Duchy Regular Army

The next day arrived quickly. That day, the commanders led their respective guards and assigned some men to welcome the Duchy's Main Force. Ang was among the welcoming party, though at first, he did not know what the specific mission was.

After waiting for a while, tremors more intense than those from welcoming the Second, Third, and Fourth Logistics Regiments last time came rolling in. The ground seemed to shake without end, as though countless iron hooves were pounding across it. Ang keenly sensed that these tremors were far stronger than before. Recalling the vibrations caused by the cavalry's charge last time, he immediately understood that a massive number of cavalrymen had arrived.

Ang lowered his head and looked at the ground, seeing pebbles constantly bouncing from the tremors. He secretly marveled, guessing that there had to be even more cavalry this time. At the same time, however, he began to worry. Would such violent tremors cause the roads painstakingly cleared by the Logistics Regiment to fall apart? After all, those roads were mainly built from locally gathered wood, earth, gravel, and branches. They looked sturdy enough, but whether they could withstand such a Large Scale cavalry force passing through remained unknown.

The surrounding soldiers also felt the powerful tremors and began discussing them among themselves. Ang heard some worrying about the roads, while others speculated about just how many cavalrymen had arrived. Ang silently stood to one side, his eyes fixed ahead. He knew that welcoming the Main Force was not merely a simple reception. It was also a crucial moment to demonstrate the Logistics Regiment's work.

As the tremors drew closer, Ang saw dust rising into the sky in the distance. Soon, the first group of cavalry appeared in view. They wore finely crafted armor and rode the Duchy's finest warhorses, galloping toward the camp in perfect formation. Ang's heart began to race. He felt the immense pressure brought by these cavalrymen, but he was also filled with anticipation for their arrival.

As the cavalry gradually approached, Ang saw several commanders at the front. They carried themselves with imposing authority and wore resolute expressions. They were clearly veteran generals hardened by countless battles.

The cavalry finally stopped before the camp gates, and the tremors in the ground gradually subsided. The commanders stepped forward and saluted the cavalry leaders with the Duchy's standard warrior salute, striking their left chests with their right hands. The cavalry leaders merely nodded in acknowledgment. One of them raised a hand and waved forward, and the Logistics Regiment hurriedly cleared the way. The entire army swiftly headed into the camp, with the commanders of the four Logistics Regiments following close behind.

Ang quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Although the state of the roads still needed further inspection, at least for now, everything seemed under control.

Looking at the vast cavalry formation before him, Ang felt his blood surge. He had never seen such an enormous and imposing army. The Main Force truly was extraordinary. Every horse was bluish-black, its limbs covered in hard scales, making it appear especially tall and formidable. Those horses radiated powerful auras, as though every charge could bring the force of mountains collapsing and earth splitting apart.

Ang's attention was drawn to the mounts ridden by the cavalry leaders. These horses were even more formidable than ordinary warhorses, their entire bodies covered in scaled armor that made them appear particularly sturdy and ferocious. Not only did they look majestic, but when they ran, they moved like lightning and wind, as though they could smash through any obstacle. Ang sighed inwardly. The horses ridden by these leaders were clearly no ordinary beasts, most likely descendants of legendary magical beasts bred with common warhorses.

The cavalry lined up in perfect formation before the camp. White vapor streamed from the horses' nostrils, making them look exceptionally spirited. Sunlight shone upon their armor and scales, reflecting dazzling light. Ang's heartbeat quickened as he felt an indescribable sense of shock.

Ang stood by the roadside, watching the cavalry pass swiftly by. He had thought there would only be cavalry, but to his surprise, infantry followed behind them.

Although the Infantry Regiment lacked the cavalry's overwhelming impact, it was equally awe-inspiring. Every infantryman wore full armor, dark black in color, and marched in perfect step with great majesty. Ang estimated that there were nearly six thousand infantrymen. Each wore full plate armor and carried a black greatsword matching the color of his armor. These were clearly standard-issue weapons of the Duchy, though their colors looked somewhat plain. For the time being, Ang could not tell what was special about the equipment.

The Infantry Regiment's orderly ranks advanced slowly, bringing with them a heavy, oppressive presence. Their armor glinted dully beneath the sunlight, while the resolute expressions of the infantrymen revealed fearlessness and loyalty. Watching them, Ang felt an indescribable admiration and envy.

Behind the Infantry Regiment came a huge convoy of supplies in countless varieties. Ang saw large numbers of wagons and carts loaded with all kinds of equipment and materials. Some large crates were covered with tarps, making them seem particularly mysterious. Even more eye-catching were the many disassembled iron and wooden parts he saw, which he could not identify at a glance.

