Chapter 1354 - 1272: Battle of Binhe (Part 1)

Chapter 1354: Chapter 1272: Battle of Binhe (Part 1)

"Where have we arrived now? Is this still the Empire?" Baleri looked at the identical scenery ahead and asked.

"I don’t know." Aleksei, riding beside him, didn’t turn his head. "There are many places in the Norn without names."

In mid-October, the sunny days in the Roaring Corridor were gradually becoming fewer, and frost was beginning to cling to the grass leaves.

As for the sunshine here, especially after autumn, it felt different from other places.

It shone on the body with a sunny scent, but smelled of a cold, dry odor, like placing a frozen stone at the tip of the nose.

The light penetrated the ground, yet the grass blades emitted a peculiar gray-green glow.

The sunlight pushed the wind along, but one could feel the stinging pain on the face from the grass tips.

In this environment, one could see endless wastelands and low hills, with shallow rivers and silvery lakes occasionally appearing.

Only at the borderline between mountains and sky could one see a few wisps of white cooking smoke and tribal earth fortresses encircled by brown-grey wooden fences.

"No wonder your attacks are so difficult," Baleri couldn’t help but remark, "the roads are not only bad, but the population is also sparse."

The population of the Norn Kingdom is actually not small, and if all unregistered autonomous villages and towns are included, it is even more than Leia.

However, what exceeds the Norn’s population even more is its land.

In the vast Norn Kingdom, only coastal areas and around large cities barely reach the population density west of the Dragon Sleep Mountain Range.

Marching in a place full of grasslands and cattle, where the roads are dirt paths, and not seeing a village for half a day—

Even for the Holy Alliance Army, it’s considered hell-level difficulty.

Marching isn’t the issue, but obtaining supplies is difficult.

Therefore, when marching on this side of the Roaring Corridor, there are usually only a few fixed routes of advance.

And every time they march, they must build supply stations, that is, granaries and stables, in advance.

Cheka and the strategists judged that Samuji’s twenty thousand new troops would mainly attack the Shattered Stone Plain, based on the trend of their granary and stable construction direction.

But suddenly, the Royal Court changed their plans, sending the twenty thousand new troops straight to Wolf Bridge County.

To Samuji, it seemed natural because the Holy Alliance had no idea of their main attack direction, so they couldn’t distinguish between real and feigned advances.

However, Cheka’s intelligence was correct; the Holy Alliance already knew the Royal Court’s main attack direction was Bacon Castle, with no question of real or feigned attacks.

This led to Samuji’s strategy failing.

Yet upon learning of Samuji’s retreat, the Holy Alliance did not launch a forced preemptive attack.

The Holy Alliance did not launch a forced preemptive attack because of logistical issues, fearing their supply lines would be cut by the vampires.

Upon learning the enemy was retreating, André immediately ordered, "If he crosses the river, I will cross the river; if he retreats, I will retreat too."

He even abandoned several castles he had already captured, just to retreat faster.

"This place isn’t as fertile as the Thousand River Valley, but it has enormous potential," Aleksei laughed. "Do you know what I’m thinking?"

"What?"

"I have a grand plan: to build water facilities, clear and level the Pannonian Great Swamp between Fat Cow Castle and Blue Pattern Castle, creating millions of acres of fertile land.

Then I would import a large number of agricultural tools and machinery from the Holy Alliance, to plant food and cash crops.

I would send troops to clear the land and issue the "Homestead Act," allowing anyone willing to cultivate here to claim as much land as they can clear as their own.

In addition, I plan to build roads and railways across the entire Roaring Corridor, so silk and ceramics from the western Dragon Mountain and gold and seafood from the eastern Dragon Mountain could pass through here..."

Watching Aleksei babble about his vision, Baleri was initially stunned, then jokingly said, "Alright, you plan to steal our Holy Alliance’s business."

"What do you mean by steal? It’s called resource redistribution," Aleksei clearly grasped the essence of Saint’s Grandson economics from university. "Having all goods pass through the Thousand River Valley isn’t feasible.

Running a northern line railroad is more suitable for the northern cities, isn’t it?

Moreover, the faithful people can access better quality goods at lower prices; this is what the Saint’s Grandson wants to see."

