Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 173 Backup Plan
"They also brought a pontoon bridge."

After saying this, the cavalry officer on the raft waved his torch three times toward the opposite bank, and others on the other side responded by lighting their own torches.

It turned out that another group of people was traveling on the opposite bank, facing the group across the river.

With manpower available on both sides, the pontoon bridge can be secured by cables.

Sackler arrived upon hearing the news, looking extremely annoyed. The general, his face ashen, suppressed his anger and asked, "Line up that lieutenant and give his name and affiliation."

“Andrea Cellini,” the tall hussar officer said nonchalantly, “belonging to the JSCA squadron.”

"John Jessica? Where is he?!"

"They traveled by land, setting off before me." Andrei was suddenly startled: "What? They didn't come?"

……

In an unnamed ravine on the north bank of the confluence of the rivers.

Enraged, Jessica was unleashing a furious tirade against Lieutenant Mason.

"What the hell are you good for? You've emptied your brains of all that stuff from Academician Lu?" The one-eyed lieutenant colonel was so angry he was practically fuming. He barely managed to keep his voice down: "You can even lead the way astray!"

Mason was sprayed with spittle all over his face, and after a while, he said aggrievedly, "I didn't have a map... It was pitch black... And... I'm actually in the artillery section..."

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica completely lost his temper. Forget about maintaining his subordinates' authority in front of the soldiers, he grabbed his riding crop and started lashing them across the face: "You dare to talk back!"

Mason dared not dodge or cry out in pain, and took the full force of the two lashes.

Less than a meter behind Lieutenant Mason, a heavily armored soldier carrying a halberd was crouching.

Behind the halberdier was another musketeer, and beyond that, an endless array of muskets, armored spears, and heavy halberds—a dark mass of people.

Hundreds of militiamen hid in this narrow, winding ravine, silently awaiting orders.

As he climbed up the slope, Winters lay prone in the withered grass, squinting as he tried to find any recognizable landmarks on the ground.

Charles stood beside the lieutenant, his voice low and resentful, saying, "Where exactly did Lieutenant Mason bring us?"

"That pig farmer really ruined us," the young hunter complained.

"Shut up," Winters hissed. "If I hear you say that again, you two will both get whipped."

About 500 meters ahead, on a sheltered hillside, a few faint campfires could be seen.

But upon closer inspection, one can see the reflection of weapons in the firelight and the blurry, moving figures.

The wind carried the neighing of horses, and if Winters was not mistaken, there were countless Hart cavalrymen resting on the hillside—or rather, they were too numerous to see.

"Dare you move?" Winters hesitated, then answered himself, "I dare not move."

……

As the closest detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica was the first to receive the distress call.

Plato's military law was strict; if an officer knew of the danger to his ally but failed to come to their aid, he would be beheaded, his subordinates would be dismissed, and his soldiers would be flogged.

The JASKA squadron was responsible for defending the North Bridge and was not among those who "shrank back." They could choose not to go, nor should they go to the rescue.

But when Jessica learned that it was General Sackler who had been ambushed, he immediately ordered his troops to be dispatched.

The one-eyed lieutenant colonel was determined to do things his own way, and no amount of persuasion from Winters, Mason, and the other centurions could dissuade him.

Left with no other option, Winters came up with a solution for the lieutenant colonel—a pontoon bridge.

The area south of the confluence of the rivers is controlled by the Palatul army. As long as they can withdraw to the south bank, the crisis for the Sackler tribe will naturally be resolved.

The pontoon bridge is made of wooden rafts, which are secured by cables strung between the north and south banks.

Although there are no pontoons, the Sackler tribe also lacks heavy weapons, so they should be able to make do with what they have.

"A raft?" Lieutenant Colonel Jessica frowned. "Where would we get a raft? Can't we tie it up in time?"

“There’s still time, we have ready-made timber.” Winters remained composed and spoke sincerely, though only those who knew him well could detect a hint of embarrassment in his eyes: “If all else fails, we can dismantle the carriage.”

