flstandardbreds Chapter 367 Going North
Chapter 367 Going North
The sunlight shone through the thin clouds and onto the carriage John was in, as its wheels rolled along the dusty desert road.
The shaking of the carriage continued, and John could not help but look out the window. In the previous siege of the Oasis Fortress, John observed that the Kushan army, whether in the use of weapons or tactics, seemed to be no different from the armies of various countries he had previously encountered. It was just that their clothing and melee weapons were unique. Even the entire siege was participated by mercenaries, and there was no need for the army to participate.
“Perhaps it is too small to show the true strength of the Kushan army.”
John whispered to himself, thinking silently in his mind, it seems that in order to truly assess the combat effectiveness of the Kusha army, a tough battle is needed.
As the carriage approached Acre, John's thoughts gradually became clear. The carriage stopped in front of the castle gate. The guards recognized the flag of the French King's Hall above the team and let them pass after confirming that it was correct.
When the carriage arrived at the gate of the inner castle, John got off the carriage and walked firmly towards General Reynard's meeting room. The whole room was surrounded by candlelight, and a huge map was spread on the table, marking all the nearby strongholds.
"Master John, you are back!"
General Renard saw John, put down the scroll in his hand, and greeted him eagerly.
"Any new developments in the battle?"
"General, I would like to ask you about the situation of the nearby forces."
John didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point. If he wanted to stabilize the situation around the city of Acre in a short period of time, he had to eliminate the enemy that posed the greatest threat first.
"of course."
Leonard opened a large map and moved his finger along the east. "East of Acre City is the land of the Morgar Kingdom. Although they believe in the Hall of the King of Laws, they are also vassals of the Yoda Empire, so the Hall of the King of Laws does not have much influence on this country."
"I know. I've seen quite a few mercenaries from this country in the Southwest Peninsula before."
John thought about it. In his memory, Morgar, led by Kusha officers, often emerged from a certain direction of the border to attack patrol teams. However, their fighting power was not good and they could not even defeat the vassal army led by Fraso.
"To the west are some city-states built by the Kushans along the river. Although those city-states are small, they have strong walls and solid foundations, and are difficult to capture."
Reynald continued to explain, running his finger across the map and circling the locations of the city-states.
"Farther away, there are several port cities where the river flows into the sea. They mainly engage in the slave trade. Sometimes their armies will come to the villages near Acre to capture villagers as slaves."
He said it more emphatically and was very angry at the same time.
John could understand this. After all, these villagers were a rare labor force in this uninhabited desert. Not only could they grow crops, but they could also pay taxes and serve in the military. Any lord could tolerate having his labor force taken away by others.
"What about the North?"
John asked.
"There are dozens of Kushan tribes in the north, and they move between various oases. One tribe called Murcia is particularly noteworthy."
Leonard's hand paused on the map.
"After many wars, Murcia has made the surrounding tribes surrender and established a loose tribal union."
“How strong is Murcia’s military?”
John demanded.
"They have rich combat experience. In addition to owning a large city with complete defense equipment, they also have a camel cavalry that can travel freely in the desert. The previous oasis fortress was garrisoned by Murcia's army."
Leonard frowned slightly, obviously afraid of the strength of this tribe.
"Further north is the territory of the Kusha Emperor, Kalishika. He is currently leading his troops to attack the tribal alliance in the north. The intelligence I have collected shows that he is constantly expanding his power in the battle."
After listening to Leonard's explanation, John thought for a moment and said to Leonard:
"General, we should make Murcia our main target of attack. Galicia in the north will probably move south soon, and we need the land of Murcia as a buffer to continue to consume his army."
Leonard stared at John with a serious expression, shook his head, and said with worry in his tone:
"Lord John, I have considered this plan before. But things are much more complicated than we thought."
"Complicated? You mean the cities and the army of Murcia?"
"More than that."
Reynald sighed and pointed to the location of Murcia on the map.
"Look at this place. It's very far away, there's no water source in the middle, and it's difficult to get supplies. Also, there are Murcia cavalry along the way. They are good at using fast maneuvering tactics. Our team is marching long distances in the desert and is very vulnerable to harassment."
"Even if we succeed in reaching the vicinity of Murcia, you still have to consider the problem of siege. Our army currently does not have enough siege weapons to break through their walls and gates."
After listening to the difficulties he mentioned, John lowered his head in thought, but soon he turned his head and looked at Reynard eagerly, his tone becoming more resolute:
"I can lead my 20,000 troops there. As long as you can ensure the supply of water and materials, we will definitely succeed!"
Leonard raised his head and looked directly at John:
"Do you know that the desert outside Murcia is not an ordinary place? Even if there are sufficient supplies of materials and water, sandstorms can cause the army to lose their way."
John's mood fluctuated. He understood that the concerns raised by Leonard were indeed reasonable, but if nothing was done now, the situation would definitely become increasingly unfavorable to them as time went by. He stood up, walked slowly to Leonard's side, and his voice became low and powerful:
"General Renard, history belongs to those who are brave. We cannot give up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just because we may encounter difficulties."
Reynard looked solemn. He knew how difficult it would be to do this, but when he looked into John's eyes, he suddenly felt that the young general in front of him might really be able to do it. Finally, he took a deep breath and made a difficult decision.
"If you really think you can overcome these difficulties, then I agree with your plan."
Leonard gritted his teeth, and although his voice was firm, there was still a hint of tremor in it.
"I will do my best to ensure the supply of water and supplies. May God bless you and your army to return victoriously."
A few days later, John led his army northward into the depths of the desert, and the neatly organized troops set out for Murcia under the shining of the morning sun. The sunlight shone on the earth, and the golden light made their figures even more magnificent.