The 40,000-strong army has already gathered in Brakada, and food and fodder reserves are also in place.

  General Sanders was confident in the number of beastmen on the Highland, after years of extermination and hunting. The remaining beastmen were probably young cubs and juveniles who had escaped into the Sandfiss Mountains during previous hunts, totaling no more than one or two thousand. Even if they now formed a group, joined by some unremarkable big-eared monsters, and acquired some equipment, they would still be outnumbered tens of times, and the magic of the mages in the army was always the most effective weapon against beastmen. As soon as the general gave the order, the 40,000-strong army could set out immediately, crushing the beastmen's lair like a bug. The general had done this many times over the past decade and was very confident in his ability to do it again. Moreover, the anger surging in his chest made him eager to hear the beastmen's dying cries, to trample a beastman's head underfoot, and with one stomp, make the brains and blood inside splatter everywhere with a "crack".

  However, the general did not let his emotions and confidence cover up his rationality. When he set out from the south, he ordered a team of horses to rush to Brakada at the fastest speed, rest for a while, and then go to that city state for reconnaissance and probing.

  War is war, after all, and it's a matter of the lives of millions of people, related to the rise and fall of a country. It's not a game that can be manipulated by the personal emotions of generals. The general understands this point very well. He has been fighting on the battlefield since he was over ten years old, and until twenty years ago, the empire was almost always at war with neighboring countries. The experience and judgment he honed in these wars are beyond the reach of those officers who graduated from military academies. And being a general on the battlefield is not about bravery, but about wisdom and calmness. So even if he has a temper like a lion, as soon as he touches upon important military matters, he can be as calm as a dry nut.

  And he was also very clear that although the beastmen would not use magic, their physical strength and combat power were very good, especially the ghouls and werewolves were not ordinary humans who could be compared. If they had good equipment, and had a well-planned military formation and strategy, it would be a very terrifying fighting force. Before attacking, it was best to clarify the situation there, what kind of equipment those beastmen had, what kind of system they had, and what kind of attack method they would adopt, etc.

  The general knew that this battle was very important. The power struggle within the dynasty had reached a boiling point. The Erni family and their cohorts were not content with dominating the economy and politics, but also wanted to control the military. They had been planning to overthrow him and bring in one of their own faction members.

  Because His Majesty the Emperor is still young, he really trusts those who are good at flattering and pleasing him too much. Therefore, the military ministers have always been at a disadvantage in political struggles. If this military operation can be completed smoothly and quickly, destroying the beastman's nest in one fell swoop, then the military's power can regain the upper hand in the court struggle, and can also use this opportunity to thoroughly expel the influence of the Erni family from all military affairs.

  And if it fails, the Ernie family will surely take this opportunity to seize the military power they have been coveting for a long time.

  So even with an absolute military advantage, the general was still very cautious and first sent out a reconnaissance team to investigate. However, it's strange that the troops had been gone for over ten days without any news. Therefore, the general dispatched several small reconnaissance teams to the depths of the highlands a few days ago.

  Today finally got news back, but only a few scout soldiers came back, one of the new recruits just fell off his horse and shouted: There are monsters.

  After waiting for more than ten days, he finally got a report that was like a child who had been scared crying on the night road. The general's anger suddenly burst out, and with one punch, the soldier's head exploded like a tomato thrown against the wall.

  But he immediately calmed down and inquired about the situation from several other soldiers. The reports were all the same: a huge monster made of piled-up corpses was in the wilderness, and the scouting party had originally wanted to get closer to take a look, but they were burned by the flames spewed out by the monster until not even their bodies remained, only a few who were farthest away and hadn't been affected by the flames managed to escape.

  The general's face turned ugly after hearing the report, and several scouts' legs were also trembling. Finally, the general turned around and roared at several deputy officers: "Get that Naggs fellow to come over here."

  The deputy officer hastily ran out of the tent, but then the general's roar came from behind. "Halt."

  "Remember, it's Nagasu who is being summoned. Tell him I have something to discuss with him." The general rephrased his words and said again.

  A monster formed by the accumulation of corpses. According to the general's experience, this was probably something conjured up by the Cult of the Dead God, who had seen them play with corpses in various ways during his youth and battles with other nations. He didn't know what the Cult of the Dead God was doing here at this time, nor did he have the leisure to investigate deeply, as all his attention was now focused on the Beastman City-State. There were obstacles ahead, so they had to be cleared away.

