Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 421 Emergency Reinforcements for Cliffside Watch
Sometimes, a turning point in history often stems from an accident, a casual encounter, or even a fabricated excuse.

This is what happened during the sudden war on the Xibailu Plain.

It all began with the "friendly visit" planned by Lord Chen Mo of the Vast Ocean. He originally intended to make a round of courtesy visits to the surrounding forces, and on his way to the Misty Moon Divine Court, he took the opportunity to visit the White Deer Restoration Society of the Western White Deer Plain.

Because he had to negotiate with the "White Fang" high priest in secret, the lord made up an excuse about being sick and stayed in the West White Deer Plain for a little longer.

It was this completely illogical "physical discomfort" that plunged the keen-sense orc tribes on the White Deer Plain into endless suspicion.

This lord's past achievements were so illustrious that even the sound of his footsteps as he passed through the White Deer Plains could cause the plains beastmen to feel uneasy.

The orc shamans and elders meticulously analyzed each other's every move. In the eyes of these orcs, large and small, this must be the legendary war god-like lord plotting a grand conspiracy.

Suspicion breeds fear, and fear leads to reckless actions.

In this situation, some orc tribes naturally developed ulterior motives.

The first tribe to truly incorporate it into their tribal agenda and put it into action was the Leopard Clan of "Thunderjaw".

The reason they acted faster was mainly due to three factors.

First, like the tiger clan, the leopard clan does not rely heavily on its intelligence, but rather on its intuition.

Among the entire lion, tiger, leopard, and cat orc lineage, lions are able to become royalty because they have a good cooperative combat mechanism in their genes. Relatively speaking, they seem to be more intelligent than their other relatives.

But you can't say that intuition is useless; sometimes, it really doesn't make sense.

Despite Helan's elaborate schemes and Dongxia's meticulous planning, sometimes Liushuang's instinctive reactions, devoid of thought, are far superior.

This time, the leopard clan suddenly felt a chill run down their spines. Their intuition told them that if they didn't quickly find another way out, the clan was in for a terrible disaster.

Secondly, the leopard clan and the cat clan are indeed distant relatives; they can worship the same ancestral deity all the way up.

In the past, the cat tribe was subservient to powerful tribes like the tiger and leopard tribes. When the leopard tribe was in a good mood, they would take care of them; when they were in a bad mood, they would kick them aside.

But now, this ancient bloodline connection has become an extremely important bond.

The plains orcs already know that the "Thunder Roar" tiger clan, now calling themselves "Fat Cats," has successfully transferred to the Han Hai's organization through their connection with that young princess Liu Shuang.

Don't think that this title is self-deception or useless. Many times, when it comes to making important decisions, the last weight that the scales tip towards may be a relationship such as relatives, fellow villagers, classmates, or old acquaintances.

This is a biological instinct, a way to find psychological comfort and a mental anchor for oneself.

The young prince is kind-hearted, as all the beastmen know. When Leonid of the Tiger Clan was so offensive, Prince Liushuang could have easily smashed his head, but in the end, he only hit his arm as a warning.

That's a head-on battle on the battlefield!
Since this young prince of the cat clan is so kind, then my leopard clan can also be "long cats"!

Third, it stems from the immense pressure of the battlefield.

The "No Return" human race intended to surrender, and the leopard clan knew this long ago. After being masters for so many years, if the orcs didn't have a few spies among their servants, they wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

For the "Thunderjaw" tribe, the worst-case scenario is that if they don't surrender, but their human servants do, it would be an absolute catastrophe.

After all, everyone knows that these traitors are the most ruthless when it comes to cutting ties with their old masters and currying favor with the new ones. The entire bear-people of the Clawed Tribe on the Eastern White Deer Plain were wiped out, and the "Returning Righteous Army" that surrendered to the Vast Sea played a significant role in this.

In this situation, the leopard clan was caught in a dilemma.

If he doesn't take action to eliminate Eugene and his traitorous group, he will inevitably suffer the consequences.

If I were to take action, I might offend the Lord of the Vast Ocean, adding further complications to my future fate.

