The tent fell silent afterward. Even Su Kim's flirtatious behavior finally stopped for a moment hearing those numbers.
Their son continued wandering innocently near the guards completely unaware of the scale of death being discussed around him. Xu Mun continued afterward.
Eventually both sides simply stopped advancing. Unspoken borders formed naturally. Xu Mun's forces dominated the outer islands and surrounding seas.
The natives controlled the deep inner territories. Whenever the islanders attempted expanding outward, Xu Mun's navy devastated them easily.
But whenever imperial troops pushed inward the islands themselves consumed them. Now both sides remained trapped in a brutal stalemate.
The room remained quiet for several moments afterward. Then Luo He finally spoke. "How many men remain combat capable?" Xu Mun answered immediately.
"Approximately thirty-seven thousand or so are still battle ready." Xu Mun reported. Meaning nearly a quarter of the original army had already been lost.
"I am personally going to lead an expedition deep into enemy territory." Luo He said calmly while looking over the campaign map spread across the table.
The tent immediately became silent.
Only the sound of rain striking the outer canvas remained for several moments.
Xu Mun frowned deeply.
"My Lord intends to scout the inner islands personally?" He asked confused.
Luo He nodded once. "Only then will we understand what we are truly facing." He said calmly.
One of the generals nearby immediately stepped forward. "Then allow this subordinate to prepare an escort force." He said respectfully. "No need." Luo He said immediately.
"I will go alone." He added. Several officers visibly stiffened. "Any large force will attract attention." Luo He continued calmly. "And weaker men would only slow me down."
Xu Mun lowered his head slightly. "My Lord, those islands are not ordinary battlefields." He said. "That is precisely why I'm going." Luo He replied.
Then after another brief pause he spoke again. "Raise the soldiers' morale." He said, his finger tapping lightly against the outer island regions marked across the map.
"The men will return to civilization for break of roughly one week. Let them rest properly. Good food. Warm beds. Wine. Women.
Let them remember they are still human before throwing them back into war."
Several commanders exchanged glances afterward.
The army desperately needed exactly that. Disease, rain, starvation, insects, and endless tension had nearly crushed morale already.
"Prepare the transfers immediately," Luo He said calmly. Then he finally stepped away from the table. "With that the council was dismissed."
The officers bowed immediately before leaving the tent one after another. Soon only a handful of people remained. Luo He. Xu Mun. Su Kim. Their son.
And several guards were silently stationed near the entrances. Luo He did not bother sending the guards away.
At this point, trusted guards were practically invisible furniture.
Luo He eventually sat down in the commander's chair while his son naturally climbed onto his lap and settled against one of his legs comfortably.
The boy clearly enjoyed sitting there. Xu Mun sat opposite him in another heavy chair while quietly observing the map still spread across the center table.
Meanwhile Su Kim casually moved beside Luo He and sat atop the right armrest of his chair, almost naturally.
Like she had already grown used with staying close to him.
Luo He slowly stroked her back with one hand while lightly holding his son steady with the other. The atmosphere inside the tent gradually softened now that military matters had ended.
Then Luo He finally spoke again. Now casually and more personally. "You've grown thinner." He said casually. Xu Mun laughed faintly.
"War tends to do that, My Lord." He said.
"No," Luo He corrected calmly while studying him carefully. "Not thinner." Then after another glance he added lazily, "more muscular."
Even several guards nearby nearly lost composure hearing that. Xu Mun himself simply rubbed his forehead tiredly. "My Lord truly notices strange things." He added casually.
Luo He ignored the comment completely.
"Maybe now you can finally take another wife." He said proudly. Xu Mun burst into laughter this time but wisely avoided answering.
Luo He finally turned slightly toward Su Kim without warning. "How do you prefer him more?" he asked casually. "Before or after the campaign?"
Su Kim visibly froze. A faint blush immediately spread across her face afterward. She rarely got asked for genuine opinions openly.
