My Misfortune Crushed Instances

Under normal circumstances, even if the commander goes to the front line, there will be someone in the command center capable of acting as a temporary overall commander.

Usually, this is done according to the rank hierarchy.

For instance, if Cheng Wen leaves, then Kong Ji and Bearded would take over based on their rank.

However, the situation with the Western Kingdom is somewhat special right now.

The overall commander went personally to constrain Cheng Wen, and the third-ranking official is confronting Kong Ji, while the second and fourth ranking figures have gone south to deal with the Polar Alliance’s northern advance.

The fifth-ranking official, named Hopkins, is leading his elites against the experts of Dragon Country’s 01 sequence.

So, the proxy commander here is actually the sixth-ranking person.

He is not even part of the core command layer and has limited power in the main camp, primarily to oversee communication and logistical channels.

Of course, anyone left at the rear for oversight is surely no weakling; he is also a high-risk target with strength above that of Farah Land and Dylan Hegg.

However, he currently feels a bit uneasy, having sent out several waves of troops to eliminate the Foggy Evil Ghost, only for it to emerge unscathed, breaking through layers of blockades and leading a group of Undead straight toward the main camp.

Could this be a pre-planned infiltration operation by Dragon Country?

Was Dylan Hegg’s assassination and the deployment of troops a huge setup from the beginning?

Even considering the intelligence indicating secret contacts between Dragon Country and the Polar Alliance, was the southern simultaneous attack prearranged too?

As the proxy commander, he must consider more than just himself, so immediately, he sends the Ben Can Clan to set up a formation at the foot of the city for a firm hold, and dispatches a few Extraordinary defending the command center to intercept.

He did not rush out himself, not because he wanted subordinates to die in his place, but mainly to buy time for organizing the main headquarters to send out intelligence and secure the war spoils yet to be distributed.

Finally, after a series of rapid arrangements, the situation was roughly under control. He ascended the terrace of the City Lord’s Mansion to check the situation of the defending troops, and then everything went black.

The Ben Can Clan had already fallen apart, and a large troop of Undead, cloaked in Evil Qi, were charging towards him on flame-hooved steeds.

The leading pair consisted of a burly Ghost General and an Extraordinary bearing a black umbrella.

"They broke through already?"

The proxy commander’s mind buzzed, yet he was no fool. In the real world, he was a group leader at the Western Anomaly Bureau’s headquarters, equivalent to a city branch chief.

He knew he couldn’t flee, nor could he let the enemy reign freely here.

Central City was the Western Kingdom’s intelligence exchange hub. If entirely lost, the entire front would suffer severely, potentially unable to maintain its stalemate with Dragon Country, turning into a full collapse instead.

"Follow me, kill them."

He tried to make his tone calm and confident, which he managed, as he and his headquarters’ guards leaped from the building, blocking the enemy’s charge.

Li Rui recognized the man at first glance.

He couldn’t remember the Western Kingdom’s names, but he knew the proxy commander’s nickname well. When this man began to stand out, he was called the Blood Barber in chaotic lands because those who opposed him ended up decapitated, the scene often bloody and vicious.

This person’s strength was formidable, nothing an ordinary Priest or a cursed invalid could compare to.

Li Rui knew he was about to face the fiercest battle since entering the Secret Realm battlefield.

But there was good news; he had reached right under the enemy’s command center, facing only this person rather than someone more renowned like Simon or a mightier overall commander, suggesting how empty it truly was here.

If he killed him, it could impact this battle, even the future direction of the entire Secret Realm battlefield.

Crackle.

The Divine Thunder on Li Rui began to flicker violently.

....

Dragon Country’s line was barely holding, primarily due to the Polar Alliance deploying stronger troops against them in the south. Divine Son Vons’ northern approach caused the southern troops to retreat successively. Cheng Mingyue and the other two 01 sequences were doing their utmost to defend.

The good news was that the Western Kingdom was not faring well either, as their southern part was also being eroded.

At this moment, Kong Ji returned to the front-line command camp and reunited with Cheng Wen.

He battled again with the Western Kingdom’s third-ranking official, Trist. Initially, he was at a disadvantage but still desperately inflicted heavy damage on the enemy. However, he also sustained significant injuries and had to return for treatment, unable to pursue.

"We have to retreat."

Cheng Wen calmly stated, "The Polar Alliance’s Divine Son is stronger than anticipated. We suspect he gained some enhancement before entering the Secret Realm battlefield."

"What about Lee...0109?"

Kong Ji asked, "He hasn’t fought his way out yet and might be trapped."

Cheng Wen said, "There’s nothing we can do; we can’t risk everything for one person."

"But..."

Kong Ji asked with a hint of hopeful uncertainty, "He is an exceptional high-risk player. If he were captured, it would be a great loss for us."

"But there’s no choice. I’m no deity; even if I wanted to save him, I couldn’t."

Cheng Wen gazed at him and said, "I’m under more pressure than you; earlier, Elder Song personally asked me to look out for him."

Kong Ji chuckled uncomfortably, "Elder Song isn’t someone who neglects duty for personal matters."

A trace of awkward silence occurred between them.

If the main troops retreated, it essentially meant giving up. Li Rui wouldn’t have a chance to break out; holding the front line allowed for some hope.

But the battlefield is war, not a movie; there won’t be miracles without clear objectives, and unlike games, you can’t enable cheats when overwhelmed.

"I’ll tell them to prepare."

Even retreating requires order; it’s not a chaotic flee.

Despite Kong Ji’s personal feelings, he still had to make decisions based on the battlefield situation.

He labored to exit, and before leaving the temporary stronghold, a Demon Race communicator flew into the camp.

"Report!! Emergency military intelligence, the enemy is retreating!"

The command center, initially pessimistic, suddenly became invigorated.

"What? Why are they retreating?"

Yet, how could the Demon Race messenger know the details? They only had time for a brief message, but shortly thereafter, Duan Ling, now a professional communicator, ran over.

"Hopkins and Landry are leading troops in a rapid retreat, leaving small forces to obstruct, and other units are also retreating orderly. Dong Sanchuan deduces something occurred at their rear, hence the return to aid."

Cheng Wen gathered more frontline reports. After confirming they indeed counter charged, he began deploying.

"It must be the Polar Alliance breaking through their southern defenses. Order all units, prioritize self-preservation, target to annihilate the enemy in pursuit."

Thus, the two warring nations’ forces, once fiercely entangled, suddenly began moving en masse towards Central City.