Chapter 137

"Damn it, my lord, Count Farrio is clearly targeting us, and Commander Brick just won't intervene!"

"Farrio may only be a nominal noble, but his father serves under the Viceroy of the Southern Region—he holds real power."

"And Commander Brick is merely the Southern Region Commander; he certainly won't dare offend Farrio, especially since they have no ties to us!" said Gervas.

On a hillock three li outside Heibei Village, hearing the distant cries of battle, Migen and the other knights wore expressions of bitter resentment.

For these past days, Farrio, using his role as Inspector of Battle, had forced the Storm Legion to stand night watch for three consecutive nights.

And today, in this clearly opportunistic battle, he had directly sidelined the Storm Legion.

He clearly didn't want the Storm Legion to gain even a scrap of merit.

This filled Migen and the others with rage and frustration.

After all, by protocol, Farrio was merely an Inspector of Battle—his authority extended only to overseeing combat.

Assigning watch duties and allocating battle roles fell under the Commander's jurisdiction.

Yet despite Farrio's overstepping, Commander Brick of the left-wing army turned a blind eye.

"But my lord, if in this kingdom war we keep exhausting ourselves on night watch and never even get to fight, won't we be utterly cheated?"

"Migen, if that fellow keeps us stuck in the rear and never lets us fight, that'd be one thing!"

"But I fear he'll keep us off the battlefield when it's easy pickings, then throw us into the meat grinder when it's hard fighting—that's the real trouble!" said Gervas calmly.

Migen and the others paled; if that happened, they'd be dead for sure.

And die in such a humiliating way.

"My lord, let me ride straight to Lei Dun City and petition Marquis Mixius for justice!"

"Enough, Migen. I'm not worried—why are you so frantic? And even if you went, could you even meet Marquis Mixius?"

Marquis Mixius was the king's appointed commander of this kingdom campaign—in plain terms, the overall commander.

Yet he had not marched with the main army; he remained stationed in Lei Dun City.

The one leading the main advance was the Commander of Lei Dun City's City Guard.

After reprimanding Migen and the others, Gervas opened today's latest system intelligence.

【Intelligence One: Faced with Count Farrio's unjust arrangements, Migen and the other knights feel intense anger and plan to seek a suitable opportunity to petition you for permission to travel to Lei Dun City and file a complaint!】

【Intelligence Two: The main army will arrive at Baron Livin's territory this afternoon.】

【Intelligence Three: In Heibei Village of Baron Livin's territory, over three hundred and seventy western barbarian warriors have gathered.】

【Intelligence Four: The left-wing allied forces will launch an assault on Heibei Village.】

【Intelligence Five: Tonight, the Storm Legion will again be assigned to night watch.】

【Intelligence Six: As your allied forces enter the territory controlled by western barbarian warriors, future crises will constantly accompany you.】

The western barbarian warriors, enraged by the attack on Heibei Village, will launch a small-scale raid tonight.

The raid route will come from the left flank of Heibei Village, circling through Heisong Shanling, involving two hundred men.

They are an elite squad of the Black Tiger Tribe, which has already killed two barons and one viscount during this invasion of the Griffon Kingdom.

They are one of the kingdom's top targets for suppression and extermination.】

"You don't want me to gain merit? Let's see if you can stop me."

Gervas sneered.

This was the very reason he had remained calm through Farrio's provocations these past days.

Of course, Gervas's current restraint and refusal to resist.

To other nobles, it looked like cowardice.

Over an hour later, Gervas received word: the front-line battle had ended, and the kingdom's left-wing army had won a great victory.

In this surprise assault, the army encircled Heibei Village on three sides and struck suddenly, killing over one hundred and sixty tribal barbarians; the rest escaped too quickly to be caught.

"Nine thousand men against a few hundred, and still half got away? That's called a great victory?"

"My lord, these bastards are shameless!"

Hearing the news of the great victory, Migen's face twisted with contempt.

Of course, Migen's contempt carried no weight.

When Gervas and the others arrived at Heibei Village, the nobles and soldiers who had fought wore broad smiles.

Count Farrio happened to spot Gervas's arrival and smiled warmly at Commander Brick beside him: "Commander Brick, the Storm Lord's men arrived just in time!"

"They didn't fight at all from the rear—perfect timing to assign them cleanup duty!"

"After all, the soldiers who actually fought must be exhausted!"

"Commander Brick, what do you think of my suggestion?"

Commander Brick gave Gervas a cold, pitying glance. "I have no objection. Do as you please, Count Farrio."

Saying this, Commander Brick walked away. Though he did not stop Farrio's overreach, he had no interest in getting involved in such dirty noble games.

"Baron Gervas, you heard it—now have your men begin clearing the battlefield. All other noble units remain where they are and rest!"

"No problem, Count Farrio!" Gervas accepted the order without a trace of anger, even smiling.

This slightly furrowed Farrio's brow—he couldn't read this boy at all.

Logically, after days of targeted harassment, this damn brat should have come begging for an explanation—asking why he was being targeted.

Yet this boy had acted as if he didn't care at all.

"Could he already know about my ties to the Scorpion Brotherhood?"

Thinking this, Farrio's eyes grew even colder.

If so, he'd have to find a way to kill him and silence him.

Amid the varied glances of other nobles, the Storm Lord's soldiers sullenly began hauling corpses and other cleanup tasks.

Even neighbors like Kain and Mil wanted to help, but thinking of Count Farrio, they could only pretend not to see.

That night, as expected, Count Farrio issued another order assigning the Storm Legion to night watch.

And because today's first battle had been a great victory, with over a hundred western barbarians slain, Farrio and the others held a banquet in Heibei Village to celebrate.

Soon, over twenty nobles gathered on the village's open ground, the air thick with the scent of beer and roasted meat.

Gervas, however, could only lead his men in perimeter defense and night watch.

"These bastards—if only some western barbarians would show up and kill Count Farrio!" Migen gripped his torch, teeth clenched in fury.

Especially with the laughter and aroma of meat drifting from the village, and seeing his own lord, Migen grew even angrier.

"Migen, the Storm Legion's duty is night watch. If any barbarians appear and kill Count Farrio, we'll bear all the blame!" Gervas said calmly.

"My lord, shall I find an opportunity to quietly…?" Lei Meng didn't finish, but made a throat-slitting gesture—his meaning was clear.

Even Lei Meng, the knight captain, could barely hold back—clearly, the men were pushed to their limit.

Gervas was moved by the loyalty of his men.

"Lei Meng, assassinating a noble is a capital crime—we won't risk it."

"Besides, I know you've all been seething these past days. Tonight, I'll take you out for a proper workout!"