Chapter 150: On the March

Lin Li’s long spear gleamed with cold light under the sun as the square formation moved along the main road, with the lead flag waving in the wind.

A whip cracked loudly with a sharp “snap,” and four horses began to walk, pulling a large wagon slowly along the road.

Since this was not a mixed force from many territories, only three flags were raised. The flag of Bolerum Territory featured a blue scabbard decorated with white edelweiss and green ivy, holding a half-drawn longsword. The longsword represented military merit and symbolized that its wearer possessed the knightly virtues of fairness and mercy in combat. This was one of the knightly virtues and one of the heraldic symbols representing knightly families. The half-drawn sword indicated that this family had produced excellent commanders who had long held the position of strategist in the army. Although the sharp edge of the half-drawn sword was hidden, it still shone with cold light. This kind of semi-hidden deterrence reflected the idea of acting only after careful planning.

The ancestors of House Bolerum had to take the path of military administration, which was truly forced upon them. As mentioned before, this family rose to prominence quite recently, so they could be called lucky. The lack of skills in secret arts and other areas made their ancestors seem less powerful on the battlefield compared to other knights. Although knights had natural strength advantages that allowed them to handle enemies from other professions easily, if they faced enemy knights, they could only focus on self-defense, tying up the opponent and buying time.

Without advantages, they had to create their own, or over time they would become just like everyone else—just like House Cranston, which had no presence at all on the political map of the entire Duchy. Well, you couldn’t say they had absolutely no presence; for example, when the Round Table Conference needed to vote on matters like marriage alliances, someone would always remember them. To avoid such a fate, the ancestors of House Bolerum tried to collect and improve various Knight Techniques and Word Spirits while also attempting to take the path of civil administration. The first path had not yet been fully successful, but the second path yielded great results. Starting as quartermasters, three generations of ancestors became truly commanding leaders in a stunning display. Although their influence later dipped a bit, they remained in high positions within the army or government.

It was like in the ancient Tianchao before I transmigrated, where scholars handled military affairs but remained scholars. In this world where strength is supreme, as long as one’s power is not below the average line within their own Righteous Camp, no one would gossip. Since they were nobles with a Territory and aimed to increase their political capital, they could blend in with the crowd while minimizing internal conflicts like corruption. Also, being part of the knightly class, they understood the needs and ideals of knights far better than pure civil officials. Therefore, they handled related matters with greater ease. All these factors combined made House Bolerum’s position in the Empire become very important, just like Wang Yangming, the successful representative of scholars handling military affairs in the Ming Dynasty.

The remaining edelweiss represented bravery, and the ivy symbolized loyalty; these decorations made the flag look very appropriate.

The flag of Knight Val featured a golden sun rising against a backdrop of bright and dark purple-red clouds in the center of the design. At the very center was a longsword with its blade pointing upward. A laurel wreath adorned the hilt of the sword. The sun was the symbol of the Val Family, a special right of the bloodline of the Sun God, Pello, on earth. The sharp longsword symbolized the family’s bravery and strength. As for the laurel wreath, not just anyone could own it—it was a symbol of a Legend. Once Knight Val passed away, this family flag would have to be changed. As a more distant branch of the Val Family, they were originally only allowed to choose an orange-red sun as the background. However, this golden sun was also a privilege due to his status as a Legend. Combined with the laurel wreath and the original longsword, it perfectly matched Knight Val’s title: the Sword of Dawn.

The flag of Knight Ahuatan featured a spear and a shield. The spear represented the knight’s duty and the supreme pursuit of glory, while the shield symbolized the defender. The four-leaf clover used as decoration represented true love, dedication, honor, and wealth. It was also a symbol of luck and patriotism. For a relatively ordinary knightly family, such a flag was quite standard.

Throughout the journey, the neat uniforms and synchronized steps of this force created a sharp contrast with the merchant caravans coming and going ahead and behind, as well as the travelers around them.

Yes, this orderly force marching with nearly uniform steps allowed them to maintain their formation even while traveling. This was achieved through the goose-step, which many people had criticized before I transmigrated. In fact, the goose-step served purposes other than just training army discipline—it was especially useful during the era of volley fire. In this world where cold weapons were dominant, its effect was even more obvious.

George had particularly emphasized this point during his army reforms, and now the System’s army section included a special attribute for it.

Goose-step: Although it looks a bit strange, it was invented to help our army maintain a complete formation while advancing toward the enemy. This gives our army a real advantage on the battlefield.

Goose-step: Infantry Charge Defense +2, Infantry Defense +1, Infantry Attack +2, Army Coordination +20%, Army Training Level +5%, Formation Effect +60%, Army Training Loss +5%, Army Training Time +7%.

