[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence":3,"chapter-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-358":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Warlord: Starting with Daily Intelligence",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2338821,4572,"Chapter 358: The Northern Frontier Situation Has Deteriorated!","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-358",358,"\u003Cp>“Minister of the Cabinet!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eastern district of Eagle City, within a luxurious estate, Willard stared in shock as Randal was carried off the horse-drawn cart by soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister of the Cabinet, your servant… your servant encountered a beast…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Encountered a Demon God? How could this happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister of the Cabinet, this is how it happened…” Upon hearing this, Randal immediately began weeping and recounting the events of that ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Willard listened to the sobbing, his previously gloomy expression finally softened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed Randal had been beaten by that damned brat—turns out it was an accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Randal, since you were injured on official duty, I’ll have the Civil Affairs Bureau issue you compensation! Just focus on recovering!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, did you accept the conscription order for that boy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister of the Cabinet, it’s been accepted—but he said he will file an appeal, and… and he threatened that once he returns, he’ll have you wash your neck and wait for him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Willard’s face twisted into a snarl. “Does he really think he has any chance of coming back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough, Randal. Go rest and recover. I’m leaving for the Northern Frontier right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Willard offered Randal hollow words of comfort but made no actual compensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Randal, having lost both legs, was finished—he could never serve in the Civil Affairs Bureau again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t waste money on a broken man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A token payment from the Civil Affairs Bureau would suffice—just a show for others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten days later, the Northern Frontier: Black Dragon City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the seat of the Northern Frontier Viceroyalty, it was now packed with elite troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Black Dragon Castle atop the hill behind the city, three heavyweight figures of the Lion-Eagle Kingdom gathered: the Northern Frontier Grand Commander, Duke Hernade, and Duke Shatterstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the war room lay a full map of the Northern Frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least one-third of the border on this map now bore red dots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each red dot represented the presence of beastfolk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the map, a red dot like an arrow pierced deep into the heartland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if aiming to carve straight through the Northern Frontier and reach Black Dragon City itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have the scouts still not located the beastfolk’s main force?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, my lords. Over ten days ago, after launching consecutive raids on three cities, the beastfolk main force vanished from our sight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we believe they haven’t withdrawn from the Northern Frontier—they’re waiting for the right moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meanwhile, small bands of beastmen have begun scattering to raid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any village or town they encounter, they burn, kill, and plunder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the scout commander’s report, the Northern Frontier Grand Commander and the two dukes grew even darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t wait any longer! The beastmen can play hide-and-seek with us, but we can’t let the situation deteriorate further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we allow these small bands to loot every village and town, even if we eventually find and drive off the main force, the Northern Frontier’s losses will be irreparable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duke Hernade is right. If so, let our main force march directly toward Redstone City—no matter what scheme the beastfolk have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as they intend to push deeper, they must take Redstone City. We’ll wait for them there—they’ll come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Shatterstone and Duke Hernade spoke in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the nominal commander of this campaign, the Northern Frontier Grand Commander immediately nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not put on airs before these two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They claimed to be here to assist him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, they were more like royal envoys sent to oversee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though orders would be issued in his name, decisions required the joint approval of all three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re both correct. By the way, have we tallied the number of conscripted troops?” The Northern Frontier Grand Commander nodded, then turned to his subordinate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander, latest count: ninety percent of the nobles have arrived outside the city for registration—around 180,000 men. The remaining conscripts are expected to arrive tomorrow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent. Then, as planned, the army will begin marching toward Redstone City the day after tomorrow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, you’ve finally arrived!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Gervas! We were so worried about you! Thank heavens, you made it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next evening, outside Black Dragon City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas had just set up his camp when several familiar figures found him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Mil and his group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Friends, I’ve worried you! You must have arrived days ago, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Gervas. We only arrived yesterday noon. But after hearing you’d be delayed by at least two or three days, we feared you wouldn’t make it in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! Gervas, it’s already dusk—if you hadn’t shown up by tomorrow morning, you’d have missed the conscription deadline and been charged with defiance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The consequences? We only learned after arriving here: the Northern Frontier’s conscription orders are far harsher than elsewhere. No matter the reason, you lose your title immediately. After the war, the Royal Noble Council will judge your guilt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In short, even if you were delayed by legitimate business—even a single day—you’ll be severely punished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because here, we’re fighting beastfolk. If we weren’t strict, many nobles would find excuses to avoid service.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so? Then I’m glad I made it just in time.” Gervas felt a chill of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, you arrived earlier—how’s the situation in the Northern Frontier lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas had received some intelligence through the daily system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the information was too vague to give him a clear picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Karl Village had been sacked by beastmen last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Kaya City had also been attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, to Gervas—who didn’t even know their exact locations—these reports were as incomprehensible as ancient scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, there was useful intel: besides the Northern Frontier Grand Commander, King’s envoys Duke Hernade and Duke Shatterstone were commanding the campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, the intelligence system provided information, but it was insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, the recent news is chaotic and scattered. Come with us to that tavern over there—we’ll drink and talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time the kingdom mobilized its army, merchant caravans always followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Gervas and his group reached the cluster of taverns outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noise, the revelry, the decadence—there was no sense they were on the front lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They found a tavern with empty seats and drank while talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through them, Gervas learned some truths about the Northern Frontier’s situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Northern Frontier’s situation had already collapsed: one-third of its territory had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, you probably don’t realize—this one-third is roughly the size of two duchies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And we lost all this land in just one month. I heard the Northern Frontier nobles and soldiers are terrified out of their wits!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When they face beastmen, they don’t resist at all. They just run. Any fortress or stronghold—they abandon without a fight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas was secretly stunned. “The Northern Frontier has deteriorated this badly? Weren’t they always said to be the kingdom’s strongest border army?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows? But every noble conscripted here looks down on them! If they’d done their job, why would we have to risk our lives traveling so far?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I heard the King has sent Duke Hernade and Duke Shatterstone, and several marquis families have also been conscripted—clearly because the situation in the Northern Frontier is dire.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1209,"2026-06-20T22:44:02.338Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ebcf74cd798d5034e26c03882a99ec453944aa478d08fda4dafbef4828305438","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-359","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-357",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwarlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-cover.jpg"]