Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 443: Chapter 283: The War Begins

The night is yet to end, snow falls incessantly. The outer walls of New Frost Halberd City resemble a silent giant beast in the wind and snow, cold and gloomy.

Before dawn, Rudolph led an almost ceremonial personal guard to the city gates.

Their armor was unstained by blood, the cavalry formation as precise as an arrow drawn, with not a step out of place.

If not for the fatigue and terror in their eyes, this group would almost seem to be returning in triumph.

Rudolph sat high on horseback, his expression stern.

After retreating from Flame Valley, to ensure a dignified entry into the city, he even used strong liquor to wipe the scorch marks and bloodstains off the armor.

This was not for dignity, but for credibility.

If even his demeanor revealed despair, then no one would believe a single word he said.

Upon arriving at New Frost Halberd City, he dismounted, his cloak billowing in the wind, and said in a deep voice, “Imperial Sixth Army Commander Rudolph urgently reporting on the northern front’s situation, request immediate audience with the Duke.”

The gatekeeper approached, seeing it was Rudolph did not dare to slight, and went to report promptly.

The Duke’s study was located in the west tower of the main castle, perched high on the cliffs.

At this moment, the fire flickered in the room, failing to warm the stone walls steeped in coldness.

Duke Edmund sat alone in front of the fireplace, wearing an unadorned military uniform, starkly contrasting with the wall filled with honors.

The slanted scar running from his cheekbone to jaw, under the firelight, seemed as if still bleeding.

His fingers pressed against the edge of the wine glass, slowly rotating.

On the table before him lay a map of Flame Valley, marked clearly, the ink still fresh.

The adjutant behind him whispered a report, “General Rudolph requests an audience.”

He was silent for a moment, then coldly said, “Let him in.”

Rudolph stood at the door of the study, took off his gloves, and gently shook off the snow atop them.

In just a few steps, he tidied his appearance, adjusted his cloak and breastplate, and pushed the slightly weary look deeper into his eyes.

The door was pushed open by the adjutant, a dry cold wind carrying snow mixed in from the corridor, soon melted by the low hum of firelight from the fireplace.

He stepped into this silent study like a tomb, with measured pace.

“Rudolph greets the Duke.” He performed a military salute that was exceedingly standard, almost like a model stepping out from an Imperial military academy textbook.

Duke Edmund sat upright without moving, only lifted his eyes, and glanced at Rudolph lightly.

His knuckles still rested on the edge of a half-filled silver cup, as if freshly drawn from his thoughts, his gaze holding restrained composure.

“I have received the brief report of Flame Valley’s fall. Is there anything more you need to add, General?”

The voice was not loud, yet it sounded as if striking cold iron, every word knocking into Rudolph’s ears.

Rudolph stood firm, unwavering, as he had anticipated.

He maintained a dignified officer demeanor, reporting, “Northern Barbarian front line exhibits fundamental alteration.

The enemy’s combat structure no longer adheres to traditional barbarian characteristics, tactics system, and resource allocation show high systemization and directionality.

Their vanguard units are equipped with many heavily armored magical beasts, some possessing innate anti-magic structures, almost moving fortresses.

Our army, arranged according to Imperial standard, initially used magic burst suppression and fuel strike, supplemented by knight assault disruption, achieving partial breakthroughs.

Moreover, the enemy possesses a rare death reinforcement mechanism. The more enemies we kill, the more frenzied they become, extremely bizarre.”

Duke Edmund did not interrupt, only slightly focused when hearing “death reinforcement.”

Rudolph continued, “Furthermore, terrain rapidly alters. Enemy vine structures can erode the surface, causing localized collapse, magic field disorder, mobilization delay.

Some soldiers suspected of mental contamination, experiencing hallucinations, mania, even actively leaving the command chain.”

Yet following this, he hesitated slightly: “Thus I judged, unclear enemy situation, distant reinforcements, exhausted forces… If forced to hold, the entire army may be wiped out.

Therefore, decided to preserve core army backbone, withdraw from the front line, to preserve a glimmer of hope for the Northern Territory.”

The study fell into long silence.

The fireplace crackled explosively, startling a shower of sparks.

Rudolph knew every word in this statement treaded on thin ice, even a slight misstep, is a crime of the entire army, a shame of the entire clan.

Edmund still did not move, he merely placed the silver cup in his hand gently on the windowsill, listening quietly.

The firelight reflected on the scar on his face, making the wound from years ago seem like bursting open and bleeding anew.

He had known long ago.

Ever since the spies within Northern Barbarian territory started going missing one after another a month ago, he knew something was wrong.

Those were veterans not new to deep infiltrations, certainly not easily exposed.

Initially, he told himself perhaps it was just transmission delay, perhaps it was a snowstorm issue, perhaps some barbarian integration of counter-intelligence…

But he knew in his heart, that was just self-deception.

True fear does not come from the enemy, but ignorance.

He watched helplessly as the northern line became foreign, yet saw nothing, felt nothing.

Now, the “truth” Rudolph brought… might as well call it a trial of his own self-deception.

Vine erosion of the battlefield, death enhancement of enemy troops, mental pollution of soldiers, total collapse of the Third Legion.

That little bit of surviving hope, finally crumbled just now.

He closed his eyes, for a fleeting moment almost losing strength, recalling five years ago when he could directly deploy thirty thousand knights for a charge against the Barbarian Race.

And now? After plague, rebellion, insect tide…

Those able to fight, are only barely one thousand able to gather.

He need not wait for a total collapse of the Northern Territory, already seeing the future.

This time whether win or lose, the governance power of Northern Territory, the authority of Edmund Family, will irrevocably decline.