Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The leader of the mage group dared not be negligent and immediately turned around to personally lead the way.

At the same time, he waved to signal the other intercepting mages to lift their guard and quickly relayed the urgent message of the Queen's arrival to the inside of the fortress.

"Skyfall Fortress," is the name Cohen gave to this fortress, meaning "a surprise attack from the sky."

This symbolizes the most core strategic function undertaken by this fortress.

The testing ground for the large-scale long-distance spatial teleportation array that Adele and Windsordler researched from the ruins of the Arcane Empire civilization is located in this "Skyfall Fortress".

In the last raid on the border of the Kingdom of Ceylon, the "Skyfall Fortress" has already demonstrated its disruptive strategic value.

It was able to eliminate Arnold's 20,000 orc soldiers without the enemy's knowledge or awareness.

In a very short time, it was delivered directly to the border heartland of the Kingdom of Ceylon across vast distances, creating a valuable strategic initiative for victory in the border war.

After months of continuous optimization and improvement, the space teleportation array deployed in the "Skyfall Fortress" has now achieved a leap in performance.

The number of troops that can be teleported, the distance they can travel, and the stability of the teleportation have all been greatly improved.

This fortress, hidden among the mountains, has become one of Effie's most powerful strategic trump cards.

Windsordler came here specifically for the ambush at Ash Plains.

A month ago, 80,000 regular troops, 20,000 elite troops, and 1,000 special forces troops began to secretly assemble toward the Skyfall Fortress.

The commander of the Skyfall Fortress is Major General Sylvia Irn.

General Sylvia came from a distinguished family; he was the grandson of the Secretary of State for Military Affairs, Marshall Ayn.

Not long ago, she participated in the selection competition for the Noble Martial Arts Festival. Although she narrowly lost to Sancho Panza in the selection competition, she was unable to represent Effie in the competition.

But his military talent and loyalty are beyond question.

His impeccable political background and outstanding abilities make him the perfect candidate to lead a top-secret base like the Skyfall Fortress.

When Windsordler entered the fortress, Sylvia and all the senior officers were already lined up and waiting.

The major general, a former officer from the Northern Legion, dressed in a crisp officer's uniform, stepped forward respectfully three paces and bowed at a standard military posture.
“The fortress garrison commander, Sylvia Ain, has descended from the sky and led all the officers to welcome Her Highness the Queen.”

Windsordler nodded slightly. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she took out a roll of specially made parchment imprinted with the royal coat of arms, her voice cool and clear:
"His Majesty's order."

All the officers straightened their backs instantly, and you could hear a pin drop inside the fortress.

"Starting at 7 PM tonight, Skyfall Fortress will launch Operation Thunderfall, deploying troops to designated coordinates in Ash Plains."

These are the specific delivery locations.

Sylvia stepped forward, solemnly accepted the warrant with both hands, and said in a deep voice:
"Yes, Your Majesty! All soldiers of the Heavenly Fortress will resolutely carry out the mission!"

Windsordler's gaze fell on the Northern Legion insignia on the young general's shoulder, and after a brief pause, he added:

"His Majesty has another message requesting that General Sylvia also accompany the expedition this time to participate in the counter-ambush battle on the Ash Plains."

"Command of operations for the Seventh Field Army is immediately transferred to you!"

Sylvia's breathing suddenly quickened.

The 7th Field Army is the Northern Legion's most elite mobile force, and its importance in participating in such a crucial battle for Alfein is self-evident.

He immediately gave a perfect military salute, his knuckles turning white from the force, and shouted:

"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty. The Aion family swears to be loyal to His Majesty Corleone to the death!"

……

In the southeastern part of the Kingdom of Ceylon, on the western edge of this vast and desolate Ash Plain.

Eagle Beak Canyon, a deep canyon that looks as if it were cleaved by the axe of a giant god, lies silently dormant in the deepening twilight.

On the steep cliffs on both sides of the canyon, countless figures dressed in the standard gray-blue camouflage uniforms of the Kingdom of Serene, like moss blending into the rocks, silently lurk behind natural rock crevices and man-made bunkers.

On the highest point on the north side of the canyon, a temporary command camp cleverly constructed against the mountain was brightly lit.

A young man dressed in a crisp general's uniform, bearing a striking resemblance to the Marquess of Lincoln, stood before a military sand table, holding an exquisite metal baton, and quietly discussed the final deployment details with several solemn-looking staff officers around him.

The young man's name was Cyril Lincoln, the eldest son of Marquis Avery Lincoln, and one of the two officially appointed deputy commanders in the massive army of the Kingdom of Serene that ambushed the expeditionary force of the Kingdom of Windbreak.

