I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 328 The Plans and Actions of Both Sides
"That was a really brutal beating..."

Looking at the battle report in his hand, Chris sighed. This player's desire for revenge was really strong. He had just suffered a loss yesterday, and today he launched a revenge attack, taking advantage of the recklessness of the Knight of Leteria and setting up a treacherous fishing trap.

Chris was pleased with this action, as it effectively depleted the enemy's manpower. Therefore, he had issued an order to temporarily remove the cost of player resurrection and to have the quartermaster put the "City-Breaking Gun" on the shelves.

Chris believed that the bait trap was only effective temporarily. Once the light cavalrymen returned to their camp, the Knights of Leteria would surely find a way to counter it, preventing the player from taking advantage of the situation.

The final battle will have to return to a head-on clash, and at this point, the broken city musket, capable of obliterating both man and horse with a single shot, will prove quite effective.

As long as he can trade equipment for players, Chris will never lose out.

At the same time, thanks to the players' relentless and fearless fighting, Chris finally figured out how many Retalia troops were currently in the Tavitsky province.

When discussing the number of Leterians, one must mention the information Connie gathered from prisoners of war regarding the country's political system and ancient military organization.

Unlike the Bohemian Empire, the former Bagnian Kingdom which learned from the former, and the Minisian Kingdom which had its own characteristics, the military system of the Retalia Empire was completely different from the former three.

The Empire of Leteria, a vast plain known as the "Land of Galloping Horses," saw its rise and fall, its glory and disgrace, all tied to the hooves of horses. Its social structure and military system were deeply imprinted with the ancient marks of the feudal knightly system, making it the purest and most stubborn bastion of chivalry on the Greek continent.

The cornerstone of this country is considered to be the numerous knightly manors scattered throughout.

These manors were not only production units, but also sources of military power. The knights who owned these manors were the true ruling class of the empire.

They pledged allegiance to their lords—a duke, marquis, or earl—while the lords pledged allegiance to the emperor, forming a tight pyramid bound by land and military obligations.

The emperor was regarded as the "chief knight" of all knights, and his authority largely depended on whether he could gain the broad support of the knightly class.

In this system, the title of "Knight" is a combination of core honorary title and actual military function.

Becoming a knight means joining the ranks of the nobility, possessing the right to wear coats of arms, participate in the Knights Council, and most importantly... lead an army into battle.

Commoners, whether serfs on manors or free citizens in towns, had virtually no upward mobility in politics and the military.

Their best option was to become a knight's squire, serving the knight and learning martial arts, hoping to earn merit on the battlefield or receive a small reward, a small piece of land, or a stable job under the knight's patronage.

Want to be promoted directly to knight?

Then find a way to get yourself a set of sturdy armor and a warhorse, and then participate in the knightly tournament. As long as you get a top-three finish, you can be knighted by the lord or the king and get a village as your fief.

Although such knights are usually of the lowest rank, the allure of rising to the top in one step still draws many self-proclaimed brave commoners to the knightly arena, staining the fine sand with their own blood and flesh.

The army of Leteria has a standing army, but the army here is not the emperor's royal guard. Instead, it is mainly a feudal force composed of private armies of noble lords of various ranks, usually dukes who rule over a region, and noble lords with high prestige, who are summoned by the emperor.

This determined that the organizational structure of the Reteria Empire could only be ancient and direct.

The ten-man squad is its most basic combat unit, usually consisting of an experienced commoner warrior or a low-ranking nobleman, such as the second son or nephew of a knight. As long as they can fight, they can serve as a squad leader. The squad members are mostly infantry or light cavalry recruited from the same manor or neighboring villages.

Whether it was a cavalry squad of ten or an infantry squad of ten, it depended on what weapons and equipment their commanders were willing to provide them. Apart from the horses, which they brought themselves, the army's weapons were all issued to the men.

If you want to bring your own weapons and armor, the men won't object.

A centurion, usually consisting of ten or more squads of ten men, was commanded by a centurion who had to be a nobleman with a knighthood.

