NOVEL WEB Chapter 65: Reconnaissance
Drake and his group arrived at a temporary outpost established for the war effort. The area was bustling with activity, filled with mercenaries preparing for battle and soldiers patrolling the grounds. Drake noticed that most of the mercenaries were mortals, with only a few rank 1 extraordinaries and even fewer rank 2 extraordinaries present.
He suspected that the stronger ones had been assigned to more critical tasks elsewhere, so he let it go. As they approached the entrance, a guard stepped forward.
“Halt! Show your identification,” the soldier demanded.
Drake handed over the insignia given to him by Lieutenant Brandt. The soldier scrutinized it before handing it back.
“You can go,” the soldier allowed, “but don’t try anything funny. Step out of line, and you'll end up in prison—or worse.”
Drake nodded calmly, not bothered by the soldier's stern tone. He knew the guard was just doing his job, though his companions seemed less convinced.
They found Commander Damian as instructed by Lieutenant Brandt. They entered his tent by once again showing the insignia to the soldier guarding the tent entrance. He was granted entry after that.
Commander Damian was a tall and beefy man with a great sword on his back. He was covered from head to toe in heavy plate armor. His strength was not small either and was a rank 2 extraordinary.
He was discussing something with his adjutants but stopped when he heard Drake’s group walking in. They looked irritated that someone disturbed their discussion but didn’t say anything. However, the commander’s irritated face spoke volumes.
“Go check for enemy movements near the mines and the main warzone,” Damian ordered in a superior tone without giving Drake any chance to speak.
Drake raised an eyebrow hearing that and smiled. He said, “Sure,” turned around and left.
Damian and his adjutants looked beyond pissed that a lowly mortal mercenary dared to talk to a superior extraordinary like that. His adjutants were about to shout for the soldiers to drag these lawless people and get them whipped but were stopped by Damian.
He knew the situation of the kingdom and knew that the kingdom needed to rely on them to become cannon fodder for them. If he did anything too drastic it might backfire with the other mercenaries. But that does not mean he would not avenge his shame. Since his group was sent to work for him, it was not difficult for him to arrange them in a position where they would not have much chance to come back alive.
After leaving the tent, Drake didn’t immediately go to execute the mission. He looked around the outpost first. He found other than mercenaries and soldiers, there were also many traders enthusiastically selling war supplies to the mercenaries. For merchants, war was one of the major sources of making massive profits, hence, they would not let this opportunity slip by.
…
“You're not pulling my leg, are you, Ethan?” Jim asked, his black leather armor creaking as he shifted uncomfortably.
“Jim, come on. Why would I lie about this? I got it straight from my cousin,” Ethan replied, sounding genuinely offended. He adjusted his red leather armor, a sign of his rising irritation.
“Your cousin’s in the Fire Stone Guild, right?” Ryan interjected, his plate armor glinting in the dim light. “But how do we know this Hawkeheart family info isn’t just guild gossip?”
Ethan sighed, exasperated. “My cousin isn’t just any member; he’s an inner member. The Fire Stone Guild has close ties with the Hawkeheart family. They wouldn’t risk their reputation on false intel.”
Jim frowned, scratching his head. “Is this the reason that there are so few extraordinary here? We’ve barely seen a hundred rank 1s, and only two rank 2s.”
“Exactly,” Ethan said, his voice lowering. “Do you think they’d station all the big guns somewhere else? Commander Damian’s got a million soldiers here. This isn’t some small outpost.”
Ryan looked unconvinced. “But if that’s true, why would the Aleria Kingdom even bother with this war?”
Ethan shrugged. “Beats me. Maybe they’re desperate to hold onto that Ferronite mine, despite the losses they took in the event.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Are their losses really that bad?”
“Big? That’s an understatement,” Ethan said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Those bastards from the Draconis Kingdom bribed the strongmen from the Ravencrest Empire—the ones mainly responsible for dealing with rank 5 or above monsters. Then, a few Draconis agents lured a rank 6 monster right into the Aleria Kingdom.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “A rank 6? Are you serious?”
Ethan nodded gravely. “Yeah, and the Aleria Kingdom doesn’t have anyone above rank 4 to handle it. They lost a ton of soldiers and extraordinary fighters before the Ravencrest fighters could swoop in and slay the beast.”
