The Council Chamber door slammed shut, sealing away the eerie "utter detachment" left by the Prince.
Lin Qingyue stared at the spot heavily circled by Old City Lord Carlos on the map, then glanced at Aeldara's ice-cold profile beside her.
Every taut muscle in that face screamed, "I'm going to raze it to the ground!"
Her mind was already racing with calculations.
The Undead Frontline Command, huh...
Lin Qingyue unconsciously tapped her chin with a fingertip.
Just hearing that name makes it sound like a BOSS hoard and a sea of mobs. If we can clear it in one go, my EXP bar will rocket into the stratosphere!
"Commander, when do we move out?"
Lin Xiyue couldn't wait any longer. She clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking in a series of crisp pops.
Her entire being radiated an aura of burning excitement, like she was already ablaze.
"The sooner we wipe out these boneheads, the sooner we can gather more intel on the Dungeon Core."
Aeldara didn't answer immediately.
Her crimson eyes, like two nails, were fixed on the abandoned fortress marked with a red circle on the map. Her gaze was focused and deep, as if she were trying to pierce through the layers of mist shrouding the region with her very sight.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.
"No rush."
Her voice remained icy, but the words she uttered instantly stunned Lin Xiyue.
"We're not going there."
"Huh?" Lin Xiyue's eyes widened, her face a big question mark. "We're not going? But why, Commander? We've gone through so much trouble just to wipe out their stronghold!"
Su Wan and Xia Lian also exchanged puzzled glances.
Just moments ago, she was brimming with murderous intent. How did she suddenly lose her momentum?
Lin Qingyue, however, wasn't surprised. She studied Aeldara thoughtfully and asked, "Commander, do you suspect... this is a trap?"
"A trap? Not necessarily."
Aeldara shook her head, her gaze shifting from the map to meet Lin Qingyue's directly.
"But we've already been exposed."
She paused, then explained more plainly:
"The undead know I'm coming. That Necromancer who fled the battlefield will undoubtedly report my movements."
"Given this, what would happen if we followed City Lord Carlos's intelligence and charged straight into this so-called 'Command'?"
Aeldara's gaze slowly swept across the group.
Lin Xiyue scratched her head. "We'd end up in a fierce battle with them?"
"We'd blunder headfirst into a grueling, defensive siege," Su Wan interjected, her reasoning clear and calm.
"Since they know we're coming, they'll fortify the fortress and even mobilize reinforcements from all directions.
While the Silent Watch is elite, we're severely outnumbered. A direct assault would come at a tremendous cost."
"Exactly," Aeldara said, giving Su Wan an approving glance.
"The undead fear nothing more than attrition warfare. Even if we ultimately win, we'd be severely weakened and delayed indefinitely."
Aeldara's voice grew colder. "Most critically, even if they can't hold the fortress, they can calmly abandon it and relocate the Command anywhere else."
"Even if we fight tooth and nail, we might end up tearing down nothing but an empty shell, achieving none of our strategic objectives."
Lin Qingyue instantly understood.
Got it. A frontal assault is the most reckless approach. They're prepared for us, we're fighting on their turf, and any way you slice it, we'd be at a disadvantage.
Since these undead know the Commander herself is here, they'll undoubtedly concentrate all their forces on this abandoned fortress, possibly even redeploying their elite troops to wait for us to charge in.
A thought struck Lin Qingyue like lightning, detonating in her mind.
"Feint attack!" X 2
Two voices—one crisp, the other icy—rang out almost simultaneously.
Both froze, startled.
Aeldara stared intently at Lin Qingyue, visible ripples churning in her blood-red, gemstone-like eyes. It was a peculiar light, a mixture of surprise, scrutiny, and a hint of admiration.
She had never imagined that this girl from another world, with her unorthodox combat methods, could achieve such astonishing synchronicity with her own tactical thinking.
Lin Qingyue, meanwhile, quietly pumped her fist in her mind.
I can't believe it! I actually thought of the same thing as the aloof Commander! Looks like my tactical skills, honed from using planets as furnaces for glassmaking in my previous life, haven't completely deserted me.
"Sis, what are you two talking about?" Lin Xiyue asked, utterly confused. "What's all this about 'this' and 'that'? I can't understand a word."
"To put it simply," Lin Qingyue cleared her throat, assuming the role of explainer.
