Working as a police officer in Mexico

"The Northern Mexican Army annihilated the drug traffickers and Spanish Allies occupying Roca Partida Island and Clarion Island on February 28th, killing 4927 people!"

"Captured 2128!"

As March began, Mexican News Group squeezed out a big one.

Many Mexicans wore confused expressions.

Wait, I just woke up, and you've already won another battle? And you've killed that many?

But of course, the truth was not as exaggerated.

To borrow a phrase from the Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels, "The essence of news is not to reveal the truth, but to confuse and deceive."

With those numbers released, the mood of the domestic populace skyrocketed, and even the morale of the military was boosted. Who wouldn't be pleased with striking at the enemy?

Just as anticipated by the Governor's Mansion.

At that moment, inside the Spanish Department of Defense building,

There were sighs of despair everywhere!

His Majesty Carlos was still ill, running a high fever, and the fallout from the "carrier fleet destroyed" incident became increasingly acute.

Separatist organizations like ETA and those from the Catalonia region took advantage of the situation to cause trouble!

Madrid had several bombings occur, even the National Guard barracks were attacked with car bombs, resulting in 36 casualties.

Interestingly, ETA collaborated with Latin American drug traffickers against Victor, while the Spanish Government also opposed Victor. Logically, an enemy of an enemy should be a friend.

But instead, they started knocking each other's heads.

In the end, it all comes down to interest.

"The next target for the Mexicans will definitely be Socorro Island; they can completely build an airport on Roca Partida Island and Clarion Island and starve us out by containing the maritime area!" a Brigadier General stated with furrowed brows, pointing at the map on the wall.

"We're out of options to save them; may God bless them," said the expressionless Major General Javier Daniels, sitting beside him.

He was the top brass of the military, and his admission to such despair was telling.

The Brigadier General looked at him in shock, his dissatisfaction surging, "Are we to abandon them? That does not align with the tradition and interests of the Spanish Army!"

"Then are you going to swim across the Pacific to support them?"

Gah...

The Brigadier General's face turned beet red, and he faltered, finding himself weak in response, before finally collapsing back into his chair.

Swimming across the Pacific Ocean...

Then I can only stand from a "high ground" and pity them. I'm afraid of dying, too.

The destruction of the Asturias Prince carrier fleet was a severe loss; the Spanish Navy was practically gone...

With Spain's current dire economy, could they even afford to build another light carrier?

As the atmosphere gradually grew heavy, the Army Chief of Staff Ferruccio Villa, seated next to Lieutenant General Javier Daniels, spoke up, "Let the soldiers on Socorro Island surrender."

!!!!

"No! We fight until the last defender; we absolutely must not surrender!" The Brigadier General stood up again, slamming his hands on the table as he shouted.

"Then you go?" Ferruccio Villa glanced at him, his brows knit in disapproval. As he saw the other ready to retaliate, he grabbed the ashtray from the table and hurled it, hitting the Brigadier General on the head, blood immediately pouring out.

"Stop banging on the table! Do you not have any sense of military hierarchy? Get out!" Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire

The Brigadier General, still stubborn, clutched his forehead as his colleagues quickly dragged him away.

You have no strong connections, why resist so vehemently?

Ferruccio Villa looked at his peer, Major General Javier Daniels, "If they all perish, we'll have to pay significant compensation, and the domestic public opinion pressure will be immense."

The Spanish Foreign Legion isn't like France's; three-quarters are natives with purer bloodlines. If they all die, their families will be waving flags in protest for us sending their children to death.

Lieutenant General Javier Daniels took a deep breath, "You must know what you're doing."

Army Chief of Staff Ferruccio Villa shook his head and stood up, "I am going to request retirement."

As he walked towards the door, he said with a hint of loss, "It's no longer our era."

Lieutenant General Javier Daniels smoked and frowned.

The lower-ranking officers dared not utter a word; they could only cautiously exchange glances.

"Surrender in the name of the Department of Defense," he finally said, choosing compromise.

"But... regarding His Majesty the King," someone tentatively added.

"Spain is a constitutional monarchy, not autocratic, he will agree."

The hand of Major General Javier Daniels trembled; he knew the repercussions he would face for making this decision, but as General Ferruccio Villa said,

"Our time has passed."

...

"Surrender?"

Victor raised his eyebrows in surprise, taking the document from the hands of Horatio Herbert Kitchener.

"Yes, unconditional surrender, but they are asking for a guarantee of their soldiers' safety."

"Since when does surrender come with conditions? Unacceptable, not allowed, if they can't fight, they surrender; what do they take this place for? Am I playing house with them?" Victor scanned the document, then crumpled it into a ball of waste paper and tossed it in the trash can.

These Spanish wouldn't dare act like this if they were in front of him, lest they get a taste of "Ashtray War God!"

"They say they won't fight and then just leave afterwards?"

"I'll make them understand, offending Victor means not even their corpses will be spared. Order the Air Force, commence the bombing mission; I'll sink Socorro Island if I must to ensure they die here."