I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 384: The Decline of Macedonia

The carefully planned exercise had a deterrent effect like thunder in the sky over Albania. The series of suggestions put forward by Alpha were almost instantly fully recognized by Albania. However, when it came to whether to jointly send troops to Macedonia, differences arose.

Albania and Macedonia have a long-standing friendship, which is like a strong bond that binds the two countries. Moreover, the forces on the international stage are intertwined, and the international forces behind them are like invisible hands that tightly control both sides and will never allow the flames of conflict to ignite easily.

After successfully defusing the tension with Albania, Alpha returned to the Western Macedonia front without stopping and took back the command. This action undoubtedly announced to everyone that only with Alpha in person could the entire situation be effectively controlled. He was like a stabilizing force, and as long as he was there, everything would be as stable as Mount Tai.

At this time, Macedonia had already sent troops to the East and West Macedonia regions. They claimed that this was to recover the territory that had historically belonged to them, and their tone seemed to be telling a matter of course. However, this practice was like lighting a fuse on the barrel of gunpowder in Greece, instantly triggering a strong reaction from the Greek side. The Greeks had flames of anger in their eyes and vowed to defend their territorial sovereignty.

In order to deal with this thorny challenge, Alpha, in the name of Grand Duke Hilma, solemnly issued a declaration. The declaration clearly stated that any attempt to occupy Greek territory would be regarded as an open hostility to the Greek Empire. In the declaration, Alpha vowed to expel these invaders at all costs, and his resolute attitude was as hard as steel.

Although this declaration is powerful and expresses a firm position, the actual implementation is like climbing a towering and thorny peak, facing countless difficulties and challenges. After all, a real war cannot be solved by just a few passionate words. It requires a strong and terrifying military force as a solid backing, requires repeated deductions, careful and meticulous strategic deployment, and requires extensive and stable domestic and foreign support. Therefore, although Greece has shown an extremely tough attitude on the surface, in fact, how to implement these promises one by one is the most critical problem facing us.

"No, absolutely not. We will never agree to your proposal." Alpha's tone was firm and resolute. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, with unquestionable power. At this moment, his second meeting with Marko, the commander-in-chief of the Macedonian front, had reached a deadlock. Alpha's suggestion was rejected by Marko without hesitation, as if it was an extremely absurd proposal.

"Western Macedonia has been our Macedonian territory since ancient times. We want to take back all the territory." Marco straightened his back and had an extremely strong attitude. He had the support of several major countries behind him. This strong support gave him an unprecedented sense of confidence, as if he was already standing on top of the world.

"This area has been our Greek territory for hundreds of years. You are invading it." Alpha argued, and his argument was not groundless. Back in the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Empire was afraid of Macedonia's strong military strength and worried that it would revive, so it took the means of dismemberment and divided this land to Greece. This was his most powerful basis.

"My suggestion is that we occupy Western Macedonia, you occupy Eastern Macedonia, and Central Macedonia will serve as a buffer zone and be managed jointly by us." Alpha once again put forward his well-considered plan, trying to find a balance in this territorial dispute.

"Impossible, we only want Western Macedonia and Central Macedonia, you can take the eastern part as you like." Marco refused without even thinking. Everyone present knew that Eastern Macedonia bordered the Ottoman Empire directly, and that piece of land was like a hot potato. Whoever took it would face huge defense pressure, and it would be extremely difficult to defend it.

"This is our final declaration. We only want the Western Macedonia region." Alpha gritted his teeth and held on to his bottom line, because the magic crystal mines in the Western Macedonia region are as important to his plan as the heart is to the human body. If he fails to take over this area, his grand plan will be forced to shelve, and all development will come to an abrupt halt and can no longer be advanced.

At present, the output of magic crystals in Alpha Mining City has been completely cut off, just like a dried-up spring, no more water can flow out. They can only rely on the previously accumulated inventory and exchange weapons with major empires to replenish resources. The entire development has fallen into a difficult dilemma, and every step forward has to pay a huge price.

"Since things have developed to this point, we have no choice but to fight with swords. However, before that, you must think carefully. We have the support of countless powerful empires behind us." Marco crossed his arms across his chest and threatened loudly, trying to put pressure on Alpha with the power behind him.

"Then don't forget that our backers are stronger than yours." Alpha was not afraid, his eyes flashed with determination, and he responded decisively. The forces behind the Macedonian Empire mainly came from Central European countries, and the strongest among them was Tsarist Russia. However, Alpha's supporters included England, France, and an unfathomable Germany. These powerful backers gave him enough confidence to compete with Marco.

"Besides, if they don't come in person, can you really withstand our attack?" Alpha narrowed his eyes slightly, and his gaze stabbed directly at Marco like a knife. These threatening words were like a sharp dagger, piercing Marco's vital points. His voice was not loud, but it echoed in this slightly empty negotiation room, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Marco's heart.