Winters wasn't lying; he was just selectively telling the truth: the army not only had readily available timber, but also readily available rafts.

A few days ago, when the Venetians had a small gathering, Andre advised everyone to "prepare early".

What preparations? Preparations for escape.

Winters learned only four things at military school, one of which was "always having a backup plan."

The raft is the second-best option in the backup plan, which involves traveling by water, while the preferred option is a boat.

According to Bader, all the rivers in this wasteland will eventually flow into the inland sea.

In theory, once they boarded the small boat and started rowing, the Venetians could happily go home.

So the Venetians are trying to get boats and are working hard to learn to swim.

However, in the vast wilderness, it's faster to build a ship than to find a ready-made one.

The rafts were simple to build, and some were quickly constructed and carried along with the army. [Note: The JSKA battalion had many large wagons.]

I just didn't expect it to come in handy so quickly.

"Get ready." Jessica immediately approved the pontoon bridge plan: "The sooner the better."

Perhaps the lieutenant colonel had already discovered the Venetians' plan? Winters wasn't sure. But at least the lieutenant colonel hadn't said anything or exposed him.

The plan was finalized: Andrei would lead the rafting team, while a small, reliable group would go to the south bank to meet them.

And... Bud was responsible for guarding the bridgehead camp, while the lieutenant colonel himself led the attack.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica still insisted on leading troops to provide support, which he described as a "backup plan."

One hundred-man squad stayed behind, another hundred-man squad laid platoons, and the remaining six hundred-man squads were all taken away by Jessica.

The troops advanced eastward along the riverbank, with Winters leading the way, Lieutenant Mason bringing up the rear, and Lieutenant Colonel Jessica bringing up the rear.

However, instead of seeing General Sackler, he ran into the Heds first.

Fortunately, it wasn't the enemy's main force, but just a few scattered light cavalrymen spying on the JSKA battalion with ill intentions.

Dusak charged forward, and Hart's light cavalry spurred their horses and fled; Dusak retreated, and Hart's light cavalry reappeared. They simply wouldn't engage the Paratists, like flies, utterly annoying.

Not long after encountering Heard's light cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica halted the march, and Winters and Mason were summoned to a meeting by the lieutenant colonel.

Winters had barely met the lieutenant colonel when the colonel's first words were: "The Heds failed to defeat the Sacklers. The rear guard has become the front guard; we're retreating."

"Withdraw?" Winters was baffled.

"Withdraw." Lieutenant Colonel Jessica said with absolute certainty.

"Why?" Mason couldn't help but ask.

Winters was also a little annoyed: they insisted on sending troops before, but now they suddenly said they wanted to withdraw. Were they just playing with everyone?

Jessica's initial anxiety upon hearing of the Sackler tribe's ambush vanished completely: "The Hed people are a rabble. Their first attack was the fiercest and most brutal, and it was a surprise attack. If the Hed people couldn't break through the Sackler tribe in their first attack, subsequent attacks would be even less likely. Since the Sackler tribe has already stabilized their position, they don't need our support. The pontoon bridge is enough for them to retreat."

“Wait a minute,” Winters quickly interrupted. “How do you know General Sackler’s troops haven’t been routed?”

"If the Sackler tribe were to collapse, would the barbarian cavalry play this game with us? The Hed's focus is clearly not on preventing our attack, but on preventing the Sackler tribe from breaking out! The barbarian cavalry are intercepting messengers and cutting off the Sackler tribe's communications. This actually shows that the Sackler tribe is holding firm. Retreat quickly, or we'll be surrounded and their reinforcements will be caught off guard!"

JASK has never pursued any kind of military democratization; except for one instance where he was overthrown by his subordinates, he has always been the one to make decisions.

The lieutenant colonel ordered a retreat, and the rear guard immediately became the front guard, with Mason leading the charge and Winters bringing up the rear.

If Lieutenant Mason simply retraces his steps along the riverbank, he will not go astray no matter what.