This is the most crucial basic command unit, with the centurion leading his personal attendants and conscripts into battle. A hundred-man squad is often the core of the forces that a knight and his vassals and dependents can provide.

A thousand-man unit consists of ten hundred-man units, theoretically totaling 1000 men. In practice, it is often overstaffed because the centurions below cannot count how many soldiers they have, and the thousand-man units also try to command as many hundred-man units as possible.

It is common for a thousand-person team to be composed of twelve or fifteen hundred-person teams.

Commanders of a thousand men were higher-ranking nobles, such as barons and earls, who were themselves powerful knights. A thousand-man unit was an important tactical unit on the battlefield.

The army is the highest organizational unit of the Reteria Empire, consisting of multiple thousand-man squads, usually commanded by a governor or marshal personally appointed by the duke or emperor, and responsible for a strategic direction or a major battle.

Chris learned that the commander of the Reteria army he was about to face was the third prince of the empire. The vanguard and supply convoy that had entered the Tavitzky Plains first was his vanguard and supply convoy. There were currently about seven such vanguard units.

In other words, there are now nearly seven to eight thousand Reteria soldiers on the Tavetsky Plain, and due to their feudal nature, their burning, killing, and looting have become quite common.

Because soldiers' wages were low, or even nonexistent, robbing civilians along the way was their only way to get rich.

At the same time, Chris also confirmed that the Leterians were invaders and were unlikely to have been invited in by people like the eldest prince and second princess of Minicia.

Connie's agent brought back intelligence a day earlier: in the capital of the Kingdom of Minicia, 260 kilometers away, supporters of the eldest prince and the second princess had gathered, and both sides were gearing up for a decisive battle to decide the succession before winter arrived.

To be honest, Chris didn't know what was going on with these two, nor did he know why they insisted on fighting amongst themselves while ignoring the fact that the country was under invasion.

Based on the information he had, Chris could only conclude that the two probably didn't expect that while they were fighting amongst themselves, Bagnia and Reteria would invade together.

Chris had a small appetite; he only intended to take down Tavitsky and that was it. However, the situation with the Reteria seemed to be different from his own; they appeared to be preparing to devour the entire nation of Minicia.

Chris didn't think either side in the internal conflict would open the door and let the Reteria Empire in. The fact that the latter was here was probably an accident, not an invitation.

If there really is such a spendthrift who would open the door to let such a vicious robber in, just to kill his own brothers and sisters, then Chris has nothing to say.

In terms of weaponry, the soldiers of the Leterian army, whether two-legged or four-legged, were mostly equipped with armor, including chainmail, half-body iron plate armor, plate armor, or plate chainmail. Although the styles were somewhat chaotic, they were indeed things that could save their lives.

Their ranged weapons were mostly longbows and crossbows, and they also had firearms, but they were relatively backward compared to the Bohemian Empire. The infantry only had matchlock guns or the even older handguns, and the caliber of their firearms could not be standardized.

As for artillery, intelligence revealed during the interrogation of prisoners of war that they did not have many "advanced" bronze field guns, and even few of the crude cast iron cannons made by the Bohemian Empire. The army's main artillery consisted only of newly built stone-throwing cannons.

The stone-throwing cannon was an ancient artillery piece made using casting techniques borrowed from church bell casting. It was capable of firing stone projectiles weighing thirty kilograms or over one hundred kilograms.

Its barrel is short and thick, its power is enormous, its accuracy is poor, it is inconvenient to move, its firing rate is slow, and its operation is cumbersome. It is a thing that has been eliminated by the times.

The reason why the Reteria Empire's firearms development was so backward is that they didn't develop them much, and there's only one reason for that... Reteria's flat, year-round warm land has no saltpeter mines.

Without saltpeter, there is no way to make gunpowder. Without a reliable source of gunpowder, vigorously developing gunpowder weapons would only be asking for trouble.

The Reteria Empire had few sources of gunpowder: trade, smuggling, and collecting toilets... This might not be a little-known fact, but earthen toilets can produce saltpeter, though the yield is low and the purity is poor.

