Chapter 460: No Delay

6876.4.10, the day of the decisive battle had finally arrived, and every race was busy sharpening weapons and training horses. The Guowang Dadao had undergone simple repairs, and the Artillery had been hitched to horses and Rune guardians for transport.

His Majesty Sinuoli had issued a ban on alcohol and a curfew for the night; furthermore, to prevent news from leaking, he required all generals who knew the specific plans to gather and rest in the central command tent.

Admittedly, this approach was somewhat uncomfortable and not exactly traditional, but it had to be said that it was built upon the lessons of several Grudges.

It was called resting, but who could truly sleep? Most were merely closing their eyes to gather their strength. Everyone knew that such a massive army could not be maintained indefinitely, and their future depended on tomorrow.

As one gets older, the sewers inevitably become less than clear, and I needed to go relieve myself—that was quite a walk! How to build a temporary latrine is a great science, and fortunately, this old man has studied it quite a bit.

"Old man, what are you trying to do?"

"Do? Recapture Eight Peaks! What else? I have come on the orders of my mother."

Having finished, I was preparing to return to the main tent when I suddenly heard bursts of conversation coming from the back gate of the camp not far away. I vaguely felt that the vigorous voice among them was somewhat familiar, but for a moment, I could not recall which old friend it was.

"Your mother? Which Living Ancestor would that be?"

"It is a pity, you have arrived a bit late; His Majesty Sinuoli has just issued a curfew, though there will still be opportunities to attend the victory banquet!"

As I drew closer, I understood the guard's confusion. The visitor looked like an old man, wearing a dusty grey cloak and carrying a large bundle; there was nothing particularly striking about him from head to toe.

"Please go in and report it; just say that the traveler who sent a warning from the Grey Mountains all those years ago wishes to see him."

"This, this, do you have any token?"

"His Majesty Sinuoli is busy with military affairs; perhaps there is someone else who can verify your identity?"

"Hmph! Others? Nothing but little fellows who can't even tie their beards! What was the name of that one who was with Sinuoli back then? I can't even recall his name!"

The old man seemed somewhat impatient, and his cloak shook slightly with the movement of his frame, vaguely revealing a flash of white! In countless, countless nights, it was this flash of white that had saved me from nightmares; I swear I could not be mistaken!

"The great G..."

I ran toward the camp gate while pulling up my trousers. He made a quiet gesture to me, then tilted his head to glance at the dim area outside the camp where the lamplight did not reach. Clearly, he had noticed the presence of enemy scouts and did not want to expose his arrival!

"You, you are from Haojiaobao, right? I have finally arrived not too late this time!"

The great Grimbrindal still remembered me! I could not remember what I said to the guards, only that I suppressed the excitement in my heart and strode forward to lead him into the tent.

"Who is this?"

"Could it be?"

"Praise the great White-Bearded Ancestor!"

As soon as he entered the main tent, he took off his hood, revealing the beautiful beard and majestic face that had been repeatedly praised in countless epics. As he had said, most of the people present were seeing this eternal legend of the Qunshan for the first time, and His Majesty Sinuoli expanded a barrier to limit the cheering to within the tent.

"You have come, great Grimbrindal, please take the seat of honor! The entire army has been waiting for you! It is inevitable that a younger generation like me would find it difficult to command such a large army, so please, give me your guidance."

His Majesty Sinuoli invited him to his own seat, and the Dwarf did not stand on ceremony. After sitting down, he took a wine cup out of his bundle and tapped it lightly on the table as a signal.

"Bring my Jubilee Diamond!"

A whole barrel of wine was poured in, yet the small cup did not seem full. This was the coming-of-age gift given to him by the Ancestor Goddess, capable of holding a lake's worth of water, so that her youngest son would have an endless supply of nectar.

"You have done well; humility is a rare virtue, but there is no need to be too excessive. There are some different faces here; cooperation with outsiders is a good thing, but you must keep the lesson of my poor judgment of character in your heart!"

The Dwarf drank deeply like a long whale sucking in water, and his sharp gaze swept across the faces of the Human and that pointy-eared Elf leader; many of them shrank their necks.

"Don't blame me for being late either. Look, for the past few days I have been blocking the foot of Tuobeishan. The filthy rats wanted to unite with the rebels of the Dark Lands to come and cause you trouble, and I slaughtered them until neither side could find a single messenger left!"

As he spoke, he took out a stack of letters and slapped them on the table. His Majesty Sinuoli picked them up, and his face changed drastically; clearly, it was true.

"And now?"

"That Rictus Clan could not contact the rebels, likely because the Council of Thirteen was urging them, so they sent troops alone a few days ago. I tried to kill their commander, but it was cunning enough to escape with its life."

"The fortune of the army, the fortune of the Qunshan!"

His Majesty Sinuoli praised, and how could we not understand? The rat reinforcements could not travel faster than a Demigod; by the time they arrived, there would only be corpses to collect!

"Enough with the pleasantries! This is the place of my birth, and I think you need me and my axe to do something. Let us, in the names of my father and mother, return Eight Peaks to the embrace of the Qunshan!"

"Heh, there really is something. I have a troop whose mission is the most critical; it was originally entrusted to Prince Gelagelimu of Slayer Keep and my elder brother. If you are willing to lead it, then it will be foolproof!"

"If you cannot get away yourself, don't you have someone named Gotrek under your command? It is rare for my second brother to praise anyone!"

"He previously beheaded the right claw of Clan Mors, so he must be a key target for them. If he does not appear on the front lines, the rats will inevitably be suspicious. I, Belagar, and King Kazador are the same."

"Hmm, it seems I was right to hide my tracks!"

I do not remember the rest of the conversation between the Dwarf and His Majesty Sinuoli. His arrival swept away the previous gravity; even the Humans who had heard his legendary stories became excited. The number of Grudges he had participated in settling was countless, endless!

At dawn, the logistics troops began to cook; before a great battle, one needs to replenish enough physical strength. Two elite forces were quietly assembling; they were composed of the most elite Ironbreaker, Slayer, and Engineer, and they had to reach their designated positions in advance.

Grimbrindal put his cloak back on, but the extremely respectful attitude of the two team leaders made many of the clansmen guess a few clues. Whether he would participate and appear in the decisive battle had been a topic of whispered discussion in the camp for these past few days.

After this troop left, the Human cavalry also set out. The square in front of the fortress had limited space and was not enough for the horses to maneuver; their mission was to advance along the mountains and pursue the fleeing enemy.

Finally, the sun broke through the clouds and mist of the Badlands, and His Majesty Sinuoli stood on his Doom Anvil, holding the Great Book of Grudges in his hands, facing the army that had finished assembling.