At the strategic level, the Newland Republic has already faced a catastrophic defeat.
To put it bluntly, in a situation where victory is unattainable, the only choice for the Newland Authority is to abandon the illusion of capturing the Howay Islands. With no negotiation terms available, and having suffered setbacks, the Newland Authority would not negotiate with the Empire under extremely disadvantageous circumstances. Hence, after giving up the idea of attacking the Howay Islands, they would undoubtedly deploy forces in other directions to change the unfavorable situation.
Clearly, this is a situation that the Imperial Authority is striving to avoid.
The Newland Republic continues to exert pressure in the East Ocean, putting the Imperial Navy under strain, while using the vast East Ocean to buy time. To put it directly, it's about relying on relatively limited investments to tie down the enemy's main forces, thus allowing more troops to be deployed in other areas.
