The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 141
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (141)
In the darkness, at the center of the plains bordering the Imperial Army’s front lines.
Kar Tribe Warriors lined up in rows, hanging the heads of dead Imperial Soldiers one by one on poles.
“Hurry up, beasts might come smelling the blood.”
“Yes, understood.”
Blood dripped steadily from the sharply cut cross-sections, and the stench of blood spread in the cold wind.
And Bowkartaon silently watched this scene.
His gaze was unwavering, rather looking upon that cruel scene with calm acceptance as if it were natural.
A moment later.
“Lord Bowkartaon.”
One Kar Tribe Warrior approached and bowed his head as he reported.
“As you commanded, we’ve set them all up in a row. Unless they’re blind, there’s no way they won’t notice.
At his subordinate’s words, Bowkartaon turned his gaze toward the Imperial Army Camp.
Perhaps this incident would cause quite a significant change in their emotional state.
No matter how much they pretended to be cold, no commander would remain unaffected seeing their subordinates’ heads hanging like this.
Then Bowkartaon spoke.
“Position warriors in ambush around the area. If they try to take down the severed heads, attack immediately.”
“But… what if they just pretend not to notice?”
At his subordinate’s words, Bowkartaon’s lips curved thinly.
“Then they would be people whose respect for comrades amounts to only that much.”
His cold gaze fixed on the Imperial Army Camp.
But soon…
Step.
Bowkartaon turned and began walking.
His footsteps carried a strange sense of responsibility along with deep anger.
Bowkartaon muttered to himself.
‘From now on… many things will change, Empire.’
Victory will no longer be permitted for you, and you will no longer be able to remain on this land.
He immediately recalled Korzan’s face.
Driven to the cliff by consecutive defeats, Korzan was in a desperate situation.
But…
‘Rather… this is a good situation for me.’
In the current situation where he had to wait, this tense situation provided justification for him to move.
—We absolutely need a victory that can inflict damage on them.
Korzan had urged this again and again.
Bowkartaon recalled his words as he glared into the void.
‘Come out quickly… I’ll be waiting.’
Bowkartaon’s gaze toward the Imperial camp sank cold as a blade.
* * *
4th Battalion, 4th Company.
Tyren moved toward the plains where the Kar Tribe’s main base was located with all 150 company members.
For plains, there were quite a few places where one could hide.
He moved while concealing himself as much as possible based on terrain information obtained by the advance reconnaissance team.
“Company Commander, from here on, this is where enemy ambushes are expected.”
“Fire.”
At Tyren’s words, his adjutant Benzens struck flint against straw to light a fire.
Benzens illuminated the map Tyren pulled out while slightly shielding it with his hand.
Soon Tyren frowned.
As he said, this was a point where caution was needed.
‘This is where the reconnaissance unit was completely wiped out.
According to information, there’s supposed to be a vicious archer.
Tyren turned his head to look at the surrounding terrain, imagining the battle that must have taken place here.
Swish! Whoosh! Thwack!
Arrows flying from the darkness.
They were certainly struck down without even being able to respond.
‘Then…’
They surely should have retreated.
Was it possible for all the fleeing allies to die?
‘Or did they create a situation where they had no choice but to charge?’
Tyren shook his head.
Such a thing could never happen.
Even just to report the situation here, the soldiers would have chosen to flee.
Any commander moving troops would absolutely have to do so.
Yet despite this, the reconnaissance unit was wiped out here.
“They must be guys with tremendous mobility… capable of chasing down and killing fleeing allies.”
Or they had set up an ambush at the rear from the start, anticipating escape attempts.
Either way, it meant they weren’t easy opponents.
Therefore…
‘We need to find them first.’
The moment they were hit with a preemptive strike, they could end up like the reconnaissance unit that was wiped out earlier.
“Benzens, relay to the platoon leaders. Circle around this way and hit the rear of where the enemies are likely positioned.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to divide our forces for something like that?”
“No, we don’t divide. That would create the possibility of being defeated piecemeal.”
“Understood.”
Benzens answered and turned to move toward where the platoon-level officers were positioned.
Left alone, Tyren exhaled softly and looked ahead.
The darkness was thick, so visibility was poor.
Even using mana to enhance his vision, there wasn’t much he could confirm.
But his senses, developed through training, were warning him.
This place was dangerous.
‘…This won’t be easy.’
Tyren turned around.
If they were advancing toward the center, they would have sent units to other directions as well.
‘It would be good if they drew attention first from that side…’
But we’re the ones playing the decoy role.
This operation from the beginning.
Wasn’t it something Hardmel pushed for his own achievements?
Tyren bit his lips tightly, recalling Hardmel who had demanded the expedition.
At first, he had scratched at his pride by comparing him with Arteon.
But Tyren wasn’t someone who would fall for such things.
Having his pride bruised was just a bit unpleasant.
However, on a dangerous battlefield, one wrong move could cost him his head.
An obviously dangerous operation.
Tyren had refused.
But the next card he brought was something unexpected.
—Then another commander will lead the 4th Company onto the battlefield.
He had simply pushed his company members, who were like his own children, into a death trap.
If he just sent them off, he could lose all his subordinates, so Tyren ultimately had no choice but to move.
“…Whew.”
Tyren exhaled and moved toward where his soldiers were positioned.
