Sordil sent Zhuo Bo and the others off with tears in his eyes, then reluctantly headed toward his relatively intact "beggars' nest." Although he had been "exiled" here to suffer, Sordil still decided to do his utmost to train this band of defeated remnants into a powerful force once more.
After returning to the camp, Sordil gathered all the officers and asked them about the army's general situation. Only then did he learn that the Bell Dragon Rider Regiment had become like this because of his own doing. Back then, he had ordered Mevajena to assassinate the regiment's senior officers, causing panic among the army's upper ranks. Fearing they would be the next victims, the noble officers had used every means available to request transfers away from here, taking their trusted subordinates with them. The regiment's elites had been stripped away in an instant, leaving behind only veteran layabouts with no connections and little ability.
After learning the facts, Sordil felt both heartbroken and fortunate. Following all the chaos he had caused earlier, he had gloriously gone from Commander to battalion commander, but in doing so, he had also uprooted every troublesome element that threatened his rule. Now, as long as he subdued this bunch of veteran layabouts, he could seize complete control of the Bell Dragon Rider Regiment and make it his bargaining chip against Langu. Then he might have a chance to replace Langu and become the "general from a neighboring country" who would marry Irene. With Irene, the "Mother of Dragon Slayers," and Wise Dragon Belserion, the odds of him leading everyone in Fostadu to survival would rise considerably.
After steadying himself, Sordil issued his first order since becoming a general.
"After you return, relay this order to the men under your command. At seven tomorrow morning,