Ten days later, Claude appeared in Major Skerry's office and reported in detail the information he had heard.
"...It is said that the several legions on the front line are now inactive. No one is willing to attack the Principality of Karnas. Even the officers gathered together to discuss the news of the armistice. I borrowed Captain Durrioro's words from Squirrel Village.
The Harriers of the local garrison battalion sent a secret message to the frontline headquarters, reporting on the situation of our 1st Ranger Battalion and requesting reinforcements and supplies. However, it took three days before they received a reply, which said they understood and asked us to persist.
We will make adjustments to provide combat guidance and support to our First Ranger Battalion. Please reply here..."
Claude put the reply letter from the frontline command on the table. Major Skerry picked it up and looked at it. It was exactly the same as what Claude said. When he looked at the sign again, he was immediately discouraged because he knew the inside story of the frontline command:
"This thing is useless. You see, the name on the reply letter is Frontline Operations Staff. This means that no one takes the situation you reported seriously, and it is not assigned to a specific department. The reply just means that the Staff
We already know your situation, but how to solve the specific problem needs to be consulted by them before reporting back to them, and it will be decided by the superiors above.
This is the most common delaying method. Anyway, they don’t know when the superiors will give the order. As staff officers, they have already considered your matter and reported it to you. This means that they have not neglected their duties. But the problem is that the eldest prince is not commanding from the front line now.
Instead, we returned to the royal capital. Our fourth battalion of Rangers is under the direct jurisdiction of the frontline headquarters. This requires the approval of the eldest prince or a formal order from the frontline headquarters. Those staff officers did not know which folder they put in when they reported our situation.
I don’t know whether he was seen by the commander who acted as Prince Hansback in charge of the frontline command..."
Major Skerry was very angry, but he had no choice. If the 1st Ranger Battalion was stationed in Squirrel Village, it didn't matter if they waited for a while, it would always be their turn. But currently, the 1st Ranger Battalion was besieged by the enemy and had less than half of the food.
It's been months, isn't it asking everyone to commit suicide by replying to the letter asking the 1st Ranger Battalion to hold on? If they really insist on staying in the castle, Major Skerry believes that when the leaders of the frontline headquarters think of the 1st Ranger Battalion, everyone here will
They were all starved to death.
If it were still at war, perhaps the situation of the 1st Ranger Battalion would soon receive a response from the frontline command, whether it was a battle or a withdrawal. But according to the situation reported by Claude, now no matter whether it is the frontline corps
It was inevitable that the officers, soldiers, and officers of the frontline headquarters were all focused on armistice negotiations and ignored the situation of the 1st Ranger Battalion.
Moreover, in this reply from the frontline combat staff, they also reprimanded the 1st Ranger Battalion for not promptly reporting the reason for the loss of contact. Even if the hawk eagle message was useless and was suppressed by the enemy's prairie golden eagle, capable personnel should be sent to penetrate the enemy's defense.
The frontline reported to the frontline headquarters in a timely manner. Because the frontline headquarters sent five falcons to convey a message to the 1st Ranger Battalion, but none of the falcons came back. This led the frontline headquarters to believe for a time that it would penetrate deep into the Karnas Prairie and occupy
The first battalion of rangers in an area was also wiped out like the Blue Feather Legion that was attacked on the grassland...
Major Skerry held his head and could only smile bitterly. Only now did he understand why the eldest prince had always disliked the staff officers of the frontline headquarters and the boastful people among his personal adjutants. Many of them were recognized as heroes of the moment and were dismissed.
He is known as a rising star in the army. However, the eldest prince is not very willing to promote these people. Instead, people like Lieutenant Colonel Leedfunk and himself who are usually taciturn and always immersed in work easily gain the eldest prince's favor.
It turns out that talking at the rear and fighting fiercely at the front are really two different things. No wonder the eldest prince likes to go to the army to talk with grassroots officers and veterans, because in this way he can grasp the most real situation. Like the reprimands of the frontline command staff in this reply,
It's easy, but do they know how difficult it is to do? This place is besieged by enemies with superior strength, and a fierce battle is about to begin, but the superiors have to send elite veterans to report to the superiors why there is no news. Is this possible?
"Are armistice negotiations really underway?" Major Skerry asked in a murmur.
Claude didn't know if Major Scree was asking himself a question. It seemed more like he was talking to himself. But he still answered: "Yes, that's what Captain Durrioro said. He said that Hansback
The prince hurried back to the royal capital just to make a proposal to His Majesty, reject the peace talks, and ask him to mobilize troops to attack the Principality of Karrnath to report that three legions were ambushed on the prairie and the entire Blue Feather Legion was annihilated. However, His Majesty summoned the Prime Minister to counterattack.
