Preparing for Battle

Early the next morning, Victor stood at the entrance of the tent. Ron and his squad were already prepared to depart.

"My warriors, I am sorry that you have been given such a difficult task so soon after arriving in this new territory. But I believe you can achieve victory. Your equipment is better, your martial skills are stronger, and your will is firmer. They are no match for you. Bring me victory. I will never be stingy with land, money, or honor."

Many of these soldiers had been trained by Victor and Ron together. They knew of Victor's generosity and believed they would surely defeat the enemy and earn military merit. Every one of them was thrilled by the honor and rewards soon to be theirs.

To be honest, Victor did not know how to rally troops, nor was he good at inspiring people. But he was willing to reward these soldiers and give them good treatment. In this world, that was enough to make them risk their lives for him.

Ron led his troops out directly, while Captain Jack arranged for several men to accompany them as guides.

After watching them disappear into the distance from the camp gate, Victor gathered the others to continue their discussion. Steward Powell and Captain Jack joined them as well.

"Powell, how is the unloading going? How much longer will it take?" Victor was deeply concerned about this.

Wiping away his sweat, Powell said, "Lord Victor, we worked through the night and built three piers. Fortunately, many of the structural components had already been made in the territory and only needed installation. But we had only prepared three sets, so adding more would require new processing. The warhorses and weapons have already been unloaded. The serfs we brought have been divided into three groups. One group did not take part in unloading and is resting as combat auxiliaries. The other two groups are taking turns unloading the ships and building the camp to ensure progress. We estimate that the unloading will take another day and a half, while the simple dock and storage yard will need another five days."

Victor nodded. The dock was crude, after all, and they lacked both tools and manpower. Their completion time was only one day longer than Number 1's calculated plan.

Victor then turned to Captain Jack. "Jack, are your two ships ready? When do you plan to set out?"

Captain Jack replied confidently, "Don't worry, my lord. I picked the two finest girls, and they are both relatively new. I had the ballast stones unloaded. Once we enter the Great Fish River, we will not need to worry about wind and waves, and with their shallower draft, they will be less likely to run aground. I have also selected a group of the most experienced sailors to come with me. We will certainly complete the task you assigned."

Victor considered it. "How about this, Captain Jack? This time, I am bringing one hundred archers and one hundred crossbowmen. I will assign fifty crossbowmen who do not get seasick to accompany you. That way, your ships will have defensive capabilities as well."

"Thank you, Lord Victor." Captain Jack was deeply moved. When a leader considered his subordinates' needs at work, following such a person gave one peace of mind. This was far better than his previous jobs.

"Be careful on this journey. I will send two groups of messengers to maintain contact with you. If anything unexpected happens, you may dock on the southern bank and abandon the ships if necessary. Protect yourselves and my sailors. Your experience is very important," Victor continued to remind Captain Jack.

"Then I'll be off, my lord." Captain Jack rose and left.

"Powell, go with him and see whether Captain Jack lacks any supplies. Give him a little extra," Victor told the steward.

Powell rose and left as well.

The remaining men continued sitting around Victor, awaiting his new orders.

"Santos, select some sharp young men from the infantry. They must all know how to ride. We do not lack horses now. We need a large number of messengers to communicate between the different battlefields. I need to grasp battlefield intelligence as fully as possible."

"Yes, Lord Victor. I'll arrange it immediately."

"James, take ten capable men and come with me later. I need to inspect several locations."

"Yes, I'll arrange it at once," James agreed.

Victor glanced at Captain Jack, who was sitting nearby and seemed about to speak. Victor told him, "Captain Jack, I'll leave the camp to you and Santos. You need to lead your men in completing their rest as quickly as possible, organize the weapons and equipment, and prepare for full participation in the battle starting tomorrow."

Jack immediately stood and saluted. "Understood, Lord Victor."

Victor nodded and dismissed everyone. He then left directly with James.

