flstandardbreds Chapter 386: The Kusha Army Marches South
Chapter 386: The Kusha Army Marches South
As the soldiers continued to carry up various boxes filled with coins and treasures from the cellar, John finally found the Behelet in a heavy box. As the Behelet in his hand gradually dissipated, he had obtained nine pieces, only one piece short of the system task requirement.
At the same time, the soldiers outside kept chiseling out several gaps in the stone slab that sealed the entrance, and the sunlight outside shone through the gaps into the dim room. A moment later, the stone slab broke apart, accompanied by a loud noise, and dozens of soldiers holding pickaxes rushed into the room and joined John's team.
After achieving his goal, John stayed on the island of Serilius for another three days to eliminate the remaining enemies. As the fighting on the island gradually subsided, he carefully checked every corner to make sure there were no threats left. After completing the cleanup, John left a thousand men to guard the island and then returned to Acre with the remaining troops.
As soon as he arrived in Acre, John immediately found General Reynald. After telling him the news of the capture of Serilius Island, Reynald frowned slightly and then asked:
"Very good, Lord John. What do you think our next target will be?"
"I recommend the immediate capture of Slaver's Bay."
John replied.
"That's exactly what I want. I will immediately send someone to invite all the generals to attend the military meeting."
Reynard took a deep breath and quickly called all the generals to a military meeting. At the meeting, the generals expressed their opinions one after another.
"We should divide the army into three parts."
Leonard suggested:
"Some of them are stationed in Acre to ensure the safety of the city."
He pointed to the map and continued:
"The other part will set out by land to recapture the various strongholds leading to Slaver Bay."
A general interrupted:
"And the last part can be sent by sea to block the port of Slaver Bay. This way, the enemy cannot escape."
Leonard nodded in agreement:
"Indeed, after the troops on land and at sea meet up, we will attack Slave Bay at the same time. This way we can strike the enemy from multiple directions and ensure that they don't have the opportunity to gather their main forces to counterattack in the first place."
All the generals agreed to the attack plan proposed by General Reynard. After all, it was agreed that the navy and the army would attack at the same time, so there would be no question of who would enter the city first and who would enter later.
Seeing the enthusiasm of the generals, Reynard felt very relieved. He continued to ask:
"So, who is willing to stay in Acre?"
As soon as these words came out, the conference room fell silent. Everyone knew that this opportunity to attack Slaver Bay was extremely rare, and whoever stayed in the city would lose the opportunity to participate in the looting in the future.
At this moment, John stood up and said to Reynald, "General Reynald, I request that my troops be stationed in Acre. We have just experienced a fierce battle and need time to rest."
This sentence immediately saved Leonard from embarrassment, and he immediately agreed:
"You are right. The soldiers need to rest. Then please ask Lord John's army to stay in Acre. After the meeting, I will help you settle the army in the city."
A week later, armies from various countries gathered outside the east gate of Acre, with flags flying and colorful banners fluttering in the morning breeze, like a splendid military ceremony. Soldiers lined up in neat formations, the atmosphere was tense and exciting, and the battle horn was about to sound.
General Reynald, wearing shining armor, stood on a tall warhorse, looking majestic and solemn. He looked across the vast battlefield, secretly encouraged. Behind him were generals from various countries working together, all with solemn expressions, and understanding each other tacitly. They knew very well that this march to Slave Bay was not only about military victory, but also about the glory of their respective countries.
"go ahead!"
Reynald shouted orders, his voice as loud as a war drum. As the orders were issued and various flags were waved, the army began to move slowly, the footsteps were like thunder, shaking the earth, bringing an incomparable sense of oppression.
John stood on the wall of Acre, watching the army go away, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the mighty army going farther and farther away, John knew that he had made a rational choice. He stayed here because, on the one hand, the army had just experienced a fierce battle and the soldiers really needed time to recover; on the other hand, he also understood that in this turbulent war, it was particularly important to leave a favor for those generals.
John knew that without the sea supply, the Slave Bay would be besieged and occupied by the French army. However, to achieve this goal, the team had to go through a fierce struggle, especially in this desert area, where material supply would be the biggest challenge.
"It's really painful to fight here."
He talked to himself, the desert scenery in front of him flickered in the sun, revealing a bit of desolation and anxiety. John knew that in such an environment, if the soldiers were cut off from supplies and encountered bad weather, there would definitely be a large number of unnecessary casualties, which was not what he wanted to see.
His purpose of coming here was very clear - to increase his influence in the French King's Hall through this battle. Now, the battle he participated in has also reached its peak, and the remaining endgame and finishing work will be left to other generals to deal with, so as to take care of their face.
As time went by, autumn quietly arrived. John stood on the city wall, looking at the Kusha Desert in front of him. Although there were golden sands and lonely cacti all around, the change of seasons still flowed quietly in the air.
He took a deep breath and felt that the temperature had dropped significantly in the past few days, which was comfortable and refreshing. It finally brought some comfort to his mood that was almost tortured by the heat and unable to sleep.
Last month, General Reynard sent a letter to John. The slightly messy handwriting on the letter revealed the general's urgency and concern. In addition to the daily request for supplies, the letter also mentioned that the French King's army had besieged Slave Bay and was making good progress. It was expected that it would be completely captured in another month.
"It seems that by winter, Reynard will return with his army."
John was thinking in his heart that when Reynald reported the battle situation to the Holy City, the King of France would summon John back next year, and then John would be able to return in triumph with his army.
He imagined that he would return to his former homeland with his army, embracing the joy of victory and welcoming glory and applause, his heart full of anticipation.
Just as John was immersed in the fantasy of victory and full of longing for the future, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the door. Then, a knight pushed the door open and walked in with a solemn face. He immediately attracted John's attention, and the knight's expression revealed an unusual urgency.
"Lord John, there is urgent news from Murcia. A northern Kushan warlord named Galixica is about to attack Murcia from the south."
He said, his eyes showing uneasiness. John's heart tightened, and his fantasy of victory was suddenly interrupted. He listened to the knight's words with full concentration.
"Now, the vanguard envoys of Galixica have arrived in Murcia. They demand that the people of Murcia surrender immediately, otherwise the Kushan army will raze Murcia to the ground."