Back at the relay station, Karl immediately shut himself in his room and summoned Roland and the two most experienced veterans.
They had all followed Richter since the days of the City Defense Army and were seasoned veterans who had lived through numerous border clashes.
Without a detailed map, he could only spread out the extremely rough map of the Northern Territory provided by the relay station.
He quickly found the location of Icewater Creek.
It was indeed the only route to the Southwest Peninsula—a river that was not especially wide but had a swift current, with dense forests lining both banks.
"Look here." Karl pointed at the map with his finger. "If I were Sauron, I would choose this place for an ambush. I would wait until the troops were crossing the river, their formation stretched thin and their front and rear unable to support each other, then suddenly strike. The young lords' troops would collapse instantly. After that would come the pursuit and slaughter Sauron excels at."
Roland studied the map, his expression grave. "My lord, are you saying... Sauron might really ambush us near Icewater Creek? How did you..."
Karl cut him off. "This is only a guess based on a few scattered clues and intuition. Let's treat it as a tactical exercise. Roland, suppose you had ninety elite cavalrymen, while the enemy could be hiding anywhere in this area. What would you do?"
Roland pondered for a moment before answering, "The enemy is hidden while we are exposed. Icewater Creek runs a long way, and the forests are dense. Sauron could attack from any stretch of it. To be safe, we can only send the cavalry ahead in several groups to conduct thorough reconnaissance and maintain watch along the riverside forests. We must secure the army's flanks, try to detect the enemy in advance, or at least ensure we can react immediately if attacked."
It was indeed the orthodox and cautious approach, but Karl shook his head.
He had thought further—and more coldly.
Cyril's force numbered nearly a thousand. Karl had personally witnessed what a large-scale march looked like.
The troops would stretch into a fragile serpent hundreds of meters long, perhaps even longer.
Sending ninety cavalrymen out would be like scattering pepper. They could not cover the entire line, nor withstand the first violent assault Sauron had prepared.
Besides, he had no intention of making those ninety elite cavalrymen bear the brunt of Sauron's first attack and suffer unnecessary, heavy losses.
They were Earl Rochefort's elite forces, brought out temporarily only because of Charlotte.
These cavalrymen were a precious strategic asset. They should not be wasted protecting a useless man like Cyril.
More importantly, Karl's gaze turned cold as he looked at the area representing the Southwest Peninsula on the map.
The territory chosen by Cyril von Eichberg lay at the tip of the Southwest Peninsula.
The land there was relatively fertile and possessed several natural harbors. Although the ports froze over in winter, they were navigable for most of the year, giving the region enormous potential for trade.
If that man were allowed to develop in peace, then with his family's wealth, even as an un favored son, he could receive far more support than Karl himself. He might rise rapidly and become a force in the Northern Territory that no one could afford to ignore.
In the Northern Territory, there can be only one person who truly rises—and that is me. There can be only one territory that becomes the true center—and that is Carnford!
The Southwest Peninsula... must remain in chaos, or... ultimately fall under my control.
A plan to kill two birds with one stone by using another's blade rapidly took shape in Karl's mind.
He raised his head and swept his gaze over Roland and the two veterans. His voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable resolve. "I have a different idea. We will abandon all forward reconnaissance."
"What?" Roland and the two veterans froze.
"We will gather all ninety cavalrymen and follow far behind Cyril's main force, keeping enough distance to ensure that any Sauron Scouts will not easily detect us." Karl's finger moved across the map. "We will deliberately wait—wait for Sauron to attack!"
A cold glint flashed through his eyes. "We will wait until Cyril's troops are suddenly attacked while crossing the river and fall into complete chaos and collapse. We will wait until Sauron has fully committed to the battle and begun scattering to pursue and plunder, until their formation becomes disordered—"
Karl's palm slammed down on the spot marking Cyril's troops!
"—that will be the moment we attack! We will charge with the full strength of our elite cavalry. Our goal is not to rescue the routed troops, but to crush the Sauron forces thrown into chaos! Kill as many as we can. Once we break them, withdraw immediately. Do not linger in battle!"
The room fell silent.
Roland and the two veterans understood the ruthless implication behind Karl's plan.
They were not protecting Cyril at all. They intended to use Cyril's force as bait and a buffer, drawing Sauron into committing everything to the attack before striking a fatal blow from the rear while they were off guard!
Cyril's survival or death was not even under consideration!
The plan was extremely risky—and extremely... vicious.
Roland took a deep breath and spoke with difficulty. "My lord... this... isn't this too..."
He wanted to say "cruel," but did not dare voice it.
Karl looked at him coldly. "Roland, remember our identity and our purpose. We are warriors of Carnford. Our foremost duty is to defend our own homeland. These ninety cavalrymen are the Earl's elite, and they may also become our allies in the future. We cannot squander them on a pointless rescue."
"Cyril and his troops are destined to be sacrifices. Our task is to make their sacrifice win us the greatest possible victory while... weakening a powerful potential rival."
He paused, and his tone softened slightly. "Of course, if circumstances permit, after breaking Sauron, we can take the opportunity to gather some of Cyril's routed soldiers and supplies. Population and resources are equally important to us."
The two veterans exchanged a glance. Having endured many battlefields and witnessed countless deaths and schemes, they found this cold realism easier to accept than Roland did.
One of them said solemnly, "My lord, although this plan is dangerous, it truly is a brilliant strategy for achieving the greatest victory at the smallest cost while eliminating future trouble. However, it demands extremely precise timing."
The other nodded as well. "If Cyril's force collapses too quickly, or Sauron's assault is too fierce, we may miss our chance—or even be unable to protect ourselves."
"That is why we must execute it decisively and swiftly!" Karl said emphatically. "Go prepare at once. Inspect every horse and piece of equipment. Tomorrow, we act according to the plan!"
"Yes, my lord!" The three accepted their orders and left the room, each wearing a different expression.
Karl stood alone before the map, his gaze once again settling on the area representing the Southwest Peninsula.
Cyril, don't blame me. If you must blame someone, blame this cruel world—and yourself for choosing the wrong place.
Before you continue