Iron Power And Sorcerer

Iron Power And Sorcerer Chapter 285

2021-03-22

Chapter 285 Probing
The sun rose to the height of the branches, and two riders rode their horses on the river bank Row.

Tamas, who was leading the way in front, suddenly slowed down, and Winters, who was behind, also suddenly stopped the horse.

"There, Hundred-Men Commander." Tamas pointed finger towards a bend in the Bighorn River: "The barbarian is the anchor there."

The warhorse fell uneasy He stomped his legs, as if he could smell the bloody smell left in the air.

Winters tugged at the reins, inspecting and evaluating the dams, slopes, ravines and rivers ahead.

After a moment of contemplation, he took out an atlas with a blackened cover, drew a few strokes, and put it back in his saddlebag: "Go, go down and see!"

Winters just double With a little force on the legs, the spirit horse immediately understood.

Tall and slender mixed-race horses with black sandalwood, white star forehead, and tall slender bodies leaped down from the earthen embankment, galloping toward the river bank like a joy, raising a puff of dust.

Tamas didn't have such equestrian skills, he cautiously trotted down the slope and hurried to keep up.

The battlefield has been swept clean, the birds are chirping, and the river flows quietly to the north.

If you don't pay attention to the red and black blood between the cracks, you can't tell that there was a fight here a few hours ago.

Q: In a close-range duel between a bow and arrow and a stone, who wins?
Answer: The more people win.

Not many people in Teltown were crushed to death on the spot, but many were injured. Seeing that the battle was unfavorable, they cut the anchor ropes without the slightest hesitation and fled back to the west bank by drifting.

After the war, three corpses were fished out in a row, all of which were drowned, one of which was wearing a red feather helmet; two downstream reported six floating corpses.

A total of nine enemies were killed, the enemy was injured unknown, two horn bows were captured, and 82 arrow clusters were recovered; three of them were seriously injured and some were slightly injured.

Looking at the numbers alone, this battle seems child's play.

However, for the combatants, they are trying their best to kill each other at the risk of losing their lives at any time - this matter, only those who have really fought against the arrows, shaking knees, and clenching their teeth. people can understand.

So it's a victory, not a big one, but there's no doubt about it.

It was only after dawn that Winters learned of the series of skirmishes.

Not because he was going to sleep in late, but because he was already on his way to another battlefield when the 1st Company messenger returned to the Oxhoof Valley.

Last night wasn't just one bloodbath, but three battles in a row. The other two encounters, both in the 12th Company's defense zone, were larger and more intense.

Three groups of people from Teltown, the time difference for crossing the river is less than two hours, and the distance across the river is nearly 40 kilometers.

Winters changed horses five times and rode more than 60 kilometers for the round trip alone.

So at this moment, Shire and Heinrich, who have always followed closely, were not by Winters' side-the two were unable to walk steadily when they left the saddle, and were ordered to rest by Winters.

Arriving on the shore, Winters dismounted and paced along the beach. His eyes swept across the water, the hillside, and down to the valley's horizon.

Seeing the Hundred-Men Commander observing the terrain, Tamas didn't dare to bother. He studied the Hundred-Men Commander, and looked all around, but it seemed to be nothing but water, grass, stones and earth.

Suddenly, Winters stopped. Tamas saw the Hundred-Men Commander bent down, as if picking up something.

After taking a few glances, Winters handed the item to the company commander and said peacefully, "Bone arrow."

Tamas took a closer look - it was a polished bone quality arrow, but the tip of the arrow has been broken.

As a veteran of the Great Wasteland War, Tamas knows something about his enemies. Although stone arrows and bone arrows are still widely used by the Heard tribes, at least the Turdun tribe has iron arrows.

Thus Tamas was a little puzzled: "Telden barbarians also use bone arrows and stone arrows? Don't they have iron arrows? Just to prevent us from using their arrows?"

“How many arrow clusters were recovered?” Winters asked.

"There are only more than 80 arrowheads intact, and some arrow shafts." Tamas is quite helpless: "The stone arrowheads and bone arrowheads shot on the stone are all broken."

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"No iron?"

Tamas, after thinking about it carefully, answered seriously: "No iron."

"No one else knows." Winters paced Contemplating: "The fire roaster's pro-leader should have iron arrows."

"You mean...the barbarian elite didn't come last night?"

"Why not Send elites?" Winters asked back: "Why didn't Pioneer Qiangdu send elites?"

