ebookland Chapter 560 Extreme Humiliation, Violence and Oppression
Chapter 560 Extreme Humiliation, Violence and Oppression
Cohen led a team of soldiers towards the residence of Situ Hao and others. Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, as dull and harsh as war drums. This sudden sound broke the peace of Situ Hao and others discussing countermeasures, and stirred up the originally depressing atmosphere.
Situ Hao sat in the room, his brows furrowed, as if he could catch a fly flying by. He stood up, his body tense, and the sudden footsteps in the corridor were extremely abnormal, which made Situ Hao alert.
Just as he was about to step out of the room and go to the corridor to check the situation, the door was suddenly pushed open with a harsh sound. Cohen's figure appeared at the door, with a faint smile on his face, and there seemed to be some deep meaning hidden in that smile, which made people elusive.
Cohen's eyes swept across the faces of everyone present, like the cold edge of a sword, making people feel a chill. He spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful: "Commander Situ, Commander Liu, Commander Wang, everyone is here, I have something to inform you, President Chang said that you should immediately send a telegram to your troops, ordering them to take the initiative to attack the expeditionary army and start a war!"
When Situ Hao heard this, his heart sank, as if he was being pressed down by a huge rock. The thing he was most worried about finally happened. Once they went to war with the expeditionary army as Chang Tai requested, there would be no turning back between them and China. This would be an unavoidable disaster.
He stood there, his eyes deep and complicated, as if thinking about how to respond to this sudden order. The air around him seemed to freeze, with only Cohen's cold and firm voice echoing. Situ Hao knew that he had to make a choice, and this choice would determine their fate.
"We have been trapped here for half a month, and our control over the troops is not as strong as before." Situ Hao's voice was filled with deep helplessness. He looked directly at Cohen, his eyes flashing with complex emotions. "Even if we are willing to give orders, the people below may not obey. Everyone knows that actively provoking the expeditionary force is tantamount to committing suicide. President Chang's request is a bit too much."
Cohen sneered, and his face darkened instantly, as if the sky was covered with dark clouds and thunderous wrath would erupt at any time. "So, the generals are unwilling to obey President Chang's orders?" His voice was cold and sharp, like a blade cutting through the hearts of everyone present.
He slowly took a step closer, his eyes like knives, staring at Situ Hao and others, and said word by word: "Listen to me clearly, you are the generals of the Southern Government's troops. It is your responsibility to stop the Northern bandits' front and live and die with the Southern Government! This is not a discussion with you, but a mission that you must complete!"
Situ Hao's face became increasingly gloomy. He knew that he had no way out.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger and helplessness, and then said in a deep voice: "We understand our responsibilities and have never forgotten our identities. However, the situation is completely different now. We are trapped here, isolated from the outside world, and our control over the troops has been greatly reduced. Even if we give orders, it is difficult to guarantee that the troops will execute them."
He paused and looked at Cohen firmly. "More importantly, we can't blindly die. Provoking the expeditionary force is tantamount to self-destruction. We need a wiser strategy, not this simple and crude order."
Cohen's voice was like a cold blade, and every word was full of threats and oppression. He stared at Situ Hao coldly, with a hint of mockery on his lips, "These are just excuses for you people. Do you really think President Chang is a fool?"
Situ Hao's face suddenly turned ugly. He clenched his fists and tried to control his anger.
Cohen continued, his tone becoming increasingly cold. "President Chang has long known that you have been secretly colluding with the northern bandits and intending to surrender. I am putting this on hold today. If you do not order your troops to fight the expeditionary force, then you will be convicted of colluding with a foreign enemy."
At this point, Cohen suddenly pulled out his gun and slammed it heavily on the coffee table, making a loud noise. This action shocked everyone present and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Cohen's eyes swept over everyone present, and the smile on his face became colder and colder. "As for the fate of traitors, I don't need to say more, right? Li Jun before was a lesson for you!"
The twenty or thirty fully armed soldiers behind him also raised their rifles with grim expressions, pointing their guns directly at Situ Hao and others. At this moment, the whole room was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere.
Liu Zhi, Wang Hongquan and others looked at each other in bewilderment. They had never thought that even Chang Tai's secretary, Ke En, would dare to threaten them so blatantly. This feeling of being oppressed filled them with anger and helplessness, but they also understood that they were in a weak position and could only swallow their anger temporarily.
Situ Hao took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He knew that he couldn't confront Cohen head-on now, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous. He slowly said, "We are not colluding with the northern bandits, nor do we intend to surrender. We have always been loyal to the Southern Government, and President Chang should know this very well."
Cohen sneered, "Whether or not you are colluding with the northern bandits is not up to you. President Chang will make the decision. I only ask you one question now, are you willing to obey orders and let your troops go to war with the expeditionary force?"
Situ Hao and the others looked at each other and saw the helplessness and determination in each other's eyes. They knew that no matter how they explained, Cohen would not believe them. Now, they could only choose to protect their subordinates and avoid unnecessary sacrifices.
Situ Hao took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "We are willing to obey orders."
After hearing Situ Hao's answer, the coldness on Cohen's face eased a little, and a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, like a cunning fox that had caught its prey.
"Very good. As the old saying goes, a man who knows the current situation is a hero. General Situ, you are very sensible." Cohen's voice was full of praise, but more of a condescending feeling. He continued, "I was prepared to fire a few bullets today to stain this place with blood. Congratulations, you have successfully saved your lives."
After saying that, Cohen waved his hand, signaling his soldiers to move. The soldiers immediately stepped forward, pointed their guns at Situ Hao and others, and forced them to stand up. Situ Hao and others stood up reluctantly, followed Cohen with heavy steps, and walked towards the communication room that had been prepared long ago.
In the communication room, the machines roared and various communication equipment flashed cold lights. Situ Hao stood in front of the telegraph machine, with a lot of thoughts in his mind. He knew that he was now completely controlled by Chang Tai and had no room for resistance. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and began to tap the keyboard of the telegraph machine.
His fingers jumped on the keyboard, and every character represented his helplessness and despair. He briefly explained his situation and emphasized that if they did not go to war with the expeditionary force, it would be difficult for them to leave alive.
Cohen, who was standing by, looked at Situ Hao's back as he tapped the telegraph machine, a satisfied smile on his face.
He knew that he had successfully forced Situ Hao and others to surrender. Now, he only needed to wait for their telegram to be sent out, and the expeditionary force would be completely passive, and there would be no choice but to go to war.