Rise of the Horde - Chapter 361: Chapter 361:

While the baron and his old friend was about to be done conversing, a knocking sound caught their attention. “Who is it?” the baron questioned as he wasn’t expecting any other guest or someone to make a report to him while he was in his office. Only old man Retten would come to report to him even when he is inside his office.

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“My Lord, I am here to make a report about the duke and his men. A few riders had set out from the castle and headed towards the direction of the capital.” The man reported.

“Tend to the guest and see that we are a good host to them.” The duke commanded then the sound of footsteps turning away echoed through the halls before slowly fading away.

“See…” the baron said then turned his head towards his friend, “It looks like the duke had already made some countermeasures against any attempt on his life while he is in our territory. He doesn’t trust us at all…What more if we actually went with what you had planned then we will be screwed…Totally.” He continued then headed towards his seat.

“We could just wait things to play out without doing much effort…. The west has already fallen to the joined hands of the revived House of Darkhariss and the orcs and the capital and its nearby places are shrouded in turmoil because of the hidden group called the Eye in the Shadows’ activity yet again…The best thing we should do is make preparations to protect our lands and our own people from the uncertainty of the king’s madness.” The baron spoke after he made an analysis of the situation that the kingdom is currently in.

“So we don’t have to intervene with anything and just watch from the background on how things will unfold?” Retten questioned. Their allies have been asking constantly when will they make their move and were just waiting for the signal from Baron Ragab. They were all very well aware of the strained relationship of the king and the veteran commanders of the kingdom who he had sent towards the Kingdom of Alberna without providing the necessary support for them which caused their relationship to turn sour.

“Yes…. We don’t need to intervene.” Was the quick reply of the baron.

*****

While Duke Hanbal and his men rested upon the territory of Baron Ragab, Khao’khen, his horde and their allies travelled through the empty settlements which quickly evacuated after receiving word from the riders sent out by the duke about the presence of the orcs before losing tragically against the Yohan First Horde and its Drakhar allies.

The orcs went through the empty houses only to find that it is almost completely empty with nothing much to be of used to them. All valuables were already gone and furniture was even missing from some houses.

“Tsk…. It is another empty and useless settlement chief.” Sakh’arran said to Khao’khen after receiving reports from their warriors of the settlement’s current condition. They already went through more than ten of such places, abandoned with nothing left to be of used to them except for the fact that they wouldn’t need to erect a campsite for them to rest.

“I guess the other places further to the east are of the same conditions as this place.” Khao’khen mumbled as he watched his warriors beginning making some arrangements to the abandoned settlement to be more suitable for them to camp in. Defences were being erected around the place just in case their enemies suddenly regain their wits and courage to assault them in their camp.

“Less grumbling more hammering…” one of the original Yurakks of the horde shouted towards the newly joined Yurakks who were murmuring some complaints like “There is no fun in striking a piece of wood.” “I would rather go out and fight something out there than do this kind of work.”

“Night is already fast approaching and you lot are still not done with such a simple task!” the strict voice of Gur’kan reached the ears of the complaining Yurakks who quickly went mute after knowing that one of the War Chiefs was nearby. Only the constant sound of the construction remained and not another word was uttered by the fresh Yurakks who joined the horde. The combat prowess of the War Chief was out of the question as he won’t be assigned by the chieftain of the tribe to such position if he didn’t have the ability to do so. This was a blindspot that was taken advantage of by Khao’khen although he wasn’t aware of it yet.

In a tribe, the chief is the strongest and even if not all of them had witnessed their chieftain’s fighting prowess first hand, all the orcs believed it without question. And the fact that Gur’kan who was assigned as one of the War Chiefs and was trained by the chieftain himself, no one was going to question the authority that he holds.

It didn’t take long before low chuckles echoed out from the Yurakks who were part of the Yohan First Horde during its creation after Gur’kan was about to be out of earshot but then suddenly the War Chief turned about and gave the chuckling warriors a serious look which quickly shut them up.

Gur’kan nodded in satisfaction then turned around again to head to the other parts of the camp but there was a grin on his face as he walked away. Some of the warriors who were tasked with the construction of the low wall noticed the grin on his lips but decided not to make any comments about it less they earn his ire and get punished by him. They have no plans to make some runs around the camp after the task that they were given.

Inside one of the houses in the abandoned settlement, Khao’khen was staring at the detailed map provided by Adhalia which came from the library of the Alsenna’s Keep. Estimating the number of abandoned settlements that they have been through, the next place that they would be at would be the territory of one of the kingdom’s nobles that is called Baron Ragab.

“Have Haguk and his clan scout the lands ahead and tell them not to engage in any fight. Their task is just purely to scout out the path ahead.” Khao’khen raised his head and gave his order to Trot’thar who would relay the command to Haguk.

“How are our supplies going?” Khao’khen then directed his gaze towards Sakh’arran who was observing the map in front of them.

“We still have enough to last us a few days and the next batch is already on its way along with Lady Adhalia… The goblins and the kobolds along with the others are about to catch up to us while building the roads.” Sakh’arran was quick to make his report.

“I see…” The chieftain of Yohan mumbled then stroked his now long beard as he started to be lost in his own thoughts. Although he wasn’t sure if the territory of the said baron would be empty just like the others, Adhalia had told him that there was a high chance that the noble would join forces with them which is why he had specifically gave the order that Haguk and his clansmen were to only scout the lands ahead, absolutely no fighting.