Chapters Chapter 213: A real man pays in full! (1/2)
The following afternoon,
Kang Chul-In ordered all soldiers that were capable of long-range attack to bombard the 18th peak.
Bang!
Twelve magic-engineered artilleries breathed fire.
”!أھم عناوین الصحف الیومیة“
Nilus and his magic troop also cast spells and attacked.
-Kuahhhhh!
Ten Arkellons were also showering the enemy base with water cannons.
“Drakan.” Kang Chul-In called the general over.
“Yes, your Majesty.”
“Once the bombing is over, lead five thousand men and pretend to attack the enemy base for about two hours. It’s a ‘pretend’ attack, not an actual attack. Understood?” Kang Chul-In issued an incomprehensible command.
“You mean to fake our attacks?”
“That’s right.”
“Kehem…” Drakan tilted his head, as if questioning Kang Chul-In’s intent. Kang Chul-In grinned and asked,
“Why, you think it’s ineffective?”
“T-To be honest, yes. In order to launch an all-out attack, we should let our soldiers rest… Isn’t it advantageous for us to remain at status quo? Furthermore, don’t we still lack the solution for that horrifying item, Death Calling?” The soldiers of Laputa were indeed well-trained, but they were tired from the continuous marching through the past 17 peaks. It would be a wise move to let them rest for the all-out attack.
“I agree that it’s inefficient.” Kang Chul-In nodded.
“However, it’s still necessary for us.”
“May I ask why, your Majesty? Enlighten this humble servant of yours!” Drakan was a great soldier but he lacked a tactical mind. He wanted to hear the answer.
“Aleister thinks that our army is anxious to conquer the 18th peak. He assumes that we will have to move fast before the reinforcements arrive.”
“I agree, your Majesty.”
“So, if we take our own sweet time at the 17th peak, what do you think Aleister will think?”
“...!”
“He will start to become skeptical. There’s a slight but real chance that he may deduce Vilhelm’s betrayal just from observing our army’s movement.”
“Hoh…!”
Kang Chul-In was extremely meticulous.
He knew that Aleister lacked the insight and intelligence to analyze the battlefield, but he was being extra cautious.
“How do you think Aleister will respond?”
“Won’t he try to escape?”
“I will never let him escape. I won’t even let him use the Absolute Return Scroll.”
“…!”
“Overlord Aleister shall die under the full moon.”
It was almost like a prophecy.
Kang Chul-In was determined to destroy Aleister once and for all.
“A perfect strategy indeed!” Drakan admired Kang Chul-In’s wisdom.
“That’s to be given. As the old saying goes, a lion puts in its 100% to chase down even a rabbit. The enemy is not just a rabbit, but an Overlord. Isn’t it better to attack relentlessly and deprive him of any space to breathe?”
“Yes, your Majesty! You are certainly right!” Drakan kneeled in front of Kang Chul-In.
“I, Drakan, shall heed your Majesty’s order to deceive the evil undead army! Do watch me, your Majesty!”
“Good! I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, your Majesty!” Drakan answered him and left the tent.
“Lucia.”
“Yes, your Majesty.”
“You are next. Same orders. Six hours after Drakan has returned, lead five thousand men and pretend to attack the enemy base.”
“Yes, your Majesty!”
The feared double-shift system!
If they pretended to attack every six hours, Aleister would believe wholeheartedly that the Laputan army was running out of time.
It would be hell for the Laputan soldiers carrying out the mission, of course.
“Right, I shall formulate my plan to address the Death Calling then. Let me know if there’s any problem.”
“Yes, your Majesty!”
Kang Chul-In left the tent after handing out his instructions.
***
‘Omega’ was a small fortress on the summit of the 18th peak.
“Those vicious bastards!” Aleister grit his teeth as he glared at the Laputan army positioned at the 17th peak.The Laputan army was extremely offensive.
It was bombing the 18th peak relentlessly, while also attacking the base every six hours. For four whole days without rest! This almost gave Aleister a headache.
“You sly bastards… keep attacking all you want! Think I will let you find any opening?” Aleister snickered.
He deduced that Laputa was not attacking with 100% of its power yet.
He believed the Laputan army was making strategic movements to find any aperture in Aleister’s defense. Otherwise, it would not have divided its forces and attack and retreat at regular intervals.
“Stonebridge!”
“Yes, your Majesty!”
“Those sly bastards are going to continue provoking and retreating for some time. It’s most likely an effort to sniff out our weakness like a hyena.”
“Do you wish to strengthen our defense?”
“That’s precisely right.”
“Yes, your Majesty. We shall maintain our ironclad defense!” Stonebridge bowed to Aleister’s command.
“Huehue… Kang Chul-In… You must be feeling anxious right now, eager to destroy me before the reinforcements arrive… Am I right?” A despicable grin spread across Aleister’s thin face.
“Try your best to find an opening, Kang Chul-In! No matter how vigorously you attack, I shall not step a single foot out of this fortress before the reinforcements arrive… Watch me…! I shall destroy you when your soldiers finally begin to tire out… huehuehue…”
As Kang Chul-In had expected, Aleister was focused solely on defending, taking advantage of the undead monsters’ unlimited stamina. In other words, he was activating ‘Galaxy Defense’ mode.
Aleister, however, didn’t have the slightest clue that everything was going according to Kang Chul-In’s plan.
He did reveal some insight and made a logical judgment, but Kang Chul-In unfortunately had Aleister in the palm of his hand.
***
Kang Chul-In summoned Nilus into his tent after successfully tricking Aleister.
“You’ve called, your Majesty!”
Nilus, an old magician with the appearance of an elementary school kid, bowed to Kang Chul-In.
“I need your help, Nilus.”
“Anything, your Majesty!”
“Can you make me disappear from all dimensions for just 5 minutes?”
“…I beg your pardon?” Nilus gave Kang Chul-In a puzzled response.
Indeed, it was absurd for someone to request to disappear from all dimensions for 5 minutes.
“Just like what I have said. Can you make me non-existent for 5 minutes?”
“W-Well, it’s certainly not possible.”
“Hmm…”
“I, your humble servant, may be a good magician, but I am no God. How could I cast such a high-level magic? Even an ancient dragon that had mastered the art of magic would refrain from trying it.”
“Is that so…”
“…?”
“I guess there’s no choice.”
Kang Chul-In frowned slightly and muttered to himself, then commanded Nilus.
“Hear, Nilus the Grand Mage.”
“Yes, your Majesty.”
“Starting now, you and the magic troop shall cease all attacks and focus on one task.”
“May I ask what that task is?”
“Here.” Kang Chul-In handed a scroll over to Nilus.
“What is this?”
“Open it and you will know. In fact, open it now.”
“Yes, your Majesty.” Nilus opened the scroll.
Some time passed.
“W-What?!” Nilus was flabbergasted, to the point where he almost dropped the scroll.
“Possible?”
“Y-your Majesty…!”
“Why, can’t do it?”