Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 174 Backup Plan

   "Also bring a pontoon bridge."

   After finishing speaking, the hussar officers on the wooden platoon waved their torches three times in a row to the opposite bank, and some people on the other side of the river responded with fire.

   It turned out that there was another group of people marching on the opposite bank, facing the crowd across the river.

  There are people on both sides of the bank, and you can pull the cables to fix the pontoon.

   Sackler arrived, looking very annoyed. The general's face was ashen, and he asked with anger: "The lieutenant in the line, report the name and subordinate."

   "Andrea Cellini," said the tall hussar officer nonchalantly, "belongs to the Geschka Brigade."

   "John Jessica? Who else?!"

   "They walked on land and set off before me." Andre was suddenly surprised: "What? They didn't come?"

  …

  In an unknown ravine on the north bank of the Confluence River.

   A furious Jesska was furious at Lieutenant Mason.

"What the **** are you doing to eat? Lu Yuanxue got all that stuff out?" The one-eyed lieutenant colonel was so angry that he was so angry that he tried his best to suppress his voice: "You can lead the way! "

  Mason was sprayed with saliva all over his face, and after a while, he said aggrievedly: "The lowly post has no map...the black light is blind...and...the lowly post is actually the artillery department..."

   Lieutenant Colonel Jesska broke out completely this time, no matter what he wanted to maintain his subordinates' majesty in front of the soldiers, he picked up the whip and slapped his face: "Fuck you!"

  Mason didn't dare to hide or scream in pain, so he took two whips.

   Just less than a meter behind Lieutenant Mason, sat a heavy armored soldier with a halberd in his arms.

  Behind the halberdist was another musketeer, and behind them were muskets, armored spears, and halberds with no end in sight, all of them in darkness.

   Hundreds of militiamen hid in this long, twisting ravine, waiting in silence for orders.

   Along the ditch **** all the way to the top, Winters was lying on the grass in the grass, squinting his eyes and trying to find recognizable surface markers.

  Charle stood beside the second lieutenant, suppressed his voice, and said bitterly, "This lieutenant Mason... Where did this lieutenant bring us?"

   "That pig herder really killed us." The little hunter was also full of complaints.

   "Shut up." Winters scolded in a low voice: "Let me hear this again, even if you two will eat whip."

  About 500 meters ahead, on a leeward hillside, a few weak campfires could be vaguely seen.

  But if you look closely, you will find the reflection of the weapon under the firelight, and the blurred silhouette of the moving figure.

  The wind brought the neighing of the horses, and if Winters guessed right, there were countless Heard cavalry resting on the hillside—indiscernible to be precise.

   "Dare to move?" Winters hesitated before answering to himself, "Don't dare to move."

  …

  As the closest detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Jesska was the first to receive a request for help.

  Palatu's military law was severe. Even though he knew the danger of friendly troops, he was afraid to help him. The chief officer was beheaded, the subordinate officers were dismissed, and the soldiers were killed.

   The Jesska Brigade shoulders the responsibility of defending the North Bridge.

   But when Jesska learned that General Sackler was ambushed, he immediately sent troops.

   The one-eyed lieutenant colonel insisted on doing his own thing, and the centurions of Winters and Mason would not dissuade him no matter what.

   In desperation, Winters came up with a solution for the lieutenant colonel - a pontoon bridge.

The south of the    Confluence River is the area under the control of the Palatine Army. As long as they can withdraw to the south bank, the crisis in the Sackler department will be relieved naturally.

  The material of the pontoon is made of wooden rafts, which are fixed by pulling cables between the north and south banks.

  Although there is no floating tank, the Sackler department also has no heavy weapons, so it should be able to use it.

   "The wooden raft?" Lieutenant Colonel Jesska frowned: "Where did the wooden raft come from? Is it too late to bundle it now?"

   "It's in time, and there are ready-made wood." Winters is calm and sincere, and only familiar people can find a trace of embarrassment in his eyes: "It's really impossible to dismantle the carriage."

