Chapter 780: The Final Counterattack |
France and Russia were focused on recovering their strength, while Austria was busy with its Near East Development Plan. With all three major continental powers preoccupied, none had the energy to stir up trouble.
Given this situation, the British refrained from making any reckless moves as well. As a result, international tensions eased, and the lingering scent of gunpowder gradually faded from Europe.
Franz was in a good mood. If nothing unexpected happened, he would soon move up another generation in the family hierarchy.
Aging changes a person’s perspective, and Franz was no exception. While his anticipation for grandchildren was not as intense as that of Empress Helene, it was still considerable.
The imperial family needed heirs, and although Crown Prince Frederick was not particularly old, this was a matter best addressed sooner rather than later.
With countless eyes watching from the outside, the sooner a third generation was born, the sooner everyone could feel at ease.
However, moments of happiness were always fleeting. Seeing Chancellor Felix hurrying over, Franz knew trouble had come knocking again.
“Your Majesty, there is an issue in Anatolia.”
At the mention of Anatolia, Franz’s expression immediately tensed.
Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Anatolian Peninsula had always been a battleground for powerful empires. Both the Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire had dominated the Mediterranean and exerted influence across three continents by securing control over this vital region.
For Austria, the situation was no different. As long as it controlled Anatolia, the oil of the Middle East and the resources of Africa would be within its grasp. This made the region the core of the Near East Development Plan.
Beyond its immense value, Anatolia also offered strategic security, making it an ideal rear stronghold.
The Caucasus was unsuitable for large-scale military operations, so the Russians could not easily cross the mountains to launch an attack. Armenia and Persia were too small to pose any real threat.
For now, naval threats still existed, but with advancing technology, they would soon become irrelevant.
Although aviation was still in its infancy, it was expected to reach World War I standards within a decade. Even if bombing capabilities remained limited, simply mounting a machine gun on an aircraft and strafing from above could still make a difference in naval battles.
Austria’s navy was no pushover, and with air support, defending the homeland would not be an issue.
Concerned, Franz asked, “What happened?”
After taking a breath, Chancellor Felix replied, “A large-scale plague has broken out in Ankara and is spreading in all directions. Many Russian troops responsible for overseeing the migration have also been infected.
To contain the outbreak, the Russian government has decided to suspend the migration, which will directly impact our Near East Development Plan.”
Relocating a population of four to five million would take time. Even if the Russians had no regard for the well-being of the migrants, they could not possibly transport them all in a short period.
Franz pressed further, “Has the source of the plague been identified? Was it just discovered, or has it existed for some time with the Russians failing to take it seriously?”
After a great war, a great plague often follows. This is a natural pattern. During the Near East War, Austria encountered multiple outbreaks, but all were successfully contained.
Most plagues appear and disappear quickly. As long as the source is isolated and the spread is controlled, the situation usually resolves itself in a short time.
Felix shook his head and said, “The source of the outbreak has yet to be determined. However, the plague had already appeared some time ago, but the Russians failed to take it seriously.
At first, the Russian military leadership assumed that the soldiers falling ill were simply suffering from acclimatization issues. It was only when the number of sick officers also began to rise that they realized the severity of the situation.
According to the Russian report, more than 5,000 soldiers have fallen ill so far, but the exact number infected with the plague remains uncertain.”
Hearing this explanation, Franz was speechless. The Russians’ carelessness left him at a loss for words.
Of course, the Russian high command might feel wronged as well. They had returned home to attend victory celebrations, delayed for just over ten days, and hadn’t even had time to celebrate Christmas before rushing back. No one could have predicted that an outbreak would suddenly occur.
Franz gave his orders: “Instruct the troops in the Near East to implement epidemic prevention measures. The migration plan will be postponed for now. Tell the Russians to investigate the cause as soon as possible.”
As a great empire, Russia had its pride. Unless the outbreak spiraled completely out of control, it was unlikely to request external assistance over such a matter.
If it truly did get out of control, even requesting aid would be useless. Given the state of medical technology at the time, no one had the capability to cure a plague.
That was not entirely true. Some plagues could be treated with antibiotics, which were more valuable than gold. The Austrian military had firsthand experience with their effectiveness.
…
In Ankara, Lieutenant General Onetz, who was in charge of the region, stared at the investigation report with a grim expression.
If anyone had been paying attention, they would have noticed beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. In the freezing winter, suddenly breaking into a sweat was clearly not a minor issue.
“Are we certain it’s the plague?”
Although he had already accepted the reality, Lieutenant General Onetz still clung to a final sliver of hope. There was no way around it as the word “plague” was terrifying enough to make anyone in this era tremble.
Military doctor Kozhemyaka, who was in charge of the investigation, frowned and replied, “General, please do not doubt our expertise.”
“Apologies, it’s just that this matter is too serious, and I’m struggling to accept it,” Onetz said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, no longer caring about his appearance.
Kozhemyaka spoke slowly, “Given the current situation, I believe Ankara is no longer suitable for troops to be stationed here.
In fact, the entire Anatolian Peninsula is at serious risk. To prevent the plague from spreading further, the best course of action would be to seal off the peninsula.”
Treatment? That was not an option. Taking care of the officers would already be considered an extraordinary effort. As for ordinary soldiers, the most they could do was distribute some medicine and leave the rest to fate.