The captured Leterian prisoners of war told Connie that the gunpowder made from saltpeter extracted from toilet soil was very weak and they usually only used it for hunting, not for use on the battlefield.

It is obvious that the Leterians did not know how to make saltpeter fields, nor did they have any efficient purification technology... This is not surprising, in the past, the only ethnic group with such technology was the Chinese, and later the Japanese stole and learned it.

Europeans have never done it, nor have the Retalians.

In summary, the Leterian army is a feudal behemoth clad in magnificent armor, possessing both immense power and a fatal lag in its development.

The soul and strongest offensive power of the army are concentrated in those heavily armored knights who regard charging as the highest honor.

They were the spearhead on the battlefield, the pillar of morale, and the embodiment of the entire feudal system. The knights' bravery was beyond doubt; their armor was excellent, their individual martial arts skills were superb, and their mass charges on flat terrain were the nightmare of any enemy.

Once they're off their horses, even a random tin can can wield a knight's sword and hammer and beat a player senseless. Apart from seasoned veterans who have been on the battlefield for a long time, ordinary players can't even beat them in a one-on-one fight.

They are very capable fighters, but Chris felt that such an army wouldn't have much stamina.

With this in mind, Chris already knew how to fight the Reteria Empire.

Having learned about the characteristics of the Leterian army, Chris looked at the player reconnaissance report in his hand.

Seven thousand-man squads are plundering provisions and transporting them to the province of Chivelevka in the Kingdom of Minicia, which means that their main force is here and not far away.

Stop their food shipments?
The thought popped into Chris's head, but he immediately dismissed it.

You can do that, but what are the benefits?
To stop the Retalia from destroying the livelihoods and economy of the Tavitsky Province.
Chris didn't care much about the people's livelihood in the Tavitsky Province, because the people here weren't his people yet. He originally intended to destroy the old order here, and now that the Retalians were doing this job, it was not only easier for him, but the hatred from the locals wouldn't fall on him either.

The price was that the grain from the Tavitsky province was taken away this year, which Chris found acceptable.

Furthermore, pursuing cavalry with infantry seems rather foolish. Launching an attack when one's own forces lack a substantial cavalry force is akin to a tortoise chasing a hare.

Despite the fact that these Leterian thousand-man squads are spread out and seem to have a chance to be defeated individually, Chris is actually quite certain that if his infantry attacks a thousand-man squad and defeats or annihilates it, the nearby Leterian thousand-man squads will discover the situation the next day.

Then hundreds of heavily armored knights, accompanied by thousands of light cavalry squires, charged in from all directions, trapping the attacking force in place and rendering them unable to move.

Sending players out yields the same result: no matter how skilled they are, without horses, they cannot defeat cavalry in open field battles. It's not a question of whether they can fight, but rather whether they can catch up.

Chris believes that muskets and cannons are not very effective against these knights, because they are four-legged. If they can't win, they can run away. Once they run away, they can attack whenever they want, thus holding the strategic and tactical initiative.

To avoid such a situation, countermeasures are needed.

Chris's countermeasure was to fortify the city... well, in other words, to simply lie in ambush and defend, dragging the war into winter.

Even before winter arrives, when the Retelians see the situation in Tavitsky, they may well give up on their own, leave the Tavitsky province, and continue on to other parts of the Kingdom of Minisia.

Chris wasn't worried that the Leterian Empire could swallow up the Kingdom of Minicia in one go, because there was a mountain range called "Naxi" blocking the way to the island, which was 260 kilometers away in a straight line.

Before the passage through the Naxi Mountains, there stands a magnificent fortress. Chris had never been there, but Connie's agents had reported on the fortress, repeatedly stating that it was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and hard to destroy with artillery.

Therefore, as long as the Naxi Fortress remains intact, the Retalia Empire will be unable to quickly seize the island and force the country to surrender.

Besides attacking the Naxi Fortress, there is another way to reach Taiwan: take a detour through the western province of Deke, travel 200 kilometers west and then 100 kilometers east to reach Taiwan.

