Realm of Power

On the city wall of Rwanaka, Lidakus's face looked bad. The situation became more and more serious. The weather was rainy and the temperature dropped below freezing. Ice formations could be seen on the city walls. The woods outside the city had been cut down. Light, on the one hand, can prevent the enemy from leaving wood for making siege equipment. On the other hand, the material can make the defenders on the city wall have a wider view. The wilderness outside the city is filled with refugees waiting to enter the city. There are dense queues with bleak sadness and helplessness on their faces, dragging their families with them. , the team pulling the carriages lined up from outside the city to several miles away

"Ask the city gate guards to bring me the statistical list!" After inspecting the defense, Lidakus walked down the city wall and ordered to the adjutant behind him, "I need to know how many people have entered the city in the past few days."

"Yes, Lord Governor!" The adjutant nodded and hurried away. Soon, he got the statistical roster from the city guard.

"What an unexpected surprise!" Lidakus flipped through the roster with a smile on his lips. "These refugees are all from the border areas. The Southwest Army conducted a comprehensive sweep of the border areas, drove them all out, and set fire to their houses. , in just a few days, the number of refugees who fled to Rwanaka City exceeded 50,000. You must know that the total number of refugees in the entire Rwanaka region is less than 100,000. In other words, the entire Rwanaka region They are all forced to stand on our side!”

"That's what I said, but with so many people coming in at once, I'm afraid there will be a problem with our food!" the adjutant said with an ugly face.

"Food is not a problem!" Lidakus smiled nonchalantly and closed the roster in his hand. "Have you ever heard of people starving to death in areas near the sea? Although it is winter, the interior of Rwanaka is The water temperature in the bend is higher than outside, and a large number of fish unconsciously gather in the inner bend. As long as the fishing manpower is increased, we can at least survive this winter. But the other party did not expect that they did us a big favor by doing this. " "Among these refugees There are many young people who are suitable for fighting. In normal times, it would be almost impossible to recruit so many people, but now, we just need to ensure that they and their families have a place to live and food. Tell! Recruiting officer, set up a few more points in the city! I have a hunch that our army can exceed 15,000." Lidakus paused and said in a serious tone, "Yes, my subordinates will convey it later. ! "

The adjutant wrote down Lidakus's words with a pen with a respectful expression. The adjutant's name was Nelson, and he served as Lidakus's right-hand man in logistics. He has been with Lidakus for five years. He is close to forty-five years old, and his temples are already covered with white hair. He looks like a rigid person, but in fact, Nielsen has a flexible mind and is good at mental arithmetic. Accounts have a photographic memory,

He is a very cautious person. I have no habit of revealing military secrets to anyone in my sleep.

The affairs of the Logistics Department seem complicated and useless, but in fact they belong to a key confidential organization that the fat man names every time. Otherwise, the enemy only needs to understand the logistics mobilization situation, and he can easily judge the Falcon Army's next plan, the scale of the mobilized troops, and the composition of the arms. If there is a lot of fodder for the war horses, it must be the cavalry dispatched. If there are a lot of arrow clusters. It must be the infantry dispatched. If it is an armor-piercing crossbow arrow cluster, it must be the central army of the empire.

As the brain executive of the Logistics Department, Nelson's existence allowed Lidakus' logistics transfer to be completed with ease. Therefore, the officers of the Logistics Department exercised their due rights one after another, that is, when their superiors were not present. At this time, everyone openly talks about the boss's power and uses their imagination to speculate on the reasons for the logistics brain's bad mood.

Some people guess it may be because I didn’t get promoted! I had a quarrel with my wife, I was cheated while playing cards with Minister Lidakus, I lost a bet with Deputy Secretary Piris... There are all kinds of speculations.

