flstandardbreds Chapter 145 The Southern Defense Line Problem
Chapter 145 The Southern Defense Line Problem
The country is effectively unified, but apart from the three armies of Aimelan, there is still an uncontrolled force on the territory—the Southern Anti-Church Army of the Demon Race.
In the southern borderlands of the Demon Kingdom, the soldiers led by the Pot family have fought against the Church's forces on the southern frontier for hundreds of years. Their anti-church army is an ancient and tenacious military force, and the Blue Great Wall they built has always been the impression of the Demons among the southern humans.
During the war for national unification, the Southern Anti-Cult Army of the Demon Race declared neutrality under the influence of both sides, which was the main reason for Ekvich's defeat: according to convention, the entire Demon Race nation needed to provide them with advanced weapons and personnel, but once the weapons and personnel were delivered, they could not be used in the war against the north.
And Ekevich couldn't even command Edward Pott, the current general of the Anti-Church Army.
However, in Alice's view, there should be no uncontrolled armed forces within a unified country, and the same applies to the Southern Anti-Ecclesiastical Army of the Demon Clan. The entire army has a combat force of more than 300,000 people and controls the Blue Line in the south. It is named after the fact that its city walls are made of clay containing lapis lazuli, giving the walls a light blue color.
To get the country back on track, Alice must resolve this issue, and her bottom line is simple—there must be no uncontrolled armed forces within the country's borders.
"Ameliancée...President? Lady Alice, you are a vampire, aren't you?"
"That's right, Your Excellency General."
Bern, the headquarters of the Blue Line, is a small town surrounded by mountains. It is the heart of the Blue Line, with blue city walls standing on the easily defensible mountains.
"You were a princess before, and as far as I know, the reunification of the demon race was your doing, and it actually had little to do with Alicia."
"That's not how it works, General. Our mother has done quite a lot, you know~"
Alice lowered her head, her eyes narrowed, and looked at Edward Pott, who was much taller than her. The demon general was covered in wounds, and his armor had a thin layer of gleam.
"Is it true that there will be no more royalty?"
“Under my rule, if people follow my path, then the monarchy will indeed cease to exist, and I will no longer be president in at most twenty years. We are moving towards an elected system, and a new head of state will be elected by the parliament, which will be chosen by our citizens through a referendum.”
“It’s unbelievable. As far as I know, Alicia has already passed the throne to you.”
“That position is not important, General. It’s just an empty title. Sooner or later, the people will realize that they don’t need an emperor to ride on their heads.”
Edward Pott remained puzzled. Although Alice's vampire queen status lasted only five seconds, he was still willing to address her as Her Majesty the Queen, even though she was effectively the President and would no longer be the President in a few decades.
"Very well, Alice... Your Excellency, we are not here today to discuss imperial power. I think you are more concerned with... military power?"
“That’s right, General Edward Pott. Let me be frank: the new nation will no longer have any armed forces independent of the Supreme Military Council. We all know the great achievements of the Anti-Church Army over the past few hundred years. You are the defenders of the demon race and have made great contributions to resisting the church's invasion.”
"But the era of fighting alone is over, Your Excellency. We will arm this line of defense with our latest achievements, but the complex situation requires us to take a holistic approach."
"Therefore, I request an explanation for the Southern Anti-Church Army: its existing troops should be incorporated into the Amerlane Army for reorganization and rearmament, while you, along with other generals, can join the Amerlane Army with your original rank."
Alice offered very generous terms. In her view, although these generals were not very adapted to the current level of technology in Amelanxi, they had decades of combat experience and a keen sense of the battlefield.
"Alice... Your Excellency, if I may be so bold, Ekevich said the same thing, but he still perished in the end... We have a history of resistance spanning hundreds of years, we have always been here, and we have never received any orders from the central government of the Demon Kingdom!"
Alice looked at Edward Pott. She knew this wouldn't be easy, but it had to be resolved. The border general's wielding of power was a thorn in her side.
“You can make an offer, and I believe we can reach an agreement. Our country cannot afford another war, but if necessary, I will personally take up arms to deal with any threat.”
Alice stared directly at Edward Pott, who stared back at her incredulously. The little president's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. For a moment, Edward Pott saw a warrior, as if she would immediately attack if a cup were to fall.
Alice did not back down at all. She took the helmet from the soldier next to her and put it on her own head. Then she took the FAL from the soldier's hand and gripped the handguard: "I will never allow any armed separatist forces within the country. This is my bottom line, General!"
Dressed in a suit, with a tricolor sash across his shoulder and a helmet on his head, His Excellency the President resembled a young eagle. At that moment, most people realized that their President was actually the most radical person in the country.
"Either accept it, or the three armies of Amelansi will faithfully carry out their mission, just as we have in the past! General, your troops are meant to fight invaders, not to provoke another civil war! We are surrounded by powerful enemies; do you intend to let everything you have defended crumble?"
There were more than two people present. John Reed, one of the members of the Amelansi Military Council, was also there, as was Smedley Butler, the son of General Smedley, who was waiting for Alice's orders a few kilometers away in the 1st Guards Division.
"Gentlemen, we have paid a heavy price to unify the country. We understand you. Your centuries of fighting have brought us peace, but it has also made the people of this country weak. If this continues, no one will understand you. Now we are rising from the ruins. Will you return to us? Will the great Ameliansi motherland never forget your sacrifices, or will you become traitors to Ameliansi? It all depends on your choice today. Gentlemen, decide your fate!"
Alice gave them two hours, and after a lively exchange of opinions, Edward Pott finally nodded in agreement. From then on, Alice had another title: the Steel Helmet President.