Thorsten's Thoughts

Thorsten was completely stunned. He stood frozen in place, his excitement and anticipation instantly turning into disbelief, paleness, and emptiness.

"You... what did you say? Say it again?" He took a sudden step forward, almost roaring, but his voice trembled slightly.

He stared intently at the scout kneeling on the ground, trembling like a leaf, hoping he had misheard or that these fools had misspoke.

"My lord...it's true...it's absolutely true!" The scout repeated incoherently, his voice trembling with sobs, "Our army...was defeated...at the Carnford City! A crushing defeat! So many have died! Commander Invag has been captured alive! Lord Unag's cavalry also suffered heavy losses...the corpses are piled up like mountains...even the Sauron banners have been cut down..."

After repeated confirmation, Thorsten was finally forced to accept this absurd and terrifying fact.

Not only did his Vanguard Camp suffer a crushing defeat, but even the main force of the Sauron, composed of the Sparrow Corps and on which the leader Harald had placed high hopes, was also utterly defeated at the Carnford City, suffering an unprecedented and devastating blow!

An extremely complex emotion instantly welled up in his heart.

After the initial shock and fear, an inappropriate sense of "relaxation" quietly emerged.

"So... so it wasn't me, Thorsten, who was incompetent..." he muttered unconsciously, his long-tense nerves seeming to relax slightly. "Even a fierce general like Invag and an elite force like the Sparrow Corps fell there..."

"It seems the problem wasn't my tactics, but... but rather that we all severely underestimated the strength of that young Lord the Broomflower and the terrifying power of that stone fortress..."

This discovery inexplicably lightened the heavy psychological burden he had been carrying since his defeat and escape.

His failure no longer seemed so unforgivable.

But this distorted sense of "ease" didn't last long; the cold reality quickly jolted him awake.

What does a crushing defeat for the main team mean?

This means that Thorsten's last hope of redeeming himself and returning to his tribe has been completely shattered.

In his fury at suffering such heavy losses and devastating defeats, Harald's leader would never forgive a defeated general who had deserted his post.

He can never go back!

Frosgard, and indeed the entire Sauron Tribal Alliance, had closed its doors to him.

He and his sixty men had become traitors and wandering ghosts, completely abandoned by the tribe.

And this is just the beginning.

Cold sweat beaded on Thorsten's forehead, and his gaze involuntarily drifted to the window, as if he could see beyond the hills to the fields to the north, where a bountiful harvest was about to be harvested.

The autumn harvest is just around the corner!

According to the centuries-old tradition of the Sauron, after the autumn harvest, it is the season for the army to march south and plunder the border of the Broomflower and seize winter supplies!

In previous years, the legion responsible for monitoring Fran City would swarm towards the wealthy villages and towns surrounding the Fran City like locusts.

However, this year, the situation is completely different!

The crushing defeat at Carnford will undoubtedly severely damage the morale and strength of Sauron army.

In his fury, Harald's leader may not dare, or may be temporarily unable, to gnaw on that tough nut that has been broken in Carnford.

However, the Sauron' need to raid southwards would not change; the army needed spoils and food to make up for losses, appease the various tribes, and maintain morale.

So, where will these alternative targets be? Where are the easy targets?

The answer is almost obvious: it's the Southwest Peninsula that Thorsten now occupies!

This small territory, rebuilt with great difficulty by the remnants of the Broomflower tribe, is relatively prosperous but weakly defended.

If they couldn't take Carnford, surely they could take this tiny peninsula with only sixty wounded soldiers, a bunch of farmers, and almost no decent fortifications?

At that time, Harald will not need to use his main force at all. He only needs to send out a small team of one hundred men, which will be able to crush them as easily as crushing ants.

They could seize food and supplies, and also take the opportunity to clean house and execute his traitorous army.

The thought of that horrific scene sent a chill down Thorsten's spine.

Regardless of whether he had won or lost, whether he had fled or held his ground, it seemed he could not escape a dead end in the end!

And most likely, he will die a humiliating death as a traitor and a loser!

Thorsten was in despair.

He paced back and forth in the deathly silence, his expression shifting between light and dark, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, only to be rejected one by one.

Surrender? Harald would never accept that.

Should they continue fleeing south? Where could they possibly escape to on the vast ocean?

To hold out in a defensible position? With his small force and rudimentary fortifications, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

It seems... there's only one path left: death?

In the midst of this extreme despair and oppression, an extremely bold, even insane, idea struck his mind like a lightning bolt in the darkness!

The idea was so rebellious and shocking that when it first came to mind, even he was startled and almost immediately tried to suppress it.

But... this idea took root stubbornly, and as he repeatedly weighed the seemingly unsolvable dead end, it became clearer and more tempting.

perhaps...

Perhaps he can...

Should they seek refuge with Carnford?

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Should they ally with the Goldspur, who had just severely damaged Sauron's main force and forged a blood feud with the entire Sauron Tribe? Or should they seek refuge with the young Lord who had caused him and countless Sauron warriors such heavy losses?

This sounds like a complete fantasy, utter betrayal and madness!

However, upon closer examination, this seems to be the only possible... no, the only sure way for him to survive, and perhaps even live a better life!

Does Carnford need allies?

They have just suffered a pyrrhic victory and must have suffered heavy losses, so they urgently need to rest and replenish their strength.

Isolated in the Northern Territory, facing the potential retaliation of the Sauron, wouldn't having one more ally, even a former enemy, be better than having one more enemy?

And what can Thorsten offer?

He also had sixty experienced Sauron Cavalry under his command! This was a mobile force not to be underestimated.

He also had three hundred hardworking Goldspur under his command, and although these people were brought by Cyril, they were now his.

More importantly, he was familiar with the Sauron ' tactics, internal situation, and even their possible future moves!

This intelligence was invaluable to Carnford!

The risks are enormous, but the potential rewards... might be survival, or even the chance to truly establish oneself in this land!

Thorsten's heart began to pound.

He stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with a mixture of fear, madness, and desperation.

He has to try!