As for ordinary people, they were not even a consideration. Relocating them to Siberia would come at a cost, but if the virus took them first, the Russian government could save a fortune.
Lieutenant General Onetz nodded. “I will report your suggestion, but the final decision will have to come from Mother Russia.”
His tone made it clear that he had no concerns about the proposal being rejected. The mere mention of “plague” was enough to strike fear across Europe.
The Black Death was a form of plague, and even after several centuries, its terrifying reputation had not faded.
The Austrian government had originally used the threat of plague as a pretext to justify the relocation of Ottoman civilians. No one had expected the plague to actually break out.
…
News of the “plague” had not yet spread beyond the Russian military’s high command. Ordinary soldiers continued with their duties as usual, without the burden of fear.
Sometimes, ignorance was a blessing. While on patrol, Russian soldier Valentin found himself bored. A few rats scurried past him, immediately catching his attention.
He turned to his companion and said, “Vitaliy, have you noticed that the rats we’ve been seeing lately are unusually big?”
Vitaliy scoffed. “They’re not big. They’re just fat. Look at how slow they are compared to the ones back home.”
Valentin nodded in agreement. “You’re right. The Ottomans must have been living in luxury if even their rats were this well-fed.”
Vitaliy chuckled. “You’re joking, right? They can barely feed themselves. Who would waste food on rats?”
Unconvinced, Valentin replied, “Who knows? But these rats really are fat. Why don’t we follow them? Maybe we’ll stumble upon something valuable. We’ve got nothing better to do anyway.”
Looting was a major source of income for Russian soldiers. Naturally, Ankara had already been ransacked by the army, but in a city this large, there were always hidden treasures that had been overlooked.
Every now and then, someone would strike it rich by discovering these forgotten valuables.
Valentin had never been that lucky himself, but he had heard plenty of stories.
Vitaliy nodded in agreement. “Alright, let’s follow them. I saw them go in through the left.”
Without hesitation, as proper Russian soldiers, they kicked the door open.
Respecting private property was never a consideration. Any wealth left behind by the departing Ottoman residents had already been looted by the Russian troops.
The deeper they went, the more uneasy Vitaliy felt. Though they hadn’t seen any corpses, the overwhelming stench of decay filled the air.
“Damn it,” Vitaliy muttered. “Some lazy bastard must have skipped out on disposing of the bodies.”
Valentin nodded in agreement. “That’s probably it. When we get back, I’m definitely reporting this. Whoever is responsible deserves to be punished.”
Handling corpses was a basic military duty. Cutting corners on this was a direct threat to everyone’s safety.
Even the notoriously undisciplined Russian military enforced strict regulations in this regard. There were rewards for reporting violations, and anyone covering for the guilty was considered just as responsible.
Beyond capturing any remaining enemies and maintaining order in the city, one of the patrol unit’s key responsibilities was to ensure that no corpses were left unattended.
It was a disgusting task, but for the sake of a few rubles, it was something they could put up with.
After searching the area and finding nothing, Vitaliy covered his nose with his hand and said, “The smell is definitely coming from here, but there aren’t any bodies outside. The dust on the debris is thick. No one’s lived here for a long time. There might be a basement.
Look around carefully. We might find something unexpected.”
Valentin furrowed his brows. “Maybe we should just forget about it. The stench is unbearable, and the bodies are probably already rotting. Cleaning that up would be a nightmare.
Besides, this place is so remote that hardly anyone comes here. No one’s going to notice.”
Vitaliy scoffed. “Nonsense. We’ve come this far, so how can we just give up halfway? What if there’s treasure down there? Missing out on that would be a regret for life.”
The lure of riches was too strong. Valentin was convinced. The two of them started knocking around, searching for the entrance to a basement.
After working for half the day, they finally found a clue. But when they opened the hidden chamber, they were completely stunned.
Rows upon rows of naked, rotting corpses lined the space. A few rats, gnawing on the bodies, scurried away as soon as they sensed the intruders.
Valentin immediately gagged and vomited, while Vitaliy wasn’t faring much better. Any dreams of getting rich vanished instantly as they retreated in horror.
It took them at least a kilometer of distance before they started to regain their composure.
Vitaliy sighed helplessly. “We have to report this and request fuel for an on-site burn. There’s no other way to deal with this.”
Valentin, still shaken, nodded absentmindedly. He was completely out of it.
This was just the beginning. More hidden chambers like this were discovered throughout the city. Their growing numbers eventually caught the attention of Russian military officers.
Although Ottoman nobles had always been portrayed as depraved in propaganda, those were isolated cases exaggerated for effect.
Even if a few individuals were deranged enough to stash corpses in a basement to feed rats, it was unthinkable that so many people could be equally insane.
…
When the reports reached Lieutenant General Onetz, it didn’t take much analysis to piece everything together.
The truth was clear. The Ottoman government, unwilling to accept defeat, had deliberately spread the plague in an indiscriminate biological attack.
Even after understanding the situation, General Onetz found no relief. It was already too late as the plague had already taken hold.
As the highest-ranking officer in Ankara, he bore undeniable responsibility for failing to uncover the Ottomans’ plot in time.
***
https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH)