Mount & Blade: Pendor Becomes a Dominator Starting with the Creation of a Self-Established Knigh

Roger and Aino practically sprinted all the way up to the campsite on the mountain.

Walking up the steep slope, Roger once again examined the defensive terrain. He was well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the camp he had chosen.

There was only a narrow, gentle slope as the passage in and out, and the two sides of the mountain pass were steep cliffs. The terrain was treacherous and could not accommodate a large number of troops to launch an attack at the same time.

Taking a detour is not easy; the pirates' human wave tactics are completely ineffective, and that is their only reliance!

Rogge felt a little relieved.

At the top of the steep slope, more than 30 team members had already deployed and prepared, with weapons and equipment at hand, some standing and some sitting.

Old Kui had arranged for villagers to bring food, and the team members were quietly munching on bread and drinking cold porridge.

Rogge strode into the camp, and the team members stood up as soon as they saw him.

"leader!"

Upon seeing Rogge, Virgil quickly approached him:

"The defensive line has been set up. Eight guerrillas have been positioned on the platform on the right cliff face, where the view is wide and the fire can cover the entire mountain pass."

Rogge nodded, his gaze sweeping over the defensive line.

The thirty team members showed no sign of panic, only the composure of seasoned veterans.

Most of them had followed Rogge through countless battles and were no longer the peasants with pitchforks they once were.

"The pirates have indeed arrived. Their vanguard has reached the mountainside and will be here soon." Roger told everyone without any concealment.

"Stop hoping for the best, prepare for battle!"

Upon hearing this, those team members who put down their bowls silently gripped their weapons, while those who still held their bowls silently quickened their eating pace.

No one gasped or whispered among themselves.

This composure under pressure caused a flicker of surprise in Ivar's eyes, who was standing not far away.

In stark contrast are the eight Fieldsway guerrillas on the right cliff face.

Upon hearing the news that the sea pirates were truly approaching,

They were both holding bread in their hands, but their fingers were trembling slightly. They held the bread in their hands for a long time but didn't take many bites.

People would occasionally peek down the mountain, their Adam's apple bobbing.

They had just suffered a crushing defeat, witnessing their comrades fall in pools of blood. Their mental state was already in turmoil, so such a reaction was perfectly normal.

Rogge shifted his gaze from the guerrillas to the entrance of the camp.

There were only a few dozen young men working there, some moving stones and others carrying logs.

Roger's brow furrowed instantly.

There are definitely more able-bodied men left in Duanpo Village than just this many.

"Why are there only a few people here now?"

"Aino, you stay here and keep an eye on the defenses. Call me immediately if there's any movement," Roger whispered instruction.

"Don't worry." Aino gripped the longsword at her waist and nodded.

Rogge turned and strode quickly toward the interior of the camp.

The further you go in, the louder the noise becomes.

Cries, shouts, arguments, and the mooing of cattle and sheep were all mixed together.

Looking out from afar, Roger saw that the entire camp was in complete chaos!

In front of the simple shacks, women and children were busily packing their belongings.

They stuffed their worn-out quilts, pots and pans, and even dried wild vegetables into their bundles.

Meanwhile, the able-bodied men who should have been helping with the defense of the mountain pass were now carrying bulging luggage and leading cattle and sheep, blocking the path leading into the deep mountains.

"Make way! Let me through! The pirates are coming soon!"

"Stop pushing! My sheep!"

Old Kui was blocking the entrance to the path, arms outstretched, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Go back! All of you go back! The pirates are right down the mountain; it's too late to run now! You stay here and help guard the pass; only then can we all survive!"

A burly young man retorted loudly, "How can they possibly hold out with just a few dozen people?"

"I'm not going to die here! I'm taking my child into the mountains!"

"Get out of the way! If you don't move, we'll force our way in!"

Old Kui was pushed back repeatedly, his face turning red, but he still refused to give way.

Rogge stood not far away, watching the chaotic scene before him, and felt a surge of anger rising from the bottom of his heart to the top of his head.

He never expected that, at this critical juncture of life and death, the villagers' first thought was not to unite and resist the enemy, but to flee for their own lives!

Previously, he had thought too highly of these people and even fantasized that they would fight alongside him!

