OBS Chapter 50 The rebels... were they really that bad?
Chapter 50 The rebels... were they really that bad?
In Manstein's view, the reason he was able to conquer the entire North was not only due to the right slogans and the elite army, but also because of the importance of his capable and strategist subordinates.
Gorman hailed from the Frostwolf tribe of the far north, possessing unparalleled fighting prowess and a terrifying record of single-handedly defeating an entire knightly order. His presence greatly boosted the morale of the rebels, striking fear into the hearts of the allied forces.
Anthony, who came from the capital, was a commander. He not only provided Manstein with a propaganda slogan for raising an army and won over a group of witches who had long harbored resentment against the church, but also planned a series of specific tactics and strategies for Manstein.
His strategies included attacking the northern border first and then conquering the western border, using defeated soldiers to drive away the enemy and then launching a surprise attack.
"My lord, I agree with Gorman's assessment this time. A baron is not worth our excessive attention; our focus should be on guarding against the movements of the core territories in the west."
Anthony pondered, "But that doesn't mean we can underestimate them and advance rashly. Ronan is definitely prepared for us and will be using the natural defenses of the Fulong Valley area to his advantage. If we are unprepared, even if we win, we will suffer unnecessary losses, which will hinder our subsequent advance."
Manstein nodded. "So what you mean is?"
"Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. We must crush them directly, giving them no chance to maneuver or counterattack. Once we capture Fulong Valley, the gateway to the west, we will be able to attack or defend at will, maintaining the initiative no matter what we do next."
"Okay, let's do it this way."
Manstein immediately dispatched four thousand elite troops, led by Gormann, to launch a surprise attack. This was the maximum force they could muster without compromising mobility.
To prevent being surrounded in the valley, Manstein divided his 4,000 elite troops into three routes:
The main force of cavalry in the central route consisted of 3,000 men. They were stationed on the open plain outside Fulong Valley, forming a defensive line. 200 elite troops were sent out as a feint attack vanguard to draw the main force of the Thorn Territory to the valley entrance, preventing them from making any easy moves.
At the same time, five hundred light infantrymen skilled in mountain warfare were deployed on each side, infiltrating and flanking through the forests and paths on both sides of the valley to disrupt the defenders' formation.
A witch who can control plants in combat will infiltrate the enemy forces to deal with high-level combatants such as knights or witches that the defending side may send.
Once the defenders' formation is completely disrupted, the main force can then enter and finish off the remaining enemy forces, ending the battle from both sides.
"Sigh, you scholars are so troublesome. A matter that could be resolved with a single charge has to be resolved by going through so many roundabout ways."
Gorman made no secret of his opinion on Anthony, but still carried out the plan.
"Brothers, follow me! Let's crush those Western scum's throats!"
The response to Gorman's call was a resounding battle cry. Four thousand elite cavalrymen kicked up a cloud of dust and charged toward Fulong Valley.
"Unfortunately, we wasted too much time in the Fallen Star Forest in search of the legendary ancient artifacts."
Anthony frowned slightly. "The Thorn Territory had just quelled that rout and was theoretically the most preoccupied with its own problems. The entire Western Territory was also unprepared. If we had been able to advance in one fell swoop then, things would probably have gone much more smoothly."
"Anthony, your hypothesis is certainly better, but it's impossible to achieve in reality."
Manstein glanced at him. "War is an extension of politics. We used those slogans to win over those witches to fight for us, so we should also meet their demands to a certain extent. After all, those ancient relics are their hope for salvation."
"But they were actually just a pile of broken glass and metal."
Anthony couldn't help but say, "As you've seen, no matter how those witches tried to activate them with magical energy, they didn't react at all. We've wasted almost a month on these ancient relics!"
"If we don't find them, we'll probably waste more than a month. In other words, this further lulls the Western Frontier into a false sense of security, doesn't it?"
Manstein smiled and said, "A little incident is nothing to worry about; the story will end with our victory."
"I hope so... but what really worries me is that tyrannical serpent that dwells in the far northern mountains. A while ago it suddenly left its lair and rushed westward, injuring many of our soldiers. But it didn't go on a killing spree against us; instead, it continued westward, as if something in the western borderland was more attractive to it."
Anthony frowned slightly and said, "What's even stranger is that our spies in the Western Territory haven't reported any information yet. We only found traces of its movement in the White River area just now, as if it disappeared directly in the Fulong Valley area after entering the Western Territory. This is truly bizarre!"
Manstein glanced at him: "You mean, that Tyrant Serpent might have met its end in Thorn Territory?"
"Reason tells me that this is far beyond the capabilities of a single baron. While it's possible it might have altered its course, if Thornholde truly did drive it out or kill it, then we must reassess the situation within Thornholde!"
Manstein remained silent for a long time.