Duke Lius went to the palace overnight and discussed with the eldest prince all night. When the eldest prince returned home, he claimed that he was ill. The kingdom then began truce negotiations with envoys from the Kingdom of Nasseri and the Principality of Karnas.
Now it is said that the soldiers of all the legions on the front line have learned about the armistice and peace talks, and are waiting for the announcement of the end of the war. The soldiers have no fighting spirit and their morale is low. Even the officers of the Guards Corps who sent soldiers to conduct reconnaissance on the Karnas Prairie were rejected.
He refused. The soldiers said that the war was about to end anyway, so why go to the enemy for reconnaissance? No one is willing to die now, and a mutiny almost broke out under force..."
Major Skerry could only shake his head and sigh with Claude. First, there was a huge defeat. He could have used revenge to boost the morale of the soldiers. But then came the news of an armistice and peace talks to end the war. Once the morale dropped, it was difficult to improve it again.
In addition, the war has lasted for more than four years, and all the soldiers have begun to feel war-weary. No one is willing to return to their hometown to see their relatives, and armistice and peace talks are the best for them.
information.
Now Major Skerry understands why Claude only brought back Mike Jack and Big Germi, but left the elite veterans of the small team with Murray Ed. This was because he was worried that the veterans of the small team would return.
The news of the armistice and peace talks was spread behind the castle, so that the soldiers of the 1st Ranger Battalion lost their will to fight and their determination to persevere.
"So, of all the front lines, we are the only ones still fighting here?" Major Skerry asked with a wry smile.
Claude nodded.
"We only have thirteen days of food and grass now." Major Skerry said: "No matter how much we save, we can't survive the rainy season in March. And it is impossible for the rear to provide us with any logistical supplies and supplies in such a short period of time.
reinforce."
Major Skerry raised the reply letter in his hand and looked at Claude seriously: "Are you sure that retreat is safe?"
"I can guarantee that." Claude said.
Major Skerry nodded and made his final decision: "Defend for another week, make all preparations for retreat, make all the remaining food and grass beyond this week into dry food for use on the road, and expand the defense against enemy scouts.
Within the range, don’t let the enemy notice any signs of our breakthrough.”
Claude didn't know how difficult the decision to evacuate made by Major Skerry at this moment was, and how much impact it had on him. Claude was just acting as a subordinate executing the orders of his superiors: "Yes, sir."
.”
There were a lot of things going on, and Claude was very busy. There were more than two hundred jars containing the ashes of soldiers killed in battle, and more than a hundred wounded, all of which had to be brought back. Claude had no choice but to go with Sk
Major Li discussed and asked the Markchi Squadron to set off three days in advance. Under the leadership of Michael Jack and the big man Germi, they went to the mountainous area to set up temporary campsites to receive the wounded and those urns coming from behind.
After another four days, Captain Coldwalk took the remaining soldiers of the Fourth and Second Battalions to escort the battalion logistics personnel and medical staff of the treatment center as well as some necessary supplies and set out overnight under the leadership of a guide. And Major Skerry
The third battalion directly under the jurisdiction, Claude's first battalion and an artillery squadron are still staying in the castle. They need to be stationed for another day and wait until dark before evacuating.
As night passed and day came, Claude personally led the Diavid squadron to launch a tentative attack on the village, using the precise aiming and effective range of the 100-meter effective range of the Obash Type III arquebus equipped in his hand to snipe the enemy's layout.
The guard posts and reconnaissance personnel in the village caused panic among the enemy, thinking that the 1st Ranger Battalion would launch an attack on their defensive positions, and had to send a large number of additional defense personnel at night.
At this time, the soldiers of the 1st Ranger Battalion used the side door of the castle to quietly leave the castle of Count Crelaus, which had been stationed for nearly eight months, leaving only an empty house behind, and strode under the cover of night.
Go to the mountains.
Major Skerry was the last to leave the castle. He opened his notebook and wrote a line of large words on it: At one o'clock in the morning on February 11, 581st year of the Holy Light Calendar, due to exhaustion of food and fodder, evacuate Creelaus
Earl's Castle...
The enemy only noticed the abnormality at noon of the next day. A few brave soldiers approached the castle. It took more than an hour to confirm that the 1st Ranger Battalion had evacuated from the castle. So the enemy sent a small team of scouts along the route.
