122. The Empire’s Great Retreat

The feng shui of the Doma Empire was truly extraordinary. Both the Bear Clan and this unknown enemy had chosen to land on their shores. Last time, the Bear Clan had sent only a small retaliatory force, but this time, Cain was likely facing their main army. If they, like the Bear Clan, brought hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops, the Doma Empire would be doomed. No matter how prepared they were, it was impossible to gather such a vast army within a few days.

Upon receiving Cain’s letter, Vider immediately rushed to study the continental sea chart. “Good heavens, how could I have overlooked this? How… how does the Doma Empire have such an extensive coastline?”

The chart revealed that the Doma Empire was a long, narrow country, mostly bordering the sea. Its coastline was half again as long as the neighboring empire’s, yet its military forces were pitifully small. If the enemy chose to land there... Vider sighed. It was too late now; stopping the enemy’s landing was impossible.

Regardless, Vider dispatched the Death Empire’s only eighty-three warships to patrol the seas. Their mission was to keep watch, not to engage the enemy. Vider wanted to confirm whether the enemy truly intended to land on Doma’s shores.

As a precaution, he also ordered the formation of a vast convoy. If Cain’s prediction proved true, this convoy would help evacuate everything from the Doma Empire in the shortest time possible. Even if the enemy landed, they would find nothing to seize. It was an extremely risky gambit. Should the enemy find nothing ashore, they would be compelled to immediately attack surrounding empires. Thus, war would ignite around the Doma Empire, and the Death Empire might be the first target, as its military supplies were the largest and finest.

Within two days, an endless convoy began its grand march toward the Doma Empire. The dispatched warships soon returned with news: in three days, the enemy fleet would arrive at Doma’s offshore waters. As for the combat situation, General Kort Han, a dwarf commanding the naval fleet, strongly urged Vider to order a nationwide emergency evacuation of the Doma Empire. The coastline was too long, and the enemy’s warships were countless. Compared to this invasion, the Bear Clan’s last incursion was insignificant. Kort had previously focused solely on the eighty or so warships and had never interfered with the empire’s affairs. Now, Vider felt a cold sweat bead his back.

Cain’s premonition had come true. Upon arriving in the Doma Empire, his earlier unease vanished—not because the enemy had disappeared, but because the great battle was about to begin.

The emperor of the Doma Empire personally greeted Cain and his elite Death Empire Iron Cavalry. Though young, the emperor’s smile was genuinely warm upon seeing them. Yet Cain felt no joy—ignorance truly was bliss.

Before they could exchange many words, urgent sounds approached. Cain immediately recognized the distinct cries of Death Cavalry charging, but this time...

“General!” A squad of thirty Death Cavalrymen rode directly to Cain’s side, halting abruptly. “Imperial emergency order.”

“Ah...” Cain knew well that this so-called imperial emergency order was the highest command issued in the Death Empire’s name. Even he must obey it immediately. This “imperial order” had been established by him, Elder Off, Elder Warton, his father Vider, and the young master. Since the Death Empire’s founding, this order had never been used. Now, with only Vider remaining in the capital, this command was issued. Cain knew something was happening that even his father could not control.

“Read it!”

“Order: General Cain, upon receipt of this command, immediately organize a full-line evacuation of the Doma Empire. The original garrison of sixty thousand infantry and all armed forces of the Doma Empire are to be incorporated into your unit, forming a corps responsible for covering the retreat. The convoy will arrive as ordered. Execute immediately. Evacuation to be completed within three days without error!”

The Doma emperor gasped upon hearing the transmission. How could such a grave matter have arisen?

Cain sensed the urgency from the repeated “immediately” and the strict three-day deadline. To evacuate an entire empire’s population and resources within such a span meant the situation was dire.

“Anything else?” Cain quietly asked the rider.

“Boss, shortly after you left, the chieftain dispatched all the warships. They returned at dusk yesterday. General Kort stammered, urging the chieftain to order your immediate withdrawal. He said the Bear Clan’s last invasion was nothing compared to this one. He couldn’t even estimate the enemy’s numbers, but insisted it was at least several times greater than before. Good heavens, even if only twice as many, just standing before us, how long would it take to cut them down? Maybe we’d all be exhausted before finishing.”

