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Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 1746 Rules of War
Chapter 1746 Rules of War
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Three days later.The battle between the Haynam Empire and the Sovereign Union had taken a dark, ominous turn.
For the past few nights, the shadowkins had repeatedly struck the key figures within the Union's army camps. Of course, they did not attack the surviving Mana Core Magi, knowing full well that it was a gamble.
Instead, they targeted the Mana Vortex Magi who played crucial roles in the army. Many Herbalists, tacticians, strategists, and Artificers had been assassinated over the last three days.
As for the rest of the soldiers, they spent sleepless nights, looking over their shoulders, fearing that a devil might rise from their own shadows and strike them. This resulted in them being severely weakened during the battles that took place during the daytime, leading to great casualties.
Even though the soldiers knew about the assassins, there was nothing they could do about it. The devils used a very esoteric type of magic, the kind they could put up no defence against.
The only way to guard against these assassins was to get rid of the shadows. But that was not possible. Where there was light, there were shadows. Even in the dark of the night, shadows still found a way to bloom under the pale glow of the moons.
And so, night after night, men fell to the shadowkins' daggers. What made it even worse was that the higher-ups also seemed to be incapable of dealing with the devils.
Every time a commander caught sight of a shadowkin during night patrol, the devil would slip out of their grasp long before they could attack.
Seeing that even the mighty Mana Core Magi had turned helpless against the assassins had dealt a severe blow to the army's morale.
The Mana Foundation and Mana Liquefaction Magi bore the brunt of it. Lack of sleep, repeated battles, and constantly having to look over their shoulders had turned them exhausted and paranoid. These were the ones who suffered the most during the daytime battles.
What made it even worse was that the one man they expected answers from had remained strangely quiet.
If things continued this way, it wouldn't be long before unrest in the Union's camp turned into open mutiny. Desertion would spread, if not as betrayal then as survival.
No. It would be much more apt to say that the Union's soldiers were already on the verge of mutiny!
If all hope was gone, what reason did these soldiers have left to fight?
Everything hung by a thin thread.
An hour before sunrise, a few commanders had gathered in the central camp's command tent. While the rest were out on night patrol, hoping to serve as a deterrent for the shadowkins.
"The devil's army has yet to arrive, yet our men are already at their breaking point," The Hermit spoke with a grim look on his shadowed face.
"It's getting tough, Adam." Edward nodded, his expression equally grim. "There have been a few reports of men sneaking out at night, trying to escape the battlefield."
"How were they dealt?" Anna's eyes narrowed as she turned to the Storm King.
Edward turned to the crimson-haired princess and couldn't help but subconsciously gulp. "Imprisoned for now."
Anna couldn't help but scoff. "They should've been beheaded."
A Union Magus couldn't help but speak out, "But that would have raised even more dissatisfaction within the army. Princess, you have to understand, our men are already at their wits' end."
Anna's brows creased into a frown. But she couldn't help but agree with the man.
Suddenly, Adam turned toward the Hermit. Everyone else turned silent.
"Have you divined the whereabouts of the Cult's main force and the devil's army?" He asked in an even voice.
The Hermit sighed. "Yes," he said. "After several failed attempts, I've finally managed to receive an answer. Vague as it might be, it gives us a timeline to work with."
He paused for a moment, scanning everyone's faces. His gaze settled on the Dark King, and he added, "Within the next two to three days, the devils will be here."
"Three days," Adam murmured as he stroked his chin. "That seems doable."
"Doable how?" A Union Magus couldn't help but speak out in concern. He just couldn't understand where the Dark King's confidence stemmed from.
Adam glanced at everybody with a calm look on his face. "Three days ago…"
A minute later, everyone inside the command tent looked stunned.
"You what?!" Edward blurted out.
Adam shrugged casually, as if he hadn't just set in motion the deaths of tens of thousands of men. Maybe even more.
The usage of poison might be frowned upon in ordinary times, but war cared little for such rules. Here, survival came first, and anything that secured it was fair game.
After everything he had endured — years of pain, loss, suffering, and a mind pushed to the limits of madness — Adam no longer cared about the method, only the result. How his enemies died had long since stopped mattering to him.
He could still show kindness and benevolence to those he chose to protect. But that mercy had boundaries. For anyone who stood against him, there was no hesitation, no second thought. He did what was necessary and did it without regret.
To his allies, he was a shield.
To his enemies, he was a tyrant.
"I see why the Tsuitsui patriarch has taken a liking to you," the Hermit muttered under his breath.
No one around the table admonished Adam for his tactics. Instead, they saw hope of turning the tide of battle.
"How long until it takes effect?" Anna asked with a solemn look on her face.
Adam tilted his head a little as he continued to stroke his chin. "I made sure it was subtle to react after it was consumed. We should be able to see the effects in a few hours, I believe."
A Union Magus exhaled a heavy sigh. "This is good. No, this is great!"
Another Magus couldn't help but say, "But there's still the matter of the soldiers' morale. I doubt they'll be ready to fight today. The only reason they're still staying is… well, they're afraid of what you might do to them if they flee."
Adam sighed helplessly. "I understand."
His eyes hardened with determination. He looked at the commanders and said in a solemn voice:
"Gather the men. I have something to say."
And so began the moments leading up to the Dark King's speech, one that would be sung by bards for generations to come…
