No one had expected that this battle would end just like this. By the time the smoke cleared, Karur was nowhere to be seen. The battlefield was a mess, with countless people lying scattered everywhere, making it impossible to distinguish between the Saint Roman army and the Northwestern army.
Only a few scattered figures remained standing on the battlefield, while in the distance, the main force of the Saint Roman army was arriving in succession.
Only then did Hecate sheath his spear and carefully examine the general who had often guided him. Though seasoned by battle, he exuded no hostility, his entire being radiating an aura of mastery.
Based on his demeanor and bearing, Hecate had already guessed the man's identity. He walked up to Aaron and bowed, "Hecate has often heard tales of a mighty general in Saint Roman who once fought a thousand men alone in the arena, his prowess unmatched to this day. Might you be Lord Aaron?"
Aaron smiled slightly and likewise examined Hecate, "It is merely an exaggeration."
Suddenly, groans echoed from all around, rising and falling. Before long, those who had fainted nearby all regained consciousness, though they were still recovering.
Meanwhile, the Saint Roman army, having heard the news, began to clear the battlefield. Not far away, Ogarte limped over to pay his respects. Aaron had no choice but to end his private conversation with Hecate.
After this battle, the core strength of Karur's army was almost annihilated, with only a few hundred surrendering. The generals and soldiers separately gathered their forces, counted their spoils, and collectively paid their respects to Xiao Xun.
Upon hearing that Ogarte's contingent had attacked Karur, Xiao Xun was overjoyed and immediately summoned Ogarte.
Ogarte reported to Xiao Xun everything that had transpired during their deep penetration into enemy territory, sighing with emotion. Among the three routes of advance, Ogarte's contingent had faced the greatest peril, being surrounded by barbarian soldiers for several days.
Furthermore, Ogarte mentioned that after withdrawing from Teska, they had encountered a large army on their way to their territory.
Ogarte still felt a lingering fear when speaking of this army.
Just two days prior, Ogarte's forces were advancing towards their territory. Unfamiliar with the northwestern terrain, Ogarte had deployed scouts extensively as a precautionary measure.
Fortunately, Ogarte's wise decision saved his life. The scouts soon discovered this force heading towards the western barbarian lands, its numbers nearly double that of Ogarte's.
Once Ogarte confirmed this force as the Northwestern rebels, he decided to launch a surprise attack, taking them unprepared. He preemptively set up an ambush on both sides of the canyon.
Things were progressing smoothly until, just as the army was about to enter the valley, a towering brute, as tall as an iron tower, seemed to detect the ambush and halted the army in time.
Barbarian soldiers were already taller than city dwellers, but this man was a head taller than an ordinary barbarian, making him exceptionally conspicuous. He stood astride his horse at the mouth of the valley for a long time, his sharp eyes piercing the canyon like awls.
Ogarte peered down from the dense forest and seemed to make eye contact with the towering man. This brief encounter nearly scared the soul out of Ogarte.
To his surprise, the stout barbarian's gaze was so sharp that Ogarte felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar with just one look, losing all will to move.
The stout barbarian stood at the mouth of the valley for a long time. It was only after an old man, holding a strange staff, rode up and whispered a few words in his ear that the stout barbarian waved his hand, leading his troops slowly into the valley.
It was only after the mighty warrior averted his gaze that Ogarte dared to shift his body slightly, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
Looking down further, his attention was drawn to something on the old man's staff. He could not see it clearly due to the great distance.
As the old man entered the valley, Ogarte shivered. A vicious-looking snake coiled around the old man's staff, its tongue flickering menacingly towards him.
By now, the stout barbarian was nearly out of the ambush zone. Hecate, on the opposite hill, kept gesturing to Ogarte, signaling him to attack. However, Ogarte could not bring himself to issue the order. It was only after the entire contingent had passed through the valley and disappeared into the dense forest that Ogarte let out a long sigh of relief.
