Chapter 234. Tactics.

After telling Flor, Liu Shu's conscience spread around, and she began searching for suspicious behavior. 'Hm. I would've been able to answer if I hadn't gone into that strange daze.' 

She couldn't help but feel strange, as if, for a moment, she lived how she should for a few moments. That state she was in felt so natural and easy to sink into that it created questions in her mind.

'Hm? Who is this group?'

In the area between Golden Sap City and Mareful City, she spotted a group of twenty-five people sitting inside a natural cave. Her roots extended for almost 11 kilometers from where she was, and this cave was inside of that space. 

These people were silently looking at a fire. It was becoming colder as winter approached, and staying out without a source of heat was becoming increasingly hard.

Liu Shu kept some of her attention there while she continued looking around. If someone spoke in that area, she would instantly increase her awareness there.

After forty minutes of searching, she found nothing suspicious above or inside the ground.

"Flor, I found nothing except a strange group sitting in a cave North of here."

The people gathered tilted their heads and looked at Delia. She was the person with the most control over the northern area. However, Delia shook her head. "I can't remember any cave around that area. Do you have a map, Queen Flor?"

Flor smiled. "Just call me Flor. Amapola here is the one who deserves that title." Then, she flew away to find a map. 

Everyone looked at the other large Rose Fairy in the room with proving gazes. They were suspicious that was the case, and now, with Flor's confirmation, they all understood that this relatively young Rose Fairy was the new Rose Fairy Queen.

One of them asked, curious. "How much younger are you compared to Flor, Queen Amapola?"

Amapola looked over and asked, her tone and face covered with coldness and indifference. "Does it matter?" 

The cold answer, compared to the usual warmer Flor, came as a surprise for many. Her attitude told them that this Rose Fairy was not going to be playing games. 

Many were doubtful about Amapola's intelligence. However, this was neither the time nor place to test such things. 

Flor returned and gave Delia the map. Before she moved away, Delia whispered. "Are you sure about this pick?"

Flor paused and looked at Delia. Then, she smiled. "Yes."

Delia nodded and placed the map on the table. Then, she asked. "Liu Shu, can you point where… Well, first of all, do you know how to read maps?"

A root came out of the ceiling and poked at one point around nine and a half kilometers away from the Golden Sap City.

Everyone looked at the root that appeared with a somewhat surprised face. The bluish energy going through the veins shone through the crevices, giving the brown root a very mystical look. 

Liu Shu asked, confused. "Why is everyone looking at my roots? Perverts! Hmph!"

Then, the root moved upward and hid into the ceiling again. Everyone's lips twitched, some trying to hold their laughter while others were trying to hold in their embarrassment.

Flor coughed. "Sorry for that." Then, she asked. "So, any idea of who they are… Wait. Liu Shu, you forgot to describe them."

Liu Shu spoke. "Oh, right, you can look over there. Well, they are a group of twenty-five people, fifteen men and ten women. They are mostly humans, and they are looking at a fire in the middle of the cave. Their clothes are made out of leather, and they all have weapons around them of many types."

Delia asked softly. "What are the colors of their clothes, Liu Shu?"

Liu Shu hummed. "They are very different! They don't have uniform outfits."

A man at the side asked. "Any symbol that you can see on their clothes?"

"Nop~."

That man frowned and asked. "Why do you think they are suspicious, then?"

Liu Shu answered, confused. "Isn't it strange for so many people to sit for more than an hour looking at a fire without saying a single word? Humans are very chatty! Sometimes, they even talk to themselves."

The man couldn't really deny that. Liu Shu added. "Moreover, they are all Level 24!"

With that, they also became confused. Kael commented. "Should I go take a look?"

Thalia instantly shot down his idea. "You can't. If they are there to check on Liu Shu's detection range, your presence there would be a perfect confirmation. They are actually quite near Liu Shu's limit, right?"

Flor shrugged. "Who knows? Liu Shu has not revealed to me how far her roots go."

Thalia asked. "Can you tell us, Liu Shu?"

"No~."

Thalia sighed. "Sure. Anyway, since there is no suspicious activity, let's move to the real talk. Delia, you'll be the one taking charge, right? What do you think?"

Delia pondered and looked at the map of the nearby area, spanning around 50 kilometers around Liu Shu. It showed Fortuna City, Sirol City, Mareful City, the Small White Flower Forest, the Serene Small Lakeborn Forest, the Dark Aether Swamp, and the Wall Forest.

All the nearby areas that mattered together with small powers in the surroundings who owned a small piece of land. 

Delia commented. "Taking into account our military powers, we'll be on the defensive. The problem with this is that we are relatively vulnerable. For example, if they gathered their army and attacked just one place, we would be at a disadvantage."

Taro, who has been silent, disagreed. "That's not the truth. Sirol City and Mareful City are very resilient. Our armies are large enough to hold the enemy for a while until reinforcements arrive. We can even create ambushes with small groups due to the heavy vegetation. A large group will always have a disadvantage when traveling through these types of terrains."

Delia shook her head. "While you are not wrong, we need to protect Golden Sap City. So our forces will be divided."

Flor blinked. "Huh? We don't need constant protection."

