Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 453 Wolf Cub (Part 1)

[Green Valley]
[The second day of Felt's entry into Green Valley]
In the morning, when the first deserter with bad news appeared outside Green Valley, Major Ald Felt didn't pay much attention.

Even when the deserter tearfully confessed and swore that he had not lied, Major Felt simply ordered him to be kept in solitary confinement for later disposal.

In Major Felt's view, deserters were not trustworthy—they would fabricate any exaggerated or outlandish story to escape military punishment; their oaths were meaningless, and since they had already deserted, how could they be expected to have a sense of honor?

More importantly, Major Felt has a more pressing problem than the bad news from the deserters.

Because the rebels "kindly" released all the prisoners, Felt's forces instantly recovered to six battalions, nearly three thousand men.

Among them, the released prisoners not only lost their weapons, clothes, and shoes, but also their will and dignity. To help them regain their fighting spirit, it is necessary not only to fill their stomachs but also to restore their self-esteem.

However, the reality was that the major couldn't even fill their stomachs.

Regardless of whether a soldier can still fight, he still needs to eat, drink, and have a place to live.

The sudden influx of nearly three thousand soldiers into Green Valley Town, who needed food, drink, and lodging, overwhelmed the already small town.

Furthermore, when the rebels withdrew from Green Valley, they looted all the townspeople's stored grain and the town's reserves. As a result, Felt's troops, having lost all their supply wagons, immediately faced a food shortage upon entering Green Valley.

Hungry soldiers broke into homes, ransacking and stealing food, while officers could only turn a blind eye. But even if the soldiers were allowed to turn Green Valley upside down and find all the food the residents had hidden, a small town could not possibly feed three thousand people.

Before the morale of the troops was completely eroded, Felt organized more than ten small patrol teams that day and sent them to nearby farms to collect supplies.

As a result, every soldier who stepped out of Green Valley Town never returned.

Meanwhile, residents of Green Valley Town fled with their families.

Initially, only a few families packed their belongings and fled the town to seek refuge with relatives and friends amidst the chaos. However, as panic spread rapidly, many townspeople abandoned everything, hoping only to escape Green Valley as quickly as possible.

No one dared to linger even for a second in this "siege" that imprisoned thousands of hungry, desperate, and anxious soldiers.

Felt tacitly allowed the townspeople to flee, because ordinary people also need to eat and drink, and losing one civilian means losing one mouth to feed.

On the other hand, the unguarded property immediately sparked looting and fighting among the soldiers, which even the military police could not stop.

Just when Felt was in a state of utter confusion, a deserter shouting "Our army has been defeated" appeared outside Green Valley Town, which made Felt suspicious.

All signs indicate that rebel activity continues around Green Valley. The disappearance of the patrol is one piece of evidence, and the lack of news from the messenger sent to Maplestone City is another.

How could a deserter possibly break through the rebel blockade?
Major Felt had a vague feeling that something was amiss, but he didn't tell his men—after all, "a plot to annihilate our army" was far more terrifying than "a deserter full of lies."

Felt did not want to spread any more panic in the military before he had solid evidence.

……

In the afternoon, when the second deserter appeared outside Green Valley Town, Major Felt was organizing the second grain requisition patrol.

After hearing the second deserter's confession, Major Felt's attitude changed from disdain to skepticism.

Unlike the first deserter, whose speech was incoherent, the second deserter clearly stated his unit, rank, and position, as well as the location and process of the battle, which did not seem like a fabrication.

He was made to interrogate the first deserter, and apart from a few minor details, most of the intelligence corroborated each other.

However detailed the second deserter's confession was, Alder Felt could never believe that the main force commanded by Colonel Nagy and Colonel Sanel could have suffered a defeat.

Because throughout the entire Republic of Palatul, few people would know better than Felt what kind of resources Speaker Grove Magnus had brought out this time.

The reinforcements that Kingsburg provided to Colonel Sanel were not just a single legion on paper—that was just a number shown to the rebels on the other side—but twenty battalions, two whole legions.

