Chapter 283: Odysseus's Declaration of War
At the end of February in the new calendar year 1032 in the alien world, and approaching the New Year on Earth, the Odysseus family officially announced that they would launch a war of revenge against the Principality of Lionel in March.
The news was spread through radio stations and newspapers across the Rhine Kingdom that day, and everyone who heard the full text of the Odysseus family's declaration of war was shocked.
The business between the Odysseus Territory and the Nosk Federation has been maintained for hundreds of years. Everyone thought that the Odysseus family and the Nosk Federation had a close relationship. How could they suddenly go to war with the Federation?
The Principality of Lionel is adjacent to the Territory of Odysseus. Odysseus's caravans and fleets pass through the Principality of Lionel every year. Odysseus chose to declare war at this important time when all countries and regions on the continent are busy with spring plowing. Are they planning to not celebrate this year?
However, some people who knew the inside story had the following first reaction after hearing the news: The Odysseus family really has not forgotten what happened in the past.
"Old things? Does the Odysseus family have a grudge against the states of the Norsk Federation?"
In the Innadeli City Hall, Zhao Zhenzhen, who was reading the Odysseus family's choice manifesto, looked up at Rex.
Rex recalled the unpleasant past and sighed: "When my mother had not yet lost my father's favor, I saw the correspondence between my father and Count Odysseus in his study..."
"The hatred between the Odysseus Territory and the Principality of Lionel has a long history. It is said that when the three generations of Earl Odysseus developed the trade route with the Norsk Federation, the Principality of Lionel had been extorting tolls for many years . When the last Earl Odysseus was in office, Grand Duke Lionel found an excuse to embezzle a piece of land in the east of the Odysseus family."
After a pause, Rex added, "There were rumors that there were rich gold mines in that land, but the Principality of Lionel has searched the entire area for many years and has not found the legendary gold mines."
"...I can smell the scent of conspiracy even if I use my knees to think." Zhao Zhenzhen touched his chin and said, "There are indeed big problems within the Nosk Federation."
"It is indeed very big, otherwise it would not be the Norsk Federation but the Norsk Empire." Rex, who received aristocratic education in his youth, responded naturally.
The strength of the Storm Church is not inferior to that of the Blazing Sun Church.
This religious monster, which is as famous as the Church of the Fiery Sun and has also achieved its political goal of combining religion and politics, has never had any influence beyond the Nosk Federation. The reason is obvious to anyone with a discerning eye: internal friction.
As a neighboring country, the Rhine Kingdom would hear news of a rebellion somewhere in the Nosk Federation every year, and every year it would also hear news that the Storm Church had successfully suppressed a rebellion somewhere... If it weren't for the Storm Church's efforts to patch things up, this huge federation entrenched in the eastern part of the Nabaron continent would have disintegrated long ago.
"Even if the internal problems are huge, it is still unwise to start a war against the Federation. This is likely to have a counterproductive effect and give the Federation an opportunity to use foreign wars to divert internal pressure, unless the Odysseus family obtains the support of a certain force within the Nosk Federation." Zhao Zhenzhen said sharply.
"Yes, ma'am." Rex said admiringly, "The Odysseus family has been operating for many years and has maintained a very close relationship with several major royal families of the Nosk Federation."
"Since the war is under the banner of revenge, then the strategic goal of the Odysseus family should be to recover the occupied eastern land." Zhao Zhenzhen stood up and walked to the wall with the map of the Rhine Kingdom, stroking her chin and thinking, "This is quite strange... The territory, wealth and population of the Odysseus territory are concentrated in the west and south, and the east and north are mostly undeveloped mountains and wilderness. Could it be that the land in the east really has a gold mine, or something else valuable?"
The rulers of this world have not formed the kind of national consciousness of fighting for every inch of land that exists on Earth. It is normal for defeated countries to cede land and pay compensation, and for the Pope, king, and nobles to grant a piece of land to a close person.
The Principality of Lionel mistakenly believed that there was a gold mine on the undeveloped wasteland and used political power to seize the land. So what prompted the Odysseus family to go to war to take it back?
"Or maybe, the real purpose is not to drink, and taking back the land is not the ultimate goal?" Zhao Zhenzhen said to herself.
"Uh... Ma'am." Rex was a little confused for some reason. He swallowed and reminded carefully, "The Odysseus family is in the same camp as us."
The Odysseus family is not a nouveau riche family with no background like the Bartles family!
"Just because we are allies of the same camp, we should pay more attention to their purpose." Zhao Zhenzhen said, "How about this, I will go to the front line with the undead and take a look at the arrangements of the Odysseus family first."
Rex: “???”
—Wait, you're going to leave all the government affairs to me?!
Rex's attempts to stop her were in vain. Three days later, on March 1, 1032 in the new calendar, Zhao Zhenzhen, like ordinary players, received the "Odysseus Territory Branch War Mission" issued by the system (that is, Lord Yang), and was transmitted to the front line of the eastern battlefield of Odysseus through the teleportation array of the secret branch of the Undead Chamber of Commerce.
