Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 352 The Tragedy of Ceylon
Cohen looked at the defense map that Division Commander Hughes had sent over and said as he looked at it:
"Hughes Dean was probably the highest-ranking officer in the Ceylon Border Regiment to express his intention to surrender."

Windsordler glanced at the list sent by the Military Intelligence Bureau and said:

"Yes, there are also a few regimental commanders and staff officers who can't interfere with the overall situation, so we've sent our subordinates to make contact with them."

Cohen handed the intelligence to Windsordler:

"Tell Asuna to take over one of Hughes' infantry divisions, three independent brigades, and that mage regiment."

The rest will proceed as planned.

The final offensive was scheduled for ten days from now.

……

In the Border Corps' operations room, Commander Marcus Adler stood like a statue before a complex array of battle maps.

His eyes were fixed on a striking red curve on the map, surrounded by a dense array of red symbols representing Ceylon's northwestern border defenses and various fortifications along the way.

The intelligence officers went in and out, handing notes to the staff officers next to them.

After reading the above content, the staff officer began to write and draw on the map.

Every now and then, a red symbol is erased and replaced with a chilling black eagle symbol.

With each one wiped away, a barely perceptible sigh would escape from the operations room.

The disappearance of each red symbol represents the fall of yet another stronghold, and as time goes on, the rate at which strongholds fall increases.

At first, we were only losing one or two strongholds and fortresses sporadically each day, but in the last two days, we have been losing and retreating at a rate of double digits every day.

It's too fast. Even the usually composed Commander Marcus is starting to get restless. At this rate, let alone holding out for six months to wait for the Noble Martial Arts Festival, even three months might be difficult.

In the stifling and oppressive operations room, a hurried sound of footsteps rang in everyone's ears.

The heavy standard military boots pounded on the floor like hammer blows striking the hearts of the high-ranking officers of the Ceylon Border Regiment.

They had heard those footsteps far too many times in the past few days.

They could even tell from the rhythm and intensity of the footsteps that it was the footsteps of Nicholas, the head of the intelligence department.

Upon realizing the identity of the visitor, everyone's expressions turned serious. Every appearance of Director Nicholas meant the arrival of bad intelligence, and also the fall of a stronghold or fortress.

Despite his reluctance, Director Nikolaus entered the operations room with a startlingly panicked expression on his face.

Commander Marcus also noticed this situation, his heart sank, and he asked:

"What happened?"

Although Director Nikolaus tried his best to lower his voice, he still couldn't hide the panic in his words:
"Commander, Blackthorn Fortress... is lost!"

Upon hearing this, the entire operations room erupted in an uproar.

Blackthorn Fortress is located in the transition zone between the "Blackthorn Wasteland" and the "Whispering Forest" on the northwestern border of the Kingdom of Ceylon, and is a vital passage connecting the central plains of the kingdom with the northern wilderness.

Its core stronghold, "The Thorn Cage," occupies the highest point on the main road of the wasteland. Relying on the naturally formed treacherous terrain, it extends a magical thorn wall thousands of meters wide to the cliffs on both sides, forming a continuous barrier that is 50 kilometers long.

It was the strongest line of defense against invaders in the entire Northwest region, and Marcus also amassed a large number of troops here.

One-third of the entire Border Legion's forces were stationed at Blackthorn Fortress, and were personally commanded by General Obadiah Zok, the Border Legion's deputy commander.

Marcus estimated that Blackthorn Fortress would hold off the Efein Legion's offensive for at least a month.

But it's only been a few days?
From receiving news that the Effie Legion had begun its southward invasion to the fall of Blackthorn Fortress, no more than five days had passed.

Marcus simply couldn't fathom what Obadiah was doing. Had he simply abandoned the city and surrendered?

The enemy only has 50,000 troops. Could it be that all 50,000 of them are "elite" troops?
If that's the case, they might as well just surrender.

Upon hearing this devastating news, Marcus, whose usually upright posture swayed, reached out to steady himself on the table, his shocked and furious gaze fixed on Director Nicolaus, his voice distorted with utter shock:

"What exactly happened?"

When was it lost?
Why hasn't any news come back from Obadiah?
What exactly is your intelligence department doing?!

Commander Marcus's furious voice drowned out the hushed whispers of the crowd.

Director Nikolaus kept his head down, waiting for Marcus to finish venting his anger before handing over the detailed intelligence and replying in a low voice:
"Intelligence indicates that Effie has turned the adjutant and messenger beside the deputy commander against his will."

They passed false intelligence to the deputy commander, misleading him.

They mistook Efein's army for Ceylon's reinforcements...

The rest is history. Marcus took the intelligence, his expression tense, feeling as if his chest was on fire.

