Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

The fourth day after Imrek sang the Dragon Song.

This day was destined to be extraordinary, with many things happening, including earth-shattering events and seemingly insignificant yet impactful events.

In Lorthorn, amidst the bustling, clockwork-like port and city, high-ranking officials responsible for material allocation and strategic support, including Karashir, Finnubar, Bel-Aihol, and Dulias, who had been working themselves to the bone, finally got a rare moment of respite. Even a short break before a meal was enough to give them a moment's relief.

Saying they're so busy they're about to vomit isn't an exaggeration; it's a literal description of physical vomiting.

The prolonged high pressure, the round-the-clock scheduling tasks, the constant flow of ships, and the endless meetings and resource allocation had already pushed them to their limits.

During this period, they were not only responsible for organizing and coordinating war supplies for the northern peninsula of the Kingdom of Elion, ensuring that the offensive was relentless and the troops were never at rest, and that supplies and ships were delivered to the front lines accurately, but also for coordinating maritime transport in the port of Eleste.

But that's still not all.

Other key operations are also underway quietly.

For example, the 25th Army of the 'Hookblade' Seonran's 'Heart of Winter' has set off from Lortheran, marching in formation along the route once trodden by Mandir's 11th Army, crossing the Taur Peninsula, with its target being the Finnuwa Plain north of the Kingdom of Safrei.

Their strategic mission was clear: to seize the vast plains in the northern part of the Plains Kingdom, control Tar Finnu, and establish a strong defensive line along the Finnu River, constructing a war zone structure that was both defensible and offensive, in order to prevent the forces of the Kingdom of Avalon and the Kingdom of Charis from joining forces and rushing out of the Magic Forest to impact their rear.

This is not over yet.

They also bear the heavy responsibility of building a brand-new port at the mouth of the Fennu River, serving as a key node for future strategic expansion both domestically and internationally. This project will be a monumental undertaking with both strategic and symbolic significance, and its location is quite intriguing and mysterious.

The Fennu River forms the boundary between the Kingdom of Safri and the Kingdom of Avalon.

Just ten kilometers north of the estuary of this river, the Viru River quietly flows into the sea, its mouth located within the territory of the Kingdom of Avalon, strategically forming a "choke point." Whoever can firmly control the passageway where the Fennu and Viru rivers meet to the sea holds the initiative there.

On the other side of the crater lies another often overlooked but crucial location—Talville, the inland city of the Kingdom of Kosqui.

This town is one of the few inland settlements in Kosqui, located near the entrance to the Crack of Sorrow, guarding one of the few mountain passes leading from Kosqui to the inland kingdom of Ausuan, making its geographical location a true key to the region.

But crossing that sorrowful chasm is no easy task.

The canyon path was narrow and treacherous, offering almost no room for maneuver; it was a true path where life hung by a thread. The passage was eerie and cramped, perpetually shrouded in thick fog, frequented by monsters, and rumored to harbor ancient terrors. The edge of the path clung to a sheer drop, and in most sections, only one person could barely pass. The wind howled like a mournful cry, as if ready to drag travelers into the abyss at any moment.

Even experienced soldiers need to be extremely vigilant and proceed with extreme caution.

Because of the treacherous nature of this route, those brave warriors from Kosquieu who are unwilling to work at sea often choose to serve as canyon guides, making a living by escorting travelers across the Sorrowful Cleft. This is their traditional livelihood, and also their way of proving their courage and worth to the world.

Even so, they still could not escape the selection of fate.

Therefore, although this passage provides access to the inner ring of Ausuan, only the brave, the foolish, or the desperate choose to cross it.

Sometimes, a small team would venture into the canyon and disappear without a trace, as if a stone had been thrown into the sea; and those spirits who were lucky enough to return would often look somber and refuse to reveal the whereabouts and fate of their companions.

As a true "brave warrior," Koshir—this warrior from the Kingdom of Charis—chose the Valley of Death on his journey to the Kingdom of Safri. He swiftly traversed the narrow, treacherous path, crossed the Gorgon of Sorrow, crossed the Viru River of Avalon, and finally arrived at Tal Finnu.

Step by step, I measured the pulse of this continent with my own body.

Daxus, who was driving the chariot behind, had great respect for the chariot and the people who came before him.

And that's why he made a decision, a forward-thinking decision.

Since the warriors of Kosquie are used to fighting for their lives in such terrain, why not let them find a safer and more technically demanding way of life?

