The next morning.
Ferrum received the news from Afterglow, repeatedly confirmed the information in the morning light, confirmed that his speculation was correct, and immediately left Golden Grain City with Kेलaili and Nili.
"In fact, a brutal battle is not what I want to see."
One night, Ferrum said to Olysia, "Every battle will cause casualties. I only have 30,000 people at my disposal to help me complete my rule. They cannot withstand too much wear and tear. Therefore, if I can use tactics to capture the city, I am not willing to cause more casualties."
At that time, Olysia did not understand the deep meaning of Nether Dragon.
At the same time, Westerlands wasteland.
Fifteen thousand Tagoma soldiers struggled to cross the foothills, and the team was in disarray.
"Go quickly, go quickly! Don't you want to live anymore?"
In the previous march, the Holy Temple knights galloped back and forth, waving their long whips and repeating this sentence over and over again.
The Agate City Corps has never participated in such an emergency march. Compared with the continuous fighting on the border, the Corps in the hinterland of the Kingdom is much more pampered and comfortable.
Therefore, after two consecutive days of advancement, only the cavalry could barely maintain order, while the infantry were all disgraced.
Many people were forced to throw away their shields, and the knights asked them to throw away their baggage and move forward at full speed. As a result, the soldiers could only run and carry their armor, grain bags and quivers.
Bagel·Hand of Blood maintained his majesty and indifference, riding a black horse at a slow pace, his armor glowing slightly in the morning light.
Compared to the Holy Temple knights, the marching speed of ordinary soldiers was too slow, which made their arrival half a day later than expected.
However, when Deerhunting Town's low roof came into view, Bagel still showed a smile on his face.
"Apostle-sama."
A Holy Temple knight came to report, "The raven brought news that Giant Dragon Legion captured Golden Grain City at sunset yesterday. They invested about 10,000 troops in the siege."
"With 10,000 people to capture the big city by force, even if Golden Grain City is full of soft insects, the losses will definitely be a lot. Are the dragons anxious because they have a premonition of danger? Or have they obtained our information?"
Bagel After thinking for a while, he chose the shortest route, from Agate City to Deerhunting Town, and also used magic to cover his march.
However, the movement caused by the advancing army could not be completely covered up after all. Rather than foreseeing danger, Bagel believed that Giant Dragon had obtained his information.
He is not worried about this. Now that he has arrived in the small town, Ferrum's troops are destined to be cut off by him, and a big hunt is about to begin.
Deerhunting Town There was no one visible outside, only a few wisps of smoke slowly dispersed, and it looked very peaceful.
Bagel observed for a while, then waved his hand and gave the order, "The infantry will form up on the spot, the cavalry will control the road, and the scouts will continue to advance ten miles to the west. I want to know when Ferrum Legion's rear army will arrive."
He is the Apostle of Hextor, the god of conquest. He is well versed in the art of leading troops, and there is no omission in the formation of troops.
After the military order was issued, the cavalry moved their horses and advanced step by step.
The villagers of Deerhunting Town were hiding in their houses, looking in panic through the cracks in the windows to see the soldiers of Agate City pouring in.
They didn't know why their town was being trampled by the army one after another. The streets had been destroyed into a state of disgrace, and the few warehouses had been evacuated one after another.
Bagel walked into the camp where the Wilderness Army had previously been stationed. The scattered paw prints, manes and animal excrement had not been cleaned up, and the mud was trampled hard and black. Various signs showed that at least two troops had passed through here.
But Deerhunting Town still has many villagers alive, which violates War Sovereign's massacre.
It seems that the other party does not dare to bear the blood debt, saying that it is Giant Dragon, but he is as weak as a mortal.
"How many enemy soldiers passed by?" Bagel captured several villagers and tortured them.
"I can't figure it out, sir."
The villagers shook their heads. "In front and back, there must be more than 10,000 people and dozens of dragons."
The intelligence is consistent with the facts. Ferrum The front army is advancing first, and there are nearly 20,000 troops in the rear. They will collide directly with them soon.
Bagel grinned his white teeth and ordered, "The army will rest where it is and ask the farmers to hand over their food and women. My soldiers need supplies."
Holy Temple Knight used magic-like methods to investigate, dug three feet into the ground, and recruited Deerhunting Town all the food, women, and belongings.
However, as time goes by, the West remains silent.
"No rush."
Bagel stroked the woman's back in the mayor's hall and remained patient.
Ferrum's rear is an army held back by baggage, food and fodder. If they are let in and suddenly attacked, the team that is more than ten miles long will be nothing but flesh and blood to be slaughtered.
Of course, his hunting target is Dark Star Solaxus. The so-called wilderness armies are just an appetizer.
"No enemy troops found ahead!"
Until dusk, the scout suddenly brought back a shocking news.
"Sir Apostle, we have advanced a full twenty miles to the west and cooperated with Holy Temple knights to cast spells and investigate, but we have not found any enemy troops!"
The scout licked his chapped lips. "The traces seen by Raven's Eye are that thirty miles west of Deerhunting Town, a large group of enemies turned northeast along the valley and did not continue forward!"
The smile on Bagel's face quickly disappeared, he strode out of the hall, got on his horse directly, used magic to empower the horse to relax wildly, and rushed out Deerhunting Town with dozens of Holy Temple knights.