Naturally, Ogarte did not admit to Xiao Xun and the others that his hesitation was due to cowardice. He simply stated that he felt the enemy had discovered them, and thus he dared not act rashly.
Xiao Xun listened and nodded slightly, remaining silent for a long time. After a considerable pause, he said, "If my guess is correct, this force is likely the reinforcements led by Sene, known as the Barbarian King. The stout man you mentioned should be the Barbarian King Sene himself. It was only because Karur killed Gisde that Sene abandoned supporting the northwest and retreated to the barbarian lands."
The generals exchanged glances. Tuoshen asked, "Lord Swain, shall we continue deeper into the northwest, or return in triumph?"
Xiao Xun pondered for a long time before sighing,
"Although the three cities of the northwest have been pacified, the fact that Barbarian King Sene refuses to submit to my Saint Roman Empire is ultimately a scourge. If we cannot subdue this man, it will surely lead to trouble in the future. Although I led this expedition to quell the northwest rebellion, the western barbarian territories are fraught with hidden dangers. If we can resolve the threat of the barbarian lands with a thunderous strike, then the northwest will enjoy lasting peace."
The generals exchanged glances. Aaron said, "Lord Swain, this humble subordinate has heard of the ten thousand mountains in the west, with their treacherous terrain and perpetual miasma, extending without end. If our army ventures deep into the western territories, I fear there will be no end!"
The generals all nodded silently. Advancing into barbarian territory meant a stretched supply line, with even logistics becoming a problem. Moreover, most people knew that the western barbarian lands were dangerous places, and the mere mention of them made everyone tremble.
Xiao Xun mused, "The northwest is without a leader. How can it resist the western barbarians? If we leave troops to guard it, the west will never know peace; if we do not leave troops, the northwest will sooner or later be swallowed by the barbarian army."
Although the generals were unwilling to face this reality, they had to admit that Xiao Xun had a firm grasp of the overall situation.
Xiao Xun, after all, was knowledgeable in history and had read several books on military strategy. Seeing that none of the generals denied his assessment, he stated, "Governing the west with the westerners is the only strategy for the northwest. Furthermore, beyond the barbarian lands to the west lies the Witch Realm, where the people are even more fierce. Only the barbarians, a hybrid of the Witch tribe and other races, know how to interact with them. Therefore, only by subduing this Barbarian King Sene can we ensure peace for my Saint Roman territories."
The generals were all astonished to hear Xiao Xun's intention to subdue Sene. It was easy to kill someone, but to make someone submit willingly, especially a hegemonic figure like Barbarian King Sene, was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
The generals were greatly surprised by Xiao Xun's intention to subdue Sene, and discussions erupted in the command tent. Ogarte, who had a deep impression of Sene, was the first to speak, "Lord Swain, you do not know. Sene's strength is immense, and he is naturally warlike. How could he possibly fall into an ambush so easily?"
Ogarte spoke tactfully, but he voiced the thoughts of all the generals. Adjutant Augustus also said, "Lord Swain, barbarians have not received traditional education and are all wild and uncouth people. They value strength above all else; they listen to whoever has the stronger fist. That Barbarian King Sene, who unified the barbarian lands, must be an extremely ambitious individual, and I fear he will be difficult to restrain. In my humble opinion, wouldn't it be better to kill the Barbarian King and then select someone from among the barbarians to eternally guard the barbarian lands?"
This proposal received the support of most. Xiao Xun pondered for a moment and said, "Augustus's words sound very reasonable, but upon closer thought, they are flawed. How can unruly barbarians be truly governed by a puppet? If the puppet we select is unable to command respect, it will eventually lead to chaos. I have already stated the strategic importance of the northwest to our nation. Generals, there is no need to say more. If we wish to maintain lasting peace in the northwest, we must win over Sene!"
With Xiao Xun's decisive pronouncement, the policy of subduing Sene was settled. The generals exchanged glances, and for a moment, no one dared to raise any objections.
Xiao Xun was far-sighted and possessed great strategic vision. Whatever he decided was thoroughly considered and thus very difficult to change.