The next morning, Roland learned of the approaching force. Lightning's routine patrol spotted the slow-moving group.
"What? Over a thousand people?" He froze in shock. Hadn't they agreed on a fifty-member envoy delegation?
"Hmm," Maxie added, "but there aren't many horsemen—only six!" "What about the foot soldiers... their uniforms and weapons?" "They're pretty basic," Lightning said. "Most don't even have armor, just plain linen clothes. The weapons are all sorts, though a few hundred carry short spears on their backs." "With such poor gear, are they all conscripted civilians or serfs?" Roland wondered. "There's no specialized training for militia in this era. They're essentially logistics teams for the Knight forces, responsible for transporting supplies and sometimes even serving as cannon fodder to drain the enemy's arrows."
If Tifekko intended to resolve the conflict by force, he would inevitably confront the battle between the Long Song Fortress and Border Town. The Duke of Lain's allied forces—over two hundred Knights—had barely reached the town's outskirts, let alone the foot soldiers. Despite knowing the battle's outcome, they pressed forward, confident they could break through the dense volley of gunfire.
Roland couldn't help but think of the Church's pill.
He had previously speculated whether the Church, while supporting him and Garcia, might also be backing Tefiko. If all these individuals possessed the pills, the situation would be entirely different.
In a flash, it can make humans run as fast as horses without fear of injury. This means the line of cannons will face over a thousand 'Knights' charging at once. If even one breaches the formation, casualties will be inflicted on the First Army.
Fortunately, the First Army is no longer the same as it was just over two months ago.
Although only about a hundred rotating rifles had been replaced, their firepower density far exceeded that of the flintlock troops. With dedicated loaders assigned to each gunner, enemies within a 300-meter radius would face relentless attacks. The artillery unit was also expanded after the fortress battle, increasing from four to twenty groups. Each group now carries a modified twelve-pound field gun with a larger bore, extending its effective range to over a kilometer.
But Roland thought of another problem.
"Did you notice those pedestrians wearing the God's Stone of Punishment?" "I couldn't get close enough," Lightning pointed at Maxie. "This guy's got a much clearer vision now that he's turned into an eagle." Maxie shook her head. "Didn't see it. Maybe it's hidden in his clothes, huh!" "Then..." Roland mused. "Take Nightingale on another flight. With just one person on your back, you can only fly about ten meters. Fly along the Chishui River, with Maxie keeping watch ahead. If you spot any passing ships, Nightingale will switch to fog mode and move forward." He turned to Nightingale. "Once you're close to the enemy, keep an eye on the main force from a distance to see if anyone's carrying the God's Stone of Punishment. Don't attack without authorization." "Agreed," Nightingale and Lightning said in unison.
Just as the three were about to set off, Roland called them back, "Remember, safety comes first—take care of yourselves." "No problem," Nightingale said with a smile, blinking her eyes.
After the Witches left, he felt a lingering unease. Was his final remark too much like raising a flag?
Moreover, he recognized a critical oversight in his operations: the inadequate intelligence on Changge Fortress. Had Pei Luo not dispatched a messenger, he might have faced the same predicament as when the enemy reached the doorstep. Once locked in street fighting, the First Army, having lost its firepower advantage, would find it nearly impossible to turn the tide.
Roland thought he was still too young and naive. This gap must be filled after the war—not just in intelligence, but also by planting his own people around Perro.
Prince sat at the table, restless and unmotivated to eat his lunch, until Lightning flew into the room like a sprite carrying the Nightingale, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Macy landed on Nightingale's shoulder with a soft flap of wings and called out, "No Goo, no Goo!" "No God's Stone of Punishment?" "Most of them don't," Nightingale said, pulling off her hood as golden hair cascaded down her face. "I've been watching from the front of the line to the end. Aside from the ten leaders, there are only three or four black holes in the militia." "Great," Roland thought, a preliminary battle plan forming in his mind. "You're all hungry, right? Go to the restaurant first and ask the chef what you'd like." "Goo, honey-baked meat!" Macy declared, wings spread wide and head held high.
...
Outside the east end of the town.
Vanne glanced at the busy stonemasons and workers lining the road. "What on earth are they building?" Hundreds of people had first dug several large pits into the ground, then built brick walls around them. He had assumed these walls would connect at both ends to block the road, but to his surprise, they were actually built around the pits.
"Who cares? I just know there's another enemy to take down," said Youpi excitedly as she secured the cannon mount in place.
Indeed, thought Vanna. After defeating the Duke's allied forces last time, Your Royal Highness had personally awarded each cannon crew member a bronze badge... Wait, a medal. The front featured the iconic high walls of the Long Song Fortress, while the reverse bore the era name and battle honors. Exquisitely crafted, it left the musketeers utterly envious.
Beyond this honor, everyone was promoted. Vanne now serves as the artillery team leader, overseeing ten artillery squads. The Rodney brothers, Cat Claw, and Grapefruit were promoted to squad leaders, with three of them assigned to newly formed units to train recruits in artillery operations.
Most excitingly, Your Royal Highness honored his promise by allocating a plot of land to Vanne at the foot of the Desperate Mountains on the eastern side of the town. Though it remains a forest for now, a stone monument has already been erected on the ground, symbolizing that the right to use this land now belongs to him.
When word spread that enemies were planning to invade the town, the First Army erupted in excitement. Everyone was eager to prove their worth in this battle.
As dusk fell, after a day of drills, Fan Na wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned against the gun mount to rest. He had spent the entire afternoon inspecting each artillery unit to ensure the recruits followed the firing procedures as required, his voice hoarse from shouting.
"Drink some water," Yu Pi said, handing over a leather bag.
"Thank you." Vanna unscrewed the lid and drank it in one go.
"I think I know what they're going to build," the former said with a smug smile.
"Is that so?" He returned the leather sack. The brick wall now rose to waist height, framing the pit into a hexagon. Yet each side had a narrow slit about thirty to forty centimeters above ground, resembling a window but slightly narrower. "It can't be a house, can it?" "That's correct. I just spoke with a stonemason," Yopi nodded. "He said Your Royal Highness devised this—where the musketeers could hide and fire without fear of retaliation. But it has a unique name: Your Highness calls it the bunker."