As the son of the Prime Minister and the heir to the Lincoln family, which was the first and most thorough to pledge allegiance to the three tomb owners, Cyril would naturally not miss this excellent opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty to his new master and to accumulate important military merits for himself.

Through the Marquess Lincoln's active efforts and strong recommendation, he successfully obtained the position of deputy commander and was given the authority to directly command nearly one-third of the total force in this ambush.

However, the Marquess of Lincoln was all too aware of his son's true military talent.

Selal may have had good theoretical knowledge and aristocratic courage, but he lacked real combat experience and the shrewdness to adapt to changing circumstances.

Therefore, the shrewd and calculating Marquis Lincoln deliberately arranged for him to be placed in Eagle's Beak Canyon, a relatively safe location.

His core mission was singular: to firmly guard the only exit of this canyon, after the main force at the front had successfully launched a devastating attack on the Windbringer army that had entered the plains.

They were tasked with intercepting and annihilating the panicked remnants of the Wind Breeze army who were attempting a hasty retreat via this shortcut.

This is undoubtedly a low-risk but equally rewarding job.

As for tasks such as taking the initiative, launching a frontal assault, or dividing and encircling the main force of the Wind Breath, these require a higher level of command skills and adaptability.

Marquis Lincoln entrusted the task to the commander of this battle of Ash Plains, Marshal Zane Griffiths, a veteran general of the Kingdom of Serene, known for his composure and ruthlessness.

About thirty kilometers east of Eagle Beak Canyon lies the Deadwood Hills, a region of slightly undulating terrain covered with low shrubs and dead trees.

At this moment, an even larger army is lurking in the shadows.

The true main force of the Kingdom of Serene's ambush, the remaining two-thirds of its elite troops personally commanded by the veteran Marshal Zane Griffiths, had been quietly scattered throughout this desolate and lifeless hill.

According to the plan, after entering the Ash Plains, the Windbreak Kingdom's expeditionary force aimed to establish a foothold and a stable supply line.

Their primary target will be Ash Fortress, located about 15 kilometers west of the Deadwood Hills, the core of the Ceylon Kingdom's long-established border defenses.

The Ceylon garrison stationed at Ash Keep will "stubbornly" resist for several days under the fierce offensive of the Windbreak army, putting on a show of fighting to the death, in order to further lull the Windbreak people into a false sense of security and wear them down.

Then, at the opportune moment, they showed signs of exhaustion and were ultimately forced to abandon the fortress and retreat towards the heart of the Ash Plains.

By then, the Windbreak Kingdom's expeditionary force will inevitably pass through the fortress and advance straight into the heart of the Ash Plains.

The Drywood Hills route is the fastest and most suitable route for a large army to advance directly into the heart of the territory.

Once the arrogant soldiers of the Windbreak Kingdom appear at the Deadwood Hills, the retreating Ceylon soldiers will turn back and fight back, and Marshal Zane Griffiths, who is lying in ambush in the hills, will lead his troops out to attack.

Finally, Cyril completely blocked the only escape route, Eagle Beak Canyon, leaving the 300,000-strong expeditionary force of the Windrise Kingdom trapped and unable to escape.

Cyril Lincoln put down the intelligence document that had just been urgently transmitted from the Allied Ceylon High Command via an encrypted magical channel.

His face, which had been slightly excited and relaxed because of the impending victory, couldn't help but show a hint of doubt and confusion.

He pondered for a moment, then handed the parchment document marked "Top Secret" to his deputy, General Cornelius, who had been standing beside him and was in charge of military intelligence communication and staff work.

He asked in a tone that was somewhat dismissive yet subtly cautious:
"Ceylon has asked us to pay attention to Efein's army. What do you think?" Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Cornelius was visibly taken aback, a look of great surprise on his face. He took the document and quickly scanned it.

He then asked incredulously:
"Effie?"

Isn't Efein still separated from the Ash Front by most of the Kingdom of Ceylon?

What kind of trouble could they possibly cause from such a vast distance?

Cyril's tone was somewhat subtle:
"I heard it's because they didn't get accurate information about Cohen Corleone, and the Ceylonians suspected they might do something underhanded."

Cornelius lowered his voice and said:

"I think the Ceylonians are terrified of Cohen. They're so far away. Even if Cohen can come alone, how will his army get here?"
Having learned from the lessons of the last border war, the airspace of the Kingdom of Ceylon, especially the border airspace near Efein, is now strictly controlled.

The highest level of air traffic control has long been in place.

Griffin knights and high-ranking mages from the court mage corps patrol 24 hours a day.

It would be absolutely impossible for any large-scale air transport force to silently traverse such a tight surveillance network and infiltrate the heart of Ceylon, or even here.

It's impossible for Effie to have winged elves helping transport troops anymore.

