Published: February 10, 2025
CHAPTER TEXT:
"Incorporation!"
A foul smell lingered in the air, refusing to dissipate. After the cold season, there was no wind in the Blue Secret Realm, causing the stench to spread even more slowly.
Larka, carrying a crescent-shaped halberd in one hand and a bucket of potion in the other, was walking toward the beast pen not far away.
He was originally a deputy commander in the order of the radiant knights, but due to violating military regulations, he was sent here to care for injured, sick, or recuperating mounts.
This was certainly a blow to him. Fortunately, Larka had a big heart; he knew he would definitely be reassigned before the main assault on the Royal City. After all, as a deputy commander, he was already a senior official under one of the three supreme commanders, second only to the commander himself. His thousand cavalry could usually cope, but when it came down to it, they would only listen to him.
Arriving next to the beast pen, he saw a purple spirit vulture lying there, somewhat listless. As he got closer, he could distinctly smell a rotten odor. This spirit vulture had been injured in a previous battle, pierced in the abdomen by a bone spear from a posthumous child’s high-level warrior. It had been smeared with something unknown, leading to its flesh rotting and festering, and it had been sent here to recuperate.
In front of another beast pen stood a middle-aged man, also sent here as punishment for mistakes he made, currently observing a black beast’s food intake and making records.
"Isn't it cumbersome to carry a halberd at this time?" the middle-aged man asked, puzzled at Larka's weapon being by his side.
"This is the territory of posthumous children; accidents can happen at any moment," Larka replied solemnly.
"Is that so?" The middle-aged man said with a smirk, "I've heard that your Southern Commander is planning to send someone to check on the situation here."
Larka scratched his head awkwardly upon hearing this and laughed, "Hey, who wants to be here raising birds when they're a radiant knight? Only you would voluntarily come here after the punishment period!"
The middle-aged man chuckled indifferently. Seeing the black beast finish its food, he glimpsed at Larka, who was washing the vulture's wound with the potion. Although Larka was a bit of a troublemaker, and often claimed he wouldn't feed the birds or horses, he was nonetheless very serious and responsible when it came to his duties.
At the same time, the middle-aged man also appreciated Larka's strength. Under thirty years of age, he was already a level six warrior. If he advanced further, he could hold a command position like that of a commander with thousands of elite troops at his command.
Feeling a bit nostalgic for youth, the middle-aged man carried his wooden bucket back. It was busy here, with nearly ten thousand mounts recuperating, beasts caught in the territory of posthumous children, and battle beasts temporarily housed here. Four thousand caretakers seemed like a lot, but deducting those responsible for watch duties left less than three thousand who really worked. If they also excluded those involved in documentation and research, only about two thousand were left to manage these thousands of lives. Some high-ranking and large beasts even required careful attention from several personnel, so it was no wonder things were busy.
The middle-aged man whistled, glancing at the seemingly unchanging sky, thinking today was another good day.
Wait... what is that?!
The middle-aged man, who had originally lowered his head, suddenly looked up, revealing a look of horror.
Before he could react, a surge of agitation erupted from several directions of the camp, the sound sweeping across the entire encampment.
Enemy attack!
This term appeared in the middle-aged man's mind, feeling strange. As a person from the Temple of Dawn, he had not thought of or encountered this term in a very long time.
They had always been the victors, the ones on the offense; the notion of an attack only applied to their assaults. There had never been an enemy that could attack them.