[Text simulation complete. Would you like to continue simulating?]
"No!"
After reading through the simulation, Rhett raised an eyebrow. As expected, the changes in this simulation were quite significant.
He had mentally prepared himself beforehand—given the nearly half-year gap, various changes in details were likely to bring about unpredictable shifts in the trajectory.
And indeed, they did.
Whether in the near future or at the end of the simulation, whether involving past trajectory changes or new visions of the future, everything took Rhett by surprise.
While he confirmed that the information provided by the Night Cat was true, he hadn't anticipated that a sixth-rank Blood Moon Werewolf would be hidden within the Night Cat unit. Even after returning to report the information to Ambiru and setting up an ambush in advance, it hadn't yielded the desired results.
Ambiru and the Blood Moon Werewolf ended up in a mutual defeat, which even altered the subsequent course of the war.
Rhett fell into deep thought. "The orcs launched two major offensives? Although the final result is roughly the same, enough for me to be promoted to earl, my merits aren't as plentiful as before. That's not ideal. It seems I'll have to report the situation more gravely when I return and request more powerful reinforcements…"
He then turned his attention to the Night Cat, still impaled on the earth spike, its black fur stained with blood as it slowly slid down, emitting constant moans of agony.
"Human... how about... letting me go... and I'll tell you the rest of the information... cough, cough..." the Night Cat said in a faltering voice, growing weaker by the moment.
Rhett noticed that its life force was fading rapidly, and if he didn't take any rescue measures, it would soon perish!
Feeling a bit anxious, he quickly cleared the boulders blocking the cave entrance.
"Tack, come here quickly!" Rhett shouted toward the outside of the cave.
"Coming, sir!" Tack, who had been standing guard nearby, sprinted over immediately. He scanned Rhett from head to toe, his expression shifting from worry to relief when he saw no injuries.
"Hurry, go finish off that Night Cat. I've already subdued it," Rhett urged.
"Understood!" Tack's loud voice echoed as he rushed into the cave like a bolt of lightning.
Within two minutes, Rhett saw a notification appear before him, indicating a gain of 3 destiny points.
He breathed a sigh of relief, watching Tack emerge from the cave, carrying the Night Cat's corpse. "Well done!"
"Heh, I just finished it off. It was you, Father, who did all the hard work. You took down a Night Cat of the same rank with ease," Tack said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.
McCoff finally relaxed, but a trace of doubt remained in his eyes as he stepped forward. "Why was there a fourth-rank Night Cat hiding here? Did you manage to extract any information from it?"
"I already interrogated it," Rhett replied. "I learned that ten days from now, the orcs will launch a major offensive. Additionally, a Night Cat unit will pass through this area. That unit is also hiding several sixth-rank royal-blooded orcs."
This revelation sent shockwaves through those around him.
"What? A major orc offensive?" Taro and Kass exclaimed in unison.
Reile's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Is this information reliable?"
"It's unclear, but we should report it as soon as we return. If the orcs do launch an offensive in ten days, then the part about the Night Cats passing through is likely true as well," Rhett explained logically.
"Looks like the final battle is approaching…" McCoff took a deep breath and sighed slowly.
"Let's finish our patrol first, then head back to camp," Rhett ordered, leading the way down the mountain.
The members of his team wore solemn expressions as they followed in silence, each lost in their thoughts.
Rhett led the patrol for half a day without any incidents.
On the way back, he carefully reviewed the events of the simulation.
"I didn't expect that after relocating the new territory, I would connect with the relic of a fifth-rank mage I discovered when I first activated my golden finger. If I'm not mistaken, that fifth-rank mage must have been the traitor from the Circle of Rings mentioned in the letter, right?"
Rhett narrowed his eyes as he searched his memory. He only vaguely recalled that the Circle of Rings was an alchemy organization from the Kingdom of Reem, known for its reputation and with a Saint-rank mage who also served as an alchemist. They certainly had the ability to produce bloodline potions.
