Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters
Chapter 1196 - 24 The Great Alliance Moves Forward (9)_3

Chapter 1196: Chapter 24 The Great Alliance Moves Forward (9)_3

The space at the top of the bell tower is cramped, unable to accommodate two people, so the Officer of Baishan County can only stand on the steps to speak.

"They want to encircle us and catch us all in one go." Colonel Gaisa briefly reported the military situation: "Captain Luosong confirmed, at least three battalions of enemy forces are advancing upstream, and they’re not flying the banner of the New Reclamation Legion."

Colonel Bod did not panic; instead, he felt an indescribable relief. He unbuttoned his collar, pushed aside the bronze bell to make room for Colonel Gaisa, and nodded, indicating for him to come upstairs:

"So, the enemy force scale we’ve scouted matches the intelligence sent by Montaigne—the New Reclamation Legion’s banner is not used because it is not the New Reclamation Legion at all, but the Sixth Legion sent by Kingsfort."

Colonel Bod reflected half in appreciation, half in sarcasm: "Grof Magnus, the Viper... truly daring! Apart from the remnants of General Sekler’s reconstituted New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, the Grand Council only has two newly assembled field armies. Yet, he dared to stake half of his chips at one go, truly a bold and grand gesture."

Colonel Gaisa reluctantly squeezed onto the top floor of the bell tower, and to avoid crowding his senior, half of his body almost leaned out of the window.

Upon hearing his senior’s words, Gaisa gritted his teeth, his fingers gripping the window frame tightly, veins bulging, and his eyes almost aflame with anger:

"Those people of Alpad are useless! They actually let the puppet government extract half of the field forces so easily to the New Reclaimed Land. If they could apply even a tiny bit of pressure on the Ashen Stream River defense line, Kingsfort would never dare move their troops like this!"

Colonel Bod’s gaze swept over the wilderness of the Newly Reclaimed Land, contentedly breathing in the air mixed with dust, the scent of the wilderness, and the sweet aroma of malt, before speaking.

He neither complained about the military government’s inadequate containment of Kingsfort on the North Shore, nor did he pursue responsibility for failing to build defensive works in River Valley Village in advance.

He simply leaned against the windowsill, smiling, saying: "Alpad cannot hear your complaints. That half of the ’Sixth Legion’ currently flanking us is our problem."

Gaisa lowered his head, his Adam’s apple moving, and after a long silence, he spoke with guilt, "Senior, it was my misjudgment... I’m sorry."

"Gaisa Adonis actually apologizes?" Colonel Bod laughed heartily, affectionately punching his junior’s shoulder: "Since the early school days, you’ve been the toughest guy, always accepting punishment but never admitting wrongs! What now? After several years of wasting away in the Newly Reclaimed Land, even this stone from the latrine has had its sharp edges worn down?"

Upon hearing Colonel Bod’s seemingly disparaging, yet actually forgiving words, Gaisa felt even more guilty.

The previous day, when the Allied Forces arrived in River Valley Village, Colonel Bod suggested at the officers’ regular meeting that the terrain of River Valley Village was excellent and could be expanded into a defensive camp; it could serve as the main camp for the Allied Forces and also as a logistics transfer station, protecting the supply line and preventing the enemy from using delaying tactics.

However, the three-county officers, eager to engage in a main battle with the Council Army after only just discovering the main enemy forces’ whereabouts, voted against Colonel Bod’s proposal.

Their reasons were also sufficient: firstly, after continuous marching, the soldiers were exhausted and irritable, lacking the energy to build permanent camps;

Secondly, if the enemy wanted to use delaying tactics—remaining defensive while cutting off the supply line, the Cavalry of the Allied Forces would be more than capable to handle it;

Finally, and most importantly, since the main enemy forces’ movements were detected, they should be swiftly annihilated; wasting precious time digging trenches and building walls and allowing the enemy to escape could mean everything would go to waste.

After the meeting, there were even some junior officers secretly discussing, thinking that Colonel Bod might have left too deep a shadow from the Great Wilderness Campaign, making him overly cautious and lacking vigor and courage.

By the time the scout reported the enemy scale, everything was already too late.

In fact, until the scout’s urgent report "[a large enemy force is advancing towards River Valley Village]" arrived, the officers of the three counties were still embroiled in the debate of whether to "launch a proactive attack," "hold ground operations," or to "temporarily retreat and join forces with the Iron Peak County troops."

No one could have imagined that the person who finally ended the internal strategic debate of the Allied Forces was not one of the three colonels of the Allied Forces but Sanel, situated on the other side of the battlefield at that moment.

Sanel struck first, launching an attack, leaving only one option for the Allied Forces.

Colonel Bod leaned against the windowsill of the top floor of the bell tower, his empty left sleeve fluttering in the wind outside the window. He spoke smoothly, as if playing chess rather than deciding the life and death of thousands:

"It’s too late to retreat; we’d be chased down and killed—and we have no way to retreat in the first place; we can’t count on Montaigne’s support—the enemy came too swiftly."

Colonel Bod took a small letter from his pocket: "According to the communication just sent by Montaigne, he only set off last night, and there is no way he could make it in time. Besides, we shouldn’t have counted on him in the first place; he already fulfilled his responsibility by keeping the other half of the Sixth Legion at Green Valley."

Colonel Gaisa took the letter, quickly scanned it, and his expression turned hesitant.

"Don’t count on anyone." Colonel Bod’s gaze was calm, but his tone was resolute: "Here, in River Valley Village, it’s just us, and we can only rely on ourselves."