If the Retalia Empire is determined to launch a long-range surprise attack, then they could indeed potentially swallow this kingdom whole.

However, Chris judged that even with frequent accidents this year, and the Minesians collectively becoming weak-kneed and spineless, the Retalia Empire would not be able to conquer the entire kingdom this year; at most, it would only be able to take half of its territory.

If the Reteria Empire's ambitions are that great, then the Kingdom of Bagnia, which has occupied the Tavitsky Province, is somewhat of an eyesore.

Chris's current position is delicate. If the Retelians stop at the neighboring province of Dur and only intend to take over the two provinces of the Kingdom of Minicia, the two sides can still be neighbors.

But if Retelia had a bigger appetite and planned to occupy the three or four provinces of Minicia in the north, east, and west, which together comprised half of the Kingdom of Minicia's territory...

The Kingdom of Bagnia, having occupied the province of Tavitsky, would become a dagger pointed at someone's waist, making the Reterians uncomfortable even if it remained motionless.

Based on this calculation, it seems that a major war really is unavoidable. It will either start now, or after this winter, who knows when it will start next year.

Thinking about this, Chris suddenly thought of another somewhat related question.

"The Malo Army Group in Tavitsky, 40 kilometers away, doesn't have winter clothing right now, and is it possible that they're running out of food?"

Chris pondered for a moment, then made a decision.

"Secretary!"

The man, who had been standing silently in the corner of the office like a statue, stepped forward, picked up the pen and blank sketchbook he had been holding, and waited.

"Pass on my order: give orders to the Extreme Chapter to move everything out of the armory in Anvil Fortress and transport it to Tavitzky."

Regardless, let's prepare for a major battle.

……

In front of the central command tent of the Reteria military camp.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and a heavy silence. Several headless corpses lay on the muddy ground, their blood staining the surrounding soil crimson.

Just now, several squires of light cavalry who had abandoned their knight and fled back to the camp alone were beheaded by the executioner in full view of everyone.

Their heads were held high on wooden poles as the harshest warning to cowards.

The third prince, Seba Reteria, commander of the Imperial Vanguard, wore magnificent silver-plated plate armor, his scarlet cloak remaining motionless in the breeze.

The young man, only twenty-five years old, had a stern face, and beneath his short, golden hair, a pair of icy blue eyes swept over the officers and soldiers of all ranks standing solemnly before him.

He didn't speak, but the authority of a superior and the shock of the recent execution made the entire camp so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"A knight's honor is above life!"

Seba's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the venue, with a metallic, cold quality.

“To abandon your lord, to abandon your oath, is to abandon the backbone of Leteria. Such a coward does not deserve to breathe the air of the Empire!”
"Look closely, everyone. This is the consequence of betraying honor."

His gaze was like a tangible whip, lashing at the face of every soldier, especially the light cavalry attendants, who were terrified and lowered their heads even further.

Seba was pleased with the effect. He needed these unruly knights and their vassals to understand that discipline, especially when facing those savage Bagnians, was more important than individual bravery.

The scouting battle a few days ago resulted in significant losses. Those fearless mountain barbarians ambushed several patrols with their despicable traps, even losing more than a dozen precious knights. This fueled a burning anger in Seba's heart and made him even more vigilant towards these enemies.

Just then, a scout dressed in light leather armor, looking travel-worn, was led by a guard and quickly walked through the crowd to Seba, where he knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, urgent military intelligence!"

"explain."

Seba did not turn around, remaining with his back to the execution ground as if the bloodshed was merely an insignificant backdrop.

"We have discovered a Bagnian transport caravan in the direction of Anvil Fortress."

The scout's voice carried a hint of excitement. "It's quite a large operation, with at least a hundred wagons. Judging from the direction, they're heading towards Tavitsky, about forty kilometers away. The escort force numbers over three thousand, mainly infantry, with very few cavalry, and there's no sign of heavily armored knights."

This news was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples in the tense atmosphere.

