Iron Dynasty Chapter 1037

Catching sight of the Dutch-style structures lining the coast of Manila, Eric felt a sudden wave of relief wash over him following his narrow escape. The lingering dread that the events at Zeelandia had inflicted upon him that night began to slowly dissipate.

Stephen’s demeanor mirrored Eric’s own. They ultimately chose not to wait for the soldiers to retrieve their units armed with Han-style rifles and machine guns, forsaking the pursuit of retreat. Two thousand Dutch soldiers were destined to remain forever on the soil of Zeelandia.

“Lingering here is not an option. The Chinese Empire’s fleet, carrying their marines, will descend upon this place shortly, and Manila sits far too close to Bohol Island, where the Empire maintains a garrison,” Stephen warned Eric. He was fixated on reaching Jakarta, hoping to circumvent Indonesia from the south and sail to India without traversing the Malacca Strait, despite the fact that such a route would double their voyage time.

Eric remained in a somber, heavy mood throughout the trek. Their rapport with the Chinese Empire had once been incredibly harmonious; he had even enjoyed the privilege of visiting Qingzhou to indulge in its decadence. All such prospects had been shattered by those fools sitting in parliament.

Stifling his fury, Eric remarked, “Councilor Stephen, since you possess the audacity to declare war upon the Chinese Empire, you must be prepared to face the repercussions. Manila stands in peril, and Jakarta is hardly safe either. My congratulations, for the Netherlands is set to forfeit everything held in Asia. To hell with those idiots in the parliament!”

Stephen’s face flushed a deep crimson, then deepened to a bruised purple. As a member of that very parliament, he felt the sting of Eric’s words as a direct, personal insult.

The frustration and shock he had bottled up over the last two days finally boiled over. “You had the chance to remain in Zeelandia and serve the Chinese Empire, so why did you choose to accompany me? It is not too late for you to turn back, you know.”

“My loyalty lies with the Netherlands, not with a bunch of blithering fools such as yourself,” Eric shot back without hesitation.

While this verbal skirmish raged, six Dutch warships glided into the pier. Simon, the administrator of Manila, watched them and bellowed, “Hey, gentlemen, what is the cause of this bickering? Get off the vessels quickly; I have taken the liberty of preparing lunch.”

At the sound of his voice, the two men ceased their fighting, snorted with indignation, and disembarked.

Approaching Simon, Eric insisted, “Simon, how do the preparations stand? We must depart for Jakarta once lunch concludes. The Great Yu Empire’s fleet will be arriving momentarily.”

Simon’s countenanced shifted, and he asked, “How so? Have you already…”

“Ask Stephen for the details.” Eric cut him off, unwilling to dwell on the subject. To manage the Asian colonies, the Netherlands had appointed one governor and two administrators. Eric governed Zeelandia, Simon held Manila, and a third official managed Jakarta. Though Eric held supreme authority, the other two were bound to his command.

Stephen looked at Simon and provided a nod. “Time is a luxury we lack. The British and French will not grant us room to maneuver.”

Simon wore a complex expression. “This is far too abrupt. An immediate departure means forfeiting substantial assets. We have cultivated Manila for years, and our economic interests—the mines and estates—are worth a fortune.”

“There is nothing to be done,” Eric replied. “We have engaged the Chinese Empire in war. Remaining here is equivalent to awaiting our own demise. We evacuate after lunch. I will not wait for laggards.”

Hardly had his words ceased when Stephen interjected, “Simon is not to leave yet. We need him to obstruct the Chinese Empire’s southward advance. The Allied forces require time to mobilize.”

Eric was incandescent with rage. He gestured sharply at Stephen and shouted, “Was the slaughter of two thousand Dutch soldiers not sufficient for you? How many more of our countrymen must bleed?”

Stephen, having reached his limit with Eric’s attitude, drew a letter of authorization from his pocket and addressed Simon with grave intent. “Simon, the parliament has granted me temporary mandate over all matters concerning the Asian colonies. Eric’s sudden eagerness to flee is highly suspicious. I order you to take Eric into custody immediately.”

Both Eric and Simon locked their gaze upon the crimson wax seal gracing the document. It was undoubtedly an authentic verification from the parliament.

Simon hesitated briefly before yielding. “Eric, I am bound by the parliament’s decree.”

With a derisive laugh, Eric held out his arms in a display of helplessness. Moments later, he was apprehended by Simon’s guards.

Stephen permitted a look of triumph to cross his countenance. He had long despised this arrogant governor of Asia. In his view, Eric’s inclination toward the Chinese Empire was nothing short of cowardly treachery.

Once Eric was hauled away, Stephen instructed Simon, “Mobilize the soldiers of Manila at once to construct defenses against the Chinese Empire. Provided you execute these orders with fidelity, I shall petition parliament to facilitate your return to the motherland.”

Hope flared in Simon’s eyes. Having endured years of monotony far from home, he was desperate for a return to the Netherlands.

“Councilor Stephen, I shall do my utmost,” Simon promised.

Stephen offered a satisfied smile. After consuming lunch and restocking supplies in Manila, he departed for Jakarta in the afternoon with his fleet. It was there that the Dutch maintained their most formidable military strength in Asia.

Standing on the pier after seeing Stephen off, Simon made immediately for the prison and unlocked Eric’s cell.

Faced with Simon’s enigmatic smirk, Eric appeared utterly perplexed.

“Eric, you are obligated to assist me. Whether I ever return to the Netherlands hinges entirely on my performance here,” Simon stated levelly.

“That is delusional!” Eric retorted with a sneer. He knew well that Simon had been stationed there to monitor him, as the two harbored deep mutual distrust.

Having fallen under the other man’s heel, he felt a sting of bitterness. Simon lacked any aptitude for military affairs, whereas Eric possessed genuine combat experience; this was precisely why Simon needed him.

“Do not be so hasty in your dismissal,” Simon reasoned. “Consider your kin back in the Netherlands. We can return home once this conflict is resolved. Should we manage to thwart the Empire’s advance, our contributions will be immense. Even if we suffer a defeat, we have the means to retreat to Jakarta. The Empire lacks our intimate knowledge of these surrounding waters.”

Eric felt a conflict stirring within him. He was thoroughly disheartened, and his sole ambition remaining was to reach the Netherlands safety.

Nodding finally, he agreed, “I will aid you in resisting the Chinese Empire. But first, see that a ship is prepared; otherwise, all will be lost.”

“That is already handled. I have set men to the task. For now, focus on establishing the defenses.” A glint of avarice flashed in Simon’s eyes. He was even greedier than Eric; he intended to use this chaotic window to spirit away the gold he had plundered from Manila, while simultaneously hoping to secure some of the Empire’s advanced firearms to secure a bright future for himself.