boyutpedia Chapter 80 A Mighty March
Chapter 80 A Mighty March
Surrounded by a team of elite guards, a magnificent carriage rolled across the rough sand and gravel of the disputed land and came to a stop in front of the gate of the White Legion's second-line camp.
This was Lisandro's carriage, and he had come to inspect the situation at the front. He was dressed in a luxurious velvet travel robe, over which was a light leather armor trimmed with silver. His face showed the weariness of a long journey, but he still smiled at Jules and Tiberius who came to greet him.
"Lord Lisandro, it's been a long time! You are as dashing as ever! I hope the sandstorms at the front don't bother you." Tiberius bowed his head respectfully to Lisandro upon seeing his carriage.
Yes, no matter how bad Lisangzhuo's decision was, he still had to put on an air of "the great man is wise".
Lisandro nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Tiberius and the silent Jules behind him, a formulaic smile appearing on his face: "Tiberius, Commander Jules, I am very pleased to see that you and the legion are safe and sound."
He paused, his tone unusually relaxed, contrasting with the desolate surroundings. "It seems you've had a good rest in this 'Flanking Corridor.' I just received news of a victory from the front: General Mitrista, personally leading the elite Mill troops, has swept through the enemy lines, capturing both Pebble Slope and Stridal!"
He then tried to comfort Tiberius and his men.
"But don't worry, I'll persuade Governor Bambaro to let you go to the front lines when I get back!" Lisandro chuckled, patting Tiberius on the shoulder. "Tiberius, I'm counting on you and your uncle to bring glory to Ries! The names of the Keeper of the Faith and the Lightning Boy should be heard throughout all of Essos!"
"Jules, I won't let you suffer! My men naturally deserve the most credit! Your names should also be on the front lines in the future!"
"Thank you for your kindness, sir." Jules' face showed no surprise; he simply responded in a military manner.
"My lord, good news keeps coming in, this is good news!" Tiberius forced a smile.
[Go to hell with the battlefield! My biggest wish is to lie low on the second line!] Tiberius thought to himself. [You're the one who wants to go to the battlefield!]
Tiberius carefully observed every expression on Lisandro's face, trying to determine whether the shrewd governor was truly blinded by victory or merely going through the motions.
Then he was disappointed to find that it seemed that Risang Tsering really thought so.
But since things had come to this, Tiberius could only smile and then let Lisandro get into the carriage and head to Broken Sword Castle.
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Inside Broken Sword Keep, a cacophony of voices contrasted sharply with the silence of the second-line camp. Soldiers, mercenaries, and merchants from different city-states mingled together, their various languages and accents weaving into a cacophony of sounds. Victory-induced optimism spread like wildfire, and everyone was immersed in the fanatical notion that "Valantis is utterly vulnerable."
Tiberius accompanied Lisandro on his tour of the fortress, amidst a constant stream of excited chatter:
"It is said that General Mitristar, personally leading the elite troops of Mil, has already broken through the Pebble Slope and Stridal! My God, this is the first time we have penetrated so deep into the heart of Valantis!"
"Yes, the Valantis practically fled at the mere sight of us, abandoning the important city of Stridal? It seems our martial virtue as Tyrossi is recognized throughout Essos, otherwise they wouldn't have slunk away from the city like this! This battle was far too easy! The Valantis are complete cowards! And that general is the biggest idiot of all!"
"Have you heard? The main mercenary force of the Lisians has arrived at Broken Sword Fortress. Next, they plan to head south, intending to make everything from Broken Sword Fortress to the mouth of the Controversial River ours! The Valantis, their strongholds are just waiting to be wiped out! Those supply ships outside are in preparation for this operation!"
"This battle was fought far too easily! The Valantis are nothing but a bunch of cowardly castrated roosters! Their general is the biggest idiot of all! At this rate, in less than a month we'll be able to bathe in the port of New Valantis in the downstream delta region!"
"I reckon we can go home before the Lord of Light's celebration..."
Although there are many versions of the story, several marching routes can still be pieced together. After arriving at the encampment, Tiberius looked at the map and pondered.
First, the Tyrothy should now be scattered across the newly captured cities, such as Broken Sword Keep and the previously mentioned Stridal. Occupation means the need to divide forces to garrison and maintain order; in reality, they have been solidified by the temporary victory, losing their mobility and becoming isolated points.
His finger then moved inland, towards the heart of Valantis, drawing a deep arrow: [The Myrs, led by Mitristar, are advancing triumphantly, successively capturing Pebble Slope, Stridal, and other places. Now they are threatening the deeper city clusters and the Valanti manors… But they are advancing too fast, too smoothly! Look at their lines! Their supply lines are now like a thin spiderweb, stretching from the rear to the very front, incredibly fragile.]
Finally, his finger returned to the crucial ferry crossing on the sand table—Broken Sword Fortress—and then, following the course of the Controversial River downstream, pointed towards its estuary: "Our main force from Ries plans to depart from Broken Sword Fortress, sail south along the river, clear out downstream strongholds, and aim to control the entire lower reaches of the Controversial River up to the two core port cities in the Controversial River Delta region: New Valantis and Taxpayer Island."
They advanced triumphantly, advancing on three fronts simultaneously. To outsiders, Tyrosi held the rear, Mill continued his relentless pursuit, and Rhys swept through the flanks—everything seemed perfect.
However, Tiberius was not so optimistic.
As if blessed by the heavens, the Kingdom of the Three Daughters was bestowed with victory after victory: at Broken Sword Keep, at Stridal, and throughout the lower reaches of the River of Controversy…
They won battle after battle, and no one could defeat them. The Valantis were like cowards who had been scared out of their wits, constantly abandoning various strongholds and cities... There was almost no news of any major battles.
But the more Tiberius heard news of these victories, the more fear gripped him.
Something's wrong, something's very wrong!
The Tyrosi were scattered and defending the city, the Myr were advancing deep into enemy territory alone, and the Rhys stretched their battle lines along the river... The three armies, with three different directions of attack, each had their own agenda, and there was a lack of close coordination and support between the armies.
The Tyroth are too far from the territory of Volantis and wish to preserve their strength; the Myr hope to solidify their position within the political entity of the Three Daughters Kingdom through victory; and Rhys desires more Volantis territory while securing more buffer zones to ensure the stability of the Rhysland region.
After all, the Rieslan region is a tempting prize. Although this area west of the River of Controversy is long and narrow, its land is fertile. Mountain springs flowing down from the Broken Mountains and the River of Controversy constantly nourish the land, making it an excellent granary. The Broken Mountains behind Rieslan are rich in mineral and timber resources. Moreover, some valleys and basins within the mountain range remain undeveloped, which the wealthy merchants and slave owners of Ries have long awaited.
The reason why it wasn't extensively developed before was simply because the area was completely exposed to the armies of the Valantis, and therefore, Riseland had long lacked manpower for development.
After all, what is the point of developing this place? To feed the Valanteans who come to raid?
This is why you see the armies of the Three Daughters Kingdom harboring their own agendas and splitting up their forces.
Moreover, the headquarters was filled with messages like "The enemy is utterly vulnerable," "The enemy flees at the mere sight of them," "Are the Valantis already weakened?" and "Are the Valantis cursed...?"
Tiberius saw these "battle reports from headquarters" and inwardly snorted.
This is misleading its own soldiers and decision-makers!
But in the end, he was just a low-ranking soldier. He had no way of knowing many specific details and no power to change the decision-making level.
He could only instruct the Lightning Corps to increase their vigilance, while simultaneously gathering intelligence from all sides and waiting day and night.