Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 40 First up
壁垒势力的矮人，脾气又臭又爱喝酒，速度还慢的离谱，但他们抗揍能力一流。

【矮人（壁垒2级1阶兵种）：攻击力6（8），防御力7（12），杀伤力2-4，生命20，速度3，体型小。

Element: Earth
Anti-magic skin: 20% chance to resist magic.

Comment: When it comes to resisting magic, it's either yes or no; we only do one-off deals.

Using magic to attack them might not be very effective, as this unit's characteristic is immunity to magic. Even debuff spells might be ineffective against them.

Some of the rock arrows fired from the Earthbow were coated with mud, but they disappeared without a trace after touching the dwarves' bodies. They simply burped and continued on their way.

Su Mu then used his "Hundred Shots, One Hit" technique to enhance the archer's ranged attack power. After all, this time someone was taking the lead, so he didn't need to worry.

"kill!"

The Crusaders and dwarves were locked in a fierce battle, which was essentially one-sided. After all, the Crusaders were among the top-tier Tier 4 units, and apart from being slightly inferior to the Vampire King, they were truly unmatched.

Their heavy sword strikes terrified all enemies, and as long as their numbers increased, no one dared to underestimate this team.

The Earthbow only played a supporting role; after firing two rounds, it basically wiped out all the dwarves who charged up.

The enemy hero, a master of fire magic, cast a wall of fire on the battlefield, hoping to create chaos among the crusaders. However, he underestimated Ivan's stubbornness, who charged through the wall of fire, determined to hunt down the defenders.

Helpless, Su Mu cast a fire-controlling spell on them, which at least mitigated some of the damage from the fire magic.

The opposing hero's magical power was clearly not very high, and he couldn't do much damage to the fierce crusaders. In addition, the fire magic helped Ivan successfully break through the battlefield and reach the inner wall.

By this time, everyone could see that the fortifications were no longer able to resist. Their army had long since retreated, the camps on the mountain were deserted, and the tunnels underfoot were crisscrossing, all dug towards the east, showing no intention of attacking at all.

Seeing that things were not going well, the fire-type hero tried to escape by burrowing into a tunnel. However, Ouling reacted quickly and fired a barrage of shots at him, hitting not only his legs but also collapsing the tunnel.

Ivan yelled and pounced on him. After several struggles, with the help of the Crusaders, they finally captured him alive and dragged him to Sumu.

The enemy's armor was dented, his arm was broken, his thigh was hit by an arrow, and his face was covered in blood. This was the fate of those who were captured.

"Where have your dwarves and centaurs gone? Why are you building fortifications here, feigning an attack on the Northlands?"

The bastion hero, named Vic, remained resolute and refused to answer any questions during the interrogation.

Ivan wasn't going to tolerate that, so he threw three punches, hitting him straight in the heart from his ribs, making him cough up blood and almost bite off his tongue.

"Stop delaying. I have plenty of ways to make you submit. You've been plundering Elton for so long, you should have thought about what defeat would be like."

Su Mu pointed to the treatment tent in the distance, extinguishing Vic's desire to die.

If he had intended to commit suicide from the beginning, he could have done so using his magical powers. Now, exhausted and imprisoned, he has lost his chance. To put it bluntly, he still doesn't want to die.

Vic was silent for a moment, and seeing that Ivan was about to continue fighting, he finally spoke up: "Ivo Kane has led the centaurs and the great elves to attack the valley. We are just making a feint in the Northlands."

Judging by the timeline, the Storm Rangers have already captured the ford and are moving upstream. Therefore, we abandoned our fortifications, redeployed most of our forces, and prepared to join up with the main army from the hills. The dwarves' slow pace has delayed us until now.

It seems this guy was left behind to cover the retreat. Judging from the previous situation, with solid fortifications on the front and the nobles unwilling to put in the effort, Vic was indeed able to retreat smoothly.

Unfortunately, Ivan found an opening and, together with Su Mu, launched a night raid, capturing him alive.

Upon hearing the information Vic provided, Ivan was completely stunned.

