Prisoner of War

Beneath the grand banner of the main camp, Dud gazed with cold eyes upon the enemy forces trapped beneath the snowy mountains, his face devoid of emotion.

Meanwhile, Du Chen unfurled his Divine Sense, searching for any potential reinforcements, while Frinda racked her brain, wondering how she would counter Dud if she were in the position of Thornwood Valley’s defenders.

Suddenly, a silvery-white light flashed from the cliff beneath the Divine Emperor’s tomb. Over a hundred beams of light, emanating from sacred artifacts of war, surged forth, directly assailing Du Chen’s main camp!

Over a hundred sacred artifacts of war! Even Du Chen felt the chilling pressure of death. Yet, at that moment, Dud let out a cold laugh and uttered two words: “Fire Scales!”

The main camp’s elite forces, long prepared and awaiting orders, swiftly altered their formation. Layers of scale-like flames manifested above the vast main camp, and in mere moments, they utterly dissolved the radiance of those hundred-plus weapons into nothingness.

With a swing of his halberd, Dud commanded, “Thornwood Valley’s lair lies just behind this cliff. Wind Assault Array, advance!”

At this very moment, Ted, having carved a path with sacred artifacts of war, led a cavalry detachment charging out of the wide tunnel through which Zigurd had once entered the valley. His eyes lifted, he saw the enemy’s main camp engulfed in Fire Scales, and a legion of Beastkin warriors, radiating sharp blades, descended upon them like a raging tempest!

Hmph. As expected, everything was within the enemy’s grasp. Yet, in desperate straits, a desperate army’s morale could be a potent weapon!

“Brothers, your comrades are out there! Your parents are waiting for you to bring your kin home! Charge!”

With a fierce roar, Ted launched his spear, leading the charge! A mysterious torrent of iron emerged from the cliffs, clashing head-on with the oncoming Beastkin army. Blades met flesh; with every swing, a warrior fell; with every battle cry, blood inevitably splattered five paces.

Two forces engaged in a brutal melee beneath the cliff!

Ted wore heavy armor and a masked helmet, so Du Chen didn't recognize him. But seeing him command the enemy forces, Du Chen offered a faint smile. “Dud, the enemy Marshal has appeared. Shall we send Andy to eliminate him!?”

Dud gazed intently at Ted’s military formation, then let out a surprised “Hmm?” “Adoptive Father, if he were an ordinary General, Andy could certainly dispatch him. But this person’s formation… look, the cavalry has charged out, yet where are the sacred artifacts of war that just opened the path? This approaching General has some skill. He’s using himself as a bait to lure our experts to kill him. But as soon as Andy moves, those hundred-plus weapons that haven’t fired since the first volley would be enough to obliterate Andy. At that point, our strongest divine beast would be severely wounded, our morale would plummet, and his objective would be achieved…”

Du Chen nodded slightly. Militarily, Dud’s insight far surpassed his own. He might as well let him handle it. “Dud, Andy will follow your command from this moment on. I will not interfere with battle formations, but try your best to minimize casualties!”

Dud thumped his chest with a resonant “Thump!” “Adoptive Father, rest assured! Convey my orders to Adams: Thornwood Valley’s position has been confirmed. The enemy forces trapped in the snow mountains are to be annihilated by Aliza. Adams shall use the Subterranean Mountain Array to bypass and outflank the Military Column, directly assaulting Thornwood City. Once inside the valley, he is to choose a location based on his knowledge of the terrain, establish a foothold with the Shieldwood Formation, and await the convergence of our main army!”

Ted, who was currently clashing with the enemy on the Battlefield, kept a watchful eye on all directions, continuously monitoring his trapped forces. Suddenly, he noticed that some of the besieging units had vanished into thin air. Not long after, the ice and snow beneath his feet unexpectedly pulsed a few times, and that pulsating frequency… shot directly towards the cliff behind him!

Ted’s heart skipped a beat. “Could it be the Holy Alliance’s secret array mentioned by Bonis—the Subterranean Mountain Array!?”

“Wait,” he mused. “Just now, the Fire Scales protected the enemy’s main camp! And the Beastkin warriors before me wield Ice Blades, forcing me to retreat step by step. If that pulsation beneath my feet truly meant the enemy was using the Subterranean Mountain Array to infiltrate the valley and then establish a foothold with the Shieldwood Formation… Ice Forest Volcano. Isn't this the Primal Slaughter Array, the most powerful among the Fallen Gods’ three great secret arrays mentioned by Bonis!?”

