Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 249 - 243: The Demon Serpent Legion’s Expedition
The next morning, Raylo was enjoying breakfast in the dining hall.
Beside the table, Moonlight used its paw to prod the smoked salmon on a plate prepared specially for it.
The dining hall door was thrown open. A knight on patrol, covered head to toe in dust, rushed inside, his face etched with anxiety.
"Lord Earl! Urgent military report!"
Raylo set down his knife and fork.
"Speak."
The knight dropped to one knee, his words coming in a rush.
"We’ve found signs of a large host of the Demon Serpent’s Fangs on the southern border of the Jade Swamp! Their numbers... they far exceed any of the previous incursions. Judging by the tracks they’ve left, it’s a force of at least a full battle group, and they’re moving toward our territory at high speed!"
"Relay my orders."
Raylo made his decision.
"Dispatch more Pegasus Knights to continue reconnaissance."
"Immediately summon everyone for a meeting in the war room in half an hour. Also, have Ailia come as well."
"Yes, my lord!"
The knight acknowledged the order and departed with haste.
’Jade Swamp. Demon Serpent’s Fangs. A force of more than one battle group.’
The words spun through Raylo’s mind, instantly clicking into place with a piece of intelligence the system had provided a short time ago.
The Demon Serpent’s target wasn’t his humble Black Stone Territory. It was the ancient and powerful being slumbering in the depths of the Black Water River: the Eternal Giant Turtle.
This was no mere border invasion, but an expedition to hunt an ancient being.
Raylo stood up, his mind made up.
「Half an hour later, in the war room of Black Stone Castle.」
Around the long oak conference table, the core members of Black Stone Territory had all arrived.
Ed, Bolin, and Alex were present.
Among them, two new faces, Ailia and Monk, looked somewhat nervous.
This was their first time attending such a high-level military conference.
Monk sat ramrod straight, his hands placed firmly on his knees, trying his best not to look as nervous as he felt.
Since the last war with the Fiery Sun Kingdom, Monk had earned a place among Black Stone Territory’s core leadership with his heroic performance.
Ailia was relatively calmer, but her frequent glances toward the door still revealed her inner turmoil.
Currently, Ailia served as the captain of Black Stone Territory’s mage squad, responsible for its magical forces.
Suddenly, the light outside the window dimmed.
A massive head covered in brilliant golden scales slowly extended into the room, nearly taking up an entire wall.
Raylo had boldly remodeled one wall of the war room into a giant, sliding floor-to-ceiling window. This was to make it convenient for the Golden Dragon, Sun, to participate directly in their meetings.
Sun’s enormous golden eyes swept across the room, finally settling on Monk, who looked ready to bolt from his chair. The dragon even gave an interested blink.
The sound of heavy footsteps came from outside, and then Raylo pushed the door open and strode in.
He walked straight to the head of the table and sat. All eyes immediately fixed on him, and the previously unsettled atmosphere instantly grew taut with seriousness.
"Everyone’s here."
Raylo wasted no time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point.
"I assume you’ve all heard about the unusual activity in the Jade Swamp. Intelligence from the scout knights confirms that a massive Demon Serpent Legion is moving south."
Everyone’s expression turned grim.
Raylo’s finger traced a line across the map on the table. It started at the edge of the Jade Swamp, continued south past the southern border of Black Stone Territory, and finally stopped on a winding blue line.
The Black Water River.
"However, their target isn’t us."
A low murmur of surprise filled the war room. Even Ed looked shocked.
"Their true target,"
Raylo continued,
"is the ancient Magical Beast slumbering in the depths of the Black Water River: the Eternal Giant Turtle."
The Eternal Giant Turtle!
The name made the color drain from the faces of most people in the room.
It was a legend that had circulated in the regions around Black Stone Territory for centuries. A creature as massive as a mountain range, said to be capable of whipping up waves on the river with a single breath.
Many people thought it was just a story.
"According to my intelligence, the Nine-headed Demon Serpent has deployed at least two battle groups of its fangs."
"Two battle groups?"
Alex exclaimed.
The officers present knew exactly what this meant.
The core of a battle group is a Tier Five Domain Powerhouse.
Two battle groups meant the enemy possessed at least two terrifying beings of the Tier Five Domain Level, backed by an army of tens of thousands of demons.
A deathly silence fell over the war room. A heavy pressure settled over everyone present.
A force like that could easily flatten several Earl’s Domains.
Black Stone Territory was far stronger than before, but facing such a massive enemy was still like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"Lord Earl, since their target isn’t us, shouldn’t we... focus on defending our territory and see how things play out?"
Bolin spoke carefully, voicing what most people were thinking.
Raylo didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to Sun outside the window.
"Hmph! So those slimy worms have finally bothered to crawl out of their stinking pits?"
The Golden Dragon, Sun, let out a thunderous roar, rattling the windowpanes.
There wasn’t a trace of fear in its voice. On the contrary, it was brimming with soaring battlelust.
"Hydra’s minions. I didn’t get to twist all their heads off last time. Raylo, I’m all for this fight!"
Sun’s declaration was like a shot in the arm, instantly easing the heavy atmosphere in the war room.
Raylo nodded; that was precisely what he intended to say.
He surveyed the room.
"Gentlemen, there’s no need for me to explain the saying: when the lips are gone, the teeth get cold. The Jade Swamp has always been Black Stone Territory’s greatest threat."
"I intend to use this opportunity to gain the friendship of the Eternal Giant Turtle and form an alliance with it to fight back against the Jade Swamp’s invasion together."
He paused, his voice turning hard as steel.
"Therefore, not only must we fight this battle, we must win it. We must save the Eternal Giant Turtle."
His words rang with conviction, dispelling any lingering hesitation or doubt.
Raylo’s decision was the will of Black Stone Territory.
Fighting spirit was rekindled in everyone’s eyes.
"I command."
Raylo stood up, his voice instantly filling the entire room.
"Ed, Bolin."
"Present!"
The two immediately stood up.
"The Moonlight Knight Order, the Black Stone Knight Order, and all territorial troops will immediately enter the highest state of readiness. Assemble and be ready to march at a moment’s notice."
"Yes, my lord!"
"Evan."
"Present, my lord."
The Scribe Evan rose and bowed.
"Take inventory of all war materiel. Ensure the supply line is flawless."
"As you command, my lord!"
Raylo’s gaze turned to Ailia.
"Ailia, the mage squad will also participate in this war. I expect great things from you."
"Yes, my lord!"
Ailia’s eyes shone with excitement, her nervousness completely gone.
"Alex, you will lead the Pegasus Knights of the Moonlight Knight Order and depart at once. I need constant updates on the Demon Serpent Battle Group and the Eternal Giant Turtle."
"Yes, my lord."
Alex accepted the order.
Raylo finally looked at the Golden Dragon in the window.
"Sun, you will be our trump card. You’ll need to deal with at least one of the Domain Level Powers from the Jade Swamp."
"Leave it to me!"
Sun’s massive jaw split into a grin, revealing a mouthful of teeth like daggers.
"I can’t wait to tear those snake whelps to pieces!"
Raylo nodded slightly, sat down again, and his finger tapped lightly on the map.
"But we won’t fight an unprepared battle. The Demon Serpent Legion is a massive force; a head-on confrontation would be foolish,"
he said.
"We will wait for the Demon Serpent Battle Group to engage the Eternal Giant Turtle. Once the battle has truly begun and the situation becomes clear... that is when we will make our entrance."
