"Ah?" The old priest was stunned. "But you just said..."
"It is precisely because they have activities that it shows they value it! It is precisely because they don't have a camp that it shows they want to fight a mobile war and don't want to be trapped inside by us!"
Hamur interrupted him, his tone brooking no argument. "The Main Valley Road might be a tough nut to crack; crashing into it would incur too great a loss. The West Branch Road and the middle section have unclear terrain and uncontrollable risks."
He scanned the crowd, speaking decisively:
"The main force will assault the East Branch Road! Tear open their patrol net and thrust straight in!"
"Send a hundred-man squad with war drums and horns to feign an attack on the first defensive line of the Main Valley Road."
"There's no need to fight to the death; just create a commotion, attract their attention, and tie down the defenders of the latter two defensive lines!"
"And send two teams of capable scouts to thoroughly investigate the situation in the middle section and the West Branch Road for me!"
"Especially what is hidden behind those fortifications on the West Branch Road! If you find anything, report back immediately!"
"Before dawn, I want to be standing at the exit of the East Branch Road!"
Once the command was given, the war machine rumbled into motion.
Two hundred Frost Howl warriors quickly assembled, using the cover of night to advance in multiple routes towards the East Branch Road.
Each small squad was led by an officer and accompanied by at least one priest.
At this moment, the night was as thick as ink, with only a few wisps of faint green aurora flickering in the sky.
The damp, cold night wind of early summer swept through the forest, and muddy puddles from melted snow accumulated in the depressions of the mountain path, reflecting the faint light.
Frost Howl's vanguard was stealthily moving along the narrow mountain path.
The mountain path, wide enough for only five people abreast, wound along the terrain, high on the left and low on the right, making it extremely treacherous.
The warriors moved swiftly, their formation tight.
They did not light torches but moved through the darkness relying on their innate night vision, like silently thrust daggers.
As Frost Howl's elite light infantry, they specialized in clearing flanks, rooting out ambushes, and seizing high ground.
There were no war songs or drum calls, only the sound of the wind and the rustle of footsteps on gravel.
"No abnormalities ahead." A scout knelt, his voice extremely low. "The mountain path is clear; no signs of deployment in the woods on either side."
The accompanying priest lightly touched the bone charm at his waist, a brownish-yellow glow flashing briefly: "No magical traps or large pits detected."
The squad leader nodded slightly, making a crisp forward gesture with his hand.
"Disperse."
The several captains who followed immediately took their orders, leading their respective squads to quickly spread out, silently merging into the dense forest and rugged mountain path like shadows, continuing their stealthy advance.
Not far above them, in the shadows of the slope, Gulen slowly straightened up.
"Stay low, don't show your heads." His voice was steady, not loud, but clear enough for the Paladins beside him to hear clearly.
He himself was not a Paladin and had no divine power, but Skala's trust was the trust of the Paladins and priests accompanying the army.
He crouched low, his gaze like a hawk, locked onto the mountain path below.
Frost Howl's column was passing through an area he had meticulously calculated—a perfect killing pocket.
"Let them get twenty more paces closer." Gulen's voice was almost a whisper.
The surrounding Paladins nodded silently, their breathing steady.
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