Although their presence was suffocating, they looked at Tommy with cold sweat running down their backs.

The Red Ghost gingerly lifted Relestia and brought her back to his side, which he then promptly returns her into the middle of the Crystal Valve. In their mobile training ground, there will be plenty of energy to power the seal.

When Tommy returned from the crystal globe, he discovered the ten SSS Rankers had dipped their knee and faced him.

Hall Master & the Ghosts: “The Dark Hall recognises the Snowdrifts and Lord Kairos’ authority as guardian. We shall protect the Crown Princess and restore her to her rightful place.”

“Splendid,” Tommy smiled, “Now, it’s time to visit the palace for my medal, and then I need to get back to the frontlines quickly.

Say, what excuse have you lot thought up about this ‘emergency’?”

It would do poorly if the Dark Hall’s urgency in recalling Tommy caused the Devilheart family to be cautious.

Hall Master: “Don’t worry, we have prepared a suitable reason for this. Purple, did the Devilheart family send anyone to invite Tommy back?”

Purple: “They sent Earl Biyo.”

“Hmm, that willy fox? And how did you reply?”

“I said… Hur Hur!”

Tommy: “…..”

Hall Master: “Then, things will work out.”

Tommy pinched the top of his nose bridge in dismay. Honestly, this level of intellectual guesswork isn’t to his liking.

He isn’t slow witted, but simply prefers a more straightforward take on life.

No doubt, if Kairos is here, he would’ve already understood what they are talking about.

The Hall Master seeing him getting increasingly irritable quickly explained, “While the Dark Hall had been working in line with the directions of the Devilheart family, we are definitely not of the same faction.

A little strife between the Dark Hall and the Devilheart family for troops are more believable. Moreover, Lord Tommy, you are also part of the Dark Hall on the official papers.”

Tommy: “I see, you wish to snatch the control over the Frosthral forces from the Devilheart family?”

“Indeed,” the Hall Master nodded.

…..

“Given the time, Tommy should be on the way to the Palace. It should be a couple of days before he can return to the frontlines,” Kairos commented.

“Will it be dangerous?” Edward asked. The Devilheart family will do what they can to take over command of the Frosthral army that was subdued. According to their past practices, even if they throw Tommy into the torture chambers, it wouldn’t be too surprising.

“It should be alright. Otherwise, we can just re-enact what happened to Jones at Silent Lambs empire,” Alan suggested causing the three others to roll their eyes.

“Looks like our swearing ceremony will be delayed,” Jim sighed.

“Swearing ceremony? Like a ritual to shout out vulgarities?” Alan asked with eyes sparkling.

“I meant the ritual to make us actual sworn brothers, but yep, I prefer what you suggested,” Jim said.

Kairos and Edward: “…..”

…..

While waiting for Tommy’s return, Esley had a meeting with the leaders of Snowdrifts.

In a war tent, the two groups faced each other over a large table. All who had some sort of rank or authority were present.

Many veteran generals stood behind Esley silently, waiting for their leader to start questioning the Snowdrifts’ actions on the frontlines as well as confirm the status of the newly defected barbarians.

However, the discussion of the two sides strictly stuck to their next battle plans. The independent action led by Kairos before was completely ignored.

“This will be a hard fight. The battlefield will be in absolute advantage for our foes,” Esley said.

Kairos nodded, he had seen the layout before and felt it is a terrible arrangement to siege.

“The camp is right atop a three-faced steep cliff with a single heavily defended path up from the back.

They built walls around the way up, with a large gate closing it off and forcing our troops to navigate around the sides, allowing their archers to pick us off.”

“Couldn’t we come from the far side and directly strike them at their gates?” Sasha asked.

The four captains and quite a few others did not see the detailed map of the place they are going to attack before.

Esley manipulated some strange symbols at the side of the table and suddenly a picture appeared.

Esley pointed on the map, “Unfortunately, those Frosthral scoundrels created the largest moat on Gaia by connecting two rivers. It surrounds the gate in a semi-circle like a horseshoe. To attack the gates directly, the soldiers must cross the fast waters, unless they can fly.”

The group secretly peeked at George when they saw the landscape. The layout looked oddly familiar.

Most strongholds has their gates next to the moat, allowing a drawbridge to allow access in and out of the place.

However, ‘George’s design’ back during their mock battlefield examination had a small bank allowing the enemy to gather.

George Kitty, blushing slightly, professed, “I copied their design. It is after all the only impenetrable defensive bastion and strategically sound.

By having a moat around the walls while good, it will only allow the enemy to fill up the waters and bring in siege hammers and other large instruments. However, if we allow a small piece of land between the walls and the moat, the potential will then become unlimited.

It is famously known as an impenetrable fort for good reason.

