Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 248 Plan
Shuangxi Town belongs to Baishan County and is located on the east bank of Anya River, facing Manyun Valley across the river.

It is a quiet agricultural town with only twenty-two permanent households.

Tonight, this tranquility is destined to be shattered by iron hooves.

A troop of cavalry quietly approached the town, and launched a surprise attack after dark.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves startled the mayor and his wife so much that they fell off the bed.

Ignoring his wife's objections, the gray-haired town mayor rushed out of the house to ring the bell.

He was barefoot and had just run into the street when he heard a whooshing sound behind him.

He turned his head in alarm, only to see a gleaming blade coming straight at him.

The old town mayor collapsed in the dust.

"The army is quelling the rebellion! It has nothing to do with you!" Andrei said with a grim face, wiping the blood off his sword.

He didn't know who this crazy old man was. He wanted to cut off the man's ear to scare him away, but the knife went astray and hit the back of his head instead.

Andrei felt a mix of emotions. He sternly warned the townspeople behind the doors and windows: "Anyone who goes out will die!"

No one answered him.

"Don't force me to kill you," he whispered, so softly that only he could hear it.

The townspeople all hid in their homes, peering out at the street through cracks in their doors and windows.

The small town was almost crushed by the sound of hooves, and they had no idea how many cavalrymen had come.

If intruders break into their homes and commit arson, murder, robbery, or rape, they might have the will to resist to the death.

But the newcomers merely occupied the street, and their presence was extremely intimidating, so they simply couldn't muster the courage to fight back.

Seeing that every household had its doors and windows tightly shut and no one dared to go out on the street, Andrei sheathed his sword.

His right arm was a bit stiff, and it took him several tries to get it aligned.

A sergeant galloped up to him, saluted, and reported: "Sir, the garrison has surrendered."

Lieutenant Cellini coldly uttered a single word: "Burn."

"The warehouses are all empty."

"Burn whatever you have."

The captain saluted again, then rode away.

Andrei chose to launch a surprise attack on Shuangxi Town because it was the dumping ground for the Baishan County army's supplies.

He crossed the river much earlier than the enemy.

While the garrison of Baishan County was still gathering its forces, Winters had already assembled his warhorses and horsemen, handing them over to Andrei to lead, and they crossed the Anya River by boat from the upper reaches.

Once it was confirmed that the White Mountain County army had entered Iron Peak County, Andrea Cellini, the warhound, let go of his bridle.

However, the raid on Shuangxi Town yielded very limited results.

There was nothing in the warehouse; the supplies had all been taken away by the garrison officer of Baishan County, leaving only a ten-man squad to guard it.

Upon seeing the cavalry arrive, the eight defenders readily surrendered their weapons.

"Centurion!" Another deputy came galloping up and shouted from a dozen meters away, "What's written on the paper? We can't understand it!"

"What are you yelling about?"

His old subordinates awkwardly shut their mouths and handed a roll of paper to the centurion with both hands.

Andrei took the scroll and looked at it by the moonlight.

His right arm trembled slightly involuntarily, making it difficult for him to see the small print on the paper.

The dim moonlight made it even more tiring for the eyes.

Frustrated, Andrei threw the scroll back to his men and angrily said, "What the hell are you looking at! Take all the paper with writing on it with you!"

The squad leader saluted and left.

Andrei gripped his right arm with his left hand, so tightly that his fingers turned white.

……

Winters only had two requirements for Andrei; the rest was up to him.

First, do not damage the property of the common people; burning down the houses of farmers and townspeople will not harm the Baishan County Garrison.

Secondly, it is necessary to collect archives, land deeds, dossiers, and gazettes kept in various towns of Baishan County at any time.

Therefore, after capturing the supply warehouse, Andrei's cavalry immediately broke down the gates of the town hall.

Then they encountered a problem, because no one could read...

Fortunately, Lieutenant Cellini had a simple and straightforward solution.

Can't read? Then take away all the paper with writing on it.

……

The nightmarish cavalry roared in and then sped away, like a brief but sobering nightmare.

What was left for Shuangxi Town was a corpse, as well as the burning warehouse, town hall, and police station.

Only when the sound of horses' hooves completely disappeared did the townspeople emerge from their homes, trembling with fear.