The officers, especially the noble centurions and chiliarchs who were knights, immediately brightened up.

Hundreds of large trucks! What does this mean? Food? Armaments? Supplies? Whatever it is, it represents enormous wealth and military achievements!

Before Seba could speak, a burly count and centurion with a thick beard stepped forward; his family crest was a roaring bear head.

His voice was loud and clear, filled with a thirst for battle:

"Your Highness, this is a golden opportunity! The Malo Group Army in Tavitsky City is like a turtle in a jar, and now the barbarian prince actually dares to transport things out of the Anvil Fortress? It's like a piece of fat meat delivered right to his mouth!"

He waved his arms excitedly.

"Please allow me, Your Highness, to lead my thousand-man squad on an attack. They are all elite young men. If we rush from here, it will take at most a day and a half. We will definitely be able to intercept them before they escape into Tavitsky City!"
I assure you, I will crush those supplies along with the guards within an hour and present you with all the spoils!

"Yes, Your Highness..."

"Let those Baghnia cowards taste the might of our iron hooves!"

"Rob them all."

The other noble officers, who were equally eager for military exploits and plunder, echoed the sentiment, and the oppressive atmosphere in the camp was instantly replaced by a greedy restlessness.

The allure of hundreds of supply wagons was enough to make these knights and lords, accustomed to sustaining their wars through warfare, feel their blood boil.

However, the frost on Prince Seba's face showed no sign of melting.

He slowly turned around, his icy blue eyes sharply sweeping over the count who had volunteered for battle and the other excited officers. His gaze seemed to carry a tangible chill, gradually calming the clamor.

"Impulse is the deadliest poison on the battlefield."

Seba's voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"You only see the fat, but don't you see the hooks underneath?"

He took a step forward, approaching the count who had volunteered for the battle, his voice low and clear.

"Think about how the scouts died a few days ago? Think about how those barbarians ambushed our knights with their vile traps? Caltrops, horse traps, and exploding wooden clubs."

Now, suddenly a large transport convoy with 3,000 guards appears and brazenly sends people to Tavitsky right under our noses.
Does this make sense?

Seba's gaze swept across the room, carrying a scrutinizing and warning tone.

"This looks too much like a carefully designed bait. Putting aside everything else, just those barbarian heavy infantry, do you remember the headless ten-time champion knight, Sir Carly? He led twelve knights to charge a group of two hundred mountain barbarian heavy infantry, which resulted in his head being separated from his body."

With their current 3,000 men, if they had just over 1,000 heavy infantry, this supply corps would be reduced from a piece of fat meat to a cow's leg bone!

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"More importantly, what is the primary task of our vanguard thousand-man team right now?"
This means safely transporting the grain and supplies plundered from various parts of the Tavitsky province back to the main army located in Chivelevka.

This is the lifeline that supports our entire army to continue advancing; those provisions are strategically crucial to whether our army can continue to advance.

Before ensuring the safe delivery of this vital supply line, any action that might divert our forces, weaken our defenses, or even lead us into an ambush would be foolish!

Seba's gaze finally landed on the count's face, which was filled with an undeniable determination.

"Put away your greed and impatience. Pass down the order that all thousand-man units must strengthen their vigilance, especially the protection of the supply transport routes."

Without my order, no unit is permitted to launch an attack, nor are they allowed to leave their designated escort area for the supply convoy! As for that supply convoy…”

He gazed toward the Anvil Fortress, his eyes deep and a hint of barely perceptible sneer in them.

"Let them reach Tavitsky safely. As long as we transport the grain back and feed our knights, it will only take ten to half a month for our two armies to appear in Tavitsky, and even continue to advance deeper into the Kingdom of Minicia."

Don't forget, the most important thing for us in this attack on Minicia is not the land, but the mines, especially the saltpeter mines. The Empire needs saltpeter and gunpowder, and our mission is to find the saltpeter mines that the Kingdom of Minicia has hidden.

Now, holding our ground and ensuring our foundations remain unshaken is of paramount importance... Execute orders.

"Yes... Your Highness."