On a small hill, Victor stood at the summit, looking over the vast land. Low hills covered this region. Only the easternmost area, where Victor stood, had relatively high ground. The entire hill covered a large area and had gentle slopes. Victor calculated silently.

"Number 1, generate a map of this area directly. Let me see it."

"Understood, Victor. Please wait."

Soon, a bird's-eye view appeared before Victor's eyes, which he could enlarge and shrink at will. These hills lay beside a bend in the Great Fish River. The distance from the entrance of the bend to its exit was roughly six kilometers. The eastern and western banks at the entrance were both shallow beaches covered in sand and gravel, making them suitable for river vessels to run ashore directly without suffering much damage. This battlefield was also only twenty kilometers from the camp, making it convenient to transport supplies and deploy troops.

Victor directly used the map as a reference to revise the crude map in his hand.

After roughly finishing the revisions, Victor called James over. "James, look here. This is an excellent place for an ambush. The terrain here is relatively complicated and does not favor the Cavalry spreading out. If they reach the hill at the easternmost point, they will not be able to deploy more than one hundred men. We can place one hundred cavalrymen behind the reverse slope to wait at ease. Once we lure them to the foot of the hill, the hidden cavalry can cross the reverse slope and charge downhill. With the advantage in our horses and equipment, we can break through their formation head-on and force them to retreat westward out of these hills before they can reorganize. At the same time we launch our counterattack, I will arrange for three river troop transports to run ashore directly at the bend's entrance and form infantry squares to the west. We will use bows and crossbows to disrupt their reorganization, then pressure them with the infantry squares while our cavalry charges with the momentum. That will give us the best possible chance of wiping them out completely."

"I think that will work. You studied this stuff better than I did anyway. We'll do as you say. The question is, how can we make them follow the route we want?"

"That will depend on Ron." Victor smiled.

Ron had dealt with Barbarians for a long time and understood them well. Guiding their actions would not be difficult for him.

"All right, it's time to head back, James." With that, Victor turned, mounted his horse, and called Ron to return to camp with him.

That evening, everyone waited in Victor's field tent for his orders.

"This is the preliminary plan. Captain Jack, tomorrow you will guide the three troop transports to this bend in the river. I will set up signals on the western hilltop. The moment the signal is given, you will begin running ashore."

"Santos, tomorrow's key depends on you. After running ashore, form up as quickly as possible and reach the designated battlefield in time."

"Captain Jack and James, your two squads will remain with me behind the eastern hill's reverse slope. The moment I give the charge signal, cross the summit, form a charging formation, and attack straight downhill."

"Ron, your troops had excellent results today. Those Barbarians are probably already furious. Tomorrow morning, you will continue carrying out the enemy-luring tactic. No problem?"

"Don't worry, Victor. Fighting Barbarians is as easy as eating for me. I know their tempers better than anyone. They won't escape the palm of our hands. Besides, I have a secret weapon for dealing with these fellows." Ron sounded extremely pleased with himself.

Victor was somewhat speechless. Ron's secret weapon was no secret to him. When Ron had taught Victor combat skills in the past, he had often told stories about fighting Barbarians, especially how he provoked Barbarian warriors into fury and lured them into single combat. His secret weapon was foul language—every kind of Barbarian insult. Ron never failed when he used them.

"As long as you are confident. I only want results. I do not care about the process," Victor told Ron.

"Powell, have food ready for every soldier participating in the battle before dawn tomorrow. Bring out all the fruit and fresh meat so everyone can have a good breakfast."

"Understood, Lord Victor. I'll prepare it right away."

"The auxiliary troops will camp five kilometers east of the battlefield. Once the frontal battle begins, I will send messengers to notify you to join the battle."

Victor spoke to the officers responsible for the auxiliary troops.

"Any more questions? If not, get to bed early tonight. Ron, you and your men will depart directly after daybreak. Everyone else will leave together at eight in the morning. The planned battle time is between two and three in the afternoon. We will finish the battle before nightfall. We will surely win."

