I'm in Terra

Through her spies, she easily found the records of Earl John's military rations. Just as Victoria had predicted, Earl John had allocated enough rations to sustain the entire army for a week's march. Meanwhile, word had spread from the city hall that Earl John was preparing to personally lead a large army to suppress the rebels plaguing the area surrounding Woden Town, even setting a time for the expedition: tomorrow morning.

Seeing everything in Woden Town moving in the direction Victoria had predicted, Kashena looked at the young man beside her in surprise: "It seems you guessed it right. I'm curious, if you were Earl John, what would you do?"

"Me?" Victor glanced past Kashena at Dorothy, who was pretending to be absorbed in her work but actually eavesdropping. "Use troops as swiftly as the wind, as fast as lightning. If it were me, I would personally lead all the soldiers out with only a day's rations, and then arrange for a reliable lieutenant to arrange for food and fodder resupply half a day later. If we can defeat the harassers before anyone reacts, the rest will naturally be ineffective."

"You command troops as fast as the wind and as swift as lightning?" Kashena smiled. "That's quite your style."

A General's Success: 36 Art is, explosion!

Braving the wind and snow, a caravan set out from Woden Town, heading towards a small town in the territory of Rosia. They had heard about the blockade of the trade route, but with Earl John's assurances, the caravan leader gritted his teeth and agreed to the journey.

They knew they were likely to be bait, but Earl John offered them an offer they couldn't refuse. For a year of tax exemption plus discounts on imports and exports, any merchant would be willing to throw their heads into the tightening noose.

Furthermore, to prepare for any potential attacks during this trade trip, the caravan leader had invested heavily. Fifty seasoned mercenaries, experienced in combat, were absolutely capable of guaranteeing the safety of their caravan.

It can be said that all the capable guys in Woden Town are on the Chamber of Commerce's invitation list, and the commission alone is almost half of the profit of this business trip.

If we can't even escape, then we're afraid we won't be able to stay in Woden Town anymore.

Just as he was thinking about this, a rough man approached the caravan leader and said, "Boss, it's been so peaceful along the way, and there's no sign of attacks on the surrounding villages. I'm afraid the problem of the road being cut off isn't in Woden Town, but over there..."

"Then let the brothers be careful." The leader heard the guard's suggestion to change the route, but he had a reason why he absolutely could not change the route.

He, the leader of the caravan, was the only one who knew that behind the caravan was an army ambushed by Earl John. Their real mission was to lure out the bandits and then hold out until the army was defeated.

If he dared to deviate from the trade route... he didn't know whether those bandits would live or die, but he and this caravan would definitely die without a burial place.

"Keep going. I didn't spend so much money to invite you here just to be a hiding rat!" Thinking of this, the leader coughed and firmly rejected the guard's suggestion.

Seeing this, the guards could only scratch their heads and retreat helplessly. Since they had accepted the money to save their lives, they had to accompany their boss to the end.

However, the leader did not know that as they slowly advanced, in addition to the army behind them, there were several pairs of eyes silently watching them.

In the snowy forest not far from the caravan, a strangely shaped dagger stuck in the ground emitted a dim glow. Then, a woman wearing a pure white cotton coat, covered in a red and black outfit, suddenly appeared in the snowy forest.

She is none other than Inès, the captain of the Sarkaz Mercenary Group's reconnaissance team.

Seeing that there was no one around, Ines drew her dagger and kicked the slightly undulating snow pile nearby. She quickly kicked out a Sarkaz lying in the snow pile.

"Go back and tell Hedley that this caravan is fishing. As for the people holding poles in the back... there are about 800 of them, and they don't have heavy firepower. Let them decide whether to eat or avoid it."

"Yes!" The scout, who had been shivering with cold for a long time, quickly threw down his white blanket and rushed towards the distant stronghold in two steps.

On the other side, Hedley, who was stationed in the snow forest, quickly received a notice from the reconnaissance team. Without much thought, Hedley immediately called the captains of each team.

Seeing everyone gathered together, the captains' eyes immediately turned red. In the past few days, they had taken turns looting the caravans, and what they could snatch depended entirely on their luck. Now that everyone was out, it meant a big fish was about to be caught.

