White Lion sighed deeply, "I've been preparing for three years, thinking I could defend Bianli for three months. But once the Paratu People exerted their strength, Bianli couldn't even hold out for seven days. With the help of the shamans from the tribes, I thought we could at least sever an arm of the Paratu People, but we were still almost utterly annihilated."
Little Lion, as soone who had experienced it himself, didn't know how to comfort his brother.
"I thought I had overestimated the Paratu People enough, but in reality, I still underestimated them," White Lion patted his brother's shoulder, "We have much to learn. The other tribes look down on us after our big defeat because they haven't experienced the Paratu People's strength firsthand. Only when they also hit a snag will they understand what we've been through and regain their respect for the Red River Tribe. Only when they also hit a snag will they follow my strategy."
"Should we... wish for the food gatherers to be defeated?" Little Lion asked with confusion.
"No! I sincerely hope that the food gatherers will win," White Lion replied earnestly, "But they won't win, because they're up against 'Paratu's Hamr' and 'Paratu's Shield'."
White Lion rarely showed a trace of a smile, "And from Paratu's Hamr, I've learned a very important thing."
"What is it?"
"Contingency plans."
...
While White Lion and Little Lion were conversing, General Alpad was giving the Paratu Cavalry their final speech.
Alpad stood on a carriage, waving a piece of parchnt, and bellowed, "Do you know what this is?"
Thousands of cavalryn holding their reins and standing in front of their horses were silent.
"This is the withdrawal order from the Paratu Council!"
As soon as these words were spoken, there was a stir among the crowd.
Not only the soldiers, but even the junior officers were taken aback.
The lieutenant colonels, however, had normal expressions because they had known about the existence of this order beforehand.
The colonels weren't surprised either; not only did they know about this order, but they also knew it was the second withdrawal order.
In the whole legion, only Alpad and Sekler knew the truth: this was actually the fifth withdrawal order.
Not long after the Hurd marauders invaded Paratu's holand, the Grand Council had issued the first withdrawal order.
Five consecutive orders, each more sternly worded than the last.
"I'll tell you what it says on this order!" Alpad picked up the parchnt and disclosed the content of the confidential letter to the whole legion, "The Fifth and Sixth Legions, lingering in enemy territory, without any achievents. The order dictates the Fifth and Sixth Legions return to Shuangqiao Main Camp imdiately, any delay will be treated as treason! Treated as treason!"
The wind swept through the Paratu soldiers' formation, bringing with it waves of anger.
"The Council asks us where the legion is when it's needed!" before everyone, Alpad tore up the Council's sealed order, shattering it and fiercely throwing it to the ground, "Fat-brained fools of the Council! What do they think we're doing?"
"Do they think we're drinking wine, eating at, enjoying Hurd won?"
"Do they think we don't want to return to Paratu?"
"Haven't we been fighting bloody battles with the Herd Barbarians with every sword and spear? Which one of you doesn't have wounds? Which one of you hasn't buried a comrade-in-arms in the wilderness? Now we're branded as traitors?"
With the aid of the spellcasters who had regained their magical abilities, Alpad's voice reached every corner of the Paratu army.
The suppressed anger and resentnt in the soldiers' hearts gradually fernted; they had been fighting bloody battles, risking their lives in the fray with the Herd Barbarians!
"Tens of thousands of Herd Barbarians biting at our heels! But the Grand Council treats us as traitors!" Alpad was also filled with rage, "We're now a stranded army! There's no one to rescue us! Only ourselves! Follow ! Slaughter every last Herd Barbarian! String their ears together with grass ropes! Co with to demand an explanation from the Grand Council!"
"Long live!" a soldier shouted.
"Long live!!" others shouted in unison.
"Long live!!!" Everyone was roaring with anger and resentnt.
Alpad mounted his warhorse and rushed northward, with the eagle flag following behind him.
The bugle sounded, and the cavalryn turned around and mounted their horses in unison, following their general under the guidance of the officers.
...
...
However, General Alpad's inflammatory speech had nothing to do with the vanguard.
If the old shaman heard it, he might even give Alpad a negative review for 'having ulterior motives.'
For Winters, he was still leading his usual life of marching, fortifying camps, and resting, just more vigilant.
One and a half days later, a ssenger cavalier carrying a blue military flag caught up to the vanguard from behind.
"A great victory!" Winters heard him shouting, "A great victory!"
"General Sekler has crushed the barbarian coalition! General Alpad has broken through ten camps!"
The soldiers of the vanguard cheered and rejoiced. They slapped their chests, screaming, and threw their hats into the air with all their might.
Winters, brimming with excitent, found Lieutenant Colonel Jeska but noticed Jeska, Lieutenant Colonel Bod, and two other officers gathering together with grave expressions.
"What's happened?" Jeska asked Winters.
Seeing that sothing was amiss, Winters's excitent gradually faded and he spoke as calmly as he could, "A dispatch from the rear, it seems like the main forces have crushed the Hurd coalition."
"What good does that do?" spat Lieutenant Colonel Bod, "The bridge has been burned again."
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