Chapter 457 These cowards will spread terror in Visby
A large number of bonfires were lit in the ruins of Qiao Village, and the people who had been marching for a long time were finally able to rest well.
An extremely important piece of news spread wildly in the Ross Army camp. The so-called place where the army is stationed will definitely become a future battlefield.
It’s finally time to fight for everything!
This should have been a thrilling event that would have made it difficult to sleep, but for many soldiers of the Russian army, they were relieved that they no longer had to rush.
Excluding the boat ride, the Slavic soldiers from Novgorod in the army all felt that the road they had traveled in their previous lives was not as long as these days. What's more, they were walking on the road of another Varyag group.
The big island is full of crises, but of course it's also full of opportunities.
After the bonfire meeting at night, Rurik and Arik hurriedly selected the manpower for tomorrow's special operation.
Soon, the bonfire illuminated the faces of a group of unruly warriors.
The cool night breeze blew their beards, and the hilts of the steel swords hanging from their waists were also illuminated by the flames.
As many as three hundred people have been selected! Not only are they all experienced generals, but most of them are also equipped with important weapons - crossbows.
The Russian army is equipped with many long-range weapons, among which the steel-armed and wooden-armed crossbows are the most powerful and the most powerful. The steel-armed version is good at firing heavy armor-piercing arrows. It has a shorter range and has high penetration and kinetic energy retention. The wooden-armed version
Although the arrows fired are light arrows, they are superior in their lightness.
Compared to being an excellent archer who requires a long period of training, a crossbow archer can be achieved quickly! Wooden crossbows are light and easy to use, and essentially do not occupy the establishment.
Rurik carefully selected two hundred warriors to serve as archers, and another hundred veterans who had killed many enemies joined in. Thirty Kovin longbowmen were also led by Mechasta, adding some new tricks to the following operations.
They lined up in an array and accepted the review from brothers Rurik and Arik in the soft light of the bonfire.
Arik walked around for a few times and felt satisfied. He spoke on behalf of his brother: "They are all very energetic. Brothers, you have beaten the Gotlanders during the day, and soon you will beat more enemies. You are very lucky, tomorrow
Let's start our journey and climb the mound. We will release the bait and finally defraud the Gotlander King of a huge sum of money. When the king appears, hehe..."
Arik deliberately did not finish his words, but the brothers were not simple children either.
Why do the soldiers who are summoned have sufficient experience in using crossbows? What is the relationship between "cheating money" and carrying a large number of crossbows?
Crossbows are used to kill enemies. The small group of Coven people are amazing in archery. What kind of shooting was planned by the Duke? Is that target the king of Gotland?
It is truly a great honor to shoot an enemy noble. A soul with such merit must enter the Hall of Valor.
After this glimpse, Rurik ordered the brothers to disband and ordered everyone to have a good sleep. After all, they had to complete an arduous task before the decisive battle.
Soon, the two men and a small group of followers arrived at the prisoner's camp in Baisha Port.
Seeing the arrival of "Rose the Cruel Man", many people trembled as soon as they saw Arik's face, even though Arik's injured left arm was hung with a rope around his neck.
Like a bear roaring, Arik drew his sword with his right hand and asked: "Now, I give you a chance to leave!"
A chance to leave? Could it be that the soul left this world? The prisoners in Baisha Port changed their faces, and many of them immediately begged for their lives.
"Don't cry!" Rurik couldn't stand his cousin's threatening attitude. He took two steps forward and said calmly: "I will choose ten people, and I will let you go to Visby."
What? Escape back to Visby?
Almost all the captives were moved. In their opinion, they could start a new life by escaping to Visby and make a comeback. It was ten thousand times better than being a slave to the Russians until they died.
But everyone also doubts the sincerity of the Russians.
Rurik explained again and again, and randomly selected one lucky person. Then the others became a large group of crabs that fell into the oil pan, and began to struggle like crazy, saying that he was the one who deserved to go.
"I told you, these guys are unreliable. You see, they want to escape, but they just lack a chance." Arik pouted and muttered to his brother contemptuously.
Rurik was also surprised that the prisoners behaved like this. Anyway, these prisoners themselves are a consumable.
Since he had to choose ten people, Rurik randomly selected ten people according to whether they were strong or not.
Those who were elected were excited, while those who were not elected were crestfallen.
These ten people were separated, and in an atmosphere that was so shocking that their hearts almost exploded, they learned about the mission they were supposed to lead.
Perhaps Visby is no longer synonymous with security. This "large city" on the coast has become a serious big fat sheep for the Ross army.
Are the Russians up to some conspiracy?
Rurik felt that he was not needed. The Rus tribe mobilized the maximum amount of troops that could be mobilized in the current era. The tribes mobilized in full force to fight the Gotlanders. Since it was a decisive battle, then they should open up their formations and fight openly!
