Chapter 354: The Infiltrator Akali!

"Viscount Gervas, what shall we do now? The orcs are several times more ferocious than the tribal savages!"

"Fighting them, I would rather face the Western Savages!"

"Yes! Viscount Gervas, should we refuse to head to the Northern Region and go directly to Eagle City to appeal?"

Inside Storm Castle.

At the arrival of dusk, Gervas welcomed Mil and the group of neighbors.

Their sudden visit was naturally for the matter of the conscription order.

"I think everyone should not think of refusing to head to the Northern Region, because this conscription order is clearly someone targeting us!"

"Therefore, if you do not arrive at the Northern Region on time, that will be truly falling into the scheme of the person behind the scenes!"

"Being plotted against? But Lord Gervas, we have never offended anyone! Who is he? And why target us like this?"

"Yes! To put it plainly, we are just minor border nobles; we have always been proper and dared not offend anyone. Who is so ruthless, wanting to send us to the Northern Region to die!"

Hearing Gervas's comfort, the crowd of minor nobles collapsed emotionally even more.

They also sensed something was wrong.

After all, making nobles who already participated in this year's conscription participate again is a mistake that happens, but absolutely very, very rarely.

Moreover, it was so coincidental that it was basically just them, the few familiar existences.

So, since Gervas made it clear, the crowd no longer doubted and immediately confirmed that they had been plotted against.

But the problem is, they simply could not figure out who they had offended!

"Everyone, as far as I know, the person plotting against us is the Eagle City Cabinet Minister Weilade."

"Cabinet Minister Weilade? This... could it be for the matter of our testimony before?"

"Damn it, but that was clearly Count Fario himself violating the Kingdom's laws and committing a grave crime; we victims were just telling the truth!"

"Yes! For such a matter, he actually wants us all to die! That bastard!"

Upon hearing Weilade's name, the nobles immediately believed Gervas's words.

Because Weilade truly had this motive.

After all, Fario's death was achieved under the testimony of them.

And looking at the indignant neighbors, Gervas's expression was somewhat strange.

He wanted to tell the crowd that actually, Marshal Mi Xiusi, to protect them, deliberately concealed them these witnesses.

Plus, that guy Fario was truly hated by heaven and man; almost all nobles cheered for his death.

So, Weilade actually only learned that Gervas was the main 'culprit' who 'killed' his son, and did not know at all who gave the testimony.

However, thinking that telling them this news would make them feel even more stifled, it was better not to say it.

"Everyone, so now you know the specific situation; although we must still appeal, this battle is unavoidable for us!"

"Because, with Weilade's deliberate obstruction, our appeal will probably not be cared about until the battle ends."

"Before this, if we refuse to participate in the conscription, we will likely be made an example of on the spot and dealt with by military law!"

"But Viscount Gervas, this Northern battle is so dangerous; if we encounter danger, how will we appeal then!"

"That's right, Viscount Gervas, it's not us speaking depressing words, but the Northern Region battle is simply too difficult; I heard at least forty to sixty percent of the teams going will be buried under the orcs' butcher knives!"

"In previous years, because the Southern Region was turbulent, we border nobles were lucky, but those nobles from the hinterlands, as long as they participated in the Northern battle, not one was not afraid!"

"Yes, such a dangerous fight; if we really have an accident, even if we can appeal then, what meaning does that have!" Mil and others were both stifled and worried.

"So everyone, everyone must guarantee to return alive!"

"As long as we return alive, only then can we trouble Weilade!"

"The Northern Region is indeed dangerous, but we few have already formed an alliance; when the time comes, we will unite, help each other, and the survival rate will always be higher than under normal circumstances!"

"Moreover, I have a flying magical beast and two hundred cavalry; when the time comes, we can warn of crises in advance and have extraordinary combat power. Everyone, do you think in this situation, can the danger be reduced!"

The crowd heard Gervas's comfort, paused in expression, "Viscount Gervas, are you preparing to bring the Magic Swift Eagle and the cavalry along?"

"That's right, aren't these elites used to win battles? So everyone, you don't need to worry too much; when the time comes, we will definitely return safely!"

Mil and others' eyes lit up; they finally saw some hope.

"Viscount Gervas, then we rely on you!"

"Everyone, it relies on everyone helping each other!" Gervas spoke with a smile.

Although the few minor nobles' strength was not much.

But more heads mean more strength.

Uniting them is also increasing one's own chances of victory.

Just like that, the crowd of nobles left.

Because the time left for them was not much.

This conscription was more urgent than the previous Western Tribe invasion.

The Western Tribe's strength was not strong; even if the extermination operation truly failed.

The loss would only be a part of the Western Region.

Those tribe people could not affect the foundation of the Kingdom.

But the Northern Region was different.

The Beast Race's strength was absolutely not comparable to the tribe people.

If not for the harsh living environment and backward smelting and farming techniques, they might have been even stronger than the human race.

So, once the Beast Race had an opportunity, they could drive straight in; the consequences would be unimaginable.

Therefore, the conscription order only left the nobles half a month's time.

This journey was even farther than the previous Western Region; half a month was already very urgent.

If not for the developed roads along the way, Gervas suspected that he and the others would not catch up no matter what.

……

Deep in the night, a figure appeared beneath Storm Castle.

Just as Freya and the tribe members had attempted to ambush Gervas last time, this figure, after approaching the castle, first concealed itself in the forest, secretly observing the defensive situation above and below the castle not far away.

However, this figure was far more agile than Freya and the others.

After entering the forest, with just a few easy leaps, she moved nimbly among the tree branches, not even needing to touch the ground.

Within this dim forest, it seemed to have become her playground.

"That's right! This is the place!" Akali slowly opened her eyes, withdrew from her perception, and fixed her pair of beautiful eyes on the castle ahead.

She had confirmed that the natural aura she sensed was inside the human castle ahead.

Afterwards, she hesitated no longer, swiftly leaped out of the forest, and arrived beneath the steep cliff on the castle's side.

This drop reached over forty meters; the nearly vertical cliff face would be an impassable moat for anyone else.

But for her, Akali, it could not halt her advancing steps.

Pulling out a short blade and biting it between her teeth, Akali began to climb with bare hands and feet.

Using both hands and feet, Akali moved quickly across the cliff face.

Any slight protrusion or stone crack could serve as her leverage point.

Of course, since the castle relied on the sheer cliff as its most important defensive measure, it could not possibly let her climb up so easily.

When she reached the upper half, the cliff face curved slightly inward, forming a reverse inward-angled slope in that upper section.

Moreover, the surrounding rocks had clearly been carefully carved, leaving no good footholds for the next move.

Of course, Akali had already devised a countermeasure; she saw her body arch slightly, then exerted force with both hands and feet simultaneously, leaping upward.

This leap was fully over three meters high, clearing that reverse inward-angled cliff slope directly.

However, this was not enough to bring her to the top of the cliff, for there was still a drop of at least three or four meters above.

Thus, at this moment, Akali had reached a life-or-death crisis.

If she could not grip the next leverage point firmly and steadily, then she would likely fall straight down a cliff over thirty meters high.

At this time, Akali, whose body was still in mid-air, gripped the dagger in her mouth, then thrust it violently into the rock face.