"Are you going to the Western Continent?"

"I just submitted an application for transfer to the Ministry of Defense. I don't know whether it will be approved." Jackson seemed a little embarrassed when he said this.

After all, strictly speaking, this is a escape at the last minute.

Thompson nodded thoughtfully, not very surprised.

Before this, Jackson submitted his transfer application twice, but both were rejected.

In fact, on the way back to Decheng, Thompson had already thought that the old colonel over 50 was determined to say goodbye to Fanluo Kingdom. Otherwise, at this critical moment, he would not have allowed his most capable subordinates to return from the front line.

Anyone who has Jackson's experience in Dec City will feel as if he were killed.

"I mentioned you in the report that if the Pentagon approves my transfer application, you will be responsible for the advisory group after I leave."

Thompson nodded again and sighed at the same time.

This is not a bad person at all, nor is it a high promotion, it is more like wiping someone else's butt. However, he felt that Jackson was too presumptuous.

The army is not an enterprise, so there is no reason to be picky.

If you really have the ability, you wouldn't have been sent here at the beginning.

"You have been to the Vanluo Kingdom for a while and you should be very clear about the situation here. I won't say much about the others. There is only one thing that needs to be emphasized. Don't think you understand this country. To put it bluntly, our understanding of this country is not as good as the desert islands on the east ocean."

"Just like the Liangxia Empire?"

After hearing what Thompson said, Jackson couldn't help but smile bitterly.

In the eyes of the Newlands, the Liangxia Empire and the Fanluo Kingdom do have many similarities, especially the history of thousands of years. After all, Newland has no history. For most Newlands, especially the new generation after the Second Global War, there is no way to imagine what the concept of thousands of years of historical heritage is. Many young people around 20 years old may even think that it was the era of prehistoric civilization.

It is precisely because of the lack of understanding that in the eyes of many Newland people, ancient oriental countries such as the Liangxia Empire and the Fanluo Kingdom are simply extraterrestrial civilizations.

Relatively speaking, the Liangxia Empire was a little better.

In any case, the Liangxia Empire was the number one winner of the Second Global War, and it was the global overlord, with strong strength far exceeding other countries. After the normalization of diplomatic relations, the Newland Republic learned from the Liangxia Empire in all aspects and gained a deeper understanding of the Liangxia Empire.

The Newlands obviously would not flock to the poor and backward Vanluo Kingdom.

Even after the alliance, there were very few Newlanders who had been to the Kingdom of Vanluo, and there were even fewer Newland scholars who studied Vanluo's history.

"Do you think there is a possibility of a negotiation?"

Thompson suddenly changed the subject, and Jackson didn't react at all. However, he then understood what Thompson meant.

The fact that the Huacheng authorities sent people to Pasiguo to conduct secret negotiations with the Liangxia Empire had already spread in the advisory group. Not long ago, Jackson mentioned this to Thompson, asking him not to speak nonsense after arriving in Udaipur and to keep his mouth in mind.

Of course, it's just a kind reminder.

"I want to know too, but unfortunately no one told me." Jackson shook his head with a wry smile, but he didn't continue because he didn't know what to say.

Jackson is actually very conflicted about the armistice, or is worried about gains and losses.

Of course, most soldiers are like this.

However, Jackson also knew very well that he was just the head of the military advisory group stationed in the Kingdom of Vanluo and had no right to interfere in national affairs at all.

Whether the negotiation can be completed is not his turn to worry about it.

"Don't you think this is strange?"

"What's so strange about it?"

Thompson hesitated for a moment before saying, "There is no doubt that if the rumors are true, then the Liangxia Empire will definitely initiate the negotiations, and the Liangxia authorities will inevitably offer a condition that will make Huacheng tempted and send special envoys to Pasi for negotiation."

"You mean, return the Hovay Islands?"

Thompson nodded and said, "There is no question of returning for the time being, or the promise to return it, but it must be related to this archipelago, such as determining the ownership of some islands through negotiation. You should know that in the past few decades, the Liangxia Empire has no intention of negotiating with us at all. As long as it can be discussed, it is a good thing. Overall, the Liangxia authorities must make concessions on the issues we are most concerned about."

This time, Jackson just nodded and did not answer.

"The key is that the goal of the Liangxia administration is to cease war with us as soon as possible, so as to concentrate our efforts to deal with other enemies, control the scale of the war, and shorten the duration of the war. This involves a very critical issue." Thompson stopped, and when Jackson turned his eyes, he continued: "Will the old fox in power in Huacheng be more aggressive, and the Liangxia administration will accept it?"

"The strategic initiative and strategic advantages are all in the hands of the Liangxia Empire. Judging from the current situation, if the Huacheng authorities do not know how to advance and retreat, the secret negotiations may end in vain."

"If we really want to get to this point, we will have to die in the Kingdom of Baofanluo."

Jackson nodded, indicating that he understood what Thompson said.

If you can only fight to the end, even if the Fanluo Kingdom is a mud that cannot be supported by the wall, it still has value, such as consuming the troops of the Oriental Group.

Not to mention anything else, occupying and controlling the Kingdom of Fanluo requires at least millions of troops.

Without the Kingdom of Fanluo, these millions of troops would have been sent to other places, such as to sweep the Nangu Continent.

"But, those guys in Huacheng may not be so ungrateful."

"You mean, can the negotiation be completed?"

