As Nightingale said, Camilla seemed so tired and weak mainly due to mental distress.
In just two days, she returned to her usual self, as if that moment of helplessness and confusion had never existed.
This also relieved Roland.
As part of the long-range ambush operation, Camilla's ability was crucial.
Although the way she looked at him seemed a bit more guarded and distant than when she first returned, this反而 made him feel much more natural.
He knew the Chief Steward was still worried about Joan, but she temporarily suppressed her unease.
Because she also shoulders a more important responsibility.
The news of Joan's disappearance was only known to Roland, Tilly, Anna, and Nightingale, and was not disclosed to other witches, especially Lightning.
Roland had heard a lot about the No. 4 Winter Adventure Team formed by the little girl, and he also knew that Joan was a member of it. Now, Lightning and Macy practically constitute the outermost circle of the First Army's alert line, and they haven't left the battlefield for several months. The pressure can be imagined. Moreover, Lightning herself was injured by the Slayer, so there is no room for any mistakes. Therefore, it is better to keep this kind of news that only increases troubles a secret for now.
In the following week, he repeatedly traveled between the Third Border City, the weapons testing range, and the castle conference room to finalize the ambush plan. Since the target was the extremely dangerous Slayer, whose flexibility and flight speed far exceeded the Terror Beasts, the difficulty of implementation increased greatly.
The plan, which was originally thought to be finalized in two or three days, encountered considerable trouble during the simulation process. Fortunately, it was a project that brought together the power of the United Front, and with the cooperation of all parties, a feasible plan was finally obtained.
The decision-making meeting was held directly in the underground hall of the Third Border City a week later.
Ermu was the first to speak.
She manipulated the magic core and unfolded an illusion projection in front of everyone. The several-meter-long light curtain was like a window hanging in mid-air, and the scene behind the ruins of Taquila was revealed on the opposite side.
Since the illusion was not a real window and one could not stick their head into it to view it, the field of vision seemed somewhat narrow; the angle could not be adjusted after the Five-Colored Magic Stone shattered, making it difficult to observe the surroundings of the ruins. However, it was precisely facing the demons' only supply line, providing a direct and convenient reference for formulating the ambush route.
"This blood line runs northeast to southwest. Almost every day, a team provides red mist to the demons stationed in the ruins. Ten months ago, when Logar first discovered the demons and Ashes pinpointed their location, this number was three teams. From this, we can deduce the enemy's lost forces and the number of existing troops since the implementation of Operation Torch. Since there is only one supply line, the high-level demons will inevitably not deviate too far from this line if they intend to retreat."
"Can't the blood line be disguised?" Wendy asked, still a little worried.
"As long as the demons still need red mist to maintain their vitality, this judgment is the most reliable intelligence." Although she had answered similar questions many times before, Ermu patiently explained, "They have indeed used tactics of transporting large amounts of red mist to conceal the main attack direction, or carrying large amounts of red mist to carry out long-range attacks, but there has never been a situation where they compress the demand for red mist to conceal the movements of a large force—because that is tantamount to suicide."
"It's actually easy to understand," Agatha added. "If the demons really had a means of not relying on red mist, they could bypass the front-line stations and directly attack the Greycastle mainland—whether it's cutting in from the Misty Forest or seizing the Hermes Plateau, the threat to us would be much greater. The obelisks born from the God's Stone veins are no longer strongholds they must defend."
Seeing that everyone no longer had any objections, Ermu continued, "The supply team basically consists of modified siege beasts and a few Berserk Demons as guards, which poses no threat to the Special Operations Team and the Seagull, so the main defense of the interception is still against the flying Terror Beasts."
"As for the location," she pointed to Edith, "I agree with this mortal's judgment. Let her talk about it."
"This is the result of the joint efforts of the General Staff and everyone," the Pearl of the North smiled, "Of course, it is also inseparable from the maps provided by Lightning and Macy Miss. Please everyone look at the report at hand—the east side of the blood line is almost entirely flat, and the few forests are very sparse, which is not suitable for the Special Operations Team to hide in, but it has an ideal field of vision for the Seagull. The west side is much more complex, not only does the terrain undulate, but there is also a small hill."
Roland opened the report placed on the table. One page was a simplified map. Compared to the high-definition version surveyed by Soraya, this map was undoubtedly much simpler. It was probably roughly drawn by Lightning, using her high-speed flight, taking Macy in a very short period of time. Although it cannot be used for detailed tasks such as guiding marching or artillery strikes, it can at least give people a general understanding of the situation behind Taquila.
"The terrain on this side can only be seen in a small amount on the illusion instrument, so we need to use the map to complete it. And there are three locations that are more suitable for Andrea Miss to deploy her shooting position, from north to south, they are the top of the hill, the jungle area at the foot of the hill, and a raised foothill area."
"The most favorable shooting position is the top of the hill," Roland said.
Although the height of this "hill" would not exceed one hundred meters, looking at it from a distance it was more like a clod of earth, it was still the highest point within a thousand miles. For a sniper, nothing is more important than the field of vision. Shooting from a high place to a low place can not only obtain a longer range, but also capture targets flying close to the ground.
"Indeed, Andrea Miss also said so," Edith nodded. "However, this hill is relatively far from the supply line. If it is the Seagull that intercepts the Slayer, the reinforcement distance for the Special Operations Team will be lengthened a lot. Similarly, the top of the hill is insufficiently concealed and is easily discovered by flying Terror Beasts. Once an accident occurs, it is difficult for the Seagull to rescue them. The most important point is—it is not within the observation range of the illusion instrument."
Roland pondered the meaning of this sentence, "You're worried about... demons?"
"The only high point in the area that can overlook the entire situation, if I were stationed there, I wouldn't feel at ease without taking precautions. Although Lightning said that the demons didn't seem to be making any preparations, it's still better to be cautious when it comes to wars involving magic. Fortunately, you set up Screaming Sigils along the source of the Redwater River, which can provide a certain degree of early warning without having to station troops. And the trump card of the Special Operations Team is secrecy. If their whereabouts are exposed, there will be no way to carry out the subsequent sniping."
"To be honest, during the Era of the Union, the hardest thing to explain to mortals is magic." At this time, Ermu's voice entered Roland's mind. Judging from the reactions of others, it was undoubtedly a private whisper, "Their way of thinking is like living in another world, and they rarely take the condition of magic into account. This mortal is different... There are still a few interesting people under your command."
"That's because you have never seriously taught them. Geniuses are always a minority. No matter what, education is the most effective means to improve the overall strength of the people." Roland replied naturally, then looked at Edith, "So, what location did you choose?"
"The jungle area at the foot of the hill," she said without hesitation. "The field of vision is narrow, but the concealment effect is also excellent. Shooting at aerial targets is unobstructed, and it can also provide mutual support with Tilly Princess at any time. The location of the foothill area is closer, and there is no shortage of hiding trees, but it is almost next to the ruins of Taquila. If the enemy team collapses and flees, it can easily be affected. Comprehensively speaking, the jungle area in between is not the best in any condition—"
"But it is the most balanced one?" Roland continued.
Edith smiled and put her hand on her chest, "Exactly. The two teams will pinch the Slayer's retreat route from the left and right. As long as it is not aware of our actions, Andrea Miss will be responsible for sniping. Conversely, the God's Punishment Witches will intercept it. And the entire plan is based on the new weapons improved by Anna Princess."