Kapitel 50: Lightning campaign

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As the silence of the conquered city lingered in the air, we knew the drug empire we had just dismantled was far from completely destroyed. While searching through the narcoqueen's mansion, we stumbled upon a room where the cartel's leaders used to meet. On the wall hung a map, revealing all the operational points of their drug organization. To our surprise, their network extended far beyond what we had anticipated, covering neighboring territories and supplying a wide market of consumers, as well as rival drug lords.

The map clarified part of the story the narcoqueen had tried to tell me before her death. Caesar, in his unstoppable expansion, had conquered many tribes that used to do business with her. For years, she saw the Legion as a potential threat but never took it seriously—an arrogance that eventually led to her downfall and literally cost her her head. Her underestimation of our strength was her demise.

However, with her death came rewards. The riches she had accumulated were vast—gold, silver, and an astonishing number of bottle caps all poured into the Legion's treasury. Despite the success, this sudden influx of precious metals posed a problem. Flooding the market with such an amount of gold and silver all at once could destabilize the Legion's economy, leading to a significant drop in our currency's value and potentially triggering inflation.

It was wise to be cautious with these newfound riches. Instead of releasing them all at once, the most prudent course of action would be to store the treasure secretly and release small amounts over time. With proper control, we could use these resources to fund future campaigns and consolidate our position without compromising the Legion's economic stability.

Continuing south would not be a wise strategy. Advancing in that direction would dangerously stretch our supply lines, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from other Mexican states still operating on the periphery. With this region now secured under our control, the logical next step was to expand east and north, strengthening our zones of influence instead of risking everything on a reckless incursion into the unknown.

The city we had conquered had little more to offer beyond drugs, which we had already destroyed completely. The entire infrastructure of the narcotics trade had been obliterated, and any trace of the operation had been wiped off the map. While the riches in gold and silver were significant, we couldn't rely solely on this loot. The true strength of a region lies in its ability to produce something tangible—food, minerals, or useful goods for the Legion. But this city had been too consumed by decadence and drugs to hold much value in those terms.

The addicts, who had no place in the social fabric of the Legion, had been executed. We couldn't afford to carry that dead weight. There was no future for them, and their presence only represented a threat to the stability we were building. This act, though cruel in the eyes of some, was necessary to purge weaknesses and make room for a fresh start, just as the local population was swiftly enslaved and sent back to Legion territory to be reformed.

It was time to set our sights on las Granjas, a territory that had been in Caesar's crosshairs for years. However, in the past, the defense of the "Mexican god" had been a formidable obstacle. This entity, which ruled the state, commanded hordes of robots that could be quickly mobilized for defense, forcing Caesar to halt his advance. This was not an enemy to be underestimated, and Caesar had no desire to risk an open confrontation with a mechanized force that surpassed any conventional capabilities.

But the circumstances had drastically changed. The isolationist policy of las Granjas, which had long protected them, now left them vulnerable. They avoided any contact with the Republic of the Rio Grande, ignored the drug lords, and, most importantly, had stayed out of any conflict with Caesar and the Legion. That neutrality, which once protected them, now worked against them. There were no alliances to save them, and their isolation had only made them defenseless against the ever-strengthening Legion.

With our current positions secured and no immediate risk of a counterattack on Legion territory, it was the perfect time to launch an offensive. The presence of castras along the northern border ensured that any enemy incursions would be halted before they could pose a real threat.

With a week of preparation, we gathered the necessary supplies, including fusion cores for our vehicles and troops, and organized the transport of the captured slaves back to safer territory. At the same time, we swiftly pacified the remaining narcos. I left two hundred well-armed men behind to guard the conquered zone and continue training with their new assault rifles, ensuring they maintained control as the Legion pressed forward.

We didn't know who the leader of this state was, as they rarely appeared in public or moved outside their sphere of influence. The state maintained a democratic regime, though its leader had been elected consecutively several times, keeping neutral in the power struggles and avoiding taking sides. What we knew for certain was that this region was renowned for its fertile land—not thanks to GECKs or advanced terraforming techniques, but through generations of farmers who had worked the soil tirelessly. Their seeds had adapted perfectly to the local climate, gradually restoring some of the land's fertility.

What little we knew of this leader was that they frequently traveled between the state's two largest cities, attending votes and reviewing laws and proposals. This routine was predictable, making them an ideal target for assassination before an invasion. With their death, chaos would grip the state, paving the way for our advance.

The frumentarii, our spies and infiltration experts, confirmed that the leader of las Granjas was traveling along a highway at that moment, moving between the cities of Cuauhtémoc and Chihuahua. Wasting no time, I boarded the vertibird, and we began our search. After a few hours of flying, we found what we were looking for—a small convoy moving quickly along the highway, escorting the leader.