This included ten battalions from the Sixth Army Corps, four main battalions from the Fifth Army Corps, and six battalions of reserve reinforcements.

The Fifth Army Corps currently stationed at Zhuwangbao is essentially just an empty shell. To conceal this as much as possible, the four battalions of the Fifth Army Corps used the flags and numbers of the Sixth Army Corps when boarding the ships.

With astonishing decisiveness, Grove Magnus dispatched all his field troops to the newly reclaimed province. His sole and clear objective was to wipe out the rebels in the newly reclaimed province in one fell swoop and completely eliminate any potential threats within the new republic.

"How could we lose?" Major Felt was completely baffled. "How could we possibly lose?"

Felt quickly came to a reasonable conclusion: what the two deserters who fled to Green Valley described was likely just a preliminary battle before the main forces of the two armies clashed.

Regardless, Felt firmly believed that even if Colonel Nagy and Colonel Sanel were to suffer a defeat, they would have sufficient strength to retreat, regroup, and seek an opportunity to launch a second decisive battle.

Felt's mission was to firmly block the rebels' escape route, leaving them with nowhere to run.

……

As night fell, a third “deserter” appeared outside Green Valley Town—to be precise, not a deserter, but an officer.

"I am Lieutenant Bathory of the Fifth Army Corps. Class of 19, Cavalry Department."

The officer brought before Major Felt said only two sentences before falling silent, staring intently at the major.

Felt waved his hand dismissively, signaling the recorder and guards to leave.

The moment the gap between the door panel and the frame disappeared, Felt rushed to the officer who identified himself as Lieutenant Bathory, grabbed the latter's shoulder tightly, and asked in surprise and anxiety, "[Old saying] What happened?"

Lieutenant Bathory's expression darkened, and his shoulders and back slumped: "[Old saying] We've lost."

“I know we’ve lost,” Major Felt gritted his teeth and roared, “I’m asking you how much we’ve lost!”

The lieutenant's Adam's apple bobbed laboriously: "[Old saying] The entire army was wiped out."

"[Old saying] Total annihilation?" Felt felt as if a heavy cannon had exploded on his forehead; everything around him became blurry and unreal, a sense of powerlessness spreading from his toes to the top of his head. He no longer knew what to ask: "Total annihilation? How could they be completely annihilated?"

This time it was Bathory's turn to support the major, who was almost unable to stand. The lieutenant replied in a low voice, "[Old saying] The rebels fought very hard... but we still had the upper hand... but at the last moment, the Iron Peak County rebels appeared on our flank and launched a surprise attack on our camp..."

Felt could no longer hear what the other person was saying; his mind was completely occupied by the loss of the main force of the Parliamentary Army and the catastrophic consequences it would bring. The lieutenant's voice seemed to be coming from another world.

But faintly, Felt heard a word from the ethereal syllables:

"Rebels of Tiefeng County".

"[Old saying] Iron Peak County rebels? How could it be Iron Peak County rebels?!" Major Felt shoved the lieutenant aside, stumbled back a few steps, drew his sword, and shouted angrily, "[Old saying] Iron Peak County rebels were here yesterday! You're lying! Who sent you?!"

"[Old saying] The Iron Peak County army was still in Green Valley yesterday?" Lieutenant Bathory was even more surprised than the Major: "[Old saying] But how could that be... The ones who appeared on our flank and attacked the camp were indeed the Iron Peak County rebels. The Ghost of the Styx also appeared on the battlefield, and he personally took to the front..."

Halfway through his sentence, Lieutenant Bathory involuntarily shivered. He growled, slammed his fist into his leg, and looked up to stare directly at the major: "[Old saying] How the Iron Peak County Army got to the battlefield is no longer important, Major Felt!"

"[Old saying] What's so important?" Felt still gripped his sword tightly, his eyes filled with regret, self-reproach, and grievance: "[Old saying] The Iron Peak County rebels were still in Green Valley yesterday! I swear! I just fought a battle with them!"

