Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 456 Another Wolf Cub

  [Gyeongho County]

  [Green Valley]

  The sun, covered with a layer of gauze, paced lazily in the air. In the distance, under the wisps of cotton-like clouds, Qingmeng Mountain and Yinque Mountain showed a green coolness.

   The Provincial Avenue from Qingyin Mountain Pass to Lvgu Town has been completely occupied by the marching column of the Tiefeng County Army.

   A long line of wagons carrying the wounded and baggage crawls slowly on the road, unable to see the end of the way forward or backward.

   Soldiers with weapons on their shoulders marched through fields on both sides of the road. Although the gait of the soldiers was a little tired, their expressions were mostly relaxed and happy.

   Laughter and cacophony erupted from time to time in the queue, and even the marching band boldly switched to a more cheerful minor key.

   Six days have passed since that nightmarish battle.

   The initial fear and grief in the hearts of the combatants dissipated, replaced by the joy of “surviving” and the joy of being victorious—at least on the surface.

  The villagers who settled along the way also left their farm work in the threshing field and ran to the intersection to watch the excitement.

   If it was before the battle, the peasants could only hide far away, and would never dare to take the initiative to join in the fun.

   However, the farmers of Green Valley have now heard the news that "the war is over" from the Leiqun County Army and the Bianjiang County Army who had previously driven.

  Because the coalition forces were extremely efficient in capturing prisoners, there was no large-scale roaring and rioting after the war.

  The peasants who were not harmed by the chaos of the army also became more courageous. Many peasants stood guard at the intersection, vigorously selling whatever they had in hand that could be exchanged.

   As we all know, the army that won the battle must have all kinds of spoils stuffed in its backpack, and the big-headed soldier can never save any money.

   So wherever the Tiefeng County Army went, it became lively.

  The soldiers were bartering with the peasants hawking along the road, while passing fresh fruit, moonshine, and cured meat between the queues.

   For this innocuous little action, officers and military police also chose to open up.

   The marching column of the Tiefeng County Army was filled with joyful air, and there were laughter and laughter everywhere.

   However, even among the victorious teachers, there are those who are unhappy.

   Like monkeys.

   Among the happy Tiefeng County soldiers, only the monkey had a blank face, which seemed out of place.

   Another soldier from the same town as the monkey but not from the same village came over and wanted to get close to the monkey.

   However, no matter what compliments the "compatriots" say, the monkeys just walk around. Seeing this, the soldiers who came to pull the relationship had to leave a few words of congratulations dryly, and then left embarrassingly.

  Roussillon watched the whole process again. He glanced at the monkey worriedly, but he didn't say a word in the end.

   As if feeling the gaze of the old sergeant, the monkey opened his mouth.

  Monkey switched the wooden pole used for the tent to the other shoulder, exposed his head, and squeezed an unnatural smile at Sergeant Lu Xi Rong: "Why didn't you teach me a lesson?"

   Lu Xirong sighed: "You are about to become an officer, you will be the one who will teach me in the future, and it will not be my turn to teach you again."

  Somehow, the news leaked out.

   As a result, everyone in the Tiefeng County Army knew that the tribune of Montagne was going to set up a military academy, and everyone also knew that the military academy of the tribune would select students from the top soldiers.

   For a time, which lucky one will leapfrog the ranks and become the ranks of the officers and masters, which has become the only topic of discussion in the entire army.

The soldiers counted their military exploits with their fingers, and congratulated those comrades who were sure to be promoted with envy and jealousy. The world of soldiers is very simple. The performance on the battlefield is there. Who can do it and who can't? There are numbers.

   Not long after, another gossip leaked out: the slender guy from the First Battalion who enlisted after the Battle of the Blood Mud was also on the list of trainees, and he was personally recommended by Captain Peter Bunir.

   So the nickname "Monkey" spread throughout the army overnight, so there are so many "compatriots" who came to congratulate the monkey.

   "I know what you want to say." The monkey imitated the old sergeant's tone and pretended to be smiling and said, "You bastard, what are you looking like? Before you can become an officer, your tail is up!"

  Roussillon listened calmly, but there was no reaction on his face.

"But what? I don't **** know them at all, they don't know me, and they never thought of knowing me before. Now they suddenly run over and pretend to know me very well, saying this, saying that , In fact, they all scolded me in their hearts, calling me bad luck."

The monkey spat, was silent for a moment, and continued to force a smile and said: "I know, hey, isn't everyone like this? When you see someone who is rich and powerful, he will try his best to flatter him, and the poor buddies who pass by can't wait to kick him far away. I also You know, you don't want to see them hate me..."