  Naggers is also a member of the Erni family and the eldest son of the current prime minister. This time, he was nominally dispatched by the Magic Academy to assist in commanding the magicians in the troops, but in reality, he came to supervise the combat situation of the troops. If he could grasp some small handle of the general, he could make a big deal out of it, and if the battle went smoothly and they took down the Beastman City-State in one fell swoop, he could also count it as a military achievement. This would lay the foundation for the future development of their family's power in the army.

  Naggs, the officer himself was only around thirty years old, had never been on a battlefield before, although his main focus had always been on the extravagant and decadent life in the capital, he had also studied at both the Magic Academy and Military Academy for some time. Undoubtedly, he too knew what his mission was this time in the military, on one hand naturally paying attention to all of the general's actions, on the other hand everywhere showing off his eagerness to make a name for himself.

  If possible, the general would not go to discuss things with him. However, physical damage such as knives and guns is not very effective against undead spirits and monsters, and magic is the most effective means of attack. The general does not have the right to directly command the magicians. Magicians do not belong to the army, they are like priests, a force supported by the Magic Academy, and only the chaplains in the troops have the right to mobilize them. Usually, the chaplains of the church would listen to the experienced military officers, but this is not the case now.

  After seeing the reaction of Naggsar's officer, the general knew it was not good. When he heard that a giant undead monster had appeared in the wilderness and killed many soldiers, his face actually showed a very excited expression, with an expression that clearly wrote "Finally, it's my turn to make a meritorious deed". He ordered all the magicians in the troops to gather together to go and eliminate this monster.

  The general strongly disagreed. The mages were the most offensive and also the most vulnerable in the troops, concentrated together if they suffered any damage it would have a huge impact on the combat effectiveness of the troops, let alone this time facing the beastmen, the mages played a decisive role in the battle.

  However, Naggs insisted on doing so. The general took a step back and suggested that at least the situation of the undead creature should be clarified first. What kind of creature it was, why it appeared here, whether there was someone controlling it, and what it wanted to do. After clarifying these things, they could study countermeasures and then take action.

  Naggersh the priest, however, was unimpressed. He said that the general's indecisiveness would only delay their victory. Whether it was a beastman or an undead creature, no matter how large, it was just a pile of corpses and could be blown to smithereens with enough magical force. This would also intimidate the beastmen, as written in the military classics: "winning without fighting by intimidating the enemy", making future battles easier to win.

  The general used a great deal of effort to keep his temper from getting the better of him. He was on the verge of splitting the self-serving commander in two with an axe.

  It is clear that under the impetuous mood of the general, there can be no slightest delay, and the cautious consideration of the marshal has become the weakness and incompetence of the old man.

  The Undead Scourge is almost the public enemy of all nations, and even more so an evil synonym. If one can get rid of a huge monster created by the Undead Scourge, it's not just military merit, but also a great boost in status within the Church. This is simply a gift from heaven.

  Naggsar's officers immediately began gathering the mages in the troops, planning to set out tomorrow, as if they were afraid that this undead creature would suddenly disappear.

  This battle must not be lost, for it involves not only the struggle for power between Chosun and China, but also the rise and fall of the empire. The general does not want to see the imperial power fall into the hands of those despicable nobles who only know how to manipulate power, nor does he want to see them squeeze out old ministers like himself who have made great contributions to the empire.

  The general himself first quietly went to a deserted place in the woods outside Brakada City, punching and kicking trees, scolding all members of the Erni family including their ancestors with the most vicious language until he had vented his anger before returning to find the priest and ask to depart with this unit. He didn't dare entrust this elite team to such a fool for command.

  A few days after departure, the troops found the trail of the monster under the leadership of those scouts without much effort. The huge footprints and strong stench were the signs. Following the footprints for a short while, they discovered the monster.

  The general and the officer climbed up a small hill nearby, from which they could get a better view of the creature slowly moving northwest.

  The general pulled out a long iron tube from his bosom. This was a gift given to him by the Duke of Mralak in the capital through Colonel Roland.

  The Duke has always stood on the side of the military in the court, and he is also a military man himself, deeply trusted by other military ministers. Although his daughter is about to marry a young master from the Erni family, everyone believes that it is just a personal emotional matter between children. As is well known, the Duke has always been working hard for the army's expenses, and such a gift makes people feel that the Duke is still a soldier who cares about the front line.