Instead of repeatedly venturing into Death Valley, it would be better to reassign them to railway maintenance work, serving the future construction of the Gap Pass Railway and becoming guardians of this great infrastructure.

In this way, not only can their livelihood problem be completely solved, but they can also be provided with a stable, respectable, and technically-skilled job – a truly secure job.

This geographical environment is beyond the capabilities of the Truc Army. The terrain, climate, and unstable fluctuations deep in the canyon all exceed the handling capabilities of ordinary troops.

Once the grand undertaking of King's Landing in Ulthuan is settled, he prepares to launch a truly powerful attack on the Sorrowful Rift.

He planned to gather all available high-level spellcasters to conduct a comprehensive, multi-dimensional survey of the canyon, measuring its geological structure, wind direction, and the stability of the fissures. Based on the survey results, he would then initiate a spellcasting process to attempt a systematic stabilization of the environment. The ultimate goal was to completely close this treacherous and dangerous canyon, erasing the bottleneck between the inner and outer rings.

If the elven mage can't do it, then he'll have to call for backup—he'll call Master Ma.

There is no other choice, no alternative, this is the only path to take.

Throughout the entire eastern region of Ulthuan, there are only two viable routes connecting the inner and outer ring kingdoms. One is this Sorrowful Rift; the other is near Tal Iris.

But that road was too eerie.

Unless absolutely necessary, no one will voluntarily pass through there.

In the future, due to the need for economic development, military deployment, and increasingly frequent communication between kingdoms, the connection between the inner and outer ring kingdoms in the east must be established.

It's not an option, it's a hard requirement.

The optimal solution, of course, is to start building a railway from within Avalon, near the mouth of the Viru River, at the confluence of waterways. The railway would extend inland, traversing hills, forests, and eventually penetrating deep into canyons, forcing its way through the Grief Rift, and into the heart of Kosqui.

If the railway can be built to the point of Tal Weir, then there will be many more solutions.

Besides continuing to extend the railway until it reaches the capital of the Kingdom of Kosqui, Tal Corelli, it could also turn to building a longitudinal trunk railway, extending north and south to connect the three kingdoms of Charis, Kosqui, and Iris.

This north-south railway will directly connect Tar Achar, the capital of the northern Kingdom of Charis, with El Salli, a major town in the southern Kingdom of Iris, forming an efficient, safe, and stable main land transport corridor.

It is not only a tactical maneuver in a military sense, accelerating troop movements, but also a regional integration in an economic sense, significantly improving the efficiency of goods circulation, and is a strategic-level infrastructure.

The cities near the mouths of the Fennu and Velu rivers will undergo further expansion and redevelopment after King's Landing on Osuan, transforming them from mere port nodes into major regional cities radiating influence across multiple settlements within Avalon.

To further weaken the influence of the Kingdom of Avalon... No.

Its existence provides a tangible and clear option for elves who no longer wish to live in the magic forest.

Step out and embrace modern life.

The name of this city has been decided: Tal Teslia.

This name carries the dreams and aspirations of an entire generation.

Iron ore, a specialty of the Tal Finnu region, would travel westward along the railway system to Tal Teslia. Upon arrival, the ore would be divided: some would be loaded directly onto ships and transported to Lorthern or even further western ports; the other portion would be transported by rail along a tributary of the Viru River into Kosqui.

Dakous's vision went far beyond that.

In his blueprint for the future, Windswept Plains will become a testing ground for social reconstruction. After ruling Ausuan, it will house a group of retired, new-era Duruci veterans. These veterans will live alongside the civilians of Safruit, gradually forming a natural and progressive co-existence, ultimately achieving a fusion of culture and bloodline.

The land there will be restored to traditional farming methods, returning to ordinary agriculture, planting basic crops such as wheat, vegetables, and grapes, and rebuilding rural life. Meanwhile, the Finnovale Plain will maintain its Iron Tower model, continuing to undertake the task of cultivating high-yield, high-value-added Alcohol-2 wheat and magical plants, becoming an important source of energy and raw materials.

A large refinery will also be built in Tal Teslia to convert ethanol-2 wheat into high-efficiency fuel, while providing numerous job opportunities, attracting people to settle down, and forming an industrial cluster.

Concurrently, a strategic railway line running directly from Lorthen to Tal Teslia will be planned and constructed to ensure efficient communication. Behind the 25th Army, a local legion composed of western forces from the Kingdom of Itaien is following closely behind. This legion will join forces with the eastern Itaien garrisons in Angriel, then march north into the Windswept Plains, where it will establish training camps, conduct reorganization, and ultimately complete the formation of a brand-new army group.