"No wonder there was a bloodline potion in that cave. If it was brought out by a traitor from the Circle of Rings, it all makes sense." Rhett stroked his chin in contemplation.
"This also gives me a good reminder. If I get the chance, I could try to visit the Circle of Rings and see if I can obtain higher-quality bloodline potions. The one I took before definitely wasn't the best; there's still a lot of room for improvement…
Yes, going there under the pretext of delivering the letter would be perfect…"
"And this simulation's biggest good news is establishing contact with an alchemy master. Since he came with Wodelger and showed such interest in the Shadow Falcons, it's highly likely that this alchemy master is from Ice City—the one who developed the extinction poison against the Draconians.
His daughter was killed by the Draconians, a hatred as deep as the sea!
So, if I manage the Shadow Falcon's old nest well and slowly increase their numbers, his favorability toward me should rise rapidly," Rhett thought, a faint smile curling his lips.
"Tack," he called to his eldest son.
"Yes?"
"Take good care of your Shadow Falcon when we get back."
"Oh, okay." Tack blinked his large eyes, nodding twice, not quite understanding why his father had brought it up so suddenly.
The sun gradually sank from the sky, thin clouds drifting from the northern horizon, carried away by a gentle breeze. As the sun set, shadows grew long, stretching from the east as night began to fall.
When darkness fully enveloped the land, Rhett finally led his team back to the camp.
After dismissing his team, Rhett made his way alone to the central war fortress.
As he walked down a red-brick road, still two turns away from the black fortress, a burly middle-aged man approached from the opposite direction.
"Viscount Rhett, I didn't expect to run into you here," Earl Nilo greeted with a surprised smile.
"Earl Nilo? Indeed, what a coincidence." Rhett shrugged and asked, "Did you just finish a mission?"
"Not exactly. I'm here to request leave for my second son—Bonnie. He was injured yesterday, severely. Both his arms were broken by the orcs, and his spine is also fractured. It'll take a long time for him to recover."
"That's terrible news! I'll pray for Bonnie, hoping he recovers soon," Rhett said, his expression darkening slightly.
"Sigh." Earl Nilo sighed and fell silent for a moment before fixing his gaze on Rhett. In a low voice, he asked, "I've heard… you've become a fourth-rank mage. Did you… ever take…"
"I did take a bloodline potion in the past," Rhett said, anticipating the question. Before Earl Nilo could finish, he explained, "After I retired, I discovered a relic from a traitor of the Circle of Rings in a cave near my territory. There happened to be a bloodline potion that was compatible with me, so I took it.
So… now many people know that my strength has improved rapidly over the past two years."
He spoke the truth—revealing his strength and admitting to using a bloodline potion posed no problems now.
Moreover, the origin of the potion was clear, coming from a traitor of the Circle of Rings a hundred years ago.
"The Circle of Rings? That alchemy organization from the Kingdom of Reem? That's quite far from here," Earl Nilo recalled, frowning slightly. Then, with a sigh, he remarked, "If that potion could elevate you to a fourth-rank mage in just two years, it must have been of high quality. You're truly fortunate."
"Heh, I think so too." Rhett chuckled and shrugged.
Earl Nilo mused for a moment, then smiled, "Since you've gained such power, I hope you can use this opportunity to fight bravely and achieve great merit!"
"Thanks for the encouragement."
After a few more brief exchanges, the two parted ways.
Rhett continued to the black fortress as planned, showed his identification, and was granted entry.
Creak—
The heavy black metal door creaked open from within, revealing the round, slightly chubby face of Fuddy, who greeted Rhett with a warm smile. "Captain Rhett, come in. Commander Ambiru is waiting for you inside!"
The fortress loomed like a massive beast under the night sky, its interior dimly lit, with shadows lurking in every corner of the first-floor hall.
Only the farthest area, near a sand table, was illuminated by a round crystal lamp. Powered by an alchemical array, the lamp's light reflected off Ambiru's furrowed brow.
