Cohen of the Rebellion-Volume 12 Chapter 9

Translated by Tianic, edited by Grammarly

In order to show my sincerity, I led all merchants to visit Dior's wharf, which was utilized to smuggle.

Containers after containers labeled 'contraband' that piled in warehouses, ships seized as illegal instruments, cheered by all the businessmen rushing to tell the news.

They have been living under the shadow of Dior Merlin's smuggling business. As of now, my dear wife was no longer in Winper so that her business counterparts thought all smuggling activities were policed. Naturally, the supplies promised filled my warehouses at the highest speed possible.

As for the man who called himself 'Small-Business, he delivered his guarantee letter written in blood the next morning after the ball. He showed his wounded finger to vouch that he did write it with his blood.

I needed a man like him by the way. Since no one cared to sign his guarantee letter after the incident which he was encouraged to contradict me, he must have hated everyone else's guts. As narrow-minded a man as 'Small-Business was, he won't let any chance of getting back go. Besides, I was a tolerant viceroy, wasn't I?

Therefore, I patted his head and said I will forgive him.

The following day saw me staying with Lucy other than minding all my official affairs. We went shopping and touring. The way we spent time with each other fooled everyone to think that Lucy was taken in my harem.

The second night, like planned, I held another ball party in the mayor's mansion. I only presented for a short moment before I hopped into a carriage and left every mundane thing to Kirk.

The carriage drove steadily. Not long after, I've passed the city gate. I took my time to have a nap after I put on my combating outfit. By the time I woke up, the carriage was dozens of miles in the field away from Winper City.

"Sir, we've arrived." Malphite came to open the door, "Time to mount."

I was unboarded. A whole regiment of IGTs was already waiting for my command by both sides of the road. Soldiers were comforting horses in the darkness of the night.

"Outstanding." I headed to my warhorse and signaled the fleet to start marching.

Once my army was supplied with businessmen’s provisions, all our horses' hooves were coated with thick clothes so that the troops were able to march silently.

All warriors in my IGT units were not freshmen, they knew how to do a stealth march. My logistics people were deployed as traveling merchants in order to keep us fed along the way. With all that condition, my forces were able to march like seasonal wind, rapid, unstoppable towards Haric's stupid territory.

My destination was a province that took its name after maple leaves with the size of half a Darkmoon. Agriculture was its main product. The province had fewer cities, more towns. The capital was a middle-sized stronghold with hundreds of years of history: Maple Leaves.

Maple was also a province where most of Swabia's nobilities and renowned houses came from. It was crowned another name 'Noble Swaddle'. Therefore, scattered old villa houses, castles that belonged to the empire's finest were to be found everywhere on the land of Maple.

I had a good reason to make Haric as my first target: A, as long as I can take Maple, I will be able to attack the 2 enemies forces from the rear. B, with so many noble houses roosted here, I can at least fetch a chick or two for Fischer.

According to my intelligence, Maple Leaves had only 15, 000 city garrison out of its 30, 000 regular troops. Due to the number of nobilities, the number of soldiers was fixed. Not even the Protoss/Asmodian War was able to derive its local military power. In addition, chunks of forces totaling 15, 000 were ordered to defend the rest of key locations throughout the province. Hence these dispersed local forces were our priority.

My army's marching speed has been calculated by the staff officers multiple times, therefore everything went smoothly. I did not bring many troops this time due to a great part of my infantryman was still under training. Currently, I was looking at 9 IGT regiments totaling 20, 000. As a result, coordination is vital to me during this operation in Maple City.

There were 10 IGT regiments in the first legion, all of which were the best of the best. I only brought 8 of them this time and I won’t let anything go wrong with them.

(What was I thinking. There can't be any problems.)

Two days later, the IGT regiment I was leading has arrived at the mouth of the targeted desert. The other 7 IGT regiments have made contact with the unit I was in. Since they've arrived earlier, battlefield commanding post, recon jobs have all been completed.

I told my sub-commander to let the soldiers rest in the fortification my sandman sappers built, then went straight to General Staff, waiting for the newest intelligence to come in. Not long after, Marfa arrived, he looked weary.

Rushing into the pavilion, shook off the dust, he yelled, "I AM BACK!"

"Saw that." I hinted a soldier to get water for Marfa, "My Chief Liaison, for god sake, you're a civil officer, pay attention to your manner."

Marfa was nearly choked by water, he violently coughed, "Er? Civil officer? Am I not military?"

"His Majesty's words, I haven't considered." I said with a smile, "If you wanna continue to be military, pray your intelligence system keeps on working."

