Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

A cavalry unit charged into Deerhorn Town with a roar, sending the townspeople scattering in panic.

The militiamen of Deerhorn Town rummaged through their belongings, struggling to find weapons.

When they stepped out of their homes, however, they discovered that the townspeople had long fled, and the streets were full of unfamiliar soldiers.

Without a word, they turned around and went back inside to move furniture and barricade their doors.

Lieutenant Andreya Chelini was quite experienced with the process of "raid, loot, and leave."

Breaking morale was a more effective use of cavalry than sword slashing.

Thirty cavalrymen could drive hundreds of civilians into headlong flight; a hundred riders could encircle and control thousands.

Andre's cavalry first went to seal the supply depot, then took over the town hall and the public security bureau.

By the time Winters entered the town, the job was already done.

It was the same old story, the supply depot was empty, not even a mouse to be found.

Winters and Andre talked it over and felt something was amiss, fearing that the enemy had been well prepared.

"Think they can starve us out? That's wishful thinking," Andre sneered. "Can people really be starved to death?"

Apart from weapons, ammunition, and seven days' worth of dry food, the troop that invaded Mont Blanc County brought nothing else.

The situation of the troop under Winters was similar to Ronald's raid on Wolf Town, both sacrificing supplies for speed.

But Mont Blanc County was far richer than Iron Peak County, and locally recruiting food supplies would be much easier.

Winters found it odd too; he sent out three cavalrymen once again, scouting toward Manyun Valley for enemy intelligence.

Xial ran over with a gloomy face, holding several gazettes.

"Couldn't find anything new; the latest is from last quarter," Xial said.

The gazette, also known as "Record of Events," was an official communication from the New Reclamation Legion to its subordinate units. It's usually published once a quarter and sometimes supplemented in case of urgent matters.

Winters first learned about the information channel of the New Reclamation Legion during his initial meeting with Senior Mason.

He was desperately in need of intelligence, and the gazette was the best source of open information.

But the gazettes couldn't be bought; they had to be seized from the territories of the New Reclamation Legion.

Winters took the gazettes, scanning them ten lines at a glance: "No matter, take them all. Old gazettes are useful too, take as many as there are."

Xial saluted, turned around to leave.

"Wait a second," Winters stopped Xial. "I asked you to gather the businessmen of Deerhorn Town, why don't I see them?"

Xial replied with a bitter face, "The townspeople are all mixed together, and it's hard to distinguish who is a merchant."

"Isn't that simple? Take a torch and call them all together, ask from one shop to the next. Understand?"

Unconsciously standing out, all their shops will be burnt down, go with the torches."

"Understood, understood."

"Make it clear to them beforehand, just two questions, it won't cost them their lives."

"Yes." Xial nodded vigorously and left.

Winters found a brightly lit place and continued reading the gazette.

"Aren't they all old?" Andre asked, with his right hand tucked inside his jacket. "Are they still useful?"

"They're useful," Winters replied without looking up.

"How are they useful?"

"The contents of the gazette are mainly policies, wars, parliamentary debates, civil and criminal cases, as well as news on religious celebrations," Winters flipped a page. "For now, it seems that the New Reclamation Legion still pledges allegiance to Kingsfort. The gazette refers to Kingsfort as 'the supreme Republic.'

"Adams, a weathervane, is always thinking of hedging his bets depending on the situation," Andre snorted disdainfully and then asked, "But aren't these all from the last quarter?"

"If the Legion has broken with Kingsfort, there should be supplements, right?" Winters said matter-of-factly.

Andre burst into laughter.

"We should also publish a gazette," Winters suggested as he read. "It's quite useful."

"Sure, let's start one when we get back."

Winters sighed, "If we manage to hold onto Revodan."

Winters flipped another page and suddenly his eyes lit up, "Farmers from South Mountain Town secretly cut grass from the military horse farm, military court sentenced two to hard labor?"

Andre's ears perked up instantly, "Military horse farm?!"

"South Mountain Town," Winters savored the name, pulling out a map: "Seems it's in Mont Blanc County!"

Both men crouched on the ground, eagerly flipping through maps.

"It is in Mont Blanc County!" Andre exclaimed ecstatically while searching, "Right to the south!"

Winters took the map, first with delight then with confusion, "It's not marked on the map? Mont Blanc County has a military horse farm, so why haven't we seen any enemy cavalry?"

"All the military horses must have been conscripted already! Plus, this map is too old; it's normal not to be marked," Andre clapped his thigh, genuinely happy. "We must visit it no matter what. There might not be any draft horses, but foals and breeding stallions are also valuable goods!"

"Good." Winters, infected by Andre's joy, smiled and said, "Let's pay a visit. But it seems no one in Iron Peak County has ever managed a military horse farm; we'll have to take the horse farm staff as well."

Andre considered it inconsequential: "Didn't Senior Mason used to raise pigs and manage a labor ranch? Let him handle it."

Exchanging glances, they couldn't contain their laughter, growing more joyful as they laughed.

Xial, escorting the merchants of Deerhorn Town, saw from a distance Captain Montaigne and Lieutenant Chellini squatting face to face, inexplicably laughing like fools.

"Captain! I've brought the people over!" he called out loudly as a reminder.

Winters and Andre quickly stood up, straightening their appearances.