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Basten's army, which deemed itself superior to the orcs, advanced in strict formation towards Fontainebleau. By the time they arrived, it had been twenty days since Xilin's army was annihilated. During this period, I continuously used the wolf cavalry to launch surprise attacks and harass the human forces. However, the elite human armies were far different from the previous disorganized mobs. While one werewolf could easily defeat ten human soldiers, a thousand werewolves would only flee when faced with ten thousand human troops. No matter what race faced the layers of shields and armor, they would be at a loss, not to mention the dense array of spears and rain of bows and crossbows. Thus, the wolf cavalry's harassment did not yield much effect, further boosting the humans' confidence while allowing me to gauge the strength of their army.

When the human army approached Fontainebleau, they did not immediately attack but instead set up camp twenty miles away to rest and regroup. They rebuilt the large rafts used for logistics into siege weapons and laid traps, attempting to lure the orcs into an attack.

In truth, after Basten truly observed the scale of Qingcheng Fortress, he realized that his initial estimates of the losses required for a siege were too low. This triple-layered fortress, designed purely for war, if equipped with complete defensive mechanisms and guarded by a well-trained army, would be impossible to capture with just a few tens of thousands of troops. The only hope now was that the fortress indeed had flaws as speculated by his advisors, or that the orcs could not fully utilize its power. After all, this was not the Death Corridor where experienced generals often exploited many weaknesses.

However, the anticipated orc ambush never materialized. The orcs within the fortress seemed determined to hold their ground, causing Basten and many of his commanders to waver in their confidence. Could it be that the orc fortress had already patched its vulnerabilities and was now impervious to their siege weapons?

Three days later, the human army completed its preparations and finally pushed forward with catapults and battering rams to the front of Qingcheng Fortress. The Second Army's ten thousand infantrymen formed four massive squares, setting up and adjusting the siege weapons. Meanwhile, the Thunder Knights provided rear support, and the noble private soldiers flanked them, forming a conventional overwhelming siege formation. Basten, clad in shining golden armor, rode on his majestic silver pegasus, holding a sword, and came to the forefront to deliver the declaration of war, his voice imbued with battle aura resounding throughout the army.

"Warriors of the Principality, you have fought countless battles, defended our homeland, and taken up arms with countless comrades to ensure that all our loved ones can live happily in this country. Despite this, we still cannot change the barren land, feed and clothe all our loved ones, or bring them prosperity and joy. But the Radiant God has not forsaken us. The great Radiant God has given us endless hope, a golden path that allows us to return to our loved ones with wealth and glory. Thank the Radiant God, praise the Radiant God."

"Thank the Radiant God! Praise the Radiant God!" The soldiers cheered together, as if countless gold coins had fallen into their pockets.

"But the despicable orcs have stolen the gifts bestowed upon us by the Radiant God. They occupy our cities, enjoy our wealth, and want us to slink back home in disgrace, living in disappointment and contempt from our neighbors. Can we endure such humiliation? Can we ignore such blasphemy? Can we retreat?"

"No——" The soldiers roared in anger.

"Four hundred years ago, our ancestors, the hero Landon, drove these ugly beasts back to the desolate north, forcing them to hide in caves, trembling in fear. Today, they remain cowardly, hiding in castles, helplessly wailing. Though they are tall and strong, they are born slaves; though they are ugly and terrifying, they can only grovel before the might of the Radiant God. Therefore, brave warriors, we will not fear these scum, we will not feel fear, we choose to fight——!"

"Fight——!" All the soldiers raised their spears and swords, shouting together.

We heard Basten's voice, amplified by battle aura, clearly from the city walls. Seeing the humans' inexplicable surge in morale, Chief Bloodhoof of Minos turned to the human priestess Bai Lanling and asked, "Is this the human 'Leadership Skill'? To boost morale with such nonsense is truly remarkable."

Bai Lanling nodded but said nothing. Since the official start of the war with humans, she and the half-elf Evie had become increasingly dejected. It seemed that even with the constraints of contracts, their stances and natures could not be changed. This made me consider whether, after the war, I should trade their freedom for some conditions. After all, I had merely used them to anger Lanster and seize Fontainebleau. Since they could not become allies, any gains would be beneficial. Conversely, the female mage Hai Ruo, despite her usual cold demeanor, continued her work without any slack, which puzzled me.

"The human 'Leadership Skill' is derived from various sources, similar to magic's 'Enchantment' or divine arts' 'Divine Blessing,' yet it is hard to categorize as either. It does not require the user to be a mage or a priest but rather reduces the difficulty for commanders to boost morale, enhancing the effect and duration. On the Western Front, there were humans who perfected the 'Leadership Skill.' As long as they stood on the battlefield, even without speaking, the army's morale remained high and unyielding." Catherine, having participated in numerous battles, naturally understood this signature human skill well.

I carefully discerned Basten's voice and found it contained a faint spiritual fluctuation, somewhat similar to the "Soul Transfer Technique" in the *Nine Yin Manual*, but more akin to the vibrations of the "Dominion Staff" of the half-orcs. In fact, what I did not know was that the "Leadership Skill" originated from the abilities of the "Dominion Staff." When humans tricked the pig tribe's chief into surrendering the "Dominion Staff," they combined the powers of the Twelve Sages, particularly the "Great Illusion Sage," and ten elders of the Radiant Temple to destroy the pig tribe's camp, securing victory in the Glorious Campaign.