The people gathered blinked and looked over, confused. Delia asked. "What do you mean?"

Flor explained. "We can resist the most because of Liu Shu's presence. Her detection range is extensive enough that we are the only place that can prepare before the enemy arrives." 

Delia laughed softly. "Flor, we also have ways to get information about armies. We have scouts and other things spread around that are very good at detecting armies from a distance. So, we won't really be taken by surprise, as you say."

The Rose Fairy hummed. She added. "I still feel that we have the largest defensive capabilities. I have been near Fortuna City in the past, and unless your cities have bigger walls than theirs, our city feels like the one that's the most protected."

Taro agreed. "In terms of infrastructure, Golden Sap City actually has an edge because of the specialness of the city. You have an actual living city that counts as an army of its own. Together with a World Tree, you are formidable, and no one can deny that. However, you are very weak against assassination attempts."

Hearing his words, Flor paused, but after a few moments, she frowned. "I mean, aren't small groups even worse off against us? They won't be able to sneak in, right? If they want to breach through, they need a frontal assault."

Taro asked. "What if they fly in? Can you defend against that as easily?"

Flor looked at Taro and suddenly realized something. 'Are they still not aware of Liu Shu's anti-air capabilities? They must've received reports about the recent battle, so they might think that <Mother Of Thousand Flower Field> is just a bombardment defensive structure…'

Flor rubbed her chin, thoughtful. 'Should I reveal more of Liu Shu's strength? With the Flying Arboreal Serpents, Liu Shu herself, and the defensive structures, I honestly feel that we are quite safe. Moreover…' Flor asked under her breath so that only Liu Shu heard. "Love, how far in the air can you currently look?"

Liu Shu answered in her mind. 'Hm… Around two kilometers? Something around there.' 

Flor blinked a few times. 'Nearly 2000 meters… Yeah, I don't think anyone is sneaking up on us. There is no way they will guess how high Liu Shu can actually see.' 

Flor coughed and commented. "I feel that as long as I have Thalia's and Kael's armies in the city, we will be okay. I can't really explain why, but I hope you can trust me this time around."

Delia looked at Flor and hinted at her. "Flor, you know that some people can travel more than 1500 meters in the air, right? There is no way your Rose Fairies can fly that high."

Flor smiled. "Thanks, but I am really okay. If something happens, I'll take responsibility."

A woman from a rodent beast family asked quite aggressively. "How? If Liu Shu is killed before we can even arrive to help, our alliance will completely fall apart. There is no responsibility to take by then because we would've already lost!"

Flor didn't know how to answer. She was right, after all. 'Am I asking for too much trust? But I can't reveal all of our secrets because if even one of them betrays us, those strengths will become a weakness.''

However, Kael snorted before she showed any discomfort and looked at that woman. "Do you think I am a weak person who can't defend someone until you arrive?" 

Thalia laughed faintly. "It seems that I am being underestimated. Leave Liu Shu's protection to both of us and protect our north and east sides."

The others in the room looked at them with frowns. Delia pondered and nodded. "Okay. However, if there are any close calls and we manage to survive those situations, I will completely rearrange the defenders. Do you understand, Flor? I can only give you one chance."

Flor nodded seriously. "I understand."

Amapola spoke at that moment, looking at the map. "Why is no one speaking about the South?"

Everyone looked at the new Rose Fairy Queen, and Delia pointed at what was there. "Do you see what is basically touching the Golden Sap Forest?"

Amapola blinked and answered, unsure. "The Dark Aether Swamp?"

Dalia nodded. "That place is basically taboo. There are very strong beings in there that you don't want to mess with. A large army moving there is asking for trouble. There have been cases in the past where an army tried to circle around it and got ambushed by a giant group of beasts, receiving heavy casualties."

Amapola crossed her arms and looked at the map. Her race's name, Rose Fairy Battle Queen, was not for show. Her instincts regarding war were several times sharper than usual, allowing her to plan around many scenarios and giving her innate comprehension of battle situations.

Amapola looked at the map for a few seconds, ignoring the voices around, and after a while, she spoke. "I still feel that if they are going to attack, they will use that route." 

Everyone looked at her, and the same rodent woman that spoke before spoke. "Hey, Rose Fairy, didn't you hear what Delia said?"

Amapola looked at her and said indifferently. "I have. However, we are outnumbered. If Eila Neoflora, a Level 31, leads the army, they will be able to cross that path without as many complications. Am I right?"

The rodent paused, and Amapola continued. "For us, getting attacked from either South, North, East, or West is inconsequential. With Liu Shu as our protector, we can detect threats regardless of which direction they approach. However, if they use that route to send an attack on Sirol City and avoid most of the scouts that you said you had, the consequences might be unthinkable, and Sirol City might disappear." 

Taro's eyes sharpened slightly, and he looked at the map closely. He pondered and nodded. "I'll increase my vigilance in that area. Thank you for the warning, Queen Amapola."

Amapola nodded solemnly. Then, many tactics were explored, and Amapola contributed significantly, leaving an excellent impression on everyone in the room. 

By the end of the day, everyone was adding her new "Queen" title when referring to her.