Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The night before a storm is not always calm.

The arrival of the large green horsetail banner was like the beating of war drums, and the dormant Telton people took action.

The sentries on the embankment could hear the din of voices, the hammering, and the turning of wheels on the west bank all night long.

At the same time, Turdun's light horse went out in all directions, sweeping the river bank inch by inch.

The lurking posts Winters deployed on the other side were either forced to evacuate or died unfortunately.

A flexible, invisible, yet airtight net spreads out on the west bank of the Bighorn River, cutting off all sight of the outside world.

It is obvious that the Terdun people are working on the equipment to cross the river, which may be a sheepskin raft, a pontoon bridge, or even a warship.

No one knows what the Turdun Ministry is actually building, but one thing is clear - the fire-warmer is going to the other side, and he doesn't care if the people on the other side know about it.

The soldiers and civilians of Tiefeng County are also preparing for war day and night.

All the reeds, shrubs, and woods adjacent to the water were cut down and burned. Watchtowers and piers were erected one after another to strictly control every foot of the river and not give the enemy any chance to cross the river in secret.

The situation was like two ferocious beasts confronting each other. There was no growling or baring of teeth, because both sides knew very well that the other side could not be intimidated.

Therefore, the two ferocious beasts adopted a true fighting posture: their bodies were low and their muscles were tense, staring at the enemy and silently accumulating strength.

Quietly, the atmosphere became solemn. Even the veterans became nervous unconsciously, let alone the civilians.

If anyone else can eat well and sleep well, it seems that only Winters Montagne is there.

At least among the haggard, tired-looking crowd of Oxhoof Valley delegates, Winters was the only one smiling.

"Gentlemen." Winters got straight to the point: "You are all respectable gentlemen of this town and the real leaders of Oxhoof Valley. We are facing a powerful enemy and I have called you here for one thing only."

Upon hearing this, some people's faces were earth-colored, some people's eyes were dull, and some people's expressions were numb.

What else could happen? It’s nothing more than raising taxes and levies.

The town hall was so quiet that you could hear your pulse beating. Everyone was waiting for their boots to hit the floor.

Winters paused for a moment, looked around at everyone, and uttered one word clearly: "Toilet."

Half the people in the hall thought they heard wrong.

The other half moved their butts uncomfortably, thinking that the tribunes were going to introduce a new tax - a toilet tax.

"Starting early this morning, Niuti Valley is officially under military control." Winters and Yan Yuese explained to the delegates: "Martial control requires marching laws. Military law strictly prohibits open defecation and dumping of feces and urine."

He admonished: "I saw someone setting up two wooden boards on the window sill and squatting directly on them to defecate. This kind of behavior is prohibited from now on. Violators will be fined, whipped, and hard labor. I hope you will set an example and convey it seriously. Do you understand? "

The impromptu meeting discussed this matter and ended soon.

The public opinion representatives walked out of the town hall in a daze and stood on the street looking at each other. No one was speechless.

Even if the tribune of Montagne had ordered that taxes be postponed for thirty years, they would not have been so alarmed.

But the gentry could never have imagined that the tribune summoned them seriously just to "dig a toilet."

"This, this, this..." A tall, thin public representative's face turned red and he complained in a low voice: "What is this? The barbarian is just across the river. He doesn't want to fight and teaches us how to dig toilets? How can he look like a general! This is not the case. Can we fight? I see, the Ox Hoof Valley will be over sooner or later! Let’s find a way to get to Gevaudan.”

Another short, fat public opinion representative disagreed: "What do you know? Being fearless in the face of danger and commanding with determination is the demeanor of a famous general. I think this blood wolf has real abilities and deserves his reputation."

"I don't understand, so you understand?" the tall and thin representative asked unconvinced.

"I really understand." The pudgy representative said proudly: "Back then, I was also a personal follower of General János. If it hadn't been for an arrow in my arm, maybe I would have..."

"What a bullshit follower! Just brag about it when you get the chance." The tall and thin representative exposed the opponent mercilessly. He mocked: "He's just a slave! If you were a follower of General János, how could you still be here?"

"Then don't worry, I know better than you anyway." The short and fat representative's face turned red and white for a while, and he pushed it in front of the tall and thin man: "I tell you! When General János was fighting, he didn't care about anything else every day. Check if the civilians have enough to eat. According to you, General János doesn’t know how to fight?"

The tall and thin man and the short and fat man have always been at odds with each other. They would quarrel every chance they got, and occasionally they would get into serious fights.

An experienced public representative standing next to him pulled the two of them apart and said warmly: "Everyone is right, what you said is right. Your Excellency the tribune is also right. There were less than 300 people in Oxfoot Valley before, but what about now? Okay? Thousands of people! If there is really a plague, none of us can escape. Your Excellency asked us to dig the toilet, so dig it. The toilet can also be filled with saltpeter, isn't it good?"

