Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1656 - 1182: Xiulote’s Greatest "Side Effect," the "Catalyst" for Alliance Heroes’ Ascension!

"Chief Divine witnesses! The supply within the Maya inland jungle is extremely limited, and the roads are incredibly difficult to traverse, even more challenging than the Sakatekas Desert. The Maya Tribe even has a specific description, 'Trees as thick as grass, forming an endless sea of grass, endless forest sea!'..."

"Due to the limitations of jungle supply, after the collapse of the Mayapan Kingdom, the clashes and struggles among the chieftaincies of various clans rarely involved expeditions exceeding tens of thousands. The typical scale of battles in the jungle, even for the Xiu, Canul, and Kapul three clans with populations of hundreds of thousands, rarely exceeded a few thousand warriors..."

"In such an environment, it is clear the defending side has the geographical advantage! Hence, despite decades of mutual struggles among the dozen or so clans splintered from Mayapan, none have been able to completely annihilate another... The clan states continue to dispute endlessly, yet show no signs of reuniting..."

"On one hand, warriors of various clans are slaughtering each other at the borders, vying for strongholds, farmland, and water sources. On the other hand, the Divine Descendants ruling the clans are marrying among themselves, all being able to claim kinship. The status of the Divine Descendants far surpasses that of the warriors. Even when captured in war, they are rarely killed, except in cases of blood feuds like between Xiu and Kekum... Hmm, marriage alliances? Kin? Xiu and Canul?..."

The jungle under the moon is as deep as the sea, with the cicadas holding silent, and the low croaking of frogs gradually echoing through the woods. The Lowland Maya is equally a paradise for tree frogs, with dozens of unique species dwelling among the forest layers. And a bold hourglass tree frog merely takes a leap to descend from the tree to the space between the tents. Then, with its night-vision round eyes, it gazes at the candlelit shadow in the tent, emitting a gentle "gua" sound.

"Woo... gua!..."

"Hmm?..."

Upon hearing the tree frog's call, East Sea Marshal Bertard paused slightly. A gleam flashed in his eyes, recalling a saying once spoken by His Highness.

"The spider eats the cicada, the tree frog follows after... Who is our unavoidable enemy? Who is our trustworthy ally? Once the so-called enemy is eliminated, will the current ally still be an ally?..."

"Presently, the Kingdom raises the banner of Mayapan's restoration, with eight thousand seaside samurai, three thousand Putun warriors, two thousand Brocade Snake Militia, five thousand Canul warriors, and tens of thousands of Canul militia maintaining logistics in Kapok City... Whereas the Eastern Xiu Clan, according to intelligence from Canul Clan, has gathered seven thousand Xiu warriors, three thousand subordinate clan warriors, and similarly tens of thousands of Xiu militia, staunchly guarding the Uxmal Tri-Star City... If the great army were to eastwardly advance on Uxmal at this moment, a decisive siege battle in the jungle would erupt immediately!..."

"On paper, the restoration allied forces show an overwhelming advantage! But the core of this advantage is the Canul Clan standing behind the allied forces, dispatching legions to accompany the expedition and providing jungle penetration provisions... Yet once deep in the jungle, the lifeline of the Kingdom's army would be in the hands of the Canul Clan!..."

"However, is the Canul Clan truly trustworthy? The vast majority of Xiu intelligence known to the Kingdom comes from the Canul Clan's scouts. What is the reality in the deepest jungle?... Despite years of slaughter, Canul and Xiu's Divine Descendants have also been intermarried... Once Xiu faces the crisis of extinction, ceding border cities, offering great benefits to Canul... The endless Maya Forest Sea is not the highlands familiar to the Kingdom's legion, nor is it the easily found river coastal jungle; it is the barren and treacherous ground that can truly annihilate a legion!..."

Bertard squinted his eyes, focusing on the rudimentary Maya map. The map's entirety originates from Tikalo behind the Maya Royal Family, but the details come from the Canul Clan. Apart from the marked city-states, approximate troop strength, and several key paths, many small paths and water sources are unclear. Only local tribe scouts can find safe water sources in the dense forest where no daylight penetrates...

"Xiu... Canul... and the still unknown movements of the Kapul Clan..."

Bertard extended his finger, pausing for a long time at the spot of the army in Kapok City. To be honest, the reason the Canul Clan joined the restoration allied forces is due to the successive defeats of their troops by the Black Wolf Army along the coast, sacrificing their Divine Descendants, once advancing to Kapok City's foot! And the Kingdom's army sequentially arriving...

The Canul Clan thus panicked and feared, forced to bow and comply. They were even compelled to cede many villages along the coastal line, including the salt-producing Salt Village, as a garrison for the Black Wolf Army. The Black Wolf is known for ruthless martial prowess, sacrificing without hesitation, making the Canul Clan exceedingly fearful while harboring inevitable resentment...

"The Canul Clan holds the possibility of rebellion; I cannot trust them, nor place the life and logistical support for the army in their hands!... The Putun Barbarian Tribe, pursuing wealth and spoils of war, cannot be used for desperate battles or treacherous grounds... The Brocade Snake Clan, forcibly conscripted, might scatter and flee if the offensive does not go smoothly..."

"Chief Divine witnesses! Though my army is massive, capable of intimidating the entire Maya, it cannot slaughter in adversity, unable to afford a single loss! Except for the core eight thousand, the rest of the allied forces cannot be relied on and can only be driven when holding dominance..."

Having clarified this point, Bertard lowered his eyes, once again silent for a long time. Calmly, he picked up his pen, continued organizing thoughts, recalling the teachings once spoken by His Highness.