   "But I just don't want to hear this group of people who I don't know at all say congratulations to me."

The more the monkey said, the quieter his voice became. He changed the tent pole back to the shoulder on the original side, blocked the old sergeant's sight with the pole, raised his hand to wipe his eyes, and pretended to smile nonchalantly, "Because these **** know that. To put it nicely, there is no one to help me with the tent poles."

   After listening to the monkey's words silently, Roussillon walked forward for a while before saying to the monkey earnestly, "We survived only because we were lucky."

  Monkey responded mechanically.

"We survived only because we were lucky. Paco didn't survive, just because he was unlucky." Roussillon raised his hand to the monkey's shoulder, but finally put it down halfway: "You don't have to do it for yourself. shame and remorse for the good luck."

  This time it was the monkey's turn to fall silent. He lowered his head, his shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and when he spoke again, his eyes were full of tears.

  The soldiers in front and behind had long noticed that Sergeant Lu Xirong and the monkey seemed to be arguing, and they wanted to hide as far as possible. The distance was pulled away unknowingly, and there were only the two of them around Monkey and Roussillon.

The monkey looked directly into Lu Xirong's eyes, and asked angrily: "I just don't understand, why everyone is so happy! Why is everyone thinking about military exploits, how many acres of land they can divide, and who can become a master in the future. So many brothers died! So many dead! But no one mentions them, no one misses them, it's like they've been forgotten!"

   Roussillon listened to the monkey without saying a word, until the latter vented all his anger and grief since the end of the battle.

   Then, the old sergeant asked calmly, "Why didn't I see you like this after the battle of blood and mud?"

   "Because..." The monkey subconsciously wanted to answer, but he didn't know what to say, because he never thought about this question.

   Roussillon replied for the monkey: "Because your friend didn't die during the battle of blood mud."

  Monkey was speechless.

"Listen." Roussillon's rock-like face finally wavered, he closed his eyes and opened them again: "No one will forget the dead brothers and comrades in arms, no one... Every night, I will think of them. But This battle will only be remembered as a great victory, never as a massacre in which thousands died. No one will remember them, and no one will remember us. Only we will remember them, only we will not Will mention it. You have to learn that, because only then can you live with peace of mind."

  Monkey shook his head in pain: "I can't do it."

   Roussillon replied indifferently: "Then you may not be suitable to be a soldier."

   At this moment, the crisp sound of hoofs rang in the ears of the two of them.

   A team of well-dressed cavalry came on the way, and the officers headed by them were dressed in splendid horses, and they were very impressive.

   Everyone hurriedly gave way, and Roussillon also pulled the monkey back into the field.

  The cavalry galloped majestically in front of Roussillon, Monkey and others, and the leading officer didn't even look at the infantry next to him.

After the cavalry had passed, the infantry returned to the clearing between the farmland and the road.

   Someone looked at the backs of the cavalry with envy: "Really stylish! Really majestic! Who's the one at the head?"

   "Who else but Cellini tribune?" the other answered rightly.

The passing of the    cavalry only brought brief confusion, and the company where Roussillon and Monkey were located quickly resumed formation and set off for Green Valley again.

  The monkey followed without saying a word, but every now and then he turned his head to look at the direction where the Cellini tribunal disappeared.

Finally, the monkey couldn't hold back, he stopped and asked the old sergeant as if he was going out of his way: "What about the officers and gentlemen? Will they remember? Will they be sad? Battalion Commander Tamas said, if you don't know why you are fighting, Just tell yourself to fight for the Montagne tribune. But the blood wolves really care about us, remember us?"

   "Then it's up to you to ask him." Roussillon replied: "Go on."

  …

   On the other side, Andre went against the main force and rode all the way to the side of a four-wheeled carriage in the middle of the column, before dismounting.

   He casually handed the reins to Ciel, who was standing outside the carriage, and his eyes unconsciously swept aside the long wind that was tied to Ciel's saddle from forehead to tail.

   Then he swept Chang Feng from tail to forehead again.

   After completing this set of procedures, Andre couldn't help but sighed, pulled the door open, and stepped into the compartment.

   Inside the carriage, Richard Mason was writing calculations on a small table.

  Winters was sitting reclining across from Mason, reading with a letterhead full of words.

