"Summon the Fenris People's Army! Tell them that the first test of blood and fire, the battle of life and death, has arrived!" Jiang Jie returned to Fenris Keep and said to the little maid.
"Huh? But they've only been training for two months! Sending them to the battlefield now would be suicide, wouldn't it? You've put in so much effort and time, don't you feel bad about it?" the maid hesitated.
She had spent at least half of the past two months living at Fenris Keep, frequently traveling to Wolf Island, and had a good relationship with the hundred new recruits, genuinely wanting them to not get hurt.
"Birds must eventually leave their nests, tigers must eventually descend from the mountains, and the world of wolves lies in the forests and grasslands!" Jiang Jie's tone left no room for argument. "Those guys have almost wiped out the Gnoll and Worg on Wolf Island! It's time to witness real war!"
"Alright." The little maid had no way to argue, because Jiang Jie was the commander.
" Anveena, come with me. I need your help." After thinking for a moment, Jiang Jie still called out to Anveena.
With Anveena around, the Orange Bow Thori'dal will become even stronger. Moreover, given Anveena's energy level, she only needs to learn the simplest spells to produce effects equivalent to Archmage, making her a very useful helper.
With her around, things are much more convenient in many situations.
"Yes. Uncle Krasus told me not to stray too far from you, that you're the only one I can trust. Wherever you go, I'll go." Anveena nodded obediently.
This girl, as pure as a blank sheet of paper, believed most in the words of her creator, Krasus. Krasus told her to follow Jiang Jie, so she followed Jiang Jie.
" Fenna is still purifying the Undead in Stratholme, Jaina is busy with matters in Kul Tiras and can't spare the time, Rhonin has been recalled to Dalaran... This time, I must fight alone!" Jiang Jie shook his head and sighed.
I'm really not used to this feeling.
But he has to get used to it.
The Fenris People's Army was quickly assembled.
The recruits reacted very differently to the prospect of going to the real battlefield. Some were calm, like Sven; some were excited, like Darion and Ivan; and some were nervous, like a few others.
But no one was afraid.
Everyone knows that joining the army is for fighting.
This is not a time of peace. We don't need to support soldiers who have only participated in exercises for their entire lives. Every soldier must go to the battlefield and fight bloody battles!
However, they had no idea what kind of battlefield they were about to be sent to.
"Our target is Silverpine Forest, and even Gilneas." Jiang Jie briefly explained the situation in Gilneas, then said, "This is the first time most of you will be on the battlefield. The real battlefield is not the training on Wolf Island, not a game! No one will take care of you or watch over you; one wrong move and you'll lose your life! So, I expect each of you to take this seriously and be fully focused!"
"Yes, sir!" Everyone shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the sky.
"A soldier's first duty is to obey orders. I am here, so obey my orders! The vice commander is here, so obey the vice commander's orders! We are all absent, so obey your captain's orders!" Jiang Jie said.
He was the commander, Fenna was invited to serve as his deputy commander—he and Fenna served as deputy commanders of each other's direct forces, and everyone knew that the two had an unusual relationship.
Darion possesses strong leadership and team-building skills and was appointed as the captain, while Sven led a group of highly capable individuals to form an independent squad to carry out special missions.
As for Lilian and Ivan, they have special status and generally only accept Jiang Jie's orders. Their status is equivalent to that of Darion and Sven.
"Yes!" a group of people shouted.
"Very good," Jiang Jie said. "Times of war are the best times to make a name for yourself! So many nobles have died in Lordaeron —knights, knights, even dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons—every title is vacant! After Tirisfal Glades and the Eastern and Eastern and Western Plaguelands are purified, vast tracts of land await grants! Whether you can be ennobled and receive fiefdoms depends on your performance!"
Title!
manor!
This is something most people wouldn't even dare to dream of!
In times of peace,
It was virtually impossible to obtain even the smallest fiefdom. Even the lowest rank of knighthood couldn't be bought with money; the only title that could be purchased was a knighthood of the kingdom. Apart from Darion, everyone here came from ordinary families. Lilian might have a slightly higher birth, but she had severed ties with her father. Ivan's background wasn't high either, and the others were even more ordinary—almost all were commoners, or even poor!
Now that the opportunity to be granted titles and fiefdoms is before them, they are naturally excited and eager to cherish it, each one of them as if they have been injected with chicken blood!
Once you are granted a title and a fiefdom, no matter how small, even if it only has a few dozen households, you will be set for life, not only for your family but also for your descendants, as long as you don't fall into ruin!
They all knew their commander, the youngest Earl Lordaeron, was highly regarded by Her Majesty the Queen. As his only direct soldiers, they would certainly be given priority in rewards should they achieve merit.
Everyone saw the hope of being promoted and given a higher rank!
Even Darion's eyes were shining.
He wanted to prove to his father that the path he had chosen was the right one!
Jiang Jie told him about the agreement between himself and Old Mograine, and he was deeply moved, while also clenching his fist.
He couldn't let his father look down on him, nor could he disappoint the Earl!
"You have half an hour to prepare. Meet on the west bank in half an hour," Jiang Jie said. "Now, dismissed!"
Several fishing boats were already waiting on the west bank. Jiang Jie had requisitioned them from the fishermen and paid them a large sum of money.
Two hours later, Jiang Jie, along with Anveena, Allen, and everyone from the Fenris People's Army except Lilian, arrived at Silverpine Forest.
This is the Decrepit Fields; further west lies the town of the Sepulcher, Lordaeron's largest settlement in Silverpine Forest.
After a long journey, the group finally met the local sheriff not far from the Sepulcher.
" Earl Excellency, all the warhorses are ready!" The sheriff said respectfully, for the person standing before him was a truly important figure.
"Thank you." Jiang Jie nodded and looked at the warhorses.
After the Undead Plague appeared, the number of guards in the Sepulcher increased fivefold, and together with Paladin and Priest from Lordaeron, they have been clearing the Undead in northern Silverpine Forest. Although it is impossible to clear them all in such a short time, they have done a good job. At least along the way, Jiang Jie has not seen many Undead.
With more guards, naturally, more warhorses were also added.
One hundred and one warhorses—that's almost all the horses in this town. In reality, only about thirty of them are true warhorses; the rest are ordinary horses, just there to make up the numbers.
Jiang Jie sent a message in advance, instructing the Sepulcher to coordinate the mobilization of horses. It was no easy feat to mobilize so many horses in such a short time.
"Rest for an hour, then continue!" Jiang Jie gave a simple order, then sat cross-legged, circulated his internal energy, and relieved his fatigue.
The same goes for everyone else.
An hour later, the recruits, who had been slightly tired, were full of energy again; the recovery ability of martial artists is indeed very strong.
They continued their journey south along the main road, and less than a day later, they came to a crossroads.
This place is important. To the west lies Ambermill, the largest territory of the Crowley Family. Unlike in the game, it didn't slowly become part of Dalaran after Gilneas abandoned it. Instead, under Lord Darius Crowley's leadership, it has been continuously purging the Undead.
To the east lies a castle nestled on the mountainside, where a prominent Gilneas family resides, with Baron Shivalein as its ruler.
At the foot of the mountain below the castle lies Jiang Jie's first destination:
Pyrewood Village.
This area is almost devoid of Undead, and the power of the Crowley Family should not be underestimated. It is said that Lord Darius has conscripted militia from his own territory, and together with the Crowley Family's original private army, he has formed a new force: the Gilneas Brigade.
This militia organization, with a thousand members, had a remarkable commander, a true and resilient woman.