Empire Conquest-Chapter 927 - 133: Internal Connections

When Ding Zhennan arrived with several chief staff members, the military official aircraft was already prepared for takeoff, and Shi Shouliang and others had boarded.

After Ding Zhennan and the others boarded, the aircraft immediately closed its doors and taxied onto the runway.

In the beginning, Shi Shouliang approved Ding Zhennan’s request, appointing Lu Liangyuan as the temporary Commander of the Alliance Army in Boss Bay, while Ding Zhennan was sent to the Southern Subcontinent to assume the role of general commander of operations in that direction.

The official appointment must be issued after the approval of the Grand Secretary.

As expected, Ding Zhennan would assume the position of "Southern Allied Army Group Commander."

This so-called "commander-in-chief" is primarily responsible for joint operations with Bakistan.

In peacetime, the "Southern Allied Army Group" is merely a skeleton organization, usually with only a Chief of Staff, typically held by a Bakistan Army Major General. Only during wartime does the Southern Allied Army Group formally establish, with the General from the Empire’s Army serving as commander-in-chief.

After the third military reform, the Southern Allied Army Group expanded to cover the entire Southern Subcontinent, responsible for combat operations in that direction.

Implying, the Navy and Air Force facing the Southern Subcontinent must follow the command of the Group Army headquarters, or at least actively cooperate.

It seems, this "Commander" is no simple figure.

Shi Shouliang did this not to override, but decisively!

The reason is simple: Digalla is not dead.

On the morning of the 4th local time, Digalla delivered a war speech in the National Assembly, and judging by his appearance, he was not injured at all!

He formally declared war on Bakistan there.

The reason: the assassination attempt against him was orchestrated by Bakistan intelligence agencies.

Undoubtedly, assassinating a national leader is absolutely an act of war.

Although the National Assembly is still debating, the earliest they will vote on the war proposal raised by Digalla will be in the afternoon local time. The crucial point is whether to declare war on the Liangxia Empire simultaneously, but according to the Military Intelligence Bureau’s information, unless they prove the assassination was unrelated to Bakistan, the National Assembly will unquestionably pass the war proposal he presented.

Because Bakistan is an ally of the Empire, once Bakistan declares war on Fanluo Country, the Empire will, according to the treaty, declare war on Fanluo Country at the same time.

Legally speaking, the relationship between the Empire and Fanluo Country will enter a state of war directly, without needing a declaration.

This is clearly a conspiracy!

Upon receiving the news, Ding Zhennan immediately thought that Digalla’s assassination was actually a ruse of self-injury, self-directed and self-acted by himself.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to be unharmed in such a fierce explosion.

If anything, the one in the car at the time was probably his double.

To confirm this judgment, Ding Zhennan also inquired with intelligence officers.

Before this, because he had to command the battles at Boss Bay, Ding Zhennan was not too concerned with Fanluo Country’s affairs, at least not proactively inquiring about them.

The intelligence provided by the Military Intelligence Bureau proved his concerns.

After Digalla "was assassinated," the capital’s garrison quickly controlled the scene, then under the pretext of arresting assassins, they controlled almost all opposition politicians. Within just a few days, the Young Turks officers loyal to Digalla not only took control but also purged most of the Senior Generals who opposed Digalla. Those who were not purged prudently surrendered their military authority and withdrew from the core power circle.

Clearly, if Digalla were dead, those being purged would likely have been the Young Turks officers loyal to him.

That’s why Ding Zhennan immediately called Shi Shouliang, explained the situation, and proposed to go to Bakistan at once to take charge of the operations there.

Shi Shouliang did not delay, immediately arranging for the special aircraft.

What Ding Zhennan did not expect was that Shi Shouliang would leave Saudi Arabia with him.

However, Shi Shouliang was not going to Bakistan but returning to the Imperial Capital to meet the Grand Secretary.

After the plane took off, Ding Zhennan roughly analyzed the current situation.

The conclusion was evident: Fanluo Country declared war without notice and invested almost all its forces at once, forcing the Liangxia Empire to deploy troops.

Simply put, opening up a third front.

Although the Bakistan Army displayed great valor, after the war began, not only did they not suffer defeat, but they also seized the initiative, making the Fanluo Air Force taste defeat. However, looking at the overall strategy, Bakistan cannot rely on its strength to turn the tide, or even withstand the successive assaults of the Fanluo Army.

That is a front line more than 1,000 kilometers long!

Even if on this front line, there are only three main battlefields, the northern battlefield centered around Yibao, the central battlefield mainly on the eastern bank of the Satluj River, and the southern battlefield aimed directly at Karachi, such a wide front makes it difficult for the Bakistan Army to attend to both ends.

Shortly after the special aircraft took off, the staff brought the latest battle report.

The Fanluo Army had already made a breakthrough in eastern Sindh Province, defeating Koklobal’s garrison and advancing west along the railway line.

It is expected to encounter the outer units of the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division by night.

This is not good news.

To reduce defense expenses and concentrate limited financial resources on industrialization, after officially joining the Eastern Group, Bakistan handed over the defense of the southern region to its ally, the Liangxia Empire. Over the past 20 years, the top priority of the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division has been to guard Karachi.

Bakistan has only this one large deep-water port!

Of course, the Empire also needs this port.