This could be said to be a very, very powerful legion attribute. Although it increased consumption and training time, compared to the effects it produced, these drawbacks were truly negligible. Taking the light infantry of Bolerum Territory as the main example, this attribute could at least boost their combat power by 25%. Even the heavy infantry had at least a 20% room for improvement in combat power.

The so-called light infantry is the most numerous troop type in armies of various countries and also has the highest casualty rate. Light infantry has the strongest compatibility and can equip weapons including: one-handed swords, round shields, two-handed swords, flails, axes, long axes, maces, and other melee weapons. They can play a role in field battles, positional battles, street fights, and siege (or defense) battles. In some aspects, light infantry has natural advantages over heavy infantry. The premise of this principle is that light infantry must employ hit-and-run tactics, which comes with heavy reliance on terrain and the commander’s restrictions. If, for some reason, the battle turns into close combat, light infantry automatically becomes unqualified heavy infantry, inevitably leading to defeat.

As one of the main combat forces of Bolerum Territory, the light infantry here differed greatly from the traditional concept of light infantry—they were armored. The invention of Paper Armor made this lightweight protective gear the favorite of the originally lightly equipped soldiers in Bolerum Territory. Now equipped with large hard wood shields wrapped in iron plates and halberds as weapons, they resembled a type of square infantry. Just as George wanted, they used discipline and teamwork to face opponents with superior individual strength or numbers.

As a unit, the light infantry of Bolerum Territory must master four basic specialized skills: holding the position, forming a phalanx, combat radiating, and skirmish tactics. Combined with the basic abilities of an ordinary 2-3 level warrior listed in George’s System, these formed the cornerstone of the Bolerum army.

Among the 600 soldiers in George’s group, about half were such light infantry. At the same time, among the remaining nearly 300 people, there were also nearly 150 heavy infantry.

Heavy infantry generally refers to the heavily armored foot soldiers during the era of cold weapon warfare. These troops were basically well-equipped with excellent protective gear, employed diverse tactics, and were the backbone of cold weapon battlefields. They generally had high requirements for soldier quality and equipment performance, making them the elite force within the infantry. They could perform excellently in both siege and field battles. However, their heavy armor led to reduced mobility and faster physical exhaustion, making them unsuitable for tasks like pursuit, reconnaissance, or harassment. They also found it difficult to retreat from the battlefield in time during a rout. In battles against cavalry, they remained in a passive position and had high requirements for group cohesion; if they lost their group advantage, they would inevitably suffer fatal blows.

Among these 150 people, 100 were general heavy infantry who mainly used shields and one-handed weapons. These infantry had relatively strong adaptability to the battlefield and wide usage. The rest seemed to be assault infantry who mainly used powerful two-handed weapons like greatswords. These infantry possessed strong charging power and often crushed weaker enemy forces in one blow.

The former were reinforced with chainmail shirts over their Paper Armor to enhance slashing defense and equipped with full steel great shields. They focused on training in shield specialization, shield guarding, active shield defense, and follow-up flank attacks. In chaotic melee, they were quite dominant.

The latter’s two-handed sword units were actually surprise attack troops, specifically designed to counter enemy infantry phalanxes armed with pikes. They would quickly approach the enemy, cut them down in close combat. Also, because two-handed swords were very long, soldiers could wield them like spears, easily carving a bloody path through the enemy ranks. They used general two-handed greatswords with a length of 150 to 170 centimeters and a weight of about 2.3 to 3.6 kilograms. They wore high-quality breastplates covering their front and back. Of course, other parts were also protected by helmets and greaves, while the inside of the breastplates and limbs were protected by a combination of Paper Armor and chainmail shirts.

However, using these two-handed swords required special skills, and swordsmen had to undergo certain training to master them. Two-handed swords were suitable for charging into battle, and their special design made them equally effective against soldiers in heavy armor or light infantry. However, they also had high requirements for the user’s natural talent. Follow-up flank attacks, dodging, flexible movement, jumping attacks, and follow-up slashes were common skills. Some members could even use powerful follow-up slashes or spinning attacks. Due to the relatively strict natural conditions and their powerful combat power, the salaries of these two-handed swordsmen were about 20% higher than those of ordinary heavy infantry. At the same time, they were used very carefully; when used well by this team, they could often play a decisive role. However, in return, their casualty ratio was also relatively high.

As for the cavalry, they were played by 50 members of the City Guard from George’s Territory. They were truly elite troops, and any loss would feel like tearing flesh. This time, since George, the Heir of the Territory, was going to the Northern Fortress to guard the border, these veteran soldiers who had not been on the battlefield for some time got the chance to touch iron and blood again.

