Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

In summary, the Rainbow River Military Government has made almost no moves, and its passive attitude is intriguing.

As time passed, the waves stirred by the "Battle of River Valley Village" in the Alliance were reflected back to the Newly Reclaimed Land.

The upper city citizens of Maplestone City, who could receive outside news, couldn't help but become pessimistic about the prospects of the Newly Reclaimed Land.

The internal situation within the Newly Reclaimed Lands Province was equally unpredictable and complex.

The Iron Peak County Military issued a victory bulletin signed by Winters Montagne to the public, and Maplestone City immediately saw a frenzy for it.

The printed bulletins were snatched up quickly, and handwritten copies were sold for a silver coin each, forcing the city's three printing workshops to urgently print more copies.

The citizens of Maplestone City, after obtaining the bulletin, not only read it in squares, living rooms, and at dining tables but also secretly sent them to other places.

Although the bulletin omitted many tactical details and remained silent on the allied forces' casualties,

through the summary content within, ordinary people outside the armed forces for the first time were able to glimpse the full picture of the battle and understand the devastating blow the Grand Council's army had suffered.

Through the subtle emotions revealed between the lines—such as referring to the Council's army as the "Pseudo-Government Army," and calling the White Mountain, Bian River, and Thunder Group County troops the "Newly Reclaimed Land Army," while using "Our Army" only for the Iron Peak County Military—many clever people in Maplestone City pessimistically realized that there might still be a battle to fight within the so-called "Newly Reclaimed Land United Army."

The developments indeed aligned with the citizens of Maplestone City's expectations.

The Thunder Group County troops stationed southeast of Maplestone City consistently refused to join forces with the Iron Peak County troops and watched as the Iron Peak County Military alone laid siege to Maple Fort.

It was said that the Blood Wolf had sent a major to communicate with the Thunder Group County troops, but the officer ended up in a fierce argument with Colonel Skool, resulting in the Thunder Group County troops again retreating that very day, all the way back to the border between the direct jurisdiction of Maplestone City and Thunder Group County.

Meanwhile, the stationed troops in Vernge County also rejected the Blood Wolf's final ultimatum.

The stationed officer in Vernge County politely received the Blood Wolf's messenger but firmly stated that he would never accept an "unconditional surrender," let alone "surrender to the rebels."

Beneath the calm surface of the Newly Reclaimed Lands Province, undercurrents were surging.

The Iron Peak County Military, Thunder Group County troops, and Vernge County troops all restrained each other and made no overt moves.

However, it was clear to discerning eyes that although the Iron Peak County Military controlled Maplestone City, they were in the most disadvantageous position. Their connection to their base was cut off by Vernge County, while on the other side, the Thunder Group County troops, backed by their homeland, were replenishing their losses.

With foresight, knowledgeable citizens in Maplestone City became increasingly convinced that the current peace was nothing but an illusion, a new round of warfare could descend at any moment.

Pessimistic feelings were transmitted from top to bottom, gradually spreading to every corner of Maplestone City.

Even those working in the fields, occasionally straightening up and seeing the gathering dark clouds at the horizon, felt anxious about the future.

However, all of the above was unknown to Major Alder Felter, besieged in Maple Fort.

Major Felter was unaware of the purge in Kingsfort, the brewing tensions between The Federated Provinces and Vineta, and the unusual silence of the Military Government, nor did he know which colleague had survived.

Since the moment he fled into Maple Fort, the Major's world had shrunk to less than one square kilometer, roughly presenting as a circle with Maple Fort at its center and a radius of three hundred meters.

Originally, there was a battalion of garrison troops at Maple Fort, but some fled after hearing the news of defeat. Later, a hundred or so remnants of Felter's troops gradually escaped in, and along with a hundred or so servants and laborers, the total number of people who could take up arms was still around one battalion.

In fact, maintaining the morale of these five hundred or so people and preventing them from tying him up to offer to the Blood Wolf, Major Felter had already proven his capability.

But beyond that, he could make no other attempts.

The Major could only despairingly watch as the Iron Peak County rebels, as if driven mad, first built a high wall around Maple Fort, then constructed a second high wall outside the first.

Initially, outside Maple Fort, there were only rebels focused on digging trenches.

A few days later, some prisoners wearing brown clothes appeared at the site, significantly speeding up the rebels' work efficiency.

The rebels used the space between the two high walls as a new camp. They dug trenches to press closer to Maple Fort while organizing the prisoners in the new camp to produce a large number of basket barricades.

Since Maple Fort was built by the river, the riverbank between the river and the fortress was fully exposed to the garrison's range, and thus there would always be a section of riverbank under the garrison's control, making it difficult for the rebels to achieve a complete encirclement.

However, the rebels did not even overlook that last section of riverbank.

The rebel engineers took an alternative approach, first building a fortress on the opposite riverbank, then extending a floating bridge from the opposite fortress under the cover of night.

By the time Major Felter woke up in the morning, the rebels' bridgehead fortress had already sprung up.

The bridgehead fortresses on both sides, along with the floating bridge, not only sealed the last gap in the siege works but also blocked the Anya River.

If the floating bridge across the Anya River had not been the work of the enemy, Major Felter would have certainly applauded the officer commanding the project.

However, being the "enemy" in this textbook battle example left a bitter taste.

With the completion of the rebels' bridgehead, Maple Fort's connection with the outside world was completely cut off, and there was not even a way to send or receive messages, let alone fetch water.