Chapter 163: The Arrival of the Dark Elves

Chapter 163: The Arrival of the Dark Elves

After the Dark Elf Army had nearly landed, Mork and his elite guards set foot on the coast.

What followed was quite a surprise—an utterly mixed bag of a Dark Elf Army.

In addition to a few elves, there were also humans and orcs among the ranks.

Unlike the elves, the faces of these non-elf races appeared somewhat numb.

A rare few had even lost all expression, resembling nothing more than machines fit for servitude.

This was the slave army of the Dark Elves.

These slaves, after undergoing a series of “trainings,” had become fine fighting machines and excellent cannon fodder.

The arrival of such an army went unnoticed.

No one paid attention to this rather remote spot.

And alas, this would lead certain individuals to pay a gravely steep price.

Under Mork’s command, the Dark Elf Army moved swiftly through the wasteland in the northwest of the continent.

They had a clear objective.

That being the main battleground between the Nick Kingdom and the orcs—the Dolgo Fortress.

Similar to the Mark Fortress of the Nick Kingdom, Dolgo Fortress was a stronghold built by the orcs for their own protection.

On the battlefield of Dolgo Fortress, although the human side boasted advanced siege weapons compared to the orcs, the challenges they faced were far more complex than just one fortress.

There were many other problems at play.

The first being the weather.

With the harvest season past, the air was turning colder.

Unlike the orcs, who thrived in the northern lands with their tough skin and sturdy physique, humans were not so accustomed to the cold.

Especially those human soldiers who had journeyed north from the warmer southern regions.

The increasingly chilly weather would become their greatest foe.

Besides the weather, another crucial factor was logistics.

The northern wilderness, inhabited by the orcs, was a desolate place, hardly capable of sustaining even the orcs themselves. It would be tough for the human soldiers to procure supplies in the northern wasteland; they would need to rely on supplies from their homeland.

Although the kingdom had just experienced the autumn harvest and wasn’t short on food, gathering and transporting supplies from various places to here was a Herculean task.

Even though some areas could utilize the strength of the ocean, there was still a considerable distance to cover on land.

Moreover, the consumption of food during transport was significant.

In this respect, humans were not as fortunate as orcs.

The orc race was remarkably resilient, and their tough constitution made them excellent warriors, despite the fact that most orcs were not particularly sharp-witted.

This made it hard for them to maximize their strength during battle.

Even if besieged, the well-nourished orcs need not worry too much about food.

For every orc that fell, another could be fed, and let’s not forget that occasionally humans would present themselves as food!

In addition, they had just returned from raiding human lands with a significant stash of food, ensuring the orcs’ food supplies were utterly secure.

Under these circumstances, the human army could initially launch a fierce assault on the orc fortress, but gradually, their fervor began to fade.

As various factors coalesced, a sentiment of war-weariness started to infiltrate the soldiers.

One should not underestimate such sentiment; if army commanders mishandle this issue, it could become a lethal problem at crucial moments.

Overall, while the humans had many advantages over the orcs, the situation was still rather grim for them.

Though the humans were not weak, they were ultimately a loose conglomerate, struggling to coalesce their strength. Even when they did manage to unite, it wasn’t to its fullest potential.

This was a stark contrast to the times of Alexander.

Back then, nations bowed low, and the entire human race operated with remarkable efficiency under Alexander’s rule.

No one dared defy Alexander’s commands.

To get back to the matter at hand, the Dark Elf Army, after landing, charged directly toward Dolgo Fortress.

Along their path, they dispatched numerous scouts, who not only gathered intelligence but also eliminated scouts from other factions to prevent their movements from being disclosed.

The scouts’ efforts allowed the advance of the Dark Elf army to remain highly covert.

When the Dark Elf army appeared behind the human forces, the human high command was utterly stunned.

What on earth was happening?

How did a massive army suddenly appear, and they looked hostile! What were those scouts even doing?

As for this question, those scouts were clearly unable to provide answers.

Because they had already met their end.

Moreover, the speed at which the Dark Elves advanced was simply too swift.

Otherwise, the prolonged absence of the scouts would have warranted some caution from the human army, but alas, the Dark Elves had meticulously planned their operation beforehand, utilizing this very time gap.

“What should we do next? Where on earth did that elven army come from?”

Inside the tent, Prince Crown was looking rather flustered.

Beside him, Duke’s son Georges was equally at a loss.

The development of the situation had been far too sudden.

An ominous army appearing out of nowhere behind them was a severe blow for the human army.

Yet, he still looked to Crown to reassure him, “Your Highness, we may not have wanted things to develop this way, but now that it has, we must face it bravely. Surely, Father will have a plan.”

“Uncle and the others?”

Upon hearing Georges’ words, Crown recalled the urgent meeting held earlier.

During the meeting, the ever-composed Duke Ogg, albeit with a serious face, had been systematically arranging various matters.

This had given Crown a significant boost in confidence.

“Indeed, they will surely devise a solution!”

He whispered to himself.

Georges sighed inwardly as he observed his cousin.

His dear cousin lacked the maturity required in times like these.

He was usually fine, but faced with sudden emergencies, he struggled and needed someone nearby to guide him and offer strategies.

Hopefully, this northern trip could aid in his growth!

With a sigh in his heart, Georges continued, “Our first priority now is to stabilize the morale of the troops below. As long as their spirit remains intact, we still have a chance of victory.”

“Mm!”

Slowly calming down, Crown nodded in agreement.

As for stabilizing troop morale, the higher-ups of the human army also had their own methods.

They began brainwashing the lower-ranking officers and soldiers while improving their treatment.

When it came to treatment, two aspects stood out: living conditions and rewards.

There’s no need to elaborate on rewards; let’s focus on living conditions.