I followed the traces on the snow to confirm where the 1st Ranger Battalion retreated. However, when this small group of enemy scouts tracked all the way to the intersection into the mountain, they were ambushed by the Diavid squadron who had broken off the rear. They were lucky.
The two wounded men escaped back, and when they came back again with a large group of people, it was already evening, and all they were left with was an empty temporary campsite.
The enemy commander looked up at the sky and then at the snow-capped mountains and forests. He could only sigh and order his troops to retreat. He was sure that the enemy had found a way back in the mountainous area, otherwise he would not have evacuated the entire army so simply.
February is the melting period, but for mountainous areas, the melting of ice and snow will be delayed for a while longer than the snow on the grassland. The 1st Ranger Battalion marched along the temporary passage opened by Claude and others in the mountainous area, and had to stop from time to time.
They felled trees and built bridges to strengthen the road to allow the packhorses carrying items to pass. After seven days and seven nights, they finally arrived at the entrance to the mountain road where the Murield Squadron was stationed and camped with many injured but no deaths.
"Give us something to eat first. We are almost starving." The first thing Claude and Muriel said when they met was that they wanted to eat. All the food had been eaten a day ago. Claude and the others
I guess the latter climbed the last section of the mountain road hungry.
Muriel had already sent people to respond and brought a lot of food, but all the food was snatched by the people in front. Claude and the others behind them wanted to destroy the temporary passage they had set up, so the marching
It was relatively slow, so I had to go hungry.
This Muriel had been prepared for a long time. First he drank a large bowl of steaming broth, which warmed his whole body. Then he ate two large bowls of meat porridge and a large piece of steak. Claude fell on it.
He got onto Murray Ed's camp bed and fell asleep soundly, without even bothering to clean himself. Now he could finally have a peaceful sleep.
After sleeping for nearly ten hours, Claude got up with a refreshed look. Just as he was looking for some hot water to wipe his body, Mike came in and reported that Major Scree had something to discuss with him. Because Claude
Sleeping too deeply, Major Skerry waited until now.
Claude came out of the tent and casually grabbed a handful of snow and wiped his face, pretending to have washed his face, and at the same time making himself more awake.
When they arrived at Major Skerry's camp, they found that Captain Coldwalker was also there. After saluting and saying hello, Major Skerry said that he was going to set off immediately and take the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions to the former station of the 1st Ranger Battalion.
They were stationed in Rosa Town. He had already inquired about it and found out that the original garrison there was still empty, which was perfect for the 1st Ranger Battalion to spend the rainy season in March.
Claude's First Battalion is stationed in Squirrel Village, assisting Captain Durrioro of the local security battalion in guarding this cross-mountain road to prevent the territorial nobles of the Principality of Karnas from invading Squirrel Village again. Because if the entire battalion evacuates,
The position at the entrance to the mountain pass guarded by the Murield Squadron also needs to be abandoned. The campsite here is not suitable for spending the rainy season, and there is no need to hold on here anymore.
Claude knew that Major Skerry asked him to garrison Squirrel Village to fulfill himself. Many people knew that he had found a hunter girl as his girlfriend in Squirrel Village. This was Major Skerry's kindness. There was no need to refuse. Claude was very happy.
He happily obeyed the order.
However, the camp next to Squirrel Village has been occupied by the local security camp, and Claude has no intention of fighting to get it back. Anyway, Squirrel Village is very big now, so Claude unceremoniously requisitioned some houses in the village and took advantage of the rainy season.
In the past half month before arriving, many simple houses and awnings were built by surprise in the village. The requirements are not high, and we will wait until the rainy season in March first.
For the next time, it was raining heavily outside. Claude would either stay in the house and read the books he borrowed from Sheila, or take advantage of the rain to go to the witch grove and have a tryst with Sheila. He would live a carefree life. Wait until April comes.
When we arrived, good news finally came. The Kingdom of Orvilas, the Kingdom of Nasseri, and the Principality of Karnas signed an armistice and peace agreement, announcing that the four-and-a-half-year-long war that swept the entire eastern region of the continent had wiped out three people.
The war in the principality is finally over.
The soldiers cheered for joy. Whether they were from the local security battalion or the first brigade, they were all hugging and cheering, and kept throwing their hats into the sky. Claude was smiling at the happy scene in front of him, but he saw that there was no place for him.
Captain Durrioro, the commander of the garrison battalion, hurried over and brought Claude an incredible piece of bad news: "Major Skerry, the commander of the 1st Ranger Battalion, was arrested on charges of desertion and dereliction of duty.