Chapter 304 The Dust Settles
Before falling unconscious, the Flower Knight pleaded with Garos to stop the war. However, Garos remained unmoved and did not issue any ceasefire order as Garos had requested.
Red Iron Dragon tossed the human knight onto the ground in front of him, then casually tossed him around like a toy.
After confirming that the knight was indeed in a deep coma and unresponsive, Garos slowly raised his heavy claws and gently stepped on the human's frail body.
Just in case, if this body shows the slightest abnormality.
Garus's claws would then slam down, crushing it completely.
Immediately.
Galos lowered his massive head, his eyes reflecting the battlefield below, stained with blood and fire.
Human warriors and the dragon's horde were still locked in fierce combat, their roars, the clash of weapons, and the explosions of magic tearing the night apart.
Perhaps it was due to the Albert family's long-term brainwashing training and strict military discipline.
Even though the Earl's elite private army had been completely suppressed and suffered heavy casualties, with its defenses on the verge of collapse, there was still no sign of it breaking down.
Those human warriors, clad in tattered armor, were like trapped beasts in a desperate situation. In their despair, they let out hysterical screams, shouting for the illusory glory of their families, and fought a hopeless and selfless battle, one after another.
Galos knew very well.
Under such circumstances,
If he were to order a ceasefire, most of his family members would immediately stop fighting, based on their absolute awe and loyalty to him.
But what about the enemy?
Galos was almost certain that these warriors, brainwashed by family honor, would not only not stop, but would most likely seize this moment of respite to launch an even more ferocious counterattack.
Garus was not unable to accept the fact that his family members had perished in the brutal trials of blood and fire.
Because the battlefield itself is the harshest crucible, and any warrior who survives this hell will be tempered into a stronger and more resilient being.
A calm, waveless sea can never produce a truly agile and fearless sailor.
Resilient flowers that can withstand storms can never bloom in a greenhouse.
The Ironforge tribe's elite force, which they are so proud of, was born and grew up in these countless battles on the brink of life and death.
but.
Even if ten Flower Knights knelt before him and begged him, he would never make a foolish decision that could increase the casualties of his loyal followers in order to save the insignificant lives of the enemy.
True compassion should never come at the cost of betraying one's own people.
But as time goes by...
Under the silent gaze of the Red Iron Dragon, the clamor and roars on the battlefield finally came to an end.
Bang!
A dull, loud crash suddenly rang out.
Taking advantage of the moment when General Wolf was struggling to withstand the heavy claw strike of Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, like a predator that had been waiting for an opportunity, launched a deadly pounce from behind.
She transformed her massive, hard, and incredibly heavy body into a weapon, slamming it violently into the wolf general's back, which was covered in rune armor.
Faced with multiple opponents, the powerful rune knight was stretched thin, unable to turn around or mobilize his large shield engraved with defensive runes to block.
The overwhelming force instantly shattered his balance, slamming his strong body to the ground.
He struggled desperately, barely managing to turn over before his vision was filled with shadows.
Three enormous shadows simultaneously descended from the sky.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three consecutive dull, deafening sounds, as if the heart of the earth had been struck by a hammer, exploded outwards.
The hard ground trembled violently, and thick dust rose and billowed up like an explosion, instantly engulfing the area.
A faint, piercing sound of metal twisting and runes wailing could be heard from within the dust.
When a strong wind swept by, carrying away the smoke and dust, it dispersed the dust slightly.
The giant claws of the Iron Dragon Sorog gripped a figure, barely clinging to life, like a candle flickering in the wind.
The Wolf General's once-proud rune armor was now shattered, his rune greatsword and sturdy shield had been knocked away and were nowhere to be found, and the shining runes on his body had collapsed and dissipated one after another like extinguished candles.
His enormous body, which had swelled due to the secret technique, was now rapidly shrinking back to the fragile form of an ordinary human.
The battle on the other side has also come to a close.
The Ice Deer Lord's summoned storm of cold blades, like countless flying ice crystal razors, shattered the guardian's barrier.
Before the mage could cast another spell to protect himself, a white shadow as swift as lightning had already torn the battlefield apart.
