Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 292 The true nature of a hero
"If others think a direct attack is reckless, then tell me what good things your Finger Gang has done." Gan Molin sneered repeatedly, crossing his arms as he looked at the other party.

"We bypassed their defenses and landed directly from their rear, near the river. Caught off guard, the Money Gang was almost breached by our attack on their headquarters. Unfortunately, Maginot's frontal offensive did not put much pressure on them. The Money Gang's main force in their base was not mobilized at all. We were fighting alone and outnumbered, which is why we had no choice but to retreat."

As the leader of a gang, he was extremely shameless and had very low morals. The shield formation that was originally only seven people had now been increased four or five times in Dom's words.

"More than thirty fully armed soldiers came to launch a counterattack against us. We fought a bloody battle and annihilated nearly half of the enemy troops, but in the end we could not continue and had to make a strategic retreat in order to preserve our strength."

These were well-spoken words, but everyone present was a seasoned veteran, and they couldn't believe a single word or punctuation mark. Before anyone else could react, Gan Molin couldn't hold back any longer.

"Bullshit! You call that fighting a bloody battle?" He grabbed the other man by the collar and pointed at him. "Where's the blood? Ah! I'm asking you, where's the blood? Please, valiant Lord Grosendorm, show us the blood that symbolizes your glory!"

“We swam up from the river, and the bloodstains were washed away.”

Dom continued to lie without batting an eye.

This utter nonsense naturally enraged Gamlin even more; was he being treated like a fool?
However, some things in this world are just absurd. For example, some stains are judged not by their size, but by their existence; some reasons are not about whether they are reasonable or not, but whether there is anyone willing to support them under this fig leaf.

"Regardless, Dom and his men have done their best. The question now is how we handle the current situation. By the way, what about the Maginot Line?"

Now that a way out had been provided, Dom quickly accepted: "We split up from the start because of our differing combat philosophies, but they're facing fewer enemies, so they should be able to escape..."

"We have fewer enemies?" A voice rang out, and Dom turned his head to see Arden and his gang arriving in the council chamber.

"We fought a desperate battle against more than fifty enemies, fighting alone. Finally, the enemy troops who were intercepting the Finger Gang also came to join the battle, and we were forced to retreat."

Although the two gangs had many disagreements, they were remarkably similar when it came to writing these reports.

"Oh? That's interesting. There are over fifty at the front gate and over thirty at the back gate. How could a mere Money Gang possibly muster nearly a hundred combat professionals?"

Fishman, the fourth leader of the Bloodsail Gang and also the Bloodsail Gang's spokesperson in the secondary city council, looked at the group of deserters spouting lies with a half-smile.

"Luscan's main fighting force, the city guard jointly formed by the five captains, totals less than five hundred people. If you can really produce such strength, even if you don't become the sixth largest, the five major gangs will treat you differently and befriend you as equals. It's really difficult for you."

After this back-and-forth, even seasoned veterans like Arden and Daum felt a bit uncomfortable. Fortunately, someone smoothed things over, and the matter was finally resolved.

"So what should we do with this damn shiny gold coin now?"

The topic circled back to this issue, which was a hot potato before. It was thought that someone would volunteer to resolve it, but it turned out that they only revealed the tip of the iceberg of the other party's strength, and ended up in a bloody mess.

The problem is becoming increasingly difficult, and there are fewer and fewer people willing to risk their own interests to step forward and solve it. Everyone is passing the buck, and it looks like we're about to fall into another daunting meeting process.

It is in turbulent times that true heroes emerge!
Like the protagonists in legendary stories who never give up despite setbacks, Arden resolutely stepped forward.

"The reason we suffered such a crushing defeat is ultimately because the enemy had the advantage of defense and terrain, while we were the opposite, trapped in their encirclement and ambush." ​​"Even the Finger Gang's flanking attack plan was very ingenious, but the enemy, who were holding their ground, relied on their defensive formation."

He even went against his usual behavior, praising Dom and his gang, a far cry from their previous confrontational and sarcastic demeanor.

"Oh?" Now Fishman really looked at Arden in a different light. Everyone here is good at kicking someone when they're down, but it's rare to have the same spirit when you're the one who's down.

"What? You're not satisfied? You want to do it again?"

"The leader of the shining gold coins is narrow-minded and vengeful. We launched a surprise attack on his territory this time, and he is probably already planning a revenge operation."

It's understandable that the Maginot Gang, who were the first to be targeted, would harbor resentment now that they've fallen into the enemy's hands once again, and no one is surprised by it.

"The other side is very powerful, so it's better to plan this carefully."

The initially agitated Gan Molin calmed down and instead advised him to be cautious.

"Don't worry, I don't do things I'm not sure I can do. Although this operation wasn't a complete success, it has shown us the true strength of the Money Gang."

"When we were locked in a stalemate with the enemy, we were almost evenly matched. Even when their reinforcements arrived and forced us to retreat, we were only slightly at a disadvantage, not in complete rout."

As he spoke, Arden took off his shirt, revealing his bare chest: "These injuries are all thanks to them. I am willing to learn from these guys from the Money Gang again, not to prove how great I am, but to tell them that what I have lost, I will take back with my own hands!"

Arden looked at the people around him, his eyes sharp, and spoke slowly and deliberately.

These words moved everyone present; they were exactly what these "江湖人士" (jianghu figures) wanted to hear.

Such lofty pronouncements, coupled with Arden's valiant wounds that resemble medals, far surpassed the persuasiveness of the empty rhetoric and finger-pointing of other leaders.

Now that we have a suitable candidate, things will be easier to discuss.

Arden, who volunteered, led the Maginot Line back to their base to hold out. The Finger Gang, who were also in the North District, did not escape and were conscripted by Arden.

"Lord Daum is known for his strategic acumen and exceptional bravery. His solo mission deep behind enemy lines demonstrates both courage and resourcefulness. Moreover, given our experience of working together so well today, we are much more familiar with each other now that we are joining forces again."

On the surface, it's all praise, using the other person's own boasts to put them in an awkward position, but behind the scenes, it's a direct warning.

Thank you lenas, Dawn of the Valley, and LEB for your monthly ticket support!



(End of this chapter)