Chapter 206: Good News, Su Nan is Gone
Starlight Calendar 1280, Autumn Curtain Month (October).
The weather was gradually taking on a desolate chill.
However, Sal Plain was a scene of tense confrontation. Gloomy dark clouds hung low over the Plain, as if foreshadowing an impending war.
From a high vantage point, the once-empty Plain was now filled with vast armies stretching across the mountains.
The two sides, clearly distinct, faced each other from several kilometers apart. The tense and solemn atmosphere had long since frightened away all the animals within a radius of dozens of kilometers.
War was imminent.
In the Northwest Alliance army camp, on a slope, a group of high-ranking officers gazed at the elite Imperial Army in the distance, occasionally whispering amongst themselves.
Standing at the front, Allied Forces commander Eddis Thurman put down his telescope, his brow furrowed.
It was only after the war with the Prosperous Star Empire truly began that he experienced the terrifying military power of this vast Empire that had conquered the Southeast Region.
If it hadn't been for Fakado and others repeatedly carrying out decapitation strikes, disrupting the strategic plans of the Prosperous Star Empire's forces, the Allied Forces would likely have already been defeated.
Even so, in the battles fought thus far, the Allied Forces had lost more often than they had won.
If things continued this way, the situation would only become increasingly unfavorable for them.
Thinking of this, Eddis couldn't help but sigh.
If only the Allied Forces had a Wizard Apprentice skilled in crafting Puppets.
While level three Wizard Apprentices were indeed powerful and could even influence the outcome of smaller battles, their impact was quite limited in a large-scale war spanning the entire continent.
Unless it was someone like Su Nan back then, who had been able to single-handedly establish a formidable Golem Legion.
Eddis sometimes found it puzzling that a family as deep-rooted as the Russell Family had not produced such a formidable Wizard in thousands of years. Why was the Southeast Region capable of giving birth to such outstanding individuals?
After a moment, Eddis sighed inwardly, composed himself, and turned to leave.
"In any case, today's battle is crucial, and we must secure victory. If the Imperial Army breaks through Sal Plain, the following three thousand kilometers will be an unimpeded path with no natural barriers, making it exceedingly difficult to defend. By then, the situation for the Allied Forces will only worsen.
Upon returning to the central command tent, Edis found it already filled with people. On the left side were military representatives from various nations, while on the right were the Level Three Wizard Apprentices, led by Facardo Russell. A total of twenty-five Level Three Wizard Apprentices were present, meaning that over eighty percent of the Northwest Region's Level Three Wizard Apprentices had gathered here. Edis first nodded slightly to all the Wizard Apprentices as a gesture of respect before taking his seat at the head of the table. He glanced around, confirming that everyone had arrived, and signaled his deputy to begin the war meeting.
"Initial estimates indicate that the Prosperous Star Empire has stationed a million troops at Sal Plain, including a Black Rock Cavalry force of twenty thousand and ten thousand Stone Golems." The deputy's opening statement caused a shift in everyone’s expressions, and a low hiss of intake was heard throughout the tent.
"A million troops? Has the Prosperous Star Empire increased their forces again?"
"The number of Black Rock Cavalry has also risen to twenty thousand... that's equivalent to two hundred thousand regular Legion troops!"
"Those ten thousand Stone Golems are even more troublesome; those Puppets are fearless and extremely difficult to handle on the front lines."
Edis, anticipating this reaction, commanded, "Silence," effectively quelling the discussions in the tent. As the commander of the Allied Forces, he held considerable authority among the generals from various countries. When the room quieted down, Edis gestured for his deputy to continue with the report.
"The commander in charge of this war is Duke Blade, and alongside him are Marquis Jordon, Marquis Staley, Earl Lange, and Earl Crook." The expressions of the generals grew increasingly grim as they listened. The individuals mentioned by the deputy were essentially the Star Emperor's trusted confidants from when he first rose to power, following him all the way from the small Black Stone City to the current Prosperous Star Empire."
It could be said that each of these individuals was a battle-hardened general with a fearsome reputation.
Yet, they were all gathered on Sal Plain, underscoring how much the Prosperous Star Empire valued this war.
As this realization settled in, they felt their chances of victory dwindle.
After patiently waiting for the adjutant to finish speaking, Edis finally spoke in a neutral tone.
"I believe everyone understands the strategic importance of Sal Plain. This is a war we can only win, not lose."
