Chapter 421: Biomass shipment (I)
Vlad took a deep breath, allowing the cool air to fill his lungs as he sought to find a sense of balance. His mind, a storm of conflicting emotions, finally settled into a state of focused determination. He fixed his gaze on the metallic orb hovering above the center of the command tent.
With a cold, measured voice, Vlad spoke. "I understand your reasoning, Overlord, and why it was the pragmatic call when it came to the battlefield. Whether I am fine with it is another matter, and we will handle it once the war is over. However, your decision to forsake the Caraban Country and its people carries all sorts of trouble that will make our future incursion all the more difficult."
Freya, Ouroboros, and the others in the room exchanged glances, initially relieved to see Vlad regain his composure. But as they absorbed the weight of his words, frowns appeared on their faces. The ethical implications of leaving an entire country to the mercy of the Leviathans were grave enough, but now they had to consider the strategic consequences for the war.
No longer just a moral dilemma, the reality dawned on them: all those deaths in Caraban Country meant more biomass for the Leviathans. This would soon translate into a massive army, possibly even larger than the one they had just defeated at Kuro Mountain. The victory had been hard-won—a crushing defeat for the Leviathans—but it had come at a steep cost. Thousands of Turkin riders had fallen, hundreds of Golden Wave Legion soldiers were lost, and dozens of members of the Shadowstrike Legion had perished.
Unlike the Leviathan Race, the Xaos and Turkin Kingdoms could not simply replenish their numbers in a matter of weeks, as every single one of those men and women took months or even years to train.
It was paramount that they carve a path into the Leviathan race’s core before their own numbers diminished so much that they would lack the power to launch an effective incursion.
Breaking the heavy silence, Overlord’s calm and composed voice echoed from the metallic orb. "According to the information gathered by my sensors, the Leviathan forces should have finished with their expedition across Caraban Country less than twelve hours ago and should still be occupied with the biomass gathering. I doubt they will attempt to make their way back by land, as that would mean moving through the Xaos Kingdom and the Turkin Kingdom. Their power is considerable, but they are less than twenty thousand strong. Such a journey would be suicide."
Flashes of understanding sparked in the eyes of Vlad and the generals as they nodded at Overlord’s analysis. The Xaos Kingdom was close enough for their strongest warriors to make it there in less than three days, so it was not a viable path for the hive mind.
Overlord continued, "Their most likely path back would be the same way they reached Caraban Country to begin with—through the air."