Both sides dispatched all their forces, and the Rus' army won a majestic victory. Rurik felt that this was a true battle to establish his power, and it also instilled pride into the Rus' tribe.
Of course, the strength of the Ross Army can be informed to those in Visby.
"Our Russian army has three thousand people, and you all know the situation of our army these days. You can tell the Gotlanders in Visby about these situations, and tell them that our Russian army expects a decisive battle!
You must tell the great king of the Gotlanders and the big merchants that their prince’s expedition team of 500 people was wiped out, and only the prince was captured. The king of Gotland must bring 200 pounds of silver coins with him at noon on the 17th.
Before arriving at the foot of the hill, exchange money with us for people, otherwise Sigfast’s head will fall to the ground!”
Based on just a dictation, Rurik did not believe that these guys could convey it perfectly.
Rurik's policemen carved the extortion terms they set on a freshly cut and processed pine board, and applied carbon powder on the grooves, revealing multiple strings of rune documents. This is the so-called "kidnapper's conditions", or the answer to the question.
The final ultimatum of the Gotlanders entrenched in Visby.
The next morning, morning fog filled the whole world.
The air was cool. Rurik got out of his animal skin sleeping bag early in the morning and couldn't help but feel a chill. He ate some dried fish and mixed it with boiled chrysanthemum tea, and then his body regained its warmth.
The Ross army will be stationed at the Bridge Village camp until the war.
The remains of the village were sparsely cleared. Some warriors who didn't mind the trouble had already carried axes and two-man saws to quickly cut down a group of pine trees, and began to build more comfortable wooden sheds early in the morning. Since the sheds were already being built, why not make more
How about more presentable?
In some deer villages, wooden fences were quickly built as part of the fortifications. Instead of digging trenches, they dug and piled up four mounds at the four corners of the camp, and then placed the torsion slingshots they carried on them. This is the design of the camp. It is a tactical commanding height. If the enemy attacks unexpectedly, the crossbowmen can stand on the high place and shoot at will.
Everyone is essentially a Viking. They send out a team of dozens of people to launch a sneak attack. This is a tactic known to the Russians and Gotland. Of course, the Russian army is not afraid of sneak attacks. It is like a fly flying around in front of your eyes. It is still fast. Click to shoot it to death to save yourself the trouble.
Siegfast's hands were useless, and his broken forearm muscles formed clearly visible masses under the skin. He was tortured by pain and hunger, and he was woken up by a copper basin of cold water.
Arik looked down at this proud man in the past arrogantly: "Sigfast, the prince of the Gotlanders. Now, we are going to put you back, get up!"
After that, two people untied the chain around his neck that was wrapped around the tree trunk.
Siegfast was kneeling on the ground in a daze. Someone threw down half a piece of mutton. He was so hungry that he immediately lay down and ate it, not caring about the dirt on the meat.
This move made the onlookers of the Ross warriors burst into laughter!
"This is a hunting dog!"
"No, is a hunting dog with a broken leg still a good dog?"
"He deserves it. He actually thinks he has great powers, but now he is just a docile sheep."
Sigfast allowed himself to be ridiculed by the Russians because his soul was dead and all that was left was an empty shell.
The chains that had been seized from White Sands Port to tie up the cattle were now used as treasures for fastening people. The Russian soldiers led Sigfast and began to leave the camp and run towards the mound.
The Russian army's camp is only ten meters above sea level, so the so-called mound is not that high in the first place.
In contrast, a 40-meter-high mound stands, which is only a fourteen-story building. However, the pine and oak trees growing on it make the mound even more spectacular.
As he walked, Siegfast, who was like a zombie, regained consciousness for a while and realized that what he was going through was worse than death. Where was he going now? To Visby? What on earth are these Russians going to do?!
Siegfast no longer dared to curse. The swelling on his face had not gone away. He also knew that if he continued to curse, his tongue would be cut off by them.
He observed the Russian army. They were a group of warriors carrying strange bows and arrows. Each of the marchers actually had one hand. There were also some short black-haired men carrying huge bows of astonishing length. There were not many of them. , Siegfast knows best that these guys have become extremely powerful because of some magical weapons. He is eager to tell his father the news. The so-called don't try to fight the Russians, even if it is a victory, it will be a tragic victory, and the victory will be a victory. The possibility is too low.
He cast more eyes on a despicable leader - the elite mercenary Grund.
This guy was good. Although he was unarmed, the Russians obviously valued this man. He silently cursed Grund for a bad death, and also cursed the Russians for being destroyed by huge waves, destroying the fleet, and being made sick by heavy rains. No matter what, Curse, Siegfast clearly realized that pure force would be difficult to defeat this landing army!
Soon, the Russians climbed to the top of the mound, and Sigfast was tied to a tree like an animal and was guarded by the Russians.
The ten selected prisoners were immediately driven away.
They started walking down the mountain, and when they left, they kept turning their heads. It seemed that they had been abused and developed feelings?