"I think you're overthinking it. The temperament of evil beasts is inherently unpredictable, and trying to figure out their behavior is pointless. It's different from military operations."
He seemed thoughtful. "However, if Thorn Territory can emerge unscathed from such a monstrous beast, then our attack today might not go particularly smoothly..."
Almost simultaneously, an inconspicuous sparrow flew into the large tent on the other side of Fulong Valley.
"Oh my god, I'm exhausted! I've never flown like this before!"
After giving a swift report on the rebels' movements, Scarlett, disregarding the fact that she was still a bird, sprawled out in a relaxed, sprawling position near the candlestick on the table. "You'd better give me extra food when we get back, you hear me?"
"Add more! Add as much as you can!"
Ronan raised the corners of his mouth.
The rebels' deployment was meticulous; they did not underestimate him, a mere baron, making it a textbook example of an offensive in this era.
Unfortunately, he has the full map cheat code, and even textbooks can't beat open-book exams.
Soon, Ronan formulated a strategy based on the rebels' movements:
On one hand, only 10 battalions of troops remained in Fulong Valley, relying on the fortifications such as chevaux-de-frise, trenches, and low walls set up in the early stage to deliberately create the illusion that the main force was here. Lilith cooperated by making the sounds of gongs and horns to create a false impression of strength. The remaining 10 battalions of troops, based on the experience of previous exercises, were divided and deployed to the mountain trails on both sides to block all routes.
This time, Haiyue and Liyan, who previously played the role of the attacking witches, finally became their allies.
Scarlett will enter a free-hunting mode, relying on her unique stealth to target rebel scouts, captains, and other command nodes, cutting off the rebels' command chain.
He himself will stay on the front lines with Madale to hold the line.
The 10 battalions will be supported by fortifications and divided into multiple lines of defense. The fully armored configuration will give the militia a very high defensive margin, and even if the rebels are desperate and want to launch a full-scale attack at any cost, they will have to pay a bloody price.
"well?"
Just as Meidel was about to head to the front lines, she paused for a moment, suddenly feeling a strange surge of power within her body.
She turned her questioning gaze to Ronan: "Did you do this?"
"Hmm. One attempt."
Seeing the message pop up that [Assault Protocol - Vanguard] had entered cooldown, Ronan drew his sword and went to her side.
"Let's go together."
"it is good."
……
"One team is in position!"
"Team Two, received. Prepare for operation according to plan!"
In the woods on the right side of Fulong Valley, Fermi immediately lowered his body after arriving at the designated position and aimed his crossbow at the path ahead.
This is a concealed vantage point, with the dense canopy providing excellent cover. With just three or four crossbows, even an enemy several times their size wouldn't be able to get past from below.
They also set up a series of traps nearby, which could also serve as both a weapon and a defense.
However, Fermi didn't relax in the slightest; in fact, he was even more tense than during regular exercises. The reason was simple—their opponents were rebels, the demons who had made their lives a living hell just over a month ago. Had he truly become strong enough to contend with them in such a short time?
Fermi wasn't actually that confident, but he wouldn't back down because of it.
Because behind him lies Thorn Territory, and he had finally achieved a new life; how could he allow it to be trampled upon by the rebels?
We'll fight them to the death!
Thinking this, Fermi felt a surge of excitement well up inside him, and all his fear and tension vanished. However, he didn't become overly excited; instead, he entered a hunter's focused state, which is why he became a sharpshooter.
Before long, several casual figures appeared in the distance.
Those were the vanguard of the rebels—they were dressed in light armor, carrying swords and crossbows, and their expressions were somewhat nonchalant. They simply glanced around and checked a few conspicuous bushes.
Fermi was somewhat surprised to find that these rebels, whom he had once feared like tigers, seemed to be nothing special after all.
It was far inferior to the brother unit that played the offensive side in the exercise—that old guy Payne would call on Li Yan to provide fire support at the drop of a hat, trying every means to increase the intensity of his attack.
The rebel vanguard, completely unaware that they had entered the encirclement of the Thorn Territory militia, continued to march forward on their own.
They were already considered elite troops, and they had done all the necessary precautions and checks. However, in their view, the garrison was clearly not worth their excessive caution, a lesson that had been proven in many battles in the North.
Therefore, when the first soldier whose foot was pierced by the trap cried out in pain, the other rebels assumed that he had been bitten by some poisonous snake or insect.
The next moment, the inconspicuous bushes and weeds around them suddenly pulled out crossbow bolts and unleashed a deadly rain of arrows upon them.
"beat!"
Fermi pulled the trigger, and the officer-looking guy was shot in the head with a single arrow.
The remaining militiamen responded, firing at the enemy they were aiming at. The rebel vanguard fell to the ground in disarray.
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