He had originally hoped that these nearly two hundred able-bodied men could help move supplies and throw stones, greatly relieving the pressure on the defensive line.

The pirates have already reached the mountainside. Judging from the current chaotic state, they will be in disarray before the pirates even attack!

No one will be able to escape then!

Roger took a deep breath, suppressing his anger.

He strode forward and suddenly shouted:

"Stop right there!"

His voice was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly drowning out all the noise.

Everyone instinctively stopped and turned to look at Roger.

"It's Chief Rogge..."

Upon seeing Roger's gloomy face, the previously noisy young men immediately fell silent.

Roger's cold gaze swept across the entire room, and everyone whose eyes met his lowered their heads guiltily.

"Women and children, you may leave now."

Rogge's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

"But none of the able-bodied men are allowed to leave!"

Upon hearing this, a commotion immediately arose among the young and strong.

"If you run now, none of you will survive!"

"My brothers and I had no obligation to risk our lives for you!"

Rogge surveyed the audience and continued:

I know you are afraid.

But I tell you, what you fear is only worse than you can imagine.

Your lord Harald was defeated in battle against the pirates yesterday, and the entire territory has become theirs.

Even if you manage to escape today, where can you go?

This statement was like a bombshell, causing an uproar among the crowd.

The young men looked on incredulously, whispering amongst themselves and discussing the matter.

"Impossible! With so many soldiers, how could our lord be no match for the pirates?"

"I didn't lie to you." Roger's voice was completely calm.

"Old Kui knows about this too. The knights behind me are the ones who barely escaped from the pirates."

"Yes, folks, the lord has been defeated!" Old Kui confirmed from the side with a bitter face.

Rogge continued:

"Now, there is no army in the entire territory that can protect you. In this vast world, you will be a group of identityless vagrants."

No village will take you in!

You will either starve to death in the deep mountains, be killed by other bandits, or be captured and enslaved!

To be someone's slave for life, never to rise above it!

His words were like heavy hammer blows, striking everyone's hearts hard.

The able-bodied men all knew that Rogge was telling the truth. In this era, losing land and the protection of a lord meant that the fate of a refugee was worse than death.

Seeing the despair in everyone's eyes, Roger changed the subject:

"But I'm giving you a way out today."

Everyone's eyes lit up suddenly, and they all turned to look at Rogge.

"I will soon be leading my team to Lightshine Bay."

I will recruit some villagers, take them with me, and provide them with shelter.

Roger held up two fingers: "I'm giving you two choices."

"First, stay."

I don't need you to fight the pirates with swords and guns. You just need to help out from behind, carrying logs and throwing stones.

My men will be at the forefront; you won't need to fight the pirates face-to-face.

"If you stay and help today, you'll be my men from now on. I'll take you to Light Howl Bay, and I guarantee you won't become refugees, and I guarantee you'll have enough to eat!"

"Secondly, if you want to leave, I, Roger, will not stop you."

But whoever abandons me today, whoever abandons everyone today, can forget about ever gaining my, Roger's, friendship again!

After saying that, Roger stopped looking at them and turned to leave.

His back was straight and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

The crowd fell into a deathly silence.

The young men looked at each other, and the fear on their faces was gradually replaced by struggle.

Roger's words were a wake-up call for them, shattering all their unrealistic fantasies.

But in the end, they were given a lifeline.

They all knew that Roger was resolute and a man of his word.

Following Rogge, although today is dangerous, at least there is hope for the future.

Moreover, Rogge's team had no obligation to cover their retreat.

They risked their lives to stay and protect their families; it would be unreasonable for them to just run away.

"I stayed!"

A young man was the first to put down his luggage and draw a wood-chopping knife from his waist.

"I'm staying too! Chief Rogge is right, we can't run away!"

"Count me in! It's not like we're being asked to risk our lives!"

"I'm staying too! Following Chief Rogge is better than being a vagrant!"

More and more people put down their luggage and took out their machetes, axes, and spears.

Although fear was still on their faces, their eyes were much more determined.

Roger first gave a big stick, but then offered a definite promise as a carrot to appease everyone.

Old Kui let out a long sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and stopped stopping those who wanted to leave.

