Chapter 1357: Frontline
Chapter 1357: Frontline
Outside the medical tents, the defensive line remained busy.
Groups of soldiers and workers were transporting supplies from one location to another. Large carts loaded with medicinal herbs, weapons, armor, food, and energy stones moved along the roads. Some people carried heavy crates on their shoulders, while others used their abilities to transport several containers at once.
"Hey, how many contribution points did you earn this time?"
"Not much. I only received three hundred after the last battle. I spent most of my previous points buying a new weapon."
"Three hundred? That’s still pretty good! I barely earned two hundred."
"Hahaha! That’s because you spent most of the battle hiding behind the defensive formation!"
"Shut up! At least I’m still alive!"
The two men laughed as they continued carrying their supplies.
"Once I gather enough contribution points, I’m going to exchange them for some resources. I’ve been stuck at the peak of the Solidifying Realm for too long."
"That’s your plan? I’m going to save mine until I can afford a decent piece of equipment. I heard the HQ has some incredible weapons in its treasury."
"Don’t get your hopes up too much. Those things aren’t cheap."
"Still, it’s worth trying. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get lucky and find something suitable for myself."
Similar conversations could be heard throughout the camp.
Although the battlefield was dangerous, the contribution point system gave the fighters a reason to continue fighting. Every successful mission, every enemy they defeated, and every contribution they made to the Blood Realm could be exchanged for valuable resources.
For many of them, the war was both a dangerous battlefield and an opportunity to improve their strength.
Inside one of the larger fortresses along the defensive line, a meeting was taking place.
The fortress was heavily guarded, with several defensive formations covering its walls and surrounding grounds. Deep within its structure was a spacious conference hall where a group of powerful experts had gathered.
Every person present had reached the Fourth Shackle Realm.
They were the commanders and leading experts responsible for coordinating the Blood Realm’s forces in this region.
A large map was displayed in the middle of the hall. It showed the territories surrounding Ironwood Ridge, the Valley of Ohrn, and the Black Dream River. Several markings indicated the current positions of the Blood Realm’s forces, while red symbols represented the strongholds controlled by the Dreambone Kingdom and Sleepless Kingdom.
"Let’s begin."
One of the men sitting at the head of the table spoke.
He was a tall, muscular individual with a scar running across his cheek. His arms were crossed over his chest as he examined the map.
"The situation hasn’t changed much. The Dreambone Kingdom is maintaining its defensive line, while the Sleepless Kingdom has been sending additional troops to reinforce its positions. They’re clearly trying to prevent us from expanding further."
"Those two kingdoms are working together more closely than I expected," another expert commented. "Their forces have been coordinating their attacks. If we concentrate our strength against one side, the other will immediately take advantage of the opening."
"That’s why we can’t afford to divide our forces recklessly."
A woman with long silver hair pointed at several locations on the map.
"We’ve already suffered considerable losses. More than ten elite squads have been wiped out or severely weakened. If we continue fighting them head-on, we’ll only exhaust our forces before we can accomplish anything meaningful."
"Then what do you suggest? Should we retreat?"
"Of course not."
The woman shook her head.
"We’ve already established our presence in these territories. Retreating now would mean surrendering everything we’ve gained. Besides, the Realm Lord expects us to secure the Middle Domain. We can’t return empty-handed."
Several people nodded in agreement.
"Then we should focus on weakening their coordination. The Dreambone Kingdom and Sleepless Kingdom may be cooperating now, but that doesn’t mean their interests are aligned. We should exploit their differences."
"That’s easier said than done. Both kings are ambitious. They might be willing to cooperate temporarily, but neither will willingly let the other gain an advantage."
"Which is precisely why we need to create an opportunity."
The muscular man tapped his finger against the map.
"We’ll maintain our defensive positions for now. Send smaller squads to harass their supply routes and scout their territories. Don’t engage in prolonged battles unless we have a clear advantage. We need to preserve our Fourth Shackle Realm experts for the decisive confrontation."
"What about the other forces? Should we request reinforcements?"
"We’ve already sent the request. Whether they’ll send anyone is another matter. There are plenty of factions competing for territory in the Middle Domain. We can’t expect everyone to prioritize our situation."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Everyone understood that the Blood Realm was expanding across an enormous landmass. The forces stationed in this region were only a fraction of its overall strength, and there were countless other territories that needed to be secured.