Although the Count was unwilling, under Seba's cold gaze and stern rebuke, he could only lower his head and accept the order along with the other officers. Besides, His Highness the Prince's words did indeed make sense.

If you have the time and energy, why not go and cause trouble for the Minieses, who are obviously easy targets?

Thus, the fires of plunder that had just been lit in the camp were completely extinguished by Prince Seba's cold water, and the atmosphere was once again shrouded in a more complex one... obedience to the king's orders and regret for the missed opportunity.

Seba watched as the officers dispersed to carry out their orders, then turned his gaze back to the grotesque heads on the execution pole... He had heard of the power of the Bagnian barbarians before, and now, having experienced it firsthand, he realized they were indeed quite capable.

However, that doesn't matter. Their numbers mean that the Bagnians are just an obstacle. It doesn't matter if they can't be moved now. When the main army comes later, they will naturally know to roll back into the mountains.

Moreover, the Retelians left a small gift for the Bagnians, hoping these mountain barbarians would like it.

……

Both sides had a well-thought-out plan, so much so that Chris's supply convoy, which he thought would be intercepted, actually entered Tavitsky City unharmed after two days of travel.

This was quite unexpected for him.

However, this was something Chris was happy to see happen. Since the other party didn't want to fight, he didn't mind waiting.

Then, after four of the thousand-strong Retalia units withdrew from Tavitsky, and the fighting in the Tavitsky province subsided for a while, the aftereffects of the looting by Retalia soldiers began to appear in the area.

In the Tavitsky Province, the not-so-vast plains, once dotted with tranquil villages and fertile fields, are now shrouded in post-disaster desolation and despair.

Where the iron hooves of the Leterians trampled, only ruins, scorched earth, and a faint smell of burnt blood remained in the air.

Those Minisians who managed to escape the slaughter and plunder were scattered like fallen leaves in a storm in the desolate countryside.

Driven by the instinct for survival, they gathered in groups, struggling to breathe like wounded wild animals on the ruins of their homeland.

The men silently searched for any remaining, partially burned grains under the ashes, or dug into field mouse burrows, trying to find something to eat.

The women, with numb eyes, washed muddy pots and pans dug out of the ruins by the cold stream, or picked the last bit of bitter wild vegetable roots that hadn't been trampled clean in the fields.

The children, who were usually so boisterous, nestled close to their mothers, their empty eyes staring at the unfamiliar, hostile sky, their little bellies rumbling with hunger.

Food is the greatest luxury.

The Retalians took almost all the grain and livestock they could carry, and burned everything they couldn't take. Hunger spread rapidly among the refugees like an invisible plague.

Some people started gnawing on tree bark, some dug up grass roots, and some even fought over a small handful of moldy wheat bran.

Desperation gave rise to the most primal form of exchange: a frail girl was pushed out by her parents with tears in their eyes, hoping to exchange her for a few pieces of black bread as hard as rocks.

An ancestral dagger inlaid with cheap gems might be enough to feed a family for a few days. Cries, arguments, and weak groans intertwined to create a poignant elegy for survival.

The cold followed closely behind. The early autumn wind carried a slight chill, penetrating the refugees' thin and tattered clothes. In the past, this bit of cold would have been praised as refreshing, but now it became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The Leterians not only stole the food, but also the warm clothes and blankets.

The nights became especially difficult, and people could only huddle together behind the broken walls that still provided some shelter from the wind, or dig shallow pits, snuggling together to draw a little bit of body heat.

Coughs rose and fell, and a plague, born of death, began to spread among the people.

Home is gone; where is hope?
Some suggested heading west and fleeing into the heart of the Kingdom of Minicia.

But the journey was long, and rumors circulated that the armies of the eldest prince and the second princess were locked in a stalemate, making the road ahead fraught with danger. Many others turned their gaze to the provincial capital city, which stood not far away on the edge of the plain and had recently changed hands.

Tavitsky City.

Rumors are flying about the Bagnians.