Then, realizing something, he glanced around warily.

If even the closest adjutant to the deputy commander of Obadiah could be turned, it's hard to say that there aren't any spies from Effie in this room.

Marcus took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and addressed the officers:

"Gentlemen, from today onwards, all officers below me shall report all their actions to the military police every two hours."

No one is allowed to leave the fortress without special circumstances.

Everyone must hand over their communication stones. For long-distance communication, the Telecommunications Department's dedicated communication stones must be used.

After hearing that the fall of Blackthorn Fortress was due to a traitor among the deputy commander, the officers in the operations room had already anticipated Marcus's response.

But when the order was actually given, everyone still felt dissatisfied from the bottom of their hearts.

Report your whereabouts every two hours, and hand over all communication stones?
Isn't this treating them like criminals?
Faced with Marcus's cold and stern face, no one dared to voice any objections.

After issuing the new military orders, Marcus's voice softened considerably:
"It's not that I don't trust everyone; you are all my comrades, brothers, and family who have been through thick and thin with me for many years."

But for the safety of the entire army, and for the glory of Ceylon, I have to make this difficult decision, and I hope everyone can understand.

Everyone answered in unison:

"All for Ceylon!"

Marcus's voice also became much higher:
"Gentlemen, the fall of Blackthorn Fortress is a heavy blow to our defense system."

But this is not the end of the world!
Behind us are sturdy border fortresses, ample magical crossbows, elite mages, and fearless kingdom soldiers!
More importantly—

Marcus deliberately drew out his words, paused briefly, and then said in a deep voice:

"We are not fighting alone, Ceylon is not fighting alone!"

His Majesty the King has already spoken to me; we are about to welcome a powerful and reliable ally!

If only we can hold on for another three months.

"Hold on until the All-Nation Nobles' Martial Arts Festival convenes, and the continent enters a state of truce; then victory will be ours!"

Marcus originally did not want to reveal the news of the Kingdom of Serene's aid to Ceylon to his subordinates, but the unexpected fall of Blackthorn Fortress forced him to announce the news ahead of schedule to boost morale.

Otherwise, if this situation continues, the number of officers who have thoughts of defection, surrender, or making peace will only increase.

In fact, the command has received several reports of deserters in recent days.

Unsurprisingly, the first to respond was Hughes Dean, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division.

Upon hearing that reinforcements were coming, the previously heavy and oppressive atmosphere eased considerably.

Marcus secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said to the crowd:

"The defense plan needs to be changed again; Effie's attack speed far exceeds our previous estimates."

Based on the timeline, it will take at most seven more days for Effie's army to reach the border fortress.

General Hughes, your mission needs to be moved up. According to our previous plan, proceed ahead to Everfrost Pass to prepare.

Division Commander Hughes, his face resolute, replied loudly:
"Yes, I promise to complete the mission!"

Marcus stepped forward and patted Hughes on the shoulder. Looking at Hughes, who seemed to be facing death with a sense of resignation, he was filled with emotion.

Everyone knows that leaving the fortified border fortress to face the army of the Grand Duke of Efein's Southern Border is far more dangerous than staying inside the fortress to defend.

Regardless of any previous prejudices against Division Commander Hughes, the courage he displayed at this moment drew attention from many.

After discussing countermeasures with the senior officers of the Border Legion, Marcus gave a wink to the commander of the military police.

The latter deliberately slowed his pace, and after everyone had left, Marcus said coldly:
"All family members of officers at the regimental level and above are to be placed under control and surveillance, understand?"

The military police captain's eyes widened, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, and it took him a long time to finally squeeze out a trembling sound:
"Commander, are you...are you sure you want to do this?"

The Ceylon Border Regiment is a permanent military unit, and officers at the regimental level and above are eligible to have their families accompany them.

However, given the harsh conditions in the military, these officers usually settle down in cities near the border.

Marcus's eyes became terrifying and unfamiliar as he stared fixedly at his trusted confidant, Military Police Captain Moser, and repeated:
"obey orders!"

Moze's eyes widened, and the two stared at each other for a while before Moze nodded with difficulty.
"Yes, Commander!"

Marcus patted Moser on the shoulder and said:
"Following the rank, from lowest to highest, the lower the officer's position, the greater the likelihood of betrayal!"

……

Blackthorn Fortress, Operations Command Center.

The heavy iron gate crashed down with tremendous force, and in the dust it kicked up, a figure as dazzling as the sun appeared in the sight of the few officers who were still destroying documents in the operations room.

Even though they knew the occasion was inappropriate, the group was still momentarily captivated by the stunning beauty of the Red Dragon Duchess.

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would never have believed that the general who led the vicious orc army to conquer their Blackthorn Fortress, which they had built up over many years, was actually such a stunning beauty.

