Hearing Camilla's words, Morakot could not help but fall into deep thought. The orc general with the title of Champion Warrior sighed softly. "Smart beasts will not willingly step into a path of no return. We have been too superstitious about the false sense of security brought by the Great Wall and the Mountain Barrier …"
"Yes." Camilla twitched the corner of her mouth. "But in fact, Wenna and Stiller have realized it in the past two years. The only pity is that we realized it too late. The monsters in the wasteland will not cooperate with us to rebuild the defense line … Hiss."
Morakot was suddenly nervous. "Do you need a doctor?"
"No, I'm not that weak." Camilla waved her hand and then got up from the bed. "Well, the time to lament about being weak is over. I should do something I should do. Morakot, bring me my armor. "
Morakot looked at Camilla who was about to leave the tent. He was so shocked that even the hair on his head stood up. "Chief? Your body is not … "
"Am I supposed to lie on this bed until I'm healed? We are at war now, my general. "Camilla glanced at her most trusted subordinate." The soldiers need to see their leader now. I also need to see the current battlefield with my own eyes. Lament is one thing, but lying in bed and lamenting about the things that can no longer be salvaged will not be able to drive the monsters back into the wasteland. "
The mountains were exceptionally cold in the winter night. Camilla, who had left the tent, shivered in the night wind. As a big cat, she suddenly missed the warm fire and the thick wool mattress in Red Jade City. But this fragile emotion did not linger in her mind for more than a second. Soon, she regained her spirit in the wind and began to patrol the defense line on the ridge with Morakot.
At the end of the distant night, a hazy glow illuminated the dim horizon. The glow was not the sun that would rise in more than an hour, but the Great Wall at the edge of the wasteland.
Compared to the scene in Camilla's memory, the light at the end of the horizon was obviously much dimmer, and it was intermittent. This made her feel particularly uneasy.
"There's still a loophole in the Wall of Grandeur …" Morakot looked up in the direction of Camilla's gaze. His face was solemn. "Before we retreated from the mountain barrier, our scouts confirmed that the sentry towers at the border of the wasteland were being reactivated. But those monsters had obviously destroyed the integrity of the entire Wall of Grandeur. Now we can't get close to the barrier to confirm the details, but we can confirm with our eyes … there are several big holes there, and the monsters are pouring out of those big holes. "
Camilla did not say a word. She just retracted her gaze and silently stared at the camps and towns that were still burning at the foot of the mountain. Every cluster of fire there represented a bloody battle and an attempt to delay the enemy with fire. The fire was effective, but in the face of the overwhelming number of the enemy and the fact that they were not strong enough, the defense line was still retreating.
She turned back and looked in the direction of Red Jade City. The distant main city of the Orcs was still out of sight. No matter how good her eyesight was, she could only see the "Red Jade Forest" between Red Jade City and Wolf Spine Mountain.
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the winter night, the lush ancient forest was lying quietly under the starlight. Although it was not as cold as the northern part of the continent, the forest was still covered in snow in the depths of winter. The white snow dotted the black background, and when the mountain breeze blew, there would be a fine rustling sound in the darkness. The tranquil and peaceful scene would even cause people to temporarily forget the tragic reality on the other side of the mountains, and the ongoing war.
If it were not for the situation in front of her, Camilla would have been enjoying the fun of hunting in the dense forest. The Red Jade Forest in winter had always been her second favorite place. Like many Auglay people, her first favorite place was of course the Ancestral Peak in summer.
"If the monsters cross Wolf Spine Mountain, their next target will undoubtedly be the Red Jade Forest …" Morakot's low and hoarse voice came from the side. "I'm afraid the number of forest guards is not enough to stop the monsters from crossing the mountain … Based on previous experience, the forest itself has a limited effect on the monsters. Once the forest guards are penetrated, the next target will be Red Jade City … "
The old orc shook his head, the 'battle tattoo' formed by the black fur on his cheeks and neck trembling slightly with the twitching of his muscles. He suppressed his emotions, but his voice was still filled with unconcealable anger and sorrow. "The mountains and forests were given to us by our ancestors, and now those unscrupulous monsters are trampling on our homeland …"
"Great Chief … General …" A nervous voice came from the side. A patrolling soldier happened to pass by. The young orc warrior spoke carefully. "Will the souls in the Red Jade Forest continue to protect our Red Jade City?"
