The Lord Of Blood Hill

Chapter 600: Borrowing Troops

"You want to borrow troops from me?"Henwell looks suspiciously at the dust-covered Obilian. After thinking for a moment, he seems to understand something. "This was your father's idea, wasn't it?"

Obilian raises an eyebrow. "What? It could not have been my own decision?"

Henwell gives a cold laugh. "If you had that kind of boldness, you would probably be sitting on the throne right now. How could you have let your elder brother force you into the southeast corner?"

After that retort lands, Obilian stops arguing.

Henwell continues, "The terms are acceptable to me, so I can send troops."

"But I want to know who exactly will sign over the legal right to rule these two areas. You, or your father?"

Obilian frowns. "Is there a difference? Both Father and I can sign."

Henwell shakes his head. "Of course there is a difference. If your father signs, what happens if you become king afterward and refuse to honor it?"

"If you sign, can you truly become king? Or are you going to hand me another empty promise and then ask me to support you in seizing the throne?"

Obilian asks, "Then what do you propose?"

Henwell snaps his fingers. "Easy. Sign it in the name of the Jorkson family. No matter which one of you becomes king, this agreement will have to be honored."

Obilian immediately objects. "No. It can only be signed in my name or my father's name!"

What a joke.

Directly ceding territory is an enormous stain.

Coming to Henwell to borrow troops can only be done in an individual's name. Even the king's name is acceptable, but the family's name is not.

The whole point is to sacrifice one piece to protect the real commander. If the agreement is signed in the family's name, it will still destroy the Jorkson family's governing foundation.

Just as Obilian thinks the matter is about to collapse, Henwell suddenly changes direction. "However, in view of our cooperative relationship, I can reluctantly give you looser terms."

"I will not insist that it must be signed in the name of the Jorkson family."

"But I need both father and son to sign it. Both of your names must appear on the document."

"This way, no matter which one of you becomes king, neither of you can deny the validity of the agreement."

Seeing that Henwell has already made a concession, Obilian says he will immediately coordinate the matter.

After Obilian leaves, Henwell asks Chick beside him, "Do you think he understood the meaning in my words?"

Chick smiles. "Whether he understood or not, we have already reminded him. As for what happens afterward, that depends on his fate."

Henwell does not continue this topic. Instead, he immediately convenes a military meeting.

It is afternoon, and every senior commander in Peace Haven's southern region are present.

Dalton, Henwell's captain of the guard, distributes the operation plan to every senior officer.

After everyone reads the plan, Henwell gestures for them to come to the huge sand table in the middle of the battle command hall.

This is a detailed sand table drawn according to the terrain of the entire eastern Lumir theater.

Henwell points at the southern area. "This time, we will send only two legions. One is the First Cavalry Legion, and the other is an infantry legion."

As soon as he finishes speaking, the commanders of five infantry legions speak up one after another, all expressing willingness to join the expedition.

Henwell waves his hand. "Listen to me first. This time, although we are sending troops, we are not going there to fight a war."

"We are only playing a role in strategic deterrence. If we are lucky, this will merely be an armed parade."

"This is not our war. Lumir's army is the one that should be risking its life."

"If you want a fight, then I advise you not to expect a chance this time."

At this moment, Ayla, commander of the First Legion, steps forward. "My lord, will you personally make this trip?"

Henwell shakes his head. "I will not go. If I go with them, the nature of the matter changes."

Ayla nods lightly. "Then my lord, I cannot go either. I need to keep the First Legion on the western side of the southern region."

"We must prevent Lumir from colluding with Ika again and doing something unwise out of desperation."

"Orus's Second Garrison Legion also cannot move. He needs to hold the passage between us and Peace Haven's western region."

"Gevana's Second Legion also cannot move. He has to hold the southeast corner and prevent Ogiro from attacking here."

"Then the only remaining choices are Moktor's Second Mixed Legion and the Death Herald Legion."

"The Second Mixed Legion often cooperates with several legions and has enough coordination with them, so it should remain near Rainze City, ready to support three directions at any time."

"Therefore, my personal suggestion is to let Berkner's Death Herald Legion take this mission."

Henwell glances at the visibly excited Berkner. "I still need to remind you that the infantry's main mission this time is to escort the supply convoy all the way south to Saltwater Town."

"You also know that Browning's side lacks everything. This may be our final large-scale support for them in the next several years."

"There are more than a hundred thousand lives there. You need to understand your purpose and your responsibility."

Berkner stands straight and salutes. "My lord, I understand. The Death Herald Legion will not fail."

Henwell nods lightly. "Good. Then arrange it according to Ayla's suggestion."

"All legions immediately enter alert and pre-combat status. Cancel leave and rotations. Everyone remains on standby."

"Notify Peace Haven to immediately form a sufficiently large supply convoy."

"The First Cavalry Legion and the Death Herald Legion will begin war mobilization. One month from now, they move south."

"Codename: Awakening of Insects!"

Everyone stands straight and salutes, then immediately returns to mobilize their legions.

Peace Haven moves far too quickly. Ogiro is still immersed in the joy of its great victory, and the nobles of Diversion Bay are still imagining how they will divide Lumir.

One month later, Lumir suddenly releases news that it is ceding Tatan City and Saltwater Town to Peace Haven.

Nominally, this is in exchange for the four Lumir legions that previously surrendered to Peace Haven's southern region.

Although it attracts the attention of every side, they all believe Henwell is taking advantage of Lumir's severe losses in the Pre-Winter Campaign and its shortage of troops to extort Lumir.

But immediately afterward, the new battle report two days later makes everyone jump in shock.

Damn it!

How has Lumir joined hands with Peace Haven?

When did these two sides collude with each other?

Just four days earlier, the four full-strength Lumir legions in Peace Haven's southern region did not head to the front line, where the decline was already clear.

Instead, they moved directly south from Peace Haven's southern region. Under Clifford's supervision and command, the four legions caught Ogiro completely off guard.

Over four days, several battles of various sizes break out.

One legion on Ogiro's side is almost completely annihilated, two more suffer heavy losses, and another is defeated and forced to withdraw.

The fighting strength displayed by Clifford's four legions is not what shocks everyone the most.

What truly shocks every side is that Peace Haven's First Cavalry Legion and the Death Herald Legion also follow Clifford south.