Chapter 380: Lord Mil, you

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Whether the beastmen were willing to accept it or not, the fact remained that there existed a human capable of fighting them one-on-one.

Thus, the nobles continuously heard the beastmen's roars echoing from the jungle.

This left the nobles bewildered and uneasy.

"If I didn't mishear, those should be the roars of beastmen killed in battle—furious and resentful, aren't they?"

"That's right! These northern simian beastmen never scream when wounded—they only roar, and that roar sounds exactly like this!"

"The southern border guards are this powerful? Two thousand men holding back two hundred beastmen? No wonder there were so many kills that night!"

"Gentlemen, while the southern border guards are formidable, I believe it's even more impressive that Lord Mil anticipated the beastmen's ambush!"

As the other nobles marveled at the southern border guards' combat prowess, one suddenly mentioned Mil.

Hearing this, the nobles finally realized it.

Yes, while defeating beastmen was impressive, foreseeing danger was far more crucial.

Mil had deliberately chosen to attack from the right—and split the force in two.

Clearly, he had known about the beastmen's ambush in advance and prepared accordingly.

Yet we had mistakenly thought Lord Mil was trying to preserve his strength…

Instantly, the nobles were filled with shame, unable to meet each other's eyes.

"Lord Mil, thank you—you've saved us again!"

"Yes! Lord Mil, without you, we wouldn't know what outcome this battle would have had!"

"No need to speculate—if not for Lord Mil, we'd have fallen straight into the beastmen's trap. Not only would we have lost the battle, but our subordinates would have suffered heavy casualties!"

Feeling the nobles' apologetic and eager gazes upon him, Mil's face flushed again. "I… I…"

This… this wasn't my achievement at all!

I'd almost doubted whether Gervas's 'laziness' had gone too far…

Who could have expected such a complete reversal?

"By the way, Lord Mil, how did you know about the beastmen's ambush in advance?"

"Yes! Lord Mil, could you tell us?"

"I… I…"

You're asking me—who am I supposed to ask?

Mil nearly wanted to cry.

But right now, he couldn't go ask Gervas for an answer.

"Gentlemen, battle comes first—everything else can wait until after the fight!"

Fortunately, Commander Lyon spoke up at that moment.

He was the only one in the group who knew Gervas was truly in control.

Naturally, he had to rescue Mil from the situation.

At his words, the nobles finally fell silent.

The battle ahead then held no further uncertainty.

Since the two hundred beastmen assigned to ambush had been intercepted, the ones inside the camp could not possibly withstand the full assault from the northern border troops and the eastern and western contingents.

Not long after, when Gervas's group finished clearing the beastmen from the woods,

they had already breached the wooden fortress and opened the gate from within.

Then, all the soldiers surged inside.

Seeing this, Lei Meng led the southern border troops into the camp as well.

Yet Gervas's Stormtroopers deliberately held back in this follow-up battle, refusing to actively kill beastmen—instead, they only slaughtered a few conscripts.

"We've won! We've won!"

"Ha! We've taken the wooden fortress!"

More than ten minutes later, once all the beastmen who could flee had escaped, the last one who couldn't run died beneath soldiers' blades.

Instantly, cheers erupted throughout the fortress.

Hearing this, the nobles beamed with joy and spurred their horses toward the fortress.

…

"Lord Gervas, weren't all of Lord Mil's actions just your arrangements?"

"Correct!" Gervas didn't deny it, for the one questioning him was Commander Lyon—there was no need to conceal this matter.

"Then, Lord Gervas, how did you know the beastmen were hiding on the right-side hill? Even Commander Li De and his men didn't notice!"

Lyon asked the same curious question the other nobles had.

"Magic Swift Hawks—I have a small squad of Magic Swift Hawks. I'm an extremely cautious man, so when I learned we'd be acting today, I sent my Magic Swift Hawks out to scout in advance!"

"Coincidentally, my Magic Swift Hawks actually discovered the beastmen's ambush!"

"Magic Swift Hawks?" Lyon was stunned.

Gervas bringing two hundred cavalry was already strange enough.

He claimed they were lent to him by some high noble, since he knew several marquises and commanders in the capital.

But did someone also lend him Magic Swift Hawks?

And even if someone did, why didn't you keep them with you?

"I didn't bring them along because they'd be too conspicuous!"

"I feared the beastmen would see them and assume a high-ranking officer led the vanguard, and then target us specifically!"

"So to avoid trouble, my Magic Swift Hawk squad mostly hides in uninhabited areas fifty li away, only coming to meet me once night falls!"

Gervas knew Lyon would have doubts, so he answered before the man could ask.

Lyon listened, feeling something was off—but didn't press further.

Regardless, Gervas had helped them win—that was the fact.

At that moment, the two had arrived near the fortress's meeting hall.

The hall now echoed with clinking cups and loud chatter.

It had become the victory banquet hall.

Yes, another victory banquet.

It was the custom of this world.

Any victory, if the chance arose, had to be celebrated.

Of course, this applied only to nobles—subordinates were expected to carry on as usual.

Gervas suspected the nobles did this merely to find a better excuse to indulge themselves.

After all, even without a banquet, they drank and ate roasted meat every night.

Letting Lyon enter first, Gervas waited a moment before following.

"Lord Gervas, over here!"

Seeing him, Commander Li De immediately shifted aside, gesturing for Gervas to sit beside him.

Though Lyon had to pretend he wasn't familiar with Gervas,

Li De didn't need to—Gervas's warning that night was public knowledge.

Still, this drew the displeasure of Solit beside him.

"Commander Li De, this spot is already crowded—I don't think he should sit here."

But Li De wouldn't agree—today, Gervas had saved him again.

"Deputy Commander Solit, Lord Gervas helped me last time, and today his spear troops played a crucial role in repelling the beastmen's surprise attack—so he deserves to sit here!"

"Hmph! But wouldn't that still rely on Lord Mil's early detection?" Solit remained clearly dissatisfied.

Just then, Mil arrived, finally drawing Solit's attention. "Lord Mil, come sit here!"

Saying this, Solit rose to greet him personally.

Seeing this, Lyon and Commander Li De exchanged pitying glances.

What expression will this fool wear when he learns the truth?