Although Comrade Mason has devoted all his passion to the pig farming business over the years, he still has some old foundation.

Unfortunately, on their way back, they encountered a group of barbarians from the Hed, and a small skirmish broke out between them.

Fearing that the enemy would catch up from behind and attack them from both sides, Lieutenant Colonel Jeska ordered his men to break away from the enemy as darkness fell and head north to return to Qiaotou Village.

The lieutenant colonel was using Mason as Winters, but he forgot that Lieutenant Montagne was covering the rear.

By the time Winters caught up with the main force after the ambush, Mason had already led his troops into the ditch...

...At this moment, Winters, lying in the withered grass, had very mixed feelings.

Mason's luck was both extremely bad and extremely good.

For example, Mason got lost, but still easily shook off his pursuers.

Leading a large group, they stumbled upon the vicinity of the Hud people's camp without being discovered by the Hud. Was this good luck or bad luck?

Winters discovered that the Hurds below the hillside were completely unaware that hundreds of enemies were hiding in a ravine just a mile away.

It might be a fighter jet.

But, is it possible to do it?
After much deliberation, Winters still decided it wouldn't work.

This wasn't a defensive camp standoff; it was open field warfare. Although the exact number of Hed soldiers was unclear, it was certainly greater than the JSKA battalion.

What looks like a fighter jet could very well be smashed to pieces upon impact.

Winters was startled by a rustling sound coming from behind him, and his right hand was already gripping the hilt of his knife.

“It’s me,” came Lieutenant Mason’s voice.

Winters breathed a sigh of relief and shoved the steel nail back into his arm guard: "What happened to your face?"

"Don't even mention it." Mason covered his eyes and asked in a low voice, "How was it?"

“Not good.” Winters was parched, his voice hoarse. He said irritably, “Let’s get out of here before they spot us. We’ll starve to death if we don’t leave now.”

Two gurgling sounds came from Winters' abdomen, exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Mason looked at Winters; he had obviously heard it too.

The JASKA battalion was deployed in combat readiness, carrying nothing but weapons and ammunition. Food and drink were limited to the small amount each soldier carried.

After a continuous march and an encounter battle, everyone was starving.

“Brother [Winters], I have food.” Ciel pulled out some dry rations and a water bag from his pocket: “And water.”

Charles hasn't completely changed his way of addressing his brother yet. When no one else is around, he occasionally calls him "brother" as he did when he was a child.

The dry rations and water bags still had the warmth of human body heat, and the food and drink that everyone carried with them had long been gone—Winters knew all too well that Charles had left these because he hadn't eaten or drunk anything along the way.

Winters licked his dry lips, opened the water pouch, and took a small sip. After slightly moistening his throat, he handed the rations and water pouch back to Charles: "I'm too hungry; eating makes me feel worse."

"You're not eating? That's great." Senior Mason was very happy and reached for the water bag: "Give me some."

Winters angrily pressed the food and drink down beneath him: "I've changed my mind!"

"Don't be so stingy."

"How dare you say that?"

"I didn't mean to... How am I supposed to find my way if I can't see the stars at night?" Mason said, feeling extremely aggrieved.

[Note: Cloudy today, westerly winds—the weather was mentioned briefly in the section on the Sackler tribe's battle formation in the first chapter.]
Winters sighed helplessly, handed the food and drinks to his senior, and said with great concern, "Don't eat and drink it all."

"Mmm." Mason grabbed the water bag and took a big gulp.

Winters, standing nearby, involuntarily swallowed, refocusing his attention on the retreat: "This slope isn't high enough; we need to find a higher spot. As long as we can see Bianli, we can determine our direction."

"Mmm." Mason broke off another piece of dry bread.

The North Star was obscured by clouds, making it impossible to determine direction by stargazing. In the darkness, relying on landmarks like trees or rocks to pinpoint location was also impractical.

