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Chapter 279: The Pinnacle of the World Is Not Far
🕑 Added 2024-10-02 08:06:50 +0000 UTCKurs glanced at Tadel and said, "That’s right, I’m definitely going this time. If Tadel falls to the orcs, I’ll be the one to carry his body back and bury him in his homeland."
"Enough with the bad omens! Can’t you wish me well for once?" Tadel shot Kurs a glare, then looked up at the clear blue sky and sighed, "Our lord really is a visionary. Far-sighted, even beyond the sky, for training our knights against orcs in advance. It’s greatly made up for the lack of battlefield experience!"
"Indeed, this will definitely reduce the casualty rate among the new recruits," Kurs added, sighing as well. But then his eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Could it be that our lord foresaw the outbreak of war at the Coldstream Front?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Even gods can’t predict the future. How could there be such a thing? Our lord must have deduced it through his own skills!" Tadel scoffed at Kurs, saying, "Don’t use your limited understanding to guess at our lord’s wisdom. It’s utterly foolish."
Kurs gave a sheepish grin and decided not to argue further.
Rhett, who had been listening nearby, cleared his throat and explained, "The truth is, when I visited Luna Palace, I had a discussion with Prince Virgil about the situation at the Coldstream Front. It was indeed very tense, with the orc forces being particularly aggressive. As a precaution, I intensified the training, never expecting it to actually be put to use."
"Brilliant, my lord!" The two men raised their thumbs in admiration. With a sharp mind and extensive connections, this was the mark of an exceptional lord!
Since the king issued the summons, the entire Kingdom of Kinnon had been plunged into a state of high alert, with tension reaching its peak.
This was true both externally and internally. Externally, the conflict with the orcs had never ceased, always a battle to the death, and now even more troops were being deployed. Internally, governance had not slackened due to external pressure; in fact, it had become even stricter. Any internal discord—whether among nobles, commoners, bandits, or anyone else—was met with swift and severe punishment.
Though it might seem like a harsh approach, it was the most efficient way to avoid distractions. Who cared about anything else?
In the southwestern borderlands alone, the number of criminals arrested and executed during this period had reached triple digits. In his pursuit of efficiency, Rhett personally took charge, bringing Dick along to gather destiny points while swiftly executing those with ill intentions.
On May 2nd, Rhett had just finished dealing with a gang of thugs in a small village and was on his way back to Dark Hawk City with Dick.
As they flew, he noticed several hundred people galloping across the brown plains below. These were the nobles responding to the summons. Seeing this, Rhett decided not to greet them. Judging by the surrounding terrain, they were close to the Yak Forest, and he wanted to arrive ahead of them to make arrangements. He ordered Fireclaw to speed up.
Sensing the increased pressure on its feathers, Fireclaw let out a long cry and flapped its wings faster.
Below, the people heard the cry and looked up to see Rhett riding Fireclaw, streaking across the sky like a red comet, quickly disappearing beyond the horizon. Their expressions varied—admiration, respect, envy, and jealousy all mixed together.
"Sigh, Marquis Rhett has risen too quickly. If I had formed a good relationship with him earlier, the earl chosen to go to the Coldstream Front wouldn’t have been me, but that fellow Nilo..."
The speaker was a half-gray-haired elder, Midar, lord of Firestone City and head of the King family. His expression was complex as he watched Rhett disappear, silently lamenting his missed opportunities.
"Father, I heard that Count Nilo arranged a marriage alliance with Marquis Rhett. Should we also consider finding a suitable match from our family?" The middle-aged man riding a golden horse beside Midar, having noticed Fireclaw as well, asked thoughtfully.
"Now is not the right time." Midar, who kept his hair short to appear younger, shook his head. "Among the third generation of the Green family, only Dick is old enough, and it’s likely that the Brenn family has already chosen him. As for Marquis Rhett and the second generation, they’re not suitable targets for marriage. Besides, with the current outbreak of war, it’s not the time to discuss such matters. We should wait until after the Coldstream Front is settled and then see how the situation in the southwestern borderlands develops."
The middle-aged man nodded. "That makes sense. We’ll wait until the Coldstream Front issue is resolved. I’ll select a few younger children from the family in the meantime."
Midar spurred his horse onward, but after a short while, he asked, "How are things going with the lords of Damm Town and Maplewood Town, whom I asked you to befriend earlier?"
"Gael has remained lukewarm, with no significant progress. However, several noblewomen in our family have built good relationships with his wife, Carol."
