Chương 242: Sirol City Situation.

More than one hour before the battle in the forest concluded, Eila, Lyra, and Folter led their groups through a vast grassland with scattered trees. This zone south of Sirol City was known for its lack of powerful predators and was considered relatively safe. After crossing the most dangerous part, the zone near the Dark Aether Swamp, this section was calm and relatively uneventful. Lyra looked around and commented.

"We should speed up. I am quite certain that this place doesn't have guards. However, the second we are spotted, Sirol City will start a counterattack." Folter suggested.

"We should rest now for one hour before we advance forward. The fighting and quick pace had drained their stamina a lot. Our combat effectiveness will be reduced if we push forward without caring for the soldiers." Lyra frowned.

"While I do agree, Elowen should have already started her advance toward Golden Sap City. We need to attack Sirol City as fast as we can. Otherwise, if Elowen is repelled, we might be in trouble when Kael's and Thalia's groups arrive." Folter snorted and said sneeringly.

"Elowen repelled by that World Tree? I would be quite surprised if she doesn't finish the war before we reach a conclusion against Sirol City's defenses." Lyra nodded.

"While I do agree, we better err on the side of caution. Acting by taking the worst situation into account will give us an advantage when better situations arise." Eila looked at Lyra and Folter, her eyes flashing with mockery.

"You are awfully sure that Elowen will make it out alive. She is attacking a World Tree deep into its domain. That's not an easy task." Lyra looked at Eila with a frown. She had noticed that Eila's enthusiasm, or better said, Eila's attitude, was thoroughly indifferent. She allowed them to make all the decisions and listened to their orders. However, she didn't do anything on her own initiative. Even when they hadn't started the combat against Sirol City, the glaring attitude was jarring, to say the least.

Lyra asked.

"Eila, what do you think about our approach? You seem to have quite a lot of faith in that young and upcoming World Tree." Eila looked at Lyra and commented.

"Is that what you inferred from my attitude? I would call that a stretch." She then shrugged.

"I don't care about what you do. I'll follow orders as long as they don't put me in mortal danger for no reason at all." Folter asked with a mocking grin.

"Are you afraid of the enemy World Tree, Eila? That's quite interesting coming from the 'Top Powerhouse Of The Province,' don't you think?" Eila looked at Folter and asked flatly.

"What if I am?" Folter paused, not understanding.

"What do you mean?" Eila asked again, her tone casual.

"I asked, what if I am afraid of the World Tree? Is that wrong?" Folter and Lyra paused and glared at Eila. Lyra demanded.

"Explain."

"I refuse." Eila smiled coldly.

"You ignored my warnings. You pushed your own ignorant beliefs and convictions to the point that you even took the commanding role from me. So, now, since you two are so sure of yourselves, I won't deny anything you say, and I will follow orders. However, don't expect me to become your assistant. I am just a soldier in this war." Eila's purple eyes flickered with faint electricity arcs as she stated.

"Win or lose, this war is on you. I have nothing to do with it." Lyra and Folter continued giving Eila a stink eye for a few more seconds. However, they couldn't do anything about it. What she said was the truth, and they clearly remembered how Eila voted to call higher-level personnel during the voting.

"Let's move fast. We need to finish the war against Sirol City as fast as possible and go aid Elowen." Lyra stated.

"We really don't have time to wait. Moreover, since Elowen is acting as bait, the Mareful City's army will certainly go toward her, which gives us a single city to deal with." Folter agreed.

"I don't believe we can't take Sirol City down before they realize that they are in trouble and ask for resources. Instant communication is too complicated, and even if they can, there is quite a lot of distance between Mareful City and Sirol City. The reinforcements will take a few hours at least." Lyra nodded and shouted.

"March forward. We are attacking Sirol City in a frontal assault! We need speed to take them unprepared!" The army of nearly 30, 000 people marched forward. While they had some fatalities during the attacks of the Dark Aether Swamp beasts, their numbers remained strong, and their stamina was relatively high. A group of 30, 000 was no joke, after all. The metaphorical carpet of creatures advanced through the grassland, leaving a flattened terrain behind them.

Meanwhile, in Sirol City, Taro was standing on the wall, looking at the horizon where the enemy army was going to approach. He asked softly.

"How much longer until they arrive?" Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The assistant at the side spoke.

"City Lord, they will take around 50 more minutes until they arrive." Taro asked, confused.

"Wasn't the timer at around two hours ten minutes ago?" The assistant nodded.

"The enemy army has increased their marching pace by a lot. It seems that they are trying to arrive quickly and finish us off." Taro shook his head.

"Reckless. Are they so sure that I haven't discovered them yet? They are basically gambling on my incompetence." The assistant asked with a smile.

"If it weren't for Lady Amapola, we would've been in the dark." Taro smiled.

"That's the truth as well. Also, call her by the appropriate title. She is the Queen of the Rose Fairies; she should be referred to as Queen Amapola. She has earned our respect with her actions." The assistant had no problems with that.

"Understood, City Lord. What should we do now?" Taro asked.

"How is the trap placement going? Do you think they'll finish it in time?" The assistant flipped a page of her report and shook her head.

