Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

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Inside the brightly lit tent, a tall and imposing general in Lieutenant General Effie's uniform stood solemnly beside Cohen.

Lieutenant General Effie, Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense General Farrell Landon.

General Farrell leaned forward slightly, offering a subtle expression of respect:

"No matter how intricate the schemes and webs the Ceylonians weave, before His Majesty's all-seeing eyes, they will ultimately amount to nothing more than clumsy tricks that lead to their own destruction."

They only have one path left: defeat and destruction!

A barely perceptible smile played at the corners of Cohen's lips, his gaze still fixed on the magic mirror, as he calmly said:

"General Farrell, the fate of the four armies and the entire front rests in your hands now!"

Farrell Langdon abruptly pulled his boots together, slammed his right fist heavily against his left breastplate, and roared in response:
"By the honor of the Langdon family and the spirit of the army, we will crush all resisting enemies for His Majesty!"

Thanks to the extensive influence and financial offensives of the Pale Wings and the Starbringers across the continent, Cohen now commands over 300,000 orcs.

After undergoing rigorous militarization, 100,000 of the orcs have transformed from wild warriors into regular soldiers.

They not only perfectly execute battering ram-like frontal charges, but also master the discipline of maintaining formation and coordinating operations.

With the addition of two pieces of "divine and demonic equipment"—the Star Guardian Armor and the Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak—this orc army already possesses the power to sweep across the continent.

However, in the generally accepted military system across the mainland, "elite" and above troops are considered as offensive and decisive weapons.

They are capable of destroying enemy command centers and seizing strategic locations with astonishing efficiency, or carrying out decapitation strikes, confronting high-level superhumans, and serving as the sharpest blade to tear through defenses when the battlefield is deadlocked.

However, the essence of war is ultimately occupation and domination.

After a battle victory, to truly eliminate the remaining enemy forces, occupy the city-state, establish outposts and supply depots in the occupied territory, steadily advance the front line, and transform the victory into a strategic advantage, still requires a sufficiently large conventional army.

As more and more battlefields opened up, Cohen's orc army was bound to have to operate separately, so Cohen began training generals who could command the orcs very early on.

To this end, Cohen secretly established the "Alien Legion Advanced Command Class" at King's College three years ago, with extremely high and demanding requirements.

The first batch of thirty trainees were all elite officers selected from various legions who possessed cross-racial communication skills.

They need to master three languages, including the orc tribal dialect, and conduct in-depth research on the orcs' social structure and fighting habits.

During the training, trainees not only need to master the long-lost "Unity Mantra Seal," but also need to possess extraordinary tactical wisdom and an iron will.

Farrell Langdon was the pinnacle of this elite cradle, proving himself on the Ceylon front with three textbook flanking maneuvers that earned him the position of Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Whether he can remove the word "agent" and officially join Effie's core military command circle depends on this upcoming counter-ambush battle.

Behind Farrell, Sylvia, who had just been teleported over with the army, was equally excited. As the successor to the Minister of War, Marshall Ayn, he bore the mission of adding more military achievements to his family's crest.

If he wins this battle, the Aion family will fully support him in his bid for the position of theater commander.

The two generals' gazes met above the sand table, and they both saw the same determination in each other's eyes.

This meticulously planned counter-ambush was not only a victory for Effin, but also a stepping stone to the pinnacle of power.

……

On the front lines of Ash Plains, a full day and night had passed since the Windbreak Expeditionary Force breached Ash Fortress.

The remnants of the Ceylon garrison were retreating into the heart of the plains at an almost frantic pace.

Abandoned weapons and supplies were scattered all over the retreat route.

The Windbringers' vanguard camp followed closely behind, advancing like a pack of wolves drawn by the scent of blood. The Windbringers' banners were planted on almost every strategic high ground between the fortress and the plains.

Just two hours earlier, the expeditionary force encountered a rearguard of about three thousand Ceylon soldiers at a treacherous pass called "Broken Blade Gorge".

These defenders, clad in tattered armor, displayed unexpected and tenacious resistance, using the narrow terrain to halt the advance of Fengxi's main force for nearly an hour.

Although it was ultimately crushed, this somewhat fierce resistance did slow down the Windbringers' rapid and relentless offensive for a moment.

At this moment, in the newly built front-line command camp, General Jaden Ulric, the supreme commander of the Windbreak Kingdom's expeditionary force, stood like a mountain beside the military sand table with his back to the open tent door.

