Chapter 251: Return
"Hurry up, move faster!"
In the mountains, Lancelot was barking orders as soldiers tried to pry open the rocks sealing the mountain tunnel. The entire 50-meter-long tunnel had been tightly blocked with cement and stones last year to prevent the nomads from sneaking through.
Now, reopening it was proving far more difficult and time-consuming than sealing it had been.
Outside the tunnel, a squad of 500 soldiers stood guard. But the tunnel was so narrow that only one person could work inside at a time; no one else could help.
"Damn it, if I’d known it would take this long to open, I wouldn’t have sealed it up so tight," Lancelot muttered with frustration.
Simon and Aiden had also arrived at the scene. Judging by the current pace, it would take at least two days to reopen the tunnel fully.
"Keep working day and night, no breaks. We must open it as soon as possible." Simon ordered, frowning.
The soldiers responded immediately. Each man took turns swinging the heavy hammer. When one got tired, another jumped in to continue.
Meanwhile, Benjamin and his men had already entered Salas Peak.
Following the directions written in the secret message Simon had given him, he led his troops deeper into the mountain. By nightfall, they finally heard faint knocking sounds in the distance.
"His Highness must be opening the tunnel."
Benjamin’s face lit up. But with darkness all around, they couldn’t go search for the entrance. They didn’t dare light any torches either; nomad patrols were likely searching nearby.
They’d long since finished their dry rations and had no choice but to go hungry in the cold mountains.
Looking up at the cold stars in the night sky, Benjamin’s face was full of worry. He could only pray the nomads hadn’t discovered the tunnel’s location.
---
Meanwhile, outside Snake Pass, the once-dominant Alkamite tribe had now been driven to a poor stretch of grassland, far from their former stronghold in West Ham.
After the crushing defeat at Dunmere, the Alkamite tribe had lost most of its fighting force. In the brutal world of the Order, they were now seen as weak and of low status.
All of this was thanks to Fern.
Late that night, Agarth stood staring southward, gazing longingly at the fertile lands that once belonged to his people. His heart ached.
"Father, I heard an Eldorian Empire army entered the steppe. Seven or eight of the Sunderland Tribe’s smaller sub-tribes were completely wiped out." Said his son Donald, walking in with a smirk on his face.
"How do you know that?" Agarth’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t oppose Fern directly, but he was more than happy to hear of his misfortune.
"A merchant caravan mentioned it. Clinton is apparently furious. He’s sent out tons of riders to search the grasslands, but so far, no trace of the Eldorian Empire cavalry." Donald said. "Now, a lot of the other Chiefs are afraid their own tribes will be next. They’ve all refused to send troops to attack Dunmere."
Agarth let out a hearty laugh; it was the best news he’d heard in a long time.
"Hmph! Clinton humiliated me back in Cloverton. Serves him right!" He sneered.
Donald smiled too. It had been ages since he’d seen his father in such a good mood. "Still, this Prince of Brambleford has guts. Isn’t he worried that Clinton will cut off his cavalry’s retreat? Cavalry are precious in the Eldorian Empire, after all."
Agarth’s eyes flickered. He frowned slightly. "Maybe this Prince of Brambleford really isn’t afraid. Because there’s another way into Dunmere."
"Another way?" Donald asked in shock.
Agarth nodded. "That’s right. Years ago, the Goldwynd family of Brambleford told me there’s a natural tunnel in the mountains near Dunmere that leads into the city. I sent scouts to find it, but none returned. Later, the Goldwynd clan started benefiting from the Prince of Brambleford and delayed sending guides. Eventually, that clan was wiped out by him. Now, I only know there’s a tunnel, but I don’t know where."
Donald frowned. "Then why didn’t we look for it during the last battle at Dunmere?"
"We did," Agarth replied. "But the mountains are vast; it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. And the tunnel is supposedly so narrow that a single man can block it. Honestly, it’s even harder to attack through the tunnel than through the city gates."
Donald nodded. But then a thought struck him. "Father, do you think the Eldorian Empire cavalry used that tunnel to enter the grasslands this time? If that’s true, Clinton might never realise it. Should we tell him?"
"You fool!" Agarth’s eyes glinted. "Fern has always been ambitious. The senior chief dislikes him. If not for him pleading our case before the Father, we’d already be dead. Helping the Sunderland Tribe now is the same as helping Fern. If we do that, we’ll surely lose the senior chief’s favour and our lives!"
Donald was stunned. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said. "Father is right. I was foolish."
"This matter stays between us," Agarth said firmly. "No one else must know. Those Brambleford cavalry might be a headache for Clinton, but they won’t bring him down. I’d bet anything this whole operation is just to buy time for their new city wall. Well, let’s see how Clinton handles this. I bet he’s furious right now."
Donald smirked and nodded.
---
Just as Agarth guessed, Clinton was indeed fuming.
He’d deployed nearly all his riders to search the grasslands, and even sent men to cut off the enemy’s retreat. But they still hadn’t found even a shadow of the Eldorian Empire troops.
"Useless! You’re all useless!" Clinton roared. "Lock down the area twenty kilometres around Dunmere! Even if we can’t find them, let them starve to death out here!"
"Yes, Commander!"
The commander under his command quickly left to carry out his orders. None of them could imagine that Benjamin and his men were quietly hiding in Salas Peak.
With tens of thousands, it would be impossible to stay hidden. But a mere thousand men could easily vanish in the hills.
On the third morning, after two days of freezing in the woods, Benjamin’s unit finally located the tunnel.
Suddenly, with a rumble, a stone at the tunnel’s entrance shifted. A familiar voice shouted. "Damn it, it’s finally open!" It was Lancelot, hammer in hand.
Looking up, he spotted Benjamin among the trees. Overjoyed, he called out. "Commander! We finally found you!"
Simon also stepped out from the tunnel. The forest here was dense with pine trees, and five more mountains lay between this spot and Dunmere City.
He smiled and said. "Old General, you’ve had a hard journey."
Benjamin saluted respectfully. "My Lord, so you had this all planned. I thought we were doomed. It’s a shame we had to abandon the spoils of war along the way."
"No matter," Simon said. "There will be more chances. The nomads still have bitter days ahead."
"Then let’s not waste time," Benjamin said.
He turned and led his troops into the tunnel, feeling for the first time like he’d cheated death.