Volume 32: Dark Clouds Gather

Chapter 1: The Sudden Attack

A deluge of rockets covered the entire camp in an instant. The Knossos soldiers, awakened from their sleep, fled in panic like headless flies across the camp. Following the rockets came a dense rain of arrows, which, layer by layer, surrounded the desperately escaping Knossos soldiers along the undulating terrain of the valley.

Exhausted and still half-asleep from their recent rest, the Knossos soldiers were unable to organize any effective resistance. They didn’t even know from which direction the attack was coming. A few scouts sent out were quickly eliminated by the well-prepared Caucasus soldiers, and what followed was a one-sided massacre.

When the spears of the half-orc soldiers once again rained down on the disorganized ranks of the Knossos soldiers, their commander finally realized there was no doubt left about the outcome of this war. In terms of preparation, combat strength, and numbers, his army was far inferior to the enemy’s. Continuing to fight would only result in more casualties with no purpose.

He wisely chose to surrender.

The entire surprise attack took only two hours from start to finish. Not a single Knossos soldier escaped. Aside from over 400 soldiers who died in battle, the remaining 500+ were almost all injured.

The archers strictly followed Dragoth’s orders, sealing off any attempts by a few soldiers to escape through the valley and send messages. However, their efforts were thwarted by a barrage of arrows. Four Knossos scouts were pinned to the valley entrance and nearby slopes. Despite their best efforts, the gods of fate were not on their side.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Dragoth felt satisfied. His men had lived up to his expectations, shattering the confidence of the Knossos army. Especially after the spear attack, their immediate charge completely destroyed the Knossos soldiers’ will to resist. Faced with half-orcs who were not much different from orcs, the Knossos soldiers still instinctively felt fear—especially when outnumbered and at a disadvantage. It was truly difficult to inspire them to fight to the end.

“But Dragumo knew this was just the beginning; the real trouble lay in the latter half. The battle in the Zuck Valley wasn’t particularly uncertain to begin with, but no one expected it to be so easy. Perhaps the Knossians’ smooth progress had made them complacent, making them act more like they were on a long journey rather than there to fight. But the subsequent liberation of Livonia would be quite difficult. Although the three castles weren’t fortresses, they still had some basic defensive structures. Undoubtedly, the Knossians already controlled them. If we let them keep them, with only 2,000 defenders, it would be unrealistic for our 3,000 men to take them. To recapture those castles, we had to avoid direct battles—meaning we needed to infiltrate the castles when the enemy was unprepared. Only then could we succeed; otherwise, even capturing all of Livonia would be pointless.
‘What are your thoughts?’ Dragumo suddenly asked his subordinates, who were still busy cleaning up the battlefield. He had begun to learn from Komer by seeking others’ opinions. As Komer said, pooling ideas was far more useful than relying on one person’s mind.
The half-elf archer leader was momentarily stunned before realizing the commander was seeking his advice. After hesitating, he said, ‘We’ve already accomplished the first goal—no one escaped. Next, we need to catch the Knossian forces in Livonia off guard. Only by taking control of those three castles in the suburbs can we hold on; otherwise, we have no chance at all.’
‘Hmm. How do we take those three castles? You don’t think they’re stupid enough to not control them, do you?’
‘Of course not. But judging from the current situation, the Knossians are arrogant and almost don’t seem to be in true combat mode. Looking at their performance in this battle, it’s clear they’re completely unprepared for war. In other words, they haven’t realized we’re also marching here. Perhaps they thought we’d fight them along the Göteborg front, with this place being their rear base by default.’
The half-elf archer leader was quite eloquent, much to Dragumo’s envy.
‘Be brief. How can we take those three castles quietly now?’”

“The lord must already have some ideas. Actually, the method is simple and old-fashioned, but often very practical. How about staging a play using these Cnososian armor suits?” The half-elf archer leader’s eyes were as blue as diamonds.

“Hmm, this seems to be the only option we have,” Dragumo nodded slightly.

Mainit sat gracefully in the spacious room. The good lighting, elegant design, and luxurious decorations made this large study truly magnificent. Mainit wasn’t an unsophisticated country bumpkin. As a noble from Cnosos, he had served in the Cnosos royal guard for nearly a decade before finally being transferred through connections to serve as a high-ranking officer in one of Cnosos’s two main armies, the Ice Storm Corps. He had seen the refined conservatism of the Atticans and the dazzling fantasy of the Bohemians, but he was still impressed by the elegance and grace of the Nicocians.

Just a noble from Livonia could own such a uniquely designed castle, filled with a serene and leisurely atmosphere. Mainit always thought it was a blasphemy to have soldiers stationed there; they should be stationed outside the castle. These castles weren’t fortresses, though they did have some defensive features, but Mainit felt the decorative elements outweighed their practical functions.

Three incredibly beautiful castles were arranged in a triangular pattern on the low hills surrounding Livonia City on three sides. Surrounded by green trees and shaded by forests, the soft glow of the sunset casting on the hills outside the castles added to their grandeur.

Mainit hadn’t expected the Livonians to be so cowardly. Upon learning that the allied forces were approaching, they scattered in panic and fled to the surrounding areas. They seemed utterly indifferent to the beauty and wealth they possessed, hastily packing up their belongings and fleeing in disarray.

It was clear these people were opposed to the alliance entering the entire Katin control zone. That was perfect—their flight confirmed their hostility and dissatisfaction toward the alliance. In that case, these three castles, like works of art, could fall into his hands. He needed to think carefully about who to give the remaining two castles, aside from this dreamlike castle.

Mainit pondered to himself. Fortunately, he hadn’t allowed his soldiers to enter the castles. Otherwise, with those guys’ rude behavior, even the finest works of art would be reduced to piles of rubble.

While Mainit was struggling to decide who to give the remaining two castles to, Dragoth’s army was marching at an almost insane speed from the Zuk Valley straight toward Livonia. Dragoth had no time for rest, nor did he give his troops any time off. The half-orc soldiers were already tired; although they had gotten two days of rest on the ship after the long journey, that was far too short. Hundreds of kilometers of travel couldn’t be recovered in just a day or two, and now they had to fight right after marching—another battle ahead. This was a test indeed for the half-orc army, and even more so for the half-elves, who were less physically strong than the half-orcs. Given the unique physical traits of the half-orcs, Dragoth had to send out scouts in advance. In other words, no matter what the scouts reported, his army would have to fight. All that needed to be adjusted were the strategies based on the scouts’ information. If things turned out as worst-case, with all three castles under Knosso control and guarded, and his side unable to infiltrate under disguise, the war might turn into a brutal siege battle—something Dragoth certainly didn’t want to see. But the decision now wasn’t in his hands. The half-orcs moved at great speed, almost running the whole way. Although the Knosso army in the Zuk Valley had been wiped out, it was impossible to hide their approach. They could only launch an attack before their opponents could react, securing a decisive victory while they were still in chaos. The news brought back by the scouts nearly drove Dragoth wild with joy—those fools had locked up the three castles as their private property, not even stationing troops there. Aside from a small force in one castle, the other two were completely empty. Dragoth promptly adjusted his strategy. Disguised ambushes were no longer useful; they might even delay the opportunity. Instead, he decided to crush the defenders of the single castle with a swift attack, and the other two could be taken over with just small forces—no need for any elaborate cover-ups. A lightning-fast, decisive strike was the best strategy.