“[Old saying] I believe you, Major.” Lieutenant Bathory slowly stepped forward and carefully took the sword from Felt’s hand: “[Old saying] I believe you.”

Felt slumped back into his chair.

"[Old saying] But the main battle is over, and the rebels are heading towards Green Valley." Lieutenant Bathory said in a deep voice, "[Old saying] If your troops are also wiped out, Maplestone City and Maple Leaf Fort will be out of troops, and the New Reclamation Province will fall completely into the hands of the rebels."

Lieutenant Bathory stared intently into the major's eyes and said, word by word, "[Old saying] Your men are now the last loyal force in the newly reclaimed province!"

……

...[Midori Valley]
[Day 3 of Felt's deployment in Green Valley Town]
The sun had just risen above the horizon when the north gate of Green Valley Town opened a crack.

A small group of people squeezed out one after another through the narrow doorway, which was only wide enough for one person to pass sideways.

As the last person's ankle was pulled out from between the two door panels, the heavy door immediately slammed shut again, as if afraid that something might take the opportunity to get in.

This small group quickly organized themselves outside the north gate, and the forty-odd soldiers in brown uniforms, led by an officer, stealthily headed towards the village downstream.

The soldiers received a simple order—requisition grain.

However, there are some rules to follow when collecting grain: you can't go in broad daylight, or the villagers will find out; and you can't send too many people at once, or you'll alert the villagers.

A team of half a hundred men was just right, neither too many nor too few. It was neither conspicuous nor too intimidating, yet enough to deter any farmer from wanting to rebel.

With an officer leading the way, the soldiers were full of confidence and determined to have a good meal.

However, although the brown-clad soldiers believed their operation was discreet enough, they had been under close surveillance from the moment they left Green Valley Town.

A two-man observation post outside Green Valley Town immediately detected their movements. One sentry stayed behind to continue monitoring, while the other quietly retreated.

They retreated to a mile away before the sentry led out his saddled horse from the bushes and spurred it on to gallop upstream.

The sentry traversed forests and hills, finally dismounting outside a valley northwest of Green Valley Town and leading his mount into the valley.

Inside the valley, about a hundred horses were grazing freely, and another hundred or so warhorses, already saddled, were eating in a makeshift stable made of fallen logs.

There were no campfires or tents in the valley. On a small patch of flat ground at the bottom of the valley, there were Iron Peak cavalrymen sleeping fully clothed, making it impossible to find a place to step.

However, the cavalrymen slept very soundly; even if a sentry accidentally stepped on them, they would simply turn over and continue sleeping.

In a corner of the camp, the sentries found the commanders of the cavalry unit: Vasika Morozov and Pierre Mitchell.

The sentry immediately reported the urgent military situation, but the two commanders reacted unexpectedly indifferently. After listening to the report briefly, they told the sentry to return to his post and continue monitoring.

"Honestly," Vahika said, yawning and looking for lice in his clothes, waiting until the sentry was out of sight before speaking, "How does he still have the leisure to plunder the common people?"

“If Felt is determined to retreat to Maplestone,” Pierre said, sketching on the map, his face pale but his eyes bright, “then he will need supplies even more.”

Vasika sniffed hard and muttered under his breath, "If you ask me, we shouldn't have let those deserters go and report. When the centurion came back, he could have done whatever he wanted to him. Now look what's happened, he's panicking and trying to run away, what are we going to do?"

Pierre rolled up the map and calmly replied, "Letting them know that the main force has been defeated will demoralize them."

"Fine, fine, whatever you say goes." Vashika shook his clothes a few times, then put them back on, pleadingly urging, "Just tell me what to do."

“If Felt wants to run away, he’ll have to ask us first.” Pierre carefully put the rolled-up map into a sealed leather tube, and then carefully put the tube away.

After doing all this, Pierre stood up, brushing the mud and straw off his clothes: "No matter what, let's take care of this small group of his soldiers first. Since he dared to send troops out, it would be impolite of us not to accept them."

Vasika grinned, put his finger to his lips, and whistled loudly.