In fact, they were just worried that they would be suddenly attacked by Russian arrows after leaving, so they took three steps and turned their heads. The so-called Russian people suddenly fired arrows so that they could lie down and avoid them.
"What happened to them? Why are they still complaining after letting them go?" Rurik said displeased.
Arik didn't have a good face, so he ordered several soldiers: "Shoot arrows to scare them! Drive them away!"
Sure enough, the Russians shot arrows! The whirling feather arrows came with a strong whooshing sound. The prisoners in White Sands Harbor first fell down, then suddenly stood up, and fled westward towards Visby like a "tiger descending the mountain". Some even went too far.
In a panic, he fell on the grassy slope and was bruised all over his body, then he got up and ran away as fast as he could.
"They are really cowards. Such people can only fall into the underworld after death." Arik looked at their backs and shook his head in disdain.
Rurik sighed softly: "They are all fishermen, you don't expect them to have the dignity of warriors. You see, that Sigfast just wants a dog now. But these cowards, they will be in Vis
Than spreading terror. Haha, I hope their king will not be frightened into twitching by the strength of our army."
"Dog?" This matter caused Arik to think: "I would like to keep a real dog that can be used as a hunting partner. Maybe I will get one in Visby."
"Okay." Rurik shrugged: "I hope to get some horses. You know, we don't have horses, and the Malaren people don't have any either. Is it said that only the Danes have such good cart-drawing animals?
There? As allies of the Danes, the Gotlanders hope that Visby will have horses."
Arik had never seen a horse in his life, and of course most of the Viking tribes were the same.
The Danes living in that part of the Jutland peninsula, with the neighboring Kingdom of Saxony destroyed by the Frank Empire, the Danes not only directly bordered the Franks, but also encountered Frank cavalry for the first time. The markets of Hedeby and Sirius Port began to have bold moves
Frankish merchants sold horses against the orders of Charlemagne. Even though most of the horses sold by Frankish profiteers were inferior horses, some Danish tribes bought them and immediately began to use the horse's ability to pull goods. As for upgrading to cavalry, they had to wait until they got an excellent riding horse.
The Danes are powerless.
Of course there are horses in Gotland, but they are just the treasures of some merchants. The merchants use horses to pull small trucks, and the biggest advantage is probably that they can eat horse meat.
The ten slaves who were deliberately let go ran madly towards Visby with the Duke of Ross's letter of war, the terms of blackmail, and Sigfast's sword and other tokens to prove their identity.
These people were soon discovered by refugees camped outside Visby.
For the people of Visby, they all saw that Haken, who had proclaimed himself king, assigned his eldest son to lead five hundred soldiers over the mountains to find out the truth about Ross's invasion. This clearly happened three days ago.
What happened? Prince Sigfast’s five hundred men were wiped out? It seems like this is true!
Rurik's plan was being implemented by the fugitives from White Sands Port, who trumpeted in Visby that the powerful Russians were in the village of Bridge to the east of the mound, and even the failure of the exploration force.
The Ross army has arrived! They will fight their way to Visby, kill everyone, steal the wealth, and burn everything.
People began to run in panic, and the panic quickly spread from the outside in. People shouted as they walked, and finally it was rumored that Ross's army of 10,000 people had entered Visby.
A large number of people fled to the beach. If Haken's warriors had not finally stopped people from seizing the boats, the escape across the sea in Visby would have begun. Some people were killed, and the escape across the sea was stopped. After waking up, people began to swarm again.
Gather to the council chamber and the altar.
Although the people of Visby are actively preparing for war these days, the news that King Haken killed the escapees has spread wildly in the settlements, and no ship has disobeyed orders and entered the sea in the past few days.
The men of Visby are polishing their weapons and repairing their shields, and many women are also taking up arms and preparing to fight. Visby has reached a critical moment of survival, and everyone must protect their farmland, pastures, fisheries, and
Fighting for the most critical altar.
In this way, the Gotlanders would have no problem gathering an army of five thousand men, and a large number of young women could go to the battlefield with weapons and actively join the fight.
The Rus people were forced to go deep into dangerous places, so they gradually became more protective of the women of the tribe. But for people in other areas of this sea area, it is normal for female warriors to participate in the fight.
Rurik brought a group of young girls into the team as crossbowmen. At first, many tribesmen criticized him, but some tribesmen who knew the old traditions were happy to talk about this move.
Terrible news is spreading wildly. People who claim to be ready for battle have now gathered outside the chamber. The whole world is extremely noisy. People are shouting and questioning, and some are wailing.
People are actually afraid of a decisive battle in their hearts. Everyone also knows that the Russians will not give up easily and war may be inevitable.
But these thousands of ordinary people don't know that the distinguished businessmen in the chamber have ulterior motives, and they are talking about a decisive battle. What they are thinking behind their backs...