Boiling Beast Bloodline
Chapter 1049 - 267: Military Strategy_2

Chapter 1049: Chapter 267: Military Strategy_2

Liu Zhenhan carefully examined the terrain, a pear-shaped desert, with Yale Oasis situated at the pear’s bottom. There, taking a turn along the narrow coastline, one would face the vast expanse of the Taklamago Desert’s interior. Establishing a supply base at Yale Oasis was indeed an excellent idea.

"Nothing is more critical for an army than its supply line. Logistics are our lifeline, especially in special environments like the desert. Once we’re without logistical support, we wouldn’t need an enemy to defeat us; we would crumble on our own." Liu Zhenhan once again feigned expertise, but this time his words were sensible. "Staff General, make sure to safeguard our logistics base well!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, all our logistics will be entrusted to Lord Boban. The Mixed Brigade composed of Ostrit warriors and Camel Archers has long been battle-tested, and since they are positioned in the rear, there shouldn’t be any issues," Staff General Pinto said, pointing at the pear-shaped trend on the map. "What we truly need to focus on now is this area. Once we cross Yale Oasis, we will be completely venturing into the belly of the Taklamago Desert. The terrain will suddenly expand by dozens or even hundreds of times, and locating the enemy’s king’s city will become our primary problem. However, with the addition of Aerial Cavalry and several Biao warriors, this time should be much smoother than last year."

"Last year, two brigades from our ’Turun Corps’ in the northeast mysteriously disappeared. Where did they vanish?" Liu Zhenhan leaned over the map, "puffing" on his cigar while using a ruler to measure the distances between various oases.

"They crossed over Yale Oasis and headed into the desert’s interior before mysteriously vanishing. Last year, the military staff failed to set the army’s formation properly. The vanguard moved on three fronts, aiming to expand the search radius, but one front suddenly disappeared, and the other two were ambushed. The losses were too great, and the supplies were insufficient, forcing them to retreat," sighed Staff General Pinto.

"Qian Qian!" Liu Zhenhan called the young lady Chekin from behind him: "Tell me, where is your home?"

"My home should be here." Holding a seven-stringed instrument, Qian Qian pointed to the right side of Yale Oasis on the military map, "Actually, in this region, there should be two other small oases. However, I’m not certain because sometimes the sand dunes move with the sandstorms, filling everything. Small oases are easily buried. My family’s small oasis is flanked by ancient city ruins with underground water sources on both sides, and many Desert Natives live in the ruins."

"Your home?" The Staff General and several generals were somewhat puzzled: "Does your family live in the desert all the time?"

"Yes." Qian Qian timidly nodded.

"How did you come to the Imperial City then? Did you walk all the way?" Prince Kahn stroked his chin, reclining in his chair.

"Yes."

"Then how did you manage for food and drink? A young girl like you, walking over two thousand miles to the Imperial City just on foot?" Prince Kahn was a bit incredulous.

"I brought many pumpkins I grew myself. Pumpkins don’t lose water through evaporation; they retain water and can stave off hunger." Qian Qian’s reply earned the Bimon warriors’ solemn respect. In the minds of each of them appeared the image of a lonely girl in the endless desert, shouldering a heavy load of pumpkins and trudging forward.

"So, you must be very familiar with the area around Yale Oasis, right?" The Staff General didn’t forget to ask a military question.

"Yes," Qian Qian’s reply was affirmative, "My magical pet, the Flame Alligator Snapping Turtle’s turtle eggs, were obtained near the Yale Oasis."

Prince Kahn immediately looked towards the highest military commander of the Cambridge Oasis, Lord Boban.

"I apologize, Your Highness," Lord Boban stammered for a while, a bit embarrassed, "Our Mixed Brigade has the primary duty of defending our land. The desert we are familiar with only extends about three hundred li around the Cambridge Oasis. Beyond that range, we are not very clear."

"You have done the right thing," Prince Kahn did not reprimand the ostrich brigade commander, but turned his head to look at Qian Qian and asked, "Respected Miss Qian Qian, can you tell me in more detail about the people who live in these small oases as well as the ancient ruins with underground water sources that you mentioned?"

"Because of the Yale Oasis, there are quite a few Desert People living in this area. The other two small oases are home to the Isco Empire’s Scorpion-men and the Sedum’s Snake-men, and occasionally some Vulture People from the Isco tribe appear, though their numbers are not large," Qian Qian’s finger circled the area around the Yale Grand Oasis.

The seasoned officers couldn’t help but silently grumble. This slender finger lightly circled an area covering at least three to four hundred li. The desert is nothing like fighting on plain terrain; this was going to be challenging.

"Yale Oasis was conquered by our army in last year’s campaign, and most of the Desert People there have fled. However, I must thank you, Qian Qian. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known that there was a substantial force of Desert Beamon natives lurking around our logistical base. To overlook such an enemy is terrifying. If they strike our logistics base in the Yale Oasis while we are not vigilant, wouldn’t we be doomed immediately?" Prince Kahn’s face tightened.

"Vulture People from the Isco tribe? Does this mean the Desert People also have an aerial force?" the Staff Chief Pinto smacked his lips and shook his head with a wry smile, "It seems we’ve underestimated the situation. Apparently, the Desert People bandits also have an extremely large nation. This battle might exceed our expectations."

"I wonder if this Desert Kingdom is ruled by the Desert People or the Desert Beamon?" Helen pursed her lips.

"No matter who rules, it matters not; we’ll hit them all the same!" Liu, shaking the cigar butt far away with a flick, said, "I guess it’s the humans that are in charge."

"It doesn’t matter if it’s Desert Beamon or Desert People, they are all our enemies! Once all our troops arrive at Yale Oasis, the first thing I want is for those natives to be thoroughly cleared out!" Prince Kahn slammed his fist down on the area Qian Qian circled on the map, grinding his teeth, "I can’t believe that the Aerial Scouts missed such an obvious flaw! Urgent matters can’t be rushed, but we must first remove these few small ’nails’!"

"Your Highness, there’s no need to rush, and as a visiting force, you should not immediately blame the Aerial Scouts’ ability. Perhaps we have been relying too heavily on aerial recon. The day before yesterday, the Griffin Cavalry commander reported to me, saying that the recon area is too vast and the desert lacks a sense of direction. It seems he was telling the truth; aerial cavalry, from a bird’s-eye view, indeed find it difficult to distinguish ancient ruins of the same color as the yellow sand. They can only recognize the striking oases, and for forty Aerial Scouts and six Biao warriors, a reconnaissance territory of over two thousand li, some omissions are unavoidable," Staff Chief Pinto spoke softly, "Miss Qian Qian, what I want to know now is, are there any Desert Natives around the Oxford Oasis and the Harvard Oasis, or perhaps any ancient ruins with underground water sources nearby?"

"Those two oases are not remote; they are located in the central area of the desert. Because of sandstorms, it is unlikely that there would be any small oases or ruins suitable for habitation around them. Even if there were, they should have been buried by the sands. The Yale Oasis is slightly to the east, where sandstorms rarely reach, so ancient ruins and small oases appear there," Qian Qian replied confidently, "In fact, in the desert, it’s not only the enemy that one needs to be wary of. Sandstorms, quicksand seas, and a multitude of poisonous Magical Beasts are the real dangers needing attention; these small issues can cause massive losses unexpectedly."