They couldn’t afford to waste too many resources fighting over a single region.
"One more thing," the silver-haired woman suddenly said. "We’ve received reports that the Sleepless Kingdom has been spreading rumors about us among the local inhabitants. They’re claiming that we’re secretly working for the Dreambone Kingdom and that our recruitment efforts are nothing more than a scheme to enslave the locals."
Several experts frowned.
"Those bastards are trying to turn the locals against us."
"Then we should increase our efforts to recruit them. Let them see the truth for themselves."
"Be careful. The Realm Lord’s orders are clear. We aren’t allowed to force anyone to join the Blood Realm except for those who attacked us first like these Sleepless Kingdom and Dreambone Kingdom."
"We know that. There’s no need to repeat it."
The muscular man raised his hand, stopping the discussion.
"Enough. We’ll follow the current plan and wait for further developments. Until then, make sure the defensive line remains intact. We can’t allow either kingdom to break through."
The experts nodded.
The meeting continued as they discussed troop deployments, supply distribution, and the condition of their forces.
Outside the fortress, the sounds of hammering, marching soldiers, and transporting carts continued without interruption.
The war was far from over.
...
Meanwhile, at a hill overlooking the battlefield, several scouts from the Blood Realm were observing the movements of the enemy forces.
They were stationed at a considerable distance from the frontlines, concealed by a combination of natural terrain and concealment formations. Their task was to monitor the movements of the Dreambone Kingdom and Sleepless Kingdom and report any unusual activity to the commanders.
One of the scouts lowered his binocular-like artifact and glanced at his companions.
"Things are getting complicated. I heard that the Everlasting Camp has already started fighting against the local forces in Ironwood Ridge."
"That’s not surprising. They lured the resisting locals to fight them. They used those rare resources as a bait. Besides, I heard their Crown Prince is personally overseeing the operation. The Ironwood Ridge is basically theirs."
"Prince Angus, right? The Light Oracle?"
"That’s right. The Light Oracle Angus."
Another scout chuckled.
"Compared to them, our Tarrant Nation is making much faster progress. They’ve already conquered a considerable amount of territory. Their forces are also quite powerful."
"Don’t forget the locals from the former Land of Reem and Vanko. They’re not exactly weak either. Some of their surviving forces have joined the conflict."
"Those two lands formed the Blood Realm, right? I heard that their strong individuals were slained by the Realm Lord back then."
"That’s right. But there are still some powerful individuals among them. They know the terrain better than most outsiders, and some of their old experts are still alive."
The scouts continued discussing the various factions in the Blood Realm.
However, their conversation suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
"Hm...?"
One of the scouts raised his head.
A moment later, the others felt it too.
Boom!!
An immense wave of energy erupted from the defensive lines of the Dreambone Kingdom and Sleepless Kingdom.
The ground beneath their feet trembled. The trees surrounding the hill shook violently, and several birds scattered into the sky in panic.
The scouts immediately turned toward the enemy’s defensive positions.
"What the hell is that?!"
"Look over there!"
Their eyes widened.
The defensive lines of the two kingdoms had opened, and countless figures were emerging from behind their fortifications.
Several hundred monsters and soldiers marched forward in organized formations. Their weapons and armor gleamed under the light, while powerful auras radiated from their bodies.
At the same time, hundreds of figures rose into the air.
Some flew using their wings, while others stood on flying artifacts or relied on their own abilities to remain suspended in the sky. Their powerful auras spread across the battlefield, creating an oppressive atmosphere that could be felt even from the scouts’ distant position.
The sheer number of experts gathering in one place was alarming.
"That’s... a large-scale deployment!"
"Why are they mobilizing so many forces at once?"
One of the scouts quickly retrieved a communication artifact.
"Report to the fortress! The Dreambone Kingdom and Sleepless Kingdom are mobilizing their forces!"
He looked toward the distant army once more.
The enemy’s movements were far too organized to be a simple patrol or a routine rotation of soldiers.
They were preparing for something.
And judging by the immense energy radiating from their formations, it wasn’t going to be a small skirmish.