Ang looked at the supplies before him and felt dazzled. There were many things he did not recognize. He noticed that the other Logistics Regiment members standing beside him also wore surprised and confused expressions. Clearly, they too were unfamiliar with these supplies. Ang spotted some things resembling vegetables, as well as many wagons hauling tightly packed bundles of fresh grass. He guessed that the grass bundles were fodder prepared for the warhorses.

Besides that, there were many materials and pieces of equipment whose purposes were unclear. Though Ang was curious about them, he knew this was not the right time to ask questions. He silently memorized the supplies, intending to ask experienced soldiers about them later.

As the convoy advanced, Ang and his teammates continued to observe and think. Before long, the entire reinforcement force had passed their position. Ang saw no one else following at the rear of the procession and knew that all the reinforcements had likely arrived. The Brigade Leaders leading the group apparently realized this as well and began arranging for everyone to return to camp.

Ang and the other Logistics Regiment members followed behind the group as they returned to camp. As they walked, they discussed the supplies and equipment they had just seen. Although most of them were unfamiliar with those things, some veteran soldiers knew a little about certain materials and explained what they knew. These discussions gave Ang a better understanding of the supplies.

When Ang returned to camp, the lively and bustling sight before him could not help but lift his mood. More people meant greater strength, better safety, and more valuable information to learn. However, what Ang had not expected was that the arrival of the reinforcements would change the living arrangements for the Logistics Regiment members.

Regiment Commander Queby stood on a raised platform and announced, "In order to better support the Duchy's Main Force, the Logistics Regiment members will temporarily lose the right to stay in the wooden barracks. All barracks will be turned over to the Duchy's army." As soon as this news came out, the Logistics Regiment members erupted into an uproar. Ang also felt a burst of anger. After working so hard for so many days, we still have to go back to sleeping in tents.

"Ang, this isn't fair!" one soldier complained.

"We worked so hard to build those barracks, only for someone else to live in them," another soldier echoed.

However, Queby continued, "Starting today, everyone in the entire Logistics Regiment, including us regiment commanders, will guard the supplies alongside you and continue living in tents." This decision immediately silenced all complaints. Seeing that the regiment commanders would also be living in tents with them, much of the resentment in the Logistics Regiment members' hearts dissipated.

Although Ang was still somewhat dissatisfied, seeing that the regiment commanders were no different from them calmed him down. After seeing the Duchy's Main Force today, Ang understood that better conditions would certainly not be given to the Logistics Regiment first.

Since everyone was treated the same, naturally no one said anything further. Moreover, all reconnaissance and guard duties throughout the camp were taken over by the reinforcements, while the Logistics Regiment continued with its original main responsibilities: logistics and cleaning up the battlefield.

After seeing the Duchy's Main Force, Ang also became aware of the gap between himself and them. Whether in equipment or spirit, the Main Force personnel were superior to him.

By comparison, Ang found his own equipment far more rudimentary. Although his armor was sturdy, it was clearly inferior to the Main Force's equipment in both craftsmanship and defensive power. Though his battle-axe was sharp, it lacked the durability and weight needed for large-scale battles.

More than that, Ang could feel the enormous gap between himself and the Main Force soldiers in spirit and bearing. Those soldiers had steady gazes, upright postures, and radiated intense confidence and fighting spirit. Though he had performed well in the Logistics Regiment, facing such an Elite Troops unit made Ang feel like a newly enlisted recruit.

It seems I've always overestimated my own strength, Ang thought. He realized that he had been too narrow-minded.

Ang decided to use this period of guarding the supplies to properly strengthen himself. He knew this was a rare opportunity. Not only could he train himself, but he could also improve tactical coordination with his teammates.

Over the following days, Ang filled his training schedule to the brim. Every morning, he maintained his habit of rising early and began physical training before dawn. From long-distance running to strength training, he exercised his body without pause. He knew that powerful physical fitness was the most basic foundation for combat.

After completing his physical training, Ang would conduct tactical drills with his teammates. They simulated all kinds of possible battle scenarios, from forest ambushes to head-on clashes on open plains. Every tactical detail was practiced and refined again and again. Ang not only trained diligently himself, but also took the initiative to share his insights and suggestions with his teammates, helping everyone improve together.

At the same time, Ang did not relax his weapon training. He spent a great deal of time practicing with his battle-axe, from basic chops to complex defensive counterattacks, striving to make every movement precise. He also sought advice from experienced veterans in the Logistics Regiment, learning the valuable experience they had accumulated on the battlefield. Whenever he gained a new insight, Ang immediately recorded it and continuously reflected on and applied it during practice.

During his free time while guarding the supplies, Ang also meditated in stillness every day, strengthening his control over the Qi force within his body.