Faerun: The arcane mage is still too imprisoned.

Redmond sat there with his arms crossed, the chair creaking and groaning.

"General Cassius, can't we speed things up a bit?" Redmond muttered, his voice like muffled thunder.

"I...I'm really getting impatient waiting!"

Cassius didn't even turn his head.

Vera said irritably, "Four days means four days. This is the minimum timeframe that the general, I, and Mage Edwin have agreed upon."

"Even if it's shorter, we must either stop hiding during the day and going out at night, or increase the marching speed."

"If they no longer hide during the day and are active at night, the risk of being discovered will increase significantly."

"And if we increase the marching speed... then the soldiers will all be weaklings, and you'll be leading four separate groups to attack four city gates all by yourself?"

"Four days..." Redmond clicked his tongue. "Alright, once we get to Rilder City, I'll be the first one to charge in and show those Eredlanders what a warrior from the Kingdom of Sassan is like!"

The woman sitting in the corner raised her eyelids to look at him, her gaze indifferent.

"Don't be so complacent. Your strength is probably not even as good as the city lord of Rield. Don't talk as if you've already stepped into the realm of heroes."

Redmond didn't react to her words, but he felt uncomfortable under her gaze and subconsciously touched the back of his head.

"Liana, why are you staring at me like that?"

Liana Shadowblade withdrew her gaze, the dagger she was playing with in her hand was completely black, with only the blade gleaming with a dark green light.

Redmond pursed his lips and said nothing more.

Although this scout was only at the level 10 elite rank, one level lower than him, he had killed more people than him.

Moreover, his potential is even greater than his; it shouldn't take more than a few years for him to catch up with him, or even surpass him...

Chief Mage Edwin Frostwhisper sat on the other side, far away from Redmond.

He looked to be in his fifties, thin, and with a sinister face.

He wore a dark blue mage's robe, the hem of which was embroidered with dense runes. Occasionally, the runes would flash with a faint light, like living things breathing.

He closed his eyes, placed his hands folded in front of his lower abdomen, and his breathing was so steady that he seemed to be asleep.

The second-in-command, Otto, sat to his left, at a distance, engrossed in flipping through a pile of account books.

Cassius turned around, his gaze shifting from the map to the people inside the tent.

"I have something to tell you."

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the tent looked up at him.

"The elite squad sent to transport the Eye Demon has lost contact."

There was a moment of silence in the tent.

Redmond frowned.

"Out of contact? What does that mean?"

Cassius turned around, his gray eyes sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Edwin.

"Edwin, you speak."

Edwin opened his eyes, his face darkening even more.

His voice was hoarse. "The elite scout squad that was sent was Edric's."

"Before I left, I instructed Edric that I would send him a message using the [Short Message] technique every night at eight o'clock, and that he must reply upon receiving it."

"Given his character, he wouldn't forget or let other matters interfere."

"Something must have happened!"

"In other words, their fate and that of the Eye Demon are both currently unknown."

There was a moment of silence inside the tent.

Vera Stonefist raised her eyes: "They're dead?"

"That's possible."

"General Cassius, if they have been discovered by the people of Rild City, then our whereabouts have probably been exposed."

Cassius nodded.

"Of course I know."

"So I'm hesitating... whether to continue marching in secret or abandon concealment altogether and move forward at full speed."

"Full speed ahead, of course!" Redmond exclaimed excitedly. "I just said we should run faster, but Vera wouldn't let me. Now look what's happened..."

"You seem very happy?"

"Cassius said quietly."

"No, no, no, no..." Redmond said awkwardly.

Cassius stood in front of the map, his finger pointing to the location of Rild City, a cold glint flashing in his gray eyes.

"Since we may have already been exposed, we might as well not hide it anymore."

His gaze swept over the people inside the tent.

"Pass down the order: starting tomorrow, the entire army will no longer need to travel by night and hide during the day. The journey that should take four days will be reduced to two and a half days."

Redmond's eyes lit up, and he jumped to his feet. "That's more like it! I knew it—"

"Sit down," Cassius said calmly.

Redmond immediately shut up and obediently sat back in his chair, which then let out another groan.

Vera Stonefist frowned. "Two and a half days... By the time the soldiers reach the city, they will be exhausted."

"I know," Cassius nodded, "So..."

"Please take note of the following adjustments I have made to the deployment."

He walked to the map, picked up a charcoal pencil, and drew several circles at locations outside Rilder City.

"Redmond".

"exist!"

"You will lead three thousand cavalrymen and set off first, traveling day and night. You must reach this hilly area thirty miles west of the city of Rielde before nightfall the day after tomorrow, and lie in wait."

"Once you get to your position," Cassius continued.

"Send out scout cavalry to investigate in all directions, to ascertain the detailed terrain outside Rield, especially the accessibility of the main roads. Ensure that the army can deploy quickly upon arrival."

"If you are discovered..." Cassius hesitated for a moment, "it doesn't really matter. Rield City should only have Graham as its Exemplar, and its army shouldn't exceed ten thousand."

"If it's a small-scale attack, annihilate them directly. If it exceeds five thousand, lure them to a place far outside the city, make sure they can't escape back, and then kill as many as possible, saving us the trouble of attacking the city."

"Don't be stingy with those three thousand cavalry. Even if they are all wiped out, it doesn't matter. There will be reinforcements to follow."

"If you can use these three thousand cavalry to exchange for the garrison of Rilder City and help us take over Rilder City as soon as possible, you will have done a great service."

"Yes!" Redmond replied loudly.

"Don't get so excited. Graham is a commoner who was ennobled as an earl for his military achievements. There's no way he'd be stupid enough to leave the city and fight you in the open field."

Cassius turned to Vera.

"Vera, lead the main infantry and advance at the adjusted pace. In two and a half days, I expect the soldiers to be lined up outside the south gate of Rield."

Vera nodded: "Understood! What about the supply train?"

"The supply train will follow the main force, a day behind," Cassius said. "The rations carried by the vanguard and the main force are enough to last five days. Even if the supply train is delayed on the way, there will still be enough food."

Cassius looked at Edwin Frostwhisper, who was sitting in the corner.

"Edwin, how are your preparations going?"

Edwin said calmly, "I can assure you there won't be any problems with the city's defensive magic array."

"The magic circle in Rield City was set up thirty years ago. Although it has been maintained, the core runes must have aged. Given enough time, I can find its weakness."