First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 194

Chapter 194: Negotiation

The veteran stared at her seriously, finally realizing from her expression that she wasn't joking.

"Hahaha—!" The veteran laughed heartily at her independent reasoning and plan, patting her shoulder as he said: "You're so amusing, quite the imagination! That's the good thing about youth—full of hope!"

He then patted his comrade's chest and said: "Let's be full of hope too. This spirit is worth learning."

Lian Sheng repeated: "Seriously, file a report."

The veteran nodded too: "Seriously, let me be blunt with you—I don't want to be treated as a lunatic."

"..." Lian Sheng said, "You should trust your soldiers!"

"I do trust you—trust you to bring trouble!" the veteran retorted. "Besides, you're not my soldier. I'm just your temporary squad leader. There's no chain of command between us."

Lian Sheng looked at him, realizing he truly had no intention to proceed. Shaking her head with a sigh, she said: "You listened to my suggestions before. I thought you weren't that foolish. Turns out you are."

The veteran said: "Cut it out."

Lian Sheng: "Judging from the current situation, since fighting has already broken out, it can't get worse. Even if we do nothing now, the other side might still execute the hostages. In that case, we might as well try desperate measures and take a gamble, no?"

"I get a headache just hearing 'current situation'!" The veteran clutched his chest. "I'm doing infantry work—why should I worry about command decisions? Have some consideration for me."

Cheng Ze spoke up for Lian Sheng: "Senior, many brilliant ideas in history came from unexpected flashes of inspiration. Youth is when imagination has room to flourish."

The other soldiers nodded in agreement, supporting her.

"Just help pass it up the chain. The decision-makers aren't you anyway. When it comes to the people's interests, personal pride can take a backseat."

"Sister Lian's predictions have never been wrong before."

Lian Sheng found this scene eerily familiar—it reminded her of when she'd clung to the Chief Eunuch, begging him to present her strategies to the Emperor.

Lian Sheng placed her hand over the veteran's. He looked at her.

Lian Sheng said: "Give me a chance to show my face before the Commander-in-Chief."

The veteran: "Why didn't you say so earlier! I'm a kind soul who cares for new recruits. I get it—life's tough for everyone!"

At the Alliance command center, tensions ran high as all departments prepared for major combat. Personnel moved in and out constantly, compiling data and reporting updates.

Data analysts from other regiments, including Expeditionary Force members assisting remotely, helped build individual models for aerial units.

Though it wasn't the outcome they wanted, they'd had enough of constant concessions. This was their stance.

The Three-Army Commander-in-Chief said bluntly: "If they dare take one more step forward, we'll continue bombing without mercy. Unless they can provide a clear explanation, I'll condemn this behavior in the strongest terms!"

Someone at the front reported: "The enemy is already slowly retreating."

It wasn't time yet—the enemy didn't dare push too hard.

The Commander-in-Chief stood from the control console: "Begin city-wide broadcasts immediately. Notify the rebel forces in District 12. As representatives of the Alliance, we will do our utmost to meet their demands for peace. Alliance matters should be resolved within the Alliance. Let's negotiate."

The Commander-in-Chief continued: "Tell them this is their final chance to voice their thoughts. If they refuse negotiations, the Alliance will abandon this region. For Kafa's sake, for their own true future, we hope they make the right choice." He added sternly: "And we will never tolerate any anti-Alliance organizations that take advantage of this situation to disrupt stability or distort civilian will!"

"Yes, sir!"

The veteran was halfway through reporting to command when the broadcast suddenly echoed throughout the city.

The Alliance had taken control of all electronic signals in the city, maximizing volume to repeat the announcement.

After listening briefly, the group grasped the general direction of events. Clearly, with the Alliance and Gelen forces engaged, command wanted to first conduct public negotiations with the rebel forces.

The veteran said sheepishly: "Never mind then," and cut the communication.

"See? Proof I was right." Lian Sheng shook her head. "This is the difference between you and real commanders."