  This is a wonderful thing, the masterpiece of dwarf craftsmen, through which you can see distant things. This is indeed very useful for battle, and the general is grateful to the duke for his kindness.

  Through this iron tube, the general saw that huge monster very clearly. The overall outline of this monster was actually a dragon that only appeared in legends.

  That was a body composed of countless corpses piled up, and judging from the attire on those corpses, it was the reconnaissance unit he had sent out half a month ago. The soldiers who were originally full of life were squeezed together, their protruding limbs rotting, shaking with each movement of this monster, like the fur on its body. Twisted limbs sometimes revealed a twisted face, and countless such lifeless scenes combined to form a huge monster that was moving around. This was death in motion. The thick stench of corpses did not attract vultures, and all living beings instinctively feared the aura of this monster.

  The bizarre and terrifying appearance was accompanied by the pungent smell of corpses in the air, creating an eerie atmosphere that made anyone feel a chill run down their spine. Even a general who had long been accustomed to scenes of carnage felt a slight chill on his back. He could sense that this was not something simple.

  Naggsar's officer also saw the huge monster through the iron tube, his face began to turn green. He had only seen zombies in picture books before.

  "It seems that this monster will not pose any harm to our army for the time being. Let's withdraw our troops first and report back to the Magic Academy, let them send a professional priest to examine and analyze this monster before we do anything else." The general made the decision after seeing the expression on the priest's face.

  But Nagato's officer flew into a rage: "What kind of soldier turns tail in the face of the enemy?"

  "What the hell is that thing, you don't even know what it is and you're recklessly attacking it! These mages are the result of countless efforts to cultivate them. What if the troops get hurt? Is your brain full of shit?" The general's anger finally erupted as he roared at the priest.

  The Naggsar priest flinched subconsciously, the aura of a soldier who fought for his life on the battlefield was not something that a young master who indulged in women could match. However, the priest immediately felt that he couldn't be intimidated by such a warrior. To regain his dignity, he turned to his deputy and ordered: "Pass my order, in the name of the Holy Lord, launch a full-scale attack and eliminate this evil monster."

  "Halt." The general's bellow froze his deputy's foot just as it was about to take a step forward.

  "Here I am the commander, they are all my men. Go and pass on the order, this is my command." The officer plucked up his courage and confronted the general. In the end it was the order that took precedence in the minds of the troops, he ran down to the troops at the foot of the mountain.

  Helplessly watching hundreds of magicians galloping towards the monster, the general glared at the priest with eyes that almost spat fire, gritting his teeth and saying: "You'd better pray that this monster can be solved in one go."

  The magicians approached at a gallop, the corpse dragon seemingly not paying much attention to these tiny creatures that were like ants in its eyes, just a few days ago it had easily burned dozens of such things into dust.

  It has no thinking ability, and its own strong magical power also makes it refuse all commands. It is now following the instinct given to it by the magic array that created it, searching for the flow of magic in the earth and heading northwest.

  The magicians rushed into the range of magic. With a command from several intermediate magicians, in an instant, the outline of the corpse dragon was completely submerged in flashes and flames, with various attack spells colliding and exploding on its body. The explosion of fireballs, the scorching of flames, the white light and thunder of lightning, the whistling and shattering of ice arrows all converged into a magnificent display of magic. Each explosion, each flash, each whistle had enough power to knock down a devourer.

  Even from a distant mountain, the astonishing magical power released by these hundreds of magicians can be felt. The concentrated attack of these hundreds of magicians is indeed not trivial, and even if it were a mountain, it should have been shaved flat. Naggsar's priest looked complacent, as if he had heard the fanfare at the promotion ceremony for the great priest.

  A burst of green waves suddenly rushed out from this pile of gorgeous magic fireworks, and immediately overwhelmed all other flashes and sounds with its majestic momentum.

  It was just a blink of an eye, the green waves dissipated, and the wilderness returned to calmness, as if nothing had happened. The wind blew over a large area of black scorched earth centered on the corpse dragon, making a faint whistling sound. There was nothing on the scorched earth, and the magnificent magic scene just now seemed like an instant illusion.

  The corpse dragon's body didn't even leave a mark. The massive magical power and life energy contained in these corpses made its defensive strength several dozen times tougher than soft armor that had been processed with magic, and neither magical nor physical attacks would have any effect.

