“Don’t go back, break through in that direction.”
Lying on Black Wolf’s back, Aaron Linton, with eyes closed and breathing shallowly, pointed in the direction of the border.
“Commander, this man is a madman.”
“Yes, we should have headed that way in the first place.”
“Commander, let’s leave this man behind, he’s a madman.”
“If we really do as he says and there’s an ambush, then going that way would be like walking into a trap.”
The deputy officers, who had been holding back, wanted to see where this guy would suggest they go. But they never expected him to point towards the way of the border. Wasn’t that their original route? If there really was an ambush, then moving would mean getting surrounded by the enemy.
“Shut up.”
Black Wolf rebuked.
His prestige among the Ghost Wolf Cavalry was quite high. With this rebuke, the deputy officers quieted down, and then Black Wolf said, “Listen to him. From now on, no one is allowed to complain, just execute.”
“Commander.”
Someone still wanted to say something. But, a glance from Black Wolf silenced them.
The cavalrymen felt Black Wolf’s killing intent. He wasn’t joking. If anyone really complained and disrupted the operation, he would kill them. He had made up his mind.
“Yes.”
The many deputy officers didn’t dare to say anything more.
They had to suppress their resentment. They didn’t know what the commander was thinking, why he trusted a man who was nearly dead, and why he was even willing to kill them for this man.
What they didn’t know was that Black Wolf’s sense of crisis was getting stronger, and he even felt death.
This was an instinct he had developed from years of fighting through seas of corpses. If he hadn’t met this man, he would have had no choice but to break through according to the original plan.
But having met this man, he knew he had to trust him.
Because he felt that this man was right.
Moreover, he knew about Aston Jones. In Kisia, most people didn’t know about Aston Jones because he was lazy, didn’t like fame and fortune, and the media didn’t report about him.
But Aaron Linton knew about Aston Jones.
Either he had heard it recently, or he had been paying attention to world affairs and knew about Aston Jones early on.
He chose the latter. He took a gamble.
He gambled on that slim chance of survival. Once their Ghost Wolf Cavalry was annihilated, the chances of South Province turning the tide would be less than ten percent. In other words, it would be almost impossible.
At this critical time, he gambled on that slim chance.
Inside the big tent of South Land.
Aston Jones had been here for quite some time, followed by a few tiger generals. As for why Robin didn’t kill Caleb Laydon at the time, there were two reasons. One was to create a target for Harry Smith, and the other was that although Caleb Laydon was underhanded and used sneak attacks on the battlefield, he was extremely loved by the soldiers in the army.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to sit in a commanding position among the dozens of generals. If Caleb Laydon were killed, the South Land army would go mad. The situation would become uncontrollable.
“General Jones.”
Inside the big tent, there were many generals, among them, Benson Laydon was mainly responsible for this battlefield.
Without asking, Aston Jones looked at the sand table in the big tent. The formations were already set up, a multi-layered encirclement, ambush on all sides, and one of the red chess pieces was the Ghost Wolf Cavalry.
“General Jones, we’ve got them surrounded. This time, the Ghost Wolf Cavalry won’t escape our grasp. It’s a privilege for them to be surrounded by 400, 000 troops,” a deputy officer said to Aston Jones.
Aston Jones glanced at him without speaking, then took his place at the head of the table. Benson Laydon, who had previously occupied that seat, now stood at Aston Jones’ side, looking quite obedient.
“Has the Iron Eagles really arrived?” Aston Jones called out.
A man wearing an eagle-beak mask appeared at his side and reported, “General Jones, their Shadow Crew has made a move. We lost control of their movements a minute ago.”
“Just one minute, how far can they get in one minute, and where can they go? We have set up ten ambushes. Aston Jones, you may rest assured. If they escape this, I am willing to answer with my life,” said a strategist named Woods. He was a talented but arrogant advisor who had never been properly utilized in the South Land army. Therefore, he stepped forward, ready to showcase his skills.
However, at that moment, a soldier came to report, “General Jones, the Ghost Wolf Cavalry has appeared in the west.”
Everyone was taken aback. Had they been discovered? Were they shifting directions?
“Even if they shift their direction, what about it? We have so many layers of encirclement here. They can’t break out,” Woods stroked his beard and laughed.
Yet again, another soldier came to report, “General Jones, the Ghost Wolf Cavalry has appeared in the east.”
Everyone was shocked once more, including Woods, “The east? The west? They have split their troops. But they were already weak, I don’t know if their commander is a blockhead. General Jones, such a commander is not worth your effort. Let me take command, I guarantee to defeat the enemy utterly.” He was desperate for a chance to prove himself.
“Woods,” Aston Jones glanced at Woods with his dark eyes, “Do you think you’re the only clever one? Overconfidence is a taboo on the battlefield. You’ve already lost three points before the battle. Someone, take him away. After this battle, kill him.”
At the word ‘kill’, everyone was shocked. Not to mention, they had some friendship with Woods. Killing an officer before a battle might affect morale.
But, Aston Jones swept them a glance, “Do you have any objections?” This glance silenced them. None dared to speak. General Jones was inviolable.
“Aston Jones, I was just asking for the command, it doesn’t mean you have to kill me. Are you really trying to protect your power, not allowing anyone else to touch it?” Woods frowned.
Even as a strategist, he had his dignity. He didn’t plead, but reasoned. However, Aston Jones only had three words for him.
“Take him away.”
“Yes, sir.”
Immediately, two soldiers escorted Woods away. As Woods was being led away, he laughed maniacally, “Everyone says Aston Jones of South Land is a great talent. But all I see is absurdity, he’s just a petty man who’s jealous of the talented.”