Duke Edmund was seated behind his desk, reviewing thick battle reports while listening to his military officer's hushed briefing."The Snowsworn stronghold clear-out is progressing smoothly. Five of the seven strongholds in Ice Sea County have already been eradicated..."He nodded slightly, not surprised, but rather feeling it was only natural.Annihilating the Snowsworn was a plan he had personally formulated, a strategy that mobilized the entire Northland to cooperate fully.He had even personally led a team a few days ago, slaying a Snowsworn Elder whose head still hung on the city wall.Everything was under control."These wild dogs are finally going to be wiped out."Just then, a Gale Bird with blood-stained wings fluttered and crashed onto the windowsill.Along with the letter came a strong scent of blood.He frowned; it was a letter from Snow Eagle City."Snow Eagle City? Didn't a request for aid already come from there? They said they were surrounded by two thousand Snowsworn, and didn't I already send people to reinforce them? Why again..."A premonition of ill omen arose in Duke Edmund's heart as he unfolded the letter.Reading the third line, he abruptly stood up, his face drastically changing, and the wine glass in his hand shattered."Snow Eagle City has fallen, Earl Firth is dead, and the defenders are completely annihilated..."Duke Edmund paused for a moment after reading this, then let out a furious roar."Are you f*cking kidding me! Three thousand men defending a city, for only three days?!" He slammed his hand on the table, seething with rage."Three thousand pigs piled up there would take three days to kill, and they couldn't hold it?! What was that old bastard Firth doing?!"The military officer beside him quietly reminded, "My Lord, old Firth passed away two years ago. The current Earl Firth is old Firth's son.""Hmph, no wonder..." Duke Edmund rubbed his forehead, his anger turning into a sneer, "If we don't send reinforcements, the Snowsworn will use Snow Eagle City as a springboard to continuously invade south, which will be very troublesome then."The military advisor said in a deep voice, "But to retake it by force would require at least five thousand troops, and once the main force is deployed, other battlefields will be vulnerable.""I know." Edmund gritted his teeth, "But we can't completely abandon it. We need to find a solution."He tried to draw a few reinforcement routes, but crossed them out one by one, as none were very reasonable."Three thousand men defending a city, it fell in three days. These good-for-nothings are even less useful than a pack of dogs," Edmund cursed again, unable to come up with a solution.Just then, an eagle's cry came from outside the window, and another Gale Bird landed in the courtyard.He turned to look, his expression tightening: "Another urgent letter?"He grabbed it, unfolded the letter, and immediately began to read.He froze, then his eyes lit up with wild joy."Qingyu Ridge captured?!"The letter clearly stated that a young noble, Calvin Louis, had led over two hundred men in a surprise attack on Qingyu Ridge, breaking the Snowsworn defenses, beheading two hundred warriors, and capturing the strategic location!"Louis?" He murmured the name, it sounded familiar.Wasn't that the kid who traded fish for knights?"That Calvin Family kid, not very strong in cultivation, yet at such a young age, he accomplished such a great feat?! What a talent!"Duke Edmund clenched the letter, tilting his head back and laughing wildly: "Hahahaha! Well done, kid!"At this moment, he had made his decision."Since Snow Eagle City can't be held, then we won't hold it! Let them be trapped and die there!We will surround them without attacking, cutting off their supply lines! As long as Qingyu Ridge is held, provisions can't get in, and the Snowsworn will eventually starve like dogs!""Send this letter to Bond," he told his attendant, "Tell that Louis kid to defend the passage at all costs! Not a single step back!Also, dispatch fifteen hundred knights; tell Gibson to immediately lead his team to Qingyu Ridge for support."......Bond received the letter sent by the Gale Bird in the early morning.It was an urgent military order personally signed by the Duke.He tore open the seal, and the moment the letter unfolded, his expression changed dramatically.Snow Eagle City had fallen, Earl Firth was dead, and the three thousand defenders were annihilated.Moreover, the enemy forces were advancing in large numbers towards Qingyu Ridge, intending to retake it."How could this be..." he murmured softly, his fingers trembling slightly.He knew very well what this meant.Qingyu Ridge had become the last pass blocking the main force of the Ice Sea County Snowsworn.It was imaginable how fierce the fighting in this place would be next!He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and quickly walked towards the central army tent.Inside the tent, Louis was drawing and writing something on a map."Sir, I must speak with you privately," Bond said in a deep voice, his eyes solemn.Louis waved away the others and turned to him: "Speak."Bond handed over the letter, his voice low: "I am a secret envoy sent by Duke Edmund. I was previously ordered to observe you, and now I formally hand over the Duke's battle order."He paused, his voice becoming heavier."Snow Eagle City has been annihilated, and now Qingyu Ridge has become the only barrier blocking the main force of the Ice Sea County Snowsworn.The enemy forces are redirecting their main strength and heading here. Sir, the Duke's order is to defend Qingyu Ridge at all costs."He looked directly into Louis's eyes, his heart filled with apprehension.He knew what kind of order this ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) was.To have a young noble, with just over two hundred men, withstand the counterattack of the Snowsworn elite...This was almost a death trap.But Louis merely glanced at the letter and placed it on the table.He nodded, his tone calm: "Understood."Bond stood rooted to the spot, momentarily forgetting to speak: "Ah? You... aren't surprised? Not worried?""Worrying is useless," Louis turned around, his back calm and composed, "As long as we block them, that's all that matters, isn't it?""Aren't you going to ask anything else?" Bond couldn't help but ask.Louis shook his head slightly: "No need."Bond looked at him, his heart churning with shock.What on earth was going on with this person?Snow Eagle City had just fallen, and the enemy was attacking; the situation was extremely perilous.Yet, this young man remained calm from beginning to end, not even frowning once.It was as if he was listening to something he had already anticipated.Was this arrogance, or confidence?Of course, he couldn't have known that just yesterday morning, Louis had already predicted the entire course of the war through the "Daily Intelligence System."This included intelligence on the Snowsworn main force's movements and the fact that Qingyu Ridge would soon become a new battlefield.He even knew the exact number of enemy troops, their routes, and their arrival times.Moreover, he had already prepared tactics to deal with everything.Therefore, since yesterday, Louis had begun arranging ambushes, dispatching scouts, marking ambush points, and planning retreat routes...And when Bond brought the "urgent military report," his mind had already begun replaying the details of the seventh step of his plan.Eight hundred Snowsworn elites, such an enemy scale, indeed put some pressure on him.But Louis did not want to confront the enemy head-on here, nor did he intend to gamble on luck and wait for reinforcements.Nor did he want to needlessly expend his soldiers and knights here.Because he had found an opportunity.An opportunity to wipe out these eight hundred Snowsworn elites in one fell swoop.

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