Chapter 382：Battle at the valley

Dudian looked around. His eyes fell on Reid's body and he slowly said: "Colonel you have orders from the top brass and I won't insist for you to go to battlefield. I understand that its your duty to abide the orders but its not my responsibility to do so. Please don't forget that you have no right to limit my freedon. You may see me as a weak architect but I'm a knight!"

"Although formally I'm not a knight yet but I have passed the written test and inherited the spirit of the knighthood! Why do you think I donated a legendary level weapon to the military? What do you think the purpose was? It was to save costs and make sure that the money would be used to the other things. I want to see the blood flown from the soldiers decrease! I want to see less dead people!"

"One more soldier dead means another family broken!"

"I believe that all of you are aware that as a knight I should follow the spirit of the knighthood! I must fight for glory, for protection of the weak, for the justice, for the well-being of everyone!"

"This is what I think a knight should do! These are my criterias!"

Dudian's eyes lit up as he spoke in a righteous tone: "Now, do you want a knight to cowardly hide while a brutak attack is happening? Do you want me to watch fellow soldiers die why I watch from behind the line of defense in a secure place?"

Dudian took a deep breath and spoke in a forceful tone: "I respect that you follow and observe the military orders! But I ama knight! Even though I haven't been knighted yet but I carry the identity! I might as well let you kill me now instead of looking at my brothers die in the defense line! Such a life is a blasphemy and too humiliating!"

Reid and others faces slightly changed. They were moved as they heard Dudian's words. Their blood was boiling as their eyes became red. The elite soldiers clenched onto their weapons as they bit their lips.

Reid looked at sad expression on Dudian's face. His heart was shaken and he felt his ears hot. A flame burst out of his chest. Reid took a deep breath and bowed: "Mr Dean...I'm sorry..."

Dudian's heart sank and his face became gloomy when he heard the word 'sorry'. He didn't think that they would be indifferent after his affectionate speech. He felt a bit anger as he looked at them: "I admire the irrevocable resolution that you have...I admire it... However the military can order you but don't have the right to command me around!"

Reid said: "Master, please don't make things difficult for us."

Dudian indifferently replied: "Its not me but you who is make the things difficult. We have been losing time in here while we should be killing barbarians in the battlefield. Each dead barbarian is equivalent to saving one soldier and a family! I have no idea what you think but I can't stand sitting here idle! I will be having nightmares in the future for the cries of the families who had lost their sons in the war... "

Reid's face turned ugly as he clenched his fists. But the military order couldn't be breached. Those orders had long been engraved into his bone marrows. He had become a colonel because of following the rules of the military.

Dudian pulled out a map from the backpack. He spread it on the back of the horse. He looked at circles which he had marked in advance. He looked at Reid: "Colonel you may go to Red River's defense line but I want to go to Scarlett Valley!"

"Scarlett Valley?" Reid was perplexed.

"The barbarians are bound to rush in a straight line after breaking through the golden wall. They will arrive at Red River but its very difficult to pass it. So they will change directions to other places. The Scarlett Valley is in front of the swamps in the south. The scouts send by the barbarians will have to pass through the Scarlett Valley." Dudian slowly said:" Scarlett Canyon is very steep and its very hard to climb. But its width is about six or seven meters and can accommodate about a squad of troops. I will stay there to fight with them."

Reid was stunned. He looked at another young archer: "Jessie give me the map."

The young archer removed his backpack, pulled out map and handed it out to Reid.

Reid looked at the map and quickly found the place. He checked the position of the Scarlett Valley. There was a trace of surprise in his face as he looked at Dudian: "Master, how did you find this place? It has great geographical advantage!"

Dudian had a puzzled expression on his face. But he snorted in his heart. In the last few days he didn't even remember the number of times he had checked the map. He had prepared for long enough for many situations.

Reid saw the puzzled expression on Dudian's face: "Master this Scarlett Valley has a lake on one side while a forest on the other. There are many variations of lizards, snakes and other jungle beasts in the forest while there are aquatic monsters in the lake. Even elite troops will face heavy casualties if they want to safely pass through the forest. The safest way seems to be the Scarlett Canyon. But it doesn't mean hat the Scarlett Valley is safe. There are snakes, rock beasts and other stone monsters. If we can ambush and throw rocks at them from above the canyon we can annihilate them easily!"

"There is no way to protect themselves there but most would choose the Scarlett Canyon for its quickness."

Dudian replied: "It seems that I have chosen a good path. I'll go now." He pulled the ropes of hope as he began to move.

Reid said in a hurry: "Master please slow down. Our mission was to escort you to the Red River. But since you insist of going to Scarlett Valley... Is it alright if we follow you?"

"Yes." Dudian's lips slightly curved up. In fact, he knew that Reid and others wouldn't abandon him in any situation. The reason why he choose to go to Scarlett Valley was that at best there would be small-scale operations over there. If he went alone and killed barbarians then he wouldn't have anyone to testify for him.

Moreover it was impossible to have a large scare war in this terrain. His attitude was hard since the beginning to sway Reid and others to follow him.

"Captain, aren't we ..." A swordsman looked at Reid to try to change his mind.

Dudian frowned. He turned around and looked at the man as he loudly said: "Gentlemen! Are you willing to put aside the military orders and kill the enemy with me? If you are then raise your hands! Don't forget I said that despite the military orders!"

Everyone raised their hands.

"Let's go then!" Dudian lightly said.

Reid smiled. Dudian was definetly the most wonderful master he had seen... Moreover he was the most bravest master! He licked his lips and looked at the crowd: "There won't be any large-scale combat even if we encounter barbarians within the canyon. Do your best to protect the master! I'll be the one accountable for everything!"

The others looked at each other. One of the who was holding on a spear spoke in a harsh tone: "Captain I'm willing to bear the guilt with you in case of the investigation!"

"I am also willing!"

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

Everyone loudly shouted.

Reid's heart warmed as he saw the serious express on the faces of his people: "IN that case lets go and kill some barbarians!"

"Alright!"

"Kill!"