Chapter 177

Chapter 177. Bait and Net

Another two days passed.

In the direction of Kigaka Gorge, the four thousand elite cavalry led by Marquess Claire had already arrived.

They were like an iron gate, firmly choking off the vital route of retreat for the Federation army.

Even if a few fish that slipped through the net were lucky enough to pass through the gorge,

on the vast Dragonbreath Plain ahead, Viscount Armand had also arranged roving cavalry and scouts.

It could be said that Storm City’s connection to the outside world had been completely severed, turning it into an isolated island.

The two armies had also exchanged messages through messengers yesterday and had gained a rough understanding of each other’s positions and situation.

Armand had also sent a unit to bring them some grain, which could be considered timely relief for their urgent need.

.........

That afternoon, a sergeant responsible for patrolling and standing guard around the outer perimeter of the camp

walked into Viscount Armand’s central command tent, carrying two thin boys who looked no more than twelve or thirteen, their clothes ragged and torn.

Although the two boys’ hands were tied behind their backs, and their faces were covered in mud,

their eyes were like those of wounded wolf cubs, glaring fiercely at everyone inside the tent with a viciousness and stubbornness far beyond their age.

“Lord Armand,” the sergeant reported after saluting, “we caught these two sneaky little rats at the edge of the forest west of the camp.

“We found no weapons on them, but their mouths are hard. They refuse to say anything. Should we...?”

The sergeant did not finish his words, but his hand made a gesture across his throat. The meaning was obvious.

Armand looked at the two small children and frowned slightly, finding the matter somewhat troublesome.

He was not a softhearted man. He had seen far too much death on the battlefield, but executing two children was ultimately not a pleasant thing.

However, the cruelty of war did not allow for too much meaningless pity.

He was just about to wave his hand and signal the sergeant to deal with these two potential troubles and burdens according to ordinary practice.

Sir Soren, who was seated nearby, revealed obvious reluctance on his face. After hesitating for a moment, he still spoke up to plead for them.

“Armand, they... they are only children.

“Perhaps they are just civilians who lost their way... Why not question them clearly first before...”

Armand interrupted Soren. Although his tone was calm, it carried unquestionable decisiveness.

“Sir Soren, at this age, they are already old enough to pick up weapons and become our enemies.

“More importantly, we do not have extra food and energy to distinguish and guard prisoners.

“Especially burdens like these, who can provide no value and may instead bring risks.”

He no longer hesitated and waved toward the sergeant. “Take them away. Deal with them.”

“Yes!” the sergeant accepted the order, roughly grabbed the two boys, and was about to drag them outside.

Just then, Eli, who had been sitting quietly to the side all this time, suddenly spoke.

“Lord Armand, please wait.”

Armand’s raised hand paused in midair. He turned his head, a trace of displeasure already appearing on his face.

“Viscount Eli, I know you are young, but this is a battlefield. Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself. Do not be softhearted.”

Eli did not directly refute him. Instead, he secretly blinked rapidly at Armand.

When Viscount Armand saw that hint, the displeasure in his heart was instantly replaced by doubt.

After fighting side by side and spending time together over these past days, he knew very well that Eli was by no means indecisive.

On the contrary, Eli acted decisively, and in some respects could even be called cold.

If he was doing this, there was likely a reason.

Armand decided to cooperate for now. He did not speak further and merely signaled with his eyes for Eli to continue.

Eli turned and walked up to the two boys, who were being tightly held by the sergeant and were still glaring furiously.

“My lord, what are you doing? We have no food on us. My lord... mmph, mmph.”

Eli directly pinched the lower half of the boy’s face with one hand.

Without asking another question, he stretched out his other hand and quickly searched for one of the boys with great care.

The boy’s body went stiff, and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes. He struggled desperately, trying to dodge.

When Eli’s hand reached the boy’s trouser leg, his fingertips clearly touched a hard, tube-shaped bulge hidden beneath the coarse cloth.

As expected, it was them. Eli’s heart steadied.

This verified the piece of information he had drawn from the intelligence system two days ago.

A group of united Federation remnants had luckily bypassed the main defense line Marquess Claire had set up at Kigaka Gorge.

Yet at the edge of Dragonbreath Plain, they had happened to run into the Western Frontier army that was clearing out small groups of enemy troops.

This enemy force could not determine the exact size and deployment of the Western Frontier army on the plain, and did not dare act rashly.

Therefore, they planned to send messengers secretly to Storm City to ask Iman for aid, intending to coordinate from inside and outside and destroy, at the lowest possible cost, the Western Frontier army they believed was lying in ambush on the plain.

And these two “little brats” before him were precisely the messengers they had sent.

Just then, the other boy, whose gaze was even more vicious, saw his companion being searched and thought they had been exposed.

In desperation, he actually broke free and swung his fist toward Eli’s face!

“Insolence!”

“How dare you!”

The personal guards and officers inside the tent immediately shouted angrily and stepped forward to stop him.

Eli merely waved a hand, signaling that they did not need to approach.