"It won't fail you." He stood up, bumped his chest, "You can count on it."

"Then I'll cut the crap." I pushed the map to him.

With one hand, Marfa fixed the paper and with another, fetched a pen, "I'm about to. Things have changed a bit."

I quickly summoned all staff officers around the table.

"The 2 enemy forces aiming Darkmoon have been marching slowly. According to our old plan, we have enough time to catch their tails. Besides that, Maple's garrison has kept its state." Marfa marked the newest number of the garrison on each relevant spot on the map, "However, what's bothering me is that most of the nobilities who were hiding in the countryside from the war have packed and run to Maple City. Sir, your Secret Garden might not work if they keep on running away."

I rubbed my jaw, "Indeed, Maple City is not small, to be said. If we force a siege, the city will suffer grave loss."

"It's bothersome. We don't have time to spend in Maple." A staff officer said, "We planned to open a tunnel for Darkmoon and Dark City in order to threaten those enemies who are marching to them."

"That's correct. Time is tight for us, that's why I brought IGTs." My finger swept on the marching route, "Consider this, if the king could find his queen successfully, the negative impact on the enemies will be positive to us. They will start speculating each other, even falling out. This is a 2-part plan, better than we fight a war single-handedly."

Therefore we were faced with a dilemma.

Ok, I was short of men. If I were to attack the enemy who's aiming Darkmoon, I cannot spare time to kidnap noble ladies; and successfully kidnapping enough ladies will give us impact much bigger than winning a battle. It was killing me to attend every aspect!

To achieve both objectives with such a short time, I need to take the risk.

(I assume I could ask Carlos for backup since there is an infantry training ground not far away.)

"Okay, I've made my decision. We'll keep on attacking Maple City." said I to the map, "All 8 IGT regiments, assemble them into a 3-way force, I'll command 2 of them in the middle. 3 of them on both sides. Three forces will attack at the same time, our target is Maple City!"

"And sir, permission to inquire an explanation."

"Humph, the nobilities are running into Maple City, remember? Let's pretend a siege, force them out. In that case, no time will be wasted. Soldiers, make it big on your way there. It's best if we can surround the city."

"Surround it?" A staff officer exclaimed, "We've only got 20, 000."

"Yes, 20, 000! Our target is not Maple City, mark that down. But we have to intimidate Haric, make him terrified, make him guess, make him so scared that he hides under his bed." I slammed onto the map, "That's my decision. Send my order, assemble 6 infantry units from the nearby training ground. They are our reinforcements!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Are our troops ready to leave?"

"Positive, sir."

"Good, operation tonight!"

Night in a desert was freezing. Gale whipped mixed with sand in the air, blowing up smocks over soldiers' armor, my cape, as well as my hair.

Fifty thousand soldiers took formation in front of me. I looked up to the moon to gaze at the weak moonlight of its first quarter. Fifty thousand pairs of eyes were gazing at me.

"Tonight's moon, everything here…" Suddenly, I yelled, "ARE OURS!"

All soldiers replied with the same stunning yell, "OURS!"

"Bring death to enemies!" I tried my best to concentrate my voice in the blast.

"We'll survive!"

"Fight with me, glorious Imperial Guards, for His Majesty!" I raised high my right fist.

"FOR HIS MAJESTY!"

"Move out!"

I put down my visor, turned around my horse, rushed out to lead, along with 50, 000 burning souls and heart.

I was familiar with the route I took because I learned my very first military lesson in this desert.

With 15 days worth of foodstuff, 2 IGT regiments crossed the province border with me. Two hours later, we were out of the desert and stepped on Province Maple's land.

Before today's operation, my orders were clear, kill anyone who wore uniforms and let those who didn't go. Raze all city officers' mansions to the ground, but touch no nobility's property!

My troops fell into 2 groups where I led my staff officers in the middle. Malphite had me surrounded by guards.

Before the battle began, my spies were deployed into the province. Part of them belonged to Marfa, the other part to Amart. Their job was to direct us to the right target; the latest enemy news will be passed to me at the first time possible.

(Gosh, spies are so important. Now I practically know everything on the land of Maple.)

A white warhorse resided by mine after strict security checks, the merchant-dressed man spoke to me with a booming voice, "Big boss, enemy ahead, 800, 5 miles!"

I passed my order with a hand gesture to my orderly.

Hence the vanguarding troops speeded up.

"For His Majesty, attack!"

The words traveled with the wind to the entire army. Countless ignited arrows left the bows, lighting the night as well as countless avenging hearts.

