Chapter 104: Taking the Initiative!

Bjorn, responsible for monitoring the northern front, arrived at the river bay to discuss military matters with Leo and others.

Uriyan, Magna, Fisa, and other tribal leaders gathered around the hearth to hear Bjorn’s report.

“According to the latest intelligence, this tribe will soon move south. The palisade at the logging camp has been completed and can serve as the first line of defense, but the wolffang camp’s walls have only just had their foundations laid—there’s likely not enough time to finish it.”

“The Gnolls’ technology is quite backward. They lack sufficient ranged and siege weapons and are poor swimmers. As long as we hold the river bay and the logging camp, supporting each other, we can wear them down to exhaustion.”

Uriyan added, “I’m in contact with nearby lords. If we can hold for two or three days, knights from surrounding territories will organize reinforcements.”

“What does Elder Zulvan say?” someone asked.

Bjorn replied, “Don’t worry. The great waterfall is hidden deep within the valley, making it unsuitable for large-scale attacks. Even if the Gnolls find us, they won’t recklessly assault us. But the conflict can’t drag on too long. Losing the hunting grounds means losing our food source.”

“We’ve stored a good amount of grain at the river bay and can transport some to the great waterfall to help you through this period.”

As they discussed, both Magna and Bjorn felt somewhat relieved.

Though the Gnolls were numerous, their own side was growing in strength.

Looking at the crude map, Uriyan’s face grew grave as he said in a low voice, “We absolutely cannot allow them to cross the Anzeno River from the north. Once they enter the river bay peninsula, regardless of victory or defeat, the cultivated fields will be trampled, and the newly sown seeds will fail to sprout.”

Bjorn and Magna, both from fishing and hunting tribes, did not fully grasp Uriyan’s emphasis on farmland but chose not to dispute it, quietly nodding.

It was not hard to understand—farmland in the river bay equated to the hunting grounds of the wild folk, both being primary food sources.

If the Gnolls occupied the hunting grounds, devoured the game, and trampled the fields, even a final victory would come with a harsh price that year.

The river bay also had iron mines and logging camps, enabling external trade to acquire food; meanwhile, the wild folk had only the forest.

With such calculations, the wild folk’s fate was undoubtedly more tragic, but they had long been accustomed to it.

Leo, silent through much of the discussion, suddenly spoke up, “Who says we have to fight here? We can take the fight back to them.”

Everyone exchanged glances. Bjorn hesitated, “They number a thousand—and probably more now. How do you propose we fight them?”

Leo stood and smiled, “Didn’t we already gain experience last time? We just need to do it again.”

“The river bay can muster a hundred infantry, the kobolds a hundred crossbowmen, and the Basaka a hundred archers—a formal force of three hundred. As long as we avoid direct confrontation with the Gnolls, our chances are good.”

“The Gnolls’ hunting parties number about a hundred each and scatter across our hunting grounds. We can use our home advantage to catch and eliminate several groups, then, just like last time, set an ambush to slaughter a portion. Once the Gnolls suffer over half casualties and their morale breaks, we can crush them in one decisive strike.”

“This way, we protect our farmland and hunting grounds and boost morale.”

“It’s foreseeable that future threats to the river bay will not be limited to this Gnoll mixed tribe. Passive defense can guarantee victory but at a high cost. Defending once, twice, thrice—until morale is shattered and hearts scattered—the river bay will no longer be our home but the hunting ground of foreigners.”

“The only way is to strike out, to make the river bay’s name feared, so enemies dare not return!”

“Besides, we have a secret weapon!”

“That’s all I have to say. Who agrees? Who objects?”

Bjorn was the first to stand, gripping Leo’s arm and declaring solemnly, “I agree! The Basaka are no cowards. We must not only defend our home and hunting grounds but also protect our honor and glory! By the war god above, we will strike out! Just as last time!”

Magna said little but rose to clasp Leo’s hand and shouted, “Basaka!”

For the northern folk, invoking the name of the ancestors was more meaningful than merely shouting “By the war god!” It was full endorsement of Leo.

Fisa, Little Mouse, and Olivia watched Leo’s confident face, their eyes shining as they embraced.

“Leo Mondo, the merciless Harash! Clever and brave! Woof woof woof!”

Uriyan also observed Leo with unusual eyes, nodding repeatedly.

Though a military officer lacking much theoretical knowledge—unfamiliar with distinctions between maneuver warfare, guerrilla tactics, and positional warfare—Uriyan’s mind was far sharper than the wild folk’s hunter, who only knew “defend home” and “attack enemy” as simple choices.

His thoughts aligned with Leo’s: take the initiative.

Using knowledge of the terrain and surprise to create local advantages, annihilate the Gnoll forces one by one, gradually breaking the enemy.

His ideas were less clearly articulated than Leo’s, still formulating in his mind when Leo spoke first.

In truth, whether wild folk, foreigners, or many imperial knights, few had experienced proper warfare or received education to understand military basics. Their skills remained at the level of rural brawls.

Many lords appeared imposing, able to lead soldiers and serfs to challenge nearby villages, but in reality, they lacked the ability to lead militias on forced marches of a hundred miles, much less conduct guerrilla warfare.

Such organizational capacity, by later standards, might not even qualify one as a squad leader, yet it was typical in this era.

Leo’s estimate of three hundred soldiers was conservative; the river bay’s fighting force was far larger.

Displaced people at the logging camp, wild folk of all ages, and kobold miners could all take up arms, potentially doubling their numbers.

Though lacking armor and equipped with rudimentary weapons, and with physical and mental resilience inferior to regular troops, they could still lift spears and thrust them into enemy chests if needed.

Uriyan was no sentimentalist like Leo, who cared for the weak.

In his view, without battle and casualties, the weak could never become strong.

Uriyan rose to conclude, “Then let it be as Leo says: each faction sends at least a hundred men, more if possible. Leo will have full command. We will wipe out these Gnolls, make their leader’s head a trophy, and send it to the ancestral temple!”

“Yes, chieftain!”

“Yes, chieftain!”

With the war order issued, most construction at the river bay was forcibly halted. Even the remaining spring sowing was rushed, planting only two hundred acres.

Except for the leaders who stayed behind with villagers to perform necessary watering and fertilizing, all camp activities ceased. The villagers withdrew into the camp, taking a brief respite.

Leo led a hundred fully armed river bay infantry, a hundred displaced people wielding spears, logging axes, and iron picks with crossbows on their backs, along with all the river bay’s draft animals. They awaited the secret weapon, joined by over a hundred Basaka archers and more than a hundred kobold crossbowmen, then set out toward the shattered stone hills.