Seeing Rhett approach, Ambiru set aside a thick stack of documents, stood up, and smiled. "Rhett, what brings you here at this hour? Have you found any leads on the person who gave you that paper?"
"No, the person who gave me the paper hasn't contacted me since," Rhett replied, shaking his head. "But I have obtained other important information."
Ambiru's expression immediately turned serious. "Go ahead."
"During today's patrol, in a cave on a small mountain in Area 24, I discovered a hidden fourth-rank Night Cat—a powerful one at that.
After defeating it, I extracted some information: Ten days from now, the orcs will launch a major offensive. At the same time, a Night Cat unit will pass through Area 24. Based on their route, it seems they intend to either harass our flanks or target our guerrilla teams. Moreover, this unit is said to include several sixth-rank royal-blooded orcs."
Ambiru's eyes widened in shock as he hurriedly turned around. Placing both hands on the edge of the sand table, he focused his gaze on the northeast corner, pointing at a small mountain. He then looked at Rhett. "Is it here?"
Rhett moved closer, scanning the sand table, confirming the route and general terrain before nodding. "Yes, that's the spot."
"Why didn't you bring the prisoner here?" Ambiru's eyes narrowed.
"You know how it is with Night Cats—they're incredibly agile. I had to injure it severely to subdue it, and there was no time for treatment."
"Sigh… what a shame." Ambiru frowned deeply, pondering for a moment before saying, "I'm worried this Night Cat might be bait sent by the orcs to feed us false information, luring our strongholds into a trap.
But at the same time, we can't ignore this intelligence. If it's true, it's of great importance.
So, I'll report this to the commander and prepare our forces.
If the orcs do launch a major offensive in ten days, we'll send troops to ambush the Night Cat unit."
"What if we don't have enough time?" Rhett asked, playing devil's advocate.
"Don't worry, I'll send scouts ahead to report on the situation," Ambiru said, his eyes fixed on the sand table as he suddenly exhaled a long breath. Looking at Rhett with deep satisfaction, he added, "Since you arrived here, you've brought me nothing but pleasant surprises.
At this rate, you're not just aiming for an earldom—you might even reach marquis status!"
"Commander Ambiru, you're flattering me!" Rhett quickly waved his hand humbly. "I'm only a fourth-rank mage. I'm still far from becoming a sixth-rank mage."
"But with your rapid progress, you must have taken a bloodline potion, right? Without it, even with Moonlight Elixirs, you couldn't have advanced so quickly," Ambiru said, squinting at him.
Rhett froze for a moment, then replied with admiration, "Commander Ambiru, your sharp eyes miss nothing. This little secret of mine couldn't escape your notice."
"Haha, that's why I say, it's not your talent that limits your rise in rank—it's your merits! Stay on the front lines of the canyon for a few more years, perform well, and I'm confident you'll be the first marquis on the southwest border!"
Hearing this, Rhett feigned interest, his gaze flickering with uncertainty.
But after a few seconds of contemplation, he firmly declined, "Commander Ambiru, my family is behind the lines, and I've been away from them for too long. They need me back with them.
But rest assured, if the front lines need me, I will respond! That's my promise."
"Good!" Ambiru praised, though his eyes showed a hint of regret. Still, he nodded in satisfaction. "I trust you. For now, return and rest. Prepare for the ambush in ten days."
"Understood, Commander!"
The next evening.
As Rhett left Sub-Fortress No. 1, he spotted Snoway in the distance. Recalling the simulation, he had an idea and called out, "Snoway!" while waving his hand.
The Earth Knight's sharp hearing immediately picked up the call from a hundred meters away. Snoway turned and sprinted toward Rhett.
"Rhett, good to see you. I was just heading to the mess hall for a proper meal. After days of missions and living on dried meat and bread, care to join me for some better food?" Snoway invited.
"No, I have to lead a patrol soon. But I could use your help with something."
"What is it? Just say the word." Snoway replied, his expression serious.