The planned main raid on the northern lands turned out to be a feint, leaving the southern river valley nobles completely unaware. If the army were to capture the crossing points, the river would be paralyzed instantly, and even more worryingly, the morale of the southern nobles would be shaken.

Su Mu continued, "How many men did Ivo bring? What is their combat strength?"

"Initially, there were several thousand centaurs and several hundred great elves. It's unclear whether more troops will be added later. But he is the son of the forest, so it would be easy for him to gather an army."

Logically speaking, nobles would leave a certain number of troops to guard their home base when they send out troops, but since the enemy dared to march south, they must be confident that they could conquer the city and seize the stronghold.

"Quickly, Crusader, tell your elder brother this news and have him report it to the Legion Commander as urgent intelligence!"

Ivan immediately ordered the Crusaders to return to the camp and relay the intelligence.

Based on the distance between the Dry Grass Snowfield and the Ella River Valley, and considering the date Vic mentioned, Ivo has most likely already captured the crossing point; whether or not he reports it won't make much difference. If I'm not mistaken, there's already some unrest within the central army.

Silence fell over the scene, and the joy of capturing the fortress vanished.

Su Mu said, "What's done is done, we can't change it. We just need to take care of ourselves. The Kingdom Legion is under the command of Marshal Raven, and they are united as one. How can they fall apart just because the south was attacked? I don't think that's possible."

The southern lord is no fool; if he returns now and causes a defeat in the final battle, he will lose everything.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Put yourself in their shoes. Wouldn't you panic if your family's castle were breached? But as long as you win the final battle, the enemy bandits roaming the territory are no threat at all. You can simply retake the city and ask the kingdom for some subsidies at most.

The nobles could clearly distinguish between what was important and what was not.

But this makes the pressure of deciding the outcome of the battle even greater. The fortifications can be held up on the hills, but can Elton withstand the attrition? The space for strategic maneuvering is suppressed. It must be said that Ivo Kane has a broad vision.

Next came the cleanup of the battlefield. The hills were ablaze with fire, and the dwarves cried out for mercy. In addition, Ivan informed his brother that the nobles below the mountain would soon send troops to help them occupy the land.

This fortress is quite large, built against the mountain, with narrow roads. Without flying units, it could be defended by just a few hundred people.

The underground passages crisscrossed, but none of them led to the front lines; they were all routes of retreat.

As Ivan said, the enemy's main force had already withdrawn, and it was just an empty shell.

Su Mu did not try to steal credit from the other side, but only said that the archers assisted the Crusaders in the siege, and that Ivan was in charge of the vanguard and command.

In this way, Ivan instantly became a hero praised by the nobles. Some said that like father, like son, some said that he had great foresight, and others praised him as a young hero with keen insight, as if the contempt and disdain he had received in the camp had been forgotten.

Ivan was a descendant of a marquis, and while the kingdom wouldn't offer much reward for capturing such a mountain fortress, he would gain considerable prestige, which would greatly enhance his reputation as a hero. That night, the nobles slaughtered sheep and drank wine to celebrate the victory. It was also a farewell feast; knowing there were no enemies to attack in the north, everyone naturally returned to their respective territories to defend their homes.

The bonfire blazed, and toasts were exchanged, yet a sense of oppression lingered beneath the surface.

The victory brought bad news, and people could only suppress their fear with alcohol, living for the moment!

"Come on, I told you where you'd been, enjoying yourself here all by yourself!"

Ivan found Sumu and Ouling, who were taking a break at the edge of the camp, and filled their wine jugs with wine, then drank three bowls of it.

"You led the team to victory. I know you don't care about these empty titles, but we can't let you suffer a loss!"

"This treasure belonged to that hero of the stronghold. It was smashed during the battle, and I had the family blacksmith repair it to its original state as a way of repaying him."

The subsequent search of the fortress revealed resources that hadn't been moved. I got 2000 gold coins, 6 raw stones, and 3 logs—all yours!

Although Ivan was swaying unsteadily, he was unusually lucid when he spoke. As a descendant of the Angry Bear family, his control over resources was naturally guaranteed. If it were any other minor noble, the distribution would probably not have been so harmonious, even if others hadn't contributed.

