Chapter 256 : Night Without Light
Late night, at the royal palace.
Although everyone had extracted the Exotic Decay fragments from the giant stones, the core problem still remained unsolved.
The demon army was still besieging the royal capital Insolania... Those catapults were still standing, and according to the intelligence provided by Shiman, the demons currently had quite a few Exotic Decay stones in reserve.
So everyone gathered in the meeting room to discuss the next countermeasures.
...
"Everyone, according to the latest statistical report, 30% of the districts in Insolania have been lightly corroded, and the latest Black Scale Disease cases number 6,384. If this continues, all the people in the entire city might be affected."
General Guyanis sighed and spread the organized report in her hands on the table.
The situation was very tense, and after pondering for a moment, Princess Sethilu said somewhat bitterly:
"Let's evacuate the elderly and children to the underground commercial street first. If it really doesn't work, I'll use teleportation abilities with the Sword and Shield Guards to launch a surprise attack and try to destroy those Exotic Decay fragments of the demons."
"Princess Sethilu, absolutely not!"
Hearing that Sethilu wanted to take risks, General Guyanis quickly shook her head: "Princess Sethilu, you haven't recovered from your serious injuries yet. If you rashly use teleportation arrays, you'll definitely be surrounded and captured by those demons."
"But..."
"Moreover, if you're captured, then Lonis won't be able to disguise as Your Highness the Princess to command the battle, and everyone's morale will collapse."
What General Guyanis said was exactly the situation everyone faced... Sethilu was a trump card for the girls, but if she didn't achieve a decisive effect, the entire war situation would be a complete loss.
...
"Princess Sethilu, Representative Princess Lonis, and Predecessor Elucia. Tomorrow, let me lead the elite Sword and Shield Guards out of the city for a surprise attack. If we concentrate all our elite forces, we should be able to destroy those catapults of the demons."
The purple-haired female general's pupils contracted, seeming to have made up her mind for a desperate fight.
However...
Elucia just shook her head and said: "General Guyanis, your approach is only the worst strategy. Since the demons chose this method of siege, their purpose is to force us out of the city for a decisive battle."
"What!"
"They must have prepared long ago. Going out to fight now, our probability of victory is less than 10%."
"Predecessor Elucia, I know what you're saying, but if we don't do this, the people in the city will continue to suffer. Currently, the hospital's capacity is almost saturated. If more people are affected by corrosive power, large-scale civilian deaths might occur. Moreover, the demons will soon run out of food. Even if we fail, it doesn't matter as long as we destroy the catapults."
...
Currently, the only means by which demons could threaten the city interior was catapults... As long as these things were destroyed, the demons would be helpless against the city.
However...
"Mm, General Guyanis, I know your thinking. But if the elite Sword and Shield Guards are annihilated outside the city, then the city will also be difficult to defend. People's morale will become extremely low... Because the demons' food shortage is just a deception."
"Wh-what?!"
"Currently, the demons' food shortage is the Demon Leader Mivira deceiving ordinary demons and us. They use this method to force ordinary demons to fight desperately, and also give us the illusion that we can win as long as we hold out through this period."
"..."
"General Caster's strategies have always been this vicious: just when we think we're victorious, we face an even more surging demon army. There's nothing more despairing in the world than this."
"Wuu..."
Elucia's words made everyone feel cold in their hearts, and at this moment, Lonis also experienced the kind of despair Elucia had once felt.
Dead ends set by enemies from all directions, no matter how much you struggle, it's all useless. You can only be oppressed bit by bit by the enemy until...
Realizing this, Princess Sethilu suddenly clenched her fist and asked seriously:
"Then Predecessor Elucia, what should we do... I'm unwilling to sit and wait for death. Even if there's only a thread of hope, I want to fight for it as much as possible."
"Princess Sethilu, your wounds have mostly healed, haven't they?"
"Mm... yes."
"Then I have a plan that requires your cooperation. However... this is an absolute secret that cannot be leaked."
Elucia shook her head and said with a grave expression.
Thus, during the following 2 days, the royal capital's garrison chose to stay behind closed doors and continue holding fast.
The demon army outside the royal capital also chose to use stone-throwing methods to continuously apply pressure on the city.
Although everyone had gained defensive experience and wouldn't be caught off guard like the first night.
But during those nights that should have been quiet, people couldn't get a good night's sleep at all. Because you didn't know if the next second, a corroded giant stone would fall downstairs from your home.
And as General Guyanis had predicted, the medical facilities within the royal capital were nearly saturated.
Many Black Scale Disease patients couldn't receive treatment at all and could only hide at home for self-treatment.
An indescribable atmosphere permeated the city. Although no demons had attacked the city interior yet, everyone's faces were filled with gravity, and smiles could no longer be seen.
...
But on the other side...
Inside the demon coalition's main tent, a cheerful atmosphere pervaded.
"Haha, Lord Mivira, your strategy is really impressive! Under your brave command, our army has been invincible, beating those foolish humans into retreat."
The speaker was a beastman nearly three meters tall.
His bronze-colored skin looked strong and powerful, simply synonymous with muscle and strength.
"Haha, you flatter me. I'm just responsible for providing support to everyone. Those who truly achieved results are you beastmen!"
The respondent was an old man dressed in black clothes. He looked aged, but his skin was still terrifyingly pale.
"Haha!"
The beastman general seemed to enjoy this praise greatly and laughed heartily: "You know we beastmen are invincible, but... if those humans continue to turtle up and not come out, what should we do? Isn't food already running low..."
"No need to worry. Those humans are already at the end of their rope and will soon be unable to hold out and come out to fight us decisively."
"Ah?"
"Moreover, the second batch of Exotic Decay fragments is already in position. You and your troops can get as much supply as you want... And after success, human females will be handed over to you for violation first."
"Excellent, excellent!!!"
The beastman seemed to have received the promised reward and appeared even happier.
But he didn't know...
Mivira's eyes revealed a kind of contempt, like mocking an idiot.
...
Indeed, a bunch of brainless guys.
Human females... how could they possibly let you beastmen defile them all?
Of course they should be offered to the great Lord Demon.
As for you beastmen...
Under Lord Demon's mighty power, you'll be buried here together with those foolish fellows.
Hahaha, hahaha!