Yun Zhe sat in the chair, tapping the table with his fingers as if he were talking to himself.
Tap, tap tap, tap, tap tap tap. The sound is crisp and rhythmic.
The meeting room fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Yun Zhe's fingers.
"Jiding, who chose the place where you plan to establish your country?" Yun Zhe stopped what he was doing and looked at Jiding to ask.
"It was found by the great King Nemo of Aruru."
Yun Zhe slightly pursed his lips, a subtle movement that Ji Ding still noticed. Ji Ding knew that Yun Zhe was very averse to the title "King Aruru," but this was also what puzzled Ji Ding.
This Nemo is interesting. "Isn't there a better no-man's-land to choose from besides this?"
Gidding thought for a moment, “Actually, there are a few more. One is a piece of land between the elves and the sea, but it’s fraught with danger and a place of exile that even the elves dare not easily set foot in. Another is a piece of land where the desert meets Belvaldo, which is also the largest unclaimed land, but it’s a natural barrier and boundary between the orcs and Belvaldo, and it’s not suitable for us to live in. There’s also a piece of land further east of the Saint Peter Federation and Saransk. It’s also very large, but it’s very cold, and we can’t get there at all.”
Yun Zhe nodded, then suddenly realized he might be overthinking things. Then he saw Ji Ding looking hesitant.
"What's wrong?" Yun Zhe asked curiously.
“My lord, there is actually another place between Belvado and the elves. It’s a bit small, but it’s still a nice place.”
Yun Zhe was taken aback, then unfolded the map and asked Ji Ding to point out the land.
The location is directly west of Yun Zhe's fiefdom, only separated by an entire elven forest.
"This location is so good, why doesn't Belvaldo want it?" Morrison asked curiously.
“Because of magic, this is the ancient battlefield of the ten-year war, and there is powerful magical energy here, which is why the Belvalo royal family doesn’t like it,” Gidding said.
"Won't you all be affected by the magical energy if you go there?" Gao asked curiously.
"The Aluru people are alright, after all, we all have elf blood..."
"So you gave up just because the place was too small?" Yun Zhe also asked.
Gidding shook his head. "I don't know. It is a bit small, but not by much. However, the great King Aruru doesn't agree..."
Yun Zhe sighed, "At least he gave some reason, right..."
“The great King Nemo of Aruru said it was the will of God,” Gidding’s voice grew softer and softer.
“This is what you’re worried about, isn’t it?” Yun Zhe hit the nail on the head.
Jiding nodded slightly.
"Could this King Aruru be planning to use hatred to seize the land of the Saint Peter Federation?" Yun Zhe said, even he himself was a little unsure of himself.
“My lord, it’s quite possible. Look at how they’re sending mercenaries everywhere these days, it’s just like they’re training them.” Morrison said, then glanced at Gidding. “Oh, Gidding, what I mean is… I’m saying that this possibility… isn’t necessarily true.”
These few words were so pointed that even Brad, who was lost in thought, noticed the subtle change in the atmosphere.
Gidding took a few deep breaths, his chest heaving noticeably. He looked at Morrison with a complicated expression.
Everyone felt Morrison had gone too far. Why did he have to say things to their faces? Couldn't he have just said it to the adults in private? He was just trying to make himself look powerful. Look, he's made everyone lose face now.
"I..." Morrison tried to salvage the situation. He didn't actually suspect Gidding of having any ulterior motives; Gidding was a mercenary, and it was the mercenary's loyalty that was the problem. He just wanted to stick to the facts and didn't want to make things so awkward.
Gidding's expression returned to calm, then he sighed, "You're right, General Morrison, that's what I'm worried about too. Because apart from my mercenary force, all the other mercenary units and their commanders have been recalled by the great King Aruru. I've seen several units; they're fully armored, their weapons sharp, and they're clearly seasoned veterans." Then Gidding looked at Yun Zhe, a bitter smile on his face, "Especially the army you trained, sir. Although it only has five hundred men, it's disciplined, well-equipped, and consists entirely of elite cavalry..."
Gidding's words silenced the room once more. Yun Zhe slapped his forehead; why hadn't he thought more carefully when Cyrus said he was going back to switch defenses?
Morrison and Brad exchanged a worried glance. The Aruru mercenaries, personally trained by Yun Zhe, were a model unit that had achieved complete victory in several tournaments. Their formations were impeccable, their movements perfectly synchronized; whether in coordinated or individual combat, whether mounted archery or spear and sword, they were all formidable. Such an elite force would be invincible anywhere.
Even if they only have five hundred people.
Most importantly, they can quickly extend the training methods used by adults to all troops, and in just two or three months, they can double the strength of the entire Aruru Kingdom's troops.
Yun Zhe swallowed hard, stood up, and asked, "How many mercenaries did you send out?"
Gidding lowered his head and remained silent. Yun Zhe already knew the answer, but he wanted to wait for Gidding to say it himself.
"Six or seven thousand, maybe up to ten thousand," Gidding finally blurted out the truth under everyone's gaze.
"But the losses were enormous, probably about half of it..."
Yun Zhe gave a wry smile and looked at everyone. "To put it arrogantly, if I had three thousand men in my army, I could conquer the entire territory of Donic."
Gao was taken aback. He looked at the other two generals, who also wore wry smiles, but they clearly agreed with Yun Zhe's assessment. Despite the Elven army's massive three-pronged attack back then, only two or three thousand actually fought. Given Donic's current troop numbers and combat capabilities, three thousand might be a conservative estimate.
Only Jiding, upon hearing Yun Zhe's words, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Should he thank Yun Zhe for his meticulous nurturing, which had fostered his ambition as the great King Aruru, or should he grieve that war had ultimately befallen him?
Yun Zhe sighed and sat back down in his chair. Then he looked at Gidin with a puzzled expression, "Besides here, where else has a war broken out that would give so many Aruru mercenaries a chance to fight?"
Gidding's expression darkened. "My lord, the war between the elves and the dwarves has actually been going on all along, but the elves just don't say it, and you can't come into contact with the dwarves."
Yun Zhe nodded, then asked cautiously, "You didn't also head south and get involved in the orcs' battle, did you?"
Gidding was taken aback, and then a look of pain appeared on his face. He had actually heard that about two thousand mercenaries had been hired by elven tribes further south to play the dishonorable role of bandits who harassed orc tribes.
But how can I possibly say this out loud...?
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