Chapter 712: These two chapters about Italy are supplemental!

That same afternoon, Rome.

Italian Prime Minister Bo Se Li sat in his office, with the same battle report in front of him—Singapore, Myanmar, Yilang lost, Egypt in grave danger. He had read it three times, and each time his mind grew more irritable.

Outside the window, Rome's sunshine was dazzlingly bright. The ancient buildings, the red rooftops, the leisurely pigeons—all bathed in the warm light. But Bo Se Li had no mood to appreciate them. In his mind there was only one question:

Yingguo is almost finished; what will Italy do?

The door was pushed open. The secretary poked her head in.

"Prime Minister, all cabinet members have arrived."

Bo Se Li nodded, stood up, straightened his collar, and walked toward the conference room.

Inside the conference room, smoke swirled.

On both sides of the long table sat a dozen or so people—Foreign Minister Xi De Ni·Song Ni Nuo, Army Minister Bao Luo·Mo Luo Nei, Navy Minister A Er Bei Tuo·De Er·Kan Tuo, and a large group of generals, staff officers, and secretaries. Each had the battle report before them, each wore varying degrees of anxiety.

Bo Se Li sat at the head seat and scanned the room.

"Everyone, have you all read it?"

The others nodded.

Bo Se Li lifted the battle report and waved it.

"Singapore, Myanmar, Yilang—all lost within a week. Yingguo in Yazhou is on the brink of collapse. We must now make a choice—continue following Yingguo, or…"

He did not finish, but everyone knew what he meant.

Foreign Minister Song Ni Nuo was the first to speak. He was a diplomat in his sixties, hair silver, his face bearing the calm of one accustomed to the world. He set his pipe down and looked at Bo Se Li.

"Prime Minister, I think we should turn immediately."

A stir broke out in the conference room.

Army Minister Mo Luo Nei sprang to his feet: "Turn? Turn to where? Turn to the Deguo side?"

Song Ni Nuo looked at him, his gaze steady.

"Yes. Turn to the Deguo side."

"You're insane!" Mo Luo Nei slammed a fist on the table, "Two years ago we jumped from the Allies to the Entente, and now we want to jump back? Jumping back and forth, what dignity is that?"

Song Ni Nuo remained calm.

"Mo Luo Nei, tell me, what can Yingguo still give us? Colonies? Their own colonies are almost all lost. Loans? They are near bankruptcy themselves. Protection? Their fleet is blocked in the harbor, too afraid to come out—what protection can they offer us?"

Mo Luo Nei opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Song Ni Nuo continued: "Now look at the Deguo. Though they are also fighting hard, their homeland is not threatened. Their troops are still within Faguo territory, their ally Austro-Hungarian Empire remains. Now Lanfang has joined, Yingguo is retreating step by step— the situation is turning. If we jump back now, Deguo will be pleased. They will give us benefits, help us retake the lands occupied by the Faguo."

Mo Luo Nei sneered.

"Will Deguo believe us? You forgot how we betrayed them two years ago?"

Song Ni Nuo looked at him.

"Politicians have no eternal friends nor eternal enemies, only eternal interests; Deguo understands this better than anyone. As long as we show sincerity, they will believe us."

The two stared at each other, each unwilling to yield.

Navy Minister De Er·Kan Tuo spoke, his voice soft, yet everyone heard it.

"Gentlemen, have you considered what Yingguo would do if we turn now? Would they just watch us betray them with open eyes?"

Song Ni Nuo turned to him.

"What can Yingguo do? They can barely protect themselves now, what can they use to stop us? Send a fleet to the Mediterranean? Where is their fleet? In Mumbai Port, blocked by Lanfang people!"

De Er·Kan Tuo was silent for a few seconds.

"And the Faguo? Will the Faguo just sit by and do nothing?"

Song Ni Nuo sneered.

"Faguo? They are now eagerly hoping for Meilika to rescue them, they have no strength to deal with us."

The debate lasted two hours.

Song Ni Nuo's faction and Mo Luo Nei's faction each held their own view, arguing incessantly. Bo Se Li listened to the quarrels, his head throbbed more and more.

A young official stood up and shouted:

"Prime Minister, Yingguo is about to collapse! If we don't turn now, when they are completely defeated, we will be nothing but a sacrifice!"

Bo Se Li looked at him.

"Then tell me, how should we turn?"

The young official hesitated, then said: "Attack the Austro-Hungarian Empire! Launch a massive offensive at Ka Bo Lei Tuo! Prove our worth to Deguo!"

The conference room fell silent.

Ka Bo Lei Tuo. It is a small town on the Italian‑Austro‑Hungarian border, terrain complex, easy to defend and hard to attack. If we truly launched an offensive there, could we win?

Bo Se Li looked at Army Minister Mo Luo Nei.

"Mo Luo Nei, what is the situation at Ka Bo Lei Tuo?"

Mo Luo Nei thought for a moment.

"The terrain is unfavorable; the Austro‑Hungarian troops have fortifications there. But if we concentrate forces, perhaps we could take it."

"Perhaps?" Bo Se Li stared at him.

Mo Luo Nei gritted his teeth.

"Prime Minister, war never offers a hundred percent certainty. But if we do not fight, we can only await death."

Bo Se Li remained silent for a long time.

He stood up and walked to the window. Outside, Rome's sunshine remained bright, the ancient buildings still stood. But he knew that behind that sunshine and architecture lay a nation truly at a crossroads.

Fighting might win. Might prove our worth to Deguo. Might earn us a share of this war.

Not fighting means we can only sink together with Yingguo.

He turned around, looking at those awaiting his decision.

"Transmit orders to all units, assemble toward the Caporetto direction. In three days, launch the attack."

The conference room fell silent for a second.

Then the Songni faction people began cheering. The Moro Nei faction people looked at each other, not knowing whether to be happy or worried.

Bose Li waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"Don't get too happy yet. Whether we can win is still uncertain."

He walked back to his seat and sat down.

"Also, continue the secret contact with the Deguo. Have our ambassador in Switzerland find a way to reach the Deguo. Tell them we are willing to return to the Allies, but with conditions."

Songni Nuo nodded: "Understood."

Bose Li looked at the bright sunlight outside the window and suddenly felt very tired.

He didn't know whether his decision was right or wrong. But he knew Italy no longer had a choice.

Three days later, Caporetto front.

The soldiers of the 32nd Division lay in the trench, waiting for the attack order. They had been waiting here for three days, itching all over, their hearts crawling.

Corporal Zhu Saip·Li Zuo lay at the front, tightly gripping his Manli‑Xa Karlcano rifle. The stock pressed against his chest, hurting, pressing enough that he could count the wood‑grain lines on it. But he dared not move—he feared that if he moved, he would wet his pants.