Chapter 41: I Damn Well Understand Tactics

The Sword of the Wolf King, forged from the teeth of the Prairie Wolf King and the exquisite steel from Blacksmith Old Aubrey’s private collection, boasted unparalleled toughness and sharpness.

Its hilt and sheath, crafted from the bones of the Prairie Wolf King, were incredibly sturdy and durable. Broader and longer than the largest greatswords wielded by regular warriors, it was, paradoxically, lighter.

The sword gleamed with a chilling light, radiating a fierce desire for bloodshed, seemingly crafted for the sole purpose of slaughter.

“Old Aubrey, you’re not just an excellent blacksmith, you’re a master swordsmith. Once the war is over, I’ll make sure you get a well-deserved position in town.”

“No need, my noble lord. I’m content with my life now, happy to see my wife and children every day.”

Hearing this, Draxel didn’t press further, immensely satisfied with the sword. After expressing his gratitude to the blacksmith, he took the sword and prepared to depart.

The journey went smoothly, free from storms or swampy terrain. To wait for Xiao Nan’s return, Draxel and his party deliberately slowed their pace.

By the evening of the second day, as they camped, Xiao Nan rejoined them. Sneaking up to Draxel after Safiya had gone to sleep.

Draxel whispered, “Why are you sneaking up to me? I don’t like men.”

“No, my esteemed lord, you’ve got it all wrong! Profit Empress Ronnie has a message for you.”

“What did she say?”

“She said, ‘Dismissing me with 500? Is that the worth of a queen? Tell him to wash his face and wait. Next time I see him, he’s getting a few good slaps.'”

“Hahaha, she’s quite humorous. Anything else she said?”

“She also said she knows you’re heading to war again. It’s dangerous this time, and she hopes you have a battle plan before acting.”

“Alright, I’m well aware of the enemy force I’ll be facing. Arrange for rotating night shifts.”

“As you command, my lord.” Xiao Nan nodded respectfully and departed.

Free of debt, Draxel felt a lightness despite having only 1,000 Denars in hand. 

Based on their current pace, they should reach Dark Castle by the next afternoon.

Gazing into the distance, Draxel faintly heard the sounds of battle, suggesting a clash had already begun ahead. Based on information from Count Haringoth, their side numbered around four to five hundred, with the enemy contributing a similar count, totaling about a thousand warriors engaged in combat.

Arriving now would mean walking into a deathtrap, unnoticed by Count Haringoth. Better to arrive late, strike when the enemy was weary, sow chaos, then withdraw, thus limiting his own troops’ casualties. This was Draxel’s plan.

Lost in thought, Draxel’s eyelids drooped, and he soon drifted off to sleep, the night passing quietly.

On the final agreed morning, Draxel’s troops advanced slowly. The sounds of intense combat ahead grew louder. The battle was vast, and Draxel couldn’t discern the exact situation. 

He instructed, “Xiao Nan, scout ahead and assess the battle. Don’t venture too deep and return quickly.”

“Yes, my lord,” Xiao Nan acknowledged respectfully, quickly departing.

Meanwhile, the young dragon Lein started yelling, “Roar. Why don’t you scout yourself? Sending your brothers into danger isn’t very brotherly.”

Draxel’s expression turned serious as he replied earnestly, “Lein, we’re on the battlefield. I need to command our troops. This is no time for jokes.”

“Roar… Understood,” Lein conceded reluctantly.

Safiya gently stroked Lein’s head and whispered, “At critical times, don’t distract the Count, okay?”

“Roar. Got it, got it. I’ll be careful.”

A short while later, Xiao Nan returned with his report, “We have a significant advantage, with about 300 of our men remaining. The Swadian Iron Knights are formidable, they’re pushing the enemy back.”

Draxel, maintaining his composure, asked further, “How many enemies are left?”

“No more than 200 now. Count Haringoth’s troops are leading the charge and are fiercely brave.”

“Are you certain the enemy isn’t feigning a retreat to set an ambush? They know a frontal assault won’t succeed against the Swadian Iron Knights.”

“I… I’m sorry, Count, I can’t really tell,” Xiao Nan admitted, not his area of expertise lying elsewhere.

Draxel gave a slight nod, signaling Xiao Nan to rejoin the ranks. After a moment of thought, he turned to Safiya, “I believe the enemy isn’t stupid. Remember how cunning and strategic Noyan Tulu was?”

Recalling the battles at Xiko Village and Uxkhal, Safiya agreed that indeed seemed to be the case.

“Count, you’re correct. There’s surely more than one Khergit Khanate lord on the other side. Not all of them can be foolish enough to charge blindly.”

“But I think Count Haringoth, as a smart commander, must have taken this into account. If he’s going deep alone, there’s only one explanation.”

“What’s that?” Safiya didn’t grasp the count’s implication.

“He probably believes that even if the enemy has laid an ambush, he can deal with both the ambush and the main force.” Draxel reasoned this as the only possibility.

After thoughtful consideration, Draxel instructed, “We’ll hold off for now. Striking at this moment isn’t ideal.”

[Additional Reward: “Tactics” skill +1, Charm +1.]

[Evaluation: This time, you’ve analyzed the situation thoroughly and handled it with composure. Excellent performance.]

[The “Tactics” skill temporarily enhances your soldiers’ combat effectiveness during battle. For instance, if you and the enemy each have a 1st-tier Swadian recruit, and you possess “Tactics 1” while the enemy doesn’t, your recruit will likely emerge victorious.]

‘Hmm, that’s a detailed explanation, system. So, in essence, with equal ranks and numbers, the side with the higher “Tactics” skill prevails. This skill seems invaluable,’ Draxel contemplated.

Indeed, an hour later, Draxel observed a sudden surge in enemy forces.

Focusing his gaze, he noticed nearly a hundred Khergit cavalry emerging from both flanks, about 50 on each side.

These Khergit cavalry rapidly encircled and ambushed our rear, which was primarily comprised of crossbowmen and infantry, utterly incapable of withstanding the cavalry’s onslaught.