them is no different from inviting a wolf into the house. My Great Yan need only sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. Waiting until both are wounded will be the time for my Great Yan to reorganize the universe and rebuild the order of the Celestial Dynasty."
"Your Majesty, observing the changes quietly is the best policy." The Grand Tutor cupped his hands toward the True Lung.
The Emperor remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slowly. "Approved. We shall follow the Grand Tutor's strategy. Order the Ministry of Rites to establish diplomatic relations with Columbia, and the Ministry of War to immediately increase troops on the Western Border. I want everyone in Terra to know that the Yan Nation does not love war, but it absolutely does not fear war."
"Yes!" The officials bowed in compliance.
As Yan's decision settled into dust, the pattern of the Terra continent became increasingly clear.
Columbia's President, Mark Max, formally issued an invitation to all of Terra. In the name of "maintaining world peace and free trade," he proposed the establishment of a defensive alliance to counter Leithanien's hegemonism. Invitation letters flew like snowflakes to the capitals of every nation.
Ursus's Fyodor responded first, almost without hesitation; he yearned to borrow the alliance's strength to tear open a hole to the south.
After some consideration, Great Yan agreed to join but declared that the alliance was only defensive in nature, and that the Yan army would not be subject to the alliance's unified command, retaining the right to independent action.
The Pope of Laterano, on the grounds that "guns and order are only for protecting the peace of Laterano," upheld neutrality and politely refused.
The Padishahs of Sargon were uninterested in distant disputes. The rabbits of Rim Billiton were busy mining and excavating and paid no heed. Higashi likewise made no reaction. Iberia was too busy with its own affairs after the "Profund Silence."
Finally, in the capital of Columbia, the Max Columbia Special District, the representatives of Columbia, Ursus, and Great Yan formally signed the "Treaty of the Three Nations of Columbia, Ursus, and Yan," proclaiming the establishment of the "Allied Front" against Leithanien.
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