After hearing this well-reasoned analysis, Cyril agreed with Cornet's judgment.

He also believed that the Ceylonians were being overly tense.

Just as Cyrell was about to begin outlining the next steps, a messenger hurriedly entered the tent carrying a sealed letter bearing the double crests of the Serene royal family and the Prime Minister's office, sealed with wax.

Cyril took the secret letter, quickly opened it, and was even more surprised after reading it. He said:
"Oh, that's really strange."

Even the capital and my father personally wrote to us, repeatedly emphasizing that we should closely monitor any unusual movements of the Effie army.

It seems the Ceylonians have indeed successfully conveyed their concerns to our highest levels.

A subtle, enigmatic glint flashed in the eyes of Lieutenant Cornelius. He stepped forward and spoke in a low voice:

"Commander, if I may be so bold, I'm afraid everyone is intimidated by Cohen Corleone's past achievements, especially the repeated setbacks he caused 'Black Tomb' to defeat, which has led some people to over-mythologize his abilities."

However, a rational analysis shows that Effie is completely unrelated to our current operational objectives.

The two countries are separated by a vast territory encompassing most of the Kingdom of Ceylon, crisscrossed by mountains and rivers, and dotted with fortresses and passes.

If Efein truly intended to deploy a large number of troops, how could he possibly avoid Ceylon's notice completely?

Cyril pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded:

“You’re right. It seems that the old man and the others were indeed being a bit overly cautious.”

But then he changed the subject, tapping his finger on the table:
"However, the king's orders and my father's instructions must not be openly disobeyed."

Konnet, starting tomorrow, you will lead an elite scout cavalry unit to conduct a routine patrol around the Ash Plains every day.

In the entire plain area, the only places that can accommodate a large army to hide are the 'abandoned mines' in the east, the 'wind-eroded rock forest' in the south, and the 'silent swamp' on the northern slope.

Go check if there's anything unusual.

Konnett pounded his chest heavily with his right hand and replied in a deep voice:
"Yes, Commander."

……

After a brief military meeting, Cornet returned to his tent alone.

Standing before the military map that detailed the terrain of the Ash Plains, he paced back and forth with a furrowed brow.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the hilt of the sword at his waist; clearly, a fierce internal struggle was raging within him.

After a long while, he finally stopped, took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

He turned to his adjutant, who had been standing silently to the side, and said in a deep voice:
"Go and invite Mr. Diaz here."

The adjutant accepted the order and left quickly.

Not long after, the tent flap was lifted again.

A burly, middle-aged man walked in with steady steps.

His face carried the shrewdness of someone who had been in the business world for a long time, and he showed no sign of fear or discomfort despite being in a front-line military camp.

Konnett turned around, his gaze sharp as a hawk as he scrutinized the real estate tycoon who was known to everyone in Toringard.

They silently sized each other up for a good ten seconds, and the atmosphere in the tent became somewhat stagnant for a moment.

Finally, Konnet broke the silence:
“Mr. Diaz, I’m very curious.”

A successful person like you, with a vast business empire in the country, shouldn't be staying in the safety of Toringard to run your business?

Why risk coming to such a dangerous front line?

Aren't you afraid that the possibility of war breaking out here at any moment might bring you some unexpected trouble?

Alva Diaz, the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Toringard station (see "Chapter 139: Intelligence from the Queen"), said with a smile:

"In the current situation, business is not easy."

The general should know about those scoundrels and rascals who used to roam the streets of Toringard, and who were considered low-class and unsavory.

Now, as long as one abandons all pride and principles and pledges allegiance to the 'Black Tomb,' one can transform into a new ruler.

I am a businessman like myself, without any strong background or powerful connections, who has only accumulated a small fortune through a little business acumen and luck.

In their eyes, I naturally became an easy target for slaughter, and they all wished they could pounce on me and devour me alive.

Therefore, compared to the perilous Toringard, the front lines where your army is gathered are much safer, General.

after all……"

Diaz abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the heavily guarded military camp outside the tents. A meaningful smile appeared on his face as he said, with a hint of something deeper:
"I still have you and your loyal army protecting me here, don't I?"

Cornet's pupils suddenly contracted, his face contorted with shock and anger, and he abruptly took a step forward.

His right hand gripped Diaz's collar like an iron clamp, almost lifting the burly Diaz off the ground.

His face was slightly contorted with intense emotion, his heavy breathing hit the other person's face, and he forced out a hoarse growl through his teeth:
"What nonsense are you talking about?
Do you think I don't know who your real backer is?

Pale Wings!

Yeah!

"Your backer is that damned king, Cohen Corleone!"

The wind outside the tent suddenly howled fiercely, whipping up sand and gravel that lashed against the tent fabric like countless tiny countdowns. (End of Chapter)