Iron Powder and Spellcaster

"No matter how special your identity is, you are still a soldier, a soldier in the order of combat.

"I don't remember that I gave you the order to 'come to the front line', Major Montagne." Gesa's tone was not only stern, but even aggressive, "So, what are you doing here at the Castle of Kings?"

In the Chinese army tent, the atmosphere of relaxed chatting between year-end friends was instantly cleared, and the atmosphere became solemn and solemn.

Geza Adonis is no longer speaking as a friend or senior, but as a commander and the highest military leader.

He was also angry, and Geza's anger was no longer the feigned anger he had when he complained that Winters didn't come to see him at the first time, but with a real anger.

But beneath the waves of rage, Winters caught a fleeting glimmer of negativity.

Sad and angry? disappointment? exhausted? It's hard to tell what it is.

Winters could understand why Geza had such a strong stress reaction, because Geza wasn't just asking, "What are you doing here?"

Still asking "Who asked you to come?"

He even asked, "Are you going to join forces to deal with me?"

Because it was not Gesar Adonis who summoned Winters back urgently, but Skull Meklen.

"During the time you were in the Castle of the Kings, the fleet of the Federation Provinces became more and more active." Winters considered his words and did not answer the question directly, but started from Jiangfang. "They are no longer satisfied with blocking Jin. The flowing river channel began to harass the ports along the coast, and even inland terminals such as Green Bay and Rock Harbor. Some fishermen also witnessed strange ships measuring the water depth..."

"Do you need to tell me this?" Gesa frowned, picked up the riding crop on the map table, and slammed the document box behind him, "Do you think Skull only delivered the letter to you and not to me?" Notification?"

"Of course you understand things in the rear faster and more comprehensively than I do," Winters affirmed Gesa first, then changed the subject, "But there may be differences between your and my views on the movements of the United Provincial Fleet. Some disagreements.”

"Oh, really?" Gesa grinned, making the scar covering half of his face look even more ferocious. He asked pleasantly, "What's the difference?"

Winters replied in an honest and fair manner, "I don't agree with your opinion that the actions of the United Provincial Fleet are 'just a small move to contain our strength.' I support Commodore Skull's judgment. I think the activities of the United Provincial Fleet are , is likely to be a precursor to an attack.”

"I understand," Gesa raised his chin with a sneer, "Skull's elm head couldn't twist me, so he got you back."

Gesa spread his hands and said, "What's next? Get rid of me? Skull and Matthias only have two votes, which is not enough. But with your two votes, you can do whatever you want."

When Winters heard this, his eyebrows knitted into a knot. He stared at Geza Adonis closely and looked the latter up and down without saying a word.

Gesa was annoyed by the look and asked sharply, "What are you looking at? Don't you recognize me?"

"It's indeed a bit strange." Winters moved the military chair back in disgust and asked in disbelief, "Have you only been the leader for a few days? Have you already grown scales?"

Gesa was so angry that he was holding back his energy and wanted to have a big quarrel, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't understand what Winters was talking about. He could only pinch his nose and ask fiercely: "What do you mean?"

Winters didn't bother to explain. He told the chairman of the Provisional Military Commission bluntly: "No one is colluding in private, no one is forming a small group, and no one wants to take away your old man. Please rest assured, we will do it again." Not from the United Provinces, addicted to coups.”

Gesa was stunned for a moment, then became furious and shouted: "Is this what I care about?"

"If not," Winters asked, "what do you have to worry about or be angry about?"

Gesa was speechless. He wanted to refute or defend, but he didn't know where to start. He is a person with a strong self-esteem, and he can't do anything reckless. He is good at using his power to overwhelm others, but it also depends on who the target is - don't count on the guy in front of you.

Anyway, Gesa didn't know what to say, so he crossed his arms and stopped talking altogether.

"However," Winters handed him up the steps and solemnly told Gesa, "I have to admit to you that it was indeed Brigadier General Skull Mecklen who found me.

"Brigadier General Skull does believe that it is necessary to review the current strategy within the Provisional Military Council, especially to discuss whether to continue the siege of the Kings Keep - at least that is what he told me in his letter."

Gesa was immediately fired up and slapped the armrest: "After all, it's not like..."

"No," Winters interrupted Gesar flatly and reiterated, "It's a 'discussion', not a 'minority obeys the majority.' Brigadier General Scull hopes that the four-member group will regain a consensus. No one wants to go so far as The 'vote' step.

"If Brigadier General Skull, Colonel Matthias and I really intend to use voting to forcefully persuade you, then there is no need for me to come all the way back. My two votes have long been authorized to Andre I’m a senior with Mason, don’t you know?”

"Then why did you come back?" Gesa stared.