Everyone had serious looks in their eyes.
They instinctively knew this was a dangerous situation.
Tyren, as if he had never been contemplating alone, looked at them with a calm expression and spoke.
“We’ll make a wide detour to the left to check the enemy’s flank. Avoid frontal combat as much as possible, but if the enemy spots us, keep low and find cover.”
What they had to be most careful of were the enemy’s arrows.
If a skilled archer shot arrows from the darkness, it would be no different from the Death God descending.
“We need to return before sunrise. Move quickly.”
There was no verbal response, but he could tell from their eyes alone.
Tyren moved while hiding his body toward where the bushes grew tallest.
But at some point, the smell of blood began spreading on the wind.
Tyren’s expression slightly contorted.
“Benzens, select a few fast men.”
“Yes.”
“The rest of the troops will wait here.”
Tyren quickly moved forward with the selected personnel.
This smell of blood.
Had there been another battle?
An ominous feeling swept through his entire body.
The thicker the smell of blood became, the more strength entered his legs, and his running speed increased.
And when he finally arrived at the source of that smell.
“These crazy… bastards.”
Tyren couldn’t hold back his curse as he saw ‘that’ stretching out in a long line.
The heads of allied soldiers stuck on poles as if creating a path on both sides.
Seeing their brutally severed heads, Benzens beside him ground his teeth.
“Company Commander.”
“Wait, this could be an enemy trap.”
Tyren suppressed his anger as he spoke, watching Benzens who looked ready to charge out immediately.
So this was what that tingling feeling was about.
‘These sons of bitches… they did something like this…’
His spine went cold.
For a moment, hadn’t even he almost failed to contain his anger and rushed out to take down his comrades’ heads?
Tyren spoke while firmly suppressing his rage.
“Immediately pull the unit back and search the surroundings. After we’ve confirmed the presence or absence of enemies… we’ll recover our comrades’ bodies.”
“…Understood.”
Among those who had died earlier were comrades who had fought in the Northern Region for a long time.
Perhaps because of this, Benzens listened to Tyren’s orders while repeatedly reminding himself to be patient.
Swish swish swish swish.
Tyren, who had carefully retreated, looked at his company members.
Having already heard about the situation, they were all looking at Tyren unable to hide their angry expressions.
Tyren spoke.
“Everyone must be feeling the same way. But… let your anger boil, but your head must find composure. Keep in mind that if we make a mistake, we here could be put in danger.”
There was no response, but he could feel the strong will of the unit members.
And when Tyren began searching the surroundings with his soldiers.
“…He’s not a fool.”
A man watching them.
Soon he turned his gaze to look at his subordinates crouched in a line.
“Prepare for battle. We’ll stain this place dark with the blood of the Empire bastards.”
With Bowkartaon’s words, the Kar Tribe warriors began moving quickly.
* * *
The plains where darkness had descended thickly.
The Silent Spear Battalion was secretly running through the darkness.
Cold wind brushed their cheeks, and the crunching sound of snow pressed under military boots filled the air.
And Arteon, who was at the front.
His eyes were piercing through the darkness, staring ahead.
‘I can’t believe… it’s that guy.’
When he first saw him at the barracks, he couldn’t remember.
There was just a vague feeling that he had seen him somewhere before.
But on the way out of the barracks where Belkain was, memories of him had surfaced.
A scoundrel who had backing from Central nobles and caused chaos in the Northern Region several times.
Many capable soldiers had lost their lives because of that guy’s incompetence.
‘He stole the achievements his subordinates made, presented them as his own, and climbed the ladder of success.’
Just like at the Northeastern 4th Defense Line.
Was he like Leorn Baltroyen who had been at the Elvarfiel Lake front?
No, since the power backing him was considerable, it could be said he was even more serious than that.
‘That Central noble… was someone who had connections with the First Prince’s side, wasn’t he…?’
He couldn’t remember exactly, but he was sure that was the case.
In his past life.
Arteon had no interest in things like Central power structures.
Just surviving day by day was burdensome enough, so he had no leisure to understand such power dynamics.
But thinking based on the information he had gained in this life, he could understand a little.
The reason the fight between the First Prince and Second Prince had dragged on was because there were quite a few rotten guys under the First Prince.
‘In the first place, these are the Second Prince and his forces who commit such absurd acts. If they had been punished, it wouldn’t have gone on for long.’
Did they all not care what happened to this place and those who protected it, as long as it was for their own benefit?
Grind.
Arteon’s eyes flashed sharply.
Thinking about that guy made him irritated, but that wasn’t what was important right now.
Because of the operation that guy had recklessly pushed forward, the soldiers of the 4th Battalion’s 4th Company could be in danger.
‘It was Tyren.’
He had heard about that guy.
Not only in his past life but in this life as well.
He was a soldier with outstanding abilities.
He absolutely couldn’t be lost.
“Battalion Commander, we’ve almost reached our destination.”
“Keep in mind, our mission is to support the 4th Company. Refrain from rash movements.”
“Understood.”
Arteon looked ahead.
In the darkness, beyond it.
A situation where movement could be strangely felt.
Arteon used mana to heighten his senses.
Soon his vision, which had been covered by darkness, became a little clearer, and something familiar from inside came rushing in on the wind.
And at the same time.
“…!”
Arteon’s eyes shook greatly.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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