Attack Agreement

Only Younier remained on the train; the rest of the passengers went to the forest.

Su Ming glanced out the car window at the distant forest they had cleared during the day, where the bright moonlight was now focused into a beam.

It cascades down like a silver waterfall.

The wounded forest, soothed by the moonlight, is slowly regaining its vitality.

Jielusi also joined in, the priestess raising her pure white staff and casting a spreading Light Rain Spell. Soft points of light pierced through the thick snow, gently merging into the earth.

These spells can soothe the creatures of this land, helping plants and animals return to dormancy. By next spring, the power of nature will slowly heal this wound, allowing life to bloom anew.

****

The Bubing City, also bathed in moonlight.

The spire of the Silent Dawn Cathedral gleamed with a cold, silvery light in the cool moonlight, and Princess Dafulin's carriage silently came to a stop at the back door.

She only brought her personal guards, and her coachmen were all trusted confidants, clearly intending to keep those in the know to a minimum.

Katharine greeted her in a small reception room. Instead of the refreshments expected of a guest, the coffee table was covered with military maps and battle plans, with a few red and blue pencils scattered haphazardly among them.

Although Dafulin was not an expert in military affairs, judging from the dense markings and mountains of documents, the scale of the planned Divine Might Prison operation was definitely not small.

"Not even a break during the holidays." Dafulin sat down on the sofa, slumped back, her long legs casually crossed, the gilded skirt with peony patterns spreading out like ripples on water.

Katharine glanced at the princess subtly and thought the color scheme of her outfit was quite nice and worth referencing. Unfortunately, Yise was no longer cooperating.

She put down her pen and paper. "And you're still criticizing me. We agreed to meet this afternoon, and you're only just arriving now—what have you been up to?"

"Summon the engineering team and revise the Green Bridge plan." Dafulin rubbed her temples, her delicate makeup unable to conceal the dark circles under her eyes. "To fully utilize the new tunnel, the high-altitude section of Green Bridge needs to be redesigned, which is a huge undertaking." She paused. "And abandoning the water source at the head of the Sang River isn't without its impact; the entire water balance needs to be recalculated."

Dafulin looked around. "I didn't even have a proper dinner. You should at least give me a cup of coffee and some snacks, right?"

"You still have the nerve to bring that up?" Katharine rolled her eyes in annoyance. "The other day when I went to your place, you wouldn't even offer me a single dried fruit, and I had to personally pour you water to help you sober up."

She pressed the silver bell on the coffee table, summoning her head maid. To her surprise, the maid had already prepared a plate of exquisite tea and snacks and was waiting outside the door, clearly having anticipated her arrival.

The head maid silently set down the gilded tray, gave a perfect curtsy, and quietly withdrew. Dafulin, without any hesitation,

She picked up an almond cookie and took a bite, oblivious to the crumbs falling onto her elegant skirt.

"I went to Liya's place the day before yesterday and saw they had a new member," Katharine suddenly said, "A tiny skeleton."

"They're not even sparing the bones of children?" Dafulin frowned. "The Jimite family?"

"It's right to nip it in the bud, but there's no need." "No, he's an old halfling." Katharine interrupted her thoughts, then observed the princess's reaction with great interest.

The biscuit in Dafulin's hand fell onto the porcelain plate with a "thud." She stood up abruptly, her voice trembling, "You mean Mr. Newman?! How dare they treat his body like this!"

Katharine pressed her palm down, signaling her to calm down. "It was authorized by Newman himself; his soul was preserved by Jimite using the Deep Soul Cocoon."

Dafulin stood frozen in place for a long while before slowly sitting down. She mechanically picked up another cookie, but hesitated to put it in her mouth.

"So, back then, when Chestnut Crow Scholar mentioned the two Titled Scholar, were you referring to her and her teacher?" After a long silence, Dafulin murmured, her voice almost inaudible. "I thought she was referring to the Bone King."

She was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, and tears streamed down her face as she thought of Newman's support for stripping her of her academic credentials.

****

The princess's reaction was far more intense than Katharine had anticipated. She had originally planned to use this to control Dafulin, but now it seemed completely unnecessary.

"Jimite preserved his soul, probably as a backup plan," Katharine said, handing over a coin. "In case the uprising fails, I can use this to blackmail you and give you a way out."

"Su Ming, where are they now?" Dafulin took the coins and wiped away her tears.

"Don't even think about it, you can't catch up with that car," Katharine said bluntly. "Anyway, you're going to the foot of the Dome Mountains, so just meet them at the designated work location in the tunnel."

"Why should I go there?" Dafulin countered, her voice regaining its composure. "Isn't my mission to fabricate evidence of their departure from the Northern Lands, intercept intelligence from all sides, and buy them over a month to begin tunnel construction?"

"Because the plan has changed." Katharine pushed a detailed battle map in front of her, with numerous red lines marking the Sacred Mountain area as attack zones. "We've decided to take down the Sea of Divine Grace as well, and we need you to send elite troops to participate."