“You talk too much. Organize the troops, incorporate the original garrison, and I want you to ask if they’re willing to join our forces. Prepare immediately.”

“Yes, General! Leave this to me.”

Cain turned to the still-stunned Doma emperor.

“Your Majesty...” Cain was at a loss for words.

“Is our land truly their target? Are we helpless?”

“Before we arrived, we spotted large enemy forces moving your way, not far from the border. We eliminated nearly thirty thousand infantry. If my guess is correct, they are more numerous than that. They have infiltrated our continent, likely to coordinate this landing operation from the land side. Had we not intercepted them, they would now be assaulting your coastal defenses.”

“...”

“Your Majesty, envoys from the Jinshi Empire have arrived...”

“Ah.” The young emperor was momentarily taken aback. “They...?”

“The envoys bring a message from their emperor.”

“Please bring them in.”

...

“Your Majesty, our allied garrison near the border detected large unknown forces heading this way. Surrounded by our border troops, they attacked first but were all annihilated by our allied forces. Our intelligence concludes their target is your empire. Thus, our emperor sent me to warn you and your empire to remain vigilant.”

“Is that true?” The emperor murmured.

“Your Majesty, please decide quickly, or with more enemy infiltrations coordinating from both sides, we won’t be able to stop their landing.”

Cain’s impatience grew. He was no man of patience.

“General Cain, do as you say. Thank you for your efforts. The empire may be lost, but as long as its people survive, there is hope for rebuilding,” the emperor finally recovered his composure and issued the unprecedented imperial emergency order, encompassing his empire’s forces. The situation was indeed urgent.

“Good. The convoy will arrive shortly. Your Majesty and the royal family should evacuate first.”

The young emperor’s tone hardened. “No. The royal family will leave last. General, please evacuate my people first, then the imperial officials. Only then will the royal family depart. We have failed to defend our homeland—we owe them that much. I will not leave first. Never.”

Seeing the emperor’s resolute expression, Cain truly admired him. To make such a decision when the enemy could cut off their rear at any moment, and a massive army was imminent, meant risking encirclement—or worse.

“Derson, take a squad to protect His Majesty.”

A berserker nearby responded and led his men toward the palace.

The convoy finally arrived. Cain was startled by its vast size—an outsider might think the Death Empire intended to ravage the Doma Empire.

The emperor issued a proclamation calling for a full evacuation. It detailed the gravity and urgency of the situation, sincerely apologized to the people in the name of the emperor, and urged all troops to obey allied commanders.

Surprisingly, the people of the Doma Empire remained calm. Upon learning the truth, they did not rush home but cooperated with officials to disseminate the order. The emperor himself promised to be the last to leave—what was there to fear?

Everything proceeded orderly. No one scrambled or hoarded. The elderly, children, and women went first, while the men—fathers and sons—helped the allies transport supplies along the roads. These materials would be vital for rebuilding the empire.

Since the Jinshi Empire bordered Doma, their forces also prepared convoys to assist in the evacuation. Yet when they received Vider’s imperial order to abandon small towns and concentrate defenses in large walled cities, they began stockpiling war supplies, expanding garrisons, and preparing for siege. If possible, they urged their emperor to declare total war mobilization and start conscription immediately.

In this, the Jinshi Empire lagged behind the Doma Empire. Though not yet out of control, when the Jinshi emperor declared total mobilization and ordered troop expansion, civilians panicked and flooded the streets, hoarding daily necessities.

When small border towns were ordered evacuated to larger cities, chaos nearly ensued without military intervention.

As the Doma Empire’s evacuation neared completion, black sails appeared on the distant sea, stretching across the horizon. Soon, they would launch their assault.

Cain knew time was running out. Some supplies could not be moved and had to be buried or burned on site.

Standing atop the imperial walls, the young emperor was filled with sorrow. He had never imagined abandoning his entire empire like this, uncertain if he would ever return. Where was the enigmatic emperor of the Death Empire now? If he were here, surely he would find a way back—he was certain of it.