"I...I don't know." Tamas' forehead began to sweat.

"You are already the acting battalion commander, you need to think about it."

Tamas said hesitantly: "It may be to test us, or to kill us."

"en." Winters nods: "On the surface, it looks like this."

"What about the inside?"

"Me too I don't know." A smile appeared in Winters' eyes: "War is the art of deception."

Tamas was completely lost.

Winters changed the subject: "The barbarian anchored here last night?"

"Yes, it's right here."

Winters was on the river At the corner of the bay, the river flows clockwise.

The west bank outside the river bay has fast water speed and deep river bed, while the east bank inside the river bay has slow water speed and shallow river bed.

“The people of Teltown have a good eye, and it’s a good ferry.” Winters commented: “Crossing from here doesn’t even need to send people to the shore, but into shallow water. There are only a few steps left. You can walk ashore. What did the Teltown people do last night other than anchor?"

"Not quite clear." Tamas was ashamed: "My horse was hit by two arrows, He ran out for miles like crazy. Last night, Sergeant Bunnier was in command. According to him, the barbarians seemed to be dragging something out of the water.”

“Drag something out?” Winters shook the head: "I think it's hanging down first, then dragging it up - it's supposed to be measuring the water depth."

"Measuring the water depth?" Tamas started and asked incredulously: "The Turtleton Barbarian is it possible that you want to learn and sell now? Also build a bridge over the Big Horn River?"

"The monkey's butt face shouldn't be so stupid." Winters smiled: "If the people of Teltown were building pilings on the river, A bridge is like putting a noose around your neck."

"Why?" Tamas's mood was twisted and turned.

"Time." Winters said flatly: "The weather is getting colder and less forage every day, and they don't have much time. But it's a good ferry."

>

"I will send people to focus on monitoring here!" Tamas immediately refreshed his spirits.

Winters asked at a moderate pace, "How did you know they were going to cross the river here?"

"I...this..." Tamas was speechless.

"In terms of terrain alone, there are more than 40 locations in Zhongtiefeng County that are suitable for forced crossing." Winters patiently explained to the first company commander and acting battalion commander: "We may be able to control these forty points with our best efforts. In many places, however, this mentality may also be used in reverse by Teltown people."

"Then... what do we do?"

Winters' tone changed little by little. Formal: "We have tried every means to deceive and mislead the Teltown people, and the Teltown people are doing their best to deceive us. I ask you, are the fire roasters still on the other side?"

"In?" Tamas has dare not answer.

"Why?"

"That flag is still..."

"I'm in Oxhoof Valley, did Oxhoof Valley raise my flag? Winters' tone was so calm that there was not a trace of emotion:
"The fire-boilers may already not in the other side, and the elites of the Terdun people may have quietly set up camp; Prepare for the forced crossing; as for the enemy who came last night, it may be an elite who deliberately switched to bone arrows, or it may just be a group of slave soldiers. Even if it is the information that has been eaten, it may be poisonous meatballs.”

Tamas struggled to keep up with the Hundred-Men Commander's train of thought: "Then... what to do?"

"No way." Winters sounded like he was talking about the weather: "Intelligence It is always incomplete, true and false, and complicated. The old marshal said that the commander's responsibility is to make correct judgments through limited, true and false information."

" I'm lucky to have you here." Tamas licked his lips and said sincerely, "I don't need to think about this, or I'll definitely go crazy."

Having heard such a blunt flattery before, Winters They will all face up and reprimand them.

But this time, he didn't say anything, just sighed and kicked a pebble at the edge of his boot into the river at random.

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you." Winters was a little disinterested: "I don't have the ability. For example, I can't tell what's going on on the other side of the river, and I can't feel what the fire roaster thinks. What a trick."

Tamas felt a sudden panic when he heard such dejected remarks from the omnipotent's Hundred-Men Commander. Sweat dripped from his forehead and back, his heart was pounding, his mouth was involuntarily dry, and his palms were cold.

But when the unease crossed the threshold, Tamas became indifferent. There was only a single thought left in his mind, and this thought was as solid as a foundation.

"I'll hit wherever you point it." Tamas was firm in his heart: "I'll do what you say."

"Tools The mentality is bad."

"I am willing to be a tool for you. Can you tell us what to do?"

"What should we do? If you can't guess, then don't go at all. Guess." Winters laughed loudly: "I'll stand still as he blows the wind and rain."

Tamas chewed on the sentence.