  He was stunned for a while, Nagasu's officer stretched out his hand and held his head, shaking his head and shouting: "How could this be..."

  The general's fist, as big as a sand pot, hit his face, and after a cracking sound of bones breaking, he flew far away.

  General Naggs led the army to destroy the giant undead monster, but unfortunately, he and his troops were all killed in battle. The general had already thought of the content of the report.

  The most powerful weapon against the beastman troops, the talent that the magic academy spent countless efforts to cultivate, disappeared in just a few blinks of an eye. The general's whole body was trembling.

  Bishop Ronies, standing on another distant hill, was also trembling slightly as he watched all this.

  "Now I am filled with regret, truly regret...". Bishop Ronnis hung his head low, repeating the words in a heavy tone as if he had to do so to express his emotions. "I regret helping create such a monster." The hundreds of magicians who were burned to death were all nurtured by the Magic Academy, they were his students.

  "This is probably the least painful death they could have had, they didn't even have time to think about 'death' before they died. It's really a perfect way to die. You don't need to grieve for them, teacher." Vidyana's body was just an empty shell, her voice was squeezed out from her throat by air magic, although it was hard to listen to, but it also carried emotional tone, you could tell she wasn't being sarcastic or mocking, she was speaking very seriously.

  Ronnie turned his head and looked at her, his eyes already completely ignited with anger.

  "You don't have to get angry, teacher. They're dead, and that just proves to others that our masterpiece is perfect. It's just over a hundred lives, but with this as a warning, we can avoid the deaths of tens of thousands of ordinary soldiers. Isn't that a good deal?" Vidnya said eloquently. "Is it because they were students of the Magic Academy that you're taking pity on them? I remember you used to teach me that life is not divided into noble and base."

  "How could a wight like you understand the meaning of life?" Bishop Ronnis turned back with a long sigh. He still remembered very clearly what this student looked like twenty years ago, full of vitality, full of energy, and beautiful, making everyone who saw her unable to associate her with the concept of 'death'.

  "Teacher, you're wrong. As long as something exists, it must be able to be destroyed, which means it will inevitably die. I've just changed the form of my life structure, so I won't age anymore. And I became this way precisely because I was too afraid of death. I'm afraid that time will kill me, afraid that my own life will slip away beyond my control, so I used this method to preserve my life."

  "It's just a monster created by dark magic." Ronis sneered.

  "Teacher, you're wrong again." Vidnya continued to expound her views. "What's evil about this? This is the culmination of human ingenuity. Humans have created all sorts of technologies - metallurgy, agriculture, medicine - just to make themselves more stable, longer-lived. In other words, human ingenuity has always been about resisting death, prolonging one's own life. And what's the difference between creating a body like mine that doesn't age and those ordinary technologies? So-called wisdom and technology are just ways for life to perpetuate itself. I'm just more complex, more advanced, so it's not easy for people with limited vision to accept." She raised her hand, revealing the skeleton beneath her skin. "This is life sustained by the most advanced technology - my body is the ultimate manifestation of human vitality."

  Ronnie frowned as he gazed at her boastful, tattered skeleton, seeing the dull grey inside through the holes in her skin. His student's logic was still impeccable. Twenty years ago, she had been recognized as a once-in-a-century magical prodigy, possessing wisdom that ordinary people could hardly imagine. And yet, she had used that wisdom to recreate an ancient lost ritual and turn herself into a lich. Perhaps it was because she was too clever for her own good.

  Humans, once they have eaten the fruit of knowledge, are destined to be unable to enjoy the reality of life. Ronis suddenly thought of this allusion.

  "Why do you two always have to bicker over these trivial matters, and after more than twenty years, there's not a bit of progress. Can't we talk about something substantial? What was the point of creating that monster in the first place? Why do we have to follow it around and watch it move slowly? Do you know how long it's been since I last went to the tea house for a cup of tea and some conversation?"

  "It's really impolite to disturb Teacher's serenity. As a magician, I just wanted to create a perfect magical artwork." Vidina said faintly. "And isn't it also our responsibility as creators to care about the situation of this artwork?"

  "Let's be honest, why did you choose to build this thing here? Don't tell me it was just a temporary plan. After staying here for days and observing, I've roughly figured out what's going on. That big guy has been advancing towards the center of this highland all along."