Some say they were more ferocious mountain barbarians than the Leterians; others say they were disciplined and did not massacre civilians after conquering the city; still others, in their despair, hope that these new conquerors, for the sake of their rule, might show them some mercy.

"Let's go to Tavitsky..."

A gaunt old man, formerly the village blacksmith, spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Staying here is tantamount to waiting to die. Going there, at least… the city walls can keep out the wind, and perhaps… perhaps those Bagnians need labor? To survive, one can do anything…”

His words caused a slight commotion, and a faint flame called "minimum expectation" ignited in the eyes of many.

Thus, like trickling streams flowing into the lowlands, groups of refugees, numbering in the dozens or hundreds, began to move slowly and laboriously toward the city of Tavitsky, with their families in tow.

They were ragged, emaciated, and their eyes were filled with fear, confusion, and a faint, humble desire to survive. The procession stretched out long across the plain, like a series of slowly moving scars.

Major General Malow leaned against the cold battlements, his brow furrowed, watching the growing number of figures appearing on the distant horizon.

At first, there were only a few scattered black dots, then they became a small, blurry cluster, and later, they became a long line that moved slowly like a colony of migrating ants.

His experience made him immediately realize what it was.

"refugee……"

He muttered to himself in a heavy tone as his adjutant handed him the summary report that had just been brought back by the scouts.

"General, the scouts report that the number of refugees pouring in from the west and south has exceeded a thousand and is still increasing."

Judging from the direction they came from, they were all fleeing from areas ravaged by the Leterians. They... were in terrible condition and unfit to be laborers.

The adjutant's voice was icy, showing no trace of compassion.

Marlowe took the report, quickly glanced at it, and frowned after a few seconds.

“Send men over there and drive these Minicians away… If they don’t leave, kill them all. Remember to dig pits, then throw the bodies in and burn them. Don’t be lazy and throw them into the river to pollute the water.”

Major General Malo had no interest in taking in refugees, especially those from Minicia, not only because they were enemies, but also because doing so would mean enormous logistical pressure, potential disease risks, and potential security threats.

Who can guarantee there aren't any Leterian spies among them?

The city of Tavitsky had just received valuable supplies from the Anvil Fortress, including weapons, some food, and winter clothing, but these were intended to arm soldiers in preparation for a possible attack by the Reteria army, not to provide relief to the tens of thousands of refugees.

However, before the soldiers could carry out the order, someone objected. It was Lin Ruoyu, the commander of the Extreme Warriors, who was standing on the side.

"I think this order is inappropriate."

Lin Ruoyu stood up for Major General Mallow's orders.

Why is it inappropriate?

Major General Marlowe looked at Lin Ruoyu, not understanding what the latter was planning to do: take in refugees from an enemy country, consume precious military rations, and then have to endure the risk of a plague.

"They are all heretics who worship the sea god. If we take them in, the churches of the Earth Mother Goddess and the Goddess of Agriculture will..."

"His Highness Chris will be very happy; he can get a large number of free manpower."

Lin Ruoyu presented a reason that Major General Malo could not ignore.

"Believe me, I know His Highness Chris very well. Although there are risks in taking in the refugees from Minicia, it will make His Highness very happy... You can leave this matter to me. Give me some food and medical supplies."

I will take them away from Tavitsky City and transfer them all to Anvil Fortress, where it is farther from the front lines, has more space, and is easier to manage and utilize.

"you sure?"

"determine."

Major General Malow fell silent.

Lin Ruoyu's proposal almost perfectly avoided all of his concerns: the refugees would stay away from the city, not consume the city's resources, the safety risks would be borne by the Extreme Battle Group, and the final decision-making power would be handed over to the prince.

More importantly, by directly passing the hot potato of refugees to Anvil Fortress and Prince Chris himself, Marlowe no longer needs to bear any moral or decision-making pressure.

Even if Your Highness were to pursue the matter, it wouldn't fall on your own shoulders.

Major General Marlowe nodded. After a long pause, his tone remained cold, but his attitude had softened somewhat.

"I hope you won't regret it."

(End of this chapter)