"You can dig it if you like! He wants to separate men and women!" The tall and thin man was furious and shouted: "My family lives well, why do we need to separate? I want to give my house to others." Live? Why?"

"Keep your voice down! Do you want your life?" Representative Lao Cheng quickly stopped the other party: "If people hear you saying this to me, I will be implicated. You don't want your life, but we do too!"

The pudgy representative said bitterly: "Don't stop him, and don't persuade him. Just let him fight against the blood wolf and see if the blood wolf can take care of him!"

After saying that, the pudgy representative waved his hands and left.

"What are you doing?" The tall and thin representative suddenly felt a little scared - he was afraid that the other party was going to file a complaint.

"Dig the toilet!" The pudgy representative left without looking back.

The other representatives felt bored and dispersed.

Samkin, who came to see Winters, happened to witness this little farce.

Samujin didn't say anything, he just remembered a few people's faces. He rolled off his saddle and dismounted, sprinting into the town hall.

Seeing Samujin's furious look, Winters said jokingly: "What? Your monkey-ass face can't keep calm now and wants to start a fight?"

Samu Jin stood at attention and replied: "I have a boy who crossed the river for reconnaissance and just came back."

"Reconnaissance across the river?" A line appeared on Winters' eyebrows: "When did the Volunteer Brigade have the task of reconnaissance across the river?"

Reconnaissance itself is not an easy job. Going to enemy-controlled areas for reconnaissance requires only the most reliable and capable people to be competent.

Therefore, with one wrong step, grabbing the tongue will turn into sending the tongue, and detecting the enemy's situation will turn into sending intelligence to the enemy.

"He...he went by himself." Samujin's face was full of helplessness: "That kid, alas, is clever and has strong water skills. He first got a Hurd robe and put it in a basket and floated it to the other side, and then A river where people swim.”

Winters sighed heavily: "Just come back and bring him to see me."

"That kid." Samujin lowered his head and held his hat and said, "He was seriously injured and he was almost dying. He couldn't even speak. He just kept repeating 'wood' and 'wood'."

"Are you still alive?" Winters stood up while holding on to the table.

"One breath left."

"Take me to see him." Winters ignored the stiffness in his left leg and strode out the door: "Char!"

"I'm here!" Charles, who was brushing his horse, hurried over.

"Go find Carman!"

…

It was a boy who crossed the river privately to conduct reconnaissance.

The boy has big eyes, big ears, and a big head. There is a small scar on the tip of his nose. He is a clever guy who attracts people at first glance.

Judging by his appearance...he is still less than fifteen.

But Samkin said that the "boy" was actually over seventeen years old, but he had grown thin because he didn't have enough to eat.

Just look at the calluses on his hands and you know that he is already a qualified man.

Now, his life may stay at the age of seventeen forever.

Because he was hit by three arrows, one in his left arm and one in his left leg, all of which were penetrating wounds.

The two arrows on the left arm and left leg were not the most deadly. The most deadly was the third arrow that entered from the back and came out from the front abdomen.

The dying young man's lips were still opening and closing slightly.

Only when you get as close as possible can you barely hear the word "wood".

Winters, Kaman, the wounded man, there was no fourth person in the room.

An unprecedented quarrel had just broken out between Winters and Kaman - because the latter disagreed with the use of divine magic.

"Listen to me, it's not that I don't want to save people." After the argument, even though Kaman looked ugly, he still patiently explained to Winters: "Magic... Divine magic can't do everything..."

Winters suppressed his anger: "Isn't God omnipotent?"

"Of course the Lord is omniscient and omnipotent!" Kaman also got angry: "But I have limitations!"

"I'm not asking you to resurrect the dead! He's still alive! He's not dead! He's still alive!" Winters gritted his teeth and even begged in a low voice: "I beg you, I beg you! I just ask you to repair it. His wounds, just like you did to Andre! I beg you! Please!"

Kaman hesitated, struggled, and stared into Winters' eyes, trying to find out Winters' intention to steal the secrets of magic.

But he found nothing and became even more convinced that Winters wanted to save the child from the bottom of his heart.

Kaman struggled, struggled, struggled repeatedly, and it was extremely difficult to spit out the words: "Cellini did not hurt the internal organs!"

"Why can't the internal organs work?!" Winters yelled.

Kaman's emotions were on the verge of losing control, and he yelled back in a vented manner: "If it doesn't work, it won't work! The internal organs just can't work! Cellini stopped the bleeding in time, and the child has already lost too much blood! If you forcefully use magic, he may die directly! Do you understand? ! Do you understand!!!”

Winters was still conscious, and he realized that his actions at the moment were taking the opportunity to pry into the secrets of magic.

"I don't ask! I don't ask anything! I don't look or listen!" Winters grabbed Kaman's arm tightly: "Just save him, just save him! Isn't that okay?"

