I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 439 Execution without authorization, railway concession

As the current Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Bagnia, who has not yet resigned, Diu Ni Rem sees Chris more often than other players.

Rem didn't have much affection for this NPC who was nominally her boss, and even felt that the NPC's character was a bit too pretentious.

Because when Rem goes to report to Chris, he always has to wait in line for a while. Sometimes this "while" is very short, just a few minutes, and sometimes it is very long, requiring him to wait for three or four hours, which makes people very impatient.

Besides the uncertainty of waiting, whenever Rem saw Chris, the latter always looked gloomy and sighed, as if something was always bothering him.

Such things are fine once or twice, but when Rem frequently met with Chris and often heard the latter sighing, he was also affected and his mood became not good.

Therefore, Rem doesn't have a good impression of Chris.

Now, Rem suddenly understood Chris's situation as an NPC, and he even felt a deep empathy for him.

"Ugh……"

Looking at the street being hacked to pieces in front of him, Rem sighed softly.

"You've hacked down an entire street? Are you sure the Miniese's Grey Rock Pass and Naxi Fortress have fallen?"

The skull-faced man, covered in dried mud and unidentified stains, nodded after hacking through the street. He'd ridden for hours and fought the snake-men for over an hour; he was exhausted.

They were so tired that they didn't even want to talk.

"I recorded a video, go offline and take a look."

"Ugh……"

Another long sigh, as if squeezed from the depths of the lungs, so heavy it could crush the air.

Rem believed the report of hacking down an entire street; he was just taking a chance.

He now fully understood Chris's perpetually furrowed brow and incessant sighs.

This is not being pretentious at all!
That's exactly how he is now. He's been forced into despair by the immense pressure, the countless messed-up accidents, and the combination of a bunch of incompetent teammates and a group of cold-blooded monsters!

"Hold!"

"Damn it!" Rem couldn't help but swear, slamming his fist on the command platform covered with maps, making the ink bottle next to him jump.

"Minesian idiots, what are they trying to do? If they want to send their heads to their deaths, they shouldn't do it like this. They've fed themselves and the last bit of their kingdom's wealth to the snakes, and in the process, they've handed over the damn natural fortress of Naxi to those serpents as their lair!"

This is hilarious!
I fucking can't understand it, I really can't understand it!!!

He stood silently on the street, too lazy to speak. He even spun around twice, found a chair, and lay down on it.

"Chris..."

"Dou Ni Rem" muttered to himself, the image of that young NPC who always looked worried and sighed appearing before his eyes.

He now fully understands that, sitting in this position, facing such a terrible game, and a bunch of idiots, all Chris can probably do is sigh incessantly.

He lowered his head again, looking at the area on the map that represented a huge threat and was occupied by the snake people. He remained silent for a long time, and then, almost instinctively, let out a low, long sigh.

"Ugh……"

This sigh was exactly the same as the one he had heard countless times outside the audience hall of the palace.

He finally became the kind of person he used to think was "pretentious".

Beneath the heavy crown, there were no relaxed smiles, only sighs, one after another, squeezed out by reality.

"What do we do now?"

What can we do? We'll just have to accept it.

The Serpent People have breached the northern pass. All Diu Ni Rem can do is suspend the current Holy Expeditionary Army's offensive and send a portion of his forces to block the pass.

The snake people ran north, but at least part of it. The snake people swamp is still here, their lair is still here, and they can't run away on long legs.

Even if they might cross the Naxi Mountains and establish a second branch base in the territory of the Minieses, the Holy Expeditionary Army must prioritize leveling the first main base of the Serpent People.

In addition, the pass must be blocked. Even if we are unable to retake the Naxi Fortress, we must do this. The goal is simple: to prevent the snake people who are heading north from bringing back a large number of living people.

Modifying the plan seems simple, just a matter of talking, but in reality, it can cause a lot of trouble.

First, the Holy Expeditionary Force is short of manpower.

The players are very capable, but no matter how capable they are, they can only be used as an ox or two people at most.

The bulldozing plan currently being carried out by the Holy Expeditionary Army, as well as the act of grilling snake people, are both extremely manpower-intensive activities.

Basically, every player and every NPC here has something to do. Even a child brought back by a player who has gone out, as long as he is not too small to lie in swaddling clothes, has to do something in the camp.

