Pre-War Thunderclouds

The next day, Du Chen received His Holiness the Pontiff’s Crystal Edict from Bairu and immediately returned to Durkes City to prepare his army for war. Yet, mobilizing tens of thousands of troops once war broke out was no task for a mere day or two. Provisions and supplies, weapon calibration, troop mobilization... These myriad affairs left Du Chen overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Frinda reorganized Durkes City’s administrative system while assessing Dud’s military capabilities. Indeed, both the military and civil sectors of Durkes City entered a frenzied state of pre-war preparations.

During this period, the Papal Curia’s pre-war intelligence flowed continuously to Du Chen through Mas. First was the location of Thornwood Valley. It must be noted that Thornwood Valley’s security was exceptionally stringent. Even Adams, a close confidant of the Third Head, only knew that Thornwood Valley was situated within the Great Snow Mountain region at the northeastern tip of Einz. Yet, the Great Snow Mountain stretched for a thousand miles; precisely which ravine it resided in... Perhaps only the few Heads of Thornwood Valley truly knew. According to Thornwood Valley’s rules, only those in leadership held ‘The Prerogative’ to enter and exit with open eyes!

However, the Papal Curia sacrificed numerous intelligence operatives and finally pinpointed a specific area. Once hostilities commenced, the Papal Curia would use squadrons of flying beasts to air-drop troops within this perimeter, followed by a carpet search. The burden of battle would then fall to Du Chen.

Just as Du Chen threw himself into war preparations, in the northeastern reaches of Einz, on the Great Snow Mountain!

Two figures trekked swiftly through the icy wilderness, yet behind them, no four lines of footprints, as there should have been, marred the pristine snow. One wore heavy, beast-faced armor, the other’s face was obscured by a black robe. They reached the base of an ice-bound cliff, and the black-robed figure gazed up at a dilapidated, tomb-like structure atop the precipice, sighing heavily.

“Sixty years. I, Zigurd, have finally returned home! The Divine Emperor’s tomb on Mount Zaro remains, Thornwood Valley’s secret passage endures, but I... I have grown old!”

Zigurd cast his gaze across the Great Snow Mountain’s panorama, and two lines of cloudy tears unconsciously traced paths down his aged cheeks. The closer one gets to home, the more trepidation one feels. For a wanderer returning to his homeland after sixty years, his heart was naturally a maelstrom of emotions. Especially gazing upon the Divine Emperor’s tomb on that cliff—it was there, all those years ago, that he was defeated by Thomas, forced to flee to Battle God Isle, abandoning his home for six decades!

After a moment of reminiscence, Zigurd and Avril vanished among the cliff’s rocky outcrops. They traversed a wide tunnel, and then, their eyes were met with a startling vista—outside lay an icy expanse, but within, a haven of birdsong and fragrant flowers, a true paradise. In the distance, a colossal city stood on a verdant plain, ancient and magnificent, with a grand plaque suspended above its gates: Thornwood City! It turned out that Thornwood Valley, much like Water’s Embrace Lake, was a ‘Heavens Beyond Heavens’ connected by the Life Tree!

As they crossed the vast plain leading to the city gates, an old man sweeping approached them. “Young Master Sha, you’ve returned! And this is...” He glanced in surprise at Zigurd, hidden beneath the black robe.

“He is my friend. Ask no further questions!”

Avril gave him a slight nod, then entered the city with Zigurd. But after only a few steps, Zigurd turned and cast a profound look at the old sweeping man, murmuring, “Avril, why is Warma sweeping here?”

“Oh? Martial Uncle, you know Old Warma? He only joined the Valley a little over a year ago!”

“Warma is the Tomb Guardian of the Beastkin’s Holy Mountain. I met him five years ago when I paid respects to the nameless heroes. How did he come to join the Valley?”