“If it is indeed the Primal Slaughter Array, and the four great elements – Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth – have already manifested, then does the opponent also possess the ultimate strike—Iron Wall Thunder!?”

Frowning, Ted glanced at the troops under his command, grinding his teeth in resentment. “If these were my Brockman family’s personal army, even if the opponent possessed Iron Wall Thunder, I would dare to use the Seven-Star Divine Radiance Array to assault their central forces! But… these units are simply Thomas’s direct lineage; how could they know the Seven-Star Divine Radiance Array!? Fine, encountering a successor of the Primal Slaughter Array, fighting further is just courting death. It’s better to conserve our strength and rely on the city walls for defense!”

With this thought, Ted brandished his spear and roared, “Retreat! The enemy has infiltrated the valley! Return to aid Thornwood City!”

Across the field, Dud saw Ted’s retreat and gave a slight nod. “Adoptive Father, this General is astute and must not be underestimated! Issue the order: the entire army is to advance slowly. Upon entering the valley, do not rush to assault the city. Only after our main forces have converged will Adams lead the vanguard, assaulting the city with Iron Wall Thunder!”

Finally, a worthy opponent. Though still negligible… it was better than nothing!

As Ted retreated, Du Chen’s grand army swarmed into Thornwood Valley. Passing through the wide tunnel, large enough for a cavalry squadron, Dud pointed his halberd and shook his head. “Adoptive Father, there is internal discord within Thornwood Valley!”

Du Chen rubbed his nose. “Oh? How can you tell?”

“That General just now was quite astute. If he were in charge, this place would surely have been sealed with massive boulders, and he would never have left such a wide path for our army to advance!”

Du Chen nodded. In other words, that General earlier was not truly in charge—the capable ones couldn’t make decisions, and the incompetent ones were barking orders. Thornwood Valley was certainly disunited!

As they spoke, the grand army had already advanced into Thornwood Valley. Gazing at the Peach Blossom Utopia before his eyes, with its lush green grass and gently rippling azure waters, Du Chen was utterly astonished. Was this truly Thornwood Valley – the source of all evil in the world, the paradise for treacherous generals and rebellious officials!?

The scenery was simply too beautiful; it was clearly a paradise untouched by the mortal world!

Ted’s retreat was swift, and Dud’s pursuit was equally rapid. Moreover, Adams had already infiltrated ahead of them. At this moment, Thornwood City’s three gates were tightly shut, but the one directly facing the entrance seemed hesitant, neither fully open nor fully closed, as if pondering something.

The moment Ted returned, he was intercepted by Adams. Although Adams was no match for Ted, the young man had learned a few tricks from Dud. Knowing better than to be greedy, he intentionally let Ted’s vanguard pass, but then blocked the main body of Thornwood Valley reinforcements that were retreating in succession!

After Ted led his vanguard into the city, he swiftly ascended the city walls. “Second-in-command, Ted is guilty…”

“Your guilt can wait!” Thomas snapped coldly. “Since the Third Head has returned, close the city gates immediately and prepare for a siege!”

“Wait!” Crimson had also returned, but he hadn't rescued the trapped comrades; he’d come back alone. Pointing at the forces still outside the city, not yet fully retreated and still being pursued, he urgently cried, “We still have at least nearly twenty thousand comrades left outside!”

Thomas stomped his foot. “It’s a case of biting the bullet! Our elders will understand us! Crimson, if you utter another word of nonsense, I’ll kill you!”

Ted calmly observed the situation on the plains. “Second-in-command, at this critical juncture, we absolutely cannot afford internal strife. Please listen to my words with a calm mind and consider their merit: Thornwood Valley commands an army of a hundred thousand. Currently, we’ve lost twenty thousand outside. I led thirty thousand out, and only just over twenty thousand returned, but most of them are still being pursued outside the city! If we don't rescue those twenty thousand comrades, then we’ll only have less than sixty thousand left inside. Tell me, can sixty thousand men defend this city?”

“Indeed. If we can save the twenty thousand comrades outside, we’ll still have nearly eighty thousand troops. Second Brother, when the city is besieged, those twenty thousand cannot be sacrificed in vain!”

Thomas was stunned. “But if we don’t close the city gates, what happens if the enemy charges in!?”

A sharp glint flashed in Ted’s eyes. “In desperate straits, one must resort to daring gambits! I have a plan that can temporarily deter Dud from rushing to attack the city. It only depends on whether the Second-in-command dares to, and is willing to, execute it!”

Thomas gritted his teeth. “Speak!”

