Iron Powder and Spellcaster

Zhongtiefeng County, Xiaoshi Town.

In the mountain road, the messengers holding red flags galloped on their horses.

"Red flag!" The sentry on the watchtower saw the flying red flag from a distance, and shouted to sound the alarm: "Red flag!"

The sound of the alarm bell reached the center of the town before the sound of horse hooves, and the commander of the seventh company stationed in Xiaoshi Town [Li Wei] rushed to the town square.

Three war horses spraying white foam stopped in the square. The leader of the green war horse suddenly reared up and fell over with its hind legs bent.

Amidst the exclamations of others, the messenger rolled off the saddle and almost had his left leg crushed on the spot.

"Military order?" Li Wei strode to the side of the ordering soldier.

The messenger immediately went to get the saddle bag, but the saddle bag was pressed by the horse, and the exhausted messenger could not pull it out no matter what.

Li Wei pushed the messenger away, stood firm, exerted force on his waist and legs, and forcibly lifted the horse corpse, which weighed hundreds of kilograms.

The military policeman next to him quickly removed the saddlebags with quick eyes and hands.

Li Wei grabbed the saddle bag with his hands, took out the military order, and tore open the lacquer seal. There were no letters on the letterhead, just a red cross made of blood.

Levi could not read or write, but he could not mistake the symbol.

Xiaoshi Town is divided into towns and villages, and all people who can still walk are mobilized.

The roar of the explosion rippled through the canyon. The dam blocking the Huiqing River was broken down layer by layer, and the river with full potential roared and rushed downstream.

…

Zhongtiefeng County, Jevaudan New Town.

The sun was setting in the west, and the former sergeant [Ivan] stood on the arrow tower, looking at the movement on the horizon, and moist heat seeped out from the palms of his hands.

He is waiting for news from Pangtuo River.

Gévaudan is located on solid land in the middle of the valley, surrounded by flat fields on all sides. Except for the trench fortifications being built, there is no danger to defend.

All the main companies of the Tiefeng County Infantry Regiment rushed to the Pangtuo River, and the city defense of Jevaudan has been completely taken over by the city guard.

Whether Ivan wanted it or not, as a former city guard and sergeant, he took up arms again.

Ordinary people who knew nothing about the war could easily develop blind trust in Tribune Montagne.

But Ivan was different. He had experienced the most moody side of war, and he was deeply afraid of it.

And he knew very well that the victory or defeat of this battle did not depend on Gévaudan, but on the fierce battle hundreds of kilometers away.

But Ivan didn't know what was going on in the Pangtuo River - no one knew. The citizens of Jevaudan and the refugees who came to seek refuge were all eagerly waiting for the new issue of "War Newsletter".

Ivan looked at the square in the center of the new city with his peripheral vision. There, men and women who have finished their day's work line up to receive their reward - food.

Richard Mason was also in the square. He and his assistants walked through the food stalls one by one, taking random pieces of bread for inspection.

Initially, according to tradition, people who participated in the project were paid in the form of grain.

However, the people who came to Gevaudin for refuge had neither millstones nor cooking utensils. They had to take the grain they got and exchange it for bread, which eventually enriched the millers and bakers.

After careful consideration, Mason decided to follow the Second Company's method of preparing military rations: uniformly produce bread, and then distribute "remuneration" in the form of bread.

One wave has not subsided, and another wave has arisen.

The unified bread production model seems to bring benefits to the people, but in fact it gives the moths an opportunity to cut corners and take advantage of it.

Anyone else might have been fooled, but Captain Richard Mason was more proficient in statistics than gunnery.

Merlin temporarily recruited students from the accounting school to implement a new inspection method that requires a lot of computing power - sampling inspection - in Gevaudan's bread production.

The increase in scale was as much an opportunity for the borer as it was for Richard Mason to practice statistics. Because the larger the total and sample size, the smaller the statistical sampling error.

Worms who knew nothing about mathematical tools were uncovered one after another. Although there might still be fish that slipped through the net, the bodies shaking under the gallows were enough to temporarily scare Xiao Xiao.

Another carriage carrying baked bread drove across the wooden bridge. Mason saw the visitor and walked quickly to greet it.

Mason held the horse's bridle and said apologetically: "If you can help me, come here in person. I will send a coachman to you."

There were two ladies driving the carriage. Scarlett, dressed as a boy, held the reins, and Anna, wearing a top hat, sat beside Scarlett.

Anna nodded slightly, and Scarlett gave Captain Mason a slightly funny military salute.

The war did not spread to Jevaudan, which was the center of the storm and enjoyed the last peace of Tiefeng County.

In the end, Gévaudin failed to implement the system of separate camps for men and women. However, with the help of the Catholic Church, Mason temporarily resettled all the women and children among the refugees in the old city.

Baking bread requires a lot of manpower, and women and children settled in the old city also undertake a considerable part of the baking work.

Mason knew what Ms. Navarre wanted to ask in person, and his apology was even deeper: "Sorry, there is still no news from Winters."

There was a bit of disappointment in Anna's eyes, and she immediately cheered up and said with a magnanimous smile: "I think maybe there is good news if there is no news."

Scarlett was also a little disappointed, and little Ms. Mitchell tried not to show it. She looked into the distance and asked: "Mr. Captain, has the city wall been repaired?"

"There are 128 construction sections in total, 113 of which have been completed." Mason answered rigorously.

"What a pity it would be if the city wall was repaired but the Hurds didn't come in the end." Scarlett sat back on the coachman's seat with a little regret.

Mason smiled lightly and shook his head: "Miss Mitchell. Preventing the Hurds from coming here is exactly the purpose of building this new city."