Naturally, there was no way he could be hurt by a child.

His movements were even faster. Just as that fist was about to reach his face, his right hand clamped accurately around the boy’s wrist like an iron pincer, then gently twisted.

“Ah!” The boy immediately let out a cry of pain, and his body involuntarily twisted in the direction of Eli’s force. The viciousness on his face instantly turned into agony.

Seeing this, the other boy immediately dropped to his knees, his voice carrying sobs as he begged for mercy.

“My lord! Spare us! We really do not know anything. We were just starving and wanted to find something to eat... Please, let us go!”

Eli ignored his pleading and casually threw the boy who had attacked him to the ground.

Then he bent down, leaned close to the sergeant carrying out the order, and whispered beside his ear in a voice only the two of them could hear.

“Find an opportunity to let them escape.”

Afterward, Eli straightened, his voice suddenly turning cold and carrying unquestionable authority.

“You dare attack a noble? Drag them away and punish them according to military law!”

The sergeant froze for a moment, but he immediately understood the true intent from Eli’s gaze and the earlier whisper.

He could not help turning an inquiring look toward Viscount Armand.

Although Armand did not know Eli’s specific plan, out of trust, he nodded slightly to the sergeant. “Do as Viscount Eli says.”

“Yes, my lord!” The sergeant understood and loudly accepted the order.

Then, one in each hand, he roughly dragged the two boys, who were still struggling and crying, out of the tent and toward the forest behind the camp.

After the sergeant left and the tent flap fell again,

Armand finally could not help speaking. The other officers inside the tent also cast doubtful looks toward Eli.

“Eli, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Eli looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, “Lord Armand, gentlemen, those two are not ordinary children.

“They are very likely messengers sent by the Federation army to Storm City to request aid.”

The tent instantly burst into an uproar.

“What? Messengers asking for aid?”

“Viscount Eli, are you confused? For such an important matter, how could they send two children?”

“Stop talking! Whether they are or not, hurry and capture them again! We cannot let them deliver the request for aid!”

An older and experienced sergeant major named Tika stroked his beard and murmured thoughtfully.

“Mm... When I was young, I once dealt with trade caravans from the Western Federation, and I happened to hear something about this.

“Among some ancient noble families in the Cintra Federation, there is indeed a tradition of training twin boys as personal attendants and... cough... for certain private customs.

“It is said that through drug-assisted conditioning, they can become linked mind-to-mind. They are also agile and do not easily draw suspicion.

“If Viscount Eli’s guess is true... then those two little brats are likely not simple at all. They must have received specialized training.”

Viscount Armand looked sharply at Eli. “Eli, are you certain they are messengers asking for aid? What did you notice?”

“I am certain,” Eli said with a firm nod. However, he could not reveal the existence of the intelligence system, so he could only explain as reasonably as possible.

“I did indeed feel a hidden message tube on one of them. It should be used to store a letter.

“Moreover, based on what we already know, Marquess Claire is holding the gorge, and we have also set up a warning line across Dragonbreath Plain.

“That group of remnant enemies may be trapped between us and Marquess Claire, isolated and without support. Asking Storm City for aid would be their most reasonable, and only, option.”

“In any case, I believe we should make preparations early.”

“In that case!” an impatient officer immediately shouted, “why let them escape? We should intercept the request for aid at once, then send troops to hunt down that group of remnants!”

A meaningful smile appeared on Eli’s face. He looked toward Armand and the officers inside the tent.

“Gentlemen, why not think about this from another angle? Is this not an excellent opportunity to consume the strength of Storm City’s defenders?”

The tent fell silent at once. Then the eyes of the officers lit up one after another.

“That is right! If Iman in Storm City truly sends troops out to receive them...”

“A decisive battle in the open field would be far easier than attacking that damned fortress!”

“Lord Armand, if we can truly weaken the forces inside Storm City, we will surely receive Lord Lucius’s rewards!”

However, a cautious officer also raised a concern. “Viscount Eli’s plan is indeed good.

“But we do not know exactly how many remnants there are, nor do we know how many troops Storm City will send to support them.

“If the forces Iman sends far exceed our expectations, or if that group of remnants is different from what we imagine... and our main force has not yet arrived,

“then our detached force may instead fall into encirclement and face an enormous crisis.”

Viscount Armand listened to his subordinates’ discussion, and the excitement on his face gradually settled. This matter did indeed carry risks.

He looked at Eli, his gaze assessing him. “Eli, your plan is bold. But the risks do exist.

“We have fewer than four thousand men, and we still need to split our forces to monitor other directions across the plain. If Storm City empties itself and sends out everything...”

Eli seemed to have already expected this question, and he answered calmly.

“Gentlemen, do not forget that Marquess Claire is not far from us.”

“So, Lord Armand, while the bait we release takes effect, we should immediately request aid from Marquess Claire as well.

“Furthermore, Marquess Claire leads elite cavalry. We can ask him to seize the right moment and swiftly bring his cavalry toward us.

“When that time comes, the net we open will be more than enough to swallow them whole.”