"Yes, sir!" everyone answered in unison.

After the meeting ended, Victor sat before the map, his thoughts in turmoil.

After all, the two sides combined had more than four thousand people. Even excluding the elderly, the weak, and the laborers who would not fight, more than fifteen hundred people would take part in the battle. This was Victor's first time commanding a battle on such a scale, and he could not help feeling anxious.

I really am not some naturally gifted commander. I can't even stay calm in a situation like this. I should stick to relying on the Golden Finger to develop the territory. Overwhelming them with technology and troop strength, fighting open battles—that is the path I should take.

"Number 1, help me adjust the troop deployment again. Check whether there are any flaws in the battle plan."

"Command received, Victor. Beginning review."

No flaws were found afterward. The Calculation Module was not omnipotent. Its models in this area had not yet been trained, and the only material it could rely on was the Golden Sunflower Territory's books and Victor's memories. Its level in war planning and command was therefore obvious—it would probably struggle even to match Zhao Kuo.

In the end, Victor relied on the Calculation Module to increase its use of Soul Matter before he managed to fall asleep.

At five in the morning, Victor woke on time at Number 1's reminder. After getting dressed, he left the tent.

The sky had not yet brightened, but the entire camp had already come alive. Beneath the bonfires, soldiers formed ranks and organized their weapons and equipment, while the logistical laborers brought steaming soup and hot food to the barracks.

When Victor approached, he found that some people had already started breakfast. It was Ron and his squad. Their warhorses had been led aside to be fed and watered by auxiliary troops, while their weapons and armor had already been hung on spare horses.

Looking at Ron wolfing down his food, Victor said nothing. Instead, he inspected the warhorses drinking nearby. The largest was Ron's mount, the Wind Howler Horse variant that the caravan had brought back to the territory from Bria County last time. It seemed to have fully adapted to life as a warhorse. When the auxiliary soldiers fitted it with tack, it showed no unusual behavior.

Then Victor heard a muttering voice beside his ear. "Isn't my Black Panther handsome?" He turned and saw Ron with a piece of bread still clenched in his mouth.

"Finish eating before you talk. Black Panther is indeed handsome. Too bad some people have made him bear burdens he should not have to bear."

"I normally only wear leather armor. I only change into chainmail when charging. I would never let Black Panther get exhausted." Ron swallowed the bread in one bite and hurriedly defended himself.

"All right, get ready quickly. You are about to depart, and I need to say a few words to my warriors."

Soon, Ron stood in the center of the formation, his cavalry squad behind him. The night was still dark, while the bonfires cast warm, flickering light across the soldiers' resolute faces, reflecting the unextinguished fighting spirit and unwavering conviction in their eyes. This unit was about to embark on a crucial mission to lure the enemy. Though the road ahead was filled with danger and uncertainty, not a trace of fear showed on their faces. Instead, they radiated an indescribable excitement and anticipation.

Victor walked before the formation, his gaze sweeping over each warrior as though confirming every man's determination. "You are not merely my soldiers. You are the bravest warriors on this land." Victor's voice was loud and powerful. "This operation may be called 'luring the enemy,' but in truth, it is paving the way for our victory. Remember, you are not fighting alone. We are with you."

He paused, hope for the future gleaming in his eyes, then continued, "After the battle, that glory and those rewards will never belong to me alone. They are the highest praise for your courage, sacrifice, and loyalty. I promise you: every drop of sweat, every drop of blood and tear, will be richly rewarded."

As Victor's words fell, thunderous applause and cheers rang through the night sky, completely igniting the soldiers' spirits. Ron straightened his back. As the squad leader, he knew the burden on his shoulders was great, but he also firmly believed that with these brave soldiers and his secret weapon, they would certainly complete the mission perfectly.

"Set out, warriors!" Ron announced loudly. He was the first to mount Black Panther, with the other cavalrymen following close behind. The sound of hooves echoed through the quiet night like a stirring war song, heralding the coming victory.