For example, watching the fire, washing dishes and chopsticks, and doing what you can.

In this situation, if the Holy Army were to split its forces, it would significantly impact the current combat operations.

But can Rem not split up his forces?

No.

So, with a sigh, he quickly pulled a blank document from his desk and began writing on it at lightning speed.

"Secretary!"

"Sir, what is it?"

"Give this document to the Little Knife Battle Group Leader, and then hand over Armory No. 5 to the Over-the-Mountain Tiger Battle Group. They know what to do next."

"Yes, my lord."

The young scribe left, and the judge who had been slashing through the streets had also left the military tent at some point, leaving only Diu Ni Rem inside.

Alright, now he should think about how to solve the current manpower shortage problem of the Holy Expeditionary Army.

Apply to the rear to have the Kingdom of Bagnia send more players and NPC soldiers.

The moment the thought popped into Rem's mind, he almost extinguished it.

Bringing more players here is a viable option, and it doesn't even need Chris's approval. I, Diu Ni Rem, can guarantee that many players are already rushing over here in droves.

So many interesting things have happened in the Snakeman Swamp that even though the swamp is a cesspool, curious players still want to come and see for themselves and try killing some snakemen.

However, Rem doesn't need such a thing to happen; he can even say with a clear conscience that it's a bad thing.

He understands Chris better than anyone else now, and he's pretty sure that more players aren't necessarily better.

The current number of players in the Holy Expeditionary Army is sufficient, even somewhat excessive, as evidenced by the current progress in the Swamp Conquest.

Diu Ni Rem is certain that the biggest obstacle preventing the Holy Expeditionary Army from taking over the Serpent Swamp is not the Serpents, but the swamp itself... If it weren't for the players' dislike of the swamp's filth, and the simultaneous execution of the decapitation plan and the army's advance, the Serpents would have been wiped out long ago.

So now more players are flocking here, which really upsets Rem. The more players there are, the harder it is for him to control the Holy Army, and the more unforeseen variables there will be.

"The one who rides on the horse..."

"Damn it!" Rem cursed uncontrollably.

"It's so annoying."

Diu Ni Rem doesn't want players right now; he wants more controllable, obedient NPC soldiers, even if their combat strength is inferior to that of players. As long as they are equipped with the breastplates stored by the Holy Expedition and given flintlock muskets, even the Bagnian militia will have considerable combat strength.

Putting everything else aside, at least the Bagnia militia could line up and shoot, killing rows of snake-men.

If he had enough Bagnian militia or a fully-fledged Bagnian infantry regiment, then holding the limestone pass would not be a big problem.

Throwing Rem allows players to continue attacking the swamp, while NPCs and a small group of players guard the pass, blocking the retreat of the snake people heading north.

Unfortunately, this was just a prediction; reality is far more cruel.

"How to do it?"

Diu Ni Rem rubbed his temples in pain, feeling as if his brain was being turned into mush by this unsolvable predicament.

Asking for reinforcements from the rear won't work, and players flooding in will only cause trouble. The existing forces are stretched thin, and we still have to divide our troops to block a pass... It's a vicious cycle.

Just as he was getting so frustrated he was about to tear the map to shreds, the scribe's cautious voice came from outside the tent.

"My lord, there is a lady outside requesting an audience. She claims to be a survivor from Suvano, an apprentice priestess of the sea god, named Ivira. She says she has important information about the swamp and the situation to the north."

"A survivor of Suvano?"

Diu Ni Rem frowned. He vaguely remembered Ivira, who had mentioned knowing a secret underground passage, but it was unusable due to player resistance.

What important information could a sea god priest possibly have to ask him now?

What Rem needs least right now is trouble, and he doesn't have time to meet with the latter either.

"Make her leave. I don't have time to see a local right now... Huh? A local..."

Rem suddenly realized what was happening.

The word exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes fixed on the outside of the military tent. His previous agitation and despair were replaced by a sudden, almost fanatical light.

He was like a drowning person suddenly grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, no, he discovered an untapped treasure!

native!
How could he not have thought of that?!
Bagnia's troops are far away and difficult for the player to control, but isn't there readily available manpower, driven to the brink of desperation, on this land ravaged by the snake people?
Suvano has fallen, the city is dead, and the people in the vicinity have been captured, but the Minesians further away are still here. Diu Ni Rem still remembers the refugee wave encountered on the way to the Holy Expedition.