They gathered around the mayor's body, mourning the old man who had always been a dutiful and responsible man.

For Shuangxi Town, the disaster is over for tonight.

But for Baishan County, this devastation is far from over.

Winters had originally gathered a hundred cavalrymen, but Andrei eliminated most of them without explanation, leaving only forty-six riders, less than a platoon.

Each of these forty-six riders was equipped with a warhorse and four attendant horses.

To facilitate irrigation, settlements along both banks of the river were built close to the river and were densely distributed, which saved Lieutenant Cellini a lot of trouble.

Andrea Cellini's cavalry swept through eleven villages and towns of varying sizes on the east bank of the Anya River in one night, like a whirlwind that could destroy everything in its path.

……

That evening, the bald colonel learned that Baishan County had been attacked.

Flames were shooting into the sky on the opposite bank of the river, impossible to hide.

But Geza gave no orders, and the messenger who woke him was instead severely reprimanded.

After reprimanding the messenger, the colonel went back to bed.

The soldiers of Baishan County continued to sleep soundly in their homes and tents until dawn.

The next morning, as soon as the reveille sounded, Captain Hudson sent a briefing to Colonel Gaisa.

Gaisa casually tossed the briefing onto the table and went to the back of the house to urinate.

"This is a run-down town, and there's nowhere to take a bath." The colonel strolled back, yawning, and complained to his subordinates, "I'm sore all over if I don't take a bath."

Captain Hudson was unconvinced: "The Anya River is right there, you can just go and wash yourself in it."

"You have to use hot water for a bath!" Colonel Gaisa roared, his scalp creased with fury. "Can you call that a bath with cold water?"

“Okay, yes, you’re right,” Captain Hudson replied perfunctorily, handing the briefing to the colonel: “The rebels are making quite a show of force.”

Within a single night, flames of war erupted on the east bank of the Anya River.

The villages and towns, large and small, had either been raided by rebel cavalry or had been spotted by rebel cavalry in the surrounding area.

"That little bastard, he's using the tactics of those barbarians, Hart." Colonel Gesa skimmed through the briefing, tossed it onto the table, stretched, and asked, "What's for breakfast?"

“White bread, red soup, boiled eggs.” Captain Hudson spoke rapidly, pressing, “Whether he can actually do it or not, we shouldn’t send some men back; we can’t let the rebels do whatever they want.”

"I'm asking what the soldiers eat for breakfast?"

"Coarse bread and vegetable soup."

"That's not bad."

"Are you really not going to do anything about him?" Captain Hudson asked again.

"Why bother with him?" Colonel Gaisa wiped his face and scalp with a damp towel, treating it as a way of washing up.

"The rebels are looting our villages and towns!"

"Let him plunder." Colonel Gaisa scoffed. "Don't be fooled by the simultaneous pleas of twenty or thirty villages; it's really just a small cavalry force. Even I don't have many cavalrymen, so how many rebels could there be?"

"Even with only thirty cavalrymen, no village or town can withstand them."

Gaisa sat down with an air of authority, gesturing for Hudson to bring up breakfast: "That's where the rebels' stupidity lies. They're using the tactics of the barbarians, but they're not barbarians. Barbarians kill, burn villages, and loot. If the rebels' cavalry dared to do that, the village militias would wipe them out."

"You mean, let him take it?"

"Let him plunder! The more he plunders, the less likely he is to occupy Baishan County. The rebels won't occupy Baishan County anyway, so why should we be afraid of him?"

Captain Hudson sighed: "You're the garrison commander, you're the one who calls the shots."

The captain turned to leave. "Wait a minute, I have a question," Colonel Gaisa said, resting his chin on his hand. "The intelligence says that the rebels Bud and Mason have been stripped of their military command?"

“That’s right.” Captain Hudson nodded expressionlessly.

"The traitor Cellini is dead?"

"Presumed dead."

“The rebel Montagne is in Gévodan.”

"Yes, I heard he's still marketing his bonds."

"That's strange." Colonel Gaisa's smile was quite amusing. "Who's commanding this cavalry unit in White Mountain County?"

Captain Hudson scoffed, "He's probably one of Montagne's recent protégés. I hear he has quite a few Dusacs on his hands."