Avril chuckled, “Martial Uncle, you might not know, but last year, Bonis attacked the Auerbach Grand Canyon, and the Fiendkind reappeared in the human world. Old Warma feared that the heroes’ tomb he guarded would be destroyed by the Fiendkind, so he fled to the Great Snow Mountain with the heroic memorial tablets, intending to live in reclusive anonymity. However, he couldn’t endure the Great Snow Mountain’s cold and collapsed near the Divine Emperor’s tomb on Mount Zaro. Seeing his pitiful state, I rescued him... Rest assured, this old man is peace-loving and has sworn never to leave Thornwood Valley. There will be no problems!”

Zigurd merely grunted, paying him no further heed. Yet, beneath the city gates, Old Warma leaned on his broom, his face wreathed in a knowing smile as he watched Zigurd’s retreating back.

This old fellow was precisely the Tomb Guardian who, years ago on the Beastkin’s Holy Mountain, had spoken at length with Du Chen about how ‘nameless heroes are the true heroes’!

Walking through a secluded alley, Avril asked, “Martial Uncle, currently, only Third Uncle and a few retired elders within the Valley know your identity. Do you still wish to see them?”

“Things have changed, people are no longer the same. It’s better not to meet. Avril, this time, only you, Thomas, and Sena know of my return, understand?” Zigurd slowly shook his head and added, “Tell me about the changes within the Valley! That old rascal Thomas hasn’t told me a thing!”

Avril nodded. “The current Heads of the Valley are no longer the same ones as when you left. The Eighth Head is the Grand Elder’s son, and by reckoning, still your nephew. As for the Seventh Head...” She briefly introduced Thornwood Valley’s current situation, but for some reason, Avril skipped over the Third Head, finally saying, “Martial Uncle, ever since the Third Head, Constantine, went missing, our Thornwood Valley has been in disarray...”

Zigurd pondered briefly, immediately understanding Avril’s meaning. He sneered, “The Third Head was responsible for commanding troops and military provisions within the Valley; his authority was immense. With Constantine’s disappearance, it’s only natural for others to covet that position!”

Avril offered a wry smile. “Indeed. Originally, Master appointed someone to temporarily act as the Third Head, but the other heads were unwilling. They argued that the new Third Head had only been in the Valley for a little over a year and was a Violet-Blood of unknown origin; how could he suddenly attain such a high position!? As a result, several heads banded together to ostracize the new Third Head. Even Third Uncle, himself a Violet-Blood, repeatedly made things difficult for him. Alas, Master’s health is increasingly frail, and he can no longer control them...”

Zigurd’s brows furrowed tightly upon hearing this. “Hmph, that good-for-nothing Thomas, to actually ostracize his own kin!”

“Third Uncle is still decent; for Master’s sake, he didn’t go for a fatal blow. But the most exasperating is the Eighth Head!” Avril spoke indignantly, “The new Third Head has a daughter whose beauty is unlike anything Avril has ever seen. When the Eighth Head saw how beautiful she was, he incited several elders to help him force a marriage! Martial Uncle, don’t you think this is going too far?”

Zigurd narrowed his eyes, a true fire kindling in his heart. For his own nephew to commit such an act—it brought shame upon the elder’s face. He asked gravely, “What happened in the end? Was the forced marriage successful?”

Avril laughed. “No! That girl is quite formidable. She had her Divine Pet control all the snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the entire city, biting the Eighth Head until he was covered in wounds. The sight... it made many people burst into laughter!”

Zigurd also chuckled. “Presumably, that girl’s Divine Pet is skilled in mental manipulation... Avril, what is the new Third Head’s name!?”

The elder’s heart skipped a beat. Fiendkind, a breathtakingly beautiful daughter, a Divine Pet skilled in mental manipulation... Why did this sound so familiar?

As expected, Avril replied, “The new Third Head is named Ted, and his daughter is Helen. As for the Divine Pet, it rarely shows itself, so Avril isn’t familiar with it. I believe... its name is Sulan?”