But the "creation" that was unanimously "appreciated" by everyone and won the "grand prize" was what an adjutant from the Ministry of Military Affairs said, "The fact is that it is for Minister Lidakus. Everyone knows that Lidakus Minister Si has decided to let Nelson go to a local post and leave the Lord's side. Our Nelson is of course very disappointed to have lost such an unrequited love. No wonder he is in a bad mood. We should comfort him! "

Hearing such a reason, everyone fainted with laughter! Everyone knows that Nelson is definitely a normal grown man, and he will never like men. What he said above is a complete joke! In fact, the real reason why Nelson is in a bad mood is that he is now forty years old, but he is still growing wisdom teeth! This is what makes him unhappy,

The defenses of Rwanaka are constantly being strengthened. Lidakus will be worthy of being a logistics expert, and his ability in resource utilization is quite remarkable. He ordered people to make the city wall taller and thicker, and recruited more than 7,000 people from the refugees. The young and middle-aged people were incorporated into the army and equipped with armor and weapons seized from the Rwanaka warehouse. The mud in the moat outside the city was also dredged, and more than 2,000 barrels of crude oil stored in the warehouse were fully loaded. front line,

There were 500 barrels placed on the city wall, and another 1,500 barrels were piled on the wall below the city wall. Lidakus had already made up his mind that if the city of Rwanaka was destroyed, he would order these crude oil barrels to be set on fire. Everything looked like All preparations were completed, and Lidakus began to wait for the time when the southwest army appeared at the city. "My Lord Governor, the Lord Admiral Dostronkai is here!"

Just when Lidakus was wondering what the Southwest Army wanted to do, Dostronkai, who had just won a victory on the sea, came to him. Although the Imperial Navy had achieved an absolute victory, there were still several Dragon Teeth fighting and suffering. "Loss, the nearest port is Luwangaka." Your Majesty, your Majesty has sent an urgent order, asking you to bring troops and horses. "Withdraw from Rwanaka!" Dustronkai walked in and handed a letter of order to Lidakus. "Evacuate from Rwanaka?" Lidakus took the order and raised his eyebrows. Scanning the order with a frown, the fat man explained the reason for requesting to retreat from Luwangaka, and Lidakus's face became increasingly white.

No wonder the other party took the initiative to drive away the refugees, obviously deliberately allowing themselves to expand their strength by accepting refugees, so that they would not be afraid that they would escape early due to fear. Otherwise, the "bait" of Rwangaka would lose its effectiveness enough to contain the Falcon Army. Whoever set this trap must be a genius. It's too scary. I'm still here feeling so complacent, completely unaware that I've fallen into the trap designed by the other party!

You can already see beads of sweat on Lidakus' forehead as he moves back and forth. It's winter now, and the temperature outside has reached the point where water turns to ice, which shows how shocked he is inside.

"The transport fleet should arrive in the afternoon. At that time, please lead the troops and leave immediately by boat!"

Dostelenko looked at Lidakus, who was a little out of sorts, and said in a deep voice, "The opponent's naval threat has been eliminated by the fleet. I have to catch up with the new combat location immediately, so I can't continue to delay here. We are here. See you in Normandy then!”

"Do you want to go on another combat mission?" Lidakus put the order book in his arms and asked uncertainly.

"Yes, according to the mission assigned by His Majesty, we will directly enter the southwest sea this time to look for fighters that can severely damage the opponent!" Dostelenko hesitated for a moment, then said with regret, "It may take half a month." Or longer, it's a pity. I'm afraid it's already December. I would have liked it. I want to go home. My wife has just given birth to a son. It seems that he will have to wait until next spring! In this case, I decided not to evacuate for the time being! "Why? Sir, are you kidding me?"

Dustrunke's eyes were round. Looking at his old boss in disbelief,

He knew his old boss too well in terms of ability. Definitely top-notch, but in terms of courage, it's just a little bigger than ordinary people, but not big enough to carry 100,000 enemy troops by itself.

