With the nobles all evacuated to the camp outside, Giant Stone Castle returned to its forr tranquility.
Baron Coren woke up naturally, just as he always did. Humming an unidentifiable tune, he enjoyed a fine breakfast while being attended to by a host of servants.
It wasn’t that he was unconcerned about the war; on the contrary, he was paying very close attention.
After all, this was a huge gamble for him.
Although Ronin had rejected his plan for an imdiate attack, it didn’t affect the overall situation.
In his view, it just ant dawdling in the camp for a few more days. As their food supplies dwindled, they would eventually have to act.
And as long as the Noble Alliance Army went to war with the Polante Thief Gang in Chishan Town, his Giant Stone Castle Knight Squad would beco a sharp dagger, piercing through the battle lines and changing the tide of the war.
"My lord, the Knight who remained at the camp has returned. He says he bears an order from Commander Viscount Ronin."
Giant Stone Castle’s butler reported respectfully.
After what had happened before, Coren’s impression of Ronin had improved sowhat. But after a night’s sleep, that change of heart seed to have washed away, and he once again felt a sense of disdain for Ronin.
He wiped the grease from his hands. "Have the Knight co see ."
Soon, in a small hall, he t the ssenger Knight and learned that Ronin was summoning him to the camp to discuss their battle plan.
"Heh, our Commander certainly likes to keep himself busy. We just settled on a preliminary plan yesterday, and now he wants to discuss a new one today."
’Less than a day has passed. I’d love to see what new ideas he could possibly have,’ he thought.
Before the war officially began, Coren was technically a defeated general. He naturally wouldn’t do anything on such a minor matter that overtly defied the Commander’s arrangents, as that would undoubtedly just be asking for trouble.
So, upon receiving the order, he imdiately began preparing to go to the Alliance Army camp.
"Did anything unusual happen at the camp last night?" he asked casually.
"Last night, Ronin summoned Toru and the others to discuss sothing. He also ca looking for you, but you happened to be away. It was probably too late by then, so he didn’t have us co to Giant Stone Castle to inform you."
Coren couldn’t help but smirk. ’Good thing I ca back to Giant Stone Castle to rest,’ he thought to himself. ’Otherwise, I would have been dragged out for a eting in the middle of the night.’
’Ah, young commanders. So eager to show off and make a fuss.’
"Go inform Brisot. Tell him to bring the Knight Squad and accompany to the Alliance Army camp."
Brisot was a Knight who had recently joined Giant Stone Castle. He was extrely powerful and had undoubtedly beco Baron Coren’s most valued man.
If Giant Stone Territory were to have its own Knight Order in the future, this Knight, Brisot, would absolutely be appointed to the position of Leader.
However, this was rely the opinion of the Knight Squad mbers.
In reality, Brisot was not one of Coren’s followers.
He was here purely to help Coren win this huge gamble.
Soon, the Giant Stone Castle Knight Squad was assembled. Coren mounted his warhorse, and Brisot had already arrived.
"Let’s go," Coren said.
A force of more than two Knight Squads, totaling over two hundred n, set out for the Noble Alliance Army’s camp.
Just as Ronin’s plan of "Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole" and "Catching Turtles in a Jar" was about to succeed, a figure ran out from a path on the west side of the castle, quickly reaching the front of the procession.
"Baron, Baron!"
Coren reined in his horse and looked back. It was Giant Stone Castle’s ssage Bird Manager.
"What is it?" he asked in a low voice.
"My lord, there’s an urgent letter for you!"
Coren’s brow furrowed. ’What kind of urgent letter could there be at a ti like this?’
’Could it be from Wushan Castle?’
He hurriedly took it, tore it open, and his expression changed abruptly.
"What’s wrong?" Brisot asked, sensing sothing was amiss.
Coren looked at him, his gaze a complex mixture of what seed to be regret, anger, and a hint of madness.
"Hold your positions!"
He turned and barked at the Knight Squad, "Brisot, you co with !"
One after the other, the two of them walked to the side, away from the troops.
"What is it, Coren? You don’t look right."
