The beacon was gently and securely inserted into the depths of the crevice until it was completely submerged and showed no visible signs.

At the moment the beacon left the fingertips, the camouflage rune on its surface lit up slightly, then perfectly synchronized and merged with the surrounding rocks, moonlight materials, even the residual aura of Ysera, the life fluctuations of the ancient tree’s aerial roots, the energy radiation from the Moon Mark Eye...

From then on, it became a natural part of this jade stone, this base, this area, near impossible to be detected by any conventional or unconventional means unless one knew the exact location and activation code.

Mission accomplished.

Duke did not retreat immediately. He remained still as if he were part of the rock, once again entering an absolute lurking state, patiently waiting for the next rhythmic window to safely follow the original path back to the patrol route.

The entire process, from leaving the patrol to planting the beacon, took no more than five minutes.

As Duke’s figure slid back into the patrol corridor like a shadow, silently trailing behind his teammates who had just completed the turnaround and had no idea what had happened, the cold, red glow of Shaar’s moon continued to shine on the silent Moonwatch Castle.

It was as if nothing had happened, except for that insignificant anomaly in the depths of the crevice beneath the meditation jade, quietly sleeping, waiting for the signal to awaken the entire battle situation.

At the moment the beacon was buried, the wizard in the rear could sense it and use the beacon to perceive the surrounding situation, which was extremely covert.

The wizard could directly monitor Ysera’s movements through this beacon and activate the beacon at critical moments.

The Empire expedition force’s attack on the Moon Mark clan did not immediately commence the day after Duke planted the beacon.

The gears of war had long since interlocked and turned in the shadows; the beacon merely provided the most critical, clearest targeting point for this massive and precise war machine.

In the core command hall of Darkmoon Town, a giant magic sand table hovered in the air, meticulously outlining the terrain of the Shadow-song Valley and surrounding areas. The area representing the influence of the Moon Mark clan, especially that prominent model of Moonwatch Castle, was marked by a circle of dark red halo.

"The phase-folding beacon has been confirmed activated, coordinates locked, energy fluctuation characteristics match highly with the Level 3 Moon Well of the Moon Mark Eye, error less than three per thousand," reported an observation wizard clad in the Star Dome Commerce Association uniform, with eyes covered by the glow of magic, in a deep voice.

Beside the sand table, several commanders with profound presences, at least at the Level 3 Mage realm, looked intently.

Leading them was a burly old man in imperial general star armor, with grayish-white short hair standing upright and eyes sharp as an eagle.

"Very good." The old man’s voice was hoarse, yet it carried a metallic texture. "The Moon Mark clan, entrenched in the west of the Shadow-song Valley for many years, with the moon thread water and shadow stone its Moon Mark Eye nourishes, are scarce strategic resources. More crucially, it sits at the side path of our advance towards the Shadow Court. This thorn, it must be removed!"

He heavily pointed at the model of Moonwatch Castle: "This operation, codenamed Moonfall. Objective: Capture the Level 3 Moon Well Moon Mark Eye, destroy or severely damage the Moon Mark clan’s forces. Based on beacon guidance and preliminary reconnaissance, the enemy has at least one Level 3 life, suspected to be the clan leader or chief priest, no demigod-level powerhouses exist, and plenty of Level 1, Level 2 life forms, with elite rangers and moon priests being the main conventional forces, skilled in jungle guerrilla warfare and shadow ambushes."

"Our advantage," a sinister-faced Level 3 Mage, shrouded in a faint shadow, interjected, with a voice seeming to come from the void, "is in the element of surprise, and absolute firepower and energy suppression. The beacon not only provides coordinates; its continuous phase wave will slightly disrupt the energy stability around the Moonwatch Platform. Especially during the moon phase interchange, this disruption will be magnified, enough for us to tear open the weakest point of their outer defensive barrier, to carry out an elite raid."

"The operation time is set for seven days later, at the setting of Shaar’s moon, at the beginning of the conjunction of Suren and Eilistraee’s moons," the burly old man finally decided, "By then, shadow energy ebbs, light attribute and spiritual energy have not yet fully activated, a brief gap in the elves’ defensive system conversion..."

Orders were issued layer by layer, and the enormous war machine began to operate at full speed.

Within Darkmoon Town, elite mage units gathered, war golems were activated, siege magical devices flickered with dangerous spiritual light, and the air was filled with a foreboding of forthcoming conflict.

In the deepest darkness before dawn, Suren and Eilistraee’s dual moons just climbed the treetops, the silver-purple halo not yet fully dispelling Shaar’s lingering stagnation.

Suddenly, countless dazzling magical lights tore through the sky.

From multiple predetermined positions in the Shadow-song Valley, the Empire expedition force’s long-prepared assault erupted like a volcanic eruption.

Massive explosive fireclouds howled towards the elves’ forest outposts and frontier camps, reducing the mighty ancient trees and the elf archers within them to burning remnants.

Ominous green-glowing acid waterfalls poured down from the witch array, corroding the intricately set bramble barriers and natural traps.

Furthermore, the low rumbling earthquake spells came from underground, disrupting the leyline nodes and hidden passages the elves relied on.

The ground forces, led by metallic war golems, flowed towards the Moon Mark clan’s territory like a black tide from multiple directions.