Chapter 184: Plummeting (Part 3)

  It took the barbarians only one day to turn Westleyde, this prosperous commercial and manufacturing city, into ruins. All manufacturing workshops were completely destroyed. Gold coins, jewels, equipment stripped from corpses, cloth... and so on, all useful materials that could be collected were gathered, loaded onto stolen carts, and pulled by livestock and lizards together, heading north, prepared to be transported back to Tatalia.

  There were still many commoners in Westleyde who had not had time to flee. Fortunately, the barbarians did not collectively massacre and devour them alive as they had imagined. They just gathered them and drove them towards the direction of the royal capital. Wantonly slaughtering defenseless civilians was an extremely shameful act in the eyes of these barbarians who called themselves warriors. But they were searching for nobles mixed among them. Once found, they were immediately tied up tightly and thrown into the pile of goods; they were hostages who could be exchanged for a considerable amount of gold coins.

  The streets were everywhere littered with corpses left after the battle. Many giant lizards were gnawing on them among them, while Dragonflies gathered in swarms around some corpses that had already begun to rot. After the battle, the barbarians frantically searched for taverns, smashed open the doors of underground cellars, and carried out large barrels of wine, howling as they drank to their heart's content.

  In a camp outside the city, King Taze was listening to the report of two barbarian chiefs in charge of the attack here. It was he who had led a large force of beast tamers and lizardmen to intercept the reinforcements coming from three directions towards this place, and then had hurried here to defeat dozens of griffin knights. If not for this king's extraordinary military talent, it would have been absolutely impossible for Tatalia to have come this far and won so completely this time.

  Besides the Lizardman Chieftain, there were also several young advisors not dressed as barbarians, and a middle-aged man who looked honest and simple, completely like a grocery store owner. These people were all helpers from Oufu, and in the short time since their arrival, they had already gained the complete trust of King Taze, following him closely.

  "Your Majesty, the warriors of the swamp lands have completely captured this place. Under the courage and rage of the northern warriors, there is no opponent that cannot be defeated. This is the greatest achievement Tatalia has ever gained against Erathia. Your bravery and leadership have already overshadowed the sun in the sky, as unparalleled as the fierce winds on the Sanderfirth Mountains. We are now less than three hundred li from Erathia's royal capital. If we go all out, we can reach it in a few days. You will become the first Tatalian king to conquer Erathia." The face of the barbarian chief reporting was flushed, as if he had been drinking on the way here. He was gesticulating and dancing, his emotions so agitated that he seemed somewhat uncontrollable. These warriors, who had lived in swamps and wastelands all year round, were witnessing the fertility of the Erathian plains for the first time and adopted this method of complete conquest. For them, who originally lacked self-control, this kind of stimulation seemed to be a bit too much.

  "The royal capital of Erathia is right before our eyes. The main culprit who has bullied us for many years is trembling there. Your Majesty, please order the attack. The axes and hot blood of the northern warriors are enough to destroy them. Let us stand on the tops of those churches and burn those church pigs, and let that bitch Katherine moan and beg for mercy under your body." Another barbarian chief's eyes were even red, and his voice was hoarse, as if the Erathian queen was already under him. "All the warriors are longing for the blood of the enemy. I guarantee their bravery will not disappoint Your Majesty."

  The young barbarian king nodded, with an appreciative expression on his face. He said to the two chiefs, "Alright. You may both leave. Tell all the warriors to rest well today. As for our next move, I will make a decision after discussing it with my advisors."

  As soon as the two barbarian chiefs left, a golden shadow flew into the tent at an extremely fast speed and stopped abruptly on the middle-aged man beside the king. It was an adult Dragonfly, with a slender body about a foot long and transparent wings spanning about two feet, like an enlarged dragonfly. The speed and mobility of this large insect were also no different from a dragonfly's, unreachable by any bird.

  The middle-aged man carefully untied a small, folded note from the Dragonfly's body. After unfolding it and reading it, he said to King Taze, "The ten thousand cavalry from the highlands have taken the lead in withdrawing and are rushing here at full speed. They have now reached Pingsburg. They are estimated to arrive within two days."

  King Taze looked at the middle-aged man and smiled with satisfaction. "Thanks to Mr. Anderson and his companion students, we can understand the general situation of the battle so clearly and anticipate the enemy's moves. I never thought that the Dragonflies we have raised for hundreds of years would only be able to play such a great role in the hands of Druids. I guarantee that the faith of the Druids will surely flourish in the swamp country in the future."

  The middle-aged man neither showed joy nor expressed gratitude for the king's favor. He just nodded somewhat woodenly.

  This was already the third Dragonfly to bring news today. The flight speed of a Dragonfly was higher than that of most birds, and long-distance travel was their specialty; they could fly a thousand li away in half a day. Although the Tatalian barbarians and beast tamers had a history of raising this insect for several hundred years, they had never thought of using it to transmit messages. After all, the intelligence of insects was much lower than that of birds, and they could only execute the simplest commands even when directed. But with the help of Druidic magic, communication with these insects had made leapfrog progress, which allowed the Dragonflies to truly play a role on the battlefield in a short time.