From the bottom of their hearts, the generals were quite critical of Lidakus's rise to the position of governor based on his qualifications. However, in terms of the navy, they were grateful for the contribution of the former Lord of the Navy, and they could not just do this. Sit back and do nothing, Dostelenko quickly persuaded loudly, "Why? Sir, are you crazy? You know, the opponent has assembled more than 100,000 troops, but your troops only have 5,000. Your Majesty has given up the plan to support you. To stay is to wait for death! "

"It's precisely because of this that I can't leave!" Lidakus seemed to let go of everything and smiled calmly. "Have you ever thought about it, if I lead the army to evacuate from Rwanaka, these refugees who fled into the city will What should we do? Those coastal areas that have surrendered will be shaken by this behavior. They need not only strong managers, but also people who are willing to stay and protect them in the face of danger!"

"And you led the fleet into the southwest sea. Not to mention long-distance raids, supply points are also difficult to connect because of unfamiliar sea and land. With continuous operations, both ships and sailors will be exhausted, and supply shortages are inevitable!" If I give up! Rwangaka, where will your fleet go to resupply when it returns?

"Are you going to let the soldiers who fought bravely embark on the long sea journey home on an empty stomach and tiredly? You know what happens at sea. Anything can happen. If there is another storm or something, the elite of the Imperial Navy will be completely ruined. , then, you and I are both sinners of the empire."

"But it's too dangerous to stay...!"

Dostelenko still wanted to continue persuading, "I just defeated the southwest fleet at sea. The opponent will definitely be angered by the failure and launch a crazy counterattack. With your current weak force, it will be completely impossible to defend Luwangaka!"

"Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think! If I dare to stay, there will naturally be a way to protect Luwangaka." Lidakus' eyes flickered, he shook his head disapprovingly, and said slowly, "Don't forget, I may not be A competent general, but I am a diplomat. Regarding the changes in the country's attitude I know it too well, and I am also a logistics officer. Without the assistance of the navy, if the opponent wants to capture the city of Rwangaka, which is bordered by the sea on both sides, they must adopt a frontal attack, and I have prepared a force for them. A generous gift that can make the other party dare not take a step forward!"

"What kind of gift?" Dostelenko asked worriedly. A gift that could stop an army of 100,000 people was incredible.

"It's very simple. There are still 2,500 barrels of crude oil in stock in Rwanaka." Lidakus looked around and found that no one was there and whispered, "Actually, I have already thought about it. Why fight to the death?" Slogans like this are used to boost morale. I only need to pour a hundred barrels of crude oil into the moat a day, and the flames burning on the moat will be enough to keep the moat burning for fifteen days, unless the opponent can fly. Then cross the river of fire! "

Lidakus said with some excitement, "On top of the reinforced city wall, waiting for them is the intensive arrow rain and sharp spears of fifteen thousand defenders!" "..."

Dostelenko took a breath of air when he heard this. Is there such a way to defend the city? Isn’t this too shameless!

Although he didn't want to admit it, he had to say that this seemingly clumsy but very effective method could indeed stop the 100,000-strong army in the southwest from advancing. However, he was still worried that even if the flames could last for fifteen days, after fifteen days Woolen cloth? The opponent will still get close to the city wall and launch a breakthrough! "This is not something I need to care about!"

Lidakus shrugged his shoulders in a rogue manner. He retorted, "Do you think that with His Majesty Falcon's character, he would allow a robber to linger in front of his house for fifteen days? No, he would definitely run over angrily and beat up this ignorant guy. After a meal, I stepped hard into the ground to use as fertilizer. Of course, if you are really worried about me, leave five dragon tooth battleships for me.

My requirements are not high, as long as the sail is complete. If that doesn't work, I can just put oil on my feet and run! At that time, even if they spit and stare, it will have no effect on me." Lidakus blinked his eyes, which made Dostronkai feel scared. This look was too ambiguous.

