Veylin traced a finger across the Sand Table and shook his head. "If we continue north from Highland Fort and try to drive straight into Velvet Flower Town, there's no way to conceal our movements. We'll inevitably alert the Imperial Faction troops stationed in Golden Thread Province. Then we'll be surrounded. That's suicide."
"No, my lord, I didn't mean Velvet Flower Town," Ola hurriedly explained. His finger passed Highland Fort and slid farther inland. "What I meant was, if we can cross this area, we can slip into Coldstream Fort without anyone noticing. Look, that's already inside Eastern Foothills Province. If we dig in here, we can cut off the enemy's supply routes."
"Cross it?" Tristan's pointer blocked the path of Ola's finger, tapping firmly on a stretch of pitch-black forest terrain. "A bold idea, but this natural barrier stands between Fertile Plains Province and your objective."
"Blacktooth Forest."
Caroline looked at the area with a bitter smile. "If we want to reach the heart of Eastern Foothills Province without alerting Marcus's scouts, this certainly is a route. But it's practically suicide! That's Blacktooth Forest. As far as I know, it's home to powerful, fiercely territorial populations of magical beasts. It's a true forbidden zone. Even the most reckless smugglers wouldn't dare set foot deep inside!"
"And the terrain is broken up, with towering ancient trees," Valerius added with a frown. "An army can't get through, and neither can heavy equipment."
"So, as long as we solve the problem of getting through, this is a decisive killing move?"
Veylin's voice suddenly rose. Far from disappointed, his wine-red eyes glittered with excitement.
"For a human army, it certainly is a death trap."
Veylin abruptly stood, snatched the pointer from Tristan's hand, and jabbed it into the green area representing the primeval