The Warden of the Witches Chapter 189

 Chapter 189 - Tactical Shift Master

"Kid, don't you have any sense? Can't you see we're busy putting out fires right now?" Hasbinis snapped irritably.

"Isn't it just that the headquarters is under siege? Fight back!" Aiden spread his hands wide. "Do you understand the concept of a tactical shift? The cult has thrown so many forces into the Sabbath Forest, which means they have fewer people left in Northwind Town. This is when their defenses are at their weakest. If we're going to make a move, it has to be now."

The time when the enemy's offensive is at its peak is also when their home base is at its weakest—this is the essence of all tactical shifts.

Of course, executing a tactical shift comes with great risks, but for Aiden, this didn't matter at all, since he wasn't the one whose home was being threatened.

For the Witches' Gathering, this was indeed a tactical shift. But for him, it was more like a covert operation, the best situation for him to reap benefits.

"Hmph, it's easy for you to talk when it's not your base that's under attack." Lamia saw through Aiden's intentions and sneered hoarsely.

"If you wait until you weather their attack and catch your breath, they will also get a chance to regroup. Are you giving them time to gather more troops?" Aiden persuaded patiently. "Moreover, they are currently rushing to produce more soldiers, which means they are likely overextending their 'breeding' capabilities. A sudden strike now will surely be better than attacking when they're fully prepared, don't you think?"

Compared to direct frontal combat, the strategic value of the 'Reproduction' authority lies in its ability to rapidly produce fearless and high-quality offspring as soldiers, quickly forming a hive-like collective force. The only downside is that it requires time.

Therefore, giving the cult too much time is clearly unwise. Action must be decisive when the moment is right.

"I think it's feasible. The location of the venue has already been leaked, and there's no way to fix it," Qimora interjected. "The important thing now is to prevent them from finding Abigail's location. They caught us off guard, but we can turn the tables on them."

After a moment of consideration, Abigail nodded. "Alright, let's do it."

"That's the spirit," Aiden smiled.

"I'm already staying in Northwind Town, and Hasbinis can fly over directly," Qimora said slowly. "Lamia, how long will it take you?"

"I can transform into a flying serpent and get there in two hours," Lamia replied.

"And the Warden..." Qimora looked at Aiden.

"I can't fly, but we can take the earliest morning train to the mining area. If that's not quick enough, I can rent some fast horses," Aiden responded calmly. "Should we set a meeting point?"

"Who wants to meet up with a smelly guy like you? Just the thought of it gives me goosebumps," Hasbinis protested, pointing at him. "When the time comes, Abigail can summon us again to make the final preparations for the attack."

"you should bring the mercury alloy golem with you," Abigail suddenly reminded Aiden.

"Hmm?"

"The 'reproduction' authority affects all living beings. Approaching a 'reproduction' saint is very dangerous," Abigail explained. "But the golem, which I have granted life to, is unaffected. It can serve as a secret weapon to kill the priest."

"If it's so effective, why don't you make more of them?" Aiden asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't that guarantee our victory?"

"Vera and I can create them, but we don't have enough materials right now," Abigail explained. "We need to refine mercury, bone powder from calamity beasts, and legendary metals like mithril through several processes to create a material that can channel magic, shape-shift, and harden at will."

"So I lucked into a valuable treasure," Aiden thought, feeling fortunate once more. The raw materials for the mercury alloy golem seemed quite precious.

However, taking it out would be quite troublesome. The mercury golem weighed over half a ton. Even if it could move on its own, he needed to ensure it remained out of sight from others as much as possible.

"Alright, let's tentatively decide on this plan. I'll handle the intruders first," Abigail said, ending the communication.

In an instant, all the attendees, including Aiden, were enveloped in a gray mist.

...

Meanwhile, in Northwind Town, at the abandoned mine pit.

In the massive pit stood over twenty young nuns, completely naked, their bodies covered in a viscous, bloody substance, and their eyes was vacant.

A towering chimera stood before them, uttering incomprehensible words.

The power of 'reproduction' continued to operate, causing the nuns to split one by one amidst agonizing screams, increasing their number to nearly fifty.

The priest quietly observed his "daughters." This was the fifth generation of reproduction. These individuals wouldn't live more than three days, doomed to be discarded from birth.

If the splitting continued, the numbers would double, but the combat quality of each individual would decline significantly.

"How many were produced tonight?" he asked in a raspy voice, directing his question to the black-robed nun standing beside him.

"In addition to this batch, about fifty more," the nun, replied calmly. "This will allow us to organize the next wave of attacks, though the individual quality has dropped considerably."

"These rush-produced sacrifices are inevitably of poor quality."

"Use that method to compensate," Nawei said, handing over a large scythe.

The priest glanced at her with his goat-like eyes with square pupils, and then silently took the scythe. What would be a one-handed weapon for most was like a mere shaving razor in his hand.

Without hesitation, he slit his own wrist, and blood immediately gushed from the wound. Nawei brought a metal basin to catch the freely flowing blood.

After a few seconds, the priest clenched his fist, causing the wound on his wrist to close and the bleeding to stop.

The priest grabbed the metal basin with one hand and vigorously flung its contents. The blood splashed over the vacant-eyed nuns, raining down upon them. But They remained indifferent.

The priest uttered divine words once more, but this time, the nuns did not split further.

Instead, the blood on their skin rapidly seeped in, being fully absorbed by their bodies.

Subsequently, all the nuns seemed to sense something, and instinctively touching their lower abdomens.

They were pregnant.

"Go now, my children. Find Abigail's hiding place and bring me her head along with the incubation eggs," the priest commanded.

"Understood, Father," the newly born nuns responded in unison.