All they could do was immediately try to contact Han Hai. Fortunately, the lord remained as arrogant as ever, refusing to discuss any conditions, offering only one sentence—"Unconditional surrender!"
Eugene and his "Never Return" human race are still hesitating, still caught in a tug-of-war, still unable to let go of those interests, but the "Thunderjaw" leopard race has let go.

Before taking action, Milos repeatedly confirmed that the human mining team had not actually surrendered before he dared to unleash his killing spree.

It can be said that the "not returning" that was wavering between two sides was the first gift of his submission.

In conclusion, due to a combination of factors, this dramatic change at Vulture Cliff on the West White Deer Plain caught everyone off guard.

For Chen Mo, this was not only not good news, but an absolute disaster.

Initially, when he received the news that heroes from all walks of life in the White Deer Plain admired the lord's divine might and were willing to serve him, Chen Mo naturally assumed that the White Deer Restoration Society was eager to make a name for themselves, either because they were misled by false information, or because some civil official had given them the idea to create this "auspicious omen".

Chen Mo even suspected that it was that old guy "White Teeth" who gave him the advice.

As for those who expressed their willingness to surrender, Chen Mo felt that nine times out of ten they were just hedging their bets and haggling over the price.

The facts seemed to confirm his judgment, because the lord refused to negotiate with the other party, and those so-called "intentions to pledge allegiance" quickly fell silent and disappeared without a trace.

Who would have thought that the leopard clan would surrender without even discussing conditions?
When news arrived that the Vulture Cliff Mine had changed hands and that the Leopard Clan's "Thunderjaw" tribe had sent envoys to formally request submission and acceptance of the Vast Sea's arrangements, the young lord sprang from his bed in his bedroom.

"Map, bring me the map!"

When Chen Mo saw the large, crimson mine markers among the jagged battlefield map of the West White Deer Plain, representing different tribes and forces, he fell into a long silence.

This place is too deep.

According to the map, Vulture Cliff is about 130 kilometers away from the main channel of the Illusion Flame River, but it is only about 50 kilometers away from the orc camps to the north and west.

For the highly mobile orc army, this was just a few hours of marching.

To put it another way, these two adjacent orc bases were originally set up to protect the mines. After so many years of peace and tranquility, perhaps these orc tribes have forgotten the original purpose of setting up these two fortresses, but this arrangement habit has been preserved.

If the Vast Ocean doesn't intervene in time, Vulture Cliff will likely face a large-scale attack from the orcs immediately.

Furthermore, once the orcs discover the truth, it's possible that not only Vulture Cliff will be attacked, but the entire Thunderjaw tribe could also be targeted.

Judging by the time, if the enemy moves quickly, their vanguard might already be at the foot of Vulture Cliff.

The surrendered tribes became cannon fodder and simply vanished on the White Deer Plain. This was definitely not the way the Han Hai Territory operated.

"no!"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Mo quickly issued a series of orders.

He did not seek to expand the gains of the war, but the "Thunderjaw" leopard clan, as a typical example of surrender and defection, must be given firm military support to ensure the safety of their clan and avoid setting a negative example.

To put it bluntly, Chen Mo didn't care whether the Leopard Clan lived or died, but he couldn't allow a tribe on the White Deer Plain to surrender to the Vast Sea only to be slaughtered by other orcs.

Otherwise, who would dare to raise the flag of surrender to the vast ocean in the future?

Having fought so many battles over the years, Chen Mo's military skills were not bad. A little calculation showed that it would take a considerable amount of time to transfer troops from the Han Hai Territory headquarters, whether by directly crossing the long enemy defense line by land or by water and then by land to the north.

If the enemy reacts quickly during this period, they could turn Vulture Cliff upside down and deal with it a dozen times over.

If support is not provided in time, "Thunderjaw" is very likely to be slaughtered.

"Send...send the first and third airborne squadrons over here, bring your light and heavy weapons, and prepare for deployment immediately!"

"Air force units are also coming to cover the paratroopers, and at the same time, they are launching air support for Vulture Cliff!"

"Return to the cemetery, yes, have Lin Xiangming lead the comrades from Return to the cemetery to Vulture Cliff! Immediately!"

At the lord's command, the Vast Ocean Territory sounded the emergency war signal.

As Chen Mo predicted, there were both surrenderers and die-hards among the orcs.

