Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest-Chapter 401 - 5: I Only Go One Way

The professional battalion is the elite force referred to by the White Steel Princess, with a high proportion of Angel Envoys.

Last year, Roman had ten thousand auxiliary soldiers and seven thousand from the professional battalion.

In the Battle of the Heavenly Pegasus Plain, the professional battalion suffered heavy losses.

Because the professional battalion took on much higher combat functions than auxiliary soldiers, the disability rate was also higher.

As long as they aren’t dead, push them to their limits.

Consequently, many of them truly died.

Later, Roman selected some outstanding auxiliary soldiers to fill the vacancies left by the losses in the professional battalion.

Now there are about six thousand auxiliary soldiers and seven thousand professionals.

Of course, although they are called auxiliary soldiers, some of their combat skills are no lower than those of the professional battalion soldiers.

Auxiliary soldiers are also professional soldiers, just enlisted later.

Roman’s stance is clear: soldiers who enlist earlier have the obligation to bear greater risks.

...

Fertile City offers no natural defenses.

Roman could only forcibly construct five high defense towers.

They are at Cold Wind Town, Lester, Shane Territory, Blackbird Forest, and Apple Town.

To replenish manpower, Roman dispatched two thousand five hundred soldiers to garrison the fortresses.

Cold Wind Town is the most remote, located in the North, and does not connect with any roads, having no strategic value; the soldiers stationed there are merely an odd move.

Lester and Shane Territory enjoy favorable geographical positions, just sandwiching the Black Iron Avenue in the upper route, with an approximate distance of three to four kilometers between them.

Blackbird Forest is very close to the jungle paths.

Only Apple Town is wedged between the lower and middle routes, extremely dangerous, so not only did 500 professional soldiers garrison there but also a thousand civilian crossbowmen.

The current force stationed in Fertile City numbers only eleven thousand professional soldiers.

Five thousand elite troops are practically equivalent to all the professional soldiers.

Roman agreed to Tashina’s strategic plan.

Strictly speaking, the upper and middle routes pose the main pressure.

But he and Tashina share the same view.

Firstly, because of the need to fully address the upper and middle routes, it is essential to first collapse the lower route to avoid a sneak attack from there.

Secondly, prolonged defense inevitably results in loss, so it’s better to switch from defense to offense.

Finally, Roman has war wisdom from a previous life—no matter from how many routes you come, I’ll focus on one route only—turning a defensive war into a mobile war!

Even a Sword Saint can’t face a four-person encirclement simultaneously, but a true Sword Saint can turn a 1V4 into four 1V1s.

Time is of the essence, not to be delayed.

After a brief military decision, Fertile City, already in wartime state, immediately dispatched troops.

First, disrupt all of the enemy’s strategic deployments.

On Tashina’s side, she has the Black Iron, White Knight, First Oak Marshal Enya, and Oak Elite.

On Roman’s side, there’s Deputy Commander and Sniper General Dick, Vanguard General Nathan, Heavy Equipment General Aaron, Guard General Kao, Special Operations General Green, Casting Group, and others.

At Tashina’s suggestion, all heavy soldiers discarded their heavy shields, switching to light shields for a lightly armed approach.

Aaron was somewhat confused.

He said, "Your Highness, losing our shields reduces our heavy equipment advantage significantly."

Tashina said meaningfully, "Sir Aaron, trust me, it’s best not to delay in this battle, because they ’can see’."

...

Noon.

Lower route. Bro River.

Carter and the Provence Division. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

They claim an army of two hundred thousand but actually can only estimate fifty thousand; a third is responsible for logistics and supplies, leaving just over thirty thousand in the Conscript Army.

Provence, the King of Lavender, is tall, handsome, with black hair cascading to his shoulders, always neatly groomed, exuding a faint and elegant fragrance as if from within, possessing a transparent noble temperament.

The image of the Carter Family Head is the exact opposite, with a black bear as his mount and his own body covered in abundant fur, ears round like an orc, even more bear-like than the bear.

The Lord of Provence held no goodwill towards the Carter Family Head, nor for his mount. The beast, an evil man-eating creature, had coarse, blood-stained hair on its bear-like face, evoking discomfort.

"Sirs, the Blasphemers’ army and the White Steel Princess have arrived with mal intent." It was the Bishop of the Church Court speaking.

Someone asked, "How does Your Excellency the Bishop know?"

The Bishop said, "The All Gods informed me."

The King of Lavender smiled like a spring breeze, saying, "Praise the All Gods."

The Beast Family Head detested the All Gods just as the Provence Lord did him, but the situation was more powerful than he was. He feigned compliance, muttering, "Praise the All Gods."

The beast was intuitively sharp, knowing these priests must have obtained some information from another world, which was the source of most prophets’ power. They could pretend like witches with some revelations, but whether it truly related to the All Gods was unclear.

"How long until they arrive?" The King of Lavender asked.

"At most half a day," the priest answered.

"Then let’s engage," the Beast Family Head said.

Half a day was enough for them to switch from marching mode to war mode.

A minor noble suddenly said, "My Lords, aren’t we being too rash? We’re now closer to the enemy than to our allies. Lord Makor said we should advance abreast and support each other."

"What do you propose?" Provence smiled.

"Decline the engagement, focus on defense, form a formation where we stand, even the White Steel Princess could only retreat embarrassed," he advised.

He looked toward the Bishop, hoping the Church Court elder would support his strategy, but the Bishop had only recently become a military chaplain; in the past, he was preoccupied with preaching and unfamiliar with military and political matters, recognizing only one thing.

We hold a significant advantage! How can we lose with flying dragons?

"We are formidable; why be afraid of the White Steel Princess? Relay my command—advance ten miles, find an open space, everyone prepare for battle!" the Beast Family Head roared, his voice terrifying like a beast’s growl.

"Since Her Highness wants to dispatch troops, let’s indulge her," said the Lord of Provence.

"What are you planning?"

"While you fight head-on, I’ll lead a unit of Conquest Knights to flank. I want to see if our Princess is as resilient as rumored."

...

Afternoon.

The advancing River Valley Army.

A raven circled in the sky, flew from afar, and landed on the shoulder of the White Steel Princess.

It cawed, "Your Highness, they’ve changed formation!"

"As expected, they’ve perceived it, got enlightened; our surprise attack failed at the start," Tashina frowned slightly, "And in that case, the Black Iron Avenue and Lion Territory will soon know too."

"Do we fight or not?" Dick asked.

Commander Jet didn’t come, but as Deputy Commander, Dick was also the highest commander of the five thousand elite troops.

On site, only he had the authority to discuss specific tactics with Tashina. Yet, he had soft ears, not known for strong willpower, inclined to go with the flow, and as a traditional knight, he highly revered this royal princess, Tashina.

As long as a decision wasn’t rashly life-threatening, Dick generally wouldn’t oppose something outright.

Iota Hina said, "Fight! Why not fight? Engage in a battle on the front lines, and I’ll lead a surprise unit to flank and strike them!"