Mistaken Match: Marrying the Enigmatic CEO
Chapter 2365; Destroy Holy Fire
Emmanuel nodded, his gaze steady, as if he’d heard it all before. The weight of the world hung in the air, but he was no stranger to such burdens.
He was a soldier, a man hardened by war. Every order, every strategy, it all came down to survival and legitimacy.
Chanaea’s attack on Ashdon Nation was justified, no doubt. Ashdon had poked the bear, crossed the line, violated Chanaea’s sovereignty. But the Holy Fire organization? A shadow. A hidden serpent in the grass. If Chanaea’s forces marched into the foreign land to deal with a clandestine threat, the world would never understand.
Expose it, and Chanaea would be labeled the aggressor, a warmonger bent on invasion.
Emmanuel’s voice was a calm ripple across the tension. “So, how many troops can I mobilize, really?”
“Not more than a hundred thousand.” Ethan answered, his tone blunt.
He shifted, his brow furrowing as he added. “But you need to keep it low profile. You control the northern forces and those in Tocvale. Our goal is simple, wipe out the Holy Fire organization and crush Eagle Nation’s covert plans.”
“But if word gets out… the international backlash could stop us cold. We’d be forced to pull back.
“And that would put us at a major disadvantage when facing Eagle Nation in the long run.”
“But if we succeed, with the shifts in the western and central fronts, Chanaea will take control. We’ll shape the nest century.”
The words hung in the air, thick and charged, Emmanuel felt the gravity of it all press down on him. His shoulders tensed and after a long, slow brath, he replied, “Understood, President.”
Ethan’s hand clapped firmly on his shoulder. “I trust you, Emmanuel.”
A moment of silence passed before Ethan spoke again, his tone softening slightly. “I hope you can also find your wife in the process, You two, you and Mackenzie, are the strength of Chanaea, each in your own way.”
Emmanuel blinked, the words piercing through him. He stared at Ethan, confusion clouding his mind.
“President, what do you mean? Find my wife? Mackenzie?” His voice caught, a tremor running through it as the realization crept in.
Ethan’s eyes widened, clearly taken aback. “Emmanuel, you didn’t know? Your wife went missing three days ago. Commander Sheffield-Grey reported that she went to Tocvale on her own.”
“What?” Emmanuel’s voice was barely whisper, shock flooding him. Mackenzie… missing for three days? Why didn’t anyone tell me?
Fear gripped his chest as he reached out, gripping Ethan’s shoulder with a sudden, desperate force. “President, please, tell me everything. Why would Mackenzie go to Tocvale alone? Is this real? Is it true?”
“It’s true,” Ethan replied, his voice steady, devoid of doubt.
“According to Commander Sheffiel-Grey, your wife was likely cursed by the Blackshoot Witchcraft Worm. Someone has taken control of her. She’s most likely back with the Holy Fire organization now.”
Emmanuel staggered back, his face draining of color.
Blackshoot Witchcraft Worm?
How had this happened?
What was Quintus up to?
Why hadn’t Dragonicus stepped in? Why had no one stopped this? Why was Mackenzie, his wife, caught in the middle of it all?
“Emmanuel, don’t let this break you, Don’t act rashly!”
Ethan’s voice rang with urgency, a rare tremor beneath his calm façade.
Emmanuel, the man Ethan had trusted above all others, was the only one who could bear the weight of this mission.
But to Ethan’s relief, Emmanuel didn’t let his emotions take hold. Instead, with a brief, measured bow, he left the conference room his demeanor as cold and controlled as ever.
“Sage, Eve, Gavin, fall in!”
Emmanuel’s boots struck the stone floor of Zovince’s temporary command center, each step sharp, purposeful. There was no time for pleasantries. He gazed the seal of command, his fingers brushing the cold metal as he spoke with a voice that cut through the air. “Move out!”
“Yes, sir!”
They understood the significance of this moment.
