“I gave you 500 men! Korando, I hope you don’t let the blood of my warriors be wasted in vain!”
Three nights later, in the gnoll camp, the warlord Kenport, riding his sturdy giant armored earth wolf, arrogantly said to the Wolfsbane clan faction leader who was preparing to launch a long-range attack on Crimson Citadel:
“Although the moment of separation has come, I must say, working with you has been pleasant.”
“Stop pretending!”
Korando, dressed in black battle armor, didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. He said sarcastically to the gnoll warlord in front of him:
“That expression on your face of sending off a plague god is barely hidden. There’s been no pleasure in our cooperation either, it’s basically been a state of mutual disdain. This is a relief for me too, we’ll have no further relationship after this, Kenport.
I just want to reiterate once, if we take down Crimson Citadel”
“Ah, I will immediately turn my army towards the Cato region.”
Kenport let out the strange and evil laugh of gnolls from atop his earth wolf, saying:
“I won’t continue attacking the city that already belongs to you, that’s our ‘agreement’, haha, but the other generals of the Gnawbone clan may not be as agreeable as me, so my final advice to you is to think carefully about how to get closer to my clan again during this time, my ‘friend’.
You’ll soon know who can save you in the face of the Black Disaster!
Ha, enough talk, night has fallen, you should set out. According to our gnoll tradition, we should offer you a bowl of farewell wine at this time, but I guess you’re not used to our strong liquor, so, I wish you a smooth journey, my ‘friends’ under the midnight.”
Faced with the gnoll warlord’s false sentiments, the Wolfsbane vampires couldn’t even be bothered to respond. They mounted their summoned Astral Wolves and turned into the clamorous and unsettling night.
The 500 gnoll barbarians allocated for their use also rode earth wolves behind them.
Kenport didn’t break his word this time, he really picked 500 fierce barbarians and handed them over to Korando.
This number of men wasn’t much for the huge legion under his command now, especially since they were just locally recruited Transia scum. If their lives could help the Wolfsbane clan launch a surprise attack and take down Crimson Citadel, he could give not just 500, but even 5,000!
This was also a good thing for Kenport, but Korando’s imperious attitude made Kenport very unhappy, so 500 people were enough. Anyway, this bunch of bastards were going as cannon fodder to die. Did they really think he would spare them?
Ridiculous!
After getting the defense map of the Wolfsbane clan in the Cato region, Kenport was already itching to act.
Compared to the barren and unprofitable Transia, the prosperous Cato region was more like a juicy, succulent steak. As long as he could lead his army to break through there, he would not only gain a huge amount of military supplies, but also gain super huge prestige within the Gnawbone clan.
At that time, he could rightfully demand that Moss Valley send more elites to support him, and then turn around and take Transia too!
That would be the real power to realize his ambitions.
As for these Transia gnoll scum, tch, they were all small in stature and weak-willed, barely qualified to be cannon fodder. It was unthinkable to rely on them to achieve any great undertaking.
From this point of view, it was really no accident that Kenport could cooperate with Korando. These two guys even wanted almost the same things.
“Great King, these Wolfsbane pups may not be able to take down Crimson Citadel.”
As Kenport was pondering these issues alone, Hog, the “lucky one” who had survived twice, came over and said quietly:
“They’ve clearly underestimated their Blood Vulture brethren, they might take a big hit, but this is just an opportunity! If Crimson Citadel falls into chaos due to tonight’s surprise attack, your great army can...” R̃АɴÒ₿ËŚ
“You’re just scared by the Blood Vulture vampires, poor Hog, your courage is as small as your stature.”
Kenport snorted at this argument.
He glanced at Hog.
This guy’s luck was indeed good, and his brain was useful, he could be considered promising material, but unfortunately he was a scum, and to make matters worse, he had half noble blood from Moss Valley.
This mixture of noble and lowly made Kenport despise Hog even more!
He felt this guy was the epitome of disgrace, but the problem was that he couldn’t go back on his word in front of his own kind. He had promised Hog before that if he came back alive, he would be rewarded.
Sigh, those Wolfsbane bastards couldn’t even do this one thing right! Wasn’t eliminating this crippled scum just a matter of one sword stroke? Why did they have to bring it back to annoy people?
“I know you’re concerned about my conquest, I see your loyalty, but I’ll make the decisions on these matters. Go claim your reward, Hog, go pick out your previous clansmen. I allow you to reform your clan and join the elite main force of the camp.”
“Thank you for your generosity, Great King!”
Hog appeared very joyful.
He shrank his body and tactfully withdrew from Kenport’s side, then returned to his Blood Claw clan amidst the disdainful gazes of other gnolls.
In the two days he had run out to “seek death”, Nash had completed the tasks he assigned quite well. He hadn’t blindly recruited many gnolls with big appetites to fill the ranks. On the contrary, the current 100-odd gnolls in the Blood Claw clan were all very clever fellows.
Wisdom wasn’t a necessary condition for survival in gnoll groups, so these smart gnolls were mostly marginal figures in various clans. Hog gathered them together so these guys wouldn’t have to be bullied anymore.
This way, both sides were very satisfied with the arrangement.
Hog quickly announced to his new clansmen the Great King Kenport’s high regard for their small clan and the news of moving the camp to the central area.
This made his clansmen even happier.
Moving to the center of the camp meant more food rations and better weapons allocated. They could have more servants.
“Nash, come here, I have something to instruct you.”
Hog called out quietly to his most trusted subordinate. Nash looked around and quietly followed his chieftain. The two gnolls talked in the darkness.
