Chapter 286: Chapter 286 - 215: Doomsday Nest Marches South

Not everyone is as fortunate as Red Tide Territory, blessed with a calm, decisive Lord like Louis and an intelligence system.For example, Northern Iron Wall Earl Grant's Domain.This territory is located at a critical junction between Red Tide and Snowfall County, where icefields and forests intertwine, with roads extending in all directions.Here lies the first iron wall that protects the heartland of the Northern Territory, where the Grant Clan has long since taken root, ruling hereditarily.In terms of military strength, the Grant Clan commands an intimidating elite army - the "Frozen Blood Battle Group."This veteran unit, famous for its mountain warfare tactics, is clad in Ice Scale Armor.With strict military discipline and a vast organization, they conduct real combat exercises around Ice Lake each winter, reportedly able to maintain formation even amidst the fiercest snowstorms.A poet once exaggerated, "If Inscribed Rock Castle falls, the Northern Territory can be abandoned."They pride themselves as "The Wall of the North."For years, they have withstood the Northern Barbarians and Cold Land Magical Beasts, never truly fallen.This is the honor imbibed since childhood by the descendants of the Grant Clan, also the source of all their confidence.And all this has forged a stable prosperity.Inside the fortress, order prevails, with clearly defined roles between farmers and merchants, and complete facilities for grain storage, forges, schools, and stables.Until.On October tenth, the Grant family was celebrating with lights and decorations.In the main hall of Inscribed Rock Castle, family flags hung between the high relief columns, the silver and inky blue totems fluttering in the firelight.He raised the short sword high, his voice still youthful and tender, yet unable to conceal his proud tone:"I, Elton Grant, swear before the family - I will use this sword to defend the family honor and protect the dignity of the Northern Territory, until the last drop of blood!"The hall thundered with applause, clan members raised their glasses to drink together, and the elders praised with smiles, "This is truly a descendant of the Grant family."No one paid attention to the fact that beyond the main fortress, several scout riders had gone missing in the wind and snow.Outside the fortress, the city was peaceful.Villagers were busy with the final preparations for winter, some bundling dried fish and storing them in cellars.Some brought worn leather boots to the cobbler's shop on the street, while peddlers set up stalls selling salted snow radishes and cured meat balls.In the corner blacksmith shop, the sound of anvils echoed, and an old blacksmith, sweating, was forging a crossbow limb for snow use, chatting as he hammered with his apprentice: "This year is strange, the snow is late by half a month, and even wolves are rarely seen. perhaps we can have a good year."At North City Academy, a group of schoolchildren was loudly reciting the "Records of the Iron Blood Empire" with their instructor.That was the empire's textbook, mostly praising central order and conquest achievements.In the West City Small Temple, an old woman with a head of white hair knelt at the incense table, tremblingly lighting an old bronze oil lamp.She muttered, "Last night in my dream. the Snow God wept."A few young men who believed in the empire's orthodoxy laughed and shook their heads, "The old lady has started her old god dream talk again.""Who still believes in the Snow God these days?