“Heh, haha!” Zigurd let out a strange laugh. Avril hastily inquired about the reason, and the elder chuckled, “Never mind, even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand. That was my most humiliating battle; I was not only poisoned until all my battle qi was sealed, but I was also dealt with like an old bandit by Francis, who at the time only had Level 1 battle qi!”

Avril suddenly fell silent, neither pressing for the specific grievances between her Martial Uncle and the Ted-Helen father-daughter duo nor saying anything else. Zigurd realized with a start that he had inadvertently mentioned Francis, a name best left unspoken in Avril’s presence. He quickly changed the subject, chuckling, “Come, let us go see your Master. Sena must be anxiously awaiting us!”

Not long after, Zigurd, with tears in the corners of his eyes, entered a secluded courtyard. Avril waited outside, faintly hearing sobs from within. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Although Thornwood Valley was rife with internal strife, and several Heads were at loggerheads, with her Martial Uncle constantly by his side, her Master, that elder, could surely depart in peace...

To have someone you cared for your entire life holding your hand at your deathbed—what regret could there be in dying? But if I were to die, who would be by my side? My white-haired grandfather? Or my weeping mother? Certainly not him!

A month later, Durkes City’s military and civil preparations finally concluded. For reasons of secrecy and diplomatic considerations, Du Chen, under the pretense of military exercises, moved thirty thousand Beastkin slave troops to an island in the Grand Delta Sea. Meanwhile, the Pontiff, sparing no expense, mobilized all usable flying beasts from the Papal Curia, forming the largest aerial transport force since the Fallen Gods’ era, which was already awaiting them on that island!

For this expedition to the Great Snow Mountain, Du Chen had, one might say, brought almost his entire foundation with him. Dud commanded the army, Frinda oversaw the overall situation, Deboning and Andy served as personal guards, and even Butler Harry, being a Shieb familiar with the Great Snow Mountain environment, accompanied Du Chen on the campaign. The responsibility for guarding Durkes City was entrusted to Cassian and the two Grand Matriarchs; they were more than capable of ensuring the stable operation of the city’s systems.

In just two days, the flying beasts transported the thirty thousand-strong army to the vicinity of the Great Snow Mountain. With a single Military Edict from Dud, the army set up camp in an open area, while the vanguard General Adams immediately led his division in a carpet search of the nearby snow-capped mountains!

Inside a warm tent, everyone gathered around a massive map. Bairu chuckled, “Brother Francis, General Dud, this is the Papal Curia’s secretly crafted snow mountain map. I won’t say much, only this—consider me, your supervisory general, non-existent. Do as you deem fit, but remember, the Kuran Alliance Assembly is in five months...”

Du Chen glanced at Dud, who stood clad in iron-faced black armor, holding a halberd. He had originally intended to boast about ending the war in three months, but Dud calmly stated, “War has no constant form. The enemy situation in Thornwood Valley is unclear. I, your general, make no promises as to when this war will conclude!”

Bairu gave a dry laugh. “Since General Dud puts it that way, there’s little for me to say. The military matters are entirely in your hands, General! Brother Francis, Mas, there’s a Divine Emperor’s tomb nearby. Though it’s fallen into disrepair, as Godfathers, we simply must go and pay our respects!”

Du Chen pursed his lips. Mas, even more vocally, exclaimed, “So many damn rules! I’m no Charlatan, I’m not going!”

Mas, not being a civilian Godfather, could opt out. But Du Chen, due to his status, felt obligated to make an appearance. The map indicated this Divine Emperor’s tomb was situated on a snow mountain named Zaro, though it contained no actual remains of Prince! Across the Three Continents, Divine Emperor tombs were akin to the countless cenotaphs of Emperor Xuanyuan in Du Chen’s previous life—tens of thousands, truly innumerable. But upon closer inquiry, they were almost all cenotaphs built by descendants for various reasons. In essence, two words described them: ‘Fake!’