Without hesitation, I flew the Vertibird low, positioning us parallel to the convoy. Drusus took charge of pulling the trigger on the mounted weapons. Bullets rained down furiously on the convoy's vehicles. Within seconds, they began to explode, one after another, in a chain of destruction. Smoke and flames rose from the highway, signaling that our mission had been a success.

Immediately, I returned to camp and ordered the invasion of the territory to commence, setting course for the city of Cuauhtémoc. The state's defenses proved to be as weak as we had anticipated. Their "army" consisted of poorly organized local militias armed with basic equipment, incapable of facing anything more than simple raiders. They stood no chance against the machinery and discipline of the Legion.

We advanced quickly toward the city, and as we reached the outskirts, we encountered weak and disorganized resistance. The few local defenders fired their weapons, but their bullets barely ricocheted off our armored vehicles. Their surprise and fear were evident, and without proper weapons, their resistance was futile. We entered the city with almost no opposition, moving through its streets with total dominance. Chaos reigned, with those attempting to resist doing so in an uncoordinated manner, and their panic grew as they realized their efforts were in vain.

Once we reached the city center, we headed straight for the town hall. The structure was large but poorly defended, much like the rest of the city. We deployed our troops to ensure no officials inside could escape. As we descended from our vehicles, we entered the town hall with relentless speed.

With the mayor secured and the militia leader under our control, dispersing the remaining militiamen was a simple task. I ordered them to surrender their weapons and return to their homes, with a clear warning that any attempt to reorganize would be punished mercilessly. At the same time, we made sure they couldn't call for reinforcements, blocking communications and maintaining strict surveillance over any suspicious activity.

We left a garrison to maintain order in the city, along with enough supplies to sustain our men. I couldn't afford to linger long in Cuauhtémoc; the next target, the city of Chihuahua, awaited. Being the other major city in las Granjas, a repeat of the same swift and decisive strategy would be key to securing total control over the territory.

The collapse of the local power structure in Cuauhtémoc had sown enough chaos to prevent any attempt at reorganizing the militias. We knew that Chihuahua, being larger, might offer more resistance, but the speed and force of our advance would, once again, be our most powerful advantage.

As our vehicles sped toward the city of Chihuahua, my men prepared for what appeared to be a repeat of the success we had achieved in Cuauhtémoc. Upon arrival, the situation was even more favorable. Just like in Cuauhtémoc, there were barely any organized defenders. They seemed completely blind, deaf, and mute to what was happening around them. With the chain of command broken, the city was disoriented and vulnerable, unable to offer any significant resistance.

Our advance was rapid and decisive. As we entered the city like its new masters, we encountered little to no opposition. A few scattered gunshots from pistols and repeaters echoed in the streets, but they were ineffective against our armored forces. Instead of a prolonged battle, we simply kept moving forward, almost unopposed.

We headed directly for the city center, where what seemed to be their version of a parliament was located, or at least the building where administrative and legislative decisions were made. This was the true core of power in Chihuahua.

Upon reaching the building, we immediately took control. The elected officials who had been chosen to govern the state were captured without resistance, unable to comprehend how quickly the Legion had taken over their world. We ensured there was no organized resistance left, especially after the two largest cities in the state had already fallen to our forces.

With Chihuahua under our control and the state's leaders neutralized, the invasion was a complete success. The two main cities of las Granjas had fallen with barely any difficulty, and with them, the entire territory came under Legion dominion.

This was where my role as an officer became even more critical. If Lanius had secured such an easy victory, he might have sought to turn these territories into tributaries, especially given the fertility of their lands and their capacity to produce vast amounts of food. These products weren't only sold in Mexican territories but also reached the Legion itself. At first glance, this seemed like a strategic victory: consolidating control and ensuring a steady flow of resources for future campaigns.

But I saw it differently. To me, these territories didn't just represent a source of resources—they also represented competition. Even though their agricultural output would be valuable to the Legion, I viewed them as a potential future threat. In a context where agricultural resources are vital, they could become powerful commercial rivals, even within the Legion. While my lands and livestock were unaffected by radiation, thanks to pure seeds and animals, I couldn't underestimate the potential of these fertile lands.

With that in mind, I made a different decision. Instead of simply turning them into tributaries, I acted quickly to prevent any future competition. My forces moved throughout the two conquered cities, disarming the inhabitants and ensuring complete control over the population. I wasn't going to let these farmers and merchants remain a potential threat.

We gathered large groups of slaves, selecting the most capable and valuable to be sent to the Legion, where they would be trained as slaves under the strict standards of the Legion. By doing this, I not only eliminated a possible competitor but also ensured that I could later buy them back, acquiring their agricultural and labor expertise for my own ends.

With this strategy, I turned a military victory into an economic opportunity. Not only did I secure control over the territory, but I also eliminated any chance that these people could regain their position as rival producers. The Legion would get its tribute, and I, in the long run, would gain skilled slaves, increasing my power and control over agricultural resources.

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I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.