The White Tiger Lord leaped forward with a piercing shriek that tore through the air, its gleaming claws precisely pressing down on the guardian's trembling body, which was gripping him tightly.
At almost the same time, the alchemist, who was skilled in firearms, also met her defeat.
The giant serpent lord's massive body, covered in sturdy scales, withstood the alchemist's barrage of gunfire, which struck the scales but left only faint white marks, and advanced like a mudslide that crushed everything in its path.
The enormous, icy serpentine tail suddenly coiled out, like the most flexible steel cable, instantly binding and constricting the alchemist tightly.
The mid-level human leaders around them, such as the heavy armored warrior commander and the cavalry captain, were also in dire straits and struggling to survive.
They were surrounded by layers of ferocious ogres, swift centaur warriors, and bloodthirsty giant wolves, and every swing of their swords seemed futile.
Within seconds, the outcome was no longer in doubt.
The guardian under the white tiger's claws was unable to move, the alchemist coiled around the giant snake was pale, and the wolf general, barely breathing, was in Sorog's claws. All the highest-ranking leaders of the Albert family's elite private army were captured without exception.
Until this moment.
Witnessing the defeat and capture of all the leaders, the last remaining pillar of morale in the hearts of the remaining human warriors finally collapsed and shattered completely.
On the other side, Garus, standing on the edge of the battlefield, captured this decisive moment.
He suddenly raised his head, which was covered with majestic dragon horns, his chest heaving, and let out a majestic dragon roar that pierced the clouds and proclaimed victory and the end to the deep night sky.
The sound waves, imbued with the Dragon Lord's will, swept across the chaotic battlefield like invisible ripples.
The blood relatives who received this clear instruction immediately understood.
Iron Dragon Sorog, clutching the prisoner, soared into the air, the heavy, cold sound of steel clashing echoing across the battlefield, drowning out all the groans and cries.
"Those who kneel live! Those who stand die!"
These eight words struck the hearts of every surviving human warrior with a heavy weight.
Upon hearing this, the vast majority of the soldiers, who had long lost the will to resist, immediately dropped their weapons in order to save their lives, slammed their knees heavily onto the blood-soaked ground, and buried their heads deep in their chests.
The fate of the few stubborn individuals who were deeply brainwashed by family honor and attempted a last-ditch struggle was already sealed.
The cold blade fell mercilessly, hot blood splattering as their heads rolled to the ground. Warm blood meandered across the ground, eventually converging into dark red, pungent streams.
Galos stared intently, silently counting the number of prisoners, and finally came up with about several dozen.
However, it was no accident that these people survived to the end.
Most of them were the elite of this private army, seasoned veterans who formed the backbone, and a few mid-level leaders who had miraculously survived.
The reason these people's lives were spared was certainly not because of the weak plea of the Flower Knight.
Even before leading his army into battle, Galos had already planned out the next steps.
He knew very well that living, valuable prisoners were sometimes far more meaningful than cold corpses.
Especially the three high-ranking leaders on the list of prisoners.
— Rune Knight, Alchemist, Protection Mage.
It took countless generations of the Albert family's wealth and resources to cultivate these three top-notch professionals.
The family's former marquis patriarch was a general in the army, and its background was far beyond that of ordinary earl families.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to cultivate such a powerful private military force.
"Only now do we truly have the qualifications to negotiate."
Galos pondered silently to himself.
He knew better than anyone that the negotiation table was never about verbal skills, but about the bargaining chips and the strength behind them. The Ironforge tribe had already proven its strength with a complete victory.
From this day forward, the Albert family will live in constant fear and anxiety.
It is worth emphasizing that Galus was inherently suspicious and insecure.
He instinctively tended to completely destroy all enemies, eradicate them at the root, and eliminate any future troubles.
Indeed, the Albert family's core base, which they had cultivated for many years, was located in the south, with its influence deeply entrenched, mainly in the Iron Smelting Tribe in the Sel Wilderness. It was simply too far away to reach them in a short period of time and it was impossible to uproot them completely.
He could tolerate the Albert family continuing to exist on the map for the time being.