The sand table accurately recreates the terrain of the Ash Plains, which stretches for two hundred miles. Countless miniature flags representing enemy and friendly forces are densely distributed on it, among which the scarlet flag representing the Windbreak Army has been deeply embedded in the heart of the plains.

Six high-ranking staff officers with gleaming epaulets surrounded the sand table, each holding a magical notepad that was constantly updated with intelligence.

The tent was filled with the smell of sheepskin maps, ink, and metal armor, occasionally punctuated by the hushed reports of the staff officers and the dull thud of Ulric's fingers tapping the edge of the sand table.

A colonel, a staff officer in charge of intelligence integration, spoke first, pointing to a hilly area on the northwest side of the sand table: "According to the latest report from the Griffin Reconnaissance Team, the main force of the Ceylon remnants is retreating along the Dry Bone River toward Eagle Beak Canyon."

The formation was completely broken, and the number of seriously wounded soldiers abandoned along the way was considerable.

Another stern-faced staff officer added:
"But they retained some long-range strike capability during their retreat. An hour ago, our left-wing pursuit force was attacked by the enemy's hidden mage's Flamestorm while crossing the Shattered Stone Valley, and lost some supply wagons."

Ulrik's gaze remained fixed on the winding river leading to Eagle's Beak Canyon on the sand table, and he gave a soft hum:
"A desperate little trick. That old man Barrett has finally run out of ideas."

A middle-aged staff officer, his epaulets dusted with battlefield grime, pointed in the direction of Ulrik's gaze and said:
"According to the griffin scout report from ten minutes ago, Barrett's remnants have already fled across the canyon and are continuing their retreat southward."

Once our army successfully crosses Eagle's Beak Canyon, the entire Ash Plain will be indefensible.

A younger staff officer standing nearby chuckled softly upon hearing this:
"Hey, they're almost at Eagle's Beak Canyon. Their running speed is much better than when they were defending Ash Fortress!"

A suppressed chuckle suddenly rippled through the tent.

Before the laughter had even subsided, another seasoned staff officer, with a composed expression, frowned and began to speak. His fingers carefully traced the intricately carved steep cliffs and dense forests surrounding Eagle's Beak Canyon on the sand table:
"Jokes aside, the terrain of Eagle Beak Canyon and the adjacent Deadwood Hills is indeed extremely rugged."

The mountains can reach a thousand meters in height, and the forests are so dense that they can block out the sun and moon.

With such terrain, if the Ceylonians were to ambush tens of thousands of troops there, we probably wouldn't even be able to detect it.

"Isn't it too risky to venture through here?"

The young staff officer shook his head in rebuttal:

"If we don't go through here, we'll have to go west around the Troll Spine Mountains."

This would not only add two hundred kilometers of detours, but also require conquering three or four fortified passes along the way, not to mention the possibility of harassment from indigenous tribes.” He traced a long, curved route on the sand table with his fingertip, then continued:

"If we continue fighting like this, one battle after another, the consumption of our troops and logistics will be incalculable."

We must quickly penetrate into the heart of the plains and capture one or two key city-states to establish a stable logistical hub.

Another staff officer in charge of logistics couldn't help but interject, his face showing signs of exhaustion from days of scheduling:
"More importantly, although the Ceylonians were defeated at Ash Fortress, their main force, especially the elite legions, did not suffer heavy casualties."

If we don't press our advantage now, and allow them to safely withdraw back to their homeland, reorganize, and resupply, we will forever lose this golden opportunity to annihilate their main force in one fell swoop.

The command tent fell silent instantly, and all the senior officers' eyes finally focused on General Ulrik, who stood silently before the sand table:

"Commander, what do you think?"

The latter seemed to have made up his mind long ago, with no hesitation in his eyes.

With a loud thud, his palm slammed onto the Eagle's Beak Canyon on the sand table, causing the blue flag representing the defeated Ceylon army to shake violently.
"The entire army quickly passed through Eagle's Beak Gorge. The Ceylonians had long since had their spines shattered by us, and they even left their military flags behind on their escape route."

As for their other legions within Ceylon, they were either pinned to the northern border fighting against Efein's orc legions, or locked in a fierce battle with the Restoration Army of the City of Crowns in the west.

Gaius is barely keeping his own Chief of the Army Staff, so where would he get the extra troops to ambush us in Eagle Beak Canyon?