We can dig the ground and set traps all around, and our own troops can also utilise it as a combat platform that allows quick evacuation into the stronghold.

The space is also sorely limited which prevents the enemy from gathering enough troops to break the gates. Half of a good size army will be stuck in the waters or forced to spread thin around the walls and easily picked off.

And, if they choose to fill up the moat, they have to manually do so from the other bank while suffering from our projectiles.”

An old Martial General from Esley’s side immediately spotted the error in George’s statement and interjected, “For the enemy to fill up a moat, is there a difference if there is ‘The Killing Ground’ in between the walls and the waters?”

Esley stared at the Martial General and rolled his eyes, then turned back to the younglings and apologised briefly.

He wasn’t offended that his subordinate spoke during a war meeting. To inject ideas and listen to different opinions is important to form a sound battle plan.

He apologised because he felt humiliated by his subordinate’s inability, “Please excuse this general of mine, he isn’t experienced in sieges.”

The Martial General’s rough face turned bright pink and he looked around. It seemed like no other Martial Generals and Great Martial Generals had his doubts.

Kairos smiled and waved his hand slightly, “If we truly compare, my men are far more inexperienced. For their sake, I’ll explain.”

His timely words helped resolve the awkward situation and the Martial General shot the young earl a look of gratitude.

Kairos said, “A moat isn’t filled up by piling earth over the water, but by corpses. Soldiers that charge at the gates will be hindered by the water, drowned or shot. Even fast waters will not carry the dead far and still quickly create a bridge of deceased remains in a siege.

However, by putting the moat a short distance away from the walls, the main use of the moat would turn from reducing enemy numbers into maximising hindrances for them.

They will need far more work to remove this obstacle.

Instead of sending soldiers to their deaths and fill up the moats, they will need to bring things over, like large pockets of soil, to fill it up. As they throw stuff into the water, they are vulnerable to relentless attacks.”

Of course, dying on the opposite banks means that others could kick their bodies down into the moat and fill it up, but that action of kicking could also get one killed. It means that on both sides of the man-made water body, there will be lots of corpses, but the moat will obstinately remain.

In case it is another bad question, someone quietly asked, “Couldn’t the enemy leaders just force their soldiers to suicide at the moat or use Time-space rings to carry the soil?”

Fortunately, the person was wise enough to hide his presence, because the next moment Esley shouted, “Who asked that, let me knock you out. I promise you won’t die.”

The culprit was never found out, whatever technique he used to prevent his identity from being leaked had succeeded.

Esley sighed deeply then said, “Which moron will send their soldiers to kill themselves and create a bridge? Before the order leave this tent, he will be beaten shitless.

Even if all of us become brain-dead and issue such a command, no sane being will comply willingly. The army’s morale will be over, and the war is lost before it begun.

And, do you think Time-space rings are cabbages sold cheaply at every marketplace?”

As the Martial King controlling the frontlines, he sometimes had to deal with ridiculous notions from his subordinates; some are so stupid that he fear his intelligence may pummel.

At least, no one asked why the bodies of the dead couldn’t be thrown into the moat to form a pathway.

“What about collecting the corpses and using them? At least Time-space rings and digging dirt will be avoided…”

A flying table coincidentally crashed into the Martial General that wasn’t so experienced with sieges and moats. His hands are cupped around his mouth, and he looked as if he was in the midst of uttering something.

A series of applause came from the Snowdrifts’ sides.

The young leaders, Edward, Jim, Alan, and Kairos showed their appreciation.

As if taking a cue, the rest followed.

As the general crawled back into the war tent, he heard Kairos, the famed leader of the Snowdrifts and also a brilliant strategist, explain, “We can largely ignore the moat and the walls by directly attack the cliff face. I have a special method to bring the battle right to their camp.”

…..

A hurried figure left the temporarily raised camping grounds.

It fled in the direction of the Ku Kang Camp.

If one watches closely, one will observe that this person is covered in soot and charred from top to bottom as though he was overly roasted on an open flame.

In his hands is a small crystal shard, a commonly used object to carry visual and audio recordings.

The Visual Orb was the invention of the millennium that could display pictures or scenes that is recorded live or replayed from the past. It was quickly upgraded with water runes to equip it with audio effects, but its name remained the same.

Recently, there are countless parties interested to research the VO and they created all kinds of inventions to supplement its usage, including tiny data shards that could record different happenings.

The shard which this man held is a militarised version that is very difficult to detect but provides long-recording periods and high-quality image and sound.

…..

Esley Restrio looked stoically at Kairos Astroire, his expression clearly asking if it is alright to let that spy leave.

A gentle smile appeared on the young earl’s face and an assuring nod followed.

The news of their attack plans will reach the Ku Kang commanders, just in time for Tommy to return and start their march.