บท 54: The world might want to set itself straight but the NPC has other plans (part 1)

"..."

A lone commander was watching the messenger on a galloping horse return towards the direction of the main force after delivering him an urgent military order.

The armored man took off his helmet, revealing raven-black-hair and a serious face covered with dark stubble as the recent days were too busy to allow him the time to shave.

"You've heard the orders from the higher-ups, boys? Wondalandor has forsaken this city, too, and wants us to retreat and establish the next defense line! You know what it means!"

The man scoffed, leaning back and calling out towards the seemingly empty buildings behind his back.

"It's payday!"

The commander called out, and as if his voice was a signal, the buildings became brimming with life with dozens of low-lives and thugs crawling out like the infestation of insects, swarming the wide main street with their rather unpleasant mugs.

"Loot everything that you can! If it's nailed down, then pry it off. Remember that everything can be turned into money – especially food! Soldiers from other units will pawn off their most precious possessions and add their wives as a bonus for a loaf of bread and a bowl of soup, so don't be lazy! After that, poison the wells and then set it all ablaze! I want our Battllorran guests to have the warmest welcome possible!"

"YEAH!"

The raven-haired commander roared, holding up the red marble, and the abandoned town shook from the unison cheer of the bunch that could be described as bandits even on their most presentable day.

"Captain. It's completed."

As the grand defense force proceeded to scavenge whatever the citizens left behind, the three platoons returned to the city, and their leaders reported to the raven-haired commander.

"Good job. Refill the water reserves before it's too late."

The commander gave out a short nod of approval and motioned towards the city with his chin.

As they moved out, the fourth platoon returned, with every single soldier looking completely exhausted.

"A full corps with five divisions is approaching our location, sir! They are slower than we anticipated but should arrive at our location before dusk!"

"Good job. Refill your water and rest with the others until it's time to depart."

The leader reported while saluting, and the raven-haired man nodded, patting him on the shoulder.

"On your way there, call the leader of the Vulture squad. I want to have a word with him."

"Yes, sir!"

The raven-haired man added, and the platoon leader called out, straightening his back before leaving.

"Yess, Boss?"

A few minutes later, a cleanly shaved man giving off the impression of a snake approached the raven-haired man and asked – even his voice was... slithery...

"Nag, you said you liked gardening before, didn't you? I've heard that the vegetation in this locale is heavily reliant on wildfires. This year's summer has been particularly dry, but we've yet to see it happen. Does your nature-loving heart not ache over all the plants that are yet to germinate?"

The raven-haired man rubbed his chin and asked in a serious voice while looking towards the forest that was in the way of the approaching enemy forces.

"...painfully so, Boss. Am I allowed to help nature take its course...?"

The snake-like man looked over his shoulder, and his already wide mouth with particularly thin lips widened even more in a rather disturbing grin.

"But of course. After all, our oncoming guests are used to an even hotter climate – poor things must be freezing – it will be like killing two birds... no, like roasting two venisons over one flame~."

"Shashasha! Thank you, Boss!"

The raven-haired commander shrugged his shoulders as if the answer was obvious from the beginning, and Nag let out a hiss-like laugh before rushing off back to the ransacked city to get his men.

*SHHHHH*

"..."

As the plan was progressing smoothly under the watchful eyes of the raven-haired commander furrowed his brows as his ears were filled with static – a telltale sign of a communication pellet unleashing its spell and connecting him with someone.

"[MEDEA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU! MARSHAL IS FURIOUS!]"

"..."

Medea frowned and subconsciously leaned to the side as if he wanted to move away from the person shouting into his ear, even though it was impossible as the disembodied voice was resounding directly in his head.

"|Captain Hector, my company is doing its best.|"

The raven-haired man responded to the person on the other end of the spell in a serious voice.

"[At this rate, you will end up being wiped out as the enemy surrounds you! Do you have any idea who you are facing?! Your company stands in the way of the UNDEFEATED FIRST COPRS OF THE THIRD FIELD AMRY OF THE BATTLLORRAN KNDOGOM! Each and every skirmish we had with them ended up in complete defeat; that's why the marshal ordered the retreat and regrouping at the new defense line! Better be half-dead from exhaustion than actually dead! You weren't like this when you were my lieutenant! I swear...! Those savages are said to burn everything in their wake, you know?! You must have received the orders to retreat by now – MOVE OUT!]"

The other man wasn't pleased with either the tone or the actions of the raven-haired man, but the time of the communication spell was running out, so he couldn't convey all of his anger.

"|We will rejoin you after cooking up some soup, don't worry~|"

Medea rolled his eyes, enjoying the fact that the spell didn't transfer any visuals, and hummed as his face lighted up with a friendly smile.

"[S-soup...?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY COOKING SOU...?!]"

Hector stuttered in surprise and raised his voice again, but the spell actually ran out of time and saved Medea from the scolding.

"...haa...."

The raven-haired man breathed out, slightly disappointed – but not surprised – about the lack of insight from the light-brown-haired man and moved on to oversee the process of the operation.

Shortly after noon, the abandoned city and the forest surrounding it from the south were ablaze, unleashing a thick layer of smoke into the sky, partially blocking the sun and casting a shadow over the entire valley.

"To the next checkpoint~"

"!!!"

Medea ordered with a friendly smile that caused his forces to tense up nervously and waved his hand towards the north. The company of soldiers together with the ragtag company of thugs and other low-lives, followed him towards the area that had been scouted ahead and secured just in case.