Mercenaries and Adventurers

Keir didn't sleep well all night.

The hunters in the surrounding camps did not make a sound when they slept, and they breathed softly. This is a sleeping habit developed by resting in the wild all year round. And in the camp among the several of them, the women were also very quiet.

It's just that the surrounding militiamen are too noisy to sleep. Not only was there the sound of militia teams patrolling back and forth in the camp, but also the sound of some militiamen singing in the camp in the first half of the night.

In the second half of the night, teeth grinding, waking up, and talking in sleep all followed. The most unbearable thing for Keir was the snoring. The rude militia boys snored one after another, as if they didn't enjoy the songs they sang in the first half of the night, and they had to rely on snoring in the second half of the night to compete for a ranking.

After waking up in the morning, Keir was listless, and the hunters who did not sleep well were also in poor spirits. After tidying up, the young hunter, along with the guards arranged by Knight Crowe and several clerks who returned to Bingxun Pass, led six female citizens out of the militia camp and headed towards Bingxun Pass due east. go.

In order to ensure safety, Knight Crowe also let a small group of melee militia **** them for a certain distance, so that these people would not be suddenly attacked by bandits near the bandits' lair.

Knight Crowe also handed over a sealed letter waterproof small tube to the old hunter who returned to Knight Lanisa, asking them to bring the letter to Knight Lanisa.

Keel stayed.

It just so happened that there was a vacant seat in the camp of the Crow Knight Guards, so he arranged for Keel to live with his guards every time he camped.

When the sky just dawned, the militiamen who had slept all night got up early to clean up the camp. After dismantling all kinds of materials, the heavy objects were arranged and stacked on several empty trucks. Other lighter materials were sent by the militiamen Carry it by yourself.

At the same time, the militiamen who had had a quick meal early accepted the task arranged by Knight Crow. The first batch of them did not need to clean up the camp, but set off to block and compress the bandit's activity space around the bandit's lair.

Together with the guards, Keir put away their tents and that of Knight Crowe, and loaded them on a truck specially used by Knight Crowe.

The trucks used to transport supplies in the camp were collected from the caravans of Bingxun Pass. They were borrowed by the militia every year when they cleared up the collection, and returned afterwards. The assistants of the clerks drive the cars. These assistants who do everything look hard, but they are actually very easy. Just drive the car, cook, and serve the clerks who manage the logistical supplies.

The militiamen had been working for a while since they set off in the morning, and by the time they really walked out of the open space where they rested last night, the sun had already climbed over the nearby mountains and emerged from the top of the mountains.

Keel followed Knight Crowe who was riding a monster-like tall warhorse, and heard Knight Crowe talk about the distance between them and the bandit's lair at this time.

On the way, Keir also met friends who acted as guides. There were not many people who were rescued by Keir from the bandit lair in the pocket hole. After a period of time, there were even fewer people who dared to take risks to guide the militiamen. up.

According to what they said, some rescued people who still had relatives and friends bid farewell to them who wanted revenge after basically thinking about it in the few days after Kiir left. There are also some people who are weak in heart and refuse to go out of the town. After this incident, they were basically recruited by Mr. Simmons Jr. and joined the Simmons Chamber of Commerce. Among the people who were rescued, there were also two caravans who wanted to absorb these helpless people, but they were obviously a little slower, not as fast as Mr. Simmons.

The two caravans rescued the people, because they still had work, so of course it was impossible to join the work of guiding the militia. However, they and Mr. Simmons did not do nothing. They provided new warm clothes to those who wanted to leave for relatives and friends, and paid for caravan rides to various parts of the county.

And for those people who are determined to revenge, they also provided enough supplies and support, and asked the people who were guides to give the bandits a good look instead of them.

Kiel talked with them as they walked, and after everyone briefed each other about their recent situation, Kiel parted with them. As a guide to rescue the people, he had to lead the militia forward.

After they were captured by the bandits, they followed this mountain road and were taken to their lair in a hidden area in the mountains.

"Kiel, I didn't expect you to have such a wonderful experience. Tell me carefully, how did you discover the bandit's lair, and how did you send, well, the dozen or so people they mentioned, please ask the bandits to chase after them, and return all the way back Ice Flood Pass. There is nothing to do on the way, tell me something to relieve boredom." Knight Crowe's voice came out from his knight helmet, and the voice was a bit muffled, because he didn't open the visor.

