Words Strategize for the World

Back at the military camp, after collecting all the military equipment, Fang Hao had Niu Da lead them in a simple drill at the training ground before heading to the stables.

Fang Hao had never handled a horse before, let alone ridden one. Since it was still early, his plan was to collect the horses and then temporarily practice his riding skills. Of course, now that he had reached the general level, he couldn't neglect his scholarly cultivation.

A General-level cultivator can rhythmically manipulate 16 characters. A General-level scholar's unique characteristic is the ability to materialize characters into form. They can transform characters into weapons for combat. Currently, they have rhythmically manipulated five characters: sword, shield, kill, slash, and break.

Now, they can put up some resistance against scholars or martial artists of the lower ranks.

Upon arriving at the stable, Fang Hao discovered that there were only about ten horses left. However, for Fang Hao, who didn't own a single horse, any number of horses was a good thing.

After submitting the documents and receipts, all the horses were brought to the training ground.

Fang Hao stood before the 200 men, looking at his subordinates, and he felt a surge of excitement. This was his first team, and these 200 men were now completely loyal to him; he believed there would be many more in the future.

"Brave warriors, today you join the army, and from now on you will be my comrades-in-arms. The Ba Kingdom's army has already invaded our Chi Kingdom's territory. Tomorrow we will head to the battlefield to join the general's troops and fight against the Ba Kingdom. Although we have not undergone rigorous training and are still at the militia level, we have a burning passion and a heart set on protecting our homeland. As your leader, I will cherish the life of every comrade here. I believe we will definitely defeat the Ba Kingdom."

"There are more than 10 military horses here now. I need men who can ride horses. Whoever can ride a horse, come to the front."

As soon as Fang Hao finished speaking, several people stood up. A quick count revealed there were more than 20 people, which was about right.

These mounted soldiers will be trained as scouts. They will be the eyes of the column as it advances.

After learning horsemanship, Fang Hao kept one horse for himself and handed the rest of the horses over to Niu Da for his use.

The person who taught horseback riding was Lai Fengwu.

Fang Hao was surprised to find that Lai Fengwu was very good at horseback riding; he wondered where she had learned it.

For a period of time until dark, Fang Hao continuously practiced horseback riding. Although the time was short, he learned the basics. He wouldn't dare say he could run incredibly fast or well, but he could manage a normal run.

The official said the general had given them one day; yesterday had passed, and they had to set off tomorrow.

Because they were about to set off, Fang Hao got up very early the next day. After gathering all the soldiers and having breakfast, they set off.

Throughout the journey, Fang Hao kept guessing whether the general he had never met was Zu Chengmao.

The roads in Liangjiang County were relatively easy to travel at first, but became increasingly difficult later on. This was mainly due to the hilly terrain and the poor condition of the official roads, making travel more challenging than before.

When they were still more than half a day's journey from Liangjiang County, it got dark. So the two hundred men set up camp and rested on the spot.

After a day of walking, everyone was exhausted, and the entire camp quickly quieted down.

After arranging for Lai Fengwu and Niu Da to find someone to keep watch at night, Fang Hao went to rest.

In the dark night, insects are everywhere, and their chirping, along with snoring, makes it easy to fall asleep.

At dawn, a new day begins, and everyone welcomes the arrival of daylight.

They set up cooking pots and prepared meals, then assembled the troops and set off.

They were only about 30 kilometers away from Liangjiang County. In order to reach their destination as quickly as possible, everyone was jogging.

The scouts had already been dispatched.

Although Fang Hao had never led an army, he still absorbed a lot of similar knowledge during the information explosion era before his transmigration.

As for many of the details, Lai Fengwu assisted in completing them. Because of this, Fang Hao had some doubts about Lai Fengwu's background.

Lai Fengwu is detail-oriented, perceptive, literate, and well-mannered. Moreover, she is skilled in martial arts, horsemanship, and even leading troops in battle, making her seem nothing like a vagrant.

Despite his doubts, he could sense Lai Fengwu's sincerity. As long as there was sincerity in each other, he had nothing to fear. Perhaps Lai Fengwu would bring him some surprises in the future.