The Divine Tomb on Mount Zaro, however, was likely erected by a snowfield tribe long ago to commemorate the Divine Emperor. But after the tribe’s demise, this Divine Emperor’s tomb, standing amidst the icy wilderness, fell into ruin.

Slowly ascending the snow mountain through the heavy snow, Bairu suddenly chuckled, “Brother, we’re late! Your esteemed wife is far more considerate than we are!”

Xue Ji was personally repairing the badly damaged tombstone, her expression earnest and without the slightest trace of negligence. Little Beibei, meanwhile, was happily sweeping the snow from in front of the tomb with a large broom, a mischievous grin on her face, clearly having a wonderful time!

Bairu and Mas stepped forward to pay their respects, but Du Chen approached Xue Ji, chuckling, “It’s freezing cold. Why are you here sweeping the tomb?”

Xue Ji replied earnestly, “This is the honor His Majesty the Divine Emperor deserves!”

Du Chen was speechless. But then he realized: Xue Ji’s Secret Technique, Moon Wheel Dance, was derived from the Divine Emperor’s Myriad Ages’ Nine Gods Art. Moreover, from childhood, Margaret had instilled in her the idea of how great and sublime the Divine Emperor was. It could be said that her respect for the Divine Emperor was ingrained to her very core, so her actions today were not surprising.

Du Chen, pained, glanced at Xue Ji’s hands. “Your sincerity is enough. In this icy wilderness, let’s go back...”

Xue Ji interrupted Du Chen gravely. “Wait a little longer. I want to repair it thoroughly!”

Du Chen opened his mouth, thinking, ‘It’s just a cenotaph. What’s there to repair? Even if the Divine Emperor were truly buried here, is a scientist killed by an AI he himself developed... truly worthy of such respect!?’ After a moment of thought, Du Chen kept his words to himself, changing the subject, “Where’s Anya? Is he not with Beibei?”

Unbeknownst to him, at some point, Du Chen had learned to weigh his words carefully in front of Xue Ji, no longer possessing the hot-headed impulsiveness of first love that made him blurt out anything.

This time, Xue Ji smiled. “Ah, our Master is being profound again. Look, on the highest snow mountain over there!”

On the nearby highest snow mountain, under Andy’s protection, Alex stood with hands on his hips, facing the wind, wearing only a pair of red triangular briefs. His eyes slightly closed, he gazed up at the sky, seemingly pondering some profound question!

Du Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It wasn’t that he feared his child would freeze, but seeing a foolish boy, wearing only underwear and unable to even count how many days were in February, standing so idly on the icy, snow-capped peak of the Great Snow Mountain...

Little Beibei ran over and grabbed Du Chen’s arm. “Daddy, little brother was provoked, and he’s been profound for over a month now! Don’t disturb him, okay!”

Du Chen asked curiously, “What provoked Anya?”

Little Beibei pouted, “Daddy doesn’t care about his children’s growth at all! Last time on Battle God Isle, little brother was bullied by Thomas, and he got so angry that he said he’d ponder the mysteries of evolution under the torment of ice and snow!” The little one tilted her head in thought. “Little brother says this is called... The Master must motivate himself to cleanse his shame!”

Du Chen was stunned. Indeed, he had been swamped with work lately, but...

On the snow mountain, Andy gnawed idly on a bone, saying helplessly, “Young Master, have you figured it out yet? Let’s go back. Andy is practically freezing to death!”

Alex still refused to open his eyes, pouting and saying with hands on his hips, “Snow Wolves can also freeze to death? The Master dislikes hearing falsehoods!”

Andy sighed helplessly, probing, “How about you go back and make dinner first, and then return to ponder further?”

“Hmm, good point!” Anya opened his eyes, coolly glancing at Andy, then looked at the sky. “The Master shall return to ponder further!”

Andy cheered, quickly carrying Anya back to camp. However, Du Chen was already paying respects to the Divine Emperor under Xue Ji’s watchful gaze, and Andy had run too fast. No one noticed that above the spot where Alex had just stood, a small thundercloud was subtly gathering...