The veteran snorted: "I'm not a commander—why compare brains? I'm not ashamed."

A male student asked: "Will they agree? Isn't this complicating things?"

"You're wrong. Negotiations always hit sticking points. When tensions are already high and everyone's armed, conflicts can easily escalate into casualties, worsening tensions and causing negotiations to collapse. Unless one side completely capitulates, the other can always provoke incidents." Lian Sheng explained: "They can't forget their identity and purpose. Agreeing to negotiate doesn't mean agreeing to reconcile. They can find many ways to obstruct and openly prevent negotiations from continuing. But if they refuse outright, they'll directly antagonize true Kafa citizens—because their interests were contradictory from the start!"

The Gelen forces had initially swayed Kafa's people by appealing to Kafa's interests. If they wanted to maintain this charade, they couldn't forget that.

If this could become a turning point to avoid a bloody battle, that would be ideal.

"Now that we're entering negotiations, we still need to prepare for combat," the veteran said. "If things go smoothly, the Alliance can persuade most Kafa citizens. Then we'll attack from multiple fronts simultaneously—eliminate remaining enemy forces at the entrance and forcibly suppress violent elements inside. If negotiations fail, we might need feints to break through with limited forces."

The veteran added: "Tranquilizer weapons will arrive soon. Anyone with poor marksmanship, step forward voluntarily. Don't waste our limited resources."

He began assigning attack directions and positions in advance.

Inside the venue, under the watchful eyes of many Kafa residents, the buzzcut leader dialed the public frequency the Alliance had left open.

The signal remained connected, broadcasting their entire conversation publicly.

Seeing their willingness to negotiate, Kafa's residents felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps things would improve beyond their worst fears.

The Alliance Commander-in-Chief identified himself directly: "I am the Third..."

"I don't care who you are!" The man interrupted. "I don't want to negotiate with you. I demand someone else."

The Commander-in-Chief said: "I have the highest authority. For negotiations, I prefer we speak directly."

"No. I'm just a civilian, while you're an experienced high-ranking official. I can't trust you and don't want to deal with you." The man said righteously: "I've seen too much of your kind's verbal artistry. I need someone honest and trustworthy."

The Commander-in-Chief paused briefly.

The man said irritably: "Can't you even agree to this simple request?"

The Commander-in-Chief asked mildly: "Then who do you want?"

The man smirked: "A student on your side named Lian Sheng."

Compared to a seasoned fox like the Expeditionary Force Commander-in-Chief, Lian Sheng was just a rookie.

As a new recruit, she likely hadn't qualified to participate directly in this rescue mission, meaning her grasp of the situation was superficial at best.

Limited experience and intelligence would put her at an immediate disadvantage in negotiations. They could pressure her more easily—any hesitation could be framed as the Alliance's "insincerity" and exploited.

This reasoning wasn't wrong.

Lian Sheng lacked professional training and should be easy to manipulate.

Moreover, though a rookie, she was a command student. Compared to regular students, the Alliance would find her more acceptable. Having trained here for months, she understood Kafa's situation better. The request seemed reasonable.

The man glanced at the group of dejected trainees sitting nearby.

Her friends were here. Young people were impulsive—a little intimidation would keep them in line.

Their earlier communication had left a bad impression. Maybe others had prompted her then, but that sense of defeat still lingered.

He wanted to see her beg pitifully in pain.

Most importantly, based on their current intelligence, these trainees' identities were the only ones they could fully verify.

Choosing someone else to negotiate would be meaningless.

After careful consideration, their logic held up—even cunningly so.

After much deliberation, they'd picked the worst possible choice.

Lian Sheng, originally preparing to join the assault team, brightened upon hearing this. She gave the veteran a meaningful smile.

The others gasped, looking at her with admiration.

The veteran looked like he'd seen a ghost: "You're this famous? How come I've never heard of you?!"