Camilla glanced at the young warrior, her sharp eyes softening slightly. Her hoarse voice, however, had an unquestionable tone. "We will protect ourselves."
"Do your job, soldier," General Morakot said in a low voice.
The orc soldier left, and Morakot looked at his great chief apologetically. "I'm sorry, great chief. Young warriors are always a little reckless …"
"I was just as reckless back then. We were all reckless once." Camilla shook her head gently, and then she seemed to be deep in thought. Her pale golden, feline eyes calmed down, and there seemed to be a fierce conflict of thoughts in her eyes. Morakot did not say anything. He just stood silently beside the master of the forest. The pungent smell from afar irritated his nostrils, mixed with the unique stench of the aberrated monsters. The old orc's nostrils twitched subconsciously.
"Those monsters are gathering again. They are looking for a way up the mountain," Morakot said with a frown. "The traps we set on the hillside can only delay their attack slightly. I'm afraid the next battle will break out at dawn. Great Chief, you have not recovered from your injury, it's best if — "
"General Morakot," Camilla interrupted the old orc. "These monsters are afraid of fire, aren't they?"
"… Strictly speaking, they are more resistant to fire than the beasts in the forest, but most of them are flesh and blood. If there is a large enough fire, they will be burned to death," Morakot said with a nod. "Besides, although their main way of perception is not sight but 'magic vision', the heat and elemental agitation brought by the fire can still greatly affect their judgment. We have seen with our own eyes the scene of those monsters falling into chaos in the sea of fire …"
Camilla muttered to herself. She turned and looked in the direction of the Red Jade Forest. After a long silence, she suddenly said, "Can we contact the forest guards now?"
"Yes. Although the interference on the battlefield is still there, we are not far away from the forest guards. The necromancers can still contact them," Morakot immediately replied, but then he noticed something from Camilla's attitude. "Wait, what do you want to do, Great Chief?"
"Tell the leader of the forest guards that their thousand-year agreement with the world of the living is coming to an end. It started with fire, and it ends with fire," Camilla said slowly, reaching out and pulling off a beast tooth pendant hanging on her neck. "Take this. This is the last debt between the forest guards and the world of the living. The line of defense on the ridge is definitely not going to hold, but we have to buy as much time as possible. Then, when the monsters attack the Red Jade Forest, you will take this' debt 'to the ghost of the commander of the forest guards … and let him set the entire forest on fire.
"When the fire starts, all the agreements will be written off."
Morakot hesitantly took the pendant from Camilla. He recalled the ancient legend, the bloody battle between the ancestors of the orcs and the other ruling race on this land, and the origin of the forest guards in the Red Jade Forest. It was said that in ancient times, it was not the orcs who ruled this land, but another more powerful race. It was said that this powerful race eventually declined and was overthrown and replaced by their original slaves. It was said that the last of their descendants were driven into the forest. In order to survive, they were willing to sign a thousand-year agreement with the world of the living, becoming an army that could never leave the forest …
Outsiders who did not know the truth and the inexperienced forest residents could not tell the difference between the legend and the real history. They would even distort some of the details in the legend. But the Alpine Warriors and the Champion Warriors had to be knowledgeable about history in order to maintain their personal bravery. Morakot knew that the ancient legends were based on evidence, and the 'souls' guarding the Red Jade Forest were also real.
Those souls had been longing for freedom for a thousand years … but was it really a good idea to release them now? What's more, it would cost the entire Red Jade Forest …
Noticing the old orc's hesitation, Camilla was not surprised. She just shook her head gently and raised her hand to point in the direction of the Gondor Wasteland. "Do you know where that is?"