Emmanuel, now the supreme commander of the southern campaign, was leading them into the heart of the war. The Northern Region had firmly established itself as the true backbone of Chanaea’s military force.
“Gavin!”
“Here, sir!”
“I’m assigning you to immediately return to the Northern Region. Set up defenses, gather 300,000 men, and have them ready to move south at my command!”
“Understood!” Gavin responded with a nod, his expression solid.
He paused, though, his brows knitting together in mild confusion. “Commander, are we really going to need 300,000 men to deal with a small, barely developed country like Ashdon Nation?”
Emmanuel’s face didn’t change, the lines of it hardening like stone. “It’s to keep Eagle Nation out of the picture.”
A covert mission. A dangerous one. Emmanuel had been entrusted with information to sensitive that even his most trusted allies weren’t allowed to know the full scope. He couldn’t afford to reveal too much, even to Gavin. A simple excuse, and nothing more.
“Got it.”
Gavin snapped back to attention, already moving out to carry out his orders.
“Eve, you’re in charge of logistics. Make sure that once I give the word, those 300,000 troops can mobilize and be in the southern region within three days.”
Eve spoke immediately. “Understood!”
Eve’s voice was steady, unwavering. Her expression hardened as she took on the weight of the responsibility.
Emmanuel gaze shifted to Sage. The look in his eyes wasn’t one of calm anymore. It was something darker, something fierce.
Sage felt the chill of it, the weight of impending change pressing down on him. He knew, with that look, something was about to break.
Emmanuel didn’t let anger consume him. His voice was steady, controlled. “Sage, I’m putting you in charge of the Wolf Warrior Elite Unit. One thousand men. You have three days to find my wife. I want her exact location. Don’t fail me.”
Sage felt the weight of the command slam into him.
He knew Emmanuel had already figured out what had happened to Mackenzie. He also understood why they’d kept it from him, if he’d known sooner, he would’ve charged straight for Tocvale, driven by nothing but the need to find her.
“Understood, Commander!”
Sage’s jaw tightened, determination in his eyes. “If I fail to find her within three days, I will face any punishment I deserve.”
Emmanuel gave no repose, just a quick flick of his hand. The order was clear; move out.
Without wasting another second. Sage and Gavin were gone, heading straight to their tasks.
Eve stayed behind, her voice low but piercing. “Commander, do you have time check on the Commander Adkins?”
Emmanuel’s mind was a storm of thoughts, all focused on Mackenzie. But there was nothing he could do without information. Anxiety wouldn’t help anyone, not now.
Ethan made him commander of a campaign, and work took precedence. He must stay calm at all times.
At the mention of Santiago, he gave a nod.
He soon found himself in Zovince’s high security hospital, the one reserved for the nation’s most important figures.
Santiago and the unconscious Artemis were both here, receiving care. But there was no time for Artemis.
Emmanuel’s steps were quick and precise as he made his way to Santiago’s room.
The hospital room was spacious, sterile, a place where only the best care could be found.
The medical equipment was top-tier, the kind you’d expect for the highest levels of government. Yet, despite all of this, Santiago had been in coma for over a week.
Emmanuel stood by the bed, his gaze never leaving his mentor. His eyes searched for any sign of improvement, but none came.
“Commander, do you think you can save him?” Eve stood back, her eyes full of concern.
She had worked with Santiago for years, and he had always treated her like a daughter. His fate weighed heavily on her.
“No.” Emmanuel shook his head, his voice heavy with resignation.
“Commander Adkins was struck by someone with power beyond belief. His heart’s meridians… they were shattered. He tried to force a recovery, but his injuries are beyond saving. It’s a miracle he’s even still alive. If it weren’t for his skill and the quick intervention he received, he would’ve been gone already. Anyone else would be dead by now.”
Eve nodded slowly, her face falling.
Emmanuel exhaled sharply, frustration creeping into his voice. “I can’t do anything for him… But I have to winder if my other teacher has the answer. Commander Adkins’ condition… it’s not unlike Rhett’s. I need to find a way to save them both.”
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