"In my opinion, your intelligence report has serious problems."

“The intelligence came from a wealthy family in the city of Zhevodan.” Captain Hudson frowned. “They wouldn’t stoop so low as to join the rebels.”

"Alright then." Colonel Gaisa laughed heartily. "Pass down the order: after everyone has eaten and drunk their fill, continue the march towards Zhevodan!"

……

Despite being on fire, Colonel Gaisa remained completely unmoved.

Two hundred-man squads were left to guard the pontoon bridge, and the army of Baishan County set off again.

The fist did not change its trajectory and continued to swing towards Ghevordan.

Winters saw all of this.

Because he is in Manyun Valley.

To be precise, it's in the forest between Manyun Valley and Tuosong Street.

Moreover, he brought with him the troops of Badr, Andrei, and Mason—currently reorganized into the First, Second, and Third Hundred Men's Units.

After declaring martial law in Ghevordan, Winters rushed to Cloud Valley overnight to join the three hundred-man teams that were already waiting there.

It would be best if Andrei's cavalry could tie down the main force of Baishan County.

If the cavalry can't do it, then Winters will take matters into his own hands.

Tiefeng County is more extensive than Baishan County. Manyun Valley is 150 kilometers from Rewodan and less than 60 kilometers from Yuanhua Fort.

If the fire on his backside isn't enough to shake the garrison commander of Baishan County, then he should stab him in the back again.

So after the White Mountain County army left Manyun Valley, Winters patiently waited for a whole day.

Until Charles returned from following the enemy's reconnaissance.

"They've set up camp!" Charles's voice was filled with excitement. "Just as you expected, they've set up camp thirty kilometers away, between Camel Pine Street and Manyun Valley."

"Let's go!" Winters drew his saber, stepped into the stirrups, and mounted his horse. "Follow me and break through the defenders of the pontoon bridge!"

The soldiers in the woods stood up one after another. Military orders strictly forbade them to speak, so the soldiers pounded their chests vigorously.

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

The dull sound was like the beating of war drums by a god, startling birds into taking flight in flocks.

Entering Iron Peak County means entering enemy territory. According to Winters's judgment, if the White Mountain County garrison officer is of sound mind, he will try to avoid a forced march.

The 60-kilometer distance between Manyun Valley and Tuosong Street would take at least two days to traverse.

The army of Baishan County is now in a very delicate position.

They are about 90 kilometers from Iris Castle and about 100 kilometers from Theodor.

They are located at the midpoint of the route from Ghevordan to Irisburg—slightly closer to Irisburg.

By choosing this moment to launch his attack, Winters was practically taunting the White Mountain garrison commander, as the enemy's position was perfect.

If they were to travel another day to reach Tuosong Street, the enemy commander might act rashly and head straight for Zhevodan without a second thought.

Winters glanced at his most elite troops, raised his saber, and the sound of drums in the forest vanished instantly.

Silently cleaving towards the pontoon bridge, Winters Montagne charged out of the forest first.

His standard-bearer, Heinrich, was the second to rush out of the forest, followed closely by three 100-man squads.

With three against two, and a powerful spellcaster like Winters, the defenders of the pontoon bridge collapsed at the first touch.

Winters had no time to pursue the remaining enemy. After crossing the river, he set the pontoon bridge on fire, burning it to the ground.

……

When Colonel Gaisa led his troops back to Manyun Valley, they were greeted by the remains of the pontoon bridge and the remnants of the garrison.

They found Lieutenant Matt on the riverbank, who was in charge of guarding the pontoon bridge.

Lieutenant Matt sat on a large rock, his face pale and his body trembling uncontrollably.

He stared at the toe of his boot, muttering, "Amazing...really amazing..."

Lieutenant Matt fought to the last moment, and seeing the defenders completely routed, he jumped into the Anya River to save his life.

“A blanket,” Colonel Gaisa said, looking at Captain Hudson. “And some wine.”

Geza first wrapped his centurion in a blanket, then poured him a full glass of strong liquor.

He scratched the back of his head and asked seriously, "Can you be sure that it was Winters Montagne who led the raid last night?"

Lieutenant Matt downed his entire glass of liquor in one gulp, his hand still trembling uncontrollably as he held the empty glass: "I can't be sure."