Especially not by Luo He. And strangely that mattered to her far more than expensive gifts ever did. "I…" she hesitated softly before glancing toward Xu Mun.
"General Xu looked more refined before…" She added casually. Xu Mun looked proud immediately. "But," she added carefully afterward. "He looks more dependable now."
Xu Mun's pride instantly became confusion. Luo He laughed quietly. "That means old Xu Mun was prettier." He laughed.
Su Kim immediately covered her mouth trying not to laugh while Xu Mun sighed helplessly. "My Lord," he said tiredly, "why am I the only person suffering during this conversation?"
"Because you are the only one not participating properly." Luo He answered confidently. Then he looked around the tent dramatically.
"Why am I the only person talking?" He asked as if confused. Su Kim lowered her head smiling softly while Xu Mun simply shook his head.
Eventually the three continued speaking casually for quite some time while outside the camp transformed into organized chaos.
By midday Jin Sang's ships finally arrived. Ship after ship appeared across the coastlines carrying fresh supplies and reinforcements. The evacuation immediately began afterward.
Roughly forty-two thousand men alongside wounded soldiers, cooks, blacksmiths, stable keepers, carpenters, masons, medics, and support workers gradually began boarding transport vessels.
Meanwhile fresh forces arrived simultaneously. Four thousand fresh troops from the Jin Family mansion and
six thousand hardened sailors and fighters personally sent by Jin Sang himself.
Alongside seventeen newly reinforced warships. The remaining fleet of Xu Mun also began boarding operations steadily throughout the day.
The entire coastline became a sea of movement. Soldiers. Horses. Supply crates. Weapons. Smoke. Commands. Lanterns. Ships creaking beneath heavy loads.
And through it all Xu Mun's discipline remained absolute. Even during withdrawal, the army moved with strict order. No panic. No disorder. No wasted motion.
By the time the massive relocation finally stabilized it was already deep into the night. Nearly ten o'clock. Only then did Luo He finally gain a little free time.
Notably he had already sent Su Kim away nearly two hours earlier. "Get him to sleep properly tonight." Luo He had whispered quietly into her ear while handing over their son.
Then after leaning slightly closer he added softly. "How enjoyable tonight becomes, depends entirely on how well he sleeps." He added pasionately.
Su Kim's entire face immediately turned red afterward. She hurried away almost instantly beneath the protection of a dozen newly arrived guards before Luo He could tease her further.
Now the camp itself had transformed completely. The remaining ten thousand soldiers still stationed there celebrated loudly throughout the night beneath massive bonfires.
Men drank heavily. Laughed loudly. Sang war songs. Played dice and told exaggerated stories about battles and women.
Yet despite the celebrations the camp remained under terrifying discipline.
Xu Mun's authority over the army was iron solid.
No swords were permitted during drunken disputes. No brawls. No violence between soldiers. Any conflict was crushed immediately. Punishments were swift. Public.
And severe enough that nobody tested the rules twice. As a result despite the noise and celebration the massive military camp still functioned like a machine.
And for the first time in many weeks, the soldiers finally looked alive again.
Laughter echoed across the camp grounds beneath the cold northern night while great bonfires burned between rows of military tents.
Fresh supplies. Fresh troops. Fresh medicine. Fresh tools. And most importantly new hope.
Patrols still rotated throughout the outer perimeter. Guards remained stationed atop watchtowers overlooking the dark waters surrounding the islands.
Any sign of disorder was immediately suppressed before it could spread.
The army celebrated but it celebrated like veterans who still expected death tomorrow.
And at the very center of that massive war camp stood the commander's tent now temporarily belonging to Luo He.
The heavy tent flaps opened quietly as
Luo He entered alone.
After an entire day spent reviewing maps, issuing commands, reorganizing fleets, redistributing manpower, calming generals, and preparing for an expedition into hostile territory, he finally looked slightly tired.
Not physically. Mentally. The moment he stepped inside, silence embraced him.
The outside noise became muffled behind thick layered fabric walls while warm lantern light flickered gently across the interior.