Su Mu accepted the treasure, a giant wooden shield engraved with the emblem of the dwarves, filled with heavy magical power, and incredibly sturdy.

[Dwarf King's Shield (Level 1 Treasure): Grants +2 Defense when equipped by a hero]

To be honest, Su Mu hasn't obtained any treasures that increase his attributes yet. And Ivan, having just become a hero, is also not yet equipped with any treasures, perhaps because his family is worried about his personality.

Even in a marquisate like the Angry Bear family, treasures are absolutely precious. Ivan not only had his family repair them, but also gave them to him, which shows his sincerity.

Su Mu took the Dwarf King's Shield and then said, "I'll take the treasure; it's exactly what I need right now. As for the resources, we don't need the logs; the rest we'll split in half."

In this siege, your crusaders will be at the front taking the most damage, while I'll mainly be responsible for clearing the arrow towers. Everyone should just do what they're good at!

Ivan wanted to say more, but seeing Su Mu's firm attitude, he smiled and said no more.

"Come on, drink!"

The three drank a few more cups and gradually got into the mood.

The wine served in the army was different from that served in taverns; it had a higher alcohol content, was easier to preserve, and was much stronger than the Flaming Red Serpent wine he had drunk before.

"What's the name of this wine?"

"A storm is coming!"

"Interesting name."

The three of them sat around the campfire, chatting idly. Ouling remained silent the whole time; he just kept chugging his drinks.

Ivan glanced at Ouling. He had witnessed the hero's archery skills, which were superb. In addition, the hero usually wore a mask and rarely appeared. Ivan could roughly guess Ouling's identity.

However, he didn't do anything to spoil the atmosphere; he just urged his brothers to drink.

"Beneath the mountain fortress, the dwarves have dug a secret passage, filled with powerful magical energy fluctuations and guards. Due to the urgency of the battle, there may not be time to explore it; it will have to be left for later."

There are many mysterious underground structures, but those that could deter the Crusaders might have some extraordinary origins.

The dwarven passage is abandoned and not yet fully opened. If we want to continue exploring, it will take a lot of time. We really can't do it now. Let's leave a mark and come back later.

Ivan was looking forward to working with Su Mu. Although he was impulsive, he greatly admired those who were capable.

After a few rounds of drinks, Ivan gradually became tipsy.

"Let me tell you, on this land of Shilin Plain, no matter who makes things difficult for you, as long as they mention my name, Ivan Argyle, I'll guarantee your safety!"

He pulled a badge of the Angry Bear family from his pocket and handed it to Su Mu. Unlike ordinary badges, this one was gleaming gold, with a lifelike bear head on it, faintly glowing with burning flames.

Upon closer inspection, Ivan had actually advanced in rank and gained further insights from this battle.

Ivan Argyle (Raging Flame Knight): Attack 1, Defense 4, Spell Power 1, Knowledge 1.

Element: Fire.

Raging Flame Armor: For every 5 points of defense a hero has, the effect of Defense spells increases by 50%, which can enhance the effect of fire shields (affected by fire magic level, not yet active).

Defense Tactics: Reduces the physical damage received by troops by 5%.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Su Mu raised his cup and drank wildly. He never expected that Ivan's talent in defensive magic was so outstanding. He had mastered this divine skill. The entire Argyll family probably hadn't seen anyone like him in hundreds of years.
It is no exaggeration to say that heroes emerge in times of chaos.

Ouling also had a good impression of Xiong Han in front of him. This guy was bold and extraordinary, unlike the treacherous and cunning traditional nobles.

The Argyll family certainly has a strong foundation, and Ivan said this not only because of himself, but also because of the power behind them.

But so what?

Su Mu transformed clay into a knife, carving a wooden sculpture of a warrior leaning on his sword in deep thought, and tossed it to Ivan.

"In the future, if anyone bullies you in this world, just mention my name!"

Hearing words that were countless times more arrogant than his own, the drunken Ivan froze on the spot. He wanted to laugh out loud, his mouth was open, but he couldn't laugh out loud.

Looking at the hero before him, whose sharpness was concealed yet whose heart was filled with thunder and whose face remained calm, he was somewhat convinced.

"Come on, drink!"

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(End of this chapter)