Dafulin laughed angrily, "I told you to name your terms, not to ask for exorbitant amounts!" She tapped her fingertips on the coffee table, "The covert deployment and quiet transfer of hundreds of necromancers, the continuous logistical support, and the intelligence control and coordination before and after—all of this alone has seriously impacted our strategy in the Northern Lands!"

The Northern Lands Lords' Alliance attacked the royal princess and the Empress of the Stars, Dafulin will not let this go unpunished! Especially since nearly half of their elite army has been wiped out, and their key figures Jimite and Bulenleifu have been killed, this is the perfect opportunity to retake them!

However, it is winter now, making it difficult to wage war and consuming huge amounts of resources.

How many lords need to be "severely punished," and how many are spared "to observe their future conduct," depends not on the severity of their crimes.

It's not about how sharp the knife in Dafulin's hand is.

"Do you really think this is an outrageous demand?" Katharine asked calmly.

Dafulin raised her hand, indicating that she should have a moment to recover.

She forced herself to temporarily put Newman out of her mind and began to think seriously. She quickly realized that the situation on Sacred Mountain was equally important!

Many areas of the Dome Mountains are occupied by the Divine Covenant Faction. If we can clear out the Divine Might Prison and the Sea of Divine Grace and drive these people away, it will clear the way for the later Green Bridge Project and reduce noise for subsequent mineral development.

She knew those people all too well. They would do everything in their power to obstruct development, but once the Green Bridge project was painstakingly completed and the natural barrier was transformed into a passage, they would immediately turn around and occupy the mines or block the main roads to get a share of the profits.

Thinking of the greedy faces of those charlatans who reap the benefits without sowing, Dafulin unconsciously crushed the cookie in her hand, crumbs falling from her fingers.

Currently, the tactical planning is spearheaded by Katharine and Su Ming, with Li taking the blame, and Northern Stream will also join the coordinated operation. Missing this opportunity would be a source of deep regret!

"I will consult with my father and request that the Iron Crown Imperial Guard of the capital be dispatched to attack from the south side of the Dome Mountains," Dafulin said.

The royal family lacks resources in the Northern Lands, so urgently dispatching elite forces from the capital to provide support directly from the south is the quickest method. Moreover, there is a planned tunnel through the mountains, which will allow for coordinated action between the two sides.

****

"This one is not bad either," Katharine commented after analyzing it.

The Iron Crown Imperial Guard is the royal family's most elite force; although small in number, its combat effectiveness is undeniable.

This also suits the current situation, as only the most elite small-scale troops can reach the raid position without leaking information.

"I can't guarantee I can convince my father and the cabinet," Dafulin, not making any definitive statements.

"Your royal family can decide for yourselves," Katharine said confidently. "If you don't go, I'll have all the benefits for that area of Sacred Mountain."

Don't even think about going back to the coal mine—I'll charge you for using the tunnel!

"..."

"Besides combat capabilities, you were the one who surveyed the hydrology of that area, so the tunnel excavation requires your technical support," Katharine continued. "That's why I said you have to go too."

Dafulin picked up a cookie, a slight smile playing on her lips. "If you insist on this condition—the governor of Bubing Province is already on his way back by urgent summons—I can leave Bubing City for a short while."

"Our scheduled start time is—" Katharine found the plan and handed it to Dafulin, only to find that the princess, while discussing such an important matter, was fiddling with the biscuits in her hand.

Katharine sighed. "Newman seems to be doing quite well, especially with that huge toy, the White Bone Train." She added, "When I saw him, he was holding tools, bickering with the Liya like a mischievous child."

The cookie in Dafulin's hand instantly turned to powder, and wisps of Magic Power dissipated.

"I said, you don't need to eat chestnut vinegar, right?"

"I'm sorry." Dafulin covered her face with her hands and rubbed it. "Shasha, don't do that again, especially when I'm distracted."

"Does the result make any difference?" Katharine chuckled. "I've already gone to great lengths with you."

Dafulin brushed the crumbs off her hands and stood up. "I'll take my leave now. I need to contact the capital immediately to finalize the Iron Crown Imperial Guard's deployment as soon as possible. I also need to make some preliminary arrangements so I can visit the tunnel excavation site under the guise of inspecting the territory."

Take care on your journey!

After seeing Dafulin off, Katharine suddenly felt a little hungry. She reached for the cookies, only to find the plate was full of crumbs.

"You want cookies? So that's what you're going to use them for!" she thought to herself.

Katharine called to the head maid, "Next time Dafulin comes, serve her a baguette."

"Yes, sir." The head maid replied respectfully.

****

Wazhuang Town, Livestock Trading Center.

A cold wind whipped up the scattered hay on the ground, and the livestock shed was unusually quiet.

Livestock are difficult to move in winter, and this season has always been the off-season. Especially now, during the Winter Solstice Festival, the pens are empty, with only a few riding animals listlessly chewing their feed in a corner.