inspire-indiana Chapter 106: Fear
Chapter 106: Fear
Gorubakburg.
Count Gabriel's face was terribly grim.
"Good, very good. Your De Gea territory has truly cultivated excellent talent."
Novia, who was kneeling on one knee, is now kneeling on both knees, with her head pressed against the floor and her entire back soaked with sweat.
"What are you waiting for? Follow the procedures for handling the Blackthorn cleanup operation in the past."
Gabriel said to Rosalie beside him, "Inform all the lords of Blackthorn Wasteland of this news."
Seeing Novia still lying on the ground, Gabriel said irritably, "What are you still doing here? Want me to invite you to dinner?"
Novia quickly replied, "I wouldn't dare! I'll leave immediately!"
Watching Novia scramble away.
Gabriel said to Rosalie, "Before the Blackthorn cleansing begins, go and check out Ashwood Territory. This cleansing has been brought forward, partly because of Devon, and partly because I suspect it's related to Ashwood Territory."
Rosalie paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Understood, Your Excellency. I will proceed to Ashwood Territory for inspection immediately."
After all, the Earth Dragon Tribe, one of the Four Dragon Tribes, was wiped out by Ashwood Territory. It is said that they also took the opportunity to clean up several goblin tribes in the surrounding area. Perhaps it was because of this that the Goblin Royal Court took notice.
………………
The messenger's caravan set off from Gorubakburg and dispersed in all directions along the trade routes across the wasteland.
Each messenger's saddlebag contained a stack of parchment stamped with the coat of arms of the Border Earl's Grey Falcon, bearing only a few lines of text, each word enough to terrify the lord who received the letter.
The Blackthorn cleanup has begun ahead of schedule.
The Goblin Royal Banner has appeared, and the allied forces number over 200,000.
When the news reached Harland's territory, Harland was standing on the foundation of the newly started castle. After reading the parchment handed to him by the messenger, he said to Grayson behind him, "Tell all the knights to cancel their leave, stop the castle foundation work for now, and deepen the moat outside the fortified walls by three feet."
Grayson asked, "Is there enough time?"
Haaland didn't answer, but just looked up at the south.
That's the direction of Ashwood Territory.
"What are you afraid of? We are right behind Ashwood Territory. If the goblins want to attack us, they will need to spare enough troops to stop Ashwood Territory. That long wall is enough to give the goblin army a hard time."
When the news reached the territory of Antigonus further north, Violet was standing on the wall of her own village, using her eagle-eye technique to observe a newly discovered wild rock cliff in the distance. After reading the letter, she stood up and dusted herself off.
"I just found a good piece of land, and these greens come to ruin it." Violet jumped down from the stockade wall and shouted to the militia captain below, "Close the gate. From today onwards, everyone entering and leaving must be searched."
The news continued north, reaching smaller, more remote pioneer territories.
After reading the letter, some lords quietly began to reinforce their fortified walls.
Some people even summoned all their subjects overnight to take stock of their stored grain and weapons.
Several new lords, who had only been there for less than three months, looked at each other after reading the letter. Their village walls were not yet finished, and they couldn't even gather enough weapons for their militia.
The worst off were the newly arrived pioneer lords who had just arrived in the wasteland.
Of the thirty-six lords who set out at the beginning of the year, fifteen have died in the past few months. Of the twenty-one who are still alive, half are struggling with water and food supplies.
When news of the massive cleanup reached their ears, some people broke down completely.
A young lord from an eastern valley decided on the spot to abandon his territory. He planted the settlement decree at the gate of the village and led less than a hundred of his able-bodied people to flee towards Gorubak Fortress overnight.
He had been running for less than two days when he passed through the ruins of Shiyangling and found that the village walls had been occupied by another group of refugees. When they saw him leading his team, they thought he was there to seize their territory and almost shot arrows at him.
When the news reached Harvest Town, Hilden was standing on the watchtower at the canyon pass, scanning the north with a 40x telescope.
Thun led two hundred Grimm warriors to settle in Harvest Town, which was all the adult males the Grimm could muster.
After all, most of the Grimm have reached the level of Great Goblins, and their individual combat strength is stronger than that of humans, in addition to the military training they have received during this period.
Ordinary knight apprentices couldn't gain any advantage against them.
"The situation is that serious." Hilden looked at the men that Thun had brought, his expression also very grave.
Thun recounted what Ron had told him: "It's very serious. The lord means that we must mobilize the entire Harvest Town. This battle will be very difficult."
Hilden nodded solemnly.
That evening, the trade route in the southern Blackthorn Wasteland was crowded with people.
They were not caravans, but refugees fleeing from disaster.
Some of them had territories that happened to be next to large goblin tribes, and those tribes took the opportunity to wipe them out.
Some were pioneers who abandoned their territory and fled after hearing the news. They pushed carts, carried children, or carried whatever supplies they could, and surged south along the gravel road in the wasteland.
The direction of Gorubak Fortress was the only safe zone they knew of, and Ashwood Territory blocked this escape route to the south.
Some of the refugees took a detour, and when they passed through the Dragon Valley—no, now Harvest Town—they couldn't help but stop and admire the majestic city walls and arrow towers before them.
Someone asked, "Could goblins breach such walls?"
"I don't know if we can break through, but I'm certain that this wall wasn't built by goblins."
As soon as someone said that, some quick-thinking people immediately thought that since it was still several days' journey to Gorubak Fortress, it would be better to seek refuge in this territory.
The sentries on the city wall first saw the smoke and dust rising in the distance, then the figures of people, in twos and threes, and then in large groups.
By the morning of the next day, hundreds of people had gathered outside the town of Fengshou. Some were shouting loudly, while others sat down on the spot by the moat. The spikes inside were much denser than when it was first built.
Nowadays, no one dares to risk crossing the moat; they can only wait for the drawbridge to come down.
"Let's go in! The goblins are coming!"
Hilden stood on the city wall, looking down at the dark mass of people outside the barbican, then glanced back at Thun.
"You lead the Greens to retreat to the city wall first. I want to see how these people are doing. If we can recruit them, it will be good for strengthening Harvest Town."
Thun understood that this was because he was worried that these people would mistake them for goblins. Although he was a little unhappy, he still went along with Hilden's words.
However, Thun, who was displeased, secretly made up his mind that if these people dared to cause trouble after entering the city, he would definitely teach them a lesson and let them know what it meant for the dignity of the Grin people to be inviolable.
Hilden, seemingly oblivious to Thun's emotions, turned to the messenger beside him and said, "Lower the drawbridge and let the old and children in first. Search the able-bodied men, confiscate their weapons, and await the lord's decision."