Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Chapter 811 811 78 Dagger Appears_2

?Chapter 811: Chapter 78: Dagger Appears_2 Chapter 811: Chapter 78: Dagger Appears_2 This made it possible for Winters to concentrate his energy on more crucial matters.

Bard gazed at the fiercely burning forest, his face showing worry, as he murmured to himself, “We’ve cornered the Terdon Tribe; they’re going to fight desperately.”

Winters pursed his lips and remained silent.

According to the original battle plan, the fire was to be the signal for the general attack, which should at least have waited until the third and even the fourth line of defense was fully constructed.

By that time, even if the Terdon Tribe wanted to fight to the death, the troops from Iron Peak County could rely on their fortifications and fortresses to block the enemy, exhausting their vigor.

If possible, it was even better to delay the Terdon people as long as possible until they were weary and their horses tired.

But now the cage was not yet secure, and the fierce beast had been startled, leaving the people of Iron Peak County facing a bloody battle, perhaps even a failure to achieve their goals.

“If my conjecture is not wrong,” Winters clenched his fists tightly, a statuette of a shield-bearing goddess in his palm, “the Terdon tribe’s counterattack won’t be as strong as previously expected—I really hope I am wrong.”

“Don’t worry about whether you’re right or wrong,” Bard said to Winters. “To avoid greater risk, this is a risk that needs to be taken.”

Winters’ warhorse lowered its head, snorting loudly, and continually pawing at the ground. Perhaps it scented the pungent smoke, or perhaps it sensed its master’s anxious mood.

Leaving Bard in command of headquarters, Winters led Xial and Heinrich down from the hill, galloping along the battle line.

In the original battle plan, the third line of defense was not just a “wall.”

Walls and trenches formed the basis of all defenses, and on this base could be built bastions, arrow towers, breastworks. With each day’s preparation, this defense line would become stronger, increasing Winters’ confidence.

“Are you ready?” Winters asked himself; he did not know.

But he could not let this emotion show, because the soldiers, militiamen, and even women guarding various valleys, narrow passes, and chokepoints placed all their hope in him.

As the formidable Herdman gradually got trapped in this constrained area, the people of Iron Peak County developed a fervent admiration for Winters.

Since very few people had seen Winters in person, their fervent adoration shifted to his red flag.

As Winters rode along the battle line, men and women who saw the red flag passing through the night cheered excitedly, as if its mere sighting signified victory.

Such enthusiasm could be harmful to some extent—Winters realized this calmly.

However, he could not only not suppress this fervor, but he had to strive to maintain it.

In a battle, what was contested was not just armor and stamina, but also courage and will.

If an army believed they would undoubtedly win, it meant they could endure greater casualties, withstand more pain, persist longer, which meant they could indeed achieve victory.

Winters had never learned how to be a general; did the old Field Marshal feel the same perplexity when faced with the roar of thousands of troops? He did not know.

Did the famous generals shining in history books accept such enthusiastic emotions calmly, even naturally considering themselves divinely chosen?

Or did they feel uneasy, always reminding themselves that “all men must die”?

Growing up, Winters’ role model had been his adoptive father. He looked to Antonio Serviati’s retreating figure, groping his way here in the absence of guidance.

But only when he was about to truly touch his adoptive father’s shadow did he realize that he knew nothing of his adoptive father’s inner world.

Had Antonio never been confused, or did he simply not show it? Winters did not know; he had never discussed these matters with his adoptive father.

He longed for Antonio’s guidance, but with thousands of miles between them, he could only emulate Antonio:
Concealing emotions, silently accepting cheers and salutations, returning them in silence, revealing nothing.

…

The fire continued until dawn and had not yet burned out when the Terdon people launched their attack.

Suddenly, the entire line was in distress, messengers seeking assistance came as frequently as hail, as if every platoon and every defensive line was under full-force attack by the elite of the Terdon Tribe tents.

This was clearly a specialty of the Herders: to feint or simply divide forces, stretching the defenders’ manpower; as soon as defenders showed a weakness, the dispersed Herder cavalry would regroup and strike forcefully at one point.

This time, the Terdon people were no longer half-hearted; they had been driven to desperation;
The people of Iron Peak County were also aware that victory or defeat was at this moment, everyone in Shizhen and Niutigu Valley was mobilized including women and children who were also transporting dirt and stone on the battlefield, collecting arrows, or even wielding weapons themselves.

Terdon men hung with soot raised crude siege ladders, siege hammers, and broad shields—staying put did not mean they were idle.

However, hastily made siege engines were few in number, and more than half had been destroyed by the great fire.

Thus, most Terdon people still employed the old tactics: shield-bearers advanced on foot, archers dismounted to cover, while others dug and filled trenches or tore down walls, with small groups of cavalry navigating difficult terrain for flanking maneuvers.

The first and twelfth platoons, stationed on the main road, faced repeated charges by at least four Terdon hundreds squads.

The Herders might be barbaric, but they were not merely instinct-driven beasts.