"Since the undead have concentrated their main forces in that fortress up ahead, preparing for a final showdown with us, wouldn't that leave their other defenses vulnerable?"
Lin Xiyue's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! I get it now! Instead of attacking their front lines, we'll go straight for their rear!"
"Smart girl!" Lin Qingyue patted her sister approvingly on the shoulder.
"But where exactly is their rear?" Xia Lian whispered, now following the line of reasoning and starting to analyze the situation from a professional perspective. "We don't have maps of that area, so we don't know the specific locations."
At this question, all eyes turned to Aeldara.
Aeldara stepped up to the map, her slender, pale fingers tracing across the vast, unmarked black regions, moving north until they settled on a narrow pass nestled between two towering snow-capped mountains.
"The Scar of Sorrows," she declared, "has been the Undead Race's stronghold for centuries, located in the Land of Death at the continent's northernmost reaches. There, Death Energy permeates the air year-round, rendering it uninhabitable by living creatures."
"And to advance south from the Scar of Sorrows into the continent's heartland, there is only one path."
Aeldara's finger pressed down firmly on the pass, as if delivering a final verdict.
"The Frost Path."
"This ancient passage, hidden deep within the snow-capped mountains, is perpetually buried under blizzards, making its environment extremely harsh. But for the undead, who fear no cold, it serves as their safest and most clandestine artery for southward infiltration."
Old City Lord Carlos leaned in, his aged face tightening as he stared at the location on the map.
"The Frost Path... I've only seen this name in ancient texts. Legend claims it's riddled with unknown dangers, a forbidden zone for the living."
"Danger," Aeldara countered, "also means opportunity."
Aeldara's voice radiated the unwavering confidence of someone who had a commanding view of the battlefield.
"The undead army will march south, and their supplies, reinforcements, and even some mid-to-high-ranking commanders must pass through this route."
"By holding this strategic point, we'll be choking their throat."
"Instead of passively chasing their tails, let's seize the initiative and force them to run headfirst into our blades."
Her words sent a surge of heat rushing through everyone present.
Wow! Commander's strategic thinking is so clear! Lin Qingyue mentally applauded wildly.
From passively investigating to actively striking—this is the strategic mindset a commander should have!
And the Frost Path... just the name screams "high-level map"! We might even trigger some epic hidden quests!
"I agree!" Lin Qingyue was the first to raise her hand, her eyes gleaming. "This plan sounds far more interesting than gnawing on bones!"
"Me too! Waiting for rabbits to run into our trap—I love it!" Lin Xiyue exclaimed excitedly.
Su Wan and Xia Lian nodded in agreement, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.
"Very well," Aeldara said, seeing no further objections. She made her final decision.
Turning to Old City Lord Carlos, she gave a slight nod. "City Lord Carlos, thank you for your maps and intelligence. We will now head north. Farewell."
"May you journey safely," Carlos said, bowing solemnly. "While the undead's main forces are diverted, I will immediately alert the other city-states to prepare for full-scale alert."
With the plan finalized, the group wasted no time.
After quickly replenishing their food and water at the City Lord's Mansion, Aeldara led Lin Qingyue, her four companions, and her elite knights out of the ravaged Rock City.
Instead of taking the main road, they chose a more concealed path through the forest, pressing north at full speed toward the snow-covered, uncharted territory ahead.
"Sis, do you think there will be Yetis on the Frost Path?" Lin Xiyue asked, riding the spare Skeletal Warhorse Aeldara had provided, her eyes fixed on the ghostly glow of its bony frame.
"I don't know, but it's definitely prettier than this dark, gloomy forest," Lin Qingyue replied.
"I'm getting tired of these monotonous, withered trees," Lin Qingyue replied.
Su Wan, an Ice Element Mage, seemed more eager. For her, venturing into the icy wilderness was like a dragon returning to the sea, where her combat prowess would be greatly amplified.
Xia Lian, meanwhile, pulled out a dry cloth and meticulously wiped down her short bow and twin blades, making final preparations for the impending battle.
The group traveled along the edge of the Silent Forest for about half a day.
As they emerged from the oppressive woodland, the landscape suddenly opened up before them.
A vast, boundless grassland stretched out before them, the verdant blades of grass rippling like waves under the gentle breeze.
On the horizon, they could make out the undulating silhouette of mountain ranges, their peaks already capped with eternal snow.