Chapter 78: A million-strong allied force

Seeing Roko enter, Baron Leo gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

Roko nodded slightly in return, then sat down in an empty seat near the end.

Fura and Hart stood silently behind him, one to his left and one to his right.

The air inside the tent seemed to have frozen; there was only the occasional "pop" of burning candles and the slightly heavy breathing of the nobles.

"Everyone is here."

Duke Auston finally spoke, his voice not loud, yet carrying a profound sense of majesty.

His gaze was sharp, slowly sweeping over every noble present.

"I presume you have all noticed that some people did not come."

The Duke's tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"They have made their own choices."

"But that is not important."

"What is important is that you are still here."

"You should all be aware of the situation in the Xin Feng Province."

"The departure of the Iron Lion Knights has placed immense pressure upon us."

"However, this is also an opportunity."

Duke Auston paused, seemingly observing the reactions of those present.

"Before the Iron Lion Knights left, the total number of allied forces in the Xin Feng Province was no more than three hundred thousand."

"And now."

A meaningful arc curled at the corner of his mouth.

"According to the figures reported from various regions, the forces now gathered on the Luoxing Pingyuan and surrounding areas have exceeded one million!"

"One million!"

Once this number was uttered, a wave of irrepressible, low exclamations erupted within the tent.

Many nobles wore expressions of disbelief.

Even Roko felt a slight stir in his heart.

Behind this number, there must be a vast amount of untrained serfs and able-bodied men.

Yet even so, the sheer quantity of a million men was enough to provide the nobles present with a faint, yet tangible, sense of security.

At the very least, it didn't sound so hopeless anymore.

"Of course, among this million-strong army, the number of true elites is not high."

Duke Auston seemed to see through everyone's thoughts, pouring a bucket of cold water without mercy.

"Most are merely serfs who have just picked up weapons, and able-bodied men forced into service."

"It is unrealistic to expect them to engage in head-on slaughter with those ferocious orcs."

"However, quantity can sometimes compensate for a lack of quality."

"At the very least, we have more confidence in a war of attrition."

The Duke's tone shifted, his gaze becoming sharp.

"Next, I will reassign the defensive sectors and tasks for each unit."

"Marquis Jean Carlton."

Duke Auston looked at a middle-aged noble sitting at the head of his left hand.

That was a Marquis with a gaunt face and sinister eyes, whose family crest was a roaring black leopard.

"Present."

Marquis Carlton replied in a deep voice.

"Your unit will be responsible for clearing out ten orc gathering points on the provincial border."

"These areas were not thoroughly cleared previously due to the insufficient manpower of the Iron Lion Knights."

"Now, this task is entrusted to you."

"Remember, I only want results."

"Yes, Master Duke."

Marquis Carlton nodded, without any superfluous words.

Duke Auston's gaze then turned to several other powerful Earls and Viscounts, assigning similar clearing tasks one by one.

These tasks were mostly concentrated in secondary directions along the provincial border.

Although there were risks, relatively speaking, the pressure was not too great.

The nobles who were named showed expressions of slight relief.

Finally, Duke Auston's gaze fell upon Roko and a large group of capable Barons, as well as a few Pioneer Nobles.

"As for the rest of you."

The Duke's voice rose sharply.

"I will draw elites from your units to form a main legion of two hundred thousand men."

"They will be primarily responsible for clearing out the largest and most stubborn orc tribes along the provincial border!"

Once these words were spoken, the tent was in an uproar.

Those capable Pioneer Nobles wore expressions of disbelief.

These were, after all, the private armies of these nobles.

Every elite was personally cultivated by them at a great cost.

Now, with one light sentence, Duke Auston wanted to take their elites away.

How could they accept this?

Yet, Duke Auston seemed completely indifferent to their reactions, continuing in a cold voice.

"My men will execute my orders tomorrow."

"Prepare yourselves."

"Anyone who dares to defy military orders, or acts in bad faith during the elite selection process, will be treated as a traitor!"

"Clatter!"

At this, the entire tent exploded.

"Master Duke! This, this must not be!"

An elderly Baron shouted with a trembling voice.

"Our private armies were built by our families over several generations of hard work!"

"To reorganize them by force like this, isn't that taking our lifeblood?"

"Indeed, Master Duke! Please reconsider!"

"The knights under our command only listen to the orders of our own families!"

"If this happens, won't the military morale be in chaos?"

For