Within ten minutes of the news of Vulture Cliff's fall and Milos's betrayal spreading, the Ironspine tribe immediately dispatched a 10,000-strong force to rush straight to Vulture Cliff.

The reason they could act so resolutely was that the new Grand Warlord of the Orcish White Deer Plains, Kagaras, was currently in the Ironspine Horde's camp.

The orc royal court has been debating the dire situation in White Deer Plains for some time, resulting in significant disagreements.

One faction argues that the plains orcs are showing signs of breaking away from the wasteland, and that giving them a lesson to remember their roots and prevent them from forgetting their origins is a good thing. The other faction, however, demands the immediate annihilation of the six prefectures, the advance to the vast sea, the glorification of the sacred mountain, and a declaration to their ancestors that they cannot allow such a lowly human race to ride roughshod over the orcs.

Orcs will always be, and must be, the masters of humans!

"If they are not severely punished, I'm afraid these bastards will become increasingly disrespectful to the orcs, causing endless trouble!"

The two sides were deadlocked, and the matter was delayed, causing the autumn hunt, which was supposed to take place, to be temporarily postponed due to this unexpected turn of events. However, in order to prevent the West White Deer Plain from collapsing as rapidly as the East White Deer Plain, the orcs still sent an elite force to the plain.

The one leading the group was none other than the warlord, Cagallas.

This was a typical royal general, a male lion-man in his prime. Kagaras and Goldenmane Ig belonged to the same clan. His massive body was large enough to fill the entire frame of the animal-skin tent when he came in and out.

When this guy stands up, he is nearly three meters tall, with broad shoulders and back like a huge door panel. Unlike the bull tribe's high-bulging muscles, this guy's muscles are streamlined, full of an elegant sense of power.

What is most striking is his thick mane, which still faintly reveals the pure gold base color of his original appearance. However, after years of weathering, it now appears to be mixed with layers of iron gray and frost white. The hair cascades down from his forehead to his shoulders, looking at him like a waterfall flowing straight down.

"Those spotted leopard cubs sold the mines bestowed by the Holy Mountain to the filthy humans?"

"This is betrayal!"

"They have defied the great traditions of the orcs! They are courting death!"

Kagaras whirled around, shaking his head slightly, his pupils burning with pure rage, exuding an air of imposing authority.

“I came here on His Majesty’s orders, not to see how the livestock of the plains wag their tails and beg for mercy from humans.”

"Purify their souls, children, and destroy them!"

"Three days! I'm only giving you three days! Within three days, I want to see not a single leopard alive in 'Thunderjaw's' camp!"

The warlord's fury quickly spread to the other tribes.

The first to step forward and distance themselves was the headquarters of "Thunderjaw." They immediately sent an envoy to the esteemed Warlord, stating that they were completely unaware of the events at their Vulture Cliff mine and were willing to cooperate with the Warlord in punishing these disobedient traitors.

Will Kagaras let them come? Of course not.

At that time, not only will we have to hunt the leopards inside the mine, but we will also have to guard against the leopards outside the mine. It will definitely be a losing proposition!

Therefore, while ordering "Thunderjaw" to remain in place, Overseer Kagaras frantically urged the other two tribes to send troops immediately. Amidst his roars, the Fire Rock and Bell Armor tribes, who had initially hesitated, followed suit and mobilized fully.

On one hand, Kagaras sent troops to block the passage between Thunderjaw's main camp and the Vulture Cliff garrison; on the other hand, a large army pressed in, completely surrounding the Vulture Cliff mine.

In an instant, a local conflict triggered by a minor dispute rapidly escalated into a full-scale war that swept across the northern part of the Xibailu Plain.

The Iron Spine Army was the first to arrive.

The long line tore through the early morning mist, rolling in along the horizon.

These fierce orc warriors were a branch of the ape race. They were tall and strong, wearing heavy leather armor inlaid with large and small stone fragments. When they ran, they were like a rolling torrent of rocks, forming a huge army at the foot of Vulture Cliff.

On the mountainside, the temporary defensive line previously built by the "Never Return" human race became the leopard clan's stronghold for defense.

Milos's face was a little pale.

"There's...nobody here?"

"Yes, but it may take some time!"

Milos angrily pounded his chest.