"We are going to be too tight on time…" The assistant paused, and she asked.

"City Lord, may I ask something?" Taro hummed.

"Go ahead."

"Why have you placed most of the traps in the east and west areas outside of our city when the attack is coming from the south?" Taro smiled, his relatively thin eyes crinkling.

"Well, the enemy commanders seem to lack City Siege experience." The assistant waited for him to continue, but not hearing anything else, she asked, confused.

"That's all?"

"You should trust your City Lord, Miss. He hasn't managed to keep this piece of land for so long, even when he is unaffiliated, without having a trick or two up his sleeves." The assistant turned around and bowed respectfully.

"Understood, City Lord Delia." Taro looked at Delia and asked.

"Are you sure that being here won't be a problem?" Dalia nodded and smiled.

"I am going to use this chance to weed out some bad seeds. I left in quite an ostentatious way, so almost everyone in there knows that I am gone." Taro blinked and then smiled.

"That's quite clever. I should use that tactic in the future." The assistant looked back and forth, failing to understand the deep implications. Delia looked at her and asked.

"Are you confused?" The assistant nodded honestly.

"I am, City Lord Delia. May I have the honor to know what you meant?" Delia raised her eyebrow and looked at Taro.

"Quite a good seedling you got here. If she takes deep roots, she might become someone important." Taro laughed softly.

"Don't poach her. I have been nurturing her for quite a while." Delia smiled and looked at the baffled assistant.

"While I've left in a flashy way, around half of my army has been left behind. I also left my second-in-command behind. So, the criminals in my city, thinking that the security of the city is at an all-time low, will sprout out like worms under the rain." Delia smiled coldly.

"When they do, their heads will fall." The assistant realized and heard Taro shout an order.

"All trappers, finish the work at hand and move to the southern area outside the city! Plant some hidden but somewhat obvious traps in the area." The assistant looked with curiosity as the people quickly spread Taro's order through the chain of command, and everyone mobilized coordinately. Delia praised aloud.

"Great coordination. You truly don't stop giving surprises, do you? First, your willingness to support the 'Unlikely winner,' and then your City's hidden strength." Taro smiled.

"Wert is someone who knows how to repay favors. So, he gave me a piece of advice. I have taken it to heart, and I am just following it."

"Oh? Now, I am curious. Is it something you can say?" Taro smiled.

"He said.

'Don't make enemies with a young and talented World Tree.'" Forty minutes passed quickly, and someone shouted.

"Enemy army spotted!" The people on the rocky City Wall looked into the distance, trying to spot them, and they saw a big cloud of dust rising in the distance. Taro hummed.

"Quite a few of them." Delia nodded.

"Reports said that there are almost 30, 000 of them." Taro smiled.

"Well, this is also an opportunity." Delia was about to answer when she heard a hissing sound above them. Everyone looked up and saw five massive Serpents descending on them. A general in the area swiftly commanded.

"Ranged attackers, get ready!" However, both Taro and Delia shouted at once, their voices booming with authority.

"STOP!" Everyone froze and looked over. Taro smiled.

"They are not enemies." The five Arboreal Winged Serpents observed that the people in the city had lowered their weapons and descended, landing inside the city. They slithered up the walls and stopped when they were by Taro's side. Taro saw the five of them looking at him, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"It seems that Wert was right. If Lady Liu Shu has so much maneuvering room that she even sent five <Second Energy Cycle> powerhouses, I should have nothing to worry about." Delia approached one of them and extended her hand, her eyes glittering.

"Can I pet you? You are so pretty!" The sapphire-colored Arboreal Winged Serpent blinked and lowered its head. Delia rubbed its nose and exclaimed.

"Kya~! You are so smooth and pretty~." Looking around, she grinned.

"All of you are!" The serpents hissed between each other. An emerald-colored one asked, her voice having a touch of curiosity.

"This is the woman that attacked Master, right?" A ruby-colored one nodded, his voice spirited and clear.

"Indeed. Hey, why are you letting yourself be petted?" The sapphire-colored one hissed, her voice gentle and soft.

"Well, her blue hair is pretty. Moreover, she is trying to redeem herself. I find that admirable. Everyone makes mistakes, but not many work hard toward fixing those mistakes." The ruby-colored one hissed with disapproval.

"But she is a low-tiered Sylvan. Isn't it a bit below us to be petted?" The sapphire-colored one lifted her head and smiled at him.

"What, are you jealous that she likes me more?" The red-colored serpent slapped his tail down, indignant.

"I didn't say that!" The other two serpents, both similar to Ophion with brown, bark-like skin, looked at them with smiles. One of them spoke, his voice deep.

"We are supposed to follow Taro's orders. Remember that as long as our lives are not in danger, we should fight without holding back. Defending this place is a good strategic decision from Liu Shu, but our priority and the only person we should die for is her and our ancestor." All the serpents nodded strongly.

"Understood." Then, they all looked at Taro simultaneously. The intelligent man quickly caught the meaning of their gaze.

"You are going to follow my commands?" The serpents nodded, and Taro rubbed his chin.

"I see. Then… Let's do this."