   Winters didn't lie, he just chose to tell the truth: Not only did the army have ready-made wood, but also ready-made rafts.

   When the Veneta people got together a few days ago, Andre advised everyone to "prepare early".

  What preparation? Preparation for escape.

   Winters learned only four things in military school, and "must have a backup plan" was one of them.

  The wooden raft is the second option of the backup plan, the backup plan is to go by water, and the first option is the boat.

   Because according to Budd, all the rivers in this wasteland will eventually flow into the inland sea.

  Theoretically speaking, the Veneta can go home happily by getting on the boat and swinging the oars.

  So the Veneta people are trying to get boats and practicing swimming.

   However, in the vast wasteland, it is better to find a ready-made ship than to simply build a ship.

  The wooden platoon is simple, and it will be built soon.

   just didn’t expect it to come in handy so quickly.

   "Go and prepare." Jesska immediately agreed to the pontoon plan: "The sooner the better."

  Perhaps the Veneta's plans have been detected by the lieutenant colonel? Winters didn't even think about it. But at least the lieutenant colonel didn't say anything and didn't expose him.

The    plan was finalized, and Andre was responsible for leading people to discharge, and another small team of reliable people went to the South Bank to receive support.

   and... Bud was in charge of staying at the Qiaotou camp, and the lieutenant colonel himself led the attack.

   Lieutenant Colonel Jesska still has to lead troops to support him. According to him, this is a "backup plan".

   One centurion stayed behind, one centurion was released, and the remaining six centurions were all taken away by Jesska.

The    troops marched east along the river bank, with Winters leading the charge, Lieutenant Mason finishing the end, and Lieutenant Colonel Jesska escorting the team.

   However, General Sackler did not see him, but he bumped into the Hurd first.

   Fortunately, it was not the main force of the enemy, but sporadic light cavalry spying on the Jesska brigade with malicious intent.

   Dussack rushed over, and Hurd's light cavalry slapped the horse and ran; Dussac retreated, and Hurd's light cavalry appeared again. Just not at war with the platoons, as annoying as flies.

Not long after    encountered Hurd's light cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Jesska stopped the march, and both Winters and Mason were called to a meeting by Lieutenant Colonel.

   Winters had just met the lieutenant colonel, and the first sentence of the other party's speech was: "The Hurds did not defeat the Sackler division. The rear team became the front team, and we retreated."

   "Withdraw?" Winters wondered.

   "Withdraw." Lieutenant Colonel Jesska was very determined.

   "Why?" Mason couldn't help but ask.

  Winters was also a little annoyed: before he insisted on sending troops, and now he suddenly said he would withdraw, is he kidding everyone?

Jesska's anxiety when he heard that Sackler's army was under attack completely dissipated: "The Hurd people are all rabble, and the first round of attacks is the most ruthless and fierce, or a surprise attack. Koehler, the follow-up attack is even more impossible. Since Sackler has stabilized its position, there is no need for our support, and there are pontoons enough for them to retreat."

   "Wait." Winters hurriedly stopped: "How did you know that General Sackler's troops were not defeated?"

"If the Sackler department is defeated, will the wild cavalry play with us like this? The main point of the Hurds is obviously not to prevent us from attacking, they are preventing the Sackler department from attacking! The wild cavalry is intercepting the messenger and isolating the Sike. Correspondence with the Le Ministry. On the contrary, it means that the Sackler Ministry is holding on. Hurry up and retreat, and if we go further, we will be surrounded by the point for reinforcement!"

  Jesska has never engaged in military democratization, except for a certain time when he was subjugated, he has always been one of the best.

Lieutenant Colonel    ordered to retreat, and the team immediately changed from the back team to the front team, with Mason taking the lead and Winters finishing.

   Lieutenant Mason would not have gone wrong anyway if he just turned back along the river bank.

  Although Comrade Mason has poured all his blood into the pig raising business over the years, he still has some old foundations.