Kaman said nothing.

"I know, I know this is unfair to you! Very unfair, the most unfair unfair! But now only you can save him! He is also a believer! He is also your lamb!"

Kaman calmed down and said coldly: "Just pretend that I don't want to save you!"

"You may die if you use magic, but you will definitely die if you don't use magic!" Winters tried his best to suppress his emotions and maintain his rationality: "You have to try!"

"Even if he doesn't die on the spot, he will die within the next few days." Kaman pulled out his arm and said with cold eyes: "If you really care about him, you should let me prepare a deathbed confession for him. Instead of letting me continue his life His life, let him struggle in pain for several days before receiving the Lord’s great grace!”

"What do you mean?" Winters seemed betrayed.

"You know what I mean."

"Do you think I asked you to save him because of the information in his head?" Winters' shoulders and fingertips were trembling: "Is that what you think?"

"Only you know what you think." Kaman hardened his heart, held the Holy Emblem, and avoided Winters' sight.

"The arrow in the thigh is enough to incapacitate him! The arrow in the stomach can directly kill him!" Winters' emotions exploded like a torrent, and he roared with grief and anger:

"Even so, he struggled to swim across the Bighorn River! The Bighorn River can freeze people to death! Why don't you understand? He wants to live! Even if it is very painful, he still wants to live! It's not that I want him to suffer, But he wants to live! Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, he still wants to live! Why don’t you understand!”

Kaman's back was to Winters, so he couldn't see his expression.

The gold chain tied with the holy symbol created a deep ravine in the back of Kaman's neck. In the end, the gold chain could no longer bear it and was torn off.

Kaman turned around suddenly, rounded his arm, and gave Winters a hard right hook.

The moment the fist hit, Winters subconsciously entered a spell-casting state, but he suppressed his counterattack and defensive instincts, gritted his teeth, and withstood the punch.

Winters was staggered. He slowly regained his balance, moved his jaw, and asked, "Do you want to hit me again? I can let you punch me again."

Kaman held his knees and panted heavily, but in the end he still didn't throw a second punch. He walked to the bed, put down the holy symbol, and solemnly cleaned his hands.

Winters consciously avoided.

The commander and soldiers outside heard the fierce quarrel between the two people in the room, and they had already consciously avoided further away.

So Winters was the only one left outside the door.

Winters held his chin and sat silently outside the door. The pain gradually subsided and I started to feel a little swollen.

Samkin heard the quarrel subsided and saw Winters going out, so he walked over cautiously.

Seeing Winters' swollen left cheek, Samkin was shocked: "Why... did he... Carman... Father Carman beat you?"

"Come here." Winters called to Samkin.

Samkin didn't doubt his presence, walked up to Winters obediently, and then got a solid boot.

"Hit me?" Winters was so angry that he began to laugh: "Come on, explain to me what it means to beat me!"

"Then...what did you do?" Samujin was completely confused.

Winters thought for a while and replied: "The exchange for Father Carman's rescue is that I will get punched by him if I don't fight back."

Is there such an exchange? Samujin didn't believe it, but he nodded vigorously: "So that's the case, my subordinates understand."

Winters held his cheek and slowly moved his jaw: "I hope this kid can survive and don't let me get this punch in vain."

Samujin stood up straight, put away his expression, and saluted solemnly: "Centurion, I thank you on behalf of that boy."

Winters returned the favor and said nonchalantly: "It's quite a deal to exchange a punch for a chance to live."

"If I can punch you, so can Father Kaman..." Samujin thought for a long time and finally choked out a word: "It's worth remembering for a lifetime."

"If he can save one life, that will be worth remembering for a lifetime."

"Don't worry, Centurion." Samujin vowed: "This kid is very lucky, and he can escape from death every time. He is very tenacious, just like a poplar or a willow. A dead branch can be inserted into the soil. He can sprout seeds. He is also good at weaving baskets."

"what is his name."

"Call Claude."

As he spoke, Kaman pushed the door open and walked out of the room. He looked at Winters coldly: "I repaired his organs and treated the wounds on his left arm and leg. A small opening was left in the abdominal cavity to drain the pus. Blood."

"Repairing organs?" Samkin exclaimed with wide eyes. But he was immediately silenced by Winters' eyes.

"Thank you," Winters said to Carman.

"Don't thank me. He was very lucky and did not die on the spot. Even so, I just barely extended his life. Death will only come later. He will endure unimaginable torture before receiving the Lord's grace." Kaman stared at To Winters: "I hope you won't regret it."

"I don't regret it." Winters looked at each other calmly: "You don't have to regret it either."

Kaman walked away expressionlessly. He underestimated the vitality and desire to live of this young man named "Claude".

That night, only four hours had passed before Claude regained consciousness from his coma.

"Wood." Claude was furious: "The barbarian is collecting burned wood and dragging it back from further away."

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