The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 175: The Old Fool Disturbed Me!
After defeating the duchy's two elite legions, Henwell's left-wing army takes a three-day rest. Before the duchy's subsequent siege forces can arrive, they leave the two border fortresses. With over ten thousand troops, they conduct a forced march, charging into Billie Kingdom territory.
There, they find the Royal Third Guard Legion, assembled and ready. Without pause, Henwell's forces launch a frontal assault, quickly routing this elite Billie Kingdom legion. Without lingering, they turn back towards the duchy.
The Billie Kingdom, having suffered such a blow, is certainly not willing to let this slide. Hit and run? No way! They came to eliminate Henwell, yet ended up being struck first—unacceptable!
Thus, Billie’s siege forces notify Vorry Duchy to intercept the left-wing army, while deploying a five-thousand-strong cavalry legion, the Second Guard Legion, and the Kingdom's Eleventh Legion to pursue Henwell’s forces.
The result is rather dramatic. After two days of pursuit, Billie Kingdom's forces fall into a trap. Henwell personally leads a cavalry battalion, smashing Billie Kingdom's army. Then, he charges into the battlefield, slicing through the enemy's infantry formations.
In the end, of Billie Kingdom's over twenty thousand troops, very few manage to escape. Henwell's army is simply too exhausted; otherwise, not a single one would have gotten away.
The leadership of the two nations, stunned by Henwell's audacious moves, realizes they must take his threat seriously. Both sides independently decide to raise the stakes, mobilizing more troops with the intent to crush Henwell's forces completely. However, not everyone agrees with this course of action.
First to dissent is Arius. Awaiting his grand wedding, Arius suddenly assembles his force of over seven thousand troops and marches south, positioning them close to the Billie Kingdom's defensive line, with their sights set on Rainze City. This maneuver forces three neighboring duchy legions to advance and ensure the young prince's safety.
Before Billie Kingdom can question Grand Duke Amir about the situation, Count Marcus, stationed in Luon City, unexpectedly leads his twenty-thousand-strong army eastward, advancing towards Harvest City.
Arius's justification for deploying troops is straightforward: he demands the bodies of those who sacrificed for Henwell, showing a readiness to act without restraint.
Count Marcus, on the other hand, is more cunning. He claims he's not supporting Henwell but is concerned for his daughter's safety, as she was taken by Henwell. Having heard that Billie Kingdom plans to eliminate Henwell, Marcus wants to ensure they understand that his daughter's safety must not be compromised.
Meanwhile, Fabio has just had a heated argument with his father. Returning to his tent, his anger quickly fades. After some contemplation, he summons his general. "Duveen, do you remember Henwell?"
Duveen pauses, then sighs, "Of course! Without him, many of us wouldn't have made it back alive."
Fabio nods and drops a bombshell, "Henwell isn't dead!"
Duveen is stunned for a moment, then, seeing Fabio's serious expression, realizes it's no joke.
"Sir, where is he? We should bring him back immediately! We need talent like his in the western territories. Even at a young age, he showed such promise. By now, he must be extraordinary. With him, we could certainly form another legion!"
Fabio sighs, "I'm afraid Henwell might not be interested in us anymore."
"Why do you say that, sir? Where is he now? Who is he working for?"
Fabio points to the map on the wall. "He's here!"
"The eastern territories? Working for Count Marcus? We should hurry and win him over!"
Fabio taps a spot on the map. "Here! The lord of Blood Hill! Henwell! That's him!"
"This... this... how is that possible?"
Fabio explains briefly, and Duveen's mind nearly grinds to a halt, struggling to accept that the formidable lord of Blood Hill is the same young comrade he once fought alongside.
After a moment, Duveen sighs, "Of course! Someone like him would never be ordinary, no matter where he is. I remember when he was on the Path of Honor, you even helped him out! Didn't Leicester lead your personal cavalry to rescue him? Was that fool blind? Didn't he recognize Henwell?"
Fabio, frustrated, replies, "I haven't even had the chance to scold him yet! But at the time, Henwell was disguised as my little cousin, probably wearing a mask!"
Duveen exclaims, "What a mess! But why didn't Henwell come to you? Does he think our Iron Wall Legion can't protect him? If you vouched for him, even the Grand Duke wouldn't have a choice!"
Fabio is at a loss for words. He can't exactly admit that his father nearly got Henwell killed. Even though his father denies it, Fabio believes he deliberately arranged for Henwell to become a gladiator.
Duveen laments, "What can we do now? He's the lord of Blood Hill, commanding tens of thousands, and conducting armed marches in the southern duchy. His Peace Haven is one of the richest places in the duchy."
"I remember they spend hundreds of thousands of gold coins annually buying coal and iron from us. What a pity! If we had him in the west, we could easily support a hundred thousand strong Iron Wall Legion!"
Hearing Duveen's words only fuels Fabio's frustration. The thought that Henwell, in just a few years, has transformed Peace Haven from a backwater into a powerful territory is maddening.
If Henwell had spent ten years with them, imagine the possibilities! Fabio had once envied Peace Haven's weapon forging techniques, only to realize that these should have been his to claim. Growing angrier by the second, Fabio kicks a nearby chair to pieces. "That old fool ruined everything for me!"
Duveen seems to grasp the situation but chooses to tread carefully, offering a sheepish smile. "Sir, it's not too late! We could bring young Henwell over for a year or so, have him streamline our governance and military affairs."
Taking a deep breath, Fabio says, "Duveen, strictly speaking, we owe our lives to Henwell. Now that the duchy and Billie have joined forces to eliminate Henwell and his army, he's in real danger. Are you willing to go and save him?"
Duveen finally realizes the gravity of Henwell's current predicament. "Sir, how do you propose we save him? We have just over ten thousand troops, and it's too late to reach him in time!"
Fabio asks pointedly, "I just need to know if you're willing to save him."
Duveen responds resolutely, "I am!"
"Then go! March south and attack Billie Kingdom's forces!"
"Uh, isn't that a bit far? How does attacking help Henwell? Also, haven't the two nations signed a ceasefire agreement? If we deploy troops, won't the Grand Duke hold us accountable?"
Fabio turns to Duveen, locking eyes with him. "Which is why, afterward, you'll be dismissed and exiled by me! Do you know where you'll go then?"
"I understand! I'll start preparing immediately!"
The next day, the Iron Wall Legion boldly launches an attack, defeating a Billie Kingdom regiment. The duchy's forces at the Yosui City defensive line can only grit their teeth and follow suit, covering the Iron Wall Legion's flanks.
Chapter 175: The Old Fool Disturbed Me!
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