At this moment, a South Land soldier hurriedly approached.
“Report, our scouts have located the Ghost Wolf Cavalry, approximately ten kilometers directly ahead.”
This news brought everyone to their feet.
“Good heavens, we’ve finally found the Ghost Wolf Cavalry. It wasn’t easy,” said the young officer who had been irritable from the start, now suddenly filled with excitement.
He was a young man, in dire need of military achievements to prove himself.
“Commander, let’s attack them,” suggested another young officer.
These adjutants had been toyed with for several days now, holding back their anger. Now, they had finally found the majority of the Ghost Wolf Cavalry and wanted to launch a fierce attack.
However, Pierre Calder, a seasoned officer, held out his hand and commanded, “No, we can’t make a rash move when the enemy is aware and we’re in the dark.”
Despite their numerical advantage, the Ghost Wolf Cavalry were renowned cavalrymen, traditionally faster than infantrymen. The situation was unclear, and reckless actions were not advisable.
“Send a telegram to the other two teams. I need to know their status,” ordered Pierre Calder.
“Yes, sir.”
Immediately, one of the adjutants departed.
In a short while, the adjutant returned, “Report, the other two teams have also found traces of the Ghost Wolf Cavalry, but not in the direction we discovered. Oh, and one of the small teams captured a straggler who said they were preparing to break through.”
“Break through? What a joke.”
Pierre Calder chuckled coldly, “We haven’t even surrounded them yet. How can they talk about breaking through? Moreover, what is the Ghost Wolf Cavalry? They are Kisia’s First Cavalry, where every soldier is prepared to die honorably. Would such soldiers give up so easily? This is a ruse. Send orders to the other two teams to converge. The War God of Kisia wants to defeat us one by one, but I will not give him that opportunity.”
“Also, report to the headquarters. We need reinforcements, at least two hundred thousand. I plan to beat them at their own game.”
Yes.
Beat them at their own game.
Once he understood what the First War God of Kisia intended to do, he had a way to counter it. His method was the safest-uniting the three armies. The Ghost Wolf Cavalry alone could not defeat them.
Moreover, as long as he called for reinforcements, he could surprise them, truly encircling the Ghost Wolf Cavalry.
After all, he was a veteran soldier, with plenty of experience.
Especially now, in South Province, the only threat was the Ghost Wolf Cavalry. If the soldiers from the main base were mobilized, the main base would remain unthreatened, especially since this army was right under their noses.
As long as this army couldn’t move, all of South Province would belong to South Land.
But at this moment, beneath a cliff, Maclean was leading a group of men, looking through binoculars at the converging three armies, then sighed, “The officer was right, good leaders have habitual thinking, but only true generals can understand everything.”
That South Land commander, Aston Jones, who had helped Lord Whiteford conquer the South Land territories, was a war hero who could be called a true general. Only they were good leaders.
Good leaders could be nurtured, but true generals were one in a million, they were rare and not easily found.
“What should we do now?”
An adjutant asked for instructions.
“Leave ten thousand men behind to attract their attention. Does anyone volunteer?” Maclean asked the others.
Ten thousand men!
Even if they were cavalry, facing three hundred thousand men, not to mention the additional two hundred thousand arriving soon, for a total of five hundred thousand, there was practically no chance of survival.
However…
“I… I will stay, who dares to compete with me!” A burly man with a scar on his face thumped his chest, his demeanor assertive and confident.
But another man was not convinced, “Why? Why is everything always on your terms? This time, I’m taking my chances, what about it? This mission, my third team will take it!”
“Your third team is too weak, let my fifth team handle it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I was the one who brought you into this team, and now you’ve grown wings, haven’t you? You dare compete with me for the honor? Get lost, I’m telling you, it’s not your place.”
“Your child was just born.” Another person, understanding their meaning, chimed in.
However, this remark angered the leader of the third team, “What do you mean by that? Do you look down on me? I’ve been fighting alongside the general all my life, and I’ve never been a coward. Moreover, when going out on a mission, I’ve willingly put myself in the enemy’s hands, endured severe torture, pretended to give up information, and completed the mission. Have I ever complained?”
“He has a wife and child too, don’t they? You all do. We all do. Why shouldn’t I go? I’m telling you, this time my third team is going for sure. We have the least number of men and I’m an old soldier, most suited for this mission. I’m not just snatching the mission away, nobody is more suitable than me.”
Least number of men, but the most suitable.
That’s because this is a suicide mission. Ten thousand men facing an attack by half a million, the chances of survival are virtually zero.
The fewer the men, the fewer the losses for the Ghost Wolf Cavalry.
And besides, Tail is an old soldier. Only he could make the decoy mission look real.
Everyone fell silent.
The logic was there, but…
Before they could say more, Tail, whose real name was Aaron Valkins, saluted Maclean.
Maclean watched him, just watched him.
A full minute passed before he said, “Alright.”
This time, he finally understood why the general said ‘the compassionate cannot lead the troops’.
This feeling, not everyone can bear it.
After Aaron Valkins put his hand down, he took a look at Maclean and laughed, “To be honest, you’re younger than me, and I’ve always been unconvinced as to why the general values you so much. But later, I understood that you’re more talented than me, and even more reckless than me. By the way, when you go back, look after my child for me. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, my wife is still mad at me. She said she won’t tell me because I haven’t been back. When the time comes, bring the news to my grave. Oh, and bring a bottle of wine, no, bring a few more bottles, so I can slowly drink them down there.”
Then, Aaron Valkins turned around, his gaze becoming that of a true Ghost Wolf Cavalry soldier.
“Where is third team!”
Aaron Valkins shouted loudly.
“Here!”
Six thousand men from the third team shouted in unison.
Each team was supposed to have ten thousand men, but the third team was always at the forefront, dying the quickest. The decoy mission originally required ten thousand men.
However, if it was the third team, they didn’t need that many.
“I’ve taken a mission to stay behind and lure the enemy. Chances are, we won’t survive. Brothers, will you blame me?”
Aaron Valkins looked at these soldiers, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
The saying ‘the compassionate cannot lead the troops’ also applied to him.
“Thank you, commander.”
But these six thousand men from the third team, all knelt down on one knee, one of the deputy officers said, “The general once said, the Ghost Wolf Cavalry, has no cowards, we live to fight, and we rest only in death!”
“We live to fight, we rest only in death!”
That night, ninety-four thousand Ghost Wolf Cavalry headed for St. Sunday!