After seeing everyone gathered, Hedley didn't waste any words and immediately issued an order: "One caravan, plus about 800 ambushes. If this army can be defeated, Woden Town will definitely suffer a heavy blow. Afterwards, all teams will share half of the commission according to their merits. Any objections?"

"No!" All the captains looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. The reason they agreed to Hedley becoming the leader of this mercenary group was not only because Hedley was the strongest among them, but also because he was fair and intelligent enough.

For the Sarkaz, fighting ability was the most basic quality, but wisdom was the rarest attribute. A fellow like Hedley, who was both a fighter and educated, was even rarer among the rare.

Hedley nodded. "Which team was originally going to rob merchants today?"

"It's my side." A masked Sarkaz holding a big sword raised his hand.

His name is Garson, and he is considered one of the strongest guys in this Sarkaz mercenary group. Even if he fights with Hedley, he is confident that he can hold his own.

"Your turn will be postponed for now. The supplies for this caravan will be included in the public account." Under the gaze of everyone, Hedley began to make arrangements:

"W, lead the team to rob the merchant. The other teams will join me in ambushing on both sides of the caravan. W will lead the crossbow team to destroy the caravan, set a trap on the spot, and then escape with the supplies. If the ambushers catch up, we will surround and attack them. If the ambushers don't catch up, cancel the operation and simply count W and Garson's turn in exchanging robbery turns. Any questions?"

"No." Garson nodded, approving Hedley's arrangement. Seeing that the exchanger himself had no objections, the other captains naturally agreed. Everyone immediately mobilized their men, ready to work together for a big deal.

The most excited among them was undoubtedly W. She had been holding back for a long time since the mercenary group joined Count Rossia's army. This time, Hedley asked her to set a trap, which was just a chance for her to vent.

The explosives she made were almost moldy, so this was a good opportunity to clear out the stock.

They acted immediately. Under Hedley's command, the mercenaries quickly arrived at their usual ambush location, while W led a team of crossbowmen to intercept the caravan openly.

Ines had already calculated that the distance between the ambush troops and the caravan was approximately two kilometers. In other words, as long as the caravan could hold out for twenty minutes to half an hour, the army behind them would be able to provide timely support.

This may be a difficult task for other troops, but for W leading the Sarkaz team, this task cannot be simpler.

Because they don't care about the so-called gains at all.

"No survivors, shoot them all!" Holding the powerful crossbow purchased from Rossiya Territory, W laughed uncontrollably as she continuously shot at the guards who escaped from the carriages. The crossbowmen around her were all elite survivors of the civil war. To them, killing was just mechanical labor.

In just five minutes, the entire caravan was slaughtered by the crossbow team, leaving only a few cats and fish hiding in the carriages and trying to resist.

W, figuring time was running out, casually discarded his empty crossbow and drew the massive gunpowder he'd been carrying. As he repeatedly pulled the trigger, carriage after carriage was engulfed in violent explosions, blasting the hidden survivors and their cargo to smithereens.

"Divide into two teams. One team will drag away the remaining things, and the other team will bury my aunt's gift in the ruins." Looking at the tragic scene he had created, W gave the order happily.

A General's Success: The Tragedy of a 37-Small Town

"Demon! The one attacking us is a demon!!!"

Puff————Puff————

The wailing of fear abruptly ceased, and W, expressionless, abandoned the bodies to the ground. They had heard countless derogatory terms like "demon," "fiend," and "inhuman monster" countless times, and this one wouldn't make a difference.

The Sarkaz mercenaries beside him expertly searched the remaining intact carriages, continuously extracting survivors and killing them one by one. Another group was even more mysterious. They were armed with some kind of crude Originium device, which they randomly stuffed into the corpses and snow on the ground.

W did not participate in the subsequent division of the spoils. She stood in the crowd, closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasure of the smoke drifting past her nose - until a quick whistle sounded from the woods.