  The Druid Anderson had come to Tatalia through Oufu's introduction. Druids were originally heretics in religious countries like Erathia, and some incidental incidents had drawn him into Oufu's plan. He was now wanted by Erathia everywhere. After completing the task promised to Ethan, he had no intention of participating in the war between Oufu and the allied army. He led some Druid companions to Tatalia, but unexpectedly, through Sedros's arrangement and recommendation, he and his companions had now become the king's confidants in Taze's eyes.

  After the former court mage and Shadow Sage were killed, these Druids became the only group of casters in Tatalia. Although their magical skill could not match that of the previous Shadow Sage and his apprentice, their contribution to Tatalia was a hundred times that of the two mages. Not only did they cause a sudden explosion in the production of Dragonflies and swamp lizards in a short time, but they also used secret methods to make a type of swamp vine tougher, giving the barbarians, who were accustomed to fighting bare-chested, protective gear that was no less than that of Erathia's regular army.

  For many years, the Druids had been suppressed by the Church. It was only now that they truly found a place to display their skills. Although Anderson himself was not interested in this fame and fortune, the majority of the Druids under him were young men. This sudden opportunity to feel proud and elated made them throw themselves wholeheartedly into their enthusiasm for contributing to Tatalia.

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  By flexibly transmitting messages through Dragonflies, the barbarians even gained the upper hand in the distribution of strategy and tactics, which allowed them to flexibly defeat the Erathian forces one by one before they could assemble. The three pieces of news that arrived today also allowed them to more clearly understand the current situation.

  Besides the message just received, the previous two were also messages that the troops from the west were also rushing here at high speed. King Taze asked the young man beside him, "You all heard what the two chiefs said just now. The morale of our swamp warriors is extremely high, and they are eagerly awaiting my order to continue the advance. What do you think we should do?"

  A young man immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we absolutely must not advance recklessly. In fact, being able to capture Westleyde was already very fortunate. The Erathian army was unable to gather in time, which allowed us to defeat them one by one. But now in the royal capital is the most elite Kingdom Knight Order, ready and waiting. And if the situation is urgent, Celeste will definitely send reinforcements."

  "Only two Great Mages are needed to reverse the situation. Although our Dragonflies have a huge advantage when dealing with ordinary soldiers, especially archers, they are completely vulnerable before any large-scale, high-level magic."

  "There are no casters in our ranks at all. Although the combat power of our warriors is undeniable, this flaw will become a fatal weakness in a head-on battle with Erathia's elite. Moreover, the reason the Kingdom Knight Order did not attack to rescue Westleyde is obvious: they are waiting for the reinforcements returning from the eastern highlands and the troops from the Nighon border on the west. Once the reinforcements from both sides arrive, they will attack together, and we will surely be in the disadvantageous situation of being attacked on three sides."

  "Furthermore, in terms of troop strength, we are at an absolute disadvantage. If the Erathian army were to assemble completely, it would number sixty thousand. Now is the last good chance for us to retreat. The reinforcements from the east and west are both coming from afar. If they don't rest and assemble, they would never dare to pursue us rashly. And as long as our army retreats back into the swamp region, Erathia's cavalry units will not be able to pursue us."

  The words of the several young men all seemed a bit anxious. From the two barbarian chiefs just now, they could all see how strong the warriors' desire to continue the attack was, but now was absolutely not the time to attack. It was time to retreat.

  "Gentlemen, do not be anxious. I am well aware that we should indeed retreat, and this war has also brought Tatalia unprecedented gains." King Taze nodded, stood up, and looked at the several young advisors around him, saying, "Do you know what Tatalia's greatest gain in this war is?"

  "Naturally, it's the spoils of war we've captured. The materials plundered on this journey and sent back to Tatalia are equivalent to ten years of income for the entire nation of Tatalia."

  "The blow to Erathia is also an unprecedented achievement. Even if the Erathian army did not suffer a fatal blow, both commerce and agriculture have been severely damaged along the way. Counting the grain and manpower they wasted this time by mobilizing their troops, I'm afraid it will take them several years to recover."

  "The beast tamer units also gained valuable combat experience. The combat power and methods of the Dragonflies and lizards can be utilized more skillfully. They will surely play a greater role in future battles."

  King Taze shook his head and said, "No, you are all mistaken. These are indeed unprecedented achievements for Tatalia since its founding, but they are not the greatest gain." His gaze swept over the faces of these young men and the Druid Anderson, and he said in a deep voice, "The greatest gain is you. You are Tatalia's greatest gain."

  The young men were a bit flattered and said, "Your Majesty overpraises us. We are only doing our duty."

