The night was the best cover.
The beastmen of the Lionmane Tribe began their secret goblin smuggling operation.
First was the matter of hiding places. Goblins generally stood only 1.2 to 1.3 blades tall, making them very easy to conceal. A large oak wine barrel could hold three of them, and a cart loaded with food could hide five.
A number exceeding a thousand goblins sounded like a lot, but in practice, the operation proved far more manageable than expected.
With nearly seven thousand beastmen warriors at their disposal, acquiring carts, barrels, and similar items was no challenge, especially after the Lionmane Tribe had taken full control of several nearby streets.
The estates of nobles, the storerooms of taverns, the kitchens behind inns, the premises of merchant guilds, any place that might store such supplies was searched thoroughly.
Beastmen passing by and seeing this only assumed the Lionmane Tribe was looting food. No one imagined their real goal was to acquire tools for transporting goblins.
While the Lionmane Tribe busied themselves with their preparations, Risel City had completely lost its former peace.
Now, chaos was the only rhythm echoing through this ancient city with thousands of years of legacy.
The city guard, who had previously resisted, had now completely collapsed. No one knew how many civilians had died that night.
All they knew was that the fires never stopped burning, and the shouting and killing never ceased from beginning to end.
The army was in disarray, the civilians were fleeing for their lives, the nobles were screaming, everything had descended into primal chaos.
One sun-hour. Two sun-hours. By the third sun-hour, it was 1 a.m.
The busy beastmen had finally hidden all the goblins inside the food carts.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready. Not a single goblin left behind."
Li De turned to look at Craig's massive wolf head and nodded slightly.
"Risel City has four gates. The eastern gate is the main battlefield and cannot be used.
The western gate leads directly to Green City. It is now the only escape route for humans, and all remaining forces in Risel City have gathered there to protect the civilians. That one is also out.
That leaves only the southern and northern gates."
Craig nodded, then hesitated for a moment and spoke after some thought.
"The southern gate is guarded by elite wolf cavalry of the beastmen army. The goblins can't escape the wolfs' sense of smell. The northern gate belongs to the minotaurs."
Li De smiled with satisfaction. This was the advantage of having an inside man, one sentence had completely avoided a potentially fatal risk.
"Then choose the northern gate. Immediately inform your subordinates. Split the convoy into two parts. The front half will lead the way, carrying actual food and looted spoils of war.
The goblins will be hidden in the rear to avoid direct inspection by beastmen.
Though Risel City is vast, the beastmen prince has long been prepared. We don't have much time. Once the beastmen fully occupy this city, we may not be able to get them out.
Move out now."
"The Lionmane Tribe obeys your command, Your Majesty."
Craig pounded his chest in salute, then turned and quickly left the room.
Li De's will was the guiding force for this Temple Warrior. After being soul-assimilated, this Level 16 wolfman had become his most loyal subordinate. Even if ordered to commit suicide, he would not hesitate.
A few minutes later, the beastmen, already prepared, began escorting their spoils, looted from several city blocks, toward the city outskirts.
Craig led the convoy and didn't hesitate to activate an unflawed Berserk Mode.
The aura of a Level 16 wolfman spread out, declaring his strength and baring his fangs.
This was how beastmen operated, straightforward, simple, and brutal.
With a top-tier professional overseeing the operation and more than six thousand warriors of the Lionmane Tribe, no other beastmen dared to covet the rich loot Craig's convoy carried.
Li De did not accompany Craig's convoy. Instead, he used the cover of darkness to hide his presence, secretly guarding the beastmen carrying the future of Dawn City's military industry.
As for Witherbone, that long-winded bone dragon, Li De had already sent him into a dimensional plane after intimidating the goblins. If he had to keep listening to him, he felt he'd go mad.
Night was the most splendid cloak for vampires, a gift from the world's will to their kind.
In the darkness, no one could detect Li De as he moved like a ghost.
Li De concealed his aura and followed behind the Lionmane warriors. The aftermath of several sun-hours of beastmen rampaging through Risel City unfolded before his eyes.
The streets reeked of thick blood. A fire had consumed the cross-shaped bell tower at the corner of the street, and the crackling sounds of the blaze now traveled farther than the chimes of the great bell once had. The firelight illuminated several streets, perhaps the spire's final service to the city.
The bas-reliefs lining the street were stained with blood. In the corners near the walls lay the silent corpses of humans.
Under the colorful murals once used to praise the gods, the scene looked bitterly ironic. One commoner, just before dying, had reached out to touch the wall's depiction of faith, but in the end, could only leave streaks of blood behind, passing away in despair.
Those gods, far removed from the main plane, might never hear their frail and humble prayers.
The shops lining the street had mostly been broken into. The once-sturdy yet cheap doors made of black maple now leaned askew against the walls. The valuable goods inside had all been looted, leaving only worthless wooden racks behind.
Looking at this scarred and battered city, Li De felt a ripple in his heart.
He couldn't imagine what he would do if one day Dawn City was breached, if the city he built with his own hands became like this.
But then Li De shook his head. That day would never come. The city he founded would become an impregnable fortress, standing tall at the summit of this world.