Inside the Administration Hall, the bonfire had not yet dispelled the morning chill, and the air still held a faint echo of last night's celebration.
However, the people gathered here now wore more composed and practical expressions.
Skala sat at the head of the table, several beast hide scrolls spread out before him.
Ital'ruk's core members sat on either side.
This was a meeting about how to proceed after their victory.
"Everyone," Skala's voice was steady, with a subtle hint of excitement, "The revelry is over; it's time to take stock of our gains and plan our path forward." He picked up the top scroll. "First, let's discuss the final results of the battle in Gray Tooth Valley."
"Firstly, regarding enemy casualties—" He looked up and scanned the room, then continued to read, "We confirmed the killing of approximately 180 ordinary Frost Howl soldiers and successfully ambushed and killed the renowned general 'Trampler' Bazlow at the East Branch Road ambush point."
Everyone remained silent, knowing of the ambush's great success, yet still awed by the battle's outcome.
"Secondly," he continued, "we successfully captured 322 ordinary Frost Howl soldiers and 87 guard members. Although their injuries are not light, their lives are not in danger."
"Of course, the guard soldiers counted are those who haven't gone mad yet," Skala added, just in time.
As soon as he finished speaking, smiles appeared on everyone's faces, though mixed with a hint of bitterness.
After all, the shock brought by those guards was simply too intense.
"Next, let's look at the spoils of war," Skala continued, "We captured heavy armor and weapons from the guards, enough to arm about five hundred people; forty-five enchanted weapons, mostly used by priests and officers."
He looked at Agri, the chief craftsman beside him, "Especially these few perfectly intact Dragon Slaying Ballistae, and over a hundred refined iron bolts. Agri, these are for you to repair and replicate."
Agri's eyes lit up, and he nodded heavily: "I'll take my people to the warehouse right away. I guarantee all the ballistae will be restored in the shortest possible time, and more will be replicated. The defenses of 'God-Slayer's Maw' will reach a new level!"
Changing the subject, Skala's expression immediately turned serious: "Regarding losses, we lost 107 warriors, 35 were severely wounded and disabled, and the rest sustained minor injuries. Material consumption was severe, especially arrows and lamp oil, which are almost depleted."
At this moment, Siye added: "The Paladins and priests, aside from significant divine power consumption, are all fine and are currently in quiet meditation to recover. As for the Primordial Dragons—"
Her expression, though still calm, showed a hint of relief: "Among the five Proto-Dragons that participated in the battle, three were severely wounded by the Dragon Slaying Ballistae, suffering multiple fractures, torn wing membranes, and severe internal injuries."
Everyone held their breath.
"Fortunately, their vitality is extremely strong, coupled with Shadow Wing drawing fire and divine grace, they bravely pulled through," Siye smiled faintly.
"Beno and Sultaka the witch doctor have helped them out of life-threatening danger, and they are slowly recovering. The other two, and Lord Shadow Wing, have lighter injuries and only need rest."
Hearing that the three Proto-Dragons, pierced by crossbow bolts, miraculously survived, everyone's tense expressions relaxed slightly.
These powerful fellow believers are indispensable allies of Ital'ruk.
"Excellent!" Skala was clearly very pleased with this news. "At all costs, we must save them! Siye, prioritize the supply of any necessary medicinal materials, no matter how precious!"
"The results of the battle are outstanding, but the cost is also considerable," Skala concluded.
After reviewing the cold numbers, the discussion shifted to the more crucial future.
Skala's finger pointed to the area north of Gray Tooth Valley on the map.
"After this battle, Frost Howl has lost its western elites; Matos has fallen, and Hamur… is no longer a concern. There will undoubtedly be great chaos within their ranks. Gentlemen, how should we proceed next?"
Agri was the first to speak, with a craftsman's practicality: "Lord Skala, in my opinion, the most urgent task is to consolidate our existing territory!"
"The captured Dragon Slaying Ballistae and heavy armor require time to be processed, repaired, and distributed."
"The prisoners also need time and effort to be guarded, screened, and then converted into labor."
"Although we won at Gray Tooth Valley, our vitality also needs to recover."
"Rushing north would stretch our front lines, make supplies difficult, and carry too much risk."
His opinion was clear: cultivate, digest, and advance steadily.
Gulen, with his arms crossed, gazed calmly at Frost Howl's territory on the map and slowly said: "What Agri says makes sense. But it's too conservative."
"Frost Howl's territory is vast and desolate. Directly occupying it would require a large investment of manpower and resources to maintain, and once we formally step into the second tier, we will have no natural defenses."
"The gains and efforts may be difficult to balance in the short term."
"However, north of Gray Tooth Valley, there isn't just the main Frost Howl force. They only occupy the larger strongholds."
"There are also some smaller tribes and resource points that are either affiliated with Frost Howl or are in buffer zones."
"Can we consider… exerting influence? For example, establishing outposts to acquire necessary furs and ores? Rather than directly occupying large areas of useless frozen land."
Skala nodded. He understood their caution, but as a leader, he saw further: "Your concerns are valid. Directly annexing the northern territories is indeed not a wise move."
"But completely abandoning the power vacuum left by their collapse would also be a waste."
He drew a circle on the map with his finger, "Our goal is not to occupy every inch of land, but to control the choke points and radiate influence."
"For the larger strongholds, we adopt a 'conciliatory' attitude. We won't send troops or forcefully impose our laws."
"Instead, we encourage them to come to Ital'ruk to do business, and we will collect tolls, thereby exerting influence."
"For smaller strongholds, we can adopt a more assertive approach. Send capable small teams or envoys to infiltrate north."
"Contact those small tribes that have lost their support, demonstrate our strength, offer limited protection or trade, and bring them into Ital'ruk's sphere of influence."
"Acquire the intelligence and resources we need, while also monitoring whether other forces are trying to fill the void."
"We want Frost Howl's western lands to become a buffer zone and resource backyard for Ital'ruk, not a burden."
He looked at Siye: "This requires the cooperation of the church's strength. The prestige of His Majesty the Dragon God is now the most powerful 'knock on the door'."
Siye nodded solemnly: "Understood. I will select priests with excellent eloquence and faith to cooperate with the preaching teams. The glory of His Majesty the Dragon God will guide us."
The direction of the meeting was largely set: primarily focused on solidifying defenses and digesting the spoils of war, supplemented by cautious, exploratory actions northward aimed at influencing penetration and resource acquisition. The core was to strengthen themselves, not to expand blindly.
Skala looked around with satisfaction: "Good, then let's proceed with this strategy."
"Agri, fully repair the fortifications and equipment. Gulen, Gollon, reorganize the troops, properly settle the wounded, and quickly come up with a prisoner management plan."
"Siye, the church should be prepared. Beno, medical supplies and treatment for the wounded are paramount."
He stood up, ready to conclude this practical meeting. His gaze inadvertently swept over the more southern areas on the map, where some Resistance Alliance strongholds were marked. A thought flashed, and he casually asked:
"Speaking of which… how is that kid Toka doing over with the Resistance Alliance?"
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