Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 752 - 55 Confrontation_2

Chapter 752: Chapter 55: Confrontation_2 Chapter 752: Chapter 55: Confrontation_2 Ganquan was the first of the Terdon Tribe’s “Turu Koda” to lead an organized crossing of the Border River—he just didn’t know it yet.

[Note: Turu Koda is roughly equivalent to a Centurion.]

Compared to the failed ambush downstream of Shovel Lake, the process of crossing the river was surprisingly smooth; the Paratu People didn’t even raise any alarms.

After the initial ecstasy, deep confusion followed.

Ganquan, Green Horse, Stone Arrow, and the old slave Bald Tail had to decide their next move.

“Is there a need to think about it?” Green Horse said impatiently, “The Fire Roaster has ordered us to plunder villages, to disperse the bipeds’ forces. Just saddle the horses and string the bows, and kill any biped in sight, right?”

Bald Tail’s hoarse voice countered, “Green Horse, do you know where the villages of the bipeds are? Do you know where their army camps are? Could we run head-first into them?”

Green Horse was left speechless.

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The Paratu People had suppressed the various Herder tribes for thirty years; the Herders were completely in the dark about the internal situation of the Paratu.

During these thirty years, the only way the Herders learned about the Paratu was through intelligence gathered by smuggling caravans.

However, most smuggling caravans had backgrounds of Paratu nobility, and the information they provided was a mix of truth and lies.

Ganquan only knew that they were in the most remote “grassland” owned by the bipeds; as for how many people, villages, and towns there were on the grassland, he had no idea.

“There’s no need to worry so much! If you’re afraid of wolf bites, do you stop building enclosures?” Ganquan licked his teeth, with a fierce gleam in his eyes, “We are the vanguard. The Fire Roaster ordered us to make a grand scene. Send someone to inform the Fire Roaster that we have crossed the river. Let’s spread out and find the camps of the bipeds first.”

Seeing Nayen give the orders, Bald Tail didn’t say anything more.

While Ganquan sent someone with a message for the Fire Roaster, he ordered his men to conceal the goatskin rafts and led over a hundred cavalrymen rushing towards the inhabited areas.

Once the battlefield expands to hundreds of kilometers in length and width, the ability of individual units to make independent decisions becomes crucial.

And this is precisely the Herders’ strength.

…

Meanwhile, as Ganquan was crossing the Big Horn River upstream unharmed and entering Iron Peak County,

Another Terdon Nayen, “Taltai [Fatso],” was also crossing the Big Horn River downstream, entering the Middle Iron Peak County.

Taltai, a relative of the Fire Roaster’s legitimate wife, was supposed to cross the river downstream of the Big Horn River and upstream of Shovel Port, according to his route.

In the common language, what is called a “route,” the Herders refer to as “Zasahak.” In the Herder language, Zasahak also means “military orders,” “law,” and “command.”

From this, it is clear that for the Herders, the concepts of [route] and [military orders] are one and the same; adherence to the route and punctuality are among the most important concepts in Herder military actions.

Once the great chieftain sets a route, all the lesser chieftains must strictly follow that route.

Deviating from the route without permission is severely punished, and so is failing to arrive on time.

This military custom stems from the Herders’ tradition of surround hunting. During the hunt, any small unit deviating from the route could cause the prey to break out of the encirclement.

Therefore, during hunts that last a month or even three months, each unit must strictly follow their assigned route.

The Herders hunt this way, and they wage war in the same fashion.

The Fire Roaster assigned crossing areas to his forward officers, so the Kotas were to cross in their designated areas because other areas were other Kotas’ “routes.”

Lacking the engineering capabilities of the Paratu Standing Army to fell trees for bridges, the Herders even had few people skilled in constructing Floating Bridges.

Thus, Fatso Taltai’s method of crossing the river was very similar to that of Ganquan: first, a small team of archers took advantage of the thick fog to reach the East Bank, seizing a “landing area.”

Then the goatskin rafts returned to the West Bank to carry more people across.

The only difference was that Fatso Taltai was more cautious, more experienced, and commanded a larger force.

This time, Fatso Taltai had brought out three hundred-man squads, each man handpicked and in his prime.

For the first crossing, Fatso Taltai set up two leather ropes across both banks of the Big Horn River.

Using the ropes firmly anchored to both banks, the goatskin rafts could pull them across the river without being swept downstream.

The first crossing took a bit of time, but the second went quickly.

As the sun rose and the mists gradually dispersed, the goatskin rafts had already made two round trips.

His personal slave “Chat Han [White]” respectfully reported to Taltai, “Nayen, there are already over a hundred young men on the opposite bank.”

Taltai was so named for his stoutness, which wasn’t seen as a compliment. He detested being called “Fatso” the most, so his companions, subjects, and slaves always referred to him as “Nayen [Chief]” to his face.

“Have the scouts been sent out?”

“They have.”

“Good!” Taltai ordered, stroking his soft whip, “Send the horses over then.”

“Aye, aye.” Chat Han bowed and prepared to leave.

“Stop! Don’t send them yet!” Fatso Taltai narrowed his eyes, which nearly disappeared into slits, “First send ten horses over. Launch a light cavalry to scout further afield.”

“Aye, aye.”

So ten horses were sent over, causing some further delay.

The Terdon people on the East Bank did not have time to saddle the horses; they rode off bareback as swiftly as possible.

Before the sounds of horse hooves could fade into the distance, a chilling war cry suddenly erupted from the thinning mists: “[Common language] Draw your swords!”