People are reluctant to leave their hometowns. Some have run away, but others have certainly stayed behind and hidden away.

The Kingdom of Minicia abandoned the eastern coast, but where could the farmers, fishermen, hunters, and small merchants who had lived there for generations escape to?
Like Ivira, they knew this land inside and out, familiar with every swamp, every hidden path, and every rock where they could hide!

More importantly, they have the most primal and intense desire to survive... Defending their homeland is more effective in inspiring their fighting spirit than any military pay or slogans!

What are they lacking?
It's an organization!
It's a weapon!
It is hope!
The Holy Army, on the other hand, possesses strong organizational capabilities, relatively good weapon reserves, and can even provide food and safe camps.

More importantly, the Holy Expeditionary Army represents the greatest hope in the fight against the Serpent People!
Tou Ni Rem is just right. He is still the Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Bagnia. He does not have the authority to form the defense army and the Blue Banner Army, but he can establish a railway corps to protect the railway!

"Summon Ivira immediately!"

"Yes, my lord."

The clerk lifted the curtain, and a figure walked in—it was Ivira.

She wore a migrant worker's coat covered in mud and even with some tears at the edges. Her long hair, which had been deliberately pulled back to her ears, was slightly disheveled, and her face showed undisguised anger.

"grown ups."

Ivira bowed slightly, her voice hoarse but filled with urgency.

"Please forgive my interruption, but... the Gray Rock Pass has really fallen!?"

Diu Ni Rem paused for a moment.

When did this news spread?
Ah, right, it's players. It must be players spreading rumors outside. Who else could it be but them?
“That’s right.” Diu Ni Rem rubbed his temples, confirming once again that the more players there were, the more variables there would be.

"coward!"

Ivira's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed rage. She turned to face the outside of the military tent, towards the direction of the Gray Rock Pass, and began to shriek and curse.

“Cowards, cowards who abandoned us! How could you, how dare you, let the snake people into the heart of the kingdom? You are fools, madmen, shameful scoundrels, bastards…”

Diu Ni Rem quietly watched Ivira, whose emotions had suddenly spiraled out of control. He could somewhat understand her anger and even felt a little sorry for her.

Having a terrible teammate is really frustrating.

Diu Ni Rem waited patiently for more than ten minutes until Ivira's voice gradually became hoarse and her emotions gradually stabilized before asking.

"This is not the time to curse Minicia... Ivira, can you still fight?"

Ivira whirled around, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Diu Ni Rem, her chest heaving violently, as if her outburst had exhausted her last bit of strength, or as if it had ignited something even more intense.

She raised her hand and fiercely wiped away tears from the corner of her eye, tears that were hard to tell whether they were from anger or sorrow. Her voice was hoarse but carried an almost ferocious resolve.

"fighting?"

She repeated the word as if chewing on a piece of snake-man flesh.

"My lord, you ask if someone who watched Suvano sink into the snake-man's slime and watched his kin being dragged into the swamp as food can still fight?"

She took a step forward, the hem of her tattered migrant worker's coat sweeping across the ground, picking up even more dust.

“My battle began when Suvano fell, not by standing on the altar praying with a scepter and holy scriptures, but with this dagger!”

She suddenly pulled a rusty, dark red mottled dagger from her waist, the blade even slightly curled.

"I've used it to slit the throats of snake-men who tried to drag children away, to shove it into the stomachs of thugs who looted in the chaos, and to... crawl out of piles of corpses!"

She gripped the dagger tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, yet her voice was strangely calm, carrying a chill that penetrated to the bone.

“Every one of us who survived fought, threw stones, bit with our teeth, burned with torches… as long as we could hurt those beasts, as long as we could live one more breath!”

Now, those damned cowards have opened the north gate again, and you ask me if I can fight?

Ivira took a deep breath, the air of which seemed to carry the stench of swamp and blood, her eyes sharp as a poisoned spearhead.

"My lord, tell me where the snake people are, tell me how to make them die more and suffer more! Tell me how to plug that damned gap in the north, just tell me, just give us survivors weapons!"
We, the locals, the trash abandoned by the kingdom, will show you what a real fight is!
"We are not fighting for your kingdom, nor for some worthless glory. We are fighting to wipe out the snake people, so that the remaining ones may live! We are fighting for revenge!"