"Pack your stuff and let's retreat!" As soon as W heard the whistle, he turned around and gave the order. The mercenaries who had been prepared drove the pack animals and evacuated quickly with the spoils.

Almost at the same time, the roar of vehicles was heard in the distance. Several snow-covered off-road vehicles were chasing the fleeing mercenaries at full speed, and a large number of infantry were sprinting behind the vehicles.

It was obvious that the soldiers had discovered that the fish had taken the bait and were desperately trying to catch up with W's team.

Two legs can't outrun four wheels. W was well aware of this. She kept estimating the distance between the two sides and then ordered again: "Abandon the supplies! Leave only the pack animals for retreat!"

Upon hearing the order, the Sarkaz mercenaries immediately abandoned their baggage and scattered like birds and beasts. Whether intentionally or not, the baggage left behind by the mercenaries happened to block the widest snow path.

However, the soldiers driving the vehicles didn't care. Since the enemy had abandoned their vehicles, there was no need for them to continue riding. In such a snowy forest, it was difficult to catch up with the agile infantry by car.

But what these vanguards hadn't anticipated was that as soon as the transport stopped, the fleeing Sarkaz suddenly rushed out from all directions, their crossbows raised, unleashing their firepower without reservation. The white-haired girl in the lead, grinning grimly, kept pulling the trigger.

BOOM——BOOM——BOOM——

Violent explosions, accompanied by a hail of flying crossbow bolts, continuously assaulted the vanguard, forcing the infantry to rely on their vehicles for counterattack. Seeing the situation dire, the officer hanging behind quickly abandoned his plans to inspect the caravan and led his troops to rush towards the battlefield.

Seeing the arrival of enemy reinforcements, W, in charge of the attack vehicles, was not surprised but delighted. In front of the soldiers on both sides, she dropped her musket and pulled out a button from her pocket, which looked ominous. The officer who saw this scene was shocked and was about to order the troops to stand guard. But the next second, a violent explosion overwhelmed all orders, and the entire rear half of the unit was engulfed in a continuous barrage of explosions.

Then, upon hearing the signal, Hedley waved his hand and led the mercenaries who had been lying in ambush to rush forward, quickly engaging these stunned soldiers in close combat.

Eight hundred fully armed soldiers were ambushed by a Sarkaz mercenary group of fewer than five hundred, and the result was incredibly one-sided. With only less than twenty casualties, Hedley completely annihilated this already distraught group of soldiers, along with the officers who attempted to surrender, leaving behind corpses and blood scattered across the snowy plains.

Woden Town, finished.

As the deserters tumbled back to Worden Town with the news, Earl John, who had just returned to his office, felt as if the sky had fallen. Including the guerrilla raids a while ago and the casualties from the recent chaos, nearly half of Worden Town's soldiers had been killed by him.

Now, forget about preserving his territory; even Earl John's life was in jeopardy. The loss of eight hundred men was enough to cripple him, and even more devastating was the loss of his lieutenant in the snowy plains. Without his lieutenant, who had served him for over twenty years, Earl John's control over the army would decline further. He couldn't even find another trusted confidant to whom he could confidently entrust military power.

Surrender? No, impossible. With the two sides locked in a chaotic war, a hasty surrender would only lead to death. Neither Carter nor Rossia would tolerate John defecting to the other side.

That evening, news of Earl John's serious illness spread throughout Woden Town. Both the two men currently fighting each other and the two forces hovering near Woden Town all began their own small moves in unison.

Carter sent troops to attempt to intervene in the military and political affairs of Woden Town, while Rossia also intensified the Sarkaz's destruction. The guerrillas wandering in the south took advantage of the opportunity to take control of the entire southern countryside. Only Victoria in the east remained silent.

John lost, suddenly and completely. From the moment he fell, the town of Woden was destined to be devoured by the surrounding dogs.

"Earl John has fallen. Don't you plan to make some arrangements in the town of Woden?" Reading the freshly-released intelligence, Kashena curiously handed it to Victoria who was having breakfast with Dorothy.

