The Dark King – Chapter 402
Apparently Dudian wasn’t joking with Sergei as he called the colonel after eating the rabbit leg: “There hasn’t been any barbarian attacks since morning. I think all of them are killed. I’ll go back to the military hq to see if there is a need for me in the front line while you will control the troops stationed in here.”
Colonel was surprised as he looked at Dudian: “Master, according to the orders from above we are station here.. I…”
“I believe that you can manage the situation.” Dudian patted his shoulders and passed by the colonel. He took Gwyneth, Sergei, the Mouse brothers and 300 hundred elite purple feather troops and left the forest area. He didn’t return back to his castle but directly went to the military hq.
“Master, are we really going to the front line?” Sergei carefully asked: “I was just casually chatting. You don’t have to take my words too seriously. If the military blames us then we… ”
“Why they should blame us?” Dudian indifferently replied: “Has there been any barbarians who were able to pass into the commercial district while we were guarding the area?”
“Ah, that’s… No …”
Dudian patted the horse to speed up the marching speed. He had not seen the newspapers because they were stationed by the forest for the last three days. However he estimated that the barbarians were hit hard and retreated. The main reason for his thinking was that the weather was dry and the temperature was about three or four degrees. But it didn’t prevent the use of the artillery.
In addition to the artillery, his steam rifle should be mass produced by now and introduced into the battlefield.
IN this era of the cold weapons the emergence of the steam rifles was same as bullying the weak. The results were decided even before the begging of the battle.
…
…
Military HQ. North of the Commercial District.
Lorenzo and several generals were standing in front of the sand table and discussing the situation. Previously the area was covered in red flags but now the only places where you could see those red flags were the place close to the Red River. Moreover there were several red flags inserted behind the golden wall which referred to the reinforcement teams of the barbarians.
“Send a battalion with two hundred steam rifle to annihilate these ones!” Lorenzo stretched out his arm and pulled out few red flags and threw them aside. His tone was indifferent.
The adjutant standing by him issued down the command.
“Everyone, its almost time to recapture the golden wall.” Lorenzo looked at the wall’s design on the sand table: “Move the artillery from the silver wall towards the golden wall. Moreover send a division of steam rifle soldiers. I want to hear the news of the recapture by tonight!”
“Yes.”
“General, we will be unable to station troops over the golden wall even if we get back the golden wall. The production speed of the steam rifles is good but the most of the soldiers are sick and they haven’t recovered yet. Should we go for a new conscription?”Another general spoke up his opinion.
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes as he slowly said: “Since the beginning our aim and ultimate goal is to get back the golden wall! For time being we can’t do something like that unless all our trump cards are exposed! The Holy Church and the Dark Church will infiltrate the military in such a case. In that case the sharp edges of the blade will begin to rust…”
“I think so too. It wouldn’t be difficult to capture the rest of the golden wall as long as we get a section of it back. We are able to produce 8000 steam rifles a day and the efficiency is gradually increasing. In a day or two we will be able to mass produce 10000 steam rifles a day. In that case we will be able to take back the golden wall sooner or later…” A general added.
“If it doesn’t go like our plans then we will use the fires(bombs)!”
Lorenzo faintly smiled: “Bombs should be used as the last possible card. So far we don’t need to play that one. Moreover the damage to the golden wall was too serious before the barbarians snatched it. They won’t be too focused on protecting it as its relatively easy to defend from the Red Maple Mountains rather than the broken golden wall!”
The others nodded in confirmation.
“The thing is that the barbarians didn’t send reinforcements. Is it that they expected it? Or was there another reason? I hope that we wont be crossed…” Lorenzo whispered as he narrowed his eyes.
The others frowned as they looked at each other. They felt unusual about the situation too.
…
On the way back to the military hq Sergei ‘borrowed’ a pot of wine and newspaper from a bistro. He drank the wine while Dudian checked the newspapers. There was a trace of smile revealed on his face as the horses trotted forward.
Dudian went to see general Lorenzo after they reached the headquarters.
Lorenzo felt his head ache the moment he saw the ‘active’ master. However he had a coping method because of his last experience with Dudian. He planned to send him to stay behind the siege troops in a larger battlefield. It was a very low risk place.
Dudian gladly agreed without any objections.
“Master, wasn’t it written in the newspaper that the most intense battles aren’t happening near the golden wall but on other locations? How come the other areas are more important than getting back the golden wall?” Sergei asked in a curious tone as he rode the horse.
Dudian replied in a serious tone: “Nonsense! The general must have his reasons to order us so. We are now soldiers and must follow his orders!”
Sergei uttered ‘ah’ cry as he weirdly looked back at Dudian. How come he wasn’t aware that Dudian was such an obedient boy? He turned his head and looked at Gwyneth. Gwyneth winked at Sergei. He turned back his head and looked at the Mouse brothers.
The three general brothers looked back at him.
Sergei smiled and threw the wine bottle: “General Dale, would you like a drink?”
Dale smiled: “I never drink when I’m marching. Its just wrong.” He threw back the bottle to Sergei.
“No wonder you are a general while I’m a soldier.” Sergei reached out to grab the bottle and turned his head. He slowly drank the wine.
A messenger riding on a horse began to loudly shout in the streets of the commercial district before the sunset.
“Golden wall is recaptured! …”
The residents were surprised as they heard the news. They warmly cheered as they heard the messenger. Some who were packing their things to move close to the inner wall stopped doing so.
In the last three days that the rain stopped the situation was completely reversed. The news of military winning back was heard more and more.
The residents of the commercial and residential districts were relieved as they heard the news of golden wall being seized back. It stabilized the population. Moreover the news of the military’s counterattack didn’t stop there. The news regarding the military winning back the different regions came one after another. Moreover the information about Dudian being stationed in the forest and wiping out barbarians was widely spread too.
Although Dudian didn’t even made a step out through the battles but his name was hang in every news reported. He was described as ‘brave’, ‘fearless’, ‘matchless’, ‘wise’ and so on. All the credit was attributed to him.