Ryan frowned, his concern evident. “But wouldn’t the Draconis Kingdom suffer too from the event?”
“They did,” Ethan acknowledged. “Both kingdoms took heavy losses, but Aleria’s were catastrophic. They’re down to just over eight million soldiers, while Draconis still has around twenty million. And get this—their extraordinary fighters are down to twenty-five percent, compared to Draconis’s forty to fifty percent loss.”
Jim shook his head in disbelief. “So, Draconis has the upper hand?”
“Big time,” Ethan said. “They’ve even got external help. Most of the extraordinary mercenaries switched sides with Draconis once they caught wind of the situation. The few remaining with Aleria either don’t know or are looking to take advantage of the chaos.”
Ryan glanced around the bustling outpost, a new layer of anxiety in his eyes. “And the mortal mercenaries?”
“They’re clueless,” Ethan said with a sneer. “They’re still fighting fearlessly, not knowing they’re walking into a slaughter.”
Everyone quieted after listening to Ethan’s explanation. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air.
Jim broke the silence, his brow furrowed. “Then why is the Fire Stone Guild still in the Aleria Kingdom, helping them? Aren’t they worried that their competitors, the Wild Vine Guild, will get better rewards from the Draconis Kingdom, maybe even potions or potion formulas?”
Ethan chuckled with a hint of cynicism in his voice. “Ha, rewards like those are out of reach for us regular players. They’ll be reserved for rank 2 or even rank 3 mercenaries. Both guilds barely have a few rank 1 players, so it’s never going to be their turn for those high-level rewards. And as for potion formulas, that’s just hype—those won’t be handed out to outsiders.”
Jim nodded slowly, absorbing the information. “So why are they still helping Aleria?”
Ethan leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “They’re here to acquire followers. A kingdom forcing its soldiers to fight a losing war will see a lot of deserters. Deserters are perfect for hiring—battle-hardened and desperate for a new cause.”
Ryan’s eyes widened in realization. “So you’re saying…”
“Yes,” Ethan confirmed, a sly smile forming on his lips. “We’re staying here to recruit those deserters.”
Jim and Ryan exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of concern and understanding. The stakes of their mission had just become much clearer.
…
“So that’s the reason there are so few extraordinary mercenaries,” Drake mused, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the information Ayame relayed to him.
While Drake had been surveying the outpost, he had sent Ayame and Yumi to gather intelligence. Ayame had stumbled upon a group of three players whispering secrets and had discreetly eavesdropped before reporting back.
Aria looked at Drake with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “Drake, do you still want to participate in the war on Aleria Kingdom’s side?”
Drake met her gaze steadily. “Yes, I’ve made my decision. I won’t change it now. As for whether the Aleria Kingdom wins or loses, it has nothing to do with me.”
His companions nodded in unison, their expressions resolute. They would stand by Drake’s choice, no matter the consequences.
Drake and his group left the outpost, finding nothing of interest. The area surrounding the Ironclaw Mountains, spanning a hundred square kilometers, was designated as the war zone. In this volatile region, anyone encountered was either an ally or an enemy. Stray travelers who inadvertently entered the area were doomed to be treated as enemies by both sides.
To distinguish themselves from the mercenaries hired by the Draconis Kingdom, Drake and his group had to wear the insignias on their upper arms. This rule was specifically for mercenaries, as soldiers could be easily identified by their kingdom-issued armor.
Drake traveled through the war zone leisurely in his RV, accompanied by Aria and Zara. He had requested an extra insignia for his vehicle, ensuring it wouldn’t be mistakenly attacked by friendly forces. The RV rolled along the rugged terrain, a rare sight of comfort in a landscape marred by conflict.
Yumi and Ayame, on the other hand, were tasked with probing for hidden enemy soldiers or mercenaries and eliminating them. They moved stealthily around the RV, maintaining its pace while neutralizing hundreds of enemy scouts that crossed their path.
The landscape was a mix of rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation, the Ironclaw Mountains looming ominously in the distance. The occasional sound of distant clashes and the ever-present tension in the air reminded them of the danger lurking around every corner.
After traveling more than ten kilometers, Drake received a report from Yumi. “We’ve located a small enemy outpost,” she reported. “There are thousands of soldiers and mercenaries stationed there.”