"The vicinity of Green Valley is very safe, and no enemy is found." Andre familiarly took out a bottle of aperitif from under his seat, clenched the cork with his teeth, took a sip, and said with a big smile: " That boy Pierre did a good job, even taking away the prisoners, and leaving no one for Colonel Scuol."

"Pierre said in the letter that Major Felt voluntarily abandoned Green Valley and retreated overnight after losing the frontal battle." Winters curled up his legs and turned his whole body over, but his eyes still did not leave the letterhead: " He has already defeated Major Felt's broken troops, and he is ready to continue to pursue Major Felt's main force."

   "When was the letter written?" Andrei asked.

   "Four days ago." Winters glanced at the date and handed the letter to Andre: "Want to see it?"

   "Four days ago? Then what are you looking at." Andre stretched his legs and grinned: "Maybe now Major Felt is gone."

  Mason moved the table forward—the car was spacious, but when Andre got in, it got a little crowded.

  Andrei still uninterestedly took the initiative to lean over to the edge of the senior's small table, and asked enthusiastically, "Is it over? How much did you earn in this battle?"

   "Not yet." Mason shook his head helplessly.

  …

   Before Andre came back, Mason and Winters were drafting a formal report on the battle.

   It was reported that Gitzo had sent someone back to Gervodin as soon as possible, but the official and statistical battle report could not be written until the dust had settled.

   As for the bulletin published in the Newsletter to inform the whole county, every word and every sentence must be carefully considered.

The main battle of    broke out in Hegu Village. It took less than nine hours from the time the parliamentary army entered the battlefield at noon to the final defeat of the formed parliamentary army in the evening.

On the day the    battle ended, Winters, Geisa, and Skool discussed and assigned tasks for the next phase:

   Colonel Geisa led the relatively complete Baishan County troops to continue northward to recover Sheze and Bazenauer;

Colonel   School led the remnants of Leiqun County and Bianjiang County to the south, targeting Green Valley and Maplestone City;

   The new army of Tiefeng County, which has the most complete fighting force, was assigned the task of staying behind to clean the battlefield.

  The degree of unreasonableness of this plan is not much less than the subtle degree of atmosphere when Winters, Geisa, and Skool agreed on the plan.

   That night, in the tent where Colonel Bode died, in front of Colonel Bode's flag-covered body, Winters, Geisa, and Skool stared at each other.

   What else is there to say?

   The coalition won, but it was a disastrous victory.

   And because the Baishan, Leiqun, and Bianjiang troops suffered huge losses, the already fragile balance within the coalition was completely broken.

  The death of Colonel Bode is equivalent to cutting off the most crucial link that maintains the coalition forces of the four counties.

   It is blunt to say that from the moment the last formed parliamentary army was defeated, the biggest threat to Gaisa and Skool became the new army of Iron Peak County.

  Because once the new army of Iron Peak County is assembled, it will have the ability to annihilate the coalition forces of the three counties—whether or not Winters Montagne wishes to do so.

   And Winters also had to consider, under the heavy pressure, will Gisa and Skool take risks?

   Thus, a chain of suspicion is formed.

   If we continue to deduce downwards, then both sides will come to the same conclusion - only by attacking first can we be invincible.

   "So?" Winters spoke first. He looked at Colonel Bode's body and asked softly, "Are we going to girdle and attack?"

  Gisa and Skool looked at each other.

   "No." Gaisa let out a long, weary breath: "Too much blood has been shed today in the new reclamation."

   "What about tomorrow?" Winters raised his head, his eyes sharp as arrows, and asked aggressively: "What about the day after tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow?"

  Gisa pursed her lips and said nothing.

Colonel   School cleared his throat and replied ambiguous: "That's your decision, not ours."

Winters glanced at Colonel Broad's body again, and he remembered the words of Major Moritz, "For the dead, death is complete annihilation. But the thoughts, actions, voices and smiles of the dead do not disappear with it. They are stored in the memory of the living. But that does not mean that the dead is alive, and the dead will not live in memory. Because memory is nothing but a painting, a page of notes, a sound, and he will never again answer you."

   "Iron Peak County Army will not take the initiative to attack you." Winters looked at the two colonels and said calmly: "My subordinates and I will stay in River Valley Village until the finishing work is completed."

Colonel   School and Colonel Geisa exchanged glances again, the former's eyes showed puzzlement and suspicion.

   "You're staying to clean the battlefield?" Skool asked.

  Cleaning the battlefield may seem like an easy job, but in fact, it is handing over the opportunity to grab the spoils to others.