Having said this, Edis turned to Fakado and asked, "Fakado, what are your thoughts?"
Edis knew that the outcome of the Allied Forces' success did not solely depend on the generals present and their troops.
With both their forces and morale at a disadvantage, the chances of winning through direct engagement were extremely slim.
Ultimately, their hope of victory rested on Fakado and his peers.
Fakado, over a hundred years old, appeared no different from a man in his thirties—his fair skin and slender fingers suggesting a life of comfort.
In response to Edis's inquiry, he smiled slightly.
"Having the Prosperous Star Empire's powerful generals gathered on Sal Plain is actually beneficial for us, isn't it?"
"If we can seize this opportunity to eliminate them all in one decisive move, the Imperial Army will inevitably collapse into chaos without their leaders. That will create an opening for the Allied Forces to counterattack."
Fakado's words sparked interest among the generals, who nodded in agreement.
However, Edis, not swayed by enthusiasm, said in a stern tone, "We have attempted to assassinate Empire generals many times before; they must already be on high alert. Duke Blade and the others will undoubtedly be heavily guarded, making any further assassination attempts likely to fail."
"Indeed," Fakado conceded, unperturbed by Edis's concerns, then shifted the conversation.
"So, instead of attacking the military camp at night again, we’ll wait until the battle begins and then bypass it to raid the Empire military camp directly. That will be the moment when Duke Blade and the others are least guarded."
Edis paused, lost in thought.
Launching a surprise attack on the enemy's camp from the rear while both sides were engaged in battle felt like a fantasy. However, with a group of Wizard Apprentices as the implementers, it held a chance of success.
With Fakado and the others' strength, they could easily approach the rear of the Empire camp unnoticed and execute a sudden strike.
At that moment, most of the Empire's army would be occupied on the battlefield, making the defenses around their camp significantly weaker than usual.
The likelihood of success was certainly greater than attempting a night raid after the Empire had fortified its defenses.
"There's another problem," Edis said, his expression growing serious. "What if Su Nan shows up?"
A soft cough came from Kairo, who sat next to Fakado. Taking over the conversation, he spoke confidently. Among the Wizard Apprentices present, he was the most senior aside from Fakado and also the strongest.
"In the four months we've fought against the Prosperous Star Empire, Su Nan hasn't appeared at all. It's likely he doesn't care about the conflict between the Prosperous Star Empire and the Allied Forces."
Edis frowned slightly, but he couldn't refute Kairo's words. According to their gathered intelligence, Su Nan had not intervened personally during the Prosperous Star Empire's campaign to unify the Southeast Region.
"Furthermore, even if Su Nan does appear, we still have the ability to fight back."
As Kairo mentioned this, he glanced at Fakado. They had a total of twenty-five Level Three Wizard Apprentices. In terms of overall strength, they were far superior to the Council of Truth of the past.
Moreover, Fakado possessed a Wizard Tool inherited from the Russell Family. Although it was over a thousand years old and partially damaged, which reduced its power significantly, it remained a formidable weapon, far surpassing any Shimmering Magic Item.
It was the only one of its kind in the entire Starlight Continent.
With this trump card, if Su Nan didn't show up, that was fine, but if he did, they would certainly surprise him.
Seeing Fakado, Kairo, and the others wearing confident expressions, Edis nodded without saying anything further.
At that moment, a low horn sounded suddenly from outside.
Edis's expression tightened as he quickly got up and walked out of the tent.
A soldier rushed over, reporting, "My lord, the Prosperous Star Empire army is on the move!"
Edis's gaze sharpened as he issued a command in a deep voice.
"Prepare to engage!"
He then turned and gave a slight bow to Fakado and the others who had arrived, saying with a solemn expression, "I'm counting on all of you!"
Fakado smiled faintly. "Your Excellency Edis, just wait for our good news."
As both armies began to move, Sal Plain instantly came alive.
With the Stone Golem Legion leading the vanguard, infantry in the center, archers at the rear, and the Black Rock Cavalry guarding the flanks—ready to seize any opportunity—the mighty and elite Imperial Army advanced like an ancient behemoth, moving slowly yet steadily toward the enemy.
The soaring auras of their weapons scattered the gloomy clouds above, tearing open a massive gap in the sky.
From a distance, the Allied Forces, who had just formed their ranks, experienced a slight commotion at the sight.
