Colin's cold, emotionless orders were like three daggers quenched in cold poison, thrown one after another, pinning deeply into the dead silence of the Council Chamber.
Anna's body jerked suddenly.
She did not hesitate in the slightest, nor did she ask a single word. She simply slammed her right fist hard against her left chest, emitting a dull thud of impact between steel and flesh.
"At your command!"
She turned abruptly and strode out of the Council Chamber.
The next second, a piercing whistle, representing the highest level of combat mobilization, tore thru the previously peaceful silence above Blackwood Fortress from her lips!
Colin did not pause.
The moment Anna rushed out, his gaze, like a frozen lake, turned toward all the core administrators of Blackwood Fortress present.
"Goff! Lena!"
He called out two names. One old and one young, one martial and one civil, the two pillars of Blackwood Fortress stepped forward simultaneously.
On Goff's wrinkled old face, all gentleness and composure had been replaced by a gravity like the storm clouds gathering before a tempest. His hand had subconsciously gripped the longbow at his waist that had accompanied him for so long.
Lena's face was somewhat pale. But in her beautiful, obsidian-like eyes, a rational and cold flame burned. She knew that from this moment on, this home would be temporarily entrusted to her.
"While I am away, the western defense line of the territory, as well as all daily defense duties within the castle, are to be handled entirely by you two!"
Colin's voice held no ripples, yet carried an unquestionable, absolute authority.
"There must not be the slightest slack!"
"Yes!" Goff and Lena replied in unison.
Colin's gaze, like a searchlight, swept to the other side, to that slender figure who had been standing in the shadows.
"Linna!"
The Chief Scout responsible for the entire Blackwood Fortress intelligence network, Linna, trembled. She stepped out of the shadows; on that face that was usually filled with a touch of laziness and confidence, now, only a bone-chilling cold mixed with murderous intent remained.
"Dispatch all your scouts! I want you to strictly monitor all movements in every direction around Blackwood Fortress! Even if a rabbit runs across our territory, I want to know its gender!"
"Yes! Leader!" Linna's nails almost dug into her palms; she replied in a hoarse voice, with a tone akin to an oath.
Finally, Colin's gaze landed on Barton, who was covered in stone dust and sweat.
"Barton!"
"Roar!" Barton let out a dull response like a bear's roar.
"I give you three days! I need to see the final gap in the city wall completely sealed! I need to see all defense fortifications fully completed!"
"Rest assured, Leader!" Barton used his arms, as thick as stone pillars, to fiercely hammer his rock-hard chest, "Even if we don't sleep, I will lead my little ones to finish the job!!"
The orders had been issued. This was a fierce sortie with no path of retreat and extremely high risk.
The entire Blackwood Fortress, this war machine that was usually efficient but still held a touch of daily life, was completely activated at this moment!
It shed all its warm disguises and revealed its cold fangs, forged from steel, discipline, and fury.
Countless gears began to operate efficiently at a heart-stopping, frantic speed.
Colin did not say another word.
He did not conduct any impassioned, morale-boosting pre-battle mobilization.
Because he knew that when a brother falls in a pool of blood, any language is pale.
Only the enemy's blood will suffice.
He turned and strode toward his room.
Behind him, the entire Blackwood Fortress had turned into a silent, awakening volcano.
Two hundred and four Wolf Cavalry, and those thirteen Wolf Guards who only took orders from Colin alone, like ghosts emerging from the ground, silently gathered from their respective barracks and posts to the central plaza.
They did not make a sound. No talking, no shouting.
They simply, silently, collected their equipment from the armory.
Everyone's movements were as precise as a machine.
They checked the iron-studded leather armor on their bodies, reinforced with double-layered cowhide and iron plates, enough to withstand sword slashes.
They stroked the standard-issue war blade at their waist that had accompanied them thru countless slaughters.
They strapped the repeating crossbow, with its precise structure capable of unleashing fourteen deadly cold gleams in an instant, firmly onto their backs.
Then, they hung a full four quivers, each filled with thirty special armor-piercing arrows hand-forged by the dwarf Berg, capable of piercing heavy armor, on their waists and their mounts' saddles.
One hundred and twenty arrows. This meant that every Wolf Cavalry, the moment they stepped out of the castle gate, became a moving arrow tower filled with the aura of death.
Inside the wolf kennels, there was a similarly solemn silence.
All the Snow Giant W Leaving behind only a cold, unknown world, filled with a grim, murderous aura.