"If there is no hope, will there be those rumors?" Thompson paused and turned to it: "Although we are not diplomatic officials and do not understand negotiation skills, we all know that negotiation itself is a process of mutual compromise. Since we can sit down and negotiate, it means that there is still room for compromise. Besides, the first thing the negotiation parties need to guarantee is the core interests of our own side, and the secondary interests used to compromise are the secondary interests. For us, the core interests are the Hovayi Islands. So what is the core interests of the Liangxia Empire?"

Now Jackson's brows were locked tighter.

Thompson didn't rush to say it, but in fact what he said at the beginning was clear enough.

"According to your opinion, the one who is compromised is the Kingdom of Fanluo? The question is, is it really so important in the Kingdom of Fanluo?"

"Don't forget that among the countries bordering the Liangxia Empire, the only one that did not form an alliance with the Liangxia Empire was the Fanluo Kingdom. Although the southwest and northwest regions bordering the Fanluo Kingdom were very desolate, theoretically speaking, only the Fanluo Kingdom could directly threaten the Liangxia Empire's homeland. What's more, the Fanluo Kingdom has a population second only to the Liangxia Empire, and a relatively vast country, not barren land, and a very critical geographical advantage. What reason do we have to doubt that the Liangxia Empire did not regard the Fanluo Kingdom as a major concern?"

"The question is, isn't the threat posed by Xilu Group not much?"

"The threat of the Western Continental Group is not great or not, and how important it is, it depends on several aspects."

Jackson didn't answer the conversation and asked Thompson to continue.

"From a long-term and strategic perspective, the importance of the Western Continental Group is actually far above the Hovay Islands, and we must be safe."

Jackson nodded, not refuting this view.

The importance of the Western Land Group has long reached an agreement within the Newland military. From the perspective of military strategy alone, the Western Land Group is the only reliable and effective control point of the Republic of Newland on the world island, and it is also the only tool to prevent the Liangxia Empire from dominating the World Island.

Before resuming diplomatic relations with the Liangxia Empire, the strategic plan formulated by the Newland military emphasized the importance of sending troops to the Western Continent after the war began. It can be said that during those 20 years, almost all war plans revolved around assisting the Western Continent Group to fight the Eastern Continent Group. According to the popular military theories at that time, as long as the Western Continent Group was destroyed, the Newland Republic would be ruined.

Even after resuming diplomatic relations with the Liangxia Empire, the Newland military did not give up on the idea of ​​sending troops to the Western Continent.

Without the restraint of the Western Land Group and relying solely on its own strength, the Republic of Newland is by no means an opponent of the Liangxia Empire, and it will definitely be defeated.

Relatively speaking, the symbolic significance of the Hovay Islands is far greater than the actual value. The key is that the recovery of the Hovay Islands cannot change the strategic pattern in the East Ocean.

In addition, the ownership of the Hovayi Islands is more like a pain that politicians use to influence the relationship between the two countries.

"By the same reason, the huge threat from the Western Mainland Group and the grievances of the past, the Liang Xia authorities will definitely not make concessions on the issues of the Western Mainland."

"Then there is no way to talk about it."

“Or won’t talk.”

Jackson was stunned for a moment, but then he understood what Thompson meant.

It is not that we will not conduct negotiations, but that we will not discuss the issues of the Western Mainland Group, putting things on the Western Mainland, or maintaining the status quo.

In this way, the only one who can be sacrificed is the Kingdom of Fanluo.

To put it bluntly, as long as the Newland authorities want to recapture the Hovayi Islands, they must exchange the Kingdom of Varo, or abandon the Kingdom of Varo.

Obviously, this is a loss that can be afforded.

The key is that regardless of whether the Newland authorities take the initiative to abandon the Vanluo Kingdom, in the current situation, the Vanluo Kingdom will become history before the end of the war.

It is impossible to say that the country of Baofanluo is dead.

Thinking of this, Jackson couldn't help but sigh.

"But there is a key point here."

“What’s the key point?”

"The Huacheng authorities will not publicly declare that they will give up the Vanluo Kingdom, and it is even more impossible to inform the Vanluo authorities, and instead make the Vanluo authorities believe that we will provide full support."

"Otherwise, the Vanluo authorities will surrender first?"

"In order to safeguard the core interests of the country, family interests that are more important than national interests, and even the life and death of the entire Gambala family, what can Tigala do? What's more, the powerful people in the Vanluo Kingdom are not only the Gambala family, but other big families also have to consider their vital interests related to survival. If Tigala goes against it, I dare say that he can't live in Decheng for an hour."

Jackson smiled bitterly, but did not refute Thompson's point of view, because that's the truth.

Although the Fanluo Kingdom has a population of 1 billion and a land of 3 million square kilometers, and claims to be a democratic country, its social structure is not essentially different from the colonial period, and even from the previous feudal dynasties. The theme of the country, or the basic social structure, is still the powerful class that controls most of the resources, especially the hundreds of large families at the top of the powerful class.

Of course, these large families are usually attached to a large tribe and are the spokespersons of the tribe.

That's true. No matter who is the prime minister, the Van Luo authorities have always been just the spokesperson of tribal politics, and tribal interests are always above national interests.

In order to safeguard national interests, sacrifice tribal interests?

Even if the fathers who created the Kingdom of Van Luo were reborn, it would not be possible!

"Of course, we don't need to worry. Such a thing will never happen. No matter what, the Fan army will definitely fight to the end."

Jackson looked up at Thompson.

"If I want to say, the key is in the West. The main contradiction in the negotiations is definitely how to deal with the Western Land Group, or whether to let the Western Land Group join in."

"this……"

"The Tsuman Empire may not accept it, but most other countries of the Western Mainland Group will probably choose to truce. After all, there is no benefit to continue fighting."
To be continued...