As for the rest, they were specialized ranged strike forces—including archers, crossbowmen, and support troops like the Cooking Troops responsible for food. As for why the number of specialized ranged strike forces was so small, on one hand, it was due to the difficulty of training, and on the other hand, ordinary soldiers could temporarily serve as crossbowmen or archers when necessary during city defense.

Besides these professional soldiers, of course, there were the pursuers and Squires of the two Knights. These people either belonged to the high-end combat power of the Territory or possessed some special abilities that others could not replace. Unlike the selective participation when going to Kalado last time, this time all the pursuers were deployed. Even the high-level Divination School Mage under Knight Val, who was rarely seen for months, brought his Crystal Ball and star-gazing equipment to stay in the carriage at the back. Sometimes George would think that if he had been present when they were at Greywood Town last time, the attacks by those detestable Goblins would not have started so smoothly.

Looking at this magnificent force before him, George’s worry about this trip to the Northern Fortress eased somewhat. However, another hidden concern rose in his heart: “With this army accompanying us, the standing troops left in the Territory for the next few months will be only around 1,000 people. If the Territory is attacked at this time, something bad might happen!”

As if noticing George’s slightly furrowed brow, Knight Val urged his horse forward and asked, “Are you still worried? The training at the Northern Fortress is a required course for every Noble in the Duchy. Although there is some danger in war, as long as I am here, you will not face any life-threatening danger.”

Hearing this, George stopped his thoughts, smoothed his brow, and raised his head to reply, “With you here, what is there to worry about! At worst, I’ll just lie in bed for a month or two like Hiren did last year. I am worried that withdrawing so many people at once to the north will threaten the security of the Territory!”

“You don’t need to worry about this. With the return of the older generation of Knights, the defensive capability of the Territory is much stronger than it was during our time in Kalado. In such a situation, if someone could still capture it, even if these soldiers returned, it would be of little use.” Knight Val paused slightly and began to relieve George’s pressure from another angle, “Besides, whether we are at war with the Kingdom of Lucia or the Kingdom of Coruz, our Bolerum Territory is in the rear of the Duchy. Even if they launch a surprise attack, besides dealing with the border defense forces, they would have to pass through several other Noble Territories before they could threaten us. With such a buffer, there is enough time for warnings and other preparations.”

Knight Val’s words had their own logic, but none of them hit the mark for George. He sighed and replied, “I am not too worried about these points, but based on my observations over the past few years, the greatest threat to our Territory might come from the sea.”

“A threat from the sea? Do you mean pirates?” Knight Val seemed to have heard a joke, “Pfft! I don’t think those guys could ever capture Bolerum Territory.”

“Capture is certainly impossible, but raiding with success is quite likely!” George pointed out the key point directly.

Knight Val seemed to suddenly think of something: “Do you mean those pirates might be hired to attack and plunder our Bolerum?”

“Yes, there is a high possibility! Didn’t they hire Goblins to attack Greywood Town before? Besides, with the commercial prosperity in recent years, the wealth accumulated in our Territory is definitely enough to make those pirates drool. As long as someone instigates them, even without spending much money, those guys might come back.” As he spoke, George’s brow furrowed even tighter.

“Don’t worry! As long as they come, we will make sure they never return!” Knight Val’s words were firm and decisive. Indeed, he was a Legendary Powerhouse, having such confidence in himself and his allies.

“I am not too worried about this aspect. Now, what I am most worried about is the damage that will be caused if the port is attacked. As for other aspects, with so many high-end combat powers, it is indeed reassuring. However, sometimes elites cannot replace a sea of people. After the significant reduction in ordinary soldiers, the Territory’s defense network has developed quite a few loopholes compared to the past. Although the safety of the entire Territory is temporarily not a concern, the casualties among the Commoners are a major problem!” George touched his chin and voiced his deepest worry.

Actually, George’s worries went beyond this. If the port was attacked, it would definitely affect commercial operations. Cihu Lake would not only affect the future development of Bolerum Territory but might even further impact the war readiness of the entire Duchy. However, George could only pray that those pirates would not act rashly and come to their deaths. To reduce psychological pressure, after finishing his conversation with Knight Val, George began to admire the landscape and terrain along the route.

The territories of the Malkin Family and the West Family were both mountainous. The difference was that the mountains within the West Family’s Territory appeared steeper, while the mountains in the Malkin Family’s Territory were relatively low and gentle, allowing them to be developed into farmland and pastures, with large valley areas.

In the past, those valleys were mostly soaked by river water, becoming swamps where people could not live. However, now, with the continuous reclamation and transformation by the ancestors of Count Markin’s family over generations—the swamps had turned into fertile farmland.

In the hills of the West Family, many high-quality mineral deposits suitable for mining had also been discovered.