Free Web NovelChapter 568: 568:Give Us The Supplies
Harlo’s words settled in the air, and for a brief moment no one spoke while the meaning behind them slowly sank in and spread a quiet tension across the group.
Ethan’s expression stiffened slightly, and although he kept his posture steady, a clear trace of shock flashed across his eyes while his fingers tightened subtly against his sleeve.
Karlo was not much better, and his brows lifted while his lips parted slightly as he looked at Harlo in disbelief, and even though he tried to maintain composure, the reaction could not be fully hidden.
"Xylos Empire?" Karlo repeated slowly, and his tone carried surprise.
Ethan glanced at him briefly, and then looked back at Harlo while narrowing his eyes slightly as he processed the information. freewebnovel.cσ๓
"So the war has already spread that far..." Ethan said quietly, and his voice remained controlled but heavier than before.
Harlo gave a faint nod.
"It didn’t take long," he replied. "Once Arcadia’s lines broke, the pressure shifted outward, and the Beastmen and Orcs didn’t waste time pushing through."
Karlo folded his arms lightly while thinking, and his expression turned more serious as his gaze dropped slightly.
"This is worse than we expected," he muttered.
Ethan remained silent for a moment, and then he stepped slightly forward while keeping his tone calm and steady.
"How bad is it?" he asked.
Harlo let out a breath and looked back briefly at his squad before answering.
"Bad enough," he said. "We are holding for now, but it’s not stable, and their forces are stronger than what we faced at the start."
He paused briefly and then added.
"They are not just pushing blindly. They are coordinating quite well."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he heard that, and his gaze sharpened further.
"We didn’t expect them to be so precise and decisive," he said slowly.
Harlo nodded.
"Yes," he said. "Beastmen and Orcs are moving together, and their strikes are timed, and they hit supply lines, then the front, and then cut retreat paths."
Karlo frowned deeply as he heard that, and his fingers tapped lightly against his arm.
"That kind of coordination..." he said slowly, "doesn’t happen easily."
Ethan did not respond immediately, but his gaze turned colder as his thoughts moved quickly.
"Which means someone is guiding them," he said.
Harlo looked at him and gave a small nod.
"That’s what we think too," he replied.
For a moment, silence returned between them, but this time it was filled with tension and growing concern while the distant sounds of battle echoed faintly.
Ethan’s mind continued to move, and as he connected the pieces, a deeper thought formed.
"Arcadia’s fall..." he thought.
"It doesn’t feel natural."
For some reason, he felt that this was not just a defeat.It was a scheme.
A carefully crafted one that was meant to draw other empires into the conflict and force them to fight, and the more he thought about it, the more it felt deliberate.
Meanwhile, Harlo turned and gave orders to his squad, and they quickly moved forward to collect the supplies while maintaining discipline.
After a brief exchange, the human squad prepared to leave, and Harlo gave a final nod before stepping back.
Once they were gone, Karlo turned toward Ethan and spoke while shaking his head slightly.
"This guy... he is an idiot," Karlo said.
Ethan’s lips twitched slightly as he heard that.
"Aren’t you a bit too blatant?" he replied.
Karlo snorted.
"What’s too blatant in this?" he said. "Someone asks you about the situation, and you reveal so many things without hesitation, and didn’t he fear that we might be hostile?"
Ethan shook his head slowly and looked ahead.
"You don’t understand," he said.
"Most of the soldiers fighting in the army are just hot-headed, simple youth who only know how to fight, and they don’t think twice about things."
He paused slightly and then added quietly.
"They don’t think about schemes or hidden motives."
It was a simple truth.
Only those who focused on strength and battle could survive on the front lines, and those who thought too much often hesitated, and hesitation could mean death.
In a way, it justified the saying that only a brainless person could fully master the sword.
Because someone who was too calculating or too cautious would not throw themselves into such battles for someone else’s cause.
Yet that simplicity was also what made them admirable.
Ethan exhaled slowly and shook his head lightly.
"Let’s go," he said. "Or we might encounter another problem."
The caravan resumed its movement, and they continued along the hidden path while maintaining caution.
The next day the forest path grew quieter, and the air felt slightly heavier as the group moved through a narrow stretch.
Then suddenly a group appeared.
They stepped out from the sides, and their movements were quick while their weapons were already raised, and their presence blocked the path ahead completely.
"Stop!" one of them shouted.
They looked like Beastmen, and their features carried feline traits while their eyes glowed faintly with hostility.
"Kitties..." someone muttered under their breath.
The group spread out and surrounded the caravan slightly while tightening their grip on their weapons.
"Elves," one of them said while raising his sword, and his voice carried a sharp edge.
"Hand over your provisions or be prepared to suffer."
The tension rose instantly.
And this time there was no calm negotiation in the air.
The moment the Beastmen blocked their path, the atmosphere tightened instantly, and a cold tension spread through the area while the elven guards reacted without delay and placed their hands on their weapons.
Karlo’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the group standing ahead, and his gaze moved across them carefully before he slowly turned his head toward Ethan, and there was a clear question in his eyes.
Ethan met his gaze for a brief moment, and then he let out a quiet breath while rolling his shoulders slightly as if loosening up.
"...Let’s just pummel them and throw them away," he said calmly.