“There are still sixty thousand troops in the city. These sixty thousand are to immediately garrison the other three city gates. The city center and the Southern Gate, where the enemy is approaching, shall not have a single soldier…”

Crimson exclaimed in astonishment, “No soldiers at the Southern Gate? Third Head, are you planning to… use the Empty Fort Stratagem to repel the enemy!?”

“No, the Empty Fort Stratagem alone isn’t enough. To contend with Dud, we must face death to find life! Second-in-command, you and I will lead only a thousand Imperial Guard units from the inner city to welcome our comrades home!”

Under Dud’s command, the grand army advanced with irresistible force, surging into Thornwood Valley like a tsunami. Glancing at Adams, who was holding back the enemy remnants outside the city, Dud nodded. “Adams is excellent! Astute in battle, fearless in combat, he is truly the foremost fierce General under Adoptive Father’s command! Issue the order: converge the main army, annihilate the remaining enemy forces outside the city, and then, in one fell swoop, flatten Thornwood Valley!”

Du Chen shrugged at Deboning, who had followed him. It was too easy; everything was too smooth! With Dud in command, Thornwood Valley’s military capabilities simply weren’t on the same level as Durkes City. How could it not be swift!?

Bairu, who was with the army, also smiled, but a faint worry lingered in his heart—Dud was simply too strong. With him leading the main army, His Holiness the Pontiff’s intention to diminish Francis’s power would fundamentally be unachievable!

In today’s battle, Durkes City’s Beastkin slave army suffered at most three to two thousand casualties. Compared to Durkes City, which boasted a population of five hundred thousand and nearly a hundred thousand potential soldiers, what did that count for!?

Nevertheless, Bairu still smiled triumphantly. Flattening Thornwood Valley in a single battle—he, as the military supervisor, would have much to say at the Durun Alliance! Haha!

Du Chen curiously asked, “Dud, Adams is a fierce General. What about Aliza?”

Dud calmly replied, “Aliza is unmatched in bravery, but too soft-hearted. He cannot command troops independently; he is only suited to be a fierce general for charging into the fray!”

Du Chen nodded. That assessment was quite apt!

At this point, the remnants intercepted by Adams had fled to the city gates. Adams, pursuing them, saw that the gates had not yet closed, allowing the remnants to enter. He was overjoyed and immediately moved his army to charge in!

But suddenly, Thornwood Valley’s city gates swung wide open. Thomas and Ted, after yelling at the remnants to retreat, jointly led a thousand men charging out!

A thousand? That’s too few, isn’t it!?

Adams froze, recalling Dud’s words: “If a battle defies logic, there’s always a hidden motive!” He shouted, “Full army, slow advance! Retreat to extend the battle line and rendezvous with General Dud’s main forces!”

Dud, converging his main army, advanced slowly. He saw the small unit of over a thousand men, and at the same time, he observed the intricate, labyrinthine streets within Thornwood Valley…

Dud’s halberd paused, and he then looked up at Andy, who was flying in the sky. Andy shouted, “Thornwood City has an inner and outer city! The outer city has four gates. Besides the Southern Gate before us, the other three gates are garrisoned by tens of thousands of troops! General… the Southern Gate is empty, with only those crippled, defeated soldiers and these thousand men!?”

As he spoke, Andy himself couldn’t quite believe it and took the initiative to scout underground—just because Dud had proven there were no troops above ground didn't mean there weren't any elsewhere. With skillful use of military formations, where in heaven or on earth couldn't soldiers be hidden?

Margaret’s Water Permeation Army Corps were grandmasters in this regard; they could even turn invisible!

At this time, Beibei was still outside. The Spiritual Power experts accompanying the army probed the area but all shook their heads. “General, there are many civilians at Thornwood Valley’s Southern Gate right now, and their Spiritual Power is chaotic, making it impossible for us to determine if enemy forces are hidden among them!”

Soon, the main army, following the path of the retreating remnants, came face to face with that small unit of a thousand men!

Although Thomas wore battle armor, the pervasive aura of ice around him made Du Chen recognize him. Du Chen’s Battle Soul immediately informed Andy, but didn't rush to attack. Dud had already explained why just moments ago; it wasn’t worth the risk at this juncture!

Thomas roared, “Comrades, enter the city immediately! I’ll cover the rear!”

With that, he flew forward. The Ice Toxin Art from the Wind-Snow Thorns immediately unleashed its power, but this time it wasn’t just him acting alone; the military formation of over a thousand men launched their combined strike—Wind-Snow Thorns, Formation Ice Toxin!

Toxic smoke filled the air, spreading across the sky and directly assailing Dud’s military formation!