Nearly an hour and a half later, he arrived at the valley where the scouts had reported. It seemed that the Wilderness Army had stopped here to regroup. The ground was full of messy footprints, scattered with axles, tents and large industrial equipment, as well as many carcasses of beasts of burden that had been devoured.
"These wilderness butchers ate their own beasts of burden?"
General Agate City followed and couldn't believe his eyes.
Even in the rich Tagoma Kingdom, the value of beasts of burden is more precious than a living person. Peasants who privately kill beasts of burden will be immediately executed by the nobles.
As the footprints continued to be explored, the wilderness army clearly began to turn, passing through a slope covered with short grass, and disappeared among the undulating rock ridges.
The officers gradually realized the problem and asked, "The enemy... changed their route?"
"Judging from the decomposition of the livestock, they had changed their route to the northeast a few days ago."
A Holy Temple knight answered.
The officer looked in that direction and his face gradually turned pale.
"Blackrock Plateau."
Another murmured, "They ventured into Blackrock Plateau."
No one answered. Blackrock Plateau is a natural barrier for Agate City South. The terrain is dangerous and full of Aberrant Monster. If the Wilderness Army tries to take risks, they must have only one goal.
Agate City.
"Danger!"
Holy Temple Knight roared, "Blackrock Plateau is rugged and difficult to navigate. The enemy may not be able to climb over it. If we return immediately for reinforcements, it may still be too late."
An officer looked at him and replied with fear, "The soldiers have been running for two days carrying their weapons. If we let them run back carrying their weapons, the army will definitely mutiny and the soldiers will kill us."
"There are almost no roads in Blackrock Plateau, and Aberrant Monster is overrun with poisonous diseases and dangerous everywhere. Not to mention 20,000 people, even 20,000 more people may die there."
The general of Agate City was extremely horrified. "How dare the enemy? How dare? How dare?"
"They have dragons. Dragons are the natural enemies of all Aberrant Monster, and they can also cast spells." Holy Temple Knight said.
"Map."
Bagel said that he did not talk to other people, and God's Apostle did not need to talk to humans.
The attendant spread the map on a flat stone, Bagel stared at the map, calculating the speed and time of the enemy's advance.
"It takes a lot of courage and determination to abandon the baggage, share the food with the beasts of burden, and venture into Blackrock Plateau. It is definitely not a hot-headed move. Judging from the degree of decay of the livestock, the wilderness army had changed its route three days ago. At that time, we had just completed the assembly and had not even set foot out of Agate City."
Bagel whispered to himself, "Knight Holy Temple, cooperate with me in using the magic. I want to confirm the position of Ferrum·Solaxus again."
Tracking a target out of thin air without a guide is a very high-level magic that consumes a lot of money. Even if Holy Temple knights join forces, they can only perform it once a day.
They had just used it once at sunrise, when Ferrum was still inside Golden Grain City.
However, after Apostle's order was issued, no one dared to question it. The knights were able to bear the load and cast spells with gritted teeth.
The divine magic surged and spread into twisted ripples in the air.
After a while, Bagel got a new answer, "Agate City."
"My lord!"
A liaison officer rode wildly on horseback approaching the valley, rolled off his saddle, and fell towards the adults of Holy Temple. He received the message from the spell caster, and his face was pale and almost frightened.
"Agate City was in emergency. A large number of enemy troops appeared in town South. Giant Dragon led the siege. Agate City Earl ordered the remaining defenders to board the city and fight to the death. They were killed by Ferrum·Solaxus."
The liaison officer gasped. "The hero of the kingdom, 'Unbeaten Shield'Lalis, was also captured by the enemy during the attack and defense. The nobles led the guards to retreat to the inner city. They are still fighting hard at this moment."
"This..."
The officers of Agate City and the knights of Holy Temple were all shocked.
They rushed towards Deerhunting Town with 15,000 infantry and cavalry in order to cut off the enemy's army, but now they could not even see the shadow of the army, and a real battle did not take place. However, they successively received news of the fall of Golden Grain City and the hard battle of Agate City.
The enemy abandoned Deerhunting Town's road, so Deerhunting Town lost its value.
"Judging from the march route, he was well prepared to cross Blackrock Plateau and attack Agate City. Everything he did before was seduction. Whether we attack Deerhunting Town or support Golden Grain City, Agate City will be attacked."
Bagel crushed the stone in his palm into powder. "Ferrum, Dark Star... very good, you are very good."
He realized that he had completely underestimated this enemy, and at the same time he paid a heavy price for it.
After a long while, a royal emissary finally couldn't help but asked in a low voice, "Master Apostle, do we still want to return to Agate?"
"No need."
Bagel looked to the northeast. "Our departure means the fall of Agate City."
"Leave that city to them for the time being. The enemy's repeated avoidance of the battle will only make the real decisive battle come later. But there are still more than a dozen castles in Westerlands, and Warden of the Western Marches's army is still waiting in Greyhawk City."
"In this way, we can gather more power and finally break its bones with one blow."
Midsummer Eastern Campaign On the twelfth day, Golden Grain City fell.
The next day, Agate City changed its flag.
The land route between Tagoma Westerlands and Southern Territories and Royal Domain is cut off.