Colonel Geza waited for the centurion to continue.

Lieutenant Matt's throat bobbed; despite having just downed a whole glass of liquor, his mouth was still dry. "That guy kills like he's shooting at a target, without any emotion... kill, kill, kill... blood everywhere... even a court mage couldn't be better..."

Colonel Gaisa's expression turned serious, and he silently poured the centurion another glass of wine.

“I don’t know if that person is Montagne,” Lieutenant Matt downed another glass. “But that person… it can only be him…”

The lieutenant grabbed the colonel's hand abruptly, his glass shattering on the rocky beach. His eyes were filled with terror: "You must be careful! You must be careful! That guy can charge into the formation and kill you! He definitely can! You must be careful!"

Colonel Gaisa patted the centurion's hand: "Don't worry, you can rest well."

Lieutenant Matt returned to his own world, his eyes fixed on the boot tip, muttering to himself, "Amazing... how can they be so amazing..."

Colonel Gaisa walked to the side and couldn't help but sigh.

"What on earth is that?" Captain Hudson gritted his teeth. "Something that can cripple Matt?"

"What do you mean by ruining him?" Gaisa glared at his subordinate. "When we get back to Iris Castle, I'll treat that child to some good food and drinks, and give him a bath. He'll be fine then."

The rebel leader, Winters Montagne, was a powerful spellcaster—Colonel Gaisa had informed his centurions.

The officers in Baishan County knew the enemy was strong, but their strength had clearly exceeded their expectations.

On the open ground by the river, Colonel Geza convened an impromptu meeting of all the centurions.

After explaining the latest situation, the colonel gripped his beard and frowned as he analyzed, "Based on the description and battlefield reconnaissance, Montagne's combat style is very simple, all direct attacks. He probably won't use indirect attack spells like poison smoke, so apart from continuing to concentrate the musketeers, all other anti-magic combat configurations should be discontinued."

The centurions nodded grimly, their fears rising even among them at Lieutenant Matt's condition.

"Remove all identifying items from officers and sergeants. Put away the military flags as well." Colonel Geza narrowed his eyes and ordered the centurions, "Go and change into civilian clothes, and make your faces a little dirty. From this moment on, orders will only be given by the small drum and bugle."

Allowing officers to mingle among the soldiers will inevitably reduce command efficiency. However, it also reduces the risk of officers being prioritized for killing by spellcasters.

This is a matter of trade-offs, and no centurion would question Colonel Gaisa's judgment.

"Shall we continue the operation?" Captain Hudson narrowed his eyes, his smile cold and stern. "Sir."

“Keep going! Montagne may be a decent spellcaster. But judging from his brain, it must have been ruined during the war with the barbarians Hed. He used this stuff to deal with Ronald first, and now he wants to use it against me.”

The bald man slapped his thigh and laughed wildly: "What a fucking contemptuous person!"

His centurions, holding their swords, also wore smiles but their eyes gleamed with malice.

Colonel Gaisa abruptly stood up and ordered fiercely, "In this battle, our target remains the rebel leader Winters Montagne. Kill him, and the rebels will naturally crumble. Let him go, and they will return. As for Gévodan, he's better off not going! If he dares to enter White Mountain County, then he's not leaving!"

"Uukhai!" The centurions pounded their breastplates and roared in unison.

West bank of the Anya River.

The soldiers tore off the tarpaulins covering the wagons, revealing that many of the supply wagons were not carrying grain, but rather prefabricated components for another pontoon bridge.

The new pontoon bridge extended eastward at twice the speed of the first pontoon bridge.

The bald man led two pontoon bridges, preparing to prevent the rebels from jumping to the outer lines.

Baishan County is a trap.

Winters was unaware of this yet; he was busy seizing the official gazette.

Colonel Zippert was unaware of this at the moment, as he was being blocked by a fortress.

[On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I wish everyone all the best, good health, and peace. But good fortune isn't the most important thing; health and peace are. So, once again, I wish everyone good health and peace!]
[Thank you to all the readers for your collections, reading, subscriptions, recommendations, monthly tickets, donations, and comments.]
[This chapter also includes a map, and the campaign map has been updated.]
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(End of this chapter)