…

Shang Tiefeng County, Hammer Fort.

There are two Hammer Castles in Hammer Castle Town. The old Hammer Castle is an old wooden castle with a high tower.

Fort Newhammer was built by Captain Richard Mason in response to an attack in Wargneshire and was located further north.

The old and new hammer castles stand one behind the other on the main road between Warne County and Tiefeng County, firmly guarding the gateway to Tiefeng County.

However, there is a design problem in the old and new hammer forts: due to the lack of a wall structure, the two hammer forts can only block the passage of large armies, and are difficult to defend against the penetration of small groups of enemies.

At this moment, Captain "Birthmark", who was responsible for defending Fort Hammer, was squatting next to a pile of horse manure, his eyebrows deeply knitted into a knot.

"There must have been Hurd barbarians passing by." Old Sergeant Dussac poked at the horse dung: "It's all frozen solid, at least it was from last night. Judging from the hoof prints, there are not many people and horses. They may have been driven in from Wargne County. We are barbarians here.”

"Light the beacon." Captain Birthmark ordered coldly. He thought silently: "Shang Tiefeng County is no longer peaceful."

…

Lower Tiefeng County, by the Dajiao River.

Samkin's fleet not only captured the ferry, but also captured a large number of sheepskin rafts.

Relying on small boats and captured sheepskin rafts, Major Ronald led the militiamen, women and children across the Bighorn River and set up camp on the west bank.

The situation has taken a wonderful turn:

People from Xia Tiefeng County, whose family was obviously on the east bank, went to the west bank to build a camp;

The Terdun people who came from the west coast stood on the east coast and stared at each other because they had no boats.

Leaving behind part of the sheepskin raft, Samkin led the fleet and rushed to the battlefield downstream.

Before leaving, Samkin told Major Ronald: "The total strength of the Tertun people's right-wing army should be seven to eight thousand men.

The fire-warmers left at least two thousand troops on the west bank to contain the troops. Although this part of the Terdun people had been repulsed, they might come back at any time.

The Tribune of Montagne wants you to know that you not only need to be prepared for enemies on the east bank to cross the river, but also beware of surprise attacks by the Tertons on the west bank. "

…

Great wilderness, the wintering pasture of the Terdun people.

The rich and fertile wintering pastures in Terdun have now turned into a fire scene that has devastated lives.

In the wilderness, the wind direction is erratic in a small area, but the law of the monsoon in a large area cannot be defied.

The spring and summer monsoons flow from east to west, and the autumn and winter monsoons flow from west to east. This is an iron law that has not changed for thousands of years in the land sandwiched between the two mountains.

Andrea Cellini and Don Juan led the cavalry to rush towards the west. When they were hungry, they slaughtered the cattle of the Terton people, and when they were thirsty, they milked the sheep of the Terton people. When he was exhausted, he went to steal the horses from the Terton people.

Then they turned around and turned back, taking advantage of the power of the monsoon to set fire to the pastures along the way.

Like a spark falling into a haystack, in the rainless and dry winter, once the flames spread, they are unstoppable.

Thick smoke shrouded the wintering pastures of Terdun, and the Terdun people scattered everywhere drove their cattle and sheep and fled with their belongings.

But where can they escape?

Fire cannot kill people, but smoke can also choke people to death. Even if you can escape the fire, the winter grassland has been burned to scorched earth.

On the hillside, Don Juan looked at the hell scene he had created with his own hands, with a slightly solemn look on his face: "Maybe we went too far. If we burn it with fire, the Hud people will have nothing to eat or drink, and they will come again next year."

"If we have food and drink, they will come again." Andre replied in a muffled voice: "Let's go, avoid the fire scene, and let's go home."

…

Zhong Tiefeng County, Pangtuo River Tushangchang.

The river water in Tuschechang was dyed red with blood again, and this battleground for military strategists changed hands again.

The Teltown people left nearly a hundred soldiers to garrison the Tushechang camp, while Winters personally led four main companies and militia auxiliary troops to attack and annihilate it.

Compared with the Teltown people's previous fighting method of running if they win and leaving if they can't win, the Teltown people who were just wading into the field on defense showed amazing resilience.

This war is no longer a low-intensity conflict that can quickly determine the outcome and break away with one blow. It has revealed a more cruel side.

"Build a camp here." Winters changed his horse and called the second company commander Bart Shilling in front of him: "I'll give you two companies and four militia centurions. Don't let a single Teltown man go. , and no one from Terton is allowed in."

Bart Schalling, who was injured in his right arm, raised his left arm to salute with difficulty.

"The water is rising!" Ciel rushed over and shouted excitedly: "The water is rising!"

Charles rushed to Winters and Bart Summerling and said breathlessly: "The water has already covered the second stone pillar!"

When the Pangtuo River was being regulated twenty years ago, masons laid five stone pillars downstream of Xiaoshi Town to mark the water level.

Once the water covers the second stone pillar, it means that the canyon path exposed by the dry water will be sealed again by water.

"Let the Fourth Company repair the horse-blocking wall in the canyon!" Winters ordered without hesitation: "Now that we have gone in, don't let the Telton people come out again."

Charles and Bart Charling looked at each other, wondering in what form this military order should be issued.

"Char, go ahead and pass on my command." Winters put his helmet on again.

Ciel raised his hand in salute and rode away.

[Sorry, I still haven’t finished writing this battle]

[I’ve been waiting for two days, I’m so sorry, Orz]

[To paraphrase a quote from Napoleon’s Grande Armée in Poland. "Update? No! Big chapter? Right now!\