However, given Galos's character, once he has accumulated enough power, or found an effective way to launch a fatal blow against him across geographical limitations, he will not hesitate to completely eliminate this enemy who has repeatedly opposed him at the first opportunity.
Not long after.
The noisy battlefield fell completely silent, leaving only the pungent smell of blood and gunpowder smoke lingering in the air.
Whether surviving prisoners or cold corpses, the alchemical armor and fine weapons that once shone on Albert's private army were meticulously stripped away and looted by the warriors of the Ironforge tribe.
The battlefield was also efficiently cleared by the tribal warriors, with all valuable resources collected and categorized, while useless debris was disposed of in a centralized manner.
Dozens of dejected and numb prisoners were bound in shackles and, under the pressure of the tribe's warriors' sharp weapons, were escorted back to Riverwood.
As several giant dragons spread their wings, they swept across the sky above Riverwood like a dark cloud covering the sky.
When the captured private soldiers, along with mountains of blood-stained armor and broken weapons, were displayed prominently before the townspeople.
The residents of this place have come to a more profound understanding of the terrifying power possessed by the Iron Smelting Tribe.
The people who have made a living in this chaotic land of Scaled Earth Cracks for many years are almost all aware of the feud between the Iron Smelting Tribe and the Albert family.
They all knew perfectly well that:
The Ironforge tribe's retake of the Scaled Earth Rift will inevitably invite the Albert family's wrath sooner or later.
Now, this anticipated campaign has ended in an undeniable and crushing defeat.
The Iron Smelting Tribe, which disappeared for more than 20 years, has made a comeback, and its power and prestige are even greater than before.
The young green dragon that usually resides in Riverwood and is responsible for managing the town's daily affairs looks as weak and frail as a docile fledgling compared to the giant dragons that had just soared through the sky, exuding a profound dragon aura.
The townspeople suddenly realized that the young dragon was probably just an insignificant leader in this huge dragon horde, far from being the true core force.
Just how large is this dragon swarm?
What they have shown on this land is probably just the tip of the iceberg, a mere glimpse, far from a display of their full strength.
Amidst a complex mix of shock, awe, and a sense of security stemming from the presence of a powerful protector, the residents of Riverwood were left with a multitude of emotions. Several days passed quietly.
Since the armor and weapons used by human warriors are completely unsuitable for the physique of the burly and tall warriors of the Ironforge tribe, forcing their use would only backfire.
If all of them were to be melted down in a furnace into raw materials and then recast, it would consume a great deal of the tribe's blacksmiths' precious time and energy.
After careful consideration, the Ironforge tribe made a decision.
then.
The adventurers of Riverwood, who had lived on the edge of death, were overjoyed to discover this.
In the center of the town square, suits of armor shimmering with alchemical runes, finely forged, gleaming steel spears, and rune-engraved swords bearing energy patterns—these high-quality weapons and equipment were openly displayed for sale with clearly marked prices.
Although most of the equipment inevitably suffered damage and gaps in the fierce battles.
However, depending on the extent of the damage, the selling price will be adjusted accordingly, making it exceptionally affordable.
Moreover, the equipment these adventurers snapped up was only a small fraction of what they were buying.
The real big buyers were the various merchant groups that traveled between Lin Tu Lie Dao and other major trade routes.
The atmosphere within the Federation is increasingly tense, with conflicts surging. High-quality weapons and equipment are in short supply and have become highly sought-after items with no market demand. There is no worry about finding a market for them.
that's all.
Adventurers and merchants alike acquired the weapons and profits they desperately needed.
The Iron Smelting Tribe, in turn, gained wealth and resources.
Those gleaming gold coins will not be hoarded and admired by Galos.
Like a rolling snowball, they will continuously transform into strategic resources that the tribe desperately needs as trade continues to unfold: they will become sturdy alchemy workshops rising from the ground, defensive fortifications standing tall at strategic points, and watchtowers piercing the sky on the warning line, enabling the Ironforge tribe to establish an unshakable foundation more deeply and firmly on this dangerous land that it has regained.
(End of this chapter)
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