"I came back not to vote." Winters said sternly, "You have to admit that since you became the supreme commander, you have become headstrong - of course, it is possible that you are like this."

Gesa's expression changed, and he was about to have another attack.

Before Gesar could burst out, Winters spoke first, "In short, Brigadier General Skull is too busy in Maplestone City to be distracted; Colonel Matthias is making great progress, and it is impossible to abandon the situation. The great province of Beilu has come to the King's Castle. Who else do you think can speak in front of you besides these two?"

It was okay not to mention Matthias Corwin, but when Matthias was mentioned, Geza became even more angry.

While Gesa led the main force to wallow under the castle walls of the Kings, the partial division commanded by Matthias Corwin frequently reported good results.

That's all.

The problem is that while Matthias Corwin is attacking the city and taking territory, he is also asking for reinforcements and supplies from the rear.

The reasons are also very good: he needs reinforcements because he needs troops to garrison the surrendered towns; he needs supplies because the tax system in Beilu Province has been paralyzed, and he cannot collect money or food unless he robs him openly.

Regardless of whether it is true or false, Matthias Corwin's conquests in the Northern Foothills Province dispersed the power of newly cultivated lands, and the more furiously he advanced, the more resources he occupied.

Therefore, the mention of Matthias Corwin made Gesa furious.

But Gesa couldn't express it directly, because he couldn't accept that others thought he was jealous of his talents.

So his tone suddenly became mean.

"Yes," Gesa said coldly, "Besides them, you are the only one."

Winters sensitively heard the changes in the brigadier general's mood. He made a limited thought in the direction of Matthias Corwin and rationally decided "no matter what, don't mention the matter of the Northern Foot Province for the time being."

Of course, the best way to deal with it is to get the topic back on track.

So Winters leaned toward the map table and asked seriously, "You really don't think the Confederate might be planning a right hook?"

"Right hook?" Gesa snorted, "Skull is used to being cautious, and there seems to be an ambush everywhere. If Jason Cornelis really has that kind of troops, as for bringing a thousand men to the Castle of Kings ?”

Geza glanced at Winters, "Didn't you already talk to the man who ran out of the city? Before you came to see me."

"I really can't hide anything from you," Winters nodded. "We have talked about it, but that guy is a complete idiot. I still don't understand that Minister Cornelis deliberately let him out."

"But the information he gave and the intelligence I received before can corroborate each other." Gesa stood up and paced around the map table, "There were two brigades of federal provincial soldiers in the King's Castle. The troops sent by Guitu City to help Magnus suppress the opponents;

"Jason Cornelius brought two more brigades of infantry. Counting the scattered artillery, engineers, and auxiliary troops, the total number will not exceed 3,000.

"Except for these 3,000 federal provincial troops, the remaining troops in the city are all donkeys with horse hair on them - they look useless and are useless."

Gesar stopped and looked down at Winters, "During this period, the three thousand federal soldiers under Cornelis were killed and injured, and there are not many Quanxuquan left."

Winters trusted Gesar's judgment on the current strength of the city's troops, but he had some very bad guesses.

He always felt that this information came too easily, as if someone was feeding it to him bit by bit.

But unfounded conjectures cannot be brought to the table, so Winters temporarily suppressed it and said nothing.

The words "all beard and all tail" in Gesa's words aroused his pain.

"Before I came to see you, I went to the wounded barracks." Winters felt unspeakably uncomfortable. "Our losses were also huge."

Hearing this, Gesa snorted coldly, put on an indifferent face, and asked deliberately provocatively, "What? Can't bear to leave?"

Winters was not irritated and just asked calmly, "Are you willing to give up?"

Gesa's expression froze and he stood silent for a moment, then suddenly punched the map table in front of him, causing the table top to collapse.

"It's so fucking disgusting!" Gesa gritted his teeth and kicked the legs of the map table hard. "It's so damn disgusting! You bastard mudbucker! It's so damn disgusting! He just won't pull it out, so give it a good beating. A battle..."

The guards and lieutenants from the headquarters heard a rumble in the tent and rushed in hurriedly.

Winters waved his hand, and the guards and lieutenants who broke in immediately retreated.

Gesa vented his anger, sat back down on the camp chair, leaned against the back of the chair, and breathed heavily.

Winters stood up and poured the Commodore a glass of wine, saying nothing.

But the war will continue. It is like an avalanche, a flash flood, or some kind of natural disaster. It will not stop because of the joys and sorrows of the people involved.

"With your permission," Winters broke the silence, "I have another place I want to go."

"Where are you going, do you still need my consent?" Gesa twitched the corner of his mouth and showed a wry smile, "Tell me, where?"

"Marget Island."