Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 769 - 60 Intelligence_3

Chapter 769: Chapter 60 Intelligence_3 Chapter 769: Chapter 60 Intelligence_3 Tamas curiously asked, “Why should it be done in the name of Major Ronald?”

Winters gazed out the window, a touch of helplessness in his voice, “Our grudge with that monkey butt face is just too big. If he learns his opponents are me, or you all, then what he would do next… would be very hard to gauge using common sense.”

The room burst into laughter once again.

“If you ask me, get a pot, melt some gold and pour it over the top. Take it to the riverbank and hail the barbarians across the way like that,” Bart Xialing said with a sly smile, “Who knows, maybe in the heat of the moment the barbarians would charge over recklessly. We could then take the chance to strike them on the head, knocking them all dead on the riverbank.”

Winters was noncommittal, casting a glance at the others, “Do all of you think the same?”

Some nodded.

Tamas shook his head, speaking softly, “I don’t think this is a good idea. The Barbarian Chief on the opposite bank suffered a heavy loss at your hands last time. If he knew you were here, he would definitely be more cautious.”

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“How could barbarians be that smart?” Bart Xialing retorted.

Tamas fell silent.

“If you were monkey butt face and knew I was across the river, what would your decision be?” Winters put his subordinates to the test, “Think carefully, I want everyone to answer.”

Bart Xialing, quick-witted as ever, was the first to speak up, “If I were the Barbarian Chief, I would recklessly attack. If it were me… I would avoid you and strike elsewhere.”

After Bart Xialing spoke, there was a long silence before anyone else chimed in.

Seeing his subordinates were not eager to respond, Winters started calling on them, “Tamas, you’re a company commander, you go first.”

“I…” Tamas muttered, “If it were me… I would retreat to the wastelands.”

“Why?” asked Winters, puzzled.

Tamas’s voice grew fainter, “…I wouldn’t dare fight you.”

Winters, caught between laughter and tears, without a vine whip to use, picked up his walking stick and gave Tamas a sound thump, “Am I asking for flattery here?!”

Tamas didn’t dare to dodge and took the hit squarely, stammering out, “I meant I… I can’t beat you, so… so if I can avoid fighting, I should…”

Before he finished, Tamas took another hit.

Winters spoke slowly, “Retreating to the wastelands to conserve strength for a future battle is indeed a reasonable decision.”

“Yes, that’s what I meant,” Tamas quickly agreed, relieved.

Winters sighed deeply, “Samukin, you tell me.”

Samukin, who had been enjoying the spectacle, was as struck by lightning. After much thought, he finally said, “I think I could leave some troops to pin you down, then attack where our defenses are weak. Alternatively, cross into Vernge County via the river, and then take the land route into Iron Peak County.”

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Each unnamed company commander gave their responses, varied only slightly between a direct assault, retreat, or flanking maneuver.

“Do you understand my point now?” Winters leaned on his cane, “The moment the fire baker knows I am here, it will change his decision-making process. Whatever he decides, it won’t be the same as when he knew nothing. What’s the advantage of the people of Terdun?”

“Manpower,” Bart Xialing jumped in, “They have many more men than us. They all ride horses, so their mobility is also stronger than ours.”

“Manpower, mobility. Exactly these two things,” Winters nodded in approval, then continued to ask, “What are our advantages?”

“Terrain. We’re defending along the river. As long as the river doesn’t freeze over, they can’t cross,” Bart Xialing answered again.

“What else?”

“Supplies,” Samukin said softly, “We still have food. The west bank was burned, the longer the Terdun Barbarians drag it out, the less they have to eat. And the weather is getting colder.”

“Right, time is also on our side. The longer it drags on, the more uncomfortable the people of Terdun get,” Winters nodded, “And there’s one more thing where our army has an absolute advantage.”

Bart Xialing pondered hard, suggesting “weapons,” “tactics,” and a slew of other things, but Winters shook his head each time.

Tamas carefully ventured, “There’s you. With you in command, our side has an absolute advantage.”

Then the company commander took another hit, Winters hitting so hard that the cane broke.

“You just wait,” Winters slapped the broken stick on the table, saying bitterly, “you wait until I bring a lead-filled cane next time.”

Seeing that no one could come up with the answer, Winters pulled out a box of chess pieces, “The people of Terdun don’t know our true situation, while we know the details about the Terdun people—besides time and terrain, intelligence is indeed our most important advantage!”

He arranged the chess pieces on the map, using knights to represent the Terdun people and castles to represent the Iron Peak County troops, making the situation of both sides crystal clear.

On the southern front, the people of Terdun had penetrated Lower Iron Peak County and were wreaking havoc in Wolfton, Blackwater, and the Three Dog Town.

On the northern front, the Terdun people had failed to take Shovel Port and were now turning towards Vernge County.

On the central front, the main force of the Terdun Tribe led by the fire baker was blocked on the west bank of the Big Horn River.

While the main forces of Iron Peak County were stationed in Saint Town, with troops also deployed to guard Niutigu Valley, Little Stone Town, and Forging Village.

On the map’s circle representing Revodan, there were no chess pieces placed.

Winters’s smile faded, his expression turning serious. Knowing that he was about to issue orders, everyone sat up straight.

“Take down my personal flag.”

“Yes!”

“Without my permission, combat plans must not be passed down to commanders below the company level.”

“Yes!”

“The fire baker has people by his side who can use the common language, so combat plans and troop identifiers must all be encrypted.”

“Yes!”

“Effective immediately,” Winters said, bringing his fist down hard on the map, “Operation ‘Storm’ is officially launched!”