"Ah..." At last, a long sigh filled with endless exhaustion, resentment, and bitterness was squeezed from Eisenberg's chest, drifting away on the cold wind, heavy with helplessness.
"Those... damned warlords! Two months! A full two months! From the Royal Capital to Fran City, then to every territory in the Northern Border—how many decrees has the Empress Dowager issued demanding troops? Every last one of them answered faster than anyone, but where are the men? Not a single shadow in sight! Have they all died? Or are they all hoping I, Eisenberg, will die here at Eagle Nest so they can carve up my territory?!"
Valerius's face twitched. He stepped forward half a pace and lowered his voice. "My lord, please calm yourself. We just received... news sent at great risk by carrier pigeon from the south. It says... something major has happened in Field Territory."
"Field Territory?" Eisenberg whirled around, his bloodshot eyes fixing on Valerius. "What has that useless Elmer done now? Have the Sauron reached Field Territory?"
"Not the Sauron." Valerius shook his head, his face taking on an extraordinarily complicated expression—a mixture of absurdity, shock, and a trace of... inexplicable meaning. "It was... a mutiny. A general under Governor Elmer named Luo Yao led several thousand troops who were originally meant to head north to serve the king in rebellion. They burned, killed, and plundered all the way, breaking through several cities in succession. They say... even Golden Scale Port... has fallen!"
"What?! A mutiny? Golden Scale Port has fallen?" Eisenberg was struck as if by lightning. He staggered back half a step and leaned against the icy battlements, his face instantly turning pale as paper. His lips trembled, and for a long while, he could not speak.
Field Territory! One of the kingdom's granaries and Moneybags!