In the end, considering that the main force of the Southwest Navy was gone and that it would not affect the mission, Dostelenko selfishly left a Dragon-class battleship to Lidakus that was damaged in the sea battle (the so-called damaged ship). Damage. The side deck of this Dragon-class battleship was hit by a catapult, and a shell was smashed away. "With five fully equipped Dragon-class battleships, this is basically the configuration of a Dragon-class squadron. .

Lidakus received this unexpected and powerful support. It was arranged on the sea five hundred meters outside the city. When everything was ready, Lidakus couldn't wait to see the shadow of the southwest army. He was determined to create a myth, just like when Salon with 20,000 The army defeated the 100,000-strong elite of the Redian Northern Army and established the title of a famous general. Helidacus had to use 15,000 men to resist the siege from the 100,000-strong Southwest Army, and then stepped into the role of a brilliant general of the Falcon Army. ranks.

The war is approaching rapidly. The collision between two huge military groups from the northwest and southwest has also attracted the attention of the entire northwest. The focus of attention is called "Lwang Aka"

In November, in the dark golden wilderness, under the rays of the setting sun, Taton, commander of the Third Army of the Southwest Army as the vanguard of the army, appeared on a barren hill five miles away from the city of Rwanaka. Behind him was The 11,000 soldiers of the Third Legion and the regular infantry of the Gallic Empire shook the earth. Countless frightened birds flapped their wings and flew up from the depths of the woods. Countless spears were raised high. The cold light flashed under the sun, and a long dragon formed along the earth.

The city of Rwanaka in the distance is not big. It faces the sea on both sides, has some low and thick city walls, and the mixed architectural styles of spiers and domes in the city. It looks a bit nondescript, more like a small city developed from a port. City,

And this is also true. Rwanaka was originally a supply point into the Xibei Sea. The local lords took advantage of this and spent hundreds of years gradually building the city of Rwanaka from a small fishing boat. The city's population was only 20,000 people, whose main livelihood is fishing

Tatton is a handsome man with dark brown hair. However, what gave him a stronger impression on others was his two different eyes, gray and blue. When he was born, he was considered unlucky by his family, and his biological mother almost gouged out an eye. When he was ten years old, his mother committed suicide due to mental disorder, and his father was addicted to alcohol and became half a cripple. The father in the building gave up the diligence and integrity of his bachelor days and slept and ate with the god of wine all day long.

But occasionally, I would stumble and limp down the stairs to the first floor, shake off the restraints of the housekeeper and wet nurse, stand in front of my young son, stare at my red and cloudy eyes and angrily scold, "It would have been better if I hadn't given birth to you." , no one wants you to come to this world! "

"It would be better if I hadn't given birth to you." This is the lullaby that Taton was familiar with when he was a child. His parents' accusations tempered Taton's unusually cold heart from an early age. When he was 20 years old, his drunken father fell into a river for no apparent reason. After his death, he inherited his father's baronetcy and became a member of the local garrison.

At the age of twenty-two, because of his outstanding performance in the Kyoto Hunting Competition, he was recruited from the Southwest Army.

At that time, the Southwest Army was fighting against the Congo-Philippine Empire in the Xia Valley on the border. Taton performed well in the battle and was noticed by Algernonkaja, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Southwest Army who had just been transferred from Kyoto at that time, and he was specially transferred to other areas. Under his command, he became a general of the regular army,

Algernonkaja has always thought highly of himself. He believes that people without ability are not worthy of following him. Taton is a person with sufficient combat ability and command ability. However, his vision is often limited to the battlefield in front of him. "He can be given the highest value of achieving tactical victory in a personal war zone, but he cannot see the entire war situation clearly. Or his heart is too calm, which makes many He is just a man who is good at fighting without worries." This is Algernonkaja's evaluation of him. "Camp on the spot!" Or, Algernonkaja's assessment of Taton was correct. The Third Army that arrived first camped on the spot outside the city instead of launching a probing attack first. (To be continued...)