Chapter 1907: Making a Virtue of Necessity

"After our multi-party verification, that thing should not have appeared again, but who could have imagined that this thing was actually lost."

Fang Dalong swept his gaze over the crowd and said in a deep voice, "Although we don't know who stole that thing, what is certain is that the final defense map Kenteer received was fake."

"Acting according to a fake map, the result is imaginable!"

Wan Shang took out another defense map, which was exactly the one Richard had handed to Kenteer.

Seeing the evidence, the crowd suddenly realized; the reason they were so certain they could crush Longyan City this time was because they had reliable information that the French troops had already obtained the Longyan Army's defense map.

With the defense map, the Longyan Army was almost completely exposed under their noses.

Such a battle would become very simple.

Victory was almost predictable.

But who could have imagined that this was a fake map!

"Lord Richard, this matter must be thoroughly investigated!"

"The matter of switching the defense map already constitutes an act of treason and collaboration with the enemy; it must be thoroughly investigated to catch the traitor behind the scenes!"

Seeing that defense map and hearing these words, Richard's face turned from pale to red.

The defense map had been switched after verification because Richard did not trust Wan Shang and Fang Dalong; who could have imagined that the fake defense map could pass for the real one!

Looking at the current public indignation, Richard was in a dilemma; he could not admit that this defense map was fake, otherwise he would be the main person responsible for the failure of this military operation plan.

The blame for the defeat would be firmly pinned on his head.

By then, let alone his position as the leader of the French Colonial Zone, even being executed on the spot would not be excessive.

Just as he was caught in a dilemma, Wan Shang stood up and said, "My Lord, this matter must be strictly investigated, but now it can be considered that the truth has come to light."

"Since the defense map I handed to Lord Richard was real, and the defense map Lord Richard sent to General Kenteer was also real."

"Then the person who could swap the defense map must have done it in transit; it must have been a Longyan spy who swapped it on the way!"

Hearing this deduction, Richard's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Your analysis is very correct; this person must be strictly investigated immediately!"

The crowd also echoed, "Yes, strictly investigate; we absolutely cannot let them go!"

But Wan Shang shook his head and said, "Now wanting to strictly investigate them, I fear it is already too late, according to the information we have obtained."

"That person was General Kenteer's Deputy, and now he has died on the battlefield; perhaps he has already fled to Longyan by now."

The crowd was silent, their pent-up anger having nowhere to be vented!

Richard, however, was overjoyed; this way, there was no proof of death, and he no longer had to worry about the blame for the defeat being pinned on him.

Richard said angrily, "From now on, strictly investigate immediately; such a thing is absolutely not allowed to happen again!"

"The front line will shift from offense to defense; continue to recruit Indian troops and expand our forces; we cannot continue to wage war."

The crowd took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Yes."

After the battle with Longyan failed, they lost nearly two-thirds of their elite troops, one-third of their ordinary troops, and countless money was poured in.

Thirty-seven cannons were lost, and countless cannonballs.

Moreover, from now on, France will not have a single Iron-Blooded Cavalry in North America; in this battle against Longyan, their cavalry has been wiped out completely!

Victory over Longyan is already a luxury for them, and on the northern front, in the struggle for the ownership of the Mississippi River Basin with Britain.

The French troops also have no way to maintain an advantage.

Dodge is dead, and Cariyongbao has fallen.

The British troops have also changed commanders; the situation of this war has completely reversed, and the French troops no longer have the ability to confront the alliance of the two forces.

They can only defend passively.

Richard calmed his mood a little, waved his hand, and dismissed the meeting.

And at this time.

The British, whose intelligence was not very well-informed, also received news of the French troops' crushing defeat in Longyan City under the guidance of Longyan.

This was the best news for them.

The failure of the French troops and the sharp reduction in their main force.

Then Britain would gain a greater advantage in the subsequent operations.

After Kelinxi received this news, he wished he could jump up; this was the only good news he had received recently.

After Dodge died, his control over the army became much weaker.

Betraying the country to aid the enemy, Dodge did not die unjustly, but his death directly affected Kelinxi's control in Britain.

But thinking that he only had political power in his hands and no longer had military power, this news did not have much use for him.

Now the happiest is the Military Department.

France's strength has been sharply reduced; taking this opportunity to attack will not only allow them to annex many French Colonial Areas but also allow them to obtain countless military merits.

For the Military Department, this is an irresistible temptation.

Kelinxi sighed, thinking about how to support his military power.

And at this time.

General Astimo, who was far away on the front line, also received news of the French troops' defeat.

This news was of utmost importance to him.

He was on the front line, and although he had already captured Cariyongbao, it had not changed the current war situation.

But this news directly signaled that the strength of the French troops had been sharply reduced.

The opportunity had come to their British side.

Without hesitation, General Astimo immediately gathered his troops to prepare to attack the French troops' front line.

Attempting to continue to expand the current advantage.

The troops on the French front line have now all shifted to a defensive posture; they cannot guarantee what kind of battle they will encounter next.

The losses of the troops were too great; during this period, the French troops could only adopt a defensive approach to reduce their casualties.

However, General Astimo did not give the French troops this opportunity at all.

After receiving the news, he immediately organized an attack.

Because there were not enough troops, this defensive line was easily routed by the Britain troops.

Seeing the Britain Flag, the French troops fled at the first sign of trouble.

This once-premier land force of Europe was now like a beaten dog.

The situation had completely reversed; General Astimo sneered coldly as he watched the French troops fleeing in panic, but he did not order a pursuit because it was not worth it.

These troops, having lost their fighting spirit, would no longer have any combat effectiveness.

Meanwhile, in a hospital behind the Britain lines.

Qiaozhi and Gelin also received the news of the French defeat.

They were not the least bit surprised, and even considered this outcome to be expected.

Long before this, they had already had contact with Longyan.

Knowing full well the strength of Longyan, the French troops were simply asking for trouble by fighting the Longyan army.

What was even more fatal was that they actually thought they could defeat Longyan City.

Although Longyan City's territory in North America was not large and its troop numbers were limited, Gelin knew that Longyan had long since planted a bomb within France.

As soon as this bomb was detonated, the French troops would absolutely be blown to pieces.

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