Firefly Journey

Chapter 157 Rescuing the Journalists in Action (14)

Mond Toby has led the Imperial Northern Expeditionary Army for many years, relying not only on his own cultivation level but also on his keen military acumen.

The Imperial Army's northward expedition to the tundra was highly successful, which was inseparable from his correct command.

It's hard to believe that someone like this could have his mindset shattered by a naive young man.

But that's the truth: Mond Toby harbored murderous intent towards Lin Yuan.

Mondstadt frowned the moment Iru appeared carrying his great axe.

The rescue plan was far more elaborate than he had imagined. After all, who would have thought that the renowned chieftain of the Blackrock tribe was also part of it?

Combined with the previous attack on Tongyun Fortress by the orc alliance, everything makes sense.

Not long ago, Mondstadt received a battle report that the Allied forces had captured the Fortress of the Clouds, and the defending general, Bert, had died in the chaos of battle.

What was initially thought to be a feint attack turned into a real counterattack, which greatly surprised Mondstadt. For many years, the Imperial Army's suppression of the northern tribes had been a real and tangible force; even if the opposing forces formed a coalition, they shouldn't have collapsed so quickly.

In the past, the various orc tribes had formed alliances, but these alliances always dissolved due to long-standing feuds and unequal distribution of resources. Forget conquering a city; even a simple military campaign would fizzle out due to disagreements over the distribution of food and other resources.

This time, the orcish alliance displayed unprecedented cohesion.

Mondstadt doesn't care about one Crimson Cloud Fortress; there are plenty of frontline fortresses like this, so one more won't make a difference.

What he needed to pay attention to was the danger signal sent by the fall of Tongyun Fortress.

The orcs of the north have truly formed an alliance, a united front.

This news was undoubtedly bad news for the Debasa Empire.

The more chaotic the northern border and the more tribes there are, the more advantageous it is for the empire's northern expeditions.

Before Mondstadt, soldiers began to charge, the momentum of thousands of Imperial soldiers seemingly capable of tearing the heavens and earth apart.

In the snowy plains, imperial soldiers clad in silver armor surged like a white tide, hunting down their few prey.

Just as the army was about to engulf those few small black dots, an unexpected event occurred at just the right time.

A gust of wind swept by, and Lin Yuanran and the others vanished from their spots. The imperial soldiers suddenly stood frozen in place, like lost lambs.

The soldiers at the front were stunned, and the soldiers behind them were unaware of what was happening. They charged forward with renewed vigor, injuring their comrades in the process.

Inside the arena, only Iru, the chieftain of the Blackrock tribe, remained.

Facing thousands of Imperial soldiers and Mondstadt's personal escort, Iruka's face showed no emotion, neither joy nor fear.

Mondl's face was very pale, as black as the ashes left after northern residents lit fires for warmth.

He has had this expression on his face countless times since midnight.

An oracle that makes someone disappear on the spot...

Space teleportation?

Mondl quickly recalled the famous masters of the tundra, but couldn't find a single one who was skilled in spatial oracle techniques.

Could it be the effect of some kind of extraordinary item?

Now that things had come to this, Mond knew that thinking alone could no longer stop the reporter from being rescued.

He has more important things to do right now—the orcish alliance led by the Valkyries is an extremely dangerous sign. If they succeed, the resistance the Empire will face in its future expeditions across the tundra will be far greater than it is now.

We need to come up with a solution.

He looked at the bewildered imperial soldiers and could only turn away quietly.

"Retreat! Back to the city!"

At the commander's command, the army obeyed without question.

The two people who were slightly puzzled were probably Locke and Benjamin.

Although Lin Yuanran and his group have left, Yilu is still here. Are they just going to go straight back to the city and leave him alone?

He was a die-hard old man of the tundra resistance. If we could capture him alive today, or even strangle him on the spot, it would greatly enhance the empire's prestige.

What they thought, Mond also thought.

The problem is that Iru is a third-level awakener, and his strength should not be underestimated.

Most importantly, the Minotaur race is known for its thick skin and tough flesh, so the losses incurred by these armies in a real battle would be substantial.

If Mondl were to fight him one-on-one, he might eventually defeat him with difficulty, but he himself would suffer a severe setback.

By then, how could a crippled Mondstadt possibly serve as the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Northern Expedition?

Mondl has climbed to his current position by being cautious and self-disciplined; reckless and impulsive actions are those of a stupid dog.

Even if he could kill "Iron Stone" Iru by using all his strength today, the price he would have to pay would be one he was unwilling to bear.

There are many warlike orcs like "Ironstone" Iru in the tundra.

But he only has one set of Mondstadt's life, his cultivation, and the elite troops he painstakingly built up.

After weighing all the factors, he had no choice but to retreat.

Benjamin rushed over and said to Mond, "Commander, I am incompetent and could not hold them back."

When in doubt, apologize first. If you wait for Mondstadt to settle scores later, the punishment will be far more severe than it is now.

Mond didn't seem to care and said, "I can't catch those rats even here, let alone you."

The immediate priority is to put pressure on the northern tribes and seek aid from home. I have a feeling the landscape of the tundra is about to change.

……

After Mondstadt led his army away, Iru also left.

With him left were the sentries left behind by Mondstadt.

Mond is a cautious man. Even if he knows something is impossible and has to leave, he will never lose anything by keeping an eye on things.

That afternoon, as dusk fell, a hand reached out from the thick snow.

One after another, until all five of Lin Yuanran's companions had climbed out.

Shaking off the snow, Dick complained, "That old man is too cunning. Even though he decided to go back to the city, he still left behind sentries, making us stay in the snow for almost a day!"

Lin Yuanran said, "It's better than dying... Speaking of which, senior, I really underestimated you. I didn't expect that your divine oracle could even fool an old fox like Mondstadt!"

In that critical moment during the day, Dick cast a divine oracle as the "Light Chaser".

Oracle. Refraction.

The principle is simple: it uses the refraction of light at different angles to create visual errors, thereby achieving the effect of "invisibility".

That wasn't enough. Hugh then released a short-range stealth oracle, and everyone hid under the snow. This was the real deception.

Hearing Lin Yuanran's praise, Dick seemed quite pleased and said, "Your senior is still your senior, he only shines in crucial moments!"

Lin Yuanran smiled, but Viktor, who was standing next to him, suddenly coughed.

It's obvious why. He's just an ordinary person. He was buried in the snow for over ten hours. He must have been shivering from the cold. It would be strange if he didn't catch a cold.

Xiu said, "Let's hurry back to the tribe."

"Ok!"

Lin Yuanran helped the reporter, and the group left a trail of footprints on the snow-white ground.

Claudia walked at the back of the group, her gaze falling on the senior student who had a somewhat sleazy demeanor.

Even though the oracle released at the level of a Second Awakener is exceptionally effective, it probably won't fool Mondstadt's eyes. Senior Dick, there might be other magical artifacts enhancing it as well.

What aroused her suspicion the most was that Dick seemed to like her a lot, always keeping a close eye on her, but never doing anything excessive.

It's less about getting close and more about protecting each other.

Claudia felt it was necessary to find some time to have a proper talk with this senior.