The only reliable way to find a place to go is by more obvious landmarks, and the town of Bianli, situated on high ground, is the best indicator. Seeing Bianli is a sure sign of the south.

Winters patted the others around him and gestured for them to retreat: "Let's go, just leave one person here."

Two creaking sounds came from beside me.

A deep voice can blend into the background noise of the wasteland, but the two creaking sounds cannot be masked no matter what.

Instantly, the hairs on Winters' back stood on end.

Mason, who had made the noise, also froze, half a piece of dry noodles in his mouth, too afraid to chew any more.

It's okay, as long as no one finds out, Winters desperately tried to reassure himself.

"[Herd] Who's there!"

This was absolutely the last thing Winters ever wanted to hear in his life.

Someone was walking this way, and a rough male voice questioned again in an unfamiliar language, "[Hett] Which one?"

Winters pulled out a steel nail and patted the person next to him on the shoulder.

A figure emerged from the withered grass: "[Herd] Me."

The sentry patrolling the area was startled and drew his scimitar, but upon seeing the lamellar armor worn by the man, he sheathed it again: "[Herd] What are you doing?"

"[Herd] Release water."

"[Herd] Who are you from?" Sentinel Herd asked suspiciously. "[Herd] What are you doing running all this way just to pee?"

The other person's voice was young, but their words were extremely unpleasant: "[Herd] Mind your own business? Idiot, you'd better watch yourself!"

Sentinel Hed was furious and strode towards the other man: "[Hed] You fatherless brat! I'll teach you a lesson today!"

The next moment, Hurd's sentry saw only a flash of cold light before his consciousness vanished.

The first nail struck the sentry between the eyebrows, and the second and third nails also hit his head, leaving the sentry dead.

Three consecutive, unreserved arrows struck Winters, and his phantom pain felt like his entire body was being squeezed into a small box.

His entire body was paralyzed for a moment, and he couldn't even speak.

But before he could speak, Charles and Bell had already rushed to the sentry's body, caught it before it fell, and gently placed it on the ground.

The young hunter was dressed in full Herdza armor, as Winters had planned.

"Hurry up." The phantom pain came quickly and went quickly. Winters, who had regained his mobility, immediately led his men back into the ravine.

The sound of steel nails piercing the skull was equally jarring, and it might just be noticed by more Herd people.

The four men lay prone on the reverse slope, holding their breath and listening intently, waiting for the other sentries to arrive.

There was no movement; it seems no one noticed.

The group involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. Winters patted the little hunter on the shoulder, unsure of what to say.

He didn't know how the young hunter viewed the other Hed people—enemies? Fellow countrymen? He could only leave it to the young hunter to figure out.

Suddenly, the distant Hed camp was awakened.

First came a few shouts, then the sounds of people, horses, and weapons clashing all mingled together.

"We've been discovered!" Charles glared angrily at Lieutenant Mason.

Winters immediately ordered, "Go find the lieutenant colonel!"

The young hunter got up and ran off to deliver the message.

The sound of hooves began to rise, growing louder and louder, as Hart's cavalry prepared for battle.

"Wait a minute?" Mason listened intently, then frowned. "Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"

Winters quickly climbed to the top of the hillside, where the Heard camp in the distance was brightly lit, with campfires burning one after another.

The Heard cavalry, each carrying a torch, formed a river of fire. But instead of rushing towards Winters, the river of fire sped off into the distance, heading off to engage in battle.

"The Hurds have moved!" Winters laughed uncontrollably, punching Mason hard. "You're incredibly lucky!"

Now, Winters has an empty camp and five hundred militiamen.

[There are maps in this chapter and the previous chapter. The previous chapter was posted late, so some readers may have missed it. This chapter's map will be posted later once it's finished.]
This volume has two chapters of thirty-five each. Starting from chapter thirty-five, all the chapter numbers are wrong, which is both funny and frustrating. So, I've skipped from chapter 58 to chapter 60. This was yesterday's entry, but I'm only writing it now…

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(End of this chapter)