Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

[Vernge County]

[Artemis]

The midsummer sun baked the earth, with only the azure river waters providing a rare sense of coolness.

Gentle blue smoke wafted over the river, while the lush reeds gave off a rich, fresh scent.

On the serene and majestic banks of the Anya River, there were... naked young men everywhere.

Considering that the troops hadn't had a single day of rest since setting out, Montaigne, the Civil Guard Officer, waved his hand grandly and granted everyone half a day off.

The soldiers, finally getting some personal time, left the camp and headed to the river to wash clothes and bathe, under the envious glares of the unlucky ones on duty.

Everyone knew that as long as the Blood Wolf subdued the remaining towns of Vernge County, the Iron Peak County Infantry Regiment would return in triumph.

Thus, the Anya River was filled with laughter and joy.

The soldiers enthusiastically washed their clothes and cleaned themselves, wanting to tidy up a bit before heading home.

According to the original battle plan, the attack on Artemis would involve three infantry battalions along with the cavalry.

Of these, the fifth infantry battalion would launch a surprise attack from the unguarded southern route, while the first and third battalions would advance rapidly from the north, with the cavalry suppressing and intercepting enemy scouts, aiming to secure victory before the Thunder Group County's forces could respond effectively.

But by the time the follow-up troops arrived at Artemis City, the battle was over, with companions from the fifth battalion counting prisoners, and the city walls already flying deep blue flags.

So the soldiers of the first and third battalions were both relieved about avoiding a brutal assault and frustrated over their futile journey.

Someone, washing clothes and half-jokingly lamenting, said, "A bag of dry rations, a bag of water, marching day and night, so tired my legs were shaking. And what did we get? Nothing! I was hoping to earn a bit more land, but alas."

"Who wouldn't agree?"

"When we set out, the guys in the second battalion were all envious. Now they get to laugh at us for running around aimlessly while sitting comfortably in Maplestone City."

Hearing the complaints from their brother troops, a big-eyed young lad among those washing clothes cleared his throat and humbly said:

"Can't help it! Vernge County's soldiers just can't fight! We hadn't even tried hard, and they'd already surrendered. Ha, you wouldn't believe it, when we used earth-filled baskets to flatten the trenches, Vernge County's soldiers were just standing there, eyes wide open! One charge, and we took the city walls."

The young soldier got more excited as he spoke, stood up, gesturing expressively: "I climbed and climbed, reached the top of the ladder, but was still half a meter from the wall. What to do? Retreat? No way! I gritted my teeth, tossed my shield and clawed my way up the battlement. And guess what? There was nobody else, I was the first!"

"Bullshit!" a distant soldier interrupted, laughing and swearing: "The first one to scale the wall was the captain!"

"I never said I was the first in the whole battalion!" The young lad blushed: "I was the first in my company..."

"Nonsense! You weren't even the first in your company."

The young lad got anxious: "The first on the ladder! I was the first on my ladder! Okay?"

The surrounding soldiers laughed good-naturedly.

"Sit down now."

"Stop blowing, kid!"

"Who are you calling a kid?" Out of strong self-esteem, the young lad took his comrades' affection as an insult, puffed up his chest, and said indignantly: "I joined during the second conscription! The battles you've fought and the people you've killed might not be more than mine! I..."

Before finishing his sentence, the young lad was hauled away by his squad leader, who yanked him by the ear.

"Alright, what's fun about picking on rookies? Elites should fight elites! Just like the battle we had with the pseudo-troops, oh man, that was something intense..."

The soldier who took the storytelling baton glanced at the old Lu Xirong sergeant in the corner, suddenly feeling embarrassed: "Old sergeant, maybe you'd like to tell it instead?"

Lu Xirong smiled and shook his head, dedicating his attention to washing his old coat.

Seeing Lu Xirong refuse, the soldier, as if receiving permission, eagerly recounted the perilous and fierce River Valley Village battle:

"...When we arrived, we were down to just a few. But that bald guy's forces were about to be wiped out. The captain then told us, 'Comrades, form two lines, musketeers in the middle, spearmen at the flanks.' The captain also said, 'If you don't know why you're fighting, just think of fighting for the Blood Wolf,' and then led us charging in..."

"Where's the Blood Wolf?" someone impatiently asked, "Where's the Blood Wolf?"

"What's the rush? Haven't gotten there yet!" the soldier with the storytelling baton rebuked dissatisfiedly, but still took the feedback, skipping a large part of self-praise, jumping directly to when the Blood Wolf appeared on the battlefield: "… There was a loud explosion, shaking everyone unsteady. The wind nearly blew me over. The warhorses went berserk, running everywhere. Clods were falling like hail..."

The soldier with the storytelling baton lowered his voice, eerily saying: "At that moment, my knees went weak. I thought, it's over, all over."

The speaking soldier was adept at storytelling, not only stirring the fifth battalion soldiers' emotions but also causing the soldiers of the first and third battalions, who had been part of the River Valley Village battle, to unconsciously hold their breath.