War-Weary
Harald's lips curled into a cold smile. "Last time Karl used gunpowder to collapse the earthen wall, killing hundreds of our warriors. Now, it's time to give them a taste of this thunderbolt in their own way!"
Just then, a scout covered in dust and frost, led by a guard, staggered but moved with great speed across the camp and came to Harald.
He knelt on one knee, his chest heaving from rapid breathing, his voice hoarse and urgent from the long journey, and reported loudly, "Reporting to the Great Chieftain! Urgent military intelligence has arrived from Eagle Nest's Nest! Eisenberg has finally made a move! He has dispatched a force of about ten thousand men, which is slowly advancing towards Carnford!"
The scout took a slight breath and continued in detail, "Their marching speed is unusually slow, and their formation is loose, possibly indicating an intention to delay. However, based on their current position and speed, their elite vanguard will reach our flank at the latest... at the latest within three or four days, posing a threat to us!"
"Ten thousand reinforcements..." Upon hearing this, Harald's face showed no sign of tension, but rather a mocking sneer.
He turned to Leon and the other generals beside him, his tone full of disdain. "That old tortoise Eisenberg, hiding in the Eagle's Nest City and trembling for so long, has he finally decided to stick his turtle head out of his shell?"
"Hmph, it's nothing but a show, just giving their King a so-called explanation! A mere ten thousand men, so timid and hesitant, what good can they possibly do?"
His words were both an assessment of the enemy forces and an attempt to reassure the troops.
Upon hearing this, several generals also revealed contemptuous smiles, echoing the Great Chieftain's judgment.
However, Harald knew deep down that, despite this, the presence of a fully-fledged regular army of the Goldflower Kingdom on his flank, regardless of its intentions or combat strength, was a potential threat that could not be completely ignored.
It's like a thorn; though small, it can cause trouble unexpectedly.
As if to confirm the subtle changes in the situation, almost simultaneously, a messenger from the rear rushed into the camp, bringing the latest battle report from the direction of Fran City.
It was a letter written in the handwriting of Ulf, the Corps Commander the Sparrow Corps. Harald unfolded the parchment and quickly scanned the words on it.
In his letter, besides the routine report that the siege of Fran City was proceeding as usual and Rochfort was still holding firm, Ulf's words also revealed a clear dissatisfaction and anxious urging:
"... However, three days ago, Rochfort suddenly sent a small group of elite cavalry out of the city to harass us. Although they were repelled by our army without suffering significant losses, their actions were unusual, a departure from their previous defensive posture. Their intentions are unclear, and we must be on high alert. I suspect they may be plotting to support Carnford..."
More importantly, the following text reads, "... Furthermore, Great Chieftain, my Sparrow Corps soldiers have been trapped in the icy and snowy wilderness Fran City since the beginning of winter, and the siege has lasted for several months."
"Seeing our brother units, the Wolf Corps and the Hound Corps, plunder southwards, sweeping across the rich heartland, seizing countless spoils, and returning laden with their spoils, while we are wasting our time here without achieving anything, our soldiers are eager to return home, and their resentment grows stronger every day... How has the war dragged on for so long in this tiny place like Carnford?"
"If we cannot conquer this territory in the short term, should we consider... temporarily lifting the siege to avoid exhausting our troops, losing morale, and becoming easy prey for the enemy? We urge the Great Chieftain to make a swift decision!"
Harald finished reading the report coldly, his face expressionless, and casually handed the report to Leon beside him.
Leon respectfully accepted it, quickly glanced through it, and frowned slightly.
Harald didn't speak, but simply gestured to Leon with his eyes.
Leon understood, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Great Chieftain, what Corps Commander Ulf said, while not entirely correct, is not without reason. The Sparrow Corps has indeed done a great service and endured immense pressure while besieging the Fran City in the freezing cold for months. Moreover..."
He paused, lowered his voice, and glanced at the other generals behind him. Seeing that Harald did not intend to stop him, he continued, "It's probably not just the Sparrow Corps that's experiencing war-weariness and homesickness; this situation is also quietly spreading within our main army. It's just that no one has dared to report it so directly like Ulf has before."
Leon's words forced Harald to confront a long-standing and increasingly serious problem.
Indeed, this war-weariness had long been brewing like an undercurrent within his army.
In previous meetings with tribal chiefs and high-ranking generals, although they remained outwardly respectful, their words had repeatedly conveyed similar meanings, albeit more subtly:
"Great Chieftain, thanks to your great blessings, our men have indeed reaped a great harvest on this southward journey, each of them gaining considerable benefits. However, the continuous battles have left them utterly exhausted. Carnford is such a tough nut to crack; we've been gnawing at it for so long, and many of our fine young men have perished... Do you think... it's about time to call it a day?"
"Yes, Great Chieftain, the wealth, food, and slaves we've plundered are piled up like mountains, enough for all our tribes to enjoy comfortably for several years."
"Even if we eventually take Carnford, it'll probably be a shattered shell by now, with nothing to gain. Why let our warriors shed their precious blood on this barren mountain?"
More cautious voices mentioned a potential threat. "Great Chieftain, the Goldspur reinforcements, though slow in their advance, are on their way. The ten thousand men Eisenberg sent, though few in number, are still a problem."
"If we get bogged down here and it jeopardizes our plan to return to the Northern Territory with all these spoils, then we'll really be penny-wise and pound-foolish!"
Although these statements come from different perspectives, their underlying core meaning is crystal clear.
Everyone's already made enough money, they don't want to work any harder!
When they first broke through the pass and marched south, the Sauron soldiers had nothing. Barefoot, they were fearless, and each of them was utterly ruthless, for victory would bring wealth, honor, and slaves.
But now, after months of looting, every surviving soldier had more or less looted, their pockets stuffed with gold and silver Silver coin, their bags filled with silk and porcelain, and their slaves chained behind them.
Once people possess something, they begin to cherish their lives and fear losing everything they have acquired.
How could morale not decline at a time like this?
If you send them to attack Carnford, a tough nut to crack with a well-developed defense system, a tenacious garrison, and extremely high difficulty to conquer with almost no profit to be made, resistance and war-weariness will naturally spread like a plague.
Harald took a deep breath of the cold air, forcibly suppressing the surging agitation in his heart.
He knew all too well that the spread of this sentiment was more threatening than any reinforcements from the Broomflower.
A commander's authority is built not only on victory and fear, but also on enabling his subordinates to see hope and gain tangible benefits.
When most people feel there is no profit to be made or even that they might lose their lives, even the strictest military orders will become much less effective.
However, all these troubles and pressures are about to become a thing of the past.