  Vidna's upper face smiled with a very strange smile. "That's because I set its instincts when I created it. It will follow the direction of the ley lines from here to the center of this highland, and clear away some trash there. A magical artifact like this naturally needs to play a role worthy of it. So I let it guard the land that will become sacred before the King of the World arrives. Because a brand new world order will rise from here."

  "King of the world? New order?" Sandru spat a wad of phlegm with great force. "You still believe in these empty rumors? They're just used to scare the dimwits in the public square. I'm taking this book away so you won't waste your whole day on idle fancies."

  "What else can they do besides playing these tricks? Are you asking them to farm, socialize with friends and then have time to care about politics, military and national affairs?"

  "Big deal? Those are just fleeting clouds, why bother?" She pointed northwest. "The city-state there has gathered beastmen from various nearly extinct tribes, using the promise of freedom and independence to deceive them, and uniting with merchant guilds from various countries to create a thriving scene. They want to occupy this central location's strategic transportation hub to expand and grow strong. But will the Ainfarst Empire just watch as these beastmen become independent? Do the surrounding countries really hope for a nation to be established on this high ground? Hasn't the empire's great army already arrived? And doesn't the outcome of this war affect the political turmoil in the imperial court? Hmph, military affairs, political intrigue, national survival, founding a country, prosperity and strength. These are truly magnificent and beautiful words. Enough to make those insignificant fools infatuated and sacrifice their lives for them, enough for poets to sing about. But what do these things really amount to? This central location that has gathered so many changing winds will immediately turn to ashes under my creation, and the military affairs that were supposed to happen naturally won't exist either."

  "Do you think you're a god now?" Ronis sneered.

  "I am not a god, and there is no god in this world. I have simply transcended the mundane world of ordinary people. I see through the fleeting illusions of the present world as mere bubbles, and everything that happens is just a small cog in the development of this entire world, which has already determined its own direction from the moment it existed. The outcome was also predetermined long ago. Why bother being obsessed with those meaningless things?" Her voice rose high with excitement, making it even more unpleasant to listen to. "I invite the two teachers to stay and watch, hoping that you will see with your own eyes how our work turns those disgusting trash into dust, proving that everything is just as I said. Only what we do is in line with the development law of this world, only what we do is truly meaningful."

  Xander spat out his third wad of saliva, expressing his disdain. "Sometimes I really admire you, spending so much thought and energy on these boring things. Why can't you just live a simpler life? Like me, I don't think about anything, whatever is fun, I do it. Even when you asked me to come and do this dangerous thing, I only thought it was interesting, that's why I came. Don't always think that doing something has to have some profound meaning."

  Vidna laughed out loud. It was a tone like a wolf's howl at a funeral. "As for something interesting, I can tell the two teachers another fascinating thing. I threw that classmate into the Sun Well and he suffered severe injuries. What would happen if someone who has practiced real meditation falls into the Sun Well filled with energy? I believe the two teachers will be very clear about it. The fluctuation of energy in the well water will all be absorbed by him, which is the ritual used by the spirits to resist darkness being destroyed. And I know that this classmate also brought those powers out from the Whispering Woods. Because when the two teachers saw my World Tree leaf, they didn't show a surprised expression, it wouldn't be the spirits of the Whispering Woods who informed you, would it?"

  Xander and Ronnie exchanged a look but didn't say anything.

  Ronnie said calmly, "What you believe is your own business, we also have what we believe in. Everyone acts for their own sake, and finally sees who believes in the right thing."

  "It was originally like that." Vidnina said with a profound meaning. "I don't know if that classmate will take the two leaves of the World Tree when he escapes. In that case, the so-called ceremony of the elves in the legend would really be meaningless. I think he won't go to that place for no reason. I can see that he is very strong and will become even stronger. As long as there is a desire to become stronger, he won't let go of good things like the leaves of the World Tree."

  Ronnie sneered: "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, he took away one, but it's already been used to save someone."

  "And it's saving a woman, really has the romantic style of my youth." Sandro said with a shake of his head.

  Vedina's face showed a hint of disappointment, then she said nonchalantly: "But saving one person doesn't mean you'll go save everyone. Liking one woman doesn't mean you'll like all people. Everything that develops is within our expectations, and anything that tries to hinder us will eventually be reduced to ashes. If the two teachers don't believe it, just wait and see." She let out a long sigh. "I really hope to see him in high spirits again."