It was Lin Ruoyu's first time commanding an army of over five thousand players and NPCs, and his first time realizing just how much trouble that could be.
The NPC soldiers were easy enough to handle. Even the civilian laborers had undergone some military training and felt an instructor's whip. Whether marching, setting up camp, or encountering the enemy, they knew what to do and where they belonged.
The players were another matter entirely. Whether warband members or unaffiliated players, they all had a rebellious streak. They came from different warbands, each with their own play styles and combat habits, and were nowhere near as obedient as the NPCs.
For the first time, Lin Ruoyu realized that commanding a mixed army like this was far more complicated than he had imagined.
On the march, the players were always undisciplined and unwilling to maintain the prescribed formation. They often gathered to discuss tactics, and some even rode straight to the head of the column to argue endlessly with Lin Ruoyu.
If you ever saw a group of players marching quietly in line, spaced a meter apart, with neat ranks and synchronized steps, they were definitely using the auto-march feature.
To make marching easier, Lin Ruoyu divided the Expeditionary Army into three parts: the Vanguard, the Central Army, and the Rear Army.
The Vanguard was a rapid-response force made up of elite NPC cavalry and player scouts, responsible for clearing the way and reconnaissance.
Yet this advance force, which should have been strictly disciplined, became Lin Ruoyu's greatest headache.
"Reporting, Commander!"
It was midday, during a rest break. Lin Ruoyu was sitting on a wooden stump beside the Ancient Passage, just about to eat, when an NPC messenger came running over in a panic.
"The knights in the Vanguard... they... they're having