   "Yes." Winters bluntly pierced the fig leaf: "Bazenauer is the most prosperous port in the new reclaimed land, and Maplestone City has a huge amount of supplies hoarded by General Adams. Which do you want to give me?"

  School and Geisa stopped talking.

   "You don't want to give me either, do you?" Winters sighed: "So I don't want either."

   Not only Skull's expression was different this time, but even Gaisa's expression was a little unnatural.

Colonel   Skull asked in a stern voice: "How can we know that you don't want to destroy each of them?"

   "I will send my troops out in company units to hunt down the rout." Winters folded his arms and added: "If that's not enough, I have one more thing I can pledge to you."

"what?"

   "My credibility."

  Gesar laughed, while Skool snorted softly.

   "Then what are we going to mortgage to you?" Skool asked back: "Can you believe that we won't fight back?"

   "You have given."

"what?"

   "Your lives." Winterstein smiled: "All of your lives."

On the second day after the end of the battle, after a day of rest, Colonel Geisa led his troops to Snake, while Colonel Skool set out for Green Valley.

  Winters also abide by the agreement, devoting all his strength to the finishing work such as treating the wounded, cleaning the battlefield, searching for prisoners, counting casualties, and containing the defeated soldiers.

   It was not until the fourth day after the end of the battle that the Iron Peak Army, who buried the last body, escorted Colonel Bode's body and set off for Green Valley.

   Then today—the sixth day after the end of the battle—Winters, who was about to arrive in Green Valley, suddenly found that there seemed to be some subtle deviations between the development of the situation and the direction he expected. ,

  …

  [in the carriage]

"Pierre... oh, he's a good boy, but he's too impatient." Mason sighed, hesitant to say anything, and finally said: "It's credit for repelling the Green Valley garrison, but it shouldn't be a prisoner or a Scooby. There is no need, Colonel Yell. Our problem now is not too few prisoners, but too many prisoners."

   Winters certainly understood what Senior Mason meant—Colonel Scull was in desperate need of a replacement, and Pierre’s actions were undoubtedly hostile.

"Hmph, it's Pierre's ability to win the Green Valley garrison." Andre dismissed Senior Mason's opinion, he said with a sneer, "If you want me to say, the guys from Leiqun County can't eat meat, Can't blame others. If you want to blame, blame yourself for being incompetent!"

   Winters sighed and turned his back, not wanting to see the senior and Andre again.

   Unexpectedly, the action of turning around affected his ribs, and pain began to hurt under his ribs again, causing him to groan lowly.

   There is no need for Senior Mason's implicit reminder, because no one knows this army better than Winters.

   But there are some things that make Winters difficult - such as the attitude of the Iron Peak County Army towards the original New Reclamation Corps.

  The Tiefeng County Army has been fighting the new reclamation army all the way from its establishment to its expansion.

   If Winters and the officers of the New Reclamation Corps, at least there are still some classmates;

   Then the grass-roots officers trained by the Tiefeng County Army in the war have only pure hostility towards the New Reclamation Army.

   "These little brats." Winters turned his back to the senior and Andre, and said quietly: "It's more ruthless than me - to be precise, there was no affection at all from the beginning."

  Senior Mason sighed again.

   "Hi!" Andre slapped his thigh and said impatiently, "If you want me to tell you, if there is a friction, it's all your responsibility."

   "Oh?" Winters propped up his body, turned around slowly, and looked at Andre fixedly.

Andre's upper body fell back, his two long legs were pressed on Winters's legs, and he said carelessly: "Why are you showing mercy? It's not about them, it's all about you! These little brats of yours, Even if you let them jump off a cliff, they'll jump without blinking—maybe blink, but they'll jump! So, what's their attitude? They don't have an attitude! Your attitude is their attitude!"

It is unknown whether    Winters was persuaded by Andre's theory, but Mason on the side was obviously taken aback.

"That's right, Winters." Mason let out a sigh of relief and his expression became much more relaxed. He looked at Winters and asked, "What is your attitude towards Baishan County, Leiqun County and Bianjiang County? "

   Winters closed his eyes.

  …

  [Green Valley Town]

   Back in Green Valley, the sight in front of Winters was very different from when he set off.

   Originally a wealthy town with red tiles and blue walls, it was visibly dilapidated to the naked eye.

When    Felt’s department came in, it was not cherished—the fine walnut desk was split into firewood, and the expensive ceramic tableware smashed.

  When Felt's army retreated, the last of its wealth was looted by the rebels.

  Standing at the gate and looking into the town, the slate paved road is full of garbage, ash heaps and rubble, and the corners and under the eaves are full of stains left by dung.