Morakot was a little confused. "Of course I know. That is the Gondor Wasteland."
"No, that will be our future. If we continue to hesitate like this," Camilla said coldly. "If we lose the forest guards, we can rebuild a new set of order. If we lose the Red Jade Forest, we can plant new forests. Even if we lose Red Jade City, we still have a chance to make a comeback. But if we keep retreating like this, facing an army that wants to destroy us with an indecisive attitude, then this land will only be a wasteland corroded by the chaotic magic energy. Morakot, burn the Red Jade Forest and burn the main force of the mutants in it. Even if it is only temporary, we have delayed the decay of this land. And as long as we buy a little more time … "
She suddenly paused for a few seconds, but quickly continued. "We are not fighting alone, Morakot. Our allies may really only need us to buy them a day or two."
The hesitation in Morakot's eyes finally faded away. He met Camilla's gaze, and the war tattoos on his face and neck seemed to have a layer of blood-red glow in the darkness. "I understand. Everything is as you wish."
Camilla nodded gently as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her mind. She could not help but let out a long sigh. She then looked to the north of the dark defensive line. "I wonder what the situation in the Moss Forest is like … Do they know about our situation here?"
"The Cecil people are better prepared for this war than we are. As long as their defensive line stands strong, the monsters will not be able to break into the Moss Forest," Morakot said. "But now we have lost contact with the north, and the messengers we sent out are missing. Even the communication with Helm City has been cut off. It is really difficult to send any information over. I only hope that Leader Wenna can make an accurate and timely judgment."
"Wenna is a sharp person. She should know what to do at this time," Camilla said. "What we need to do now is to hold on as long as possible."
Morakot nodded in the dark and sniffed gently. Riding the cold mountain wind in the winter night, the foul smell thickened again.
…
South of the Moss Forest, on the small triangular plain leading to the central region of Augoray, the flag of the Cecil Empire was flying over a temporary camp. The well-equipped expeditionary soldiers were preparing vehicles and supplies, preparing to enter the mountains in the south where communication was cut off.
But before the ground troops set off, they had to complete the most basic reconnaissance work.
Accompanied by a low buzzing sound, two Dragon Riders rose into the air from the back of the camp, breaking the silence of the sky in the ambiguous night. Like two swift ghosts, they crossed the mountain pass and flew towards the forest in the distance.
In the command post on the ground, the Grand Duke of the Western Region, one of the three Grand Governors of the Empire, Baldwin Franklin, was standing beside the tactical table with a heavy expression. He was listening to the squeaking noises coming from the communication device. The magic network terminal beside him was projecting a severely distorted image that was impossible to distinguish.
"We still can't contact the two hubs in the Peak of the Ancestors and Helm City. Those are already the most powerful transceiver stations in Augoray," the technical sergeant in charge of the communication device shook his head and said to the great governor, who was personally at the front line, with a worried look on his face. "In addition, there is no feedback signal from the nearest secondary transmission stations. Could they have already …"
"Don't scare yourself." Bai Dewen shook his head with a sullen face. "Even if those monsters were able to enter the city unhindered, they would have to spend a lot of effort to climb over the mountains on the eastern border of Augoray, not to mention attacking Helm City now. It's just a distraction. Keep calling. Once the interference weakens, we may be able to receive a signal. "
"Yes, sir."
Baldwin Franklin nodded. Then a guard at the door of the barrack announced, "Ms. Wenna, the leader of the gray elves, is here."
Baldwin was stunned for a moment and immediately nodded. "Let her in."
The door of the barrack opened, and a petite lady, like a child, walked into the room. She saw the great governor standing in front of the tactical table and looked a little surprised.
"Duke Baldwin … I didn't expect you to come in person."
"The situation is critical. His Majesty ordered me to come in person. I brought the Mobile Regiment of the Cecil Western Military Region," Baldwin said, nodding. "There is also another reinforcement. They will arrive soon."
(End of Chapter)
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