Interception (Part One)

The next day, at dawn.

The Cloudscape Plains suddenly sprang to life as the various armies stationed there began breaking camp.

Hamilton directed his men, preparing to head southeast toward Palm County as King Ferdinand had instructed.

By the time the army was ready to march, the brilliant sun was slowly rising over the horizon, and the woods and hills glowed golden in the morning light.

The noble lords said their farewells, then each set off on their own journey.

Eight nobles accompanied Hamilton southwest on the interception mission. They all had respectable military strength, but compared to the army of Gannan Province, they were nowhere close.

They couldn't even muster enough infantry armor, let alone expensive warhorses, and had to make do with leather armor.

Even so, they still counted as an elite force within the punitive army.

Since they had to accommodate the foot soldiers, the army advanced very slowly.

Fortunately, His Majesty the King hadn't imposed any strict requirements on the mission, so nobody was in a hurry. They leisurely admired the scenery as they led their troops southwest.

Riding his horse, Hamilton held the detailed map drawn by the Gestapo and searched for a suitable target, guided by the information they had provided.

The fate of the northern front depended on this. He had to give it his all.

But just because he took the mission seriously didn't mean the others did. The pampered troops trailing behind him were terribly lax, stopping to rest every three to five kilometers. Otherwise, who knew how many would fall behind?

Hamilton finally understood how Earl Elliot must have felt when he marched into Cabbage County. The helplessness was enough to drive anyone mad.

Several times, he'd wanted to leave the pampered troops behind and march on alone, but he