Though it quickly subsided, it was enough to reveal the fear that now gripped the Allied Forces in the face of the Imperial Army.
Edis observed this and felt a sense of foreboding wash over him.
Now, he could only hope that Fakado's assassination operation would achieve perfect success. Only then would the Allied Forces have a chance at victory; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Taking a deep breath, Edis set aside his extraneous thoughts and commanded in a steady voice, "Advance!"
"Advance!"
The commands were relayed down the ranks, and the Allied Forces began to move, their pace gradually increasing.
From above, the two armies appeared as two accelerating torrents, ultimately colliding fiercely in the center of the Plain.
In an instant, a dazzling scarlet glow erupted at the collision point, followed by deafening battle cries and screams, transforming into a rolling wave of sound that echoed through the skies above the Plain!
The Stone Golems swung their iron fists, relentlessly smashing their enemies—armor and all—into a bloody pulp, like ferocious beasts rampaging through the enemy lines.
The Allied Forces often suffered casualties tenfold or more, just to bring down a single Stone Golem.
Amidst the most intense fighting, the casualties among the Stone Golems rose alarmingly, but despite their losses, these puppets displayed no signs of retreat.
They had no fear, like cold machines relentlessly eliminating one enemy after another.
As had happened many times before, the Allied Forces' vanguard was retreating under immense psychological pressure, facing opponents who were unafraid of death or injury. The growing number of casualties hinted at a faint trend of collapse.
Seeing this, Edis promptly dispatched the Overseer Army to push forward. After beheading more than ten retreating soldiers, they finally managed to stabilize the formation.
The rear army advanced immediately, and the cavalry legion charged out from both flanks, seeking to harass the Imperial Army and relieve some pressure on the main battlefield.
However, as soon as the cavalry legion surged forward, they encountered the even more formidable Black Rock Cavalry.
At the same time, the infantry rear guard of the Empire joined the fray.
The situation for the Allied Forces showed no signs of improvement.
Though he had expected it, Edis felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach as he surveyed the battlefield before him.
He looked beyond the fighting, toward the Empire army camp in the distance.
Meanwhile, Fakado and the others had also arrived behind the Empire army camp, concealing themselves in a forest from which they could observe the dense encampment several kilometers away.
Fakado turned to a man with a detached expression, his complexion so pale it was almost translucent.
"Same as before, Momi'er, it's up to you."
Momi'er nodded silently, settling cross-legged and closing his eyes.
A strange fluctuation radiated from his body, faintly extending far into the distance.
After a while, Momi'er opened his eyes.
"How is it?" someone asked impatiently.
Momi'er nodded blankly. "I've located the target: twelve in total. Excluding the two hundred and twenty-three personal guards, there are thirty-two Puppets."
"What type of Puppets?" Fakado inquired.
"Two Mithril Golems, five High Tier Iron Golems, five High Tier Double Blade Spiders, and the rest are Steel Golems."
Having fought against the Prosperous Star Empire many times, they had long since discerned the strength levels of the Empire's Puppets.
Hearing this, Kairo relaxed and laughed. "Not bad. With our strength, breaking through won't be difficult."
Everyone smiled with renewed confidence.
Among these puppets, only two Mithril Golems posed a slight threat to them, and even that was just barely.
"Haven't found Su Nan?" Fakado asked, a hint of unease in his voice.
Momi'er shook his head, hesitated for a moment, then said, "There are three others with those noble generals. One is a woman, and the other two are wearing cloaks that hide their faces, but judging by their builds, they should also be women."
"If Su Nan were present, there'd be no need for concealment," Kairo said casually. "I think he has no intention of interfering in this war at all."
Fakado agreed; that made sense.
"It's a shame. I really wanted to fight Su Nan and see how powerful a formal wizard truly is," chuckled a tall wizard apprentice. His right arm was noticeably thicker than his left, its surface covered in fine scales.
"If you actually fought Su Nan, you probably wouldn't last a minute," joked another wizard apprentice nearby.
Fakado coughed softly, drawing everyone's attention back, and said sternly, "Alright, enough chitchat."
"Let's start the operation. Our targets are those noble generals, not the puppets. Avoid entanglement if possible—eliminate the targets quickly and leave, so we don't get surrounded."
Even a Level Three wizard apprentice would be in danger if caught by an army.
Everyone present understood this, nodding silently in agreement.
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