Asuna's long, golden hair, tied up, bounced with her steps. She wore a light knight-style armor in red and white, with fist-sized sapphires embedded in the armor, radiating a cold light in the dim room.

Her bright, moon-like eyes gleamed with an amber light, her red lips were tightly pressed together, and her features were cold, hard, and resolute.

Asuna's gaze swept over the staff officer who was already kneeling with his head bowed, and she asked in a cold voice:
"Where is your deputy commander, Obadiah?"

The staff officer had initially held onto a sliver of hope, but upon meeting those icy, frosty eyes and the soul-piercing dragon aura emanating from them, he lost all will to resist and replied in a low voice:

"The commander has gathered the remaining troops and retreated towards the Whispering Forest." Asuna turned around, the officers following behind her bowing slightly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying an undeniable authority.
"Pass on my order: send out a thousand men to pursue the remnants of Obadiah's forces. The rest of you shall rest for an hour and then march toward the Ceylon border."

"Yes!"

Asuna gazed toward the border of Ceylon, a fleeting tenderness in her eyes.

Having been separated for so long, the Grand Duke of the Iliad had longed for the embrace of His Majesty the King.

……

Late at night, at a border fortress in Ceylon.

After a deafening roar, the entire border was illuminated by a blinding light, as if it were daytime.

A forbidden spell!
Archmage?
A legendary archmage?

Before the guards on night duty could react, five legendary auras rapidly approached from afar.

The watchtower's alarm bells only began to ring frantically at this moment.

Commander Marcus was jolted awake by the powerful aura emanating from all directions, and was filled with shock.

Where did this attack originate?
According to Hughes' intelligence, the legion that Effie was invading from the south was at least three days away from the fortress. Could it be that Guimian City had launched an attack?
Marcus had no time to think deeply and immediately convened a meeting of staff officers at all levels.

Soon, detailed intelligence was relayed back.

As expected, it was Guimiancheng's side that launched the attack.

Marcus was even more puzzled and asked in a deep voice:
"As far as I know, only Effie's 10,000-strong orc legion in Guimian City has combat capability."

Does King Efein really expect these ten thousand men to take down our fortress?
"Hasn't the Grand Duke of the Southern Territory's army arrived yet?"

The officers in the operations room shared roughly the same idea as Marcus.

Marcus gazed at the orc legion that surged across the border hills like a black tide in the distance, and a sense of unease rose within him.

Given King Alfie's style of doing things, it's impossible for him to launch such a meaningless attack.

He looked at the head of the intelligence department beside him and asked:

"What did Commander Hughes say?"
The Everfrost Pass is the only route for Eifine's southward-bound legions. Has he detected any signs of a large-scale troop movement?

The head of the intelligence department shook his head and said:

"No, I confirmed with Commander Hughes last night. He said that Effin's southward legion is still three days away from the fortress."

Marcus was relieved and began issuing orders to the crowd.

King Efein, with only ten thousand orcs, was utterly incapable of breaching the border fortress.

The only thing that put pressure on Marcus was the five legendary-level superhumans, but Marcus was prepared for this situation.

Three legendary figures have been hidden within the fortress.

Despite being outnumbered, Cohen's 10,000 men certainly wouldn't last long in this stalemate.

Just as Marcus's plan was going perfectly, a deafening roar that shook the earth suddenly came from the southern horizon.

Marcus's heart skipped a beat. He looked into the distance and could vaguely see a huge crimson shadow appearing on the horizon.

The giant shadow drew closer until its complete outline came into Marcus's view—

A colossal red dragon that blots out the sky!

Marcus felt a chill run down his spine. In the entire Northwest Continent, there was only one person who possessed the red dragon—Grand Duchess Asuna Iliad of the Southern Territory of Effiin!
The dragon-riding warrior who was made a duke by her lover, the king, at the age of twenty!
Marcus roared:
"Why!
Why is the Red Dragon Duchess here?!

Where's Hughes Dean?
What's the story behind his intelligence?

The voice of Military Police Captain Moze, tinged with fear, came through:

"Commander, Hughes must have betrayed us. I just received a message during the day, but I haven't had a chance to report it to you yet."

When Commander Moser's voice reached Marcus's ears, it was like a thunderclap.

Hughes betrayed us?

How can this be?

He was his relative, his confidant, the person he trusted most!
Marcus's gaze was chilling as he stared intently at Moze.

Moze swallowed hard, lowered his voice as much as possible, and said:
"Commander, you have instructed me to monitor and secretly control the families of officers at the regimental level and above."

I received news today that Division Commander Hughes' family moved away from the border city three months ago, and their whereabouts are unknown.