After the man made this demand, command quickly contacted the veteran's team to ask Lian Sheng's opinion.

Unsurprisingly, Lian Sheng said: "Of course I'll go."

The veteran prepared to move: "We'll go with you to protect you."

Lian Sheng began rolling up her sleeves: "No, I'll go alone."

The veteran froze: "What? Don't be reckless."

"Going alone shows more sincerity." Lian Sheng removed her bulletproof vest and tossed it aside. "Besides, I'm a woman. Against an unarmed, non-threatening person, I doubt they'd shoot me just for saying something wrong. This way, negotiations can proceed more effectively."

Ye Buqing frowned: "Too dangerous!"

She wasn't even wearing body armor?

Lian Sheng said firmly: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

The veteran said: "Aren't you scared, little girl? Your life's just beginning—have some respect for it!"

"Of course. That's exactly what I'm doing." Lian Sheng spread her hands. "Come on, let's settle this quickly."

Command approved her plan.

Since the decision was made, they might as well strategize immediately.

The veteran gave her the Expeditionary Force's internal communicator. The Commander-in-Chief personally explained the concessions the Alliance could make and key points to note, while reassuring her to stay calm—the entire command center had her back. Even if something went wrong, she wouldn't be blamed.

They thanked her for cooperating with military operations and undertaking this heavy responsibility.

Lian Sheng nodded understandingly—she wasn't nervous. The entire command center was, though, repeating precautions endlessly.

After equipping herself carefully, she prepared to leave.

"Hey!" Cheng Ze called from behind, worried: "Be careful."

Lian Sheng turned to see rows of concerned faces. She bowed slightly, waved, and stepped out from cover.

Civilians at the front started when she emerged from around the corner, raising their guns at her.

Lian Sheng approached with raised hands: "Brothers, I represent the Alliance to discuss the future. I'm Lian Sheng—the one your superior requested."

After a hesitant pause, they lowered their weapons and slowly parted to let her through.

As she passed, Lian Sheng saw clear confusion and fear in their eyes. She offered a reassuring smile before entering.

Inside, she surveyed the scene carefully.

The space was large. Civilians sat along the walls, while Alliance trainees were gathered in the center.

The buzzcut man sat on a black armchair—who knew where he'd found it—and said upon seeing her: "So fast?"

Lian Sheng stopped at the center and smiled: "Didn't want to keep you waiting."

The man said: "Quite calm. Didn't expect that."

Lian Sheng: "Appearances deceive. Just like how I see you now... not bad."

Before the man could respond, Lian Sheng changed topics: "State your terms directly. No point wasting time on small talk. Let's see if we can agree."

The man said: "Fine."

Leaning back, he raised a finger: "First, guarantee an end to Kafa's civil war."

As he spoke, he watched Lian Sheng's expression. Seeing no reaction, he frowned: "What's your stance? Agree or not?"

Lian Sheng shrugged: "No stance yet—continue. I'll tell you what's possible after you finish. Nitpicking details now just wastes time."

"Fine." The man continued: "Second, the Alliance must provide annual financial aid to support Kafa's economic development."

"Third. Protect Kafa from external threats. If danger arises, deploy troops unconditionally to support Kafa."

"Fourth." He pointed at the trainees: "Exchange supplies for these hostages. We can discuss specifics. Post-war reconstruction requires substantial funding—I'm sure you understand."

These terms had major loopholes. They sounded reasonable but were overly harsh upon scrutiny.

No one could guarantee preventing internal strife—it stemmed from governance issues outsiders couldn't interfere with.

Kafa had always been autonomous. With its own mining district, its economy was self-sufficient. After joining the Alliance, the military acted as a provisional government, handling various affairs.

Rather than subordination, it was more like tacit cooperation.

By his demands, the Alliance would now provide Kafa with unconditional funding and military support without governance rights—while also trading supplies for hostages. The relationship made no sense.

It was like spending vast resources to buy trouble. Why?

