The 26th Brigade under Ming Kai attempted to force their way into the development zone with military might.
They were met with resistance from the development zone's security forces, and a brawl ensued.
Ming Kai ordered the army to bombard the security team's positions.
Liu Kai Xuan directly mobilized the maritime drone fleet, launching a remote attack and a comprehensive bombing strike on the 26th Brigade's positions.
The two sides exchanged fire, engaging in fierce combat for an entire day.
By this time, Ming Kai finally realized the gravity of the situation.
With the meager strength at his disposal, trying to defeat Liu Kai Xuan felt like an ant trying to gnaw down an elephant.
The security forces arranged by Liu Kai Xuan in the development zone did not possess any powerful heavy weaponry.
However, the drones circling in the sky were incredibly formidable.
As the drones swept across the sky, bombs rained down like a deluge upon the 26th Brigade's positions.
The drones carpet-bombed the area, while Ming Kai's side had to resist with flesh and blood, the difficulty was unimaginable!
The ground infantry, artillery, and even tanks and armored vehicles became live targets when facing the enemy's superior aerial power.
If the war continued like this, even with more troops, Ming Kai would be completely wiped out by Liu Kai Xuan!
Since they could not win, there was no point in continuing to hold out.
That night, Ming Kai voluntarily retreated twenty kilometers, temporarily halting his operations.
Concurrently, Ming Kai sent people to contact the imperial military.
Ming Kai hoped that the imperial military would intervene and impose sanctions on Liu Kai Xuan.
The reason given was that Liu Kai Xuan had used external forces to kill soldiers of the Senluo Empire on its territory!
The Senluo Empire's military did not provide a definitive response to Ming Kai's proposal.
However, privately, the imperial military sent a low-ranking officer to convey to Ming Kai:
Unless there was an order from His Majesty the King, the imperial army would not take any action.
Ming Kai had suffered a significant loss this time, and such a major incident could not be left unresolved.
Ming Kai then called the imperial royal family again, pleading with Sen Kai to reprimand Liu Kai Xuan for his barbaric behavior.
Ming Kai's call did not connect directly with Sen Kai himself.
A eunuch from the palace conveyed Sen Kai's message over the phone:
The trouble was of Ming Kai's own making, and Sen Kai had already advised him.
Unfortunately, Ming Kai had ignored Sen Kai's well-intentioned advice.
Now that things had gone awry, Ming Kai needed to find a way to resolve it himself.
After relaying Sen Kai's message, the eunuch directly hung up the phone.
When Ming Kai called again, it was no longer possible to get through!
The situation had reached this point, and regardless of whether Ming Kai was happy or unhappy, he had to accept reality.
Since he couldn't win, he would retreat.
Ming Kai's plan was: since things were already like this, he might as well play dead.
As for the safety of his wife and daughter, Ming Kai could no longer concern himself with it.
In Ming Kai's view, his own reputation was the most important thing.
If he were to compromise with Liu Kai Xuan now, his reputation would completely collapse.
...
Liu Kai Xuan would not allow Ming Kai's plan to succeed!
Before the war began, any discussions and negotiations were possible.
But now that hostilities had been initiated, closing it down would not be so easy.
Ming Kai's troops continued to be subjected to Liu Kai Xuan's aerial attacks during their retreat.
This was not the worst of it; the worst was that even after Ming Kai fled back to his stronghold, Liu Kai Xuan's attacks did not cease.
On the night Ming Kai retreated to his stronghold, Earl Ming Kai's manor was reduced to ruins by fierce aerial bombardments.
Ming Kai narrowly escaped with his life due to his timely flight.
Wave after wave of relentless attacks swept in, and Ming Kai finally felt fear!
In fact, when Ming Kai dared to provoke Liu Kai Xuan, he certainly had some backing.
Ming Kai's backing was: his soldiers had strong combat capabilities!
If it were a fair and square battle, even if Liu Kai Xuan's soldiers were stronger, Ming Kai could have fought him to the death.
The problem now was: Liu Kai Xuan's attacks on Ming Kai were entirely aerial.
For a minor warlord faction like Ming Kai's, this was a brutal downgrade in combat capability.
Let alone a minor noble warlord like Ming Kai, even the regular imperial army of the Senluo Empire did not have a decent air force.
The imperial army's air force, at most, had the scale of a single flight group.
Among these, the number of combat-ready aircraft that could take off normally was very limited.
Moreover, the imperial army's aircraft were all retired second-hand planes bought from militarily powerful nations, many of them ancient and outdated.
Liu Kai Xuan's drones, however, were all brand new, fresh off the production line.
Although the drones were small, their technological content was extremely high.
Even if the imperial army's flight group were to engage, they might not be able to control the situation.
What was most terrifying was: once the fire was ignited, it would be difficult to extinguish.
Just as Liu Kai Xuan dared to bomb the Imperial Palace of the Kaiya Empire back then, he would dare to strike the Senluo Empire's Imperial Palace today.
Therefore, Sen Kai would absolutely not invite trouble upon himself at this time.
The only help he could offer Ming Kai was to warn him not to provoke Liu Kai Xuan before the conflict began.
The imperial army had already received strict orders from Sen Kai not to provide any support to Ming Kai.
At the same time, other noble factions in the Senluo Empire collectively chose to remain silent upon seeing this situation.
Despite Ming Kai's desperate pleas for help from all around, no one was willing to assist him in dealing with Liu Kai Xuan.
Finally, out of helplessness, Ming Kai, with thick skin, approached Princess Sen Ya once more.
Finding Princess Sen Ya was finding the right person.
It was likely that in the entire Senluo Empire, only Princess Sen Ya was willing to handle this matter now.
During the days Liu Kai Xuan was bombing Earl Ming Kai's manor, Princess Sen Ya almost approached Liu Kai Xuan daily to negotiate.
Sen Ya hoped that Liu Kai Xuan would cease fire and return to the negotiating table to negotiate with Ming Kai.
Unfortunately, Liu Kai Xuan ignored Sen Ya's suggestions.
With Liu Kai Xuan, there was no room for negotiation.
The war was initiated by Ming Kai, and Ming Kai must bear all the responsibility.
If Ming Kai truly wished for a ceasefire, he must first release the thirty-five laborers he had captured in the development zone.
Furthermore, Ming Kai had to bear all the war reparations and issue a public apology through the media.
If even one of these conditions was not met, the war would not stop.
Upon receiving Ming Kai's plea for help again, Sen Ya immediately relayed Liu Kai Xuan's ceasefire conditions to Ming Kai.
The conditions now put forth by Liu Kai Xuan were simply life-threatening for Ming Kai!