Her voice eventually turned into a near-scream, echoing within the military tent with a chilling, primal power.

Diu Ni Rem listened quietly, watching the woman before her who had transformed from an apprentice priestess into a vengeful goddess.

Her anger, her despair, her ferocity forced out of her—that was exactly what he needed now: a pure and efficient will to kill.

"very good."

Diu Ni Rem's voice was deep and steady, without any unnecessary words.

"That's exactly what I need: anger and revenge..."

Diu Ni Rem quickly grabbed a blank parchment, dipped his quill in ink, and began to write with flowing strokes.

Emergency Order:
By virtue of the authority and responsibility of the Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Bagnia and the Supreme Commander of the Front, in order to ensure the absolute security of the Holy Expeditionary Army's logistical supply lines and to prevent sabotage by the Serpent People and all hostile forces, the Eastern Border Railway Guard Corps is hereby authorized.

1. Source of recruits: The main recruitment is for local young men who survived the snake people's invasion in the eastern Minisia region. They are recruited voluntarily and undergo basic screening.

Second, organization and equipment: The logistics department of the Holy Expeditionary Army will uniformly distribute standard flintlock rifles, spears, some breastplates and basic military supplies.

Initially, the units were reorganized into battalions, companies, and platoons, with officers appointed by the Holy Expeditionary Army or selected from those who performed exceptionally well.

Third, the duties of the railway protection corps: 1. Eliminate threats around the expected railway route.

2. Assist the Holy Army in constructing defensive fortifications.

3. To carry out reconnaissance, patrol, and guard duties.

4. When necessary, participate in the operation to eliminate the snake people's strongholds.

Fourth, command authority: This corps is directly subordinate to this Minister, with tactical guidance provided by the General Staff of the Holy Expeditionary Army and logistical support from the Logistics Department of the Holy Expeditionary Army.

As he wrote this, a subtle smile appeared on Rem's lips.

railway?

Although not even a glimpse of the roadbed has been seen yet, the pretext of protecting the railway is simply perfect!
This bypassed the cumbersome procedures for forming a regular defense force, and gave this armed force a legitimate identity and a clear mission... Protecting transportation lines was entirely within his authority!
The formation of the defense force and the Blue Flag Army is a matter for the Minister of Military Affairs and Chris; he cannot interfere arbitrarily.

Diu Ni Rem quickly handed the order to the scribe who was watching in a daze.

"Make three copies immediately: one for filing, one to the logistics commander of the Holy Expeditionary Army, and one to the quartermaster. Tell them to immediately take inventory of all spare flintlock muskets, spears, and breastplates in stock."

"Yes, my lord!"

The clerk received the order.

Diu Ni Rem turned to Ivira, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Ms. Ivira, you are now the recruiter for the Eastern Border Guard Corps. Take my token and set off immediately to the vicinity of Suvano. Bring all those willing to fight that you can gather to… the Holy Army, and have them assemble and undergo initial training.”

Tell them that the Kingdom of Bagnia offers them the opportunity for revenge and protection, but only on the condition that they accept reorganization and discipline!

Ivira stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered; she still couldn't quite understand what was happening.

Transport Secretary?
railway?

corps?

Recruiting officer?
These words rained down on her mind, which was filled with anger and hatred, turning it into a jumbled mess.

She was merely an apprentice priestess of the sea god, a survivor who crawled out of piles of corpses, only wanting to stab more snake people in the heart with her knife.

The important figures of the Kingdom of Bagnia, the complex orders—these were all too far removed from her.

"Big... lord?"

She stared blankly at the bronze badge with a wheel and rail pattern that Diu Ni Rem handed her, then at the still-wet ink of the order.

"What is a railway? A railway protection corps? I...I don't understand these things..."

"You don't need to understand!"

"Doo Rem's" voice was resolute and carried an unquestionable authority, instantly cleaving through her confusion.

He walked around the table, took a few steps to stand in front of her, his tall figure casting an oppressive shadow, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing the hatred churning in her eyes.

"You only need to know this!"

He suddenly pointed at the blood-stained, chipped dagger she was clutching tightly in her hand.