Besides the legions of the Kingdom of Itien, there were also officers and a small number of troops led by Azarion, who would remain there temporarily until Iris's legions were transferred by sea.

There was no way around it, those two roads were just too...

To this end, Asur's naval forces have been fully mobilized, and various families have also dispatched their own merchant ships to support military affairs, jointly undertaking the cross-sea transportation mission for this legion.

Meanwhile, in the eastern outer ring of Ulthuan, Azarion's father, Moralion, had begun mobilizing the reserve forces of the Kingdom of Iris.

Currently, a portion of the active-duty legion has entered Kosquie and joined forces with the small standing army of the Kingdom of Kosquie. This combined force, personally commanded by Adana's father, Darrowland, is advancing towards the border of the Kingdom of Charis to complete the campaign to besiege Tal Achar and tie down the main military force of the Kingdom of Charis.

Another part of the active-duty legions are still waiting for a transfer opportunity, while some reserve units have been incorporated into different legions and are undergoing reorganization and training, while another reserve unit is protecting the security of North and South Iris and stabilizing the situation.

The Kingdom of Avalon was unusually noisy today; deep in the forest, a sudden battle broke out. Though small in scale, it was like the first thunderclap before a storm, sending a chill down everyone's spine. (This part is in reverse order and is just a brief overview; I won't elaborate further.)

At this time, Dakos was still stranded on the Windswept Plains; while Malekith followed behind the ferry, their destination being the Island of Death.

Yesterday, Duruci's main force arrived slightly later than Eldalia had originally anticipated. In the morning, just one hour after Duruci completed his landing, wave after wave of Dark Riders appeared on the outskirts of the city of Tal Usvi, clearly tasked with interception and reconnaissance.

Therefore, her judgment was accurate; if she didn't leave now, she would have no chance to escape.

It wasn't until after noon that Duruch's main force slowly approached the walls of Tal Usvi. It was a massive army of 20,000 men, comprised of the 105th Corps of the Fourteenth Army under Garros Godric. Their movements were steady and orderly, their steps carrying a heavy, imposing presence.

Under the watchful eyes of the soldiers on the city walls, Eldalia rode out of the city alone to confront Galros himself and begin negotiations. The negotiations lasted a full hour, after which she calmly returned to the city.

Half an hour later, the gates of Tar Usvi slowly opened. The vanguard of the Duruci army then filed in and began to gradually take over the city.

There was no military parade or exaggerated display of power. Instead, they followed the established model from their time in Lorthorn: the Duruchi soldiers took direct control of the city's defenses, while the Black Knights, along with the Asur soldiers, maintained stability and basic order within the city. Meanwhile, another group of soldiers quickly began engineering work; they had to build a bridge to establish a transportation line connecting the Kingdom of Elion with the Kingdom of Avalon, paving the way for future battles.

In fact, when Duruci landed yesterday, they adopted a tactical deployment of simultaneous landing on both flanks: landing at the mouths of the Phoenix River and the Chenxiang River at the same time.

The 104th Corps, under the Fourteenth Army Group, completed its landing in the Kingdom of Avalon. Their mission differed from that of the 105th Corps; instead of building bridges in the section of the river where Tal Usvi was located, they were responsible for constructing numerous bridges at the confluence of the Phoenix River and the Agarwood River to achieve strategic connectivity.

Today, with all supplies and equipment basically in place and the assembly completed, this unit finally set off.

Tarrendan tasked Dorian with capturing and defending this crucial peninsula, establishing reliable and secure landing sites and strategic nodes, and constructing an effective defensive line along the winding Phoenix River to block the combined forces of Charis and Avalon that might advance from the inland.

As for how to specifically block the enemy's advance route, how to carry out tactical deployment and combat arrangements...

Tariendan did not make detailed arrangements or provide template instructions. Instead, he left it to Dorion to consider and make flexible decisions based on the actual battlefield situation and the enemy's situation.

This empowering strategic arrangement reflects both Marekis's trust in the officers and the realistic style of decision-making at the current top leadership under Trucchi.

They established a defensive line along the river, and then stared at the enemy on the other side.

This passive, defensive strategic approach is simply not within the options available to the currently powerful and highly motivated Trudeau Army.

The morale of the current Druitch troops is high. From the highest-ranking Dreadlords to the lowest-ranking soldiers, everyone is eager for battle, military merit, points and promotion opportunities within the legion, and any opportunity to prove themselves and gain glory.

