Chapter 355 - 128: Lifebound Profound Corpse! Success

Chapter 355: Chapter 128: Lifebound Profound Corpse! Success

He didn’t continue.

But everyone understood.

The conference hall fell silent as all eyes turned to Legion Commander Jais.

After a moment of contemplation, Legion Commander Jais finally spoke. "Everyone, let’s drop the suggestion of requesting reinforcements from the Imperial Capital."

He swept his gaze across the room. "Three days ago, His Majesty’s special envoy just left my side. The envoy relayed His Majesty’s exact words: The North Wind Legion commands fifty thousand soldiers and has been stationed in the three southern provinces for over a decade. Every year you ask for reinforcements, every year you ask for grain, yet you’ve allowed the rebels to grow to their current strength. The only reason His Majesty hasn’t dismissed me as Legion Commander is out of consideration for the Valenstein Clan’s generations of loyalty."

He paused, his voice turning grim. "Do you all understand? His Majesty is extremely displeased with our prolonged failure to quell the Blue Scarf rebellion."

For a moment, the entire room was silent.

The men looked at each other, no one daring to be the first to speak.

Finally, the Chief of Staff spoke up, choosing his words carefully. "Everyone, we can’t count on the other main legions. The First Legion is facing off against the Frostwolf Clan’s Beastman Tribes in the Northern Territory. They can’t afford to give an inch."

"The main force of the Third Legion is tied down on the eastern coast, guarding against restless sea pirates and the Free Cities. The Imperial Capital’s Royal Legion are His Majesty’s personal guard; they can’t be deployed easily. As for the various regional garrisons..."

He shook his head, not wasting any more words.

Everyone present knew full well the combat effectiveness of those "pampered soldiers."

They were barely adequate for manning walls and maintaining public order. If you threw them into a meat grinder like Grey Stone Pass to hold the line, half of them would probably rout during the enemy’s first charge.

After a pause, the Chief of Staff continued, "So, the current situation is that we, the North Wind Legion, must coordinate internally to resolve this crisis."

As he spoke, he spread out a troop deployment map and said with a frown, "But the biggest problem is that all our battle groups’ defensive zones are currently under immense pressure."

He pointed to the marker for the Third Battle Group, the "Radiant Battle Group," on the map. "The Third Battle Group is stationed in the plains of the upper Vire River, directly facing the main rebel force from Sardinia. If we pull their troops, the river valley’s defensive line risks collapse."

He then pointed to the Fifth Battle Group, the "Red Flame Battle Group." "The Red Flame Battle Group is garrisoned in the western section of the Red Ridge Mountains. They need to monitor both the Lorraine provincial border and several restless, large Beastman Tribes. They already consolidated three outposts last year. If we pull more men, their border patrol line will be a patrol line in name only."

He went on, pointing to the Seventh, Eighth, and Eleventh Battle Groups...

Each of these markers represented a strained defensive line, a commander stretched thin on troops and resources, and an earnestly worded reply stating an ’inability to currently spare troops to support other warzones.’

As he continued to speak, the atmosphere in the conference hall grew heavier and heavier.

Just then, a middle-aged officer sitting next to the Chief of Staff quietly cleared his throat.

All eyes immediately focused on him.

It was the North Wind Legion’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Desiree Crawford.

He appeared to be around forty-five or forty-six years old, with a gaunt face and a pair of silver-rimmed glasses.

"Legion Commander, Chief of Staff," Desari said, opening a separate file at his side as if carefully choosing his words. "I might have an option... a unit whose troops we could perhaps discuss reassigning."

As he spoke, he pushed the file in his hand to the center of the table.

Written on the cover was:

[Thirteenth Independent Battle Group, Ninth Battle Battalion]

[Garrison: Lakefront Town, Red Ridge Mountains]

[Commander: Lynch Blackwood (Imperial Knight, Tier Two Necromancer)]

Desari cleared his throat. "According to my information, in Lakefront Town, Lynch’s Ninth Battle Battalion currently has five elite companies of regular soldiers, for a total of five hundred men."

"In addition, there’s a well-trained militia musketeer unit with proven combat experience, numbering over eight hundred men."

"Furthermore, while the battalion commander, Lynch Blackwood himself, is officially just a Tier Two Necromancer, he commands an extremely large, high-quality Undead Corps that includes multiple Tier Three and Tier Four elite units. Moreover, the battalion also possesses several military officers and Mages at Tier Three or higher."

He closed the file and summarized calmly, "In less than two years, Lynch’s unit has routed the Blue Scarf Alliance Army, wiped out a Jackal Wolfman Tribe, and lifted the siege of Red Ridge Castle. His combat record is illustrious, and his strength is extraordinary."

Several staff officers exchanged glances.

"Deputy Chief of Staff Desari," someone couldn’t help but say, "this... battalion you speak of, it’s still just a ’battalion.’ A single battalion, no matter how capable, thrown into a battlefield of ten thousand like Grey Stone Pass..."

"No one is asking the Ninth Battle Battalion to hold the Grey Stone Pass defensive line by itself." Desari’s gaze was calm behind his glasses. "But what the Iron Wall Battle Group lacks right now isn’t common soldiers to fill the line. They lack a high-quality mobile force capable of holding critical breakthroughs, as well as High-Tier combat power that can suppress the enemy’s elites."

He turned to the map and pointed his finger to the east of Grey Stone Pass.

"According to Battle Group Commander Leonard’s report, the Blue Scarf forces recently besieging Grey Stone Pass include not only the ’Crimson Cross Order’ but also a newly arrived battle group from the north—the ’Dark Thorn Battle Group.’ Its leader is a Tier Five Ranger nicknamed ’Blackthorn,’ who commands at least five Tier Four core members and an elite assault team of about two hundred men."