Chapter 1408: The Method to Break the Deadlock

At this moment in Europe, Ling Chen had been in a standoff with the defending troops near the capital of Austria for several days.

But the grain and fodder of the Longyan army limited their movements.

Ling Chen was in the camp thinking of a countermeasure.

"General, our grain and fodder can only last for seven days. If we cannot find the Austrian Army's granary, we will have no choice but to retreat."

The Strategist under Ling Chen said with great anxiety.

Ling Chen remained expressionless and silent, looking at the map of Austria, not knowing what he was thinking about.

His Strategist, however, was filled with worry and truly could not think of a Method.

Ever since receiving the urgent military report, General Ling Chen had fallen into silence; now that they were running out of grain and fodder, there was still not the slightest Method.

If they could only retreat, then they would have no way to complete the mission of Liu Zheng.

The predicament of Prussia still could not be resolved, and the diversion of forces on the side of Prince Yong would also face great difficulties.

At the thought of this, the Strategist felt a splitting headache.

At this time, Ling Chen suddenly said in a deep voice: "How many troops has Vienna gathered to stand off against us?"

The Strategist was stunned for a moment and subconsciously replied: "Less than two hundred thousand; according to reports from scouts, it may only be one hundred and fifty thousand."

"But we cannot attack Vienna. As soon as we attack Vienna, we will be completely surrounded by the Austrian Army."

"Although our Longyan army does not fear any battle, we will not lose this battle, but we will be completely trapped to death."

Ling Chen raised his head and stared at his Strategist, his tone incomparably calm, as he said: "Are you telling me what to do?"

Hearing this, beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down the Strategist's forehead; in this instant, he actually felt as if a sharp sword were hanging over his head.

A slight carelessness would lead to being killed.

At this moment, the Strategist remembered that Ling Chen was a general who acted with decisive killing intent; by urging a retreat here, wasn't he just courting death?

Seeing his Strategist fall silent, Ling Chen's fingers slid across the map of Austria, moving from one city to another.

His fingertip tapped on the map, and the corner of the Strategist's eye twitched.

"General, are we really going to attack!" the Strategist said with a trembling voice.

Ling Chen gave a cold laugh and said indifferently: "We came here to conquer Europe; if we don't fight, what are we waiting for!"

The Strategist was taken aback, not knowing how to refute.

But attacking now was an act of suicide; whether they could take Vienna or not was one thing, but their retreat route would definitely be blocked off by the Austria Front Army.

By then, even if they won the battle, they would be unable to retreat and unable to advance.

Even if they entered Vienna, they would not have subdued the whole of Austria.

The language and culture here were different, and the forces of Austria were definitely more than just this; if they attacked Vienna, it would certainly provoke more of the Austria Front Army to join the battle.

By that time, any talk of retreat would be over.

This Longyan army of his would be trapped to death here.

"General, the risk of us attacking Vienna is very high; after all, that is the capital of Austria!" the Strategist advised at the risk of his life.

"Not to mention that our food is running low, and it is difficult to sustain a war."

Ling Chen knew everything the Strategist said; he did not know which general of Austria was sitting in command in Vienna, but the methods were truly brilliant.

First, they lured the enemy into the trap; Ling Chen had played along with their scheme, letting them have no way to retreat, fighting until they were near Vienna and setting up camp.

Letting them have no way to retreat, forcing them to face the enemy; Ling Chen had originally thought that this could force the Austria Front Army to gather more troops to face him.

As a result, he did not expect that they would gather at most one hundred and fifty thousand troops to stand off against him from afar.

The two armies had been rubbing against each other here, but it had never escalated into a war.

If this continued, Ling Chen knew he would be worn to death by Austria sooner or later; he could not sit and wait for death.

Moreover, the grain and fodder that were originally supposed to be transported to the front line had been intercepted by France; although the Chief Councilor had already arranged for grain and fodder to be sent on the road and had also sent grain and fodder as support.

But this grain and fodder was far from enough.

The other side clearly knew this, but still pretended to be ignorant.

They only engaged in small-scale warfare with him, consuming his military supplies, and did not fight him head-on; they even clearly had the opportunity to cut off his retreat and transport routes.

He only waged small-scale Bitter Remonstrance against himself, consuming his own military supplies, never engaging in direct confrontation with him, and even when there were opportunities, he would not seize his retreat and transport routes.

Thinking of this, Ling Chen looked forward even more to who the commander on the Austrian side was, being so seasoned and ruthless.

He had used this method to trap the million-strong Longyan army in Austria.

He could not retreat; if he retreated, it would be difficult to continue this war.

He also could not attack; if he attacked, if he attacked Vienna, this twenty-thousand-strong Longyan army of his would be surrounded and trapped to death.

Ling Chen suddenly smiled, remembering a sentence Liu Zheng had once said: "Place them in a death ground, and they will survive!"

His Method for breaking the situation was to attack; only by advancing closer to Vienna would the Austrian side feel the pressure.

Only then would they recall the troops currently facing Prussia.

Only then could his army have a greater diversionary effect.

"The invaders can go, and I can go too!" Ling Chen said indifferently.

Hearing this, a fire ignited in the Strategist's heart; he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could not speak.

He also understood the current situation and knew that this army of theirs had come out specifically to divert the Austria Front Army, to divert the siege on Prussia, and to give Prussia a chance to catch its breath.

But the matter of grain and fodder, as well as the matter of the retreat route, were right before their eyes and had to be considered.

The Strategist gritted his teeth and said: "General, our grain and fodder only have seven days; I have no way to stop you from attacking, but there must be a source for the grain and fodder!"

Ling Chen said in a deep voice: "I will think of a way for the grain and fodder, but a military order is a military order; this battle must be fought!"

"Pass down my order to attack Vienna."

The Strategist still wanted to say something more, but was stopped by Ling Chen's gaze.

The Strategist wanted to say something more, but was stopped by the look in Ling Chen's eyes.

The Strategist had no choice but to leave resentfully and pass down Ling Chen's orders; at once, the three armies went on alert, preparing to strike immediately!

Ling Chen walked out of the military camp, looked at the rapidly assembling Longyan Army, and nodded.

Since the Austria side wanted to wear him down, then he could launch an offensive to pin them down!

"The target of the offensive is the capital of Austria, Vienna!"

With a single order, the two hundred thousand strong Longyan Army set out on their march in a grand, sweeping force.

Following General Ling Chen's command, the two hundred thousand troops split into three routes to attack Vienna.

Once the Longyan Army moved, it was as if an earthquake had suddenly struck all of Austria.

The Austria Front Army marched out of the city to meet them in battle.

Meanwhile, Ling Chen dispatched a team of disguised men to scatter and head toward other cities near Vienna.

Ling Chen knew deep down that according to the opponent's strategy, even if he captured a city, there would absolutely be no provisions inside.

He did not believe that the Austria Front Army would be short on provisions while fighting a war in their own country.

Therefore, there was only one possibility: the provisions had been dispersed to other cities; as long as he found them, he would have a chance to turn the tables.