"Enough!"
McCarthy slammed the table.
"What time is it now? Still arguing here! Acatus, canât you stop provoking him? Yohad, you too, say less. If that guy Urbis finds out weâre arguing here, heâd laugh at us to death!"
The words of this Holy Demon Master held weight, and even though Yohad and Acatus were at odds, they ultimately stopped their argument after a few exchanges.
"Our current situation is very unfavorable. The beastmen have emerged with new Ninth Rank warriors, and their number is unknown, which will be a huge trouble for us."
Once McCarthy saw that the scene had quieted down, he spoke:
"Moreover, everyone should know that our real threat has never been Urbis, but those creatures from above. If we canât even handle a beastman, how can we resist the descent of the True God?"
"I assume everyone saw yesterdayâs battle report. The Beast Race now has the Rock Demon Clan on their side, which will give them a significant advantage in the upcoming siege battles."
"Everyone understands what kind of creatures the Rock Demon Clan is. If we continue guarding the city gates, whether we win or lose, the blow to us will be tremendous."
"Therefore, I have decided to compress the battlefield, relocating the decisive battle to the Northern Wind Prairie to minimize the damage caused by the Rock Demonsâ surprise attacks."
After he finished speaking, everyone fell into contemplation.
"Indeed, the Rock Demons may not have brains, but their burrowing skills are indeed formidable. If we set the battlefield in Kuhan City, regardless of win or lose, this city is likely doomed."
Acatus rarely agreed with McCarthyâs viewpoint.
Yohad drank his wine angrily and asked:
"Canât the Elf Clanâs magic prevent them from burrowing? I heard your Nature magic can restrain the Rock Demons?"
Regina furrowed her beautiful brow and shook her head:
"No, although the Elf Clanâs magic can restrain them, it canât locate the Rock Demons underground beforehand. Once they surface, they can cause massive destruction within moments..."
"Damn... If we have the decisive battle at the Northern Wind Prairie, canât the Rock Demons just directly invade Kuhan City?"
"Yohad, donât worry. The Elf Clan has a large nature barrier, and once itâs erected, the Rock Demons canât infiltrate. But it can be easily destroyed by the beastmenâs army, so we must set the battlefield outside the barrier to prevent unnecessary consumption."
"..."
Zhang Xiaoman listened quietly to their strategic discussions without interjecting.
He wasnât adept at warfare nor familiar with this worldâs military system, let alone point fingers during such high-level discussions.
Everyone present was an expert in these matters; they certainly didnât need him to be redundant.
Yohad, despite being a Ninth Rank Combat Master, is also the Dwarf Kingdomâs King, who led the Dwarves to overthrow the Underground Horror Demonâs rule and gained freedom as the War King.
Regina and Acatus are leaders of the Elf Clan.
One is the Elf Queen, the other is the head of the Elf Druid faction, each with extensive experience in warfare.
Even McCarthy is an ancient monster over three hundred years old, and as a local native, he is exceedingly familiar with cold weapon warfare in this magical world.
Thus, Zhang Xiaoman adhered to the principle of silence being golden and said little, merely listening intently to their strategic planning.
In the end, they decided to advance the battlefield, aiming to set the decisive battle at the entrance to the Northern Wind Prairie.
It is a relatively open plain area, surrounded by mountain ranges, which can be used strategically for surprise attacks.
Since the walls of Kuhan City are no match for the Rock Demons, itâs better to extend the battle line outside to avoid damage within the territory.
However, the beastmenâs army is currently stationed merely five kilometers outside the city, making it quite difficult to push them back to the entrance of the Northern Wind Plain.
Fortunately, with five Holy Rank warriors present, challenges that might be difficult for others may not be unachievable for Kuhan City.
"If you all want to build defenses, maybe I can assist a bit, at least summon a barrier or something; I can manage that."
Zhang Xiaoman spoke up, realizing he could contribute, without holding back.
After all, considering the Divine Presence Festival or planning for the long-term secrets associated with McCarthyâs immortality.
Not to mention from a racial standpoint, Zhang Xiaoman had no reason to side with the beastmen.
Having chosen the Unshacklersâ side, he wouldnât just sit back without contributing anything.
His words surprised those present, and Yohad was the first to inquire:
"Ji Xing, arenât you a Light Mage? How come you also know Earth Magic?"
The others too showed puzzled expressions.
Unlike ordinary Elemental Mages, Light Mages typically require devout faith, and thus usually cannot learn other magic branches, but Ji Xing seems to be an exception.
Zhang Xiaoman didnât elaborate much, merely smiled and said:
"You misunderstand, I just happen to know a bit of Light magic..."
Everyone nodded knowingly, though they didnât really understand, unaware of the intricacies of either Light or Elemental Magic.
"Since Ji Xing has this ability, it would be beneficial to use it adequately before the battle begins to reduce casualties."
McCarthy agreed.
However, from his tone and expression, it appeared that he didnât take Zhang Xiaomanâs Earth Magic seriously.
A mere earth wall, even if taller or thicker, what change could it make?
As sturdy as the "Imperial Gate" of Kuhan City was easily destroyed by the Rock Demons, in such warfare, these earth walls really hold little significance.
"Uh... Alright..."
Zhang Xiaoman knew they didnât take it seriously, but he paused and refrained from further explanation.
Eventually, theyâll realize once he demonstrates it; it wonât just be a mere "earth wall."
This battle preparatory meeting was nearly over.
Subsequently, they arranged several strategic plans targeting the Beast Raceâs Holy Rank warriors, and only disbanded by the afternoon.
The beastmenâs forces remained stationed five kilometers away without advancing, keeping the Human Clanâs defenders in a state of high alert.
Fortunately, this tense atmosphere didnât last long, as late afternoon saw the arrival of the Human Clanâs reinforcement troops.
Two large legions came this time.
Besides that, an elite unit from Tarata Royal City led by King Romel himselfâthe Royal Griffin Knightsâarrived.
The fifty riders who previously accompanied Zhang Xiaoman were merely a forward escort, while the subsequent four hundred riders constituted the true force.
"Lessentara!"
In the Holy Temple within the city, Fox enthusiastically gave a mageâs salute to McCarthy.
This Iron Furnace Commerceâs leader had arrived together, along with his long-prepared secret weapon.