Ultimately, over 80% of the young and middle-aged adults chose to stay.

Only a few dozen, terrified, fled into the mountains without hesitation and quickly disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

Watching the able-bodied men carry their tools toward the camp entrance, Rogge finally felt completely relieved.

He shook his head inwardly, feeling a sense of helplessness.

We almost got into trouble because of these ignorant villagers.

Their thinking is always so simple; they only see the immediate benefits and never consider how serious the consequences of running away would be.

When Rogge returned to the camp entrance, Ivar and his three knights were resting against a large rock, having clearly witnessed the commotion that had just taken place in the camp.

Seeing Rogge approach, Ivar stood up and dusted himself off.

"These villagers are truly disappointing."

Ivar frowned and said with a hint of disdain, "With a formidable enemy at hand, all you're thinking about is escaping for your own life."

Roger gave a wry smile: "They are just ordinary farmers who have never seen war in their lives. Many of them have already died, so it's normal that they are so frightened now."

He paused, looked at Ivar and the others, and said sincerely:

"Commander Ivar, we will likely need your help in the upcoming battles."

There are many elite pirates among them; my men will likely have a hard time resisting them.

Upon hearing this, Ivar's face darkened, and he said with some displeasure, "Chief Rogge, are you insulting me?"

Roger paused for a moment, looking at him with some confusion.

"If it weren't for your rescue, we probably wouldn't be standing here now."

"We Fieldsway warriors never forget our debts of gratitude."

Our honor will not allow us to stand idly by when our benefactor is in danger!

In today's battle, we swear to fight alongside Chief Rogge!

"Your team won't retreat, we won't retreat a single step!"

The three knights behind him nodded in agreement, their eyes resolute.

Roger smiled sincerely.

He was worried about who could deal with the elite warriors among the pirates, and the arrival of these four knights was like sending charcoal in snowy weather.

"good!"

"I'm relieved to hear that!"

Rogge looked at Virgil and Enoch and nodded in acknowledgment.

Upon seeing this, the two men took out wine pouches from their respective bags.

Rogge gestured for Virgil to hand the wine flask to Ivar first.

Ivar took the wine flask and looked at Rogge with some confusion: "Chief Rogge, what is this?"

"Have a drink to boost your courage."

Roger laughed and said, "It'll be even more exciting when we're cutting down the pirates later."

Ivar suddenly realized what was going on. He pulled out the cork, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp.

The spicy liquor flowed down my throat and into my stomach, and a warm, burning sensation spread instantly, making my limbs and bones feel warm and comfortable. My tense nerves completely relaxed.

"Excellent wine!"

Ivar smacked his lips and exclaimed, "Chief Rogge's wine is even better than the wine in Lord Harald's cellar!"

"Haha, Commander, you flatter me!"

Ivar handed the wine flask to the knight beside him.

The knight also took a big gulp and then passed it to the next person.

Soon, all four knights took a sip.

"What kind of alcohol is this? It's amazing!!"

One of the knights wanted to drink more, but Roger stopped him with a smile.

"Please forgive me, there's not much wine; we need to share some with everyone. After this battle, I'll treat you to a good drink—we won't leave until we're all drunk!"

Virgil and Aino took the remaining wine flasks and began distributing them to the team members.

The team members' eyes lit up when they saw the wine jar.

They had all experienced the effects of this wine to varying degrees, and they all understood it.

No one asked any questions; they simply took the wine pouch silently, took a sip, and then passed it on to the next person.

In the end, even the eight guerrillas who were extremely nervous got a bite.

As the liquor entered their throats, the magical warmth dispelled their fear and tension, and their hands gripping the crossbow bolts became much steadier.

Just as everyone had finished drinking and their bodies were gradually adjusting to the warm current.

From the woods below came the sound of hurried footsteps.

Rogge was the first to spot it; he turned sharply and looked toward the mountain pass.

The pirates have arrived.

Without Rogge needing to say anything, the team members could see the figures below.

In the darkness, a large number of pirates dressed in blue, carrying countless torches, surged up the winding mountain road.

Leading the group was Stan, whose left arm was wrapped in bandages.

Battle is imminent.

……