Just as Fang Hao was pondering, the sound of horses' hooves approached, followed by a scout kneeling on one knee and shouting, "Report!"

There were 12 horses in total. In addition to Fang Hao himself, Lai Fengwu, Niu Da, there were 9 other people who served as scouts.

The scout teams are all led by Niu Daxian. After a day of practical training yesterday, Lai Fengwu explained some points to note for scouts in the evening.

Therefore, Niu Da's scout team has finally shown some promise today.

"Report what's going on immediately."

Fang Hao waved his hand and said with great momentum.

"Reporting to you, sir, we encountered a scout team from the Hegemon Kingdom ahead. Lord Niu Da has already led his men to give chase."

Fang Hao was somewhat surprised to hear this. It was about 8 kilometers away from Liangjiang County. Why would there be scouts from the Ba Kingdom here?

"Oh, scouts from the Hegemon Kingdom? How many are on the other side? Where are they? How far away are they?"

"My lord, there are 10 scouts from the Ba Kingdom, led by a foot soldier, and they are about 5 miles ahead."

Even if I don't understand why the scouts of the Hegemon Kingdom would be sent so far, since we've encountered them, we must kill them.

"Alright, go after them immediately and tell Niu Da to bite the enemy, but don't be careless. If you encounter a large group of them, flee immediately."

After the scouts left, Fang Hao asked Lai Fengwu, "Fengwu, what do you think of the Ba Kingdom's army sending scouts so far away?"

After thinking for a moment, Lai Fengwu said, "My lord, I suspect that the other party has some ulterior motive, but we don't have enough information at the moment to know what it is."

"Your thoughts coincide with mine. Let's catch up and see what they're up to. We need to figure out what their plans are."

Fang Hao waved his hand and said, "There are enemies ahead. Run forward."

Due to time constraints, his unit hadn't selected a commander, resulting in a very poor command structure. There was no leadership, no discipline, and the recruits were all new, and now they had encountered the enemy.

Fang Hao thought for a moment, and since he had nothing to offer, he decided to take drastic measures.

"When two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail. We are the warriors of the Blazing Kingdom, and as long as we unite as one, we will surely defeat the enemy. The enemy is right ahead. For every soldier of the Overlord Kingdom you kill, you will be rewarded with 10 taels of silver. The one who kills the most will be promoted to infantry commander."

Lai Fengwu was also very quick-witted. As soon as Fang Hao finished shouting, he immediately said, "100 taels of silver for each Ba Kingdom soldier's head. The more you kill, the more money you get, and you can even get promoted! Everyone, hurry up and charge!"

After Lai Fengwu shouted, many soldiers began to rush forward.

Looking at the soldiers charging forward in a chaotic and undisciplined manner, Fang Hao felt extremely troubled. This was a mob; could they possibly defeat the enemy?

But we can't worry about that now, let's go in first.

The journey of 5 miles will be quick.

Upon arrival, there was nothing but hoofprints.

Fang Hao was preparing to continue on his way when he suddenly heard the urgent sound of horses' hooves ahead.

Before long, Niu Da led six or seven men and rushed over.

Niu Da approached Fang Hao and said, "My lord, there is a troop of Ba Kingdom soldiers behind us, about a hundred strong. We must flee quickly; our soldiers are no match for them."

"Do I know how far away they are from us?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a squad of soldiers in black armor appeared in front of him.

The soldiers advanced, but maintained their formation. Most of their weapons were stained with blood, clearly indicating they had just been in battle.

Legend has it that the Ba Kingdom's army is extremely powerful, but this is the first time Fang Hao has ever seen the Ba Kingdom's army.

This army consisted of only about 100 men, led by a local chieftain. Fang Hao looked at his own troops and then at the enemy's; the difference was like night and day.

The Ba Kingdom's army moved in perfect unison, their actions orderly and disciplined. Their black uniforms and armor exuded a powerful aura. While their movements weren't fast, their sharp eyes and resolute steps conveyed a palpable sense of impending doom.

Although the Hegemon's forces were small in number, their combat strength was not to be underestimated. These 100 men posed a challenge to Fang Hao no less significant than that of an army of 1000.

These are the soldiers of the Hegemon Kingdom; they are indeed powerful.