Therefore, after receiving authorization from Dorian, Garros, who was in charge of the defense, deployed a large legion under his army group on the opposite bank of the Phoenix River without much hesitation.

He adopted a proactive, offensive-defensive approach, replacing defensive posture with offensive tactics to firmly grasp control of the entire battlefield and strive to curb the enemy's advance as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, two other large legions were deployed within the territory of the Kingdom of Elion.

After all, as all good military commanders know, "the best defense is a good offense."

This tenet has proven effective in other cultural systems and was also upheld as a guiding principle in Trucchi's army, which had been tempered by long wars. Sound military theory is a universal law that transcends the world and civilizations.

More importantly, the large army deployed on the opposite bank of the river was not in a desperate situation of being isolated and helpless, with no choice but to fight to the death.

They have a powerful support system behind them. When needed, troops within the Kingdom of Elion can quickly cross the river via pontoon bridges to launch a coordinated offensive with troops on the opposite bank, creating a pincer movement. In the event of a major threat or an unfavorable battle situation, troops on the opposite bank can also use the pontoon bridges to quickly withdraw back into Elion territory, completing a strategic transfer and regrouping.

Furthermore, in emergencies, spellcasters can use magic to freeze sections of the river, creating temporary passages that allow the entire legion to move quickly.

These measures provided the frontline troops with great tactical flexibility and psychological support, and kept the battlefield situation under Duruch's control at all times.

However, after several rounds of simulations, the calm, decisive, and confident Garros did not believe that the Asur army could gain any advantage in such a situation where the elite troops of the Duruch were heavily deployed and the forces were densely packed, without using a large number of dragons or relying on large-scale magic.

Today, the landing zone has been initially built and further expanded, special barges have been erected, and troops and logistical supplies are being unloaded ashore at a steady pace. A forward base is rapidly growing.

There is no doubt that the strategic foundation of the entire theater has been gradually consolidated.

Currently, Dorian holds the rank of High-Ranking Dreadlord, commanding a well-organized and formidable army of 200,000 men, comprising nine full-strength legions and forming three army groups capable of undertaking any combat mission. These three army groups are: the Fourth Army Group, which he personally leads; the Fourteenth Army Group, commanded by Garros; and the Twenty-First Army Group, which is still stationed in Ashriel.

The land portion of this operation was handled by Dorian's forces.

With the two large corps under Galros's Fourteenth Army completing their landings, his Fourth Army also quickly began its own landing operations.

According to the plan, the troops that first complete the landing will construct a blockade line at the left connection between the peninsula and the mainland to block enemy forces attacking from the direction of Elion from entering the peninsula.

Strategically, this was a crucial line of defense, the first hurdle in Truc's entire campaign plan.

If Elion's troops are unwilling to launch a frontal assault and instead attempt to bypass the enemy, they will have no choice but to risk entering the forest and taking a complex detour.

Unfortunately, once they chose this seemingly clever approach, they would eventually run into another large army group under the Fourteenth Army.

However, the large fleet has not yet finished unloading and is still waiting on the ship.

Meanwhile, the second large corps of the Fourth Army, which was landing, would advance steadily towards Tal Platú as planned. At the same time, the fleets that had not initially participated in the main landing operation had broken away from the massive naval formation and turned to circumnavigate the peninsula, quietly heading towards Tal Platú by sea.

The moment this massive army is in position and blocks the key land routes will be the moment Tal Palatour is captured by Duruci.

The third corps of the Fourth Army, which was the last corps to arrive during the entire landing operation, had another strategic task that could not be ignored—they would be responsible for the comprehensive expansion and stabilization of the entire landing zone.

From constructing new camps to repairing and building new supply lines, from setting up heavy artillery positions to establishing wartime command hubs, they are gradually transforming this place, which was originally just a temporary foothold on the front line, into a large naval port and theater headquarters that can be stationed there for a long time, turning the peninsula into Trucchi's base for attack and troop deployment.

Every brick added, every inch of land compacted, was yet another preparation for Trudeau's iron hooves to advance deeper into the territory.

In other words, to this day, the first direct battle between Duruci and Asur has still not taken place.

The fact that the battle was delayed made the officers and men of the Truch Navy particularly happy—because I had no chance to fight, and neither did you.

But in fact, today, history has taken the step it was meant to take.

The first battle between Duruci and Asur finally broke out.

However, the incident did not occur on the northern peninsula of the Kingdom of Elion, and... (End of Chapter)