Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 186 Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west
Orling, carrying the Earthbow and the Mystic Prayer, arrived at a valley north of Bearhold.

Su Mu's orders to him were to wait for an opportunity and provide support to the other troops based on the battlefield situation.

If the situation on the battlefield is unfavorable, he can make the decision on his own.

This was the highest authority granted by Su Mu to this group of generals; even someone as physically immune as Ivan had to obey his orders.

Oling possesses the Soul Arrow technique and can also become invisible. If she stays far away from the Frost Tree Path, she can even evade Leven's reconnaissance technique, making her one of Bear Castle's unique strategies.

There was no way around it; Levin's advanced reconnaissance skills were too formidable. No matter what arrangements Su Mu made, the enemy could see them all.

Previous victories against superior numbers often relied on surprise attacks and guerrilla warfare to create information asymmetry and gain tactical space. However, this approach proved completely ineffective against Levin. The moment they made a move, the enemy would make corresponding deployments. If they still tried to launch a sneak attack, they were likely to fall into the enemy's trap.

The best approach would naturally be to fortify the camps, fight a protracted war, and engage in a fair and square confrontation, thus eliminating any fear of enemy reconnaissance. Unfortunately, Kuraki's military strength is currently far inferior, and a direct confrontation would be a matter of life and death.

So Sumu and Ivan combined their efforts, advancing north to put pressure on Isidore's forces and at least prevent them from confidently attacking the city. Meanwhile, Oling served as a reserve force, ready to launch a fatal blow at any moment.

We're currently missing a stealth-type artifact; otherwise, the Orling ranged units could be even more effective.

"My lord, we have reached the border of Bearhold. If we go any further north, we will enter the Northern Territory."

Ouling stepped onto the snow-capped mountain peak and looked north. All he could see was a vast expanse of white, with only a few scattered trees standing.

He now had several options. Heading north, he could detour northwest to flank Isildur's forces and rendezvous with Ivan and his men; or he could charge directly into the Frostwoods to disrupt Isildur's retreat and demoralize the enemy. Alternatively, he could remain in place and await news from the main army before making further deployments.

Su Mu's initial plan was for him to take a detour and join forces against the southern forces of Isildur, but he had to remain concealed to achieve a surprise attack. Of course, if other opportunities arose ahead, Ouling could make his own decisions.

We haven't received a magical message from Su Mu yet, so the main force should still be making steady progress. Now it's up to Ouling to decide what to do next.

"Send some scouts north... no, east to scout out and see if there's anything unusual."

Orling had initially wanted to investigate Isildur's situation, but considering Leven's superior scouting capabilities, he abandoned the idea. Currently, since the army wasn't entering the North and was outside the enemy's detection range, they didn't need to remain invisible.

The situation is completely different once troops enter the northern border. Once the scouts are discovered, the surprise attack will be ineffective, and even if stealth is used again, the enemy will definitely be on guard.

Therefore, after much deliberation, Orling decided to remain still and wait for intelligence from the lord and his men.

"Liven Farrell! What a formidable opponent."

"Cuckoo!"

Orling drew his bow and shot an arrow, aiming at a withered branch hundreds of meters away. With one shot, he shot down the snowbird on the branch, and the snowfield returned to silence.

He felt a slight unease, but the moment he gripped the bow and arrow, he regained his composure.

Recalling the trust Su Mu placed in him before leaving, Ou Ling became even more cautious.

"Wait patiently! The situation is unclear right now, and whoever shows a weakness first is more likely to fail."

Small things accumulate, and eventually the situation becomes irreparable.

As the weaker party, we have even less reason to lose.

Ouling led his soldiers to a cave to hide temporarily and await news from the main army.

Half a day passed, and instead of news from Su Mu and the others, they found traces of Wayne.

"My lord, something seems amiss in the eastern region. The snow is melting rapidly, revealing a vast expanse of dark ruins. There appear to be a large number of horses galloping across the snowfield, chasing each other."

"Where's Wayne? Didn't the Silver Snow Thieves send a message?"

"We were too far away to see the specifics, but it's true that a unit was routed and is fleeing northwest, about to enter the northern border."

Oling took the map, a puzzled look on his face. Wayne was skilled in thievery and logistics; even if he couldn't win, he could just run away. Why was he heading northwest, almost into the Northern Territory?

Logically, retreating westward towards Bear Fort would have been the best option for Wayne.

"Oh no, something's happened! Wayne must have encountered some kind of special danger, and his entire army is likely to be wiped out."