  "It is not overpraise. If not for the tactics you planned and the strategies you arranged, this battle could absolutely not have been such a complete victory. Most importantly, it made me truly understand. Fearless warriors are certainly very useful on the battlefield, but the more important things are always outside the battlefield, in the mind, not in muscles and courage. This is probably the reason why Tatalia has been suppressed by Erathia for so many years that it couldn't even catch its breath. And now, with your help, give me ten years, and Tatalia will definitely become a powerful nation that can stand as an equal to Erathia." Although King Taze's appearance was a bit ridiculous, the aura exuded from his expression and voice at this moment was something only a true king and leader would possess. "You will all be the hope for Tatalia's rise. I know you were all cultivated by Mr. Sedros. But I promise you, Tatalia will absolutely be the best place for you to display your talents, and what he gives you will not disappoint you."

  "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty." The young men were a bit moved. The inherent concept of Tatalia's barbarians was extremely xenophobic. There were already people who were very dissatisfied that they, these outsiders, had gained the king's trust so soon after arriving. But this was actually just them following Sedros's instructions to assist King Taze in military strategy. There were not many barbarians who were mentally developed, and there were none who could become advisors capable of analyzing the situation among such a brave and arrogant populace. And now, King Taze's words were a formal recognition of their importance and their status in Tatalia.

  "Pass the order. Rest for one day today. The entire army will retreat tomorrow. By the way, have them prepare more fodder. We can only leave a true ruin for Erathia."

  At the same time, Celeste.

  Pope Magnus was listening to the report of a priest who had rushed back from the Barbarian Highlands. When he heard that an elite heavy cavalry unit had been turned to ash under a Forbidden Spell, he just frowned and gave a simple "Oh."

  "According to our later analysis with several Great Mages, this Forbidden Spell scroll might have come from Diya Valley, and that wanted criminal who can use Necromancy is also in Oufu's camp. If Diya Valley is behind Oufu, then everything would be unpredictable, which is why I came to ask for Your Majesty's decision..."

  "It shouldn't be," His Majesty the Pope said lightly. His voice was not loud, but "Diya Valley should not be behind Oufu. As for that Forbidden Spell scroll..." His Majesty the Pope turned his head slightly and looked at Bishop Adela standing beside him. "What do you think this is about?"

  "Perhaps... perhaps they... obtained it by chance from somewhere..." Cardinal Adela's expression and voice were a bit unnatural when suddenly asked.

  His Majesty the Pope nodded and said impassively, "Oh? It seems Sedros and his group are truly lucky, to even be able to obtain such a thing by chance."

  A few drops of cold sweat appeared on the face of the Cardinal standing beside him, but he thought for a moment and then said, "Your Majesty, according to their description of this Forbidden Spell, I can determine that it should be the shadow magic of Tatalia's Grand Sage of Shadows, Nimbus. That is a variant side-branch of Necromancy. It is said that Oufu's General Gru killed the Shadow Sage while helping Prince Taze usurp the throne. This Forbidden Spell scroll was probably obtained at that time."

  "I see. So, you're saying Diya Valley should have nothing to do with Oufu?"

  "Yes. It must be as Your Majesty suspected. It is impossible for Oufu to be related to Diya Valley."

  "Hmm, so that means... that Forbidden Spell scroll is the only one Oufu has?"

  "Perhaps..."

  "Perhaps?" His Majesty the Pope's gaze was not cold, but the Cardinal felt a layer of goosebumps on his skin.

  "Uh... perhaps... there is another." Adela stammered, his expression uncertain, but finally said, "I heard that the master of the Tower of Flame, one of the five towers of the Tower of Fangs, the Great Mage Asri, has been missing for some time. It is said that someone once saw him last near the Kalendor Basin. General Gru of Oufu was there at that time. And it is said that Great Mage Asri also carried a Forbidden Spell scroll with him all year round... it seems to be the Earth-Fire Forbidden Spell, 'Meteor Shower'."

  When His Majesty the Pope heard the words "Meteor Shower," his expression finally changed slightly. Then he let out a long sigh, shook his head, and muttered to himself, "These guys, if they don't have the ability to use them, they shouldn't carelessly create such things. Where would a true expert need such things?"

  Bishop Adela quickly said, "This should be Oufu's final trump card. Although the power of this Forbidden Spell magic is immense, its casting time is very long, making it unsuitable for dealing with mobile troops."

  "The final trump card? Since even you can think of this, then this cannot be their final trump card. A good tactician would never easily reveal his final card. How could Sedros not know this principle?" The Pope sighed again, lowering his head to think.

  Adela and the priest kneeling below did not dare to make a sound, quietly waiting for His Majesty the Pope.

  Finally, the Pope raised his head, let out another long sigh, and showed the weariness of an old man for the first time. He said to the priest, "Erathia also sent someone this morning to request reinforcements. It seems the situation there is not good either. After you return, tell the generals of the allied army to have them temporarily retreat this time."

  "Yes." The priest withdrew. Although he could sense that there seemed to be something strange in the words between His Majesty the Pope and the Cardinal, he did not dare, nor would he, presume to guess. A person in his position always knows what he is supposed to know.

  After the priest withdrew, the Pope was lost in thought for a moment, then said to Adela, "Go and summon that Templar who saved Wilskey last time and then submitted the tactical recommendation."