"That's not necessary." Victor put down his knife and fork, gently wiping the corners of his mouth. Dorothy, beside him, also put down her cutlery in tacit agreement, pouted, and glared at Victor. Victor gave a helpless smile, then picked up his napkin and began wiping Dorothy's mouth. "Compared to the war-torn town of Warden, it's more important to settle down in peace in this small town in the Northeast. Besides, compared to that doomed man, I'm more interested in the Sarkaz mercenaries. Do you have any information on them? It would be even better if we could contact them."

"Hmm?" Kasheina snorted. She knew Victor didn't discriminate against the infected, but she hadn't expected him to even approach the notorious Sarkaz. But it made sense, for a man like him who planned everything out in advance, that he'd be interested in these strange Sarkaz mercenaries.

"I can help you try, but I can't guarantee the results." After hesitating for a few seconds, Kasheina nodded and agreed to Victoria's request. As an immortal undead, she was well aware of the temperament of these Sarkaz mercenaries. These people could not be bought off with money alone.

She really wanted to see what interesting strategies Victoria would use to attract this group of lunatics, and what kind of sparks these filthy demons would create in her country.

She was looking forward to it.

PS: I really have a cold, my nose is running~~~~

squeak-

Speaking of which, tomorrow is both the Ark preview live broadcast and the LOL semi-finals, so the schedule is so tight.

Hokusai wants to see it too, so why not just take a day off tomorrow?

A General's Success: 38 The Devil's Summons

On the icy snowy plains, the Sarkaz savored the fruits of their victory. Destroying nearly half of Woden's military in one fell swoop was a rare and significant victory for them. Add to that the riches promised by Count Rossia, and even the calmest Inès couldn't help but smile.

"How weak! I heard they even call themselves the world's leading military power. But compared to us, they're as ridiculous as babies."

Listening to the mercenaries' chattering, Inès sat down in front of Hedley, holding a large bunch of roasted pack animal meat. Unlike the smiling Sarkaz, Hedley's face seemed to be always calm.

"Why, are you distressed about the treasure that is about to be given away?"

Inès smiled as she handed over the meat. To outsiders, she was a serious and reliable scout. But only Hedley and W knew that Inès's coldness was just a facade. She was just a flesh-and-blood person who could laugh and scream... er, an ordinary person?

"I'm thinking about the future of the mercenary group." Hedley took the barbecue from Inès's hand and stuffed it into his mouth without even looking at it. Hedley would be wary of anyone offering him food, even W, whom he had personally nurtured. But with Inès, Hedley could give his all.

As expected, Inès grilled the beast's leg to perfection, and the hint of seasoning made Hedley's appetite grow. In just three or two bites, Hedley devoured the entire piece of meat. Perhaps only at such moments could Inès see the shadow of the Sarkaz in Hedley.

Licking his greased fingers, Hedley regained his usual calm and composed demeanor as a leader. "This battle has proven our worth. I don't plan to continue attacking Woden Town."

"Then what are you going to do? If you simply leave, I'm afraid many people in the mercenary group will start to get restless." After hearing Hedley's experience, Inès couldn't help but frowned.

Withdrawing in time was a good strategy. If they continued to advance, they would not only face a desperate counterattack from the remaining troops in Woden Town, but also be targeted by other forces. However, the other Sarkaz would not agree with this decision. There was already a trend of contempt for Ursus in the team, and Hedley's decision might be seen as cowardly by these mercenaries.

"I'm still thinking about it, but I have an idea for now." Hedley was naturally aware of this problem. If he wanted to stop in time before hitting his head, he had to come up with a reason that would convince everyone.

And he just happened to have an idea for this reason.

"Remember the team that was wandering around the southern part of Woden Town?"

As an intelligence officer, Inès was naturally familiar with their good neighbors: "Are you talking about the infected guerrillas? What happened to them?"

"I got some very interesting information when I interrogated those prisoners." Hedley wiped his hands with a handful of snow. "I heard that the leader of that team is a Sarkaz, a Sarkaz we are very familiar with."

"...Who?" Inès subconsciously touched her horn. She was not a Sarkaz, and during her time in Kazdel, she mostly wandered around and fought. She rarely had the chance to explore the secrets of the Sarkaz, so naturally she knew nothing about the acquaintance Hedley mentioned.