Kiel closed the helmet visor, then took off the helmet and hung it on his waist, with only a wolf fur hood on his head to keep him warm.

He walked beside the tall war horse and raised his head to tell Knight Crowe in detail how he rescued the vice president of the Simmons Chamber of Commerce and saved many people as a result.

When telling the story, occasionally the militia captain who led the team would come over and explain all kinds of information. At the same time, the clerks in the team will also write down the statistics of the team's supplies they have counted in the notebooks they carry with them, for Knight Crowe to review.

"I know that the hunters took some supplies in the morning. I have already sent someone back. He will notify the officials there when he passes through the Ice Flood Pass on the way back to Kendall City to prepare for the second batch of more supplies. All kinds of supplies. Don’t worry.” Knight Crowe reassured the clerks accompanying the team, and told them that after conquering the bandit’s lair, they would go to the mountain forest further west, where a new bandit was discovered. Hiding militia cleared, specially prepared a winter forest.

Speaking of this, Knight Crowe asked about the topography of the forest in Kiel.

Keir then told what he had detected.

Bandit Winter Forest is a closed area surrounded by mountains. Generally speaking, there is only one eastward entrance and exit leading to a wider mountain forest. On the north side of the forest is a high mountain area with heavy wind and snow, which is generally impassable, but Keel and the others are not ordinary people.

On the west side, south side and most of the east side, there are some high and steep mountains, it is difficult for normal people to climb the mountains, especially in this winter when there has been snow.

The terrain in the forest is relatively flat, and there are not tall but thick trees everywhere. The camps where the bandits spend the winter are all open spaces, suitable for fighting.

After saying this, Keir saw that there was nothing to do, so he continued to tell the story of saving the people. In the end, the story ends with Kiel whispering that he raided the stronghold of the bandits in the night and killed all the bandits and one of their leaders.

Knight Crowe's voice was intriguing: "Bingxun Pass has become a good place for some people to make money. Haha."

Keir didn't quite understand. He only heard that Bingxun Pass was the territory of Knight Crowe, but it seemed that Knight Crowe didn't manage it.

He knew there might be some secrets in it, but it wasn't his business. If Knight Crowe was willing to speak, he would certainly listen. But Knight Crow didn't say anything, and Keir wouldn't ask more.

After a day, their militia troops finally approached the mountain where the bandit lair was. From where they camped, they could directly see the location of the cave where the bandit's lair was.

The bandits didn't sit still all the time. They even sent people to attack a wave of militiamen at the beginning, but they were stubbornly resisted by the militiamen. The attacked militia team called out the surrounding teams, turning the bandit attack into an offensive and defensive battle in the forest.

The bandits, lacking long-range weapons, launched several assaults, but they were all driven back by the crossbow arrows of the militiamen.

After that, the bandits no longer tried to attack the militia on a large scale, but relied on the more elite bandits to engage in close combat with the militia's investigation team.

Or the militiamen had the upper hand.

After that, as far as Keel knew, the bandits seemed to have lost some of their manpower, and sent people to bypass the detection range of the militia, and invited some very small bandit gangs nearby into their gang.

I don't know what the bandits in Lockbag Hole promised.

But no matter what they promise, as long as they can't defeat the approaching militia, they end up with nothing.

Keel asked Knight Crowe on the way, why those bandits stick to their lair instead of fleeing with valuables.

Knight Crowe asked him to think about it as a bandit leader. If Keir was a bandit leader, what would he do?

After thinking about it for a while, Keir decided he still had to run. However, Knight Crowe slapped him on the head, and reprimanded him: "Idiot! What kind of temperament are bandits? Huh? If you really want to run away, you can make sure that those guys under you who are blind to money don't kill them first." Kill yourself, and then run away while grabbing a fortune?"

"Only by sticking to it can they maintain the original set of rule and management methods, so that those bandits who only know how to rob will still obey their arrangements as usual."

"What do you mean?" Keel asked.

"It means that bandit gangs are organized for the purpose of looting. Once the leader of the gang cannot prove that the gang under his management is no longer able to rob and rob, their dominance will decline rapidly and disappear. They Will not run, unless it serves the interests of all bandits."