My fearsome wolves rode straight into the enemy camp after they put away their bows. By then, most of the enemy soldiers roused from dreams. With no time to prepare, all they could do was to welcome their demise.

In my eyes, they were merely a group of second-grade infantries with unstable footsteps, lack of training, wore messy armors. Nothing even worth mentioning.

My vanguards have finished feasting on the enemy's camp, leaving dead body piles one after another. At this time, my mages started chanting. Soon after, the darkness of the night diminished. Colourful gleams shined, lightning, fireballs, storms have devoured all visible beings. The entire camp was ripped to the ground by magic force.

Shrilling screech, the smell of burning flesh and black ashes overwhelmed the camp. Scattered enemy soldiers scurried off like frightened rats. I guess all that left in their heads were how to avoid the attack instead of any will to fight.

Finally, the magic havoc came to a stop. Before the survivors could thank gods for sparing them, armies much denser on horseback were already inches away. Every life not belonged to the Dark Army was crushed into mists of blood by the impact of my rear troops.

"Do not stay!" I exclaimed, "Keep on marching."

Seven hours later, we were hundreds of miles away. It was dusk and our second target was within eyesight!

Before the attack, I've ordered my rear troops to catch up and take the place of my vanguards. At the same time, the enemy camp has sounded alert. My opponent has deployed 500 lancers. Touché, all of them were shot to kill before I close the gap between us. By the sound of a cry, those who were still standing abandoned bodies and retreated.

My opponent' fences were quickly destroyed like ripping papers by my mighty horses. They fell into a panic, like idiots, some fell and were pierced by long lances, screams lasted, mists of blood erupted from heads that were cut off.

My advantage lied in intense training, superior armory as well as diversified army branches. How could several hundred soldiers compete with them?

"Enemy's dead bodies are ours to trampled on. Take their lives, give them this shameful defeat!" Black blade in hand, my yellings continued, "Soldiers, onward, to Maple City!"

Apart from my battlefield, my 2 other forces went well with their operations. All 3 armies were at the same pace. By noon of the next day, we've marched 200 miles into Maple with a safe distance of 100 miles between each force.

This is the army who had fought the Asmodian United Forces and survived. The unstoppable current of steal galloped, roared with unlimited eager to avenge the king.

Maple City was located so far back at the land of Swabia that it seldom had the chance to arrange any military operations. For that reason, Maple's soldiers were too slack to fend its capital. After the king deemed Maple as a militarized province, Haric had intended to reinforce his army. However, the slack in soldier's bones accumulated over the years cannot be changed overnight. Haric's intention failed, let alone asking his soldiers to rebel against the throne. My intelligence had informed me that this Viceroy General had given countless gold away for his soldiers that everybody was never before rich.

As a result, Maple's border army tried to assist its friendly army with exasperatingly speed when I attacked. They never made it to the stronghold even after I left. All armies stationed in major cities were indulging themselves in booze and women. All provisions Luhrmann allocated to Maple City fell into my hand with the help of secret agents I planted.

More and more villages were taken, towns after towns have been flagged with Summers' sigil. Wherever I went, I destroyed Haric's admin system as well as officials who sworn loyalty to him. All who were related to the rebels, along with their families were sentenced to death in the name of treason, their bodies hung on the highest building of the town. I had nothing to comment on it considering what had happened to the former King Climos Summers and Queen Nashor. My soldiers carried out my order as if it had been their own will.

No civilian was hurt because they were also Swabian citizens. They were unrelated to this despicable rebellion. Accordingly, I have ordered my men to set official notices in every city, town, village to soothe my uneasy people. As for public order, I had Amart and Marfa. Both of them had underground networks throughout every province of Swabia. More to that, Amart had become the magnificent don in this empire. I can literally know everything that happened to everybody in every place. Therefore, I never worried about public security.

Now, the only problem remained was nobility. I had to achieve my purpose to disintegrate my enemies. So I had to treat the noble houses differently.

My solution was: if a noble house has female members suitable for marriage, it had not openly supported the rebellion and stood with the true royal family, all its property will be protected. If it supported the rebels, all property confiscated, family members detained. When Fischer has found his love, those houses' journey in this world will end for good.

So much for my plans, my 3 armies have detoured and converged on the third day. On the fourth, we've approached the walls of Maple, the capital city of the province. All Haric's local troops totaling 9, 000 were annihilated from where we came.

This was just the beginning. If everything was following my plan, my backbone army was waiting for my order to mobilize long before this operation.

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