“Great King Kenport has given me back my previous clan, there are over 200 people there.”
Hog said to Nash.
The latter immediately cried out joyfully, saying:
“This is great news! Your previous clan members will surely be more loyal to you.”
“This is not good news”
Hog was very helpless.
He knew that if he met with his previous clansmen, his claim of being the “grandson of Gnawbone” that he had declared to his current core clansmen would immediately be exposed.
This was a deadly matter.
When Kenport looked at him earlier, Hog clearly sensed the coldness and disgust in those eyes. He knew Kenport despised and loathed him, this mixed-blood.
Given the chance, that brutal Great King would definitely not spare him, but he couldn’t tell Nash about this either. This oaf definitely couldn’t keep it secret.
So Hog instructed Nash face to face, saying:
“Father is right, even if there’s a trap ahead we must charge in. The fame of annihilating the Blood Vulture remnants can give us enough prestige among our clansmen to resist old Edward’s oppression.
If we can also capture the prince of the Nordtov Kingdom, our voice will be even louder, we might even get direct support from King Louis.
We have no other choice but to go all in!”
“Don’t forget why our family joined the Wolfsbane clan in the first place, children.”
Moriarty Korando Gongreau narrowed his eyes in the night, saying:
“We’re not here for some midnight dignity, for some dog-shit vampire honor, we’re here for power! For a future that leads to a brighter prospect.
But those things never come easily into our hands. If you want to wear the crown, you must have your hands stained with blood, either the enemy, or our own.
Children, let’s go all in!
Children, let us become true predators tonight.
Children, don’t worry about what happens after us. Even if we return to eternal sleep tonight, the bloodline of the Korando family won’t be cut off. Your sisters have inherited the cunning wisdom that you never possessed.
They are also surnamed Korando.
Melia and Winnie will eventually complete the unfinished business of the incompetent men in the family!
Yes, I’ve already arranged everything for us. Whether we live or die, we no longer have any attachments, nor do we need to have any burdens!
Tonight, we only need to bare our fangs, drink the blood of our enemies and strengthen ourselves.
That’s all.”
Korando’s shouts spread through the night, making the Greyclaw descendants who followed him on this charge howl excitedly one by one.
These thugs never concealed their desire for power and brutality, and they willingly obeyed Korando not only because he was the leader of the Greyclaw faction, but also because even before becoming a vampire, the reputation of Moriarty Korando Gongreau as an underground godfather had already spread throughout the dark world of Greenleaf Island.
They were willing to obey such a powerful person.
They knew their loyalty would earn them a future, or a glorious ending!
The fanaticism of these Wolfsbane vampires at this moment made the gnoll barbarians following them look at each other in bewilderment. Listening to the fanatical howls rising and falling in the night, watching these crazy vampires who looked more like beasts than beasts, seeing the crimson in their eyes that seemed ready to devour people.
All of this made the fierce gnolls couldn’t help but ponder a very philosophical question
Who the f**k is the real barbarian here?
Riding on the back of an Astral Direwolf galloping under the midnight, Korando raised his head, looking at the silent spirit vulture soaring in the night sky above.
“Bang”
A twisted and brutal smile spread across his pale face as he raised his finger in a gun shape, “pulled the trigger” at Revnor who was overlooking from high above, and even made a sound effect.
He knew there was a pair of eyes watching him up there.
So let’s say hello.
Greet each other for the first and last time before we fight to the death.
——
“They’re coming!”
In the Blood Vulture Halls, Murphy opened his eyes and withdrew his vision from Revnor’s side.
The vampire lord stood up and said quietly to the subordinates gathered before him:
“The Greyclaw faction has rallied over 300 elites and 500 gnoll barbarians as the vanguard. The good news is, Andrei, your fishing operation was successful.
The bad news is, it was too successful.
You’ve personally hooked a hungry deep-sea giant shark. If we can’t stop these wild guys, the ruling power of Crimson Citadel will change hands tonight.”
“Perhaps we should blow up that passage?”
Dorothy, standing at the edge of the crowd, participated in this kind of meeting for the first time and said quietly:
“If we blow it up, those Wolfsbane vampires won’t be able to sneak into the city.”
“But that means we’ll have to spread out to resist their attacks on civilians under the cover of night, which is even more unrealistic. We’re the new Blood Vulture, not the old madmen who didn’t care about human lives.
Lord Murphy also won’t allow us to exchange civilian lives for a victory.”
Maxim said in a deep voice:
“Let them come! In the already emptied sewers, a life-and-death battle is about to begin! Members of the Wolfsbane, Blood Vulture and Thorn clans will offer sacred blood to the Night Mother tonight on this dark land with the final victory.”
“You have me, children.”
Tris, holding a glass of wine, said:
“I alone can wipe them out!”
“For a faction leader’s surprise attack to require our esteemed clan leader to personally take action, that would be too embarrassing if word got out. The Blood Vulture Clan now only has this face left.
We can’t afford to lose face anymore.
This is our last remaining dignity, we have to pick it up with our own hands.”
Femis leaned on her Night Howl Staff, shaking her head and saying:
“Leave this matter to us, Tris, you just watch.”
“The Thorn clan is honored to fight alongside our companions.”
Andrei gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist.
The scar on his face had faded a lot but hadn’t disappeared. Who knows what he was thinking, perhaps like Tris, he wanted to leave himself an unforgettable lesson.
“Then let’s set out.”
Murphy took out his broken pocket watch and checked the time, saying:
“Let the blood of the sinful descendants reach the heavens, and let the Night Mother judge the outcome for us and them.”