In his understanding, the force sent by Han Hai Territory could not possibly be just a reconnaissance vanguard. Such an important mine, with a large amount of stored supplies, would surely require a force of 100,000 to 200,000 to be stationed there.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow.

Aiden, the snake leading the White Deer Independent Brigade, told him that this was all there was to it.

The Bailu Independent Brigade still has some manpower, but it's impossible to deploy them all here, and it will take some time to transfer troops from the Hanhai headquarters.

Before this, Milos had to hold on by himself.

At that moment, Milos truly had the urge to draw his scimitar and slash at this nonchalant fellow, then lead his men in a rebellion back to the north.

But this was obviously impossible, so the leopard general could only angrily pick up his long sword and personally step onto the front line to oversee the battle.

Killing one moment and being killed the next—this is the eternal theme of the battlefield.

Milos gathered all his capable leopard warriors, totaling over 1,400, and concentrated them in the core area of ​​the mine, setting up a defensive line based on the relatively sturdy fortifications previously built by the "No Return" humans.

The entire White Deer Independent Brigade went into the mountains. Although there were only a few hundred people, it was a gesture of fighting side by side with the Leopard Clan and sharing life and death.

By combining the two sides, they managed to muster nearly two thousand defensive troops.

Meanwhile, the enemy below the mountain already had at least one commander, and according to intelligence provided by Han Hai, even more orcs were closing in.

As the tremors of the earth became more and more pronounced, the dry riverbed below Vulture Cliff shuddered violently.

The Iron Spine Tribe's attack was simple and brutal, requiring no complicated formation changes or probing harassment. The first wave consisted of over two thousand roaring gorilla warriors.

These orc soldiers, adorned with shamanic spells and bracing themselves against rough wooden shields, forcefully pushed their way up the mountain. The leopard tribe's javelins and rolling stones inflicted some damage on them, but that was the end of it.

With just this few people, I'm afraid we won't even be able to hold off the first wave.

At the critical moment, the Bailu Independent Brigade opened fire.

The advance team of the Independent Brigade brought six extremely valuable large-caliber mortars.

"Boom!—Boom! Boom!"

The shell traced a graceful arc and landed in the area where the charging orcs were most concentrated. It was a pre-calibrated section with a gentle slope, making it easy for them to charge in groups.

In an instant, flames burst forth, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The violent shockwaves from the artillery fire flipped and tore the towering gorilla warriors like dolls, and for the first time, the screams on the battlefield drowned out the roars of the charge.

The phased barrage of fire became the most powerful support for the defenders. Each flash of light from the cannons could take a large chunk out of the surging beast tide, disrupting the opponent's offensive rhythm time and time again.

Meanwhile, the Leopard Clan warriors took the opportunity to use spears, throwing axes, and scimitars to deal with the enemies who had been bombarded by artillery fire.

This was a hard-fought, straightforward battle, devoid of any fancy tactics.

The fierce battle on the first day lasted from dawn until noon. The Iron Spine Tribe's first attack was temporarily repelled, leaving behind hundreds of corpses and a large number of wounded people writhing on the battlefield.

The mountain road was a mess, stained with blood.

The defending forces also suffered heavy losses. Preliminary counts indicate that over one hundred Leopard Clan warriors and the White Deer Independent Brigade were killed in action, and more than two hundred were wounded and required to temporarily withdraw from the battlefield, meaning they lost more than one-eighth of their combat personnel in one battle.

Milos leaned against a low wall, panting heavily. Once he had caught his breath, he stuck out his tongue and carefully licked a deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his arm—a memento left to him by a centurion of the ape tribe before his death.

With his dark, vertical pupils peering over the corpse-strewn hillside, the leopard general gazed towards the vast plains to the south.

There, the sky was azure, white clouds drifted lazily, and the land was covered with densely packed banners of the orc army.

Further away, dark lines stretched from the horizon toward Vulture Cliff, as if the enemy had realized they were isolated and wanted to wipe out the rebellious leopard clan with a swift and decisive strike, giving the other onlookers on the plains a powerful warning.

Amidst this howling tide of orcs, Vulture Territory stood as fragile as a leaf in a storm.

Will the reinforcements from the vast ocean really come?

(End of this chapter)