"Is it important that the interests are alive?" Keel felt that Knight Crowe's conclusion was outrageous. The militiamen had already attacked the door, so wouldn't those bandits run away? Do not die?

Unexpectedly, Keel's question made Knight Crowe and a guard next to him laugh. Knight Crowe even patted his strong horse under his crotch, making this unusually majestic monster-like horse unhappy. .

"The bandits are trading their lives for money. When have they paid attention to their lives?"

-

After arriving at a clearing at the foot of the bandit's lair, Knight Crowe set up the militia here, and at the same time ordered the most elite militia to establish a patrol circle around the bandit's lair.

This patrol circle included the entire hilltop of the bandit's lair, day and night, to cut off all contact between the bandits and the outside world. At the same time, it is also to prevent the possible bandit gang from outside from having other thoughts.

Crow Knight also asked some militiamen to use weapons and axes to cut down some surrounding trees, preparing to make human impact hammers for impact and large wooden shields for hiding against the bandit's throwing objects.

It is said to be a large wooden shield, but it is actually a simple mobile position that resists defense and is spliced ​​together with pieces of arm-thick tree trunks. The militiamen could hide behind them to fire their crossbows, and then stick out and shoot the bandits. The throwing objects of the bandits cannot break the thick offensive defenses read as 'wooden shields' which are actually wooden walls.

The other human impact hammers are to prevent bandits from blocking the entrance and exit passages with debris, or they build some wooden fences or archery towers.

These hastily built things can be smashed down by the more numerous militiamen, relying on the human ram that brings together all the militia forces.

Of course, these were prepared by Knight Crowe for other purposes, and they were not needed to attack a mere bandit lair. But if you don't use it now, it doesn't mean you won't use it next year.

Next year he and Baron Kendall will lead troops to the southern part of the kingdom to assist the frontier nobles there in their struggle for control of the newly discovered large iron mine. At that time, it is certain to fight with the army of the nobles of another country in the south and compete for the city. In order for the army to know what to do when the time comes, it is necessary to let them get acquainted now.

-

On the top of the mountain, the bandits gathered in the open space at the entrance of the cave, standing on the edge and looking at the large number of militiamen camping down the mountain.

There was an empty space among the bandits. At this time, the four bandit leaders stood together and looked down. Although they all had unhappy expressions, their specific emotions were quite different.

"They're here, what should we do?" A bandit leader asked worriedly.

"Nonsense, let's follow the previous discussion, resist first, if we can't stop it, we will hide in the cave and stay there for a whole winter. I don't believe that so many of them can rely on eating soil to maintain water supply. "The decapitated Delang said viciously.

"That's right, it's so far away from Bingxun Pass, and it's difficult for them to supply supplies. And has the manpower for that matter been dispatched yet?" A bandit leader with a calmer demeanor took De Lang's words, and then asked another question Bandit leader.

"Don't worry, they are all the most elite fighters. Although there are not many, it is no problem for one to fight three. Let them do that. It will be no problem." The bandit leader, nicknamed Iron Hook, waved his broken hand hook confidently. talking.

"No problem, no problem? You always say no problem, but didn't the old **** always think he was very smart? How could he be so unlucky to be surrounded by the soldiers of Bingxun Pass? Bah. If it wasn't for him not being successful Those **** long-legged guys who ran away, can these militiamen know the location of our lair?" Delang quarreled, and the bandits around consciously dispersed in a big circle, and they didn't dare to touch the angry one. Beheader', because they all know that the guy who is angry, except for the guy who is also the leader of the bandit, who dare not cut it, everyone else will cut it whenever he wants.

"Phew, the location of the lair? How long do you really think this place can be hidden? It is impossible for the team to hide it. I still think that we should break through the ice this year before the militia clears it." Xun Pass, ransack there, and then run away. At that time, we will rely on so many people, so much property, and the reputation of the boss. Can't we do it somewhere?" Waving the iron arm of the broken hand, he said before The plan that has been proposed all the time, muttered a little angrily.

"What are you talking about for the sake of this? Didn't your plan work this time? Be optimistic, as long as we block the attack of the militia, the final result will not be bad." The bandit leader with a calm demeanor had no choice but to appease companion.

"I think those militiamen are timid and cowardly guys. Once I don't have a bow and crossbow, I just need to bring a group of people with me, and I can turn the people they fight in melee. Bah, bows and crossbows are only used by cowards." things." Bandit leader De Lang said disdainfully.

