CHAPTER 371: CHAPTER 327: SIEGE OF HEIZE CITY_2

At this point, just eight hours had passed since the first aerial bomb was dropped from the Beak Eagle bomber.

The Eternal Domain’s Great Army was now at the gates.

Inside Blackwater City, the Werewolves were in a state of constant panic.

No one had anticipated such a swift defeat, and no one knew just what kind of enemy they were facing.

The atmosphere inside the Clan Leader’s tent was extremely oppressive.

Some seats were empty... It was uncertain whether these Werewolf Clan Leaders had fled upon seeing the bad turn of events, or if they had fallen in the Eternal Domain’s assault.

A Clan Leader who, at the last meeting, had shouted for a fight to the death against the Eternal Domain, now spoke to Ironhead in a very low voice, "Clan Leader Ironhead... the Eternal Domain attacked from the south and has now surrounded Blackwater City from three sides. The north is still under our control.

If we retreat now, we can still break through the Eternal Domain’s siege.

If we delay, then... then there will be no escape."

Another Werewolf seconded, "Yes! The Eternal Domain has steel beasts that can fly in the air, and their Alchemical Weapons can reach us over Blackwater. We underestimated the Eternal Domain’s strength, and to stay in Heize City is just waiting to be bombed to death by Yan Xing.

While the Eternal Domain has yet to block the northern path, let’s hurry and leave."

Ironhead had lost the bold spirit with which he once proclaimed he would remake the Thunderous Swamp. The defeat at the frontlines had been too terrifying; it was a true rout, his forces chased all the way back.

"Run?" Ironhead said to the many Werewolf Clan Leaders, "Where can you go after leaving Heize City? After today, not a single group in the Thunderous Swamp will dare to take us in.

Where can you go after fleeing the Thunderous Swamp?

Do you think the Orcs will harbor us, or that humans will...?

We have nowhere to flee."

"Are we just going to wait here to die?" A Werewolf Clan Leader stood up, "You may not leave, but we will! Our ancestors left the barren lands and survived in the swamp. I believe there must be a place in this world where we can continue to live."

Another Werewolf stood up and said, "Or... we could surrender to Lord Yan Xing. Lord Yan Xing is generous and kind-hearted. I’ve heard he even spared the life of the assassin who tried to kill him and made that assassin his Cabinet Minister.

We could send someone to inquire about Lord Yan Xing’s intentions.

If he agrees to our surrender, we might still be able to stay in the swamp."

When the option of surrender was brought up, the expressions of all the Werewolf Clan Leaders changed.

Lord Yan Xing was renowned throughout the Thunderous Swamp for his generosity and compassion. He was also known to all as a man of his word.

As long as Lord Yan Xing agreed to our surrender, our lives and those of our kinsfolk would likely be spared.

The Clan Leaders began to discuss who should go to see Lord Yan Xing about the matter of surrender.

Even the Clan Leader who had just proposed finding a new homeland like their ancestors joined in the eager discussion.

Suddenly... Ironhead burst out laughing and disdainfully said to the Clan Leaders talking about surrender, "You spineless cowards! Surrendering after just one loss? You disgrace our ancestors’ honor."

A Clan Leader retorted, "Ironhead, we would keep fighting if we could. But fighting the Eternal Domain is sending ourselves to needless deaths; there’s simply no hope of victory.

The pups are too scared to fight!"

Ironhead laughed, "Who says there’s no hope of victory? The Eternal Domain has powerful weapons, but so does my Heize City."

All the Werewolf Clan Leaders asked in unison, "What is it?"

"What it is, I will not tell you just yet. In any case, I want to fight the Eternal Domain... If I lose, you can choose whether to run or surrender.

How about that?"

The Clan Leaders thought it was feasible.

After all, surrendering was not a matter of pride, and no one wanted to bow their heads until the very end.

If Ironhead truly had a formidable weapon to repel the Eternal Domain, then we could all share in Yan Xing’s wealth.

"Since Clan Leader Ironhead wants to fight, we will continue to support Heize..."

Ironhead, smiling craftily, watched the many Werewolf Clan Leaders and said, "My weapon is still not quite perfected. If the esteemed Clan Leaders could lend me your treasures, I promise I’ll personally take Yan Xing’s head."

After hearing Ironhead’s words, the Clan Leaders looked at each other uncertainly.

