When Unas returned to the camp, it was time for bed. Just as he was about to Meditation, an urgent military intelligence report was delivered to him: Swamp Lizards and Mutant Spiders were quietly gathering at the border of the Forest and Canyon.
He had anticipated this situation; it was simply that Gunsel was desperate and wanted to launch a night attack while the two dragons were weakened. So, as soon as he returned, he arranged for the Elf Rangers to monitor the Forest day and night, and they indeed achieved some success.
This isn't necessarily bad news. The Lich to abandon the Forest's terrain and launch a proactive attack indicates that he's somewhat thrown off balance, making him a less formidable enemy.
Unas immediately ordered the entire army to retreat into Blue Rock Pass. He did not seek to kill the enemy; as long as he held this natural barrier, his side would be invincible. If he could hold off the Mutant Spider army, that would be even better.
Even during sleep, the army maintained a state of wartime alert. The soldiers' small disturbances quickly subsided, and they began to retreat in an orderly manner.
Upon receiving the news, the two giant dragons flew over from Dragon Mound —of course, the Blue Dragon led the Red Dragon.
The soldiers gasped in surprise; many were seeing a dragon for the first time, but no one panicked. Rumors had been circulating in the army that the two dragons had allied with the Warden, and even those who had previously scoffed at the idea had to believe what they were seeing with their own eyes.
There was no need to keep the matter of the two dragons a secret; letting the soldiers know would boost their morale. Unas waved to Mati'gosa high in the sky, and the Blue Dragon responded with a clear dragon roar. Then, she and the Little Red Dragon ascended upwards. They needed to cross the Blue Rock Pass and find a safe place to recuperate in the rear.
The defensive structures built Blue Rock Pass had to be abandoned for the time being, and the entire army retreated into the narrow valley.
"What tactics do you have?" Huoye asked, the Iron Golem he controlled now guarding the front line.
Unas and several of his men stood on the shoulders of the puppets, gazing out of the valley. Under the moonlight, they could see nothing but the dust kicked up by the passing army.
"A retreat tactic; don't fight them to the death, fight and retreat simultaneously."
"I know you want to entangle the spiders, but what if..."
"It should be fine. Don't forget, there's still a group of Molten Giants behind us. I don't believe the Mutant Spiders can break through them. Just retreat slowly and confidently. Make the Lich think that victory is just around the corner, otherwise he won't give up."
"Yes, I'll try my best."
"You have to make it look convincing. Gunsel isn't stupid; if he realizes it's a trap, he'll probably retreat very quickly."
This charade lasted for three days, and it couldn't even be called a performance. The Mutant Spider swarm numbered in the thousands, and their attacks were completely reckless. If it weren't for the fact that it was difficult to deploy in the narrow valley, the human and Dwarf army would have been no match for them at all, and their retreat was anything but a performance.
The Iron Golems only lasted for the first half day before they had to be completely replaced. Even the thickest steel armor couldn't withstand the constant washing with highly corrosive venom. Before the core Magic Circle inside was threatened, Huoye moved them to the rear one by one, but five of them were still permanently destroyed, causing Unas a great deal of pain. The cost of the five golems was 400,000 gold.
The subsequent battles involved alternating defense by humans and Dwarves, with each side suffering losses. Now, the Blue Rock Valley is roughly evenly split between the two sides, and the fiercest fighting is still taking place at the border. However, Unas is not there; instead, he is in the rear discussing a plan to launch a surprise attack on Fairy Lake with his subordinates.
The Little Red Dragon has recovered about 70-80%, Master Oakleaf has been cared for by all the Priests and Doctors in the army, and since he himself is a healing Druid, he has fully recovered. Everyone else has also regained their strength, and now is the time to strike.
The raid plan was actually quite simple. According to the information Natasha had gathered, there was one wounded Seven-Headed Lizard and several Water Monsters in Fairy Lake, but their fighting power was negligible compared to the Seven-Headed Lizard.
The "Biological Research Institute" at the bottom of the lake houses hundreds of Jailer, all of whom are mutated creatures controlled by Gunsel. Their combat abilities vary, but overall, there are no particularly noteworthy strongmen.
The Seven-Headed Lizard was dealt with by the two dragons, while Unas's elite troops went to the bottom of the lake to rescue the people. These were not problems; the difficulty lay in how to bring the people back after they were rescued.
If Gunsel receives news of the fall of Fairy Lake and withdraws his troops, the two or three hundred prisoners will likely be intercepted by the spider swarm; such a large target would be difficult to escape unnoticed.
The power of the Mutant Spider swarm has been proven. If they want to retreat, Unas's army can at most bite off a small tail; it's impossible for them to be forcibly kept there.
If this problem isn't solved, the rescue will be in vain.
"If only we could find a place to hide those poor people."
Although the Forests and Swamps are vast, there is nowhere to hide two or three hundred people; this suggestion is nothing but wishful thinking.
Unas turned and looked around, but no one had come up with a good solution. Just as he was about to speak, a guard's voice suddenly came from outside the Tent, "Sir, someone from the outpost has come with a message, saying it's urgent military news!"
"Bring him here quickly!"
The panting messenger rushed into the Tent and said urgently, "My lord! Urgent military news arrived from the front lines at noon today: the Rot Hide Gnolls have captured Balnir Farmstead and may attack the Poison Spider Stronghold and Farshire at any moment!"
"What?"
"How is that possible?!"
A gasp of surprise rang out, and those familiar with the situation in Tirisfal Glades discussed how impossible it was.
Balnir Farmstead is the human outpost at the forefront of Tirisfal Glades, garrisoned by two hundred-man squads. Unas and Gordon once rested there and saw the farm's formidable defenses.
The Rot Hide Gnolls must have launched a large-scale invasion, otherwise they couldn't have breached the area so quickly. However, the Gnoll territory is located in several counties in the north-central region, separated from human territory by a vast expanse of steep mountains and forests, so direct conflicts between the two sides are rare. Why would they take such a long detour to attack now?
Of course, as Undead of the Scourge, they need no reason to attack the living; perhaps they're taking advantage of the Monastery's weakened state while the army is on campaign to make a quick buck?
Unas gestured for everyone to be quiet. The messenger, having paused briefly, spoke more fluently, handing over a roll of paper and saying, "Sir Thomas, the garrison commander of the Monastery, has sent word ordering you, sir, to lead troops to support the front lines."
Unas took the letter, unfolded it, and read it. It was signed by Knight Thomas Thompson. He had met this bald, burly man once before and still remembered him.
"Hmph! What right does Thomas have to give orders to the lord? He's just the Monastery's caretaker, at most on par with the lord." The young Ashina immediately spoke up for his superior.
Although their official ranks were equivalent, Thomas's rank was higher Unas's. On the battlefield, the one with the higher rank naturally became the superior, so it was reasonable for him to give orders to Unas.
Unas patted the young man on the shoulder, "Alright, it's not that serious. The question now is what we should do."