"You know how to use it to slit the snake-man's throat, you know how to use it to protect the people you want to protect, you know where in this damned swamp and woodland are people like you who want to live and seek revenge!"

He grabbed the cold bronze badge and shoved it into her hand, which was holding a dagger, without saying a word.

The sharp edges of the badge pressed against her palm, against the rough grip of the dagger, creating a strange tactile sensation that was a mixture of power and bloodshed.

"Take this, this is your knife, your new knife!"

Diu Ni Rem's voice is deep and powerful.

“Use it to tell all people like you that the Kingdom of Bagnia is here, and I will give you weapons, armor, and a chance to fight your way back!”
I'm not sending you to your deaths, I'm sending you to seek revenge, to reclaim your land, and to send those treacherous scum and cowards who betrayed you to hell!

He pointed sharply out of the military tent, towards the swamp and woodland that was filled with despair and the stench of blood.

"Go find them, go to the ruins of Suvano, go to every hiding cave you remember, go to every corner where someone might still be breathing, go further afield, to those places attacked by the snake people!"

Tell everyone you see that if they want to live, want revenge, want to kill those beasts with their own hands, then bring your still-weapon hands and feet to the Holy Expeditionary Army's camp, come here!

"here."

Diu Ni Rem slammed his hand heavily on the table next to him, which was piled with maps and documents.

"This is where your revenge begins. Here, we will give you guns, armor, and a fighting force to take you back!"
But the prerequisite is that you obey my orders, abide by my rules, and put away your thoughts of fighting each other recklessly. If you want revenge, you must first learn how to fight like a soldier!

Ivira looked down at the cold badge in her hand pressed against the warm, blood-stained dagger.

The cold, metallic lines on the badge seemed to possess some strange power, colliding and merging with the burning flames of revenge within her heart.

Railways? Not important!

Corps? Not important!

Recruiting officer? Not important!
The most important thing is... the weapon! The armor, a power that can unite all the scattered, desperate avengers, twist them into one rope, and smash them down on the snake people and the traitors!
An opportunity that could transform her, and all the survivors, from lambs to the slaughter into blades of vengeance!
The confusion dissipated quickly like morning mist, replaced by a purer, more fervent determination.

That badge was no longer an unfamiliar burden, but a key—a key to unlock the armory and the door to revenge!
She suddenly raised her head, the blankness in her eyes vanished, leaving only a sharp edge and a raging fire.

She didn't need to look at the complicated orders; she simply gripped the badge and dagger tightly in her hands, her knuckles turning white from the force, as if trying to melt them together.

"Yes, sir... my master."

Her voice was no longer hoarse or confused, but like a taut bowstring, full of steely will and power about to erupt.

“I will bring them here, every single one of them. As long as they have a breath left, as long as they want to bite off a piece of the snake-man’s flesh, I will bring them before you and give you an explanation with their blood and the snake-man’s blood!”

She didn't even bow; she turned around abruptly, the hem of her tattered migrant worker's coat catching a gust of wind.

The bronze badge, symbolizing temporary power, gleamed coldly in her clenched fist, a striking contrast to the bloodstained dagger at her waist.

Without the slightest hesitation, the trainee priest charged out of the military tent like an arrow of vengeance, instantly disappearing into the noisy dust of the camp and the shadows of the distant swamp.

Outside the tent, her suppressed excitement and screams in the local dialect could be faintly heard, as if she were summoning someone or announcing the start of a bloody hunt.

The clerk held the copied order, staring dumbfounded in the direction where Ivira had disappeared. He then looked at the cold-faced Diu Ni Rem, stammering, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say.

"Railway Guard Regiment..."

Don't even bother with the scribe beside him, he just gave a self-deprecating hum.

"Hopefully this skin will be tough enough."

"Ugh……"

Another sigh escaped his chest, a habitual one.

But in this sigh, most of the previous despair and agitation had dissipated, replaced by decisiveness and enlightenment.

Damn it, if this succeeds, I'll be free. If it fails, it's not so bad. Whether Chris wants to kill me or fire me, it's still a damn good thing!
Rem had had enough of the Holy Expeditionary Force's humiliation, and even losing his position as Minister of Transport wouldn't bother him. He'd already decided what he'd do after resigning from his official post… he was going to go back to blacksmithing!

(End of this chapter)