"Ironhead, you know us. What treasures could we possibly possess? Of course, if it means winning this war, you’re welcome to take anything you need from our tribes..."

Ironhead burst into loud laughter, "I thank you, my good brothers. For victory, I ask you to lend me your heads..."

No sooner had Ironhead finished speaking, than the temperature in the Clan Leader’s tent plunged.

By the time the Werewolf Clan Leaders realized something was amiss, it was already too late.

The magic circle that had long been set up instantly froze their legs, and then a powerful current ran through their bodies, scattering the Magic Power they had hastily gathered.

Before they could cry for help, a group of Jackalman shamans appeared behind them.

The Jackalman shamans chanted Witchcraft, slit the Werewolf Clan Leaders’ throats with daggers, then scooped up the spurting blood with wooden bowls.

The lifeless bodies of the Werewolf Clan Leaders toppled to the ground.

The Jackalman shamans, one hand holding a dagger and the other a bowl of blood, danced a sacrificial dance within the tent.

Ironhead stepped down from his throne and knelt in the midst of the corpses of the Clan Leaders.

The Jackalman shamans sang, danced, and circled, enclosing Ironhead in the center.

They used daggers to cut open Ironhead’s hide, then smeared his body with the blood from the bowls.

「...」

The sky outside gradually darkened, with no clouds in the black curtain of night, the bright moon aloft and the stars twinkling.

Yan Xing felt that visibility was low at night and there was a risk of a surprise attack by the Heize Werewolves, so he ceased the aerial harassment.

All personnel switched out to rest, planning to attack Heize City at dawn.

The soldiers, having marched through the jungle all day, were exhausted. Since they had driven the Heize Werewolves into the city, there was no need to attack through the night.

Moreover, Heize City had been built like a labyrinth by the Werewolves. This would make artillery support difficult at night, increasing the risk of friendly fire.

In the war against the Heize Werewolves, they sought a swift victory but also a secure one.

Forcing them out of the city to be dealt with in the open was the ideal scenario.

The forces of the Eternal Domain concealed themselves on the spot to rest, enforcing light and noise control. Outside Heize City, all was quiet. The chirping of insects made it seem like any other ordinary night.

However, every half an hour, the artillery of the Eternal Domain would carry out ten minutes of sporadic bombardment on Heize City.

It didn’t matter if they hit anything.

The goal was not to allow the city’s defenders to rest easy, but to press on their nerves, creating advantageous conditions for tomorrow’s attack.

As midnight gave way to the hours before dawn, Yan Xing had also prepared a barrage of aerial bombs for Heize City.

Beak Eagle bombers would perform two waves of bombing over Heize City, and then the artillery would fire off all remaining shells.

During this, the Eternal Domain’s ground forces would eat breakfast while enjoying the fireworks. Once the bombing concluded, they would rush into Heize City to eliminate the remaining enemy forces.

That would conclude the battle. The plan was perfect.

Yan Xing went to sleep peacefully, preparing to lead the army in the decisive battle the next day.

But while he was deeply asleep, he was roughly awakened by an orderly.

"My lord, my lord... Something big seems to be happening inside Heize City."

Yan Xing opened his eyes and heard chaos erupting from within Heize City, not far from where he was, with explosions occurring one after another.

The sounds were not from his own artillery bombardments.

Yan Xing immediately rushed out of his tent to look towards Heize City.

Behind the low bastions, flames reached for the sky, and within the glow of the fire, an incredibly huge figure was rampaging inside.

Some Blackwater Werewolves were running out from the city, but when they got close to the Eternal Domain’s positions, they were shot down by volley fire.

"Go, notify the air combat personnel to take to the skies," Yan Xing ordered the orderly. Then he contacted Chui Chui, "What’s happened? What’s that thing inside Heize City?"

"Master, you’re awake! I was just about to inform you... Please look at the image inside Heize City first."

Chui Chui displayed the drone footage from inside Heize City.

Inside the city, there was utter chaos.

The chief culprit was a...

Werewolf with three heads and six arms!

He stood 5 meters tall, his body covered in blood-red scales.

Three heads. One spat fire, another corrosive black water. The central head roared, unleashing a Wind Blade that shredded all buildings and Werewolves in its path.

What was this thing? Why was it not in the intelligence reports?