Are we going to rely on those routed soldiers who have lost their armor and weapons?

Ulrik suddenly straightened up, his voice rising abruptly:
"Most importantly, we absolutely cannot give Barrett any breathing room."

They must bite down on their tails as hard as a hunting dog bites a wounded deer.

Once these remnants of the defeated army are successfully withdrawn to the city-states in the heart of the plains, they will regain supplies, regroup their scattered troops, and even organize new defensive lines.

Then all the blood and sacrifices we made at Ash Keep will have been in vain!
The order was given to the entire army: the vanguard cavalry would immediately set off to seize the high ground on both sides of the canyon, with the main force following closely behind.

I want to see my command flag planted on the highest peak of Eagle's Beak Canyon before sunset!

……

Deep within Eagle Beak Canyon, in a makeshift underground command post, a magical communication crystal was emitting a rapid buzzing sound.

Cyril Lincoln grabbed the red-glowing communication stone, and the scout's voice came through the crystal:
"Deputy Commander, the vanguard cavalry of the Windbringers have entered three kilometers north of the canyon, and the main force is following closely in a long, serpentine formation!"

Cyril whirled around and slammed his baton down on the sand table, marking the location of the canyon's exit.

His gaze swept over the group of high-ranking soldiers in the tent, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"Just as we expected, that arrogant fool Ulric has finally led his lambs to the slaughterhouse."

"Order all units to immediately enter a state of maximum combat readiness. Once the Windbringers have fully entered the canyon, close this gate of death completely!"

The generals in the tent responded in unison:
"Execute the order without fail!"

Meanwhile, deep beneath the Deadwood Hills, in another command post disguised as a mine.

Marshal Zane Griffiths was silently polishing his two-handed greatsword. When the communications officer handed him the encrypted battle report, the veteran simply stood up and uttered four words to his adjutant:

"Ready to fight!"

Just as the two armies of the Kingdom of Serene began to mobilize.

Deep in the dense forest at the southern end of Eagle's Beak Canyon, an army covered in blood and dust is silently gathering.

Marshal Orfin Barrett had just joined up with 50,000 elite troops urgently drawn from various fronts. These soldiers showed no bewilderment at the defeat, only suppressed rage.

When the communication mage presented the messages from both Selal and Griffith at the same time, Barrett's face contorted in shock.

He suddenly drew the command sword that had been with him for thirty years, its blade pointing directly towards the canyon:

"Kids, our days of pretending to run away are over!"

Now it is time for the Windbringers to pay with their blood for every brother we lost at Ash Keep!

With a deafening roar, the veteran general was the first to charge into the canyon.

Behind him, countless Ceylon warriors surged out of the forest like a burst dam, their feigned retreat completely torn away, revealing the flames of revenge.

……

Deep within Eagle's Beak Canyon, the Windbringer Expeditionary Force's command post was slowly traversing the increasingly narrow cliffs alongside the main force.

Suddenly, a sharp whooshing sound came from the air, and a mage sent to scout ahead landed somewhat disheveled in front of the command vehicle.

A message was sent back that surprised the senior officers somewhat:
"Commander, the defeated Ceylon army has suddenly stopped its rout and organized a counterattack at the southern entrance of the valley."

Moreover, they appear to have a large reinforcement force, far outnumbering the previously routed remnants.

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking officers inside the tent exchanged bewildered glances, followed by a low murmur of commotion.

"Large-scale troop support?"

Where do the Ceylonians still have any organized reserve troops?

"Could he have been transferred back from the front lines in Guimian City? But isn't the fighting there intense right now?"

General Ulrik frowned and raised his hand to stop the crowd from talking.

His gaze swept over the scout mage, and he said in a deep voice:
"Tell Master Wool to go and catch a 'tongue'."

Master Wool was the highest-ranking mage among the accompanying mages, having reached the legendary rank.

In a short while, a dark figure silently landed in front of the command tent.

Master Wool, clad in a deep purple legendary mage's robe, casually tossed a Ceylon officer bound by magical ropes to the ground.

The captive's shoulder insignia indicated that he was a lieutenant colonel, and despite his blood-stained face, his eyes were unusually defiant.

Master Wool's voice was flat and emotionless:
"We've confirmed it. The force that came to meet Barrett ahead is the Golden Lion Guard, the capital garrison of the Kingdom of Ceylon!" (End of Chapter)