"As expected of a top student from the Water Conservancy College at the Holy Machinery Court University," Baleri gestured as if surrendering, "I can’t argue with you."

"Hahahaha—"

Aleksei laughed heartily, but he was laughing at Baleri’s comical pose, not at his own vision.

If one day the Norn truly fell into his hands, he would act according to this and build a new Norn.

Upon hearing Aleksei’s laughter, the fatigued soldiers from the march all looked up, inexplicably feeling more spirited.

Only halfway through Aleksei’s laughter did it abruptly stop, replaced instantly with an angry look.

It wasn’t anything else; a cuirassier came to report that there was another conflict between cavalry and local tribes.

"How many times have I said it, we have money! Even public funds! We can buy!" Aleksei cursed angrily, "Get rid of that habit of looting when you have money!"

"Pastor Arlod," Baleri remained calm, "go and handle it."

A young Norn who studied at the Saint Father’s Association’s Political Academy immediately spurred his horse and rode away with three or five cavalry.

As Petrov Duke’s son, Aleksei’s name and popularity were his greatest weapons.

But he couldn’t help that his soldiers were accustomed to traditional Norn customs.

The idea of requisitioning supplies equating to looting was ingrained in their minds, like an ideological steel seal.

After the brief episode, the monotonous march continued, though they hadn’t gone far before the cavalry with the Senior Pastor returned frantically.

Aleksei, sensing something amiss from afar, asked, "What’s wrong?"

Only upon reaching closer did the cavalry, breathless, reply, "Sir, there is a Royal Court’s army on the road ahead."

"How do you know?" Aleksei, speaking slowly, turned and directed his sharp gaze at the reconnaissance unit leader sweating on his forehead.

The cavalry caught his breath, "It was said by those Norn nomadic tribes; after Pastor Arlod reprimanded those looting soldiers, they informed us of this. Pastor Arlod has already gone to scout personally."

"Professor Kutuyuf," Aleksei immediately decided, "You take command of the army. Baleri, let’s go have a look."

Baleri nodded, then rode out with Aleksei together.

Not long after, a dozen riders surrounded Aleksei to reach the rendezvous point with Pastor Arlod.

By then, Arlod had already captured a talkative local, gotten answers through thumb cuffs, and drawn conclusions.

"At least ten thousand enemy troops, at least a brigade, exact number of Servant Army unknown."

"Is it accurate?"

"Exact numbers aren’t precise, but the over ten thousand figure is accurate; I verified their camps myself."

Standing on the hill, through the boundless plains, Aleksei could see a streak of black on the horizon.

It was a string of black tents, shielding themselves from the day’s sunlight.

"Can we manage to bypass them?" Aleksei asked Baleri.

Baleri, indifferent, replied, "It’s too late. Forcible passage would incur significant losses; you know how sparse population is around here.

Also, it’s too late; the vampires clearly are marching against us and will soon find our tracks.

This area is all wasteland, with no terrain suited for hiding. Retreating on force would only lead to encountering other vampire forces head-on."

"Damn," Aleksei whipped a leaf off with his riding crop, "how did they end up here?"

"It should be the vanguard returning from Thorn Garden; otherwise, they couldn’t have intersected this spot," Baleri set down the binoculars. "Moreover, they are likely elite vampires, not specifically targeting us.

It should just be a coincidence; otherwise, we would’ve been ambushed by them long ago."

"What now?" Aleksei asked back.

Bear in mind the normal condition where vampire armies versus Norn restoration armies maintain equilibrium at a one to two ratio.

Only the Holy Alliance’s battalions could contend equally with an equal number of vampire elite forces.

For the native Norn army, achieving a three-to-one exchange rate would already be an extraordinary performance.

Baleri pondered momentarily, offering his suggestion, "My proposal is to request aid first; André’s battalion hasn’t gone far, and then hold our position awaiting reinforcements.

With the Holy Alliance’s marching speed and command efficiency, our troops would arrive much earlier than theirs."

Therefore, the Norn restoration army was actually acting in concert with André at this moment.

But due to supply depots, they had to split into several groups to advance; sending a detachment for support wasn’t impossible.

"But how do we hold our position in this wasteland?"

Baleri looked around and asked the surrounding death cuirassiers, "Is there a slope nearby? Preferably one that faces away from the vampires, directly towards us."

"There is."