Kafa's political situation was already pathological. Continued tolerance was meaningless, let alone abetting it?

Command debated countermeasures and phrasing. Before they reached consensus, Lian Sheng spoke up: "I can answer your fourth condition first."

Surprised by her calmness, the man asked: "Oh?"

The Commander-in-Chief panicked, unsure of her intentions, and shouted through the communicator: "Lian Sheng, don't agree yet! We need to maintain initiative in our stance to ensure..."

Facing the trainees, Lian Sheng raised her gun and fired mid-sentence.

Silence gripped the room for a second—even the Commander-in-Chief's voice cut off—before screams erupted.

Civilians recoiled in shock, staring bewildered at Lian Sheng.

Ji Ban squeezed his eyes shut, body rigid.

The bullet grazed his cheek before embedding into the wall behind. When the noise subsided slightly, he dared peek out.

Exhaling shakily, he patted his chest to calm down.

No one expected this move—even the buzzcut men were unsettled.

The negotiator nearly stood from his chair. After composing himself, he sat back down, watching Lian Sheng intently.

Eyes dark, he said: "You..."

"My aim's always precise." Lian Sheng lifted the gun. "I hate being threatened—it's a waste of time on futile efforts."

The man said incredulously: "What's your point? Are you really here to negotiate?"

"Threats exist to extract greater benefits. Why would I sacrifice more to preserve my own weakness?" Lian Sheng said. "I hope you understand—I'm here to discuss Kafa's future peace, not hostage returns."

She turned fully toward him: "First, recognize the essence of this. Negotiations require equal exchange, but the Alliance owes you nothing. We're only hearing your opinions for peace and development. These people aren't part of these talks. If you plan to use them to influence me, abandon that notion now."

The man laughed angrily, slamming the armrest: "If they're not part of this, does that mean I can just shoot them now?"

Lian Sheng cut in: "If they die here today, I'll burn incense for them every Qingming Festival."

Tugging his jacket, the man gritted his teeth: "How ruthless. Did you all hear that?"

"Hardly—nothing compared to you." Lian Sheng dangled the gun from her finger. "Compared to the Alliance's overall interests, they're insignificant. I'm sure they're prepared."

The man inhaled deeply, realizing this young woman had riled him up. He sneered: "Wouldn't you feel guilty if they died because of you?"

"I'll accept that sin. So what? I'm not the one killing them. If you feel no guilt, why should I?" Lian Sheng said. "They're neither Kafa military nor civilians—just innocent trainees. If you kill them, drop the pretense of fighting for peace. Peace is noble—it doesn't justify harming innocents or masking crimes. Nor does it label ordinary civilians as hostages for profit."

"In that case, the Alliance has no reason to help you. We'd classify this as terrorism and act accordingly. Then all Kafa citizens would face consequences. The Alliance won't relent. From the first shot, prepare for the Alliance's full wrath."

Lian Sheng asked: "Well? Can you pull that trigger? If you'd doom all Kafa just to shoot, what's your goal? Slaughter or power?"

"Can you represent the Alliance?" The man leaned forward. "Are you here to negotiate or threaten me?"

Lian Sheng: "Can you represent all Kafa citizens, Colonel Clifford of the Gelen United Army?"

The man blinked: "Who?"

Lian Sheng said: "Colonel Clifford, no need to keep acting."

The man waved dismissively: "I don't know who you're talking about!"

When Lian Sheng named him, murmurs spread through the crowd.

Civilians grew suspicious—their latent doubts sprouted uncontrollably.

Covering their mouths, their eyes darted between the two sides.

In this moment, they leaned toward Lian Sheng.

Command was equally confused. Who was Clifford? What did she mean?

After a pause, the Commander-in-Chief said: "Her rhythm and presence are strong. Let her improvise."

The veteran asked nervously: "She... doesn't have any mental issues, right?"

This wasn't just negotiation—it was performance art.

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