But Hedley was different. Although he was one of the younger generation of the Sarkaz, he loved reading and understanding history, and he was well aware of the recent changes in the Sarkaz. Especially regarding the dethronement and enthronement of the Ten Kings Court, he dared to say that no one present knew this period of history better than him.

"The leader of the infected guerrillas, 'Patriot' Bozhukasti. He is a Sarkaz, and a Sarkaz of extremely noble status, at least he used to be like that." Hedley lowered his voice and slowly revealed the secret:

"Have you heard of the Wendigo? One of the Ten Royal Courts. During the Kazdel Civil War, the head of the Wendigo court grew tired of the endless internal conflict and led the remaining tribesmen away from Kazdel, seeking survival in Ursus. The head of the Wendigo court at the time was Bodracasti. Although it's unknown why he's the only Wendigo left now, his status and power are enough to be recognized by all Sarkaz."

"You want to join them?" Inès frowned, but then thought of something: "Yes, our mercenary group is almost entirely infected. If you want to join them, no one on either side of the guerrillas or us will object. After all, the leader of the guerrillas is that Wendigo. The only problem is that once we decide to join the guerrillas, you will no longer be the leader of this team. Hedley, no matter how correct your previous leadership was, you will never be able to shake the position of the Lord of the Royal Court."

"I know. But this might be better for me, for us." Hedley nodded. He had already considered Inès's concerns. "Don't forget why we came to this snowy plain. We have to find a way to avoid His Majesty Tracys's eyes and ears, and at the same time, we have to create something in Ursus that will gain the approval of the Sarkaz Military Council. This mission is too dangerous for us, so I have been thinking of a way to escape, a strategy that allows me to retreat from the front and backstage. Joining the infected guerrillas might be our best choice."

"I think it's better to think it over carefully." Inès did not hastily agree with Hedley's idea. As a scout of the team, she naturally knew about the team not far from them.

"The Infected Guerrillas are not a reliable warship. Quite the contrary. I believe they could crash at any moment. The Infected's position in Ursus is almost the same as that of the Sarkaz. Following them could be a dead end."

"That's why I didn't announce my departure the moment I got the news." Hedley sighed. How could he not know what Inès said?

Between two evils, he must choose the lesser of two evils. As a leader, he must make a decision for his team in advance. Should he retreat into seclusion and leave his fate to the Infected Guerrillas? Or should he lead this Sarkaz mercenary group, which could be destroyed at any moment, and roam the snowy plains?

Hedley was caught in a rare dilemma.

"Wow, I was wondering why I didn't see you two around. So you're hiding out here, eating?" Just as the two were discussing, a frivolous voice rang out from outside the tent. W, a wooden skewer dangling from his lips, kicked open the door curtain and shoved his way to Inès's side. "Wow, roast leg meat? Can I have some?"

The two looked at each other and stopped communicating tacitly. Inès glared at W with disgust and casually stuffed her barbecue skewer into W's hand: "I poisoned it."

"I'll eat it even if it's poisoned." W stuck out his tongue and swallowed it in big gulps, ignoring the saliva marks of Ines on it.

After finishing the remaining barbecue in a few bites, W wiped his mouth and said contentedly, "You two are really brave, discussing this kind of thing openly in the tent."

"Aren't you here? You're not dead." Inès said lightly. Her Originium skills had already discovered that W was guarding outside the door.

W pouted and wiped her greasy hands on Inès's cloak without any courtesy. "Stop talking nonsense. I didn't want to come in and disturb you guys talking about love, but now something has happened."

Hedley frowned: "What happened?"

"Business has come to us." W smacked his lips and smiled meaningfully. "The patrolling crossbowmen apprehended a businessman. He said he has a big deal he wants to discuss with you."

PS: After hesitating for a long time, I decided not to ask for leave. I love you guys~~~

A General's Success: 39 Deals with the Devil Part

The sky of Ursus seems to be filled with endless snow. Even when spring is approaching, the cold and snow continue to fall endlessly.