"Humph, what use is befriending noblewomen? We need to integrate with those two groups so that we might lower the risks during missions. Those noblewomen won’t be going to the battlefield," Midar snorted.
The middle-aged man gave a sheepish smile. "You’re right, Father. But there’s good news. We’ve built a strong relationship with Roy, the lord of Maplewood Town, through favorable trade deals. Mitchell has even won over his eldest daughter, and I hear their relationship is quite good."
Midar’s displeasure quickly faded, replaced by a broad smile as he laughed. "Well done, Trevor. You’ve finally done something useful!"
"Heh heh, thank you, Father!" Trevor’s eyes gleamed as he lowered his voice. "With our connection to Roy, do you think we can rely on his relationship with Marquis Rhett to avoid the most dangerous missions?"
"Perhaps, but it will depend on our future actions and performance. The important thing is that we’ve established this connection, which should increase our chances of survival. So in the coming days, keep up the good work, lower your pride if necessary, and don’t let the fact that he’s only a baron hold you back."
"Don’t worry, Father. You don’t have to tell me. I understand these things!" Trevor’s eyes flashed. As long as he could survive, he didn’t care about pride. Besides, the face of a hundred-year-old noble family was as malleable as dough.
Meanwhile, Gael and Roy rode side by side, their horses galloping.
Both men had brought a significant number of troops, fully aware of their relationship with Rhett. They weren’t looking to take advantage; instead, they planned to prove their worth, hoping to earn favor. This way, they’d be more likely to receive help when it truly mattered.
"Gael, I heard you reached the peak of second-level knight last year. Maybe this intense war will help you break through," Roy said with a broad smile, his aura clearly stronger than those around him.
"I hope so. Honestly, I envy you. You broke through to a third-level knight just six months ago. If you survive this fierce battlefield, and with Marquis Rhett’s help, becoming a viscount shouldn’t be a problem!" Gael said, his eyes showing a hint of envy.
"Haha, you too. You already earned enough merit for a viscount title at the Canyon Front. Once you reach the third level, you’ll be promoted as well."
"Let’s hope so." Gael smiled, looking ahead. After a moment of silence, he added, "By the way, it’s been over a year since I last saw Klina. Before going to the battlefield, I should say a proper goodbye to her."
"Hmm... I’ll join you. I haven’t seen Mina in nearly two years either. It seems like she’s forgotten about Maplewood Town since getting married," Roy said, shaking his head with a sigh.
"From what I’ve heard, Mina has never been one to travel much. She prefers to stay in one place and live quietly, which shows she’s very happy in Dark Hawk City. As parents, don’t we all want our children to be happy? By the way, I heard your eldest daughter has been spending a lot of time with someone from the King family?" Gael chuckled before changing the subject.
Roy nodded. "Yes, it’s true. She’s getting older, and it’s time for her to find a suitable partner."
Gael frowned slightly. "But Carol told me last time that Count Nilo’s great-granddaughter is engaged to Dick. Given the sensitive relationship between the Brenn and King families, I think it’s best to keep your distance from the King family."
"Is that so? Gael, is your information reliable? Never mind, I’ll make sure they break off the relationship when we return," Roy said, his expression tightening. After considering the situation, he realized Gael had no reason to deceive him. As the head of a two-hundred-year-old family, Roy was naturally cautious and would never make a decision based on sentiment if it meant a loss.
"Of course it’s true. My advice is just a suggestion; I have no intention of ruining your daughter’s future."
"Thank you for the information, but separating them is essential for our family’s future," Roy said heavily, waving his hand.
Gael scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward. "It’s not like that... Maybe you could observe a bit more..."
"Enough. I know what needs to be done..."
The administrative office in Deep Rock Village was a three-story building with white walls, a square base, and a rounded top, resembling a small castle.
After returning, Rhett temporarily used it as his resting place, with the village chief always by his side, serving him tea.
Thump, thump, thump.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the building as Tucker gripped the banister and quickly ran up the wooden stairs to the second floor. "Father, the Yak Forest has already gathered nearly twenty nobles over the past two days, with almost five hundred transcendents. Only eleven nobles from the summons list are still missing."
"I see. Take our men there as well and organize the ranks. I’ll be there soon," Rhett replied, his eyes closed as if meditating, yet his voice was clear.
"Understood. But there’s something else I need to inform you of: Vides has arrived. I just saw him in the Yak Forest, carrying a large pack."
"Vides? What’s he doing here? Didn’t I tell him he wasn’t needed this time?" Rhett opened his eyes, frowning. "Go fetch him immediately and tell him I need to discuss something important."