Winters looked into the eyes of the company commander and asked, "What is the 1st Stage of the rainstorm project?"

Tamas responded reflexively: "Block by the river! Let no one pass. River!"

"Time is not on the enemy's side." Winters' words were clear: "No matter what the cost, no matter what crafty plots and machinations the monkey's butt face may have, we will only defend the riverbank of Middle Iron Peak. Not only can't be led by him, but also force him to walk the road we made, it's that simple."

Tamas raised his hand and saluted.

He solemnly requested: "In the battle last night, the first company suffered a loss because it couldn't reach the barbarians. Please send some muskets, bows and arrows. Even if there are more barbarians, I will definitely guard them. When the reinforcements arrive."

"It's my negligence that you suffer a loss." Winters laughed softly: "The old marshal's handbook wrote that if the sword and shield fighters lacked the cover of bows, crossbows, and muskets, they should be equipped with Javelin. It is also written in the handbook that 'sword and shield hands should bring six stones'. I used to wonder what the stones were used for, I thought it was a clerical error, but now I understand."

"If there is no bow and musket, You can also send some hemp rope." Tamas said eagerly: "I'm already having a company practice slings."

"Yes, keep practicing. The other companies should also let them practice. ." Winters patted Tamas' shoulder: "In addition, I have prepared 80 archers for you - each of you has 80 archers. Whether you can control them depends on your ability."

……

With the assistance of Father Kaman and the priest of the Oxhoe Valley Church, the men, women and children in the Oxhoe Valley City were successfully divided into two camps: men and women.

Winters set aside a separate area in the town for women and children to live in, and even built a small inner city for this purpose, which is strictly forbidden for adult males to enter.

On the one hand, it is to protect the safety of women and children, and on the other hand, it is to physically separate the women's and men's camps.

"The barbarians are on the other side. In front of the enemy, whoever dares to act indiscriminately and violate public order and good customs will be hanged as collaborators." Winters publicly told the civilians of Niuhogu: "Gentlemen, show your courage, your sons and daughters. , wife and mother are counting on you. Guarding Oxhoof Valley is guarding them! Whoever is cowardly and afraid of fighting is betraying everyone."

If it is a warm and open sea blue, forcibly separate men and women There's bound to be some trouble.

However, Iron Peak County is located on the border of Palatu, with a closed environment and conservative folk customs.

Winters' policy of [separating men and women] has been lauded instead -- especially among the ladies and the middle-aged and older fogeys.

Because not long after the asylum crowd poured into the Niuho Valley, a gang rape case that shocked the people of Niuho Valley occurred in the temporary shack where the refugees lived.

The criminal hurried through the entire trial and was publicly hanged.

According to the local customary law in Palato, the father of the victim first inserts a dagger into the chest of each prisoner on behalf of the victim - because it will not die immediately, it is not considered a murder.

Then the tribune of Montagne himself pulled down the lever and tore off the criminal's neck bone.

Although "the trial came quickly", the shock of this vicious case to the people of Niuhogu could not subside for a long time.

For a time, the original residents of Niutigu Town regarded the refugees as beasts of the flood—thousands of people were suddenly crowded into the small town, not only vicious cases, but also petty thefts became more frequent.

Indigenous residents are even reluctant to let refugees enter the church to pray.

The asylum seekers were equally aggrieved. They were farmers from nearby villages who had families and businesses, but had no choice but to leave their homes and flee to the town.

Now living in low shacks, eating shoddy food, and receiving cold eyes from the townspeople.

The conflict intensified overnight.

First there were a few quarrels, and then four, five and a half boys fought each other, and then the youngster from the town and the youngster from the farm went back to invite friends and friends, and more and more people gathered in the square.

The two sides are holding equipment, and they are about to fight. Even the mayor and the village chiefs can't stop it.

At that time, Winters was patrolling the river defense, and finally Samukin came forward to solve the incident.

Samujin has accumulated considerable experience in dealing with mob.

He dispatched the cavalry first, and only one charge of thirty riders separated the two groups. The rider swung the cane whip like a saber, causing the two sides facing off in the square to cry.

Then Samukin fired a round of guns—without buckshot, to completely disperse the crowd.

After the tribune of Montagne returned to the city, the dispersed crowd was picked up by the gendarmerie from house to house.

"Don't you like fighting?" In the face of hundreds of bloody nose and swollen face, listless private fighters, Winters coldly issued a verdict: "I will show you the real battlefield."

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