Almost simultaneously, within Thornwood Valley, on the highest floor of the Inner City’s ancient tower, Thomas, his injuries not yet fully healed, sat coldly in the main seat. His gaze swept over the seven individuals below him. Avril sat by his side, while Ted, as the Third Head, occupied the last position!

“Esteemed Heads, tens of thousands of Beastkin troops have appeared on Mount Zaro, conducting extensive searches. They fly the banner of Du Chen’s Divine Cult, and the one leading the search is Adams, a traitor to our Thornwood Valley! It’s clear that Francis is coming for Thornwood Valley... The Valley Master is now unable to govern, and he has appointed me to temporarily assume his position. Speak your minds, all of you!”

The Fourth Head, with his white hair and beard and a face full of wrinkles, hesitated. “Second-in-command, though our Thornwood Valley is filled with criminals and villains, we have never actively provoked anyone. Furthermore, the location of Thornwood City is known only to us few heads... Perhaps this is a misunderstanding. What if the army outside is merely searching for treasures or people and just happened to arrive at our doorstep?”

“A misunderstanding? Hmph, with that traitor Adams leading the search, and tens of thousands of troops already surrounding our doorstep, can this still be called a misunderstanding?” Smack! Thomas slammed the table and rose. “Enough with the useless chatter! I only ask you one question—how do we fight!? Old Five, you speak first!”

Old Five, a short, portly old man, said with a smile, “Francis has come knocking on our door. We essentially have two choices: launch a preemptive strike, or stand firm behind closed gates! As for which to choose... Second-in-command, you must already have a plan in mind, no?”

“A sly fox!” Thomas sneered. “The Sixth, the Seventh, what are your thoughts? Preemptive strike or defending behind closed gates? Give me a definitive answer!”

The two who were called upon exchanged glances. The Sixth spoke first, “Launching a preemptive strike would easily expose Thornwood Valley’s true location, causing us to lose our greatest reliance—our hidden geographical advantage. Therefore, I suggest we defend behind closed gates!”

The Seventh also stated, “I agree with Sixth Brother’s opinion; defending behind closed gates is the best strategy!”

Thomas nodded. Regardless of whether they were right or wrong, at least two had given definitive answers! “Crimson, what do you say? Second Uncle wants no ambiguous nonsense!”

The Eighth Head, Crimson, was Zigurd’s nephew by generation, which is why Thomas addressed him by name rather than by his title, Eighth Head. Ah, he was also the unlucky fellow whom Helen had unleashed snakes, insects, rats, and ants upon, leaving him covered in wounds! Crimson was the only junior here apart from Sha. He wasn’t particularly old, appearing to be in his mid-thirties, tall with red hair, and possessing a fierce yet astute countenance. He unhurriedly tapped on the table, drawing everyone’s attention, and chuckled, “Second Uncle, I’d like to remind everyone of something first!”

His gaze darted towards Ted, who sat at the very end. “One among us, when detailing his background upon entering the Valley, mentioned that his daughter and he once helped Francis rescue his elder brother Steve in Saint John City! And now, the commander pressing upon us with a vast army happens to be Francis himself... Heh heh, I presume the uncles here understand my implication?”

Ted grunted, stating indifferently, “I, Ted, keep public and private matters separate. My daughter and I indeed share a personal debt of gratitude with Francis, but as the Third Head of Thornwood Valley, everything comes secondary to the Valley’s interests! In this war, if I were to collude with Francis, then may I end up like this chair!” With a *crack*, he forcibly twisted off the armrest of his chair!

It had to be said, when Thomas wasn’t competing with Zigurd, his mind was quite clear. At least at this moment, he fully understood that although Ted wasn’t particularly to his liking, he was indeed someone who separated public from private affairs. He couldn’t suppress Ted’s morale at such a time, or else civil strife would erupt before the great battle even began...

