Chapter 49: The Peace Talks
Word Number:258
Author:苍渊之握
Translator:
Release Time:2026-02-24
Facing the relentless pressure of the Nor offensive, Kace’s troops were sustained only by meager rations of food, water, and arrows. Though he used stirring words to bolster their flagging spirits, he was eventually forced to issue a second order to retreat, unwilling to see his entire command annihilated in a hopeless stand. Kace fought at the very spearhead alongside a band of veterans. This commander, who had lost his front teeth in the first clash, gave his life in the final defense. His body was carried by his grief-stricken men back to Travel, the Commander-in-Chief. Travel moved quickly to reinforce the rear-flank positions while attempting to pacify the simmering rage of the soldiers. Yet, Travel had to confront a bitter reality: Worksmile’s campaign here had failed to yield the promised fruits of victory. Their original intent was a masterstroke of surprise—massing troops in an unexpected sector to shatter a scattered foe. But the sheer tenacity of the Nor resistance had prevented Travel from concentrating his forces before Nor could mobilize. Now, he found his army arrayed on an open plain, hampered by strained supply lines and constant threats to his flanks. Thus, the Commander-in-Chief pinned all his hopes on a frontal assault. To break the Nor army before him was the only way to wash away the stains of shame and quiet the rising discontent. Following days of reconnaissance, probing, and skirmishes, Worksmile launched its grand assault on a somber, grey morning. Worksmile’s siege engines battered the Nor watchtowers and ramparts. Under t