Coren handed him the letter. "It’s from Amicus. They searched all night but couldn’t find Warwick. They suspect he’s t with foul play, or was captured by soone from Wushan Castle!"
"This..."
Brisot was stunned by this bombshell. He quickly read the letter, which said exactly that.
"Soone from Wushan Castle has the strength to sneak into Chishan Town and capture Warwick without a sound?"
He said in disbelief, "That’s impossible, isn’t it? Warwick might not be that strong, but he’s a Silver-rank at least. Capturing him without making any noise should be impossible."
"Soone could do it!"
Coren, however, had no doubt about the possibility. "The Leader of Wushan Castle’s Third Knight Order, lonika Taylor. I’ve never been able to gauge her true strength, but she is very powerful! If it was her, she could have done it!"
"But isn’t she supposed to be staying behind at Wushan Castle to protect Lurans?"
"That’s just what they say publicly. From the very beginning, lonika has never shown her face. Who knows where she is?"
Coren was now like an ant on a hot pan, utterly frantic and panicked.
This was a huge gamble. He had a high probability of winning, but an unexpected accident had occurred.
’If lonika found out about my betrayal, then... ’
He imdiately connected this to Ronin summoning him to the camp for a eting, and also to Ronin summoning Toru, Marvin, and the others last night. A chill ran down his spine.
"lonika definitely learned of our plan from Warwick and told Ronin!"
Coren’s mind was clearer than ever. "We can’t go to the Alliance Army camp. Ronin must know. He’s summoning because he wants to capture directly!"
Brisot also recovered from his shock. The thought of this scenario filled him with fear.
Even though he was a Golden Knight, if he and Coren were surrounded and attacked by Toru and the others, they would surely be captured.
"You’re right. Going to the camp now would be suicide!"
Brisot cursed, "That lonika, and that Ronin... they’re too treacherous!"
Coren had no ti for curses; his mind was focused only on a solution.
Fortunately, he had already sent his entire family away. Even if he lost the gamble, the Hansen Clan would not be wiped out.
He had heirs.
Besides, he hadn’t lost this war yet.
’As long as I kill everyone, including lonika, and inflict heavy losses on Wushan Castle... at worst, I’ll just disappear for a while. I can co back when Barrington takes control of Wushan Territory in the future.’
"Brisot, go and command all of Giant Stone Castle’s Knight Squads! Have them close the castle gates imdiately, set up defensive fortifications, and prepare to hold the castle!"
"I will imdiately write a letter to Amicus and have him mobilize his n to launch a proactive attack on the Noble Alliance Army."
A mad glint shone in Coren’s eyes. "As long as our two forces combine, the Noble Alliance Army will still be caught in our pincer attack!"
"Right!"
Brisot nodded solemnly. He fully agreed with this arrangent.
Their original plan had been to turn traitor at the start of the battle, catching the Noble Alliance Army completely off guard.
Now, the chance to turn traitor was gone, but the advantage of a pincer attack remained. After all, the Noble Alliance Army’s camp was located right between Giant Stone Castle and Chishan Town.
The scales of victory were still tipped in their favor.
As for whether the Polante Thief Gang would actually dispatch their troops?
If this were a normal alliance, Amicus might hesitate, or even try to bargain.
But Coren’s alliance with them was no simple matter; Jesus was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
After receiving the letter, Amicus would not only show no hesitation, but would likely take imdiate action to prevent the plan from failing.
"Co on, let’s have a head-on battle! Even if our losses are heavy, as long as the final victory is ours, it will all be worth it!"
Coren whipped his horse’s flank and galloped toward the ssage Bird Tower.
anwhile, Brisot rode up to the Knight Squad and began directing everyone to fortify the castle.
The walls of Giant Stone Castle were over ten ters high and a full seven to eight ters thick. Ordinary attacks could not easily destroy them.
At the sa ti, the castle held sufficient food and supplies, so they had no worries about provisions.
Brisot believed that with Giant Stone Castle, holding out for a few days would be no problem at all.
And a few days would be more than enough ti for Chishan Town to act.
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