1741.12.9, the night before Blackwing declared war on the Empire on which the sun never sets.
Azarra had never seen a night like this before. In the quiet, hazy darkness, the huge Black Wing Army stood in formation at the twelve strategic teleportation points of Azarra with a solemn and intimidating aura.
Soldiers were everywhere on the ground, from the Tatalis Mountains of the Aiyo Kingdom to the Ancient Monet Battlefield near the Ebs Kingdom. Occasionally, the silhouettes of one or two giant radiation dragons would sweep across the sky. Large numbers of Demon Hounds were ready to move, and behind them were spellcasters in black robes. They were all waiting for the signal to attack from the Lord of the Court, Macnee Darkblade.
The Demon Hounds squeezed in the narrow space growled and bared their teeth. The suspenders suspended in the air swayed as they dropped bottles and jars. The chains creaked as the Demon Hounds raised their heads to catch the jars and crushed them into pieces before swallowing them.
It was the fourth-generation Berserk Potion made by the research lab. It could keep the soldiers in a state of excitement in battle, and at the same time, resist the effects of mental attacks to the greatest extent. The side effect was that all senses, including touch and taste, would become less sensitive. However, for Blackwing's army, being less sensitive might not be a bad thing.
The Orc Warlord shuttled back and forth among the chaotic Demon Hounds, beating the war drums and loudly announcing, "Get into formation and wait for orders!
Get into formation and wait for orders! "
Macnee knew that the Empire had not fully grasped the current situation in the central region. He had to play the role of both pathfinder and attacker. This was a complicated and dangerous operation.
The dwarves looked down from the tower and could only see the Demon Hounds crashing into each other in the night. They were so densely packed that it made them feel uncomfortable.
"I hope some of them can survive."
Macnee sighed in his heart. His eyes became resolute. When everything was ready, he gave the official order, "Let the operation begin. All troops move out."
Wyverns, Demon Hounds, Orc Warlords, and spellcasters began to enter the teleportation points in batches. Macnee was not stupid enough to put all his forces in one area. He spent two hours studying the map with the Warlords, and finally decided to attack the villages, mountains, and valleys in the central region near the north.
Trying to do it in one go would most likely lead to a tragedy. After thinking about it, the new Lord of the Court decided to first establish a foothold in the central region. After occupying four to six temporary bases that could be used to build large-scale teleportation points, he could ensure that the Blackwing army's retreat and reinforcements could be guaranteed. Then, he would attack Ness and Khol to complete the mission given to him by the Black Emperor.
Tonight would definitely be longer than he imagined.
…
Larosse was very quiet in the cold winter night. This village lay in the curve of the road from Myrnen to the north. It had never been disturbed. To people, it was just a place that they had to pass through on their way from one place to another. Its only unique feature was the tower, which was a product of the human migration to the north in the second era. It had collapsed many times over the millennia and was rebuilt by the local villagers several times. It was still in good condition.
In this cold night, the tower was chilly. The huge stones on the walls were wet and water was seeping out. It was just past eight o 'clock at night. The braziers on the tower were burning fiercely. Outside the tower, the yellow mud road that was overgrown with weeds extended out. The doors and windows of the shacks and wooden houses in the village were tightly shut. There was no sound at all.
Larosse was very quiet. It was so quiet that it was like an abandoned village. However, this silence was unreal. This was because in this small village, thousands of hearts were slowly beating.
There were sentries in every corner. The sentries were huddled up in protective cloaks. They stayed in the towers and fortresses, beside the roadblocks at the entrance and exit, in the hollows of the mines on the hills, in the low-lying wetlands in the fields, and in the outposts high up in the village.
Although Larosse had a leisurely and idyllic appearance, it was actually a military base. There were more than five hundred villagers in the village, but the number of soldiers was more than three times that of the villagers. They were the Iron Cross Army from Hejian, the main force of the Kingdom of Balia.
There was more than one village like Larosse. When the great empire that never set the sun had completed its conquest of the central region, the other countries in Hejian soon followed. While they were dividing the profits of the trade city-states, they also sent garrisons to various places in the central region. Together, they built a long barrier across the east and west to guard against any possible attack from the north.
"It's so quiet."
The cold winter had arrived. The snow was swept across the sky by the north wind, circling around the house and whimpering. Tanni Pigg raised his head from the table that was piled with information. He listened carefully and sighed.
"If there was no war, I might have just finished drinking and lying on the warm bosoms of those long-legged highland women."
The adjutant sat down opposite him. They had a good relationship, so he was not reserved at all. "Speaking of which, what does the war between the northerners and The Rising Sun have to do with us? Why does the Baboon King have to get involved?"
"The king did not do anything wrong in this matter, Huo Gall. You don't understand."
The supreme commander of the Iron Cross Army sipped his tea and said, "Unlike previous wars, once this war starts, no one in Airadia can stay out of it. Instead of being forced to get involved in the dispute, it's better to prepare in advance and try to sway the scales of victory as much as possible."
"But we're not the weights on the scales, we're …"
The adjutant thought for a moment and could not find the right adjective, so he changed his words. "Tanni, have you ever played the card game in the north?
When two players play a game of chess, they will constantly use low-cost followers to deplete the opponent's cards and HP until victory is in their hands. Then, they will use their most powerful card to end the game. In this war, we are the low-cost followers. "
"You can just say that in the eyes of The Rising Sun City and Black Wings, we are cannon fodder."
Tanni actually smiled. "Do you need to say such a long paragraph to describe it? You … don't think that everyone doesn't know about this, do you?"
"Since you know, why are you still smiling?" Huo Gall was a little stunned by his smile.
Tanni Pigg was silent for a while. He put away his smile and said, "My father has told me countless times about the legends of the Pigg family: At the end of the Second Era, there was a war between humans and the Beastmen. One day, there was a holy light, and a winged Sky Race appeared in the clouds. My ancestors responded to the call of the Sky Race and joined the army to fight for mankind.
My ancestor became a knight in this war and fell in love with a beautiful lady, giving birth to this great family. "
"It was not until later that I learned some of the historical facts. My ancestor did join the army, but he was not a knight. He was a knight in charge of leading the horse. He had never participated in any war. The so-called beautiful lady was just a prostitute to the army."
"This glorious family has never been able to fill their stomachs. When it came to my father's generation, they were as poor as a church mouse. They had neither wealth nor status. During the conflict in Baka seventy years ago, I saw my mother being taken away by the soldiers of Kashan with my own eyes. I haven't seen her since then."
"I smiled for no special reason, just because I wanted to do something big. I wanted to let the Pigg family truly have glory.
Some people are born with restless blood in their bones. For fame and power, they will do anything, even if they have to pay with their lives … "
Tanni crooked his mouth and smiled again, as if he was mocking himself. "Even if we are cannon fodder, as long as we hold the sword, everything will have a chance."
Huo Gall sat silently and listened. He did not know what to say and could only stare at the charcoal brazier in a daze.
After a moment of silence, Tanni stood up and patted the adjutant on the shoulder. "Let's go. Accompany me outside for a walk. Tonight is particularly cold. I hope the guys at the sentry post will not be lazy."