   The mayor of Green Valley Town followed the Tiefeng County Army back to Green Valley.

  The last time the Tiefeng County army evacuated from Green Valley, the mayor of Green Valley Town took the whole family and all the property and fled to Changhu Town with the Tiefeng County army.

   At that time, he was regarded as a lost dog.

   Now, the Tiefeng County Army has returned to Green Valley, and the fugitive former mayor has returned to the town with his head held high.

   Now, he's the smartest man in town.

   However, seeing the ravaged Green Valley, the smug look on the mayor's face disappeared.

   The Tiefeng County Army did not enter the town to stay overnight, and still camped in the open space outside the town. But the soldiers of the Tiefeng County Army entered the town to help the town residents who returned home to clear the rubble and clean the streets.

  As the street gradually recovered its original appearance, several gallows were erected in the town square.

The    trial began immediately, and the prisoners of Felt’s department were taken to the square and handed over to the townspeople for identification.

In the end, four Felt soldiers who committed murder in the chaos were hanged, twenty-seven identified Felt soldiers were publicly whipped, and one identified body was decapitated after death. .

  The townspeople of Green Valley Town watched the entire execution. The crowd was silent at first, and gradually became angry. At the end of the final hanging, many people shed tears - not because of any revenge, but because they remembered what their homeland used to look like.

   The mayor of Green Valley Town, as a representative, participated in the whole trial and execution.

After the execution of   , the mayor immediately found the tribune of Montagne.

   The mayor originally wanted to flatter him, but when he saw the expression of "Blood Wolf", he wisely shut his mouth.

   "What do you want to say?" Looking at the corpse hanging on the gallows, the blood wolf asked plainly.

"Everyone in Green Valley Town will be dead set on you from now on." After just one glance, the mayor of Green Valley Town's heart beat wildly uncontrollably, and he lowered his head: "You brought us justice. ."

   "This kind of trick doesn't bring any loyalty. I'm not giving you justice, I'm giving you only revenge... bitter revenge."

   Hearing these words, the mayor of Green Valley Town couldn't help but secretly glanced at the face of the young man in front of him.

   On the face of "Blood Wolf", he saw a wry smile of irony. Then, the blood wolf turned around and looked at him.

   The mayor immediately lowered his head.

"I can't compensate you all with grain for the burned winter wheat. So I'll give you half the grain and half the gold." The blood wolf took out a small notebook and a graphite bar from his arms: "What else do you need, You can tell me together."

   The mayor habitually wanted to flatter him first, but when he raised his head, he met a pair of sincere eyes.

   The mayor nodded silently and expressed the needs of Green Valley Town.

  …

  …

After    came out of Green Valley Town, Winters rallied all the commissioned officers under his command.

   Stepping on the burned field, facing the eyes of his subordinates, Winters did not explain, but gave the order clearly and directly:

   "From today onwards, we will try our best to merge or assimilate the various divisions of the former New Reclamation Corps in a bloodless manner;

  Until the external environment is confirmed, we will not take the initiative to use force against the former New Reclamation Corps;

   But we will not stop, the goal has never changed - Iron Peak! New land! Prato! alliance! "

  The officers listened quietly.

   "The next target, Vigne County." Winters finally showed a smile: "The ultimatum has been sent, we will be in Green Valley, waiting for the final answer from Vigne County."

   "As ordered!" The officers raised their hands and saluted.

   That night, the combat readiness order was issued again.

  The new army of Tiefeng County sharpens their weapons, distributes ammunition, and begins to prepare for the next battle.

   But unfortunately, Winters had not had time to wait for the final reply from Vigne County, but received a letter of accountability written by Colonel Skool with anger.

  …

  Three days later, outside Maplestone City.

"Colonel Bode is gone, no one can act as a buffer and bridge for us. Now this kind of thing is happening again...Colonel Skool has retreated to camp five kilometers away." Mason said gloomily: "These bastards, really Too much trouble."

   Winters was silent.

   "We'll talk about it later!" Andrei laughed: "Now, enjoy the victory!"

   Ahead, the main gate of Maplestone City is open.

   In the distance, the Maple Leaf Castle, still with the red rose flag, spewed out a puff of white smoke feebly.

  The representatives of the citizens who came to present the keys to the city gate had smiles on their faces.

  Little Priskin, who was waiting to be praised, stood proudly at the front.

   [The wolf cubs who can really make trouble are here! ]

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   (end of this chapter)