Chapter 306 : Constraints and Shackles

【Cabansia ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍has always colluded with the Allied Nations，this time it is a joint conspiracy between both sides，they want to stretch our battlefront。】

【Mission ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍objective，hold your position for 1 hour and 32 minutes before the Airship Corps arrives，establish enough forward positions for the Alliance to resolve and contain this apocalyptic-level threat。Over。】

With ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his gun raised Paul rapidly fast-roped to the ground，through his lenses treated with Holy Water the Corpse Beasts were all displayed as an ominous red，making them exceptionally conspicuous against the green surroundings。

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the scattered Cluster Submunitions on the ground in the distance also reflected the same red glow，preventing soldiers from their own forces from accidentally stepping on them。

Under ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the commands of their respective Captains，everyone raised their guns and began steadily advancing outward，most of the Corpse Beasts had been halted by the Cluster Bombs，giving them ample time to eliminate the remaining monsters nearby。

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍three-round bursts that sounded from time to time represented Corpse Beasts being sent to their deaths one after another，this was also why the General Staff deployed Anti-aircraft Units to various nodes to open breaches。

Better marksmanship and psychological resilience，combined with equipment that was already sufficiently sophisticated，could greatly reduce the pressure on logistical deployment。

【12 o’clock direction，scale 30-50。】

【Area within 200m at 9 o’clock temporarily cleared。】

【3 o’clock direction 300 yards，approximately 700，supporting firepower required。】

“Correction，3 o’clock direction 250m，confirming target...prepare to fire。”

The Anti-aircraft Vehicle airlifted over by a Transport Helicopter rotated its turret，the barrels of its linked twin machine guns depressed and unleashed a torrent of metal toward the front，the ferocious kinetic energy instantly shredded every Carbon-based Lifeform in the area，and the Corpse Beast tide that had only moments ago formed a considerable mass was instantly scattered。

“These monsters’ clothing...they’re all Cabansians？！”

‘Judging from the source of the outbreak that’s probably right，most areas have likely fallen，I remember Cabansia has a population in the tens of millions，how long are we going to have to fight this。’

Paul casually fired a precise shot and shattered the head of a Corpse Beast：“These things have extremely weak combat capabilities，with weapons for self-defense they should be able to hold out for a while，the situation isn’t that bad。”

If this had happened thirty or fifty years ago it might have been an enormous problem。

But today several decades later，trying to rely on the most primitive biological close-range attacks to break through the defensive line of an organized firearms-equipped army was basically impossible。

Even if they had not encountered a unit like theirs，a formation of Bolt-action Rifles and machine guns alone would be something they could not break through。

However the Alliance Government holding meetings throughout the night in the rear to coordinate the large-scale evacuation of populations from neighboring states clearly did not think so。

Or rather the thinking of frontline soldiers like Paul had a certain amount of reason，but the primary purpose of some weapons was not necessarily how powerful their direct lethality was，but rather their unparalleled soft-kill capability。

At the military level the Alliance possessed absolute confidence in direct confrontation，as long as they had sufficient time，however many there were they could eliminate that many。

But the most shameless aspect of this thing was precisely that it did not care how many you eliminated，without intelligence there naturally was no concept of morale，even these things themselves were freshly transformed on the spot。

In a certain sense this thing instead had an even greater possibility of destroying the Alliance，the Alliance’s main population consisted of Ordinary People，and Ordinary People were the foundation of everything。

Industry needed people，the military also needed people，what made the Alliance powerful was its unparalleled ability to replenish itself，while the Red Mist could transform Ordinary People into masses of moving useless rotten flesh within a short period of time。

This special ability alone made the Red Mist enormously threatening to the Alliance，as long as it successfully erupted within Alliance territory it was already inflicting tremendous losses upon the Alliance。

So even if an area had not been affected，even if it was still very far away，the population would immediately be evacuated to completely sever any possibility。

“Always being this passive doesn’t feel like a solution。”

“We’ve suffered multiple terrorist attacks，each one more serious than the last，each one more vicious than the last。But we’ve never retaliated in kind。”

Anna held the shrunken Mitia in her arms and fed her fruit while complaining。

Mitia ate a bite here and there while dozing off，she always felt sleepy now：

“Mm（munch munch）...because they don’t have any scruples，but we do。Are we incapable of achieving a similar effect？We are。”

”For example the Alliance’s Paria region contains numerous grasslands and plateaus，many Alliance citizens are troubled by several special diseases，the pathogens produced by various unusual insects forced the Alliance to spend enormous effort popularizing basic knowledge of medical science。”

“To this day the Paria region remains the area with the Alliance’s most advanced medical technology and the highest concentration of Churches，even now we can only reduce the risk of infection through prevention and early treatment。”

“And 45% of the Britian Empire’s territory is highly similar to the Paria region，while the upstream sections of its primary drinking-water rivers are within Ernesto territory，guess whether we could do something upstream if I wanted to？”

“Our chemical technology has also reached a certain level，there are so many poisonous gases capable of causing fatal illness，and our Bombers have such long ranges，then why have I always refused to let them loose and use them？Could it be that artillery and bombs have greater lethality？”

Mitia shook her head：“Because we are nowhere near the point where we need to stop at nothing，what we are fighting over isn’t the victory or defeat of a single war，but the power of discourse against the entire continent’s mainstream world。”

“Doing that would only make everyone from princes and nobles above，to ordinary commoners in the middle，to untouchables and slaves below fill with resentment toward us，after all disease doesn’t distinguish between classes。”

“If we obtained victory through despicable means，we would only be portrayed as a cruel and inhumane tyranny，giving them an excuse and reason to unite together。”

“The overwhelming majority of those who suffered would undoubtedly be the common people at the bottom，they would also become filled with fear and hatred toward us，the thinking of people like that is very difficult to reverse，and our slogan of liberating the world would also become very difficult to justify。”

“And incorporating a group like that into our Alliance would be equivalent to the enemy infiltrating our own ranks，how would we govern and manage them afterward？How would we distinguish friend from foe？”

“But on the frontal battlefield the victor becomes king and the loser becomes a bandit，our postwar ideological work would become extremely easy。Die honorably，win honorably。”

“Sacrificing oneself for the nation makes one a martyr，this is the universal value we promote。We created a social environment that respects the heroic deeds of every ethnicity，precisely to subtly transform their thinking。”

“And this idea was shaped by us。Although they won’t think of it that way，they’ll only feel that this is what they themselves wanted，because in an age of turmoil they need heroes，they also need heroes to be treated well，and they’re also afraid that if they themselves become soldiers they’ll be purged afterward，so they’ll collectively defend this idea。”

“This is a kind of psychology，only when we respect and acknowledge part of their views，when it later comes time to hear our views，will they also listen to our ideas。Understanding and tolerance，are the only path to advancing relations。”

“And winning honorably，has become our shackle。”