The Odysseus family declared in a public declaration of war that they would launch a war against the Principality of Lionel in March. On March 1, they pushed the troops gathered from all over the country to the border of the Principality of Lionel. It can be said that they kept their word...
Zhao Zhenzhen came out of the teleportation array owned by Phoenix and protected by Brother Lowell and the militia, and saw...
On the vast wasteland, there are endless military tents and a military camp that stretches as far as the eye can see.
Teams of hundreds of light cavalry and heavy infantry were marching back and forth in the military camp and in the open space in front of the military camp for training. The equipment of each team was not uniform and the styles were varied, but the quality was not inferior to the ones Zhao Zhenzhen had seen with her own eyes. It was obvious that the Odysseus family had really spent all their resources to establish a city defense army.
The teleportation tent of the undead was located on the south side of the army camp. Not far away, there was a heavy armored cavalry specially used to protect the "resurrection point" of the undead. When the undead continued to pour out of the fully enclosed cowhide tent, those heavy armored cavalry who were on high alert could not help but look over here curiously.
The regular army of Odysseus's family just looked on, but the undead were much more arrogant. When they were teleported over and saw such a large-scale cold weapon battlefield, a group of players were almost going crazy. They cheered and ran wildly, and they would snap at any "NPC" formation they saw.
The undead that ran out from the southern corner of the camp scattered all over the camp in the blink of an eye...
Zhao Zhenzhen, who was still observing the alien army carefully, said: "..."
...There's a vague sense of shame.
Zhao Zhenzhen was silently preparing herself mentally, telling herself that these players were her own people, when a group of players suddenly ran past her, screaming and rushing towards the group of heavily armored cavalry who were obviously protecting the "resurrection point" for the undead.
Then... he touched the man's horse, patted the man's heavy armor, and picked at the spear on his back and the sword at his waist.
The heavy cavalrymen had probably been warned beforehand, so no one moved or said a word, silently enduring the harassment from the undead. They only waved their hands to swat away the undead's claws when their weapons were being scratched.
"Damn it, they're friendly troops, we can't steal them!" The players who received the pop-up warning gave up cursing.
Zhao Zhenzhen, whose forehead couldn't even show blue veins: "..."
Forget it, forget it, they are just our own people, our own family.
Zhao Zhenzhen forced herself not to look at those compatriots who had shamefully come to another world. She looked around, found a giant tent that looked like a headquarters, and walked over.
The main tent located on the north side of the military camp also had many players causing trouble. When Zhao Zhenzhen walked over, she found several players coming in and out of the headquarters.
These players did not do anything shameful like trying to rob their allies. They just kept taking photos (screenshots) and videos (recording) loudly. There was also a player with the ID of Vanilla Pudding who asked another player to take a photo for him. He then stood next to Miss Phoenix, who was discussing business with several noble men, and kept chattering at the player who was acting as the camera.
Phoenix was able to completely ignore the crazy behavior of these undead, but the noble men sitting at the same table with her obviously could hardly remain unaffected, and their eyes kept drifting towards the undead.
Zhao Zhenzhen raised her hands to cover her face.
Although she had nothing bad to say about the rentier class in the other world, these players still made her feel annoyed...
The only good thing is that with these players providing cover for her, it is much easier for her to do things.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Zhenzhen, who had specially put on a set of player equipment before coming, tried her best to make herself look like an ordinary player and approached the main account as if nothing had happened.
"Hey, Sister Zhao is here to do the quest too?" When the players saw Zhao Zhenzhen's ID, they all greeted her in a fawning manner.
These players usually curse the tool players who got the accounts through dirty PY means in private, but when they really meet in person, their attitude is better than that towards the real "NPC" - after all, facts have proved that tool players can also be given tasks.
Zhao Zhenzhen was chatting with the players while openly "sneaking a peek" at Phoenix.
This noble lady, who had dealt with her many times before, would not have recognized her if she had not heard the voice while wearing the azalea badge. She continued to ignore the undead and talked to the noble man at the same table.
Zhao Zhenzhen was relieved, so she eavesdropped openly...
After half a year of hard work, the expert group's think tank has deciphered more than 70% of the common characters in other worlds.
Zhao Zhenzhen, who has been dealing with local people for a long time, still cannot communicate with the indigenous people who do not wear the azalea badge - the undead have no vocal organs, and if they are not in the matrix, normal people can only hear the KABAKABA sound made by the undead's upper and lower jaws colliding - but she has no pressure to understand general conversations.
After listening for a while, Zhao Zhenzhen realized that the bearded man sitting on Phoenix's right, who looked somewhat similar to Master Parker, was Phoenix's father, the contemporary Count Odysseus.
And...the man on the right side of Count Odysseus, who was also wrapped in a cloak in the tent with only his hood removed, was a member of the Nosk Federation!