Thomas chuckled, “I, Thomas, trust the Third Head’s character. Crimson, I don’t want to hear such remarks again, understand?!”

Crimson nodded with a smile. “Understood. I overlooked the Third Head’s character just now. I apologize for my impudence!” With that, he rose and bowed to Ted, his attitude sincere, then chuckled, “Next, I’ll share my opinion—Second Uncle, that traitor Adams has always entered and exited Thornwood Valley blindfolded. So, if we allow Adams to search like this, how long will it take him to find Thornwood Valley’s true location? This timeframe is the key to deciding whether to attack or defend!”

Ted also said, “Precisely. If it takes Adams three or four months to find us, then we can certainly stay behind closed doors. Mount Zaro is frozen for a thousand miles, and winter will return in four months. While Francis and his High-level Battle Gods might endure, ordinary soldiers would absolutely struggle to bear the winter cold of the snow mountain. They would surely retreat! But if they can find us in just one or two months... then it would be better to launch a preemptive strike and seize the initiative on the main battlefield!”

Thomas smiled coldly. After much talk, he had finally heard two truly astute military strategies. But why, damn it, did these two statements not come from his direct subordinates, the Sixth and the Seventh!?

“Well said, both of you Heads! So, how long do you think it will take Adams to find us!?”

Everyone fell into thought. Behind her mask, Avril took all of this in, a wry smile forming in her heart. Francis actually came to kill me? Heh, the Goddess of Fate truly enjoys playing tricks on people! Though Thornwood Valley possessed fifty thousand standing troops, and could mobilize over a hundred thousand soldiers if necessary, just look at these few heads... The Fourth was a muddled fool, only securing his current position through seniority and bloodline. The Fifth was worldly and slick, no one truly knew his intentions. The Sixth and Seventh always echoed Uncle Thomas, and Thomas, ever since learning of Zigurd’s return, hadn’t focused on proper matters, constantly pondering how to envy Martial Uncle Zigurd, who remained by their Master’s side! Crimson and Ted, on the other hand, truly possessed capability, but those two... as long as they didn’t fall into infighting! How could this battle be fought? Could Thornwood Valley truly not be defended? It was their Master’s life’s work, after all!

A moment later, Ted said, “How long it will take Adams to find us depends on their search methods. If they only search on the snow’s surface, they’ll never find Thornwood Valley! But if they start digging through mountains and carving rocks, they will quickly discover the Life Tree’s bark, and from that, deduce our location!”

Crimson interjected, “According to intelligence, Francis and the generals under his command are not fools. If they can’t find us on the snow’s surface, they will surely think of digging through mountains and carving rocks soon enough. They absolutely won’t drag it out for three or four months. Therefore... we must launch a preemptive strike!”

“Yes, yes, launch a preemptive strike!” The Fourth Head seemed convinced, nodding repeatedly. The other few exchanged glances and also nodded.

Thomas’s gaze turned chillingly severe. “Very well. Since most of you agree to launch a preemptive strike, then when do we strike, and how do we strike!?”

Ted immediately responded in a grave tone, “Tonight, twenty thousand troops will be transported through Secret Passage Number Four, circling to the high peaks behind Mount Zaro to set up an ambush. Concurrently, the Weapons camp will gather at the steep western slope of Mount Zaro via Secret Passages Number Eight, Nine, and The Thirteen Trigram. At midnight, sacred artifacts of war will first bombard the snow mountain, creating an avalanche to suppress the High-level Battle Gods, with the ambush forces then charging out! Thus, when the sun rises, the living captives remaining in Francis’s main camp... will not exceed thirty percent!”

Thomas burst into hearty laughter. “Good! So be it. Tonight, we’ll launch a surprise attack on Francis’s main camp. The Sixth will lead the sacred artifact camp, the Seventh will be responsible for the ambush, and the overall commander...” His gaze landed on Ted, yet then skipped over the originator of the plan. “Crimson, it’s entrusted to you!”