Derrick Heller's warhorse kicked up a cloud of dust in front of the lord's manor. As he dismounted, his cloak was still covered with bits of grass kicked up along the way, and sweat trickled down his taut face.
"General! Earl!" He strode into the council chamber, his voice slightly hoarse from rapid breathing, "Windbreak Fortress is likely to be in great turmoil!"
Harrison Abbott was studying a map of the eastern Rocky Mountains, his tactical lever slamming onto the sand table, while Earl Duke abruptly stood up from his chair, his right hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Has Abar returned?" Harrison asked in a deep voice, his gaze quickly sweeping towards the city wall.
"No, it's inside the city." Derrick shook his head and quickly recounted his encounter with the mysterious spellcaster on the road. "The man mentioned that a riot was brewing inside Storm's End."
Harrison's knuckles tapped against the scabbard with a dull thud: "Could it be a remnant of the Bradley family who hasn't been captured yet?"
A cold glint flashed in Count Duke's eyes. "They could also be those orc bastards who are feigning surrender."
Harrison walked toward the city defense map on the wall: "We need to immediately strengthen the defenses of the four city gates, and—" He pointed to the granaries, armories, and other important locations one by one.
Earl Duke suggested: "Send men to monitor the orc settlement area, and kill anyone found acting suspiciously!"
Just as Harrison's finger was tracing several key defensive points on the map, a series of light footsteps came from the corridor.
Prince Yuriko's attendant entered the council chamber carrying a tray. The sheepskin invitations on the tray exuded a strong rose fragrance, which was out of place with the solemn atmosphere in the room.
"His Highness invites all of you to the Peace Dinner tonight," the attendant's voice was sweet as honey. "He has specially invited the best bards of Crystal Radiance to compose a song of reconciliation for the Watchers and the surrendered orcs."
Derrick saw that Earl Duke was staring awkwardly at the invitation on the tray, without making any move.
Harrison accepted the invitation. "Reply to the Prince!" Harrison gently placed the invitation back on the tray. "We will be there on time."
After the attendant left, Derrick couldn't help but say, "General, if the news of the riot is true, now doesn't seem like a good time to hold a banquet."
"To be honest, I really hope this news is true." Harrison suddenly sneered. "It would be easier to deal with those bad elements if they all came out at once, rather than continuing to hide."
...
As evening fell, just as Harrison and his party rounded the yew hedge in the castle garden, a blinding red light suddenly tore through the night sky.
The signal flare exploded in the east of the city, turning the entire street blood red. Immediately afterwards, a second and a third flare were launched in succession—the agreed-upon emergency military alert.
"It's the orcs!" Count Duke's sword was already drawn, gleaming coldly in the afterglow of the signal flare. "I knew it, these bastards weren't surrendering sincerely!"
"Proceed according to plan." Harrison mounted his horse, then looked back at the brightly lit banquet hall. Through the stained-glass windows, he could see that there were already quite a few figures inside.
Count Duke also glanced one last time at the banquet hall entrance. They had deliberately arrived late, and Yulga and the other orc generals should already be inside.
The old knight sneered, "I hope our prince won't be choked by reconciliation tonight."
Derrick raised his sword and ordered the cavalry behind him: "Seal off all the nearby streets!"
Next, he stepped into the banquet hall on the second floor. The candlelight cast swaying shadows on his cold face. Music and laughter filled the air. Prince Yuriko was leaning back in his gilded chair, raising his glass and chatting with his orc subordinates.
Derrick strode to the prince's side, bowed slightly, and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Highness, there is urgent military intelligence that requires your review."
Yuriko turned his head, his eyes blurry with drunkenness, and recognized the man before him as a cavalry commander of the Northwest Army.
"Now? Can't you see I'm hosting a banquet?" He waved his hand, signaling the servants to refill his wine. "Whatever it is, we can talk about it after the banquet."
"This is of great importance, Your Highness," Derrick emphasized. "General Harrison and Earl Duke are waiting downstairs."
Yuriko frowned and reluctantly pushed away his wine glass. He swayed as he stood up, his cloak nearly knocking over the silver candlesticks. "It better be something really important... Why don't the two of them come up and say so?"
Derrick stepped aside to make way, waiting for Yurico's figure to disappear.
But as soon as the prince stepped onto the stairs, the half-closed door of the banquet hall on the second floor was smashed open, and fully armed Austrian soldiers poured in like an iron torrent, their gun barrels gleaming coldly in the candlelight.
"Are you all crazy?!" Yuriko rushed back, staggering as he grabbed the railing. Were these soldiers trying to rebel?!
Derrick ignored the prince's roar and swept his cold gaze across the banquet hall.
"The orcs in the city have launched a riot!" Derrick's voice was icy. "Unfortunately, we don't have time to determine whether anyone here is involved in the riot."
The hall had two rows of long tables, one row for humans and the other for orcs, which made it easier for the soldiers to aim.
The human nobles and servants present realized that something big was happening and ran in terror toward the wall, fearing that they would be affected.
Suddenly, the orc leader Kajak, who was at the banquet, sprang up and forcefully tore open the velvet tablecloth, sending shards of porcelain and silver flying everywhere.
"Cowards!" he roared, throwing his knife. "This is human glory—"
"Fire!" Dalek ordered.
The deafening volley of bullets drowned out the orc's roar. Kajak's chest was instantly ripped open by lead bullets, and his foul-smelling blood splattered onto the portrait on the wall.
He stumbled and crashed into the stained glass window, and amidst the crackling sound of shattering glass, he saw the other orcs fall like stalks of wheat.
Yuriko slumped to the ground, his teeth chattering.
"Clearance complete! A total of forty-eight orcs, not one escaped!" An officer kicked aside the orc corpses blocking his way and reported to Dalek.
Derrick looked out the window; the firelight in the East End had already cast a long shadow of the clock tower.
"Escort His Highness to safety, then we'll go help General Harrison and General Duke."
The night sky in the eastern district was lit up red by torches and cannon fire. On the narrow streets, orc thugs brandished makeshift iron bars and axes, smashing shop doors and setting fire to piles of goods.
However, lacking high-ranking commanders, they fought like headless flies, and the Austrian army's response was far more timely than they had imagined.
Artillery blocked the streets, and rows of soldiers with muskets met them. After rows of dazzling lights, the rioters fell one after another.
In just four hours, the riot was nearing its end, with the remaining rioters attempting to break through the city gates to escape, but none of them managed to get away.