Of course, Alpha was also aware of its own shortcomings. Their attack power was indeed strong, like a surging wave, unstoppable. But their defense was as fragile as paper, and there was almost no one guarding it. This was because Alpha was extremely short of manpower. A good cook cannot cook without rice. No matter how sophisticated the defense plan was, without enough manpower to execute it, it would be nothing but a castle in the air.

Marco's face instantly turned gloomy. He clenched his teeth and thought to himself that what Alpha said was true. Their opponent not only had a strong backing behind him, but also had a clear advantage in attack power. However, Marco's unwillingness to admit defeat was completely aroused. He straightened his spine and firmly believed that he and his troops had a steel-like fighting spirit, which was their most solid armor.

"We will not surrender easily, even in the face of powerful enemies." Marco almost squeezed out these words from between his teeth, his eyes burning with an unyielding fire. "We will use our courage and wisdom to fight you. We have three million people resisting together. I don't believe you can deal with our great Macedonian Empire." His voice was passionate, with a determination to fight to the death, as if declaring their indomitable spirit to the whole world.

Alpha's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a faint smile, as if he had expected Marco's response. He shook his head gently, and that smile showed both his admiration for Marco and his confidence in this battle. He knew very well that the upcoming battle would be extremely fierce, and every inch of land would be soaked in blood, but he was full of confidence in the strength of himself and his allies, and this confidence was as firm as a rock.

"Very well, then let's decide the outcome on the battlefield." Alpha crossed his arms and said calmly, "But before that, maybe we can try to resolve the issue through negotiation. After all, war will only bring destruction and pain." His tone was calm, but with unquestionable power, trying to bring back a glimmer of hope for peace on the brink of war.

Marco was silent, his brows knitted tightly together, and he fell into deep thought. He knew very well how huge the cost of war was, that would be the destruction of countless families and the devastation of the mountains and rivers. But he was not willing to give up his position easily. In his heart, the Western Macedonia region was like the heart of the empire, and he would never allow others to get involved. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind, thinking about Alpha's proposal, and at the same time planning how to protect himself and his troops to the greatest extent. He weighed every idea in his mind again and again.

"Negotiation? Maybe it's an option. But we have to stick to our bottom line." Marco finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse, as if he had gone through countless inner struggles. He raised his head and looked at Alpha, his eyes showing both the helplessness of compromise and the persistence of perseverance.

Both sides are well aware that resolving this conflict is no easy task. They need time to think carefully and negotiate carefully to find a solution that both sides can accept in this complex conflict of interests. In this tense moment, every decision is like walking on the edge of a cliff. If you are not careful, you will fall into an abyss of no return, affecting the direction of the entire situation.

At the same time, the allies of both sides are also closely watching this tense confrontation. They each have their own hidden interests and considerations. Some allies are rubbing their hands in the dark, eager to see the smoke of war ignite so that they can seek personal gain in the chaos; while other allies prefer to solve the problem through peaceful means. They know that once the war breaks out, it will bring endless disasters and they will not be able to escape unscathed.

In this complex situation, Alpha and Marco both feel unprecedented pressure. Standing at the crossroads of fate, they must weigh the pros and cons and make wise decisions. The outcome of this confrontation will not only determine their personal fate, glory or disgrace, but will also have a profound impact on the peace and stability of the entire region. Whether it will usher in long-term peace or fall into endless war, it all depends on their decision.

In the end, the two sides ended this difficult meeting in an unpleasant way. The Macedonian Empire took quick action after the meeting and began to gather troops on a large scale on the border between the two sides. For a time, the border was dusty and the horses were neighing. A large-scale military operation was quietly brewing. They seemed determined to solve the terrible opponent Alpha once and for all and make the whole situation develop in the direction they expected, but the future direction was still shrouded in fog.

"Lord Alpha, the enemy has already stationed 10,000 troops, while on our side, all the people added up are only 1,500! This battle will be extremely difficult and arduous!" The monkey came running over breathlessly, looking anxious, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He had just gone through a lot of trouble to finally find out the enemy's details.

But when he thought of the huge gap in military strength between the two sides, his eyes were filled with worry. With such a huge gap in numbers, it would be a fantasy for their side to win. In this battle, they would definitely suffer heavy casualties.

"We must not confront the enemy head-on with conventional methods. Go, ask Fayana to quickly organize the people to evacuate. We can no longer be obsessed with the gains and losses of a city or a place. Protecting the people and the living force is the top priority." Alpha frowned, his expression solemn, his eyes looking deep into the distance, and his mind quickly began to think of a response strategy. He knew in his heart that in this situation of disparity in military strength, a hard fight would undoubtedly lead to his own death, and he had to find another way.

"It's such a pity to just hand over the city to them like this!" Quinte's face was full of reluctance. He was a brave and fearless offensive general. In previous battlefields, he was majestic and invincible. When he waved the weapon in his hand, the enemies were all terrified.

But at this moment, facing such a situation, he had brute force but was helpless. He was not very good at those strategies of conspiracy and roundabout warfare. He was full of thoughts of charging head-on and fighting the enemy to the death.