"Quickly, send troops to rescue him! Enter battle mode!"

Ouling didn't hesitate either, immediately activating the Soul Arrow Technique's Vengeful Soul, putting the entire army into stealth mode and advancing towards the northeast.

Given Wayne's logistical speed, if they continue in their current direction, they are likely to miss each other. They must anticipate each other's destination to avoid an encounter. The army advanced rapidly, finally reaching the northern border an hour later. Oling preemptively secured advantageous positions, setting up ballistae aimed south, awaiting the enemy.

Within half an hour, dust billowed across the land, and black mist filled the snow-covered path. Dozens of elite vampires were chasing a group of thieves, and few of them remained, all of them severely wounded.

"It's Commander Wayne! My lord, shall we launch the attack?"

"Wait a little longer, until more enemies come into range!"

Orling had already figured out who the enemy he was chasing was: the air elemental baptism force of the undead army. The commander was likely a hero with the skills of logistics or pathfinding, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get there so quickly.

The main reason is that all the Silver Snow Thieves are dead, so Wayne can only run with ordinary wandering thieves, which significantly reduces his speed.

【Twilight Vampire (Graveyard Tier 4 Super Tier Unit, Baptism of Air Element): Attack 15, Defense 13, Damage 5-10, Health 50, Speed ​​13, Size Medium to Large】

Element: Air Elemental (100% increased by Pathfinding, comes with a small Twilight Shield that provides 20% ranged defense); Undead flying creature.

Bloodborne toxins, a bloodthirsty instinct.

Earl of Twilight: Attacks enemies level 5 and below, forcibly reducing their maximum health by 10% (damage taken from dark magic is reduced by 20%), and inflicts a basic Destruction Light on the enemy.

These are terrifying elemental-baptized units, especially a super-tier unit like the Vampire Count. Their speed is so high, and they can even enjoy double the pathfinding bonus. No wonder Wayne can't shake them off.

As the thieves re-entered the snowy landscape, Wayne lost his advantage over the terrain without the Silver Snow Thieves. He could not escape by relying solely on logistics and was being chased closer and closer until he was about to be surrounded.

Just then, Orling waved his hand, ordering the archers to fire.

A deluge of arrows flew in, with the crystal crossbow bolts arriving first. These giant arrows, several meters long, pierced through the vampire troops, instantly blasting several bats to pieces. They didn't even have time to erect a bloody shield before they were completely destroyed.

Then countless arrows rained down. Dozens of Twilight vampires dodged and weaved, but even with the Twilight Shield, it was all in vain, and they were all shot to pieces.

Wayne took this opportunity to turn onto the hillside and, tumbling and crawling, entered the range of Orling's army.

Earthbow hurriedly rescued Wayne, but he had lost too much blood, his magic was depleted, and he was on the verge of death.

Upon seeing Orling, Wayne grabbed him and passed on crucial information.

"Don't head west, there's an ambush on the other side, and we have intelligence on our march!"

Don't engage in direct combat with the enemy; they possess a special magic that grants the ability to forget.

Send the message to the lord, informing him that this siege is a trap!

"Quick...go..."

With his last ounce of strength, Wayne finished recounting this information before collapsing into unconsciousness, his fate unknown.

Ouling immediately arranged for a treatment tent to heal his wounds. He went to the summit and looked eastward.

A massive, dark army is rapidly approaching this location. The Twilight vampires have become separated from the main force in their pursuit, but the undead reinforcements are also quick and should arrive within an hour at most.

"If we strike first, can we wipe out their undead army?"

"Where did the enemy get our intelligence? Why is there an ambush on the return route to the west?"

The situation was urgent; whether to fight or retreat, Ouling had to make a decision immediately.

He was confident that his Earthbows were more powerful than the thieves, and they had always been Kuraki's ace unit. Even with the level 6 Dread Knights from the Necropolis on the other side, he felt he could win.

But what if you really forget your skills and get close to the enemy?
There are hidden troops to the west of the opposite side. What are they planning to do?
The situation is complex and confusing, and now the country is at an intelligence disadvantage.

Ouling took out the magic map, pondered for ten minutes, and finally made a decision.

"Rest for a moment, then retreat stealthily."

"Chase, bring a squad of Earthbowmen over here."

He called the young commander over alone, first pointing to the snowy lands in the north, then to the northwest, and then whispered a few words to him.

Orling decided to retreat rather than confront the undead forces head-on. However, the retreat was for a better offensive, and he decided to make full use of the reserves to anticipate the movements of a wave of enemies.

(End of this chapter)