The light cavalrymen, who had been barely roused by the whistle, jumped up at the sound of the whistle and ran to their horses, leading them out of the valley to avoid disturbing the grazing herds.

Pierre silently kept track of the count, and in less than a hundred breaths, his light cavalry was ready to go.

He waved his hand, and the thunderous sound of hooves echoed outside the valley, penetrating the coniferous forest, startling flocks of birds, and finally dissipating into the green mountains and sky.

……

Alder Felt has very few troops left that are still of any use.

Therefore, those selected for the small unit, which was called a patrol team but was actually a grain requisition team, were the most combat-effective soldiers in Felt's army.

Pierre, Vahika, and every Iron Peak light cavalryman were well aware of this, and no one dared to let their guard down.

So when the light cavalrymen saw the white flag waving above the enemy from afar, they all felt a sense of unease, as if they had punched cotton.

Before the light cavalry of Tiefeng County had even taken their positions, the soldiers of the forty-man grain requisition squad had already lined up.

Before the light cavalry of Tiefeng County could surround them from all sides, the grain requisition team had already handed over their weapons, which were neatly arranged in two circles.

The officer leading the patrol sat on a large rock and waved to Pierre and Vahika from afar.

After Pierre and Vahika repeatedly confirmed that there was no ambush, they slowly rode up to the officer.

“Excuse me.” Pierre had never experienced anything like this before, and wasn’t sure if there were any special etiquette rules, so he adopted a businesslike attitude: “Are you surrendering?”

The officer leading the patrol was a handsome young man, about the same age as Pierre.

He sat comfortably on a large rock on the riverbank, as if he were sitting in a soft chair in his own living room, and said casually, "Yes, I surrender, we're not fighting anymore. Give me some water."

Pierre and Vahika looked at each other, the former nodded, and the latter untied his water bag and tossed it to the other.

The young officer took the water bag, took a big, satisfying gulp, and then looked up at Pierre: "Is there anything to eat?"

Pierre stared at the young officer for a long time, while the young officer blinked his innocent big eyes and looked back at Pierre.

Finally, Pierre nodded, and Vahika took another paper packet from his saddlebag and tossed it to him.

The young officer eagerly opened the paper package, only to find dried horse meat inside. He asked with a bitter face, "Is this all you're giving me?"

Pierre frowned and replied, "That's what we eat too."

The young officer stopped complaining. He struggled to tear off a small piece of dried horse meat, chewed it vigorously, and asked indistinctly, "What are you going to do with these prisoners? You're not going to kill them all, are you?"

Pierre glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that his men had already surrounded the brown-clad soldiers, so he answered truthfully: “Go northwest along the main road, past the Silver Pass, there’s a supply station. We’ll give you something to eat first, then go to Long Lake Town, where there’s a prisoner-of-war camp.”

The young officer nodded, seemingly accepting the arrangement, and then asked, "Did Winters Montagne really win?"

“Of course,” Pierre answered without hesitation.

The young officer looked up at Pierre: "Really?"

Pierre was not afraid to meet the other's gaze: "Really."

The young officer sighed, stood up, handed the paper package of dried horse meat back to Vahika, but looked at Pierre: "Take me to see Captain Montagne."

Vashika chuckled, but his expression suddenly changed, and he was about to give the arrogant junior officer in front of him a thorough dressing-down.

But Pierre raised his hand to stop Vahika.

Pierre dismounted and looked the young officer straight in the eye: "I will convey your request to His Excellency the Tribune. However, whether you are able to see His Excellency the Tribune is up to him. I am Pierre Gerardnovich Mitchell, the appointed cavalry commander of the Iron Peak County Garrison."

This polite and courteous reply caused the young officer's expression to change drastically, with surprise, confusion, and seriousness appearing on his face in succession.

Instead of revealing his identity as required by etiquette, he frowned, crossed his arms, and questioned Pierre: "Since Captain Montagne's main force has not yet returned, why did you lure Major Felt to retreat to Maplestone City ahead of schedule?"

The young officer paused for a moment: "Lieutenant Bathory?"

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(End of this chapter)