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"A commander who knowingly leads troops into a death trap despite warnings from experts faces severe consequences," Cao Cao began, his voice dripping with icy menace.

"Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 92 covers dereliction of duty, while Article 133 deals with conduct unbecoming an officer. Both can lead to court-martial, resulting in punishments ranging from reprimands to loss of rank, fines, imprisonment, or even a dishonorable discharge. The severity depends on the offense and the court's judgment."

He leaned closer, his eyes narrowed. "According to the chain of command, only we three know about the... suicide mission you sent those soldiers on, despite my warnings. I wonder what the High Command would say about that?"

Cao Cao's words made the two commanders break into a cold sweat. They knew that what he said was true, and they had clearly offended him. They didn't expect Cao Cao to do them any favors by keeping quiet about the situation.

Then, a wicked thought crossed their minds. If Cao Cao stood alone against them, would anyone believe him? If they allowed those soldiers to perish in that accursed town, with no witnesses left alive, who could testify against them in court?

"Fine," one commander sneered. "Play the hero, then. But remember, any fallout is yours to bear. Consider this a personal mission, not an official military operation. No compensation from the army. Since you want to play the hero so much, Yellow Monkey, go for it.

But getting clearance from higher-ups won't be a quick process, will it?"

Cao Cao's fury ignited. "You…! You…!" He gritted his teeth, fists clenching, but quickly stormed out of the command room, the laughter of his loathed adversaries echoing in his ears. His priority now: contacting the higher command.

Unknown to the two commanders, a wicked grin split Cao Cao's face as he clenched his left hand. When it opened, a low-level gemstone – a Suggestive runestone – glinted in the light. He'd used this cheap trinket, purchased from a mage's market, to nudge the commanders towards a particularly insidious course of action.

He'd activated it while reciting the legalities of a court-martial, gambling that these were the kind of men who would readily sacrifice others for their own gain. After all, Cao Cao had encountered his fair share of such self-serving individuals during his time in the Three Kingdoms era.

However, the Suggestive runestone merely nudged, not controlled. It couldn't manipulate minds or dictate actions. The idea of letting the soldiers die in that cursed town already festered within the commanders' minds; Cao Cao simply made their descent into ruthlessness that much smoother.

"Magic is so convenient, if only I had a tool like this back then." Cao Cao uttered as he melancholic about the past era he can't go back.

"Hmh!" He snorted, kept the runestone inside his pocket and decided to forget what regret he couldn't turn back to correct and decided to focus on the present.

Even if he can't unite the world back then, he can unite the world now, and this time, he has all the advantages in both technological, man power, physical fitness, and even skilled generals. Yes, he counts Daniel as one of the skilled generals.

Yes, he won't ever betray Daniel, but that doesn't mean Cao Cao won't use his lord as one of his generals to achieve what he aim to do.

Cao Cao strode toward the temporary US campsite beside the Mobile HQ, a hub for soldiers and logistics staff during the campaign. The two commanders inside the HQ held top command positions, making it likely they would obstruct Cao Cao's efforts to seek permission from higher-ups.

While he could easily seek Daniel's help with a phone call to swiftly resolve the issue, Cao Cao's pride drove him to demonstrate his ability to improvise and achieve his goals independently.

Remaining true to his nature, Cao Cao had cultivated connections across various departments, recognizing the logistical department's crucial role and their direct line to higher authorities. Leveraging this network, Cao Cao knew he could navigate the bureaucratic hurdles.

Upon reaching the logistics area, Cao Cao initially vented his frustration before detailing the situation to the staff. This strategic outburst would serve as valuable testimony in any future court martial against the two idiots. The more witnesses against them, the stronger the case.

Gradually, Cao Cao guided the discussions to garner sympathizers among the logistics team, subtly influencing their opinions to align with his own. With a bit of persuasion, he secured their cooperation to contact the higher-ups, specifically targeting President John Malcomes, whom he regarded as a pawn of his lord's lover, Ms. Greed.

—

The trapped US soldiers fought a desperate battle to defend their makeshift fort. The intensity of the fight had reached a fever pitch. Their numbers dwindled with each fallen comrade, making every remaining bullet count as their ammunition dwindled.

The soldiers clad in power armor shifted to high-intensity mode, their movements swift and precise as they cut down the relentless horde of undead flooding the fortified position.

Despite their commendable teamwork, coordinating attacks and defenses to hold back the seemingly endless wave, the burden grew heavier with each passing moment. Every shot had to be a bullseye, every movement calculated to conserve energy within their power armor suits. The drain on their reserves became increasingly unbearable as the energy level dipped below 50%.

They knew high-intensity combat wouldn't be sustainable for much longer, risking a complete power armor shutdown. Yet, the undead horde pressed on, fueled by a mindless hunger that showed no sign of abating.

Strained voices crackled through the helmet comms. "Thompson! How much rifle ammo do you have upstairs?" a soldier in power armor barked. Joel was his name that his friend called him.

"Two mags!" came the panicked reply.

"Two mags each? Great, that'll buy us some time!"

"No!" Thompson corrected urgently. "The entire squad only has two mags left... and now only one!"

Joel cursed under his breath. Reality slammed down hard.