Then let us turn our attention to the south.
This direction guarded by the Southern Governor "Ramboser III" is the only direction where the Ant Alliance currently does not need to face the Destroyer. However, the situation here is complex and strategically important, so we still cannot take it lightly!
Since the early this year, when the elements were suppressed and pursued, the forces of the Ant Alliance have penetrated deep into the vast mountains of the south and gradually gained a firm foothold.
Originally, the Ant Alliance looked down upon the relatively barren mountainous areas with numerous indigenous tribes, so their power was limited to the plains at the foot of the mountains, concentrating on developing the rich [Little Magnet City] and surrounding areas, while dealing with the harassment of ants in the lower mountainous areas from time to time. However, after capturing [Victory City] during the counter-insurgency process, the Ant Alliance obtained a wedge into the mountainous area. The location was critical and they were unwilling to give up easily.
Especially now that the east, west, north, and west are facing the threat of the Destroyer, the mountains to the south may not be the last retreat for the Ant Alliance, just like the original walnut fleet. This is something Zhu Jue has never mentioned to anyone. The most pessimistic plan.
So with Zhu Jue's permission, "Lamboser III" relied on the southern border to obtain all the military and political power needed to expand the territory, and began a vigorous conquest of the southern mountainous area.
The indigenous ants in the southern mountainous area are naturally not as troublesome as the destroyers, but the terrain here is complex and simple military methods are very ineffective. For example, some mountainous areas that have been repeatedly cleared often have fish that have slipped through the net resurgence, and they will surely do so after the wedding season. There are countless new indigenous tribes established in the blank areas beyond the reach of the Ant Alliance.
Therefore, "Lamboser III" followed Zhu Jue's advice and followed a combination of soft and hard tactics.
On the one hand, the Angel King's field army of the Ant Alliance resolutely eliminated the indigenous tribes in valleys and other key transportation areas, eliminated or expelled them, and built forts in strategic locations. At the same time, they used a large number of small-scale strongholds to protect transportation lines and ensure peace and stability. Local communication is smooth. Some relatively spacious valleys are even more vigorously managed as important material supply areas and ant settlements in the mountainous areas.
On the other hand, the Ant Alliance did not spend much effort to develop those barren and rugged mountains, forest farms, and lakes, leaving them to the many indigenous tribes in the mountainous areas. However, in order to prevent these indigenous tribes from coveting the riches of the United States and frequently looting, which made the garrison overwhelmed, "Ramboser III" had to divide and conquer them.
The indigenous tribes who were stubbornly enemies of the Ant United States were wiped out at all costs, and corpses were built on important roads to warn other tribes. Those tribes that are willing to live in peace can be traded by the Ant Alliance to exchange what they need.
Most of the time, this kind of trade with indigenous tribes is loss-making. Basically, the things that indigenous tribes can produce are very limited. The most practical goods that indigenous tribes can produce is food. However, in mountainous areas with less land and barren land, food is far more precious than in plains. , these grains are not enough for them to eat. But the Ant Alliance is willing to exchange expensive crow honey and other goods with them, even if it can only exchange for some low-value local products. Especially the crow honey provided by the Ant Alliance is difficult for all the indigenous tribes to part with. They are even willing to exchange the ant eggs and adult ants of their own tribe.
Therefore, on the surface, the Ant Alliance seems to have suffered a loss in such a transaction. It can only exchange for a small amount of food, some herbs with unknown effects, and ant slaves that are not easy to use. However, two-thirds of the crow honey produced in the southern region They are all consumed here and cannot be exported to the civilized ants who are willing to buy at high prices. Zhu Jue is still willing to implement such a trade policy for a long time.
For nearly half a year, relying on military deterrence and trade connections, the Ant Alliance has now established a foothold on the outskirts of the mountainous area. With [Victory City] and three small valleys as its main bases, and the valley traffic roads as its lifeline, it will use trade The bound indigenous tribes were used as peripheral barriers, and a new ruling system gradually took shape.
However, the expansion of the Ant Alliance in the mountainous area is not without challenges. Towards the highest peak of the mountainous area - a typical triangular cone-shaped mountain, about two to three thousand meters high, a lonely mountain peak above all other peaks, so that Zhu Jue After first seeing it in the information package, he named it "Matterhorn" - during the advance, "Lamboser III" discovered that there was a large alliance of indigenous tribes here.
This is a group of silky brown forest ants that occupy a dominant position around the Matterhorn. Unlike other local forest ants, these silky brown forest ants do not often attack each other between different tribes, and will form alliances when faced with challenges from other ant tribes. In response, after the death of an unknown overlord in this mountainous area, after hundreds of years of development, these silky brown forest ants rose up and formed a loose tribal alliance. Without the intervention of the Ant Alliance, perhaps in a few hundred years, this mercerized brown forest ant alliance would be able to unify the mountainous area!
Since the beginning of autumn, as the sphere of influence of the Ant Federation and the Silk Brown Forest Ant Tribal Alliance have bordered, conflicts have continued between the two sides. Unlike other indigenous ants, these Silk Brown Forest Ant Tribes cannot be easily subdued by military means or trade. With the current situation, there will definitely be a battle between the two sides after the spring begins!
———
After several heavy snowfalls, Zhu Jue was trapped in his lair as in previous years, cut off from most places.
Fortunately, thanks to the newly repaired long-distance underground tunnel, Zhu Jue maintained smooth information flow with the most important battlefield on the Western Front, and also maintained basic connections with the Eastern and Southern Fronts. However, this information network was often delayed by three to five days.
There is no way, who makes the flying knight unable to fly through the narrow underground tunnel, and can only let the faster thin-footed ant messenger run back and forth!
There is one wave of couriers on the Western Front a day, and if the war is urgent, it can be increased to three waves. What surprised Zhu Jue was that the Destroyer had not launched an attack on the Black Fire Ant Kingdom's border defense line until late winter. Perhaps they were held back by the "red land" base.
Zhu Jue is both happy and worried. The good news is that the later the Destroyer launches its offensive on the border defense line of the Black Fire Ant Nation, the greater the possibility that this defense line will hold out until spring, and the harder it will be for the defense line to fall and the Black Fire Ant Nation to fall as well. tragedy. What is worrying is that if the Destroyers take advantage of the winter to clear out the new base area, it will be difficult to resist if many elite base areas are transferred away not long after they are established.
In Zhu Jue's complicated mood, the last night of the 13th year of the new calendar passed.
The next day, Zhu Jue braved the cold air and pushed open the highest window in the highest ant mound in Pioneer City. Bright sunlight came in and shone on Zhu Jue, making Zhu Jue's already golden body even more golden. The light is brilliant, as dazzling as a god.
The spring of the 14th year of the New Calendar has arrived together with the sunshine!