But Dud merely waved his halberd lightly, “Wind!”

The military formation slowed its advance, shifting its configuration. Fierce winds surged forth, scattering the toxic smoke in mere moments!

However, during this time, nearly ten thousand enemy troops returned to the city. But they were immediately told to proceed to the inner city to rest and not to assist in the defense!

Thomas, already wounded, forcibly unleashed the Ice Toxin. After a single use, his body immediately weakened, and he leaned against Ted. Ted cast a cold glance at Dud, who was leading the main army closer, and shouted, “Most of our comrades are safe! Let’s withdraw!”

They fought as they retreated. After bringing Thomas and Ted into the city, the gates clanged shut. They no longer paid any heed to the few remaining remnants outside!

At this point, the Southern Gate held only the exhausted Thomas and over a thousand retreating Imperial Guard units. With such strength, one could say the Southern Gate was virtually empty. If Dud’s surging military formation were to truly attack, they could breach the city in moments!

A commanding General approached Dud, exclaiming with delight, “General, the Southern Gate is empty! This humble General is willing to lead his unit to be the first to charge into Thornwood City!”

Dud slowly shook his head. Instead, he waved his halberd, ordering the military formation to halt.

Adams arrived quickly on horseback, urgently saying, “General, leaving the Southern Gate empty is likely a trap to lure us in. Therefore, this humble General advises against pursuit!”

Dud shook his head again. No one could discern his expression beneath his iron mask!

At this moment, Bairu chuckled. “I have a suggestion, just a suggestion! General Dud, leaving the Southern Gate empty might be a baiting strategy, but Thomas is right here, and severely wounded. No matter how brilliant Thornwood Valley’s strategists are, they wouldn’t use their own second-in-command as bait, would they?”

Dud shook his head three times!

Frinda, who was with the army, pondered for a moment before laughing. “General Dud, this must be a double baiting strategy. The empty city part is plausible, but the Marshal being wounded is truly unexpected. Thornwood Valley must have feared we wouldn’t believe a simple Empty Fort Stratagem, so they deliberately sent out Thomas! In any case, Thornwood Valley is right before us. Our army should temporarily withdraw, establish a siege, and then assault the gates!”

Dud finally nodded. “Withdraw and set up camp!”

Ted, who had been hiding by the gate, slowly exhaled. Thomas, looking weak, managed to give a thumbs-up. “Third Head’s brilliant strategy has saved Thornwood Valley for now. It’s all thanks to the Third Head!”

Outside, the grand army slowly retreated to set up camp, but Dud remained motionless, standing proudly before Thornwood City. Suddenly, he let out a hearty laugh – it was the first time Du Chen had ever heard Dud laugh with such carefree enjoyment in his life!

“That General who just clashed with me… with you here, the battle for Thornwood Valley finally holds some interest. The scenery within Thornwood Valley is quite pleasant!”

Dud turned his horse and rode back to camp!

Inside the city gates, Ted was suddenly startled. “Dud has seen through my scheme; he knows the Southern Gate is indeed an empty city…”

Thomas asked in surprise, “If he saw through it, why would he still withdraw instead of charging straight in!?”

“The scenery within Thornwood Valley is quite pleasant…”

Ted gave a bitter laugh. “I understand now. When I left the Southern Gate wide open, Dud personally observed the intricate streets within Thornwood Valley. What he feared wasn’t an ambush, but the type of battle that causes the greatest soldier losses among all forms of warfare—street fighting! That’s why he withdrew and set up camp, to find a way to avoid urban warfare! It must be that Francis cares for his soldiers, and Dud, left with no other choice, retreated!”

Durkes City’s Beastkin slave army soon established their main camp within Thornwood Valley. Dud did not explain the reason for his withdrawal to anyone, but instead quickly assessed the gains and losses.

Du Chen had witnessed a resounding victory, smooth as flowing water, and was smiling as he went to greet his wife and children. But just as he returned, Adams rode up on horseback, carrying a person. “Benefactor, when I assaulted the city gates just now, I captured many prisoners of war and civilians who couldn’t make it into the city. Among them, this old man insists he’s an old friend of yours and wishes to speak with you!”

With that, he tossed the captive before Du Chen. Du Chen looked down and exclaimed in surprise, “Old Warma? My goodness, how did you end up in Thornwood Valley, and as my prisoner, no less?”

The captive was none other than Old Warma, the Tomb Guardian. The old man smiled. “As a mere captive, I have little to say, my Lord. I merely wish to inform you of Thornwood Valley’s enemy situation, in exchange for my old life…”