"The battle damage has been tallied," Gollon's voice broke the silence.
The veteran's face was still smudged with black ash, and his left arm was wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage, yet his tone was calm, as if reporting a routine hunt.
"Twelve of our best men were lost at the East Branch Road ambush point, seven were severely wounded, and minor injuries are not counted."
He bared his teeth, revealing a cold, bloody smile. "On their side, at least one hundred and fifty are down, and their leader is buried with them. This deal was not a loss."
Gulen nodded, especially considering the disparity in troop quality between the two sides; such a battle record could be described as an "epic victory."
"What about the rescue of the wounded?" Siye immediately pressed, her brows tightly furrowed, her eyes filled with unconcealed worry. "Surtaka, Beno, what is the situation on your end?"
The two witch doctors exchanged glances, and Surtaka's voice was hoarse: "Of the seven severely wounded, two… I'm afraid they won't make it through the night."
"More than thirty with minor injuries have been treated, but they need time to recover. Don't expect them to return to full combat effectiveness in the short term."
Beno added, "Healing potions are almost depleted. We still have plenty of poison, though, enough to distribute to those Frost Howl scoundrels."
Siye was silent for a moment before saying, "Later, send those two to the priests. Share it out; they can still provide that much divine magic."
A sharp glint flashed in Gulen's eyes as he pressed, "Siye, how much longer can the priestly corps hold out?"
Siye took a deep breath: "Divine grace is not limitless. Restorative divine magic requires rest and prayer. If consumed too quickly, it's impossible to squander it as we did last night."
"Understood." Gulen's voice betrayed no emotion, his gaze still sweeping over the map. "Gollon, tell me about the scout reports?"
"They were in disarray for a while this morning, howling quite fiercely." Gollon snorted. "But later reports say they've quieted down.
"There's a lot of movement on the Main Valley Road, like they're gathering."
"No large forces have been seen on the Middle Branch Road and West Branch Road for now, but scout activity has increased significantly, especially in that rocky wasteland to the west, with sneaky probes."
Agri, the person in charge of the East Branch Road trap, pointed to the Main Valley on the map with a rough finger, stating his thoughts.
"They suffered a huge loss and won't split their forces to go down the branch roads again. Even if the Main Valley Road is a tough nut to crack, they should want to tackle it head-on. The second and third lines of defense will be under immense pressure."
Gulen's gaze returned to the crude Gray Tooth Valley topographical map, pointing to the marker representing the Main Valley Road's second line of defense.
"Then adjust the deployment."
"Main Valley Road, second line of defense. Gollon, you take two hundred veterans, plus the priests under Siye, and hold this position firmly!"
"Agri, you are responsible for ensuring that all pre-set defensive works are effective! The goal is only one—maximize casualties!"
"Make the Frost Howl leave enough bodies for every step they advance! Remember, you are not to hold out forever; you are to make the attackers bleed profusely!"
Gulen's finger slid to the third line of defense.
"The third line of defense will be held by the remaining Paladins and the fiercest veterans under Gollon."
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