Marcus stood frozen in place as if he'd been struck on the head with a blunt object, then kicked Moze in a fit of rage:
"Damn it, why are you only saying this now?"

Moze almost cried as he defended himself:

"Commander, that's the commander of an infantry division, and also your relative. I didn't even think about it at first."

I thought the other party had something to do and had temporarily left...

Marcus abruptly interrupted Moser's explanation, roaring:
"Alright, that's enough. Immediately gather your military police and have them all go up to the city wall to form a supervisory team. Keep an eye on the soldiers at the front. Anyone who dares to retreat even a step will be killed on the spot!"
And those officers, you personally supervise them. Anyone who dares to show even the slightest thought of surrendering, execute them without reporting!

"Yes!"

……

In Quesaon, at the royal palace, Gaius Cromwell, clutching the intelligence in his hand, gazed absently into the distance.

The intelligence report contained only one line of text, but that single line made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"The northwestern border was attacked from both sides by the false princess and the Effie's Southern Army at 3 a.m. on the 29th. After five hours of resistance, it was unsuccessful."

The entire Border Legion was wiped out; Commander Marcus Adler was killed in action, and Deputy Commander Obadiah was captured.

All the border fortresses have fallen!

When Gaius sensed the strange phenomenon of a legendary figure falling in the northwest early this morning, he already had a bad feeling.

But when he saw the intelligence with his own eyes, he still couldn't accept this reality.

King Gaius's hands were clenched so tightly they almost bled, and he was consumed by deep anger and shock.

Until a sinister voice rang in his ear:

"Your Majesty Cromwell, wasn't this something we had already anticipated?"

Even the armies of the Central Empire and the Eastern Empire have been defeated by that young king. You don't really expect the border legions to withstand Efein's attack, do you?

Nactus Warren, a student of the three tomb masters, a legendary archmage, and someone who had communicated with Melantha, appeared beside Gaius.

King Gaius composed himself, his expression hardening as he spoke:
"It was too fast. From the start of the attack to the fall of the fortress, it took less than half a month in total."

Even if the border legions were incompetent, and even if Cohen's orcs were powerful, this shouldn't have been the outcome.

Nactus said calmly:

"According to our intelligence, it seems that there has been a traitor in your army, and the fortress has been breached from within."

Just like…

Nactus snapped out of his daze and stopped talking.

King Gaius, however, picked up where he left off, saying:
"Just like when the Saint Garcia Lance of the Black Tomb and the Third Councilor Mammon betrayed you at the Northwest Regional Conference, is that right?"

Nactus's face immediately darkened.

King Gaius's tone carried a barely perceptible hint of fear:

"Didn't you and your teacher notice anything unusual?"

This King Efein seems to possess an unknown power, capable of easily turning his adversaries against him and delivering the heaviest blow at crucial moments.

Nactus said coldly:

"It was just good luck; Garcia, that womanizer, was a special case."

As for Mammon, the devil has never been trustworthy; he can't be considered a true member of our Black Tomb.

King Gaius looked at Nactus with some surprise, his eyes seeming to ask, "How did someone with your level of intelligence cultivate to become a legendary dark mage?"

Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, arrogance is.

He didn't understand why the "Black Tomb," which had already failed many times under this young king, was still not taken seriously enough.

They even attributed the opponent's victory to luck, chance, or special circumstances.

When the three tomb owners of the "Black Tomb" approached Gaius to discuss cooperation, Gaius made his only request:
They dispatched a Saint-level assassin to directly behead Cohen Corleone.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal was opposed by the three tomb owners, and even met with a hint of ridicule.

Not to mention that the agreement between "Black Tomb" and Cobalt Soul Academy means that the three tomb masters cannot do this.

From the perspective of the three tomb owners, killing a superhuman who was only at the Silver Rank was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Gaius suppressed his emotions and said to Nactus:
"Effie's attack completely disrupted my plans."

I originally thought the border could hold out for three months until the ceasefire.

But the reality is that, given Alfion's marching speed, if I don't deploy heavy legions to stop them, they'll reach Quessaron within three months!
Therefore, the plan to block the Windbringer Kingdom must be temporarily shelved. Let them wear each other down in the southeast region for now; they won't be able to break through anytime soon anyway.

Nactus couldn't help but sneer and said:
"Your Majesty Cromwell, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

You are the king of Ceylon, the most powerful kingdom in humankind.

Efein has only been around for a few years. With thousands of years of accumulation, does Ceylon really need to fear a small Efein?

Why? "

King Gaius showed no sign of jest and replied calmly:
"Because his queen is the youngest legend on the continent, because he has amassed an elite army comparable to a kingdom in just three years, and because his name is Cohen Corleone!"

(End of this chapter)