That's what he said, but even he himself didn't dare to face the crossbows of the militiamen and insisted on rushing up to fight in close quarters. He also personally led people to fight with the militia team that was investigating and compressing the bandit's activity space before. Although he relied on a sneak attack to kill a militiaman at first, he was immediately forced back to the other bandits by the continuous bow and crossbow.

Half of the wooden shield he was carrying was exploded by the crossbow, which gave him a new understanding of the crossbow made by the craftsmen.

and disgust.

After speaking, they immediately arranged for their men to defend on the main road up the mountain, trying to keep the militiamen out of the lair as much as possible, so as to avoid the worst ending of being trapped in the cave and forcing the militia back.

-

After Keir and the guard set up their camp, they didn't know what to do. He found Knight Crowe who was about to go out at the gate of the camp, and asked what work he could do.

"That's it." He looked at the equipment on Kiel's body, pointed to the spear blade on his backpack and said: "There is a military craftsman in the camp, you ask him to get a new barrel for your spear .”

Kiel shrugged: "It will take some time, but what about the time? Sir Knight, I am happy to deal with those outrageous bandits."

"Hehe, good job. Then you can go out with me later to see the surrounding terrain."

"Okay, I'll come right away." After finishing speaking, Kiel came to the camp where the clerks lived, and found a military craftsman who was repairing the broken bow and crossbow.

At this time, there has not been much close combat with the bandits, so the wooden armor and close combat weapons of the militiamen have no loss or damage. Only some broken crossbows due to improper handling need him to repair.

"Hi, I'm Joe Keel, I don't know what your name is?" Keel first introduced himself.

After looking at Kiel, the craftsman smiled: "I know you. I saw you participate in the forging competition during the Harvest Festival. Your performance is not bad at your age."

"Thank you for the compliment, thank you." I didn't expect it to be someone who knew him, so it would be easy to handle.

"I'm Conquinals, a craftsman accompanying the army. The craftsman's skills are probably good at everything. Well, if you have something to say, if it's something that the knight lord told you, please tell me as soon as possible, so as not to delay the matter." While Keir was talking, he didn't stop moving his hands. He removed the broken part in a few strokes, and casually took out a dirty part that was smeared with grease from the pocket of his dirty leather skirt, and stuffed it in.

Click, click. He reassembled the bow and crossbow casually, and then flipped the mechanism in vain. The damaged crossbow seemed to be repaired?

Keir took out the blade of his spear embarrassingly, and put it on the table of the Conquinals craftsman: "The barrel of my spear was broken before~www.readwn.com~ After that, there must be a fierce battle. The battle. Knight Crowe said he could find you to fit the gun blade with a new barrel."

The craftsman glanced at the blade of the gun: "It's the craftsmanship of Bodelli craftsmen, if I'm not mistaken."

"What?" Keel didn't know what the other party was talking about.

"I said you put the thing here, tomorrow at the latest, I will fix it." Picking up the gun blade, the craftsman stuffed it under the table.

Kiel saw that the opponent had a weapon that needed to be repaired, so he quickly took out the prepared copper coins and prepared to hand them over to the craftsman.

Unexpectedly, the Conquinals craftsman rejected Keir's coin: "Fuck the young man well, just kill two more bandits."

"No, I'm not actually a member of the militia. Knight Crowe asked me to come over to deal with the bandits. This money?" The copper coins in Kiel's hand were either given or not given.

The craftsman closed Kiel's hand and pushed it back: "Does it matter if it's a militiaman or not? Go ahead and follow the knight to kill a few more bandits. If you insist on giving me something, then take a bandit's Change the head? How about it?"

Heaving a sigh of relief, Keir felt that it was too easy. Since the other party didn't want money, it would be great: "Then it's settled, I will get the bandit's head as soon as possible, please repair it quickly, I said It is not allowed to come back with the bandit's head before dark."

Kiel's words made the craftsman laugh loudly: "If dealing with bandits is as easy as you said, then I only need to repair the long gun for someone, and can I indirectly eliminate the entire gang of bandits?"

Keel scratched his head, stumped, wasn't it? As long as you give me enough money, let alone a whole gang of bandits, he can even spend a whole winter wiping out all the bandits in the entire forest for you.