"Yes, I’ll go right away."
After Tucker left, Rhett sighed and shook his head. Just newlywed, and he’s already rushing to join the battlefield. Doesn’t he worry about leaving his young wife a widow? When Vides arrives, I’ll have to convince him to stay in Dark Hawk City and behave.
With that in mind, Rhett decided he might as well do another simulation to see if he could persuade Vides.
Besides, it had been three months since the last simulation. It was time to see if there were any unforeseen events.
He closed his eyes and activated the system.
[Would you like to initiate a text simulation? Each year of simulation consumes 5 destiny points.]
"Yes, simulate for one year."
[Kinnon Calendar, Year 481, May 7: While gathering your forces, Vides sneaks in, but you catch him in time. Despite several attempts to persuade him to leave, Vides stubbornly refuses, and you eventually agree to take him to the front lines.]
[May 10: You lead Tucker, Taylors, Lawrence, Mycroft, Vides, and other southwestern borderland nobles as you embark on the journey to the Coldstream Front.]
[May 17: After traversing mountains and rivers, you arrive at the Red Valley of Mord, where your troops are ambushed by three mysterious individuals, each exhibiting the power of a Sky Knight. They first attack several nobles, causing heavy casualties in your army. You retaliate with a violent onslaught, killing all three attackers. You attempt to capture one alive, but the prisoner self-destructs before you can extract any information.]
[June 23: While choosing the Lightning Bear route, you take a month-long detour, using your forces to hunt numerous magical beasts in the mountains.]
[July 28: You set out again, heading for the Coldstream Front.]
[Kinnon Calendar, Year 482, January 7: You lead your forces in a fierce battle against a troop of Shadow Tiger warriors. Both sides suffer heavy losses, and you strategically retreat. While resting at a stronghold, you receive a scout’s report: The orc forces have gathered five sanctuary-level warriors, while our side has assembled twelve sanctuary-level warriors, including three kings and several key members, to launch a counter-offensive against the orcs. All five orc sanctuary warriors are slain on the spot.]
[January 8: King Milan personally approaches you, confirming that Sheman has been captured as an orc spy. You are told that your outstanding contributions make you a historic figure in the Kingdom of Kinnon, worthy of being granted the title of Grand Duke once the war is over! Thrilled, you ask why Sheman, a human sanctuary-level warrior, would be recruited by the orcs. King Milan gives you a deep look and says he will reveal the secret after the war ends.]
[January 13: Lawrence’s potential explodes during a battle with the orcs, allowing him to break through to a fourth-level Earth Knight.]
[January 16: You receive a report from scouts that many transcendent bodies have mysteriously disappeared from the battlefield, and several of our units have gone missing recently, with no survivors or bodies found.]
[January 18: You are ordered to investigate the cause of the missing troops. Under the cover of night, you lead over a hundred elite soldiers on the mission.]
[January 29: You arrive at Raven Gorge, noticing the eerie emptiness and the pervasive cold and scent of blood. Suspicious, you order your men to search the area.]
[February 1: After three days of searching, a blood mist fills the air, and you detect a strange, metallic smell. Feeling a sense of impending danger, you quickly gather your troops. But soon, a pale knight descends from the sky and begins slaughtering your men. The knight, with the power of a peak Sky Knight, is shrouded in a blood mist that weakens the nearby soldiers. Before long, your forces are nearly wiped out.]
[You, furious, strike back, only to find that the blood-red energy surrounding the enemy’s body is bizarrely resistant to elemental attacks. Shocked, a terrifying realization dawns on you—this power is not of this world.]
[You quickly change your strategy, deciding to report this to the command. You fight as you retreat, using your mastery of the arcane to hold off the enemy’s attacks. The enemy soon gives up the pursuit.]
[February 4: You return to the Coldstream Front and report the situation to Commander Ser. After listening, he solemnly confirms the details and asks you to wait in the strategy room. Before long, King Milan arrives.]
[King Milan listens to your account of the battle with the blood-mist-wielding knight, his expression grave. After confirming your mastery of three arcane mysteries, he gives you a deep look and reveals more secrets to you.]
[In fact, through millennia of research by generations of sanctuary-level warriors, a terrifying conclusion has been reached. This information is the highest secret among sanctuary-level warriors, but due to your exceptional talent, close relationship with the royal family, and understanding of many details, King Milan decides to share part of it with you—the terrifying truth that our world may be in the process of being rapidly invaded by a higher world.]
[Simulation complete. Would you like to simulate again?]
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