Fortress

As the party ventured deeper into Misty Forest, the roads grew worse. The once-broad woodland path was gradually blocked by dense shrubs and fallen trees, while the snow grew deeper as well. Their pace noticeably slowed; where they had initially covered forty or fifty kilometers a day, now managing thirty was considered good.

Jialan noticed that as they went farther into the forest, the scenery around them began to look familiar. A caster's exceptional memory allowed him to clearly recall the circumstances of his previous expedition.

"Strange..." Jialan murmured. He carefully studied the surrounding trees and terrain, becoming increasingly certain that the party was heading in the direction where he had encountered the White Dragon Horse last time.

"Watch out!" A warning suddenly rang out from ahead. A pack of more than a dozen wolf-like magical beasts burst from the woods and charged straight at the party.

The soldiers swiftly formed a defensive formation, leveling their spears and bows at the attacking beasts. Yet these magical beasts seemed utterly indifferent to their own safety, madly hurling themselves against the line.

"Something's wrong..." Jialan frowned. By all reason, such a small group of magical beasts would never dare attack a party of several hundred people. They should have kept far away, as usual.

The battle ended quickly, and all the magical beasts were killed. But Jialan's doubts only deepened. Over the following days, similar attacks occurred without end. Though they handled each one with ease, this unusual phenomenon unsettled the entire party.

"These magical beasts seem to be controlled by something," Anna said to Jialan after one attack. "There's something very wrong with their eyes."

Jialan nodded. He had noticed it too: the beasts' eyes were an unnatural red, filled with madness and pain.

Finally, at dusk on the fifth day, the party arrived before a magnificent fortress. Jialan stared in shock at the towering walls and enormous gates before him, scarcely believing his eyes.

"When... when was this built?" Jialan murmured. He had spent nearly a year in Mist Town and had never heard of such a fortress deep within the forest. Anna wore the same stunned expression. Albert, by contrast, looked as though he had known all along. Stroking his beard, the old mage said calmly, "This is a secret military project that has been under construction for three years. Only a handful of high-ranking officials know it exists."

Jialan and Anna exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and confusion in the other's eyes.

The fortress gates slowly opened, and a squad of fully armed soldiers marched out. At their head was a burly officer, who saluted Captain Kendy. "Welcome to Iron Wall Fortress. We have been expecting you for quite some time."

Only after a strict inspection was the party allowed into the fortress, and Jialan was stunned by the sight before him. The fortress was fully equipped inside; it had not only barracks and warehouses, but also a complete magical defense system. He saw several mage apprentices busy atop the walls, seemingly maintaining some large magic formation.

"This... is practically a small city," Anna exclaimed.

Albert explained, "Iron Wall Fortress was established by the military to deal with the threat posed by Misty Forest. It is not only a military stronghold, but also an important research base."

"A research base?" Jialan asked doubtfully.

Albert nodded, but did not explain further.

Jialan stood atop the fortress's towering walls, looking down at this colossal structure hidden within Misty Forest. The lingering rays of the setting sun fell over the gray stone walls, lending a trace of warmth to the cold military fortress.

As casters, Jialan, Albert, and Anna were assigned to a separate small building on the fortress's eastern side. The surroundings were quiet and secluded, far from the soldiers' quarters, and it was clearly prepared specifically for casters.

After settling in, Jialan decided to look around the fortress. Walking slowly along the flagstone paths, he found that the fortress was even larger than he had imagined, with every kind of facility available.

"Stop!" A stern voice suddenly rang out. Only then did Jialan realize that he had unknowingly wandered before a heavily guarded building. Two fully armed soldiers blocked his path.

"Sorry." Jialan raised his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm a newly arrived caster. I just wanted to familiarize myself with the place."

The soldiers checked Jialan's identity badge, and their tone softened slightly. "This is a restricted area. Entry is forbidden without special authorization. Please return."

Jialan nodded and turned to leave. He noticed that there were several similar restricted areas within the fortress. The outer walls of some buildings were covered in intricate magical runes, clearly indicating that some important magical research was underway.

Within the areas open to him, Jialan carefully observed the passing soldiers and facilities. By his rough estimate, the entire fortress housed around fifteen hundred soldiers. The number secretly shocked him; after all, Mist Town's garrison numbered only a little over a hundred.

What concerned Jialan even more was the number of casters. Aside from the three of them who had just arrived, he had seen more than a dozen people in mage robes. Most were apprentices, but a few appeared to be full-fledged mages.

I wonder whether there are other hidden forces... Jialan thought to himself. He had noticed that even senior officers needed special authorization to enter certain areas. The fortress's true secrets were very likely hidden there.

When he returned to their residence, Jialan found Albert drinking tea in the sitting room. The old mage seemed unconcerned by Jialan's exploration and merely asked blandly, "How was your stroll?"

Jialan sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. "It's huge and mysterious. There are many places they won't let anyone enter."

Albert smiled. "Naturally. Iron Wall Fortress is one of the military's highest secrets, and many of its research projects are top secret."

"You seem very familiar with this place, sir?" Jialan asked tentatively.

Albert set down his teacup and looked at Jialan meaningfully. "Young man, knowing too much is not always a good thing. Remember, we came here to complete a mission. As for everything else... don't ask too many questions."

That night, Jialan had just finished meditating and was preparing to rest for a while when a shrill, urgent horn split the night sky. He abruptly sat up, his heartbeat quickening beyond his control.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Urgent knocking sounded outside the door.

Jialan quickly threw on his mage robe and opened the door to find a tense-looking soldier. "Lord Mage, please assemble in the main hall immediately! A large-scale magical beast assault is attacking the walls!"

Jialan's heart tightened. He hurried after the soldier to the main hall, where Albert and Anna had already arrived. He exchanged a glance with Anna, and both saw tension and worry in the other's eyes.

"What's the situation?" Albert asked in a low voice.

The soldier reported quickly, "The eastern wall is under attack by a large number of magical beasts. The garrison is already in position, but they need mage support."

Albert nodded and turned to Jialan and Anna. "This is your first time facing a true magical beast siege. Remember, once you are on the wall, obey orders and do not act rashly. I will be beside you to guide you."

The three hurried toward the eastern wall. Along the way, Jialan could hear the roars of magical beasts and the soldiers' battle cries in the distance. The air was thick with tension, making it hard to breathe.