Lahat ng Kabanata ng Her Graceful War Song: Kabanata 1261 - Kabanata 1270

Carissa blinked in surprise, for the first time noticing how remarkably handsome and reassuring her martial uncle seemed.A map was spread out before them, and one by one, the heads leaned in to get a closer look. The map showed a network of tunnels, crisscrossing like a spider's web, but there were only four points of entry.Two on the east, one to the west, and another to the south. The northern entrance, near Stone Village, had no tunnel at all.Which meant the only way in was through the northern path, where there were no tunnels.However, saying there were only four entrances wasn't entirely accurate. While the mountain had many entrances, the tunnels themselves only had four exits. No matter where they entered the mountain, they would eventually have to exit through one of these four points.Before anyone could fully take in the map, Everett laid down a second one, sliding his hand across it until his finger came to rest on a marked symbol. "These villages all have tunnels

Rafael's dinner had improved tonight. Dylan had caught a few small fish, grilling them until they were charred black on the outside. By the time they were finished, Rafael's mouth was full of the unpleasant combination of fishy and smoky flavors.However, the improvement was relative. At least the meal wasn't nauseating—it was simply revolting.Tonight, it was clear that more people had gathered in the deep cave. Black-clad figures, their faces concealed, were making their way up the mountain. It seemed they were about to make a move.Rafael finished the grilled fish and swiftly climbed a nearby tree, his eyes scanning the area below.Dylan had already crawled close to the deep cave, near enough to hear everything. It was a place they'd been watching for quite some time. This was where the men would relieve themselves, and the stench was overwhelming—enough to make one gag. But this was also the ideal spot for an ambush. Most of the time, only two or three men would come here at

Rafael and Dylan followed behind the grain transport group from Tiberius' side as they made their way out. The men here didn't wear veils, so when two unfamiliar faces appeared, they were suspicious, but they didn't question it. Perhaps they were just new arrivals who had been at the rear of the group moments ago.Compared to the well-trained people back at Stone Village, Tiberius' crew was utterly disorganized.Everett and Carissa retraced their steps, distancing themselves from the others. Rafael was aware of their presence up ahead, but he never dreamed it would be Carissa and Everett. He had assumed it was the supervising team, sent to ensure none of the workers were secretly stealing the grain. After all, these people appeared to be nothing more than hired laborers.Carissa glanced back several times, but never saw Rafael. The crowd was thick, and the distance between them was far enough to make it hard to spot anyone. She kept turning her head because, though she had heard D

In Lunvale stood the grand Eternalis Atrium, towering by the expansive banks of the Lunvale River. To dine at Eternalis Atrium was a privilege reserved only for the wealthy and the elite.However, on the left side of Eternalis Atrium and facing the dock was a spacious and messy area where vendors set up their stalls every day. Some sold grain, others sold flatbreads or ravioli. The food was good and cheap, and most of the people coming here were common folks or dock workers.Outside each stall, there were a few crude, low tables surrounded by small stools. The diners gathered here, eating heartily in the noisy crowd. Conversations buzzed around them, discussing everything under the sun—except for matters of the state. Politics were too far removed from the daily lives of these people.At one of the ravioli stalls, two men sat. They were dressed simply, blending in with the rest of the crowd. One wore a gray cotton jacket and a faded cap, looking to be in his thirties. The other man,

The operation began with a forceful strike. One team headed straight for the northern road of Stone Village, which was the way into the village.However, before this main force set out, other smaller teams had already moved into the mountains, surrounding the area from all sides. Their numbers were few, but their formation was strategic, creating a trap that left the enemy nowhere to run.Still, the battle wasn't an easy one.There were too many places to cover, and the enemy was very familiar with the terrain. Fortunately, Everett had already sent people to block all the entrances to Stone Village's secret passages. This forced the enemy into continuously fighting.Meanwhile, Dylan managed to rescue the two laborers he had previously left in the small cave. He sent them to find others, urging them to leave the village without their weapons.The two men were grateful, but cold and hungry. When they learned that a fight had broken out, they hurried off to warn those living on the