  Unfortunately, on the way back, he encountered another Heard barbarian, and a small-scale encounter broke out between the two sides.

   Lieutenant Colonel Jesska was worried that the enemy would catch up from behind and attack him, so he ordered to break away from the enemy while it was getting dark, and detoured to the north to return to Qiaotouzhai.

Lieutenant Colonel    was using Mason as Winters, but he forgot that Second Lieutenant Montagne was breaking up.

   When Winters, who had finished the sniper battle, caught up with the large group, Mason had already led the group into the ditch...

  …

   At this moment, Winters, who was lying in the grass, was in a very complicated mood.

  Senior Mason's luck was extremely bad, and in a sense, extremely good.

  For example, although Mason lost his way, he easily got rid of the pursuers.

   led the brigade to touch the vicinity of the Hurd camp by mistake, and the Hurds have not yet discovered it. Is this good luck or bad luck?

   Winters found that the Hurds under the hillside were completely unaware, and there were hundreds of enemies hiding in the ravine a mile away.

   Maybe it's a fighter jet.

  But, can you do it?

   Winters thought about it again and again, but still didn't think it would work.

   This is not a camp, but a field battle on the ground. Although I can't tell how many Hurds there are, there are definitely more than the Jessica brigade.

   looks like a fighter plane, but it is likely to be smashed to pieces.

   There was a rustling sound behind him, and Winters was startled, and his right hand was already holding the handle of the knife.

   "It's me." Lieutenant Mason's voice.

   Winters breathed a sigh of relief and tucked the steel spike back into the armguard: "What's wrong with your face?"

   "Forget it." Mason covered his eyes and asked in a low voice, "How is it?"

   "Not so good." Winters was so thirsty that his voice became hoarse. He said angrily: "Look for an opportunity to evacuate quickly before we find us. If we don't evacuate, we will starve to death."

   "Goo, Gum" came from Winters' abdominal cavity, which was particularly clear in the silent night.

   Mason looked at Winters, apparently hearing him too.

The   Jesska Battalion was dispatched in a combat state, carrying nothing but weapons and ammunition. Food and drink are only a little of what soldiers carry with them.

  Continuous marches, plus a skirmish, everyone's chests against their backs.

   "Brother [Winters], I have something to eat." Ciel took out dry food and a water bag from his arms: "And water."

  Ciel hasn't completely changed his tune. When no one else is around, he occasionally calls his brother directly as he did when he was a child.

  There are still people's body temperature on the dry food and water bags, and the food and drink that everyone carries with them has long been gone - Winters knows all too well that Ciel left these things because he hadn't eaten or drank all the way.

   Winters licked his dry lips, pulled out the water bag and took a sip. After moistening his throat a little, he handed back the dry food and water bag to Charles: "I'm too hungry, and it's hard to eat."

   "You won't eat? That's a good feeling." Senior Mason was very happy, and reached for a water bag: "Give me some."

   Winters angrily pressed the food and drink under him: "I changed my mind!"

   "Don't be so stingy."

   "You still have the face to say?"

   "I didn't mean to... I can't see the stars at night, how can I tell the direction?" Mason was extremely aggrieved.

  [Note: It is cloudy today, westerly winds—the part about the formation of the Sackler Division in the Great Front Chapter mentioned the weather]

  Winters sighed helplessly, and stuffed the senior with food and drink. He said distressedly, "Don't eat and drink all of it."

   "Mmmmmmm." Mason grabbed the water bag and took a big gulp.

   Winters involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and he refocused his attention on the retreat: "This **** is not high enough, we have to find a higher place. As long as we can see Bian Li, we can determine the direction."

   "Mmmmmmm." Mason broke off another piece of dry bread.

  Polaris is blocked by clouds, and it is impossible to determine the direction of stargazing. It was dark at night, and it was unrealistic to rely on landmarks such as big trees and stones to determine the location.

   can only rely on more obvious landmarks, and the city of Bianli on the high ground is the best indicator. If you see Bian Li, you can determine the south.

   patted the others around, Winters motioned to retreat: "Go, just leave one person here."

   "squeak, squeak" came from beside him.

The low voice of    can be blended into the background sound of the wasteland, but these two "creaks" can't be concealed anyway.

  In an instant, all the cold hairs on Winters' back stood up.

  Senior Mason, who made the noise, was also stiff, with half of the dry noodles in his mouth, and he dared not chew any more.

  It's okay as long as no one finds out, Winters desperately tries to console himself.

   "[Herd] who's there!"

   It was definitely the last sound Winters ever wanted to hear.

   Someone was walking this way, and the rough male voice asked again in an unfamiliar language, "Which one is [Hedde]?"

   Winters took out the steel nail and patted the shoulder of the person beside him.

   A figure appeared in the withered grass: "[Hedde] I."

   The Heder Sentinel who was patrolling here was shocked and pulled out his machete. When he saw the armor on the other side, he put the knife back into the scabbard: "[Heder] What are you doing?"

   “[Hedde] put water.”

   "[Hedde] Which one are you from?" The sentinel of Hedde was a little suspicious: "What did [Hedde] pee and run so far?"

   The other party's voice was very young, but his words were very ugly: "[Herde] wants you to take care of it? Stupid, look at yourself!"

   Sentinel Hurd was furious and strode towards the other party: "[Herd] You don't have a father to teach you! I have to teach you a good lesson today!"

   The next moment, Sentinel Hurd only saw a flash of cold light, and his consciousness was annihilated.

   The first steel nail hit the Sentinel's forehead, the second and third also hit the head, and the Sentinel couldn't die any longer.

  Three unreserved flying arrows in a row, Winters' phantom pain felt as if his whole body was squeezed into a small box.

   His muscles were paralyzed for a while, and he couldn't even speak.

   But he didn't need to speak, Ciel and Bell had already rushed to the sentinel's body, supported the body before it fell, and gently placed it on the ground.

  The little hunter is wearing a full set of Hedza armor, which is Winters' backup plan.

   "Go quickly." The phantom pain came and went quickly, and Winters, who had regained his mobility, immediately led people back into the ravine.

The sound of the    steel nails piercing the skull is equally harsh, and the unevenness will be noticed by more Heards.

   The four fell on the backslope and listened with bated breath, waiting for the other sentries to come.

  No movement, no one seemed to notice.

   Several people involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. Winters patted the little hunter on the shoulder, and he didn't know what to say.

   He doesn't know what the little hunter thinks of other Hurds, enemies? clan? He can only let the little hunter solve it by himself.

  Suddenly, the Heard camp in the distance was awakened.

   There were a few shouts at first, then the voices of people, the neighs of horses, and the sound of weapons colliding together.

   "Discovered!" Charles glared at Lieutenant Mason angrily.

   Winters immediately ordered: "Go to the lieutenant colonel!"

   The little hunter got up and went to deliver the message.

   The sound of hooves began to sound, and more and more hooves sounded, and the Hurd cavalry was preparing.

   "Wait?" Mason listened, frowning: "It's not going to be such a big battle, is it?"

   Winters quickly climbed to the top of the hillside, and the Heard camp in the distance was brightly lit, and bonfires were lit one after another.

  Hard's cavalry all held torches, like a river of fire. It's just that the River of Fire didn't rush towards Winters, but was flying further away, not knowing who to fight.

   "The Hurds are moving!" Winters couldn't stop laughing and punched Mason hard: "You're such a **** luck!"

   Now Winters has an empty camp, and five hundred militiamen.

   [There are maps in this chapter and the last chapter, the last chapter was published late, and some book friends may not have seen it. This chapter will be drawn later and the map will be sent out]

   There are two thirty-five chapters in this volume. Starting from chapter thirty-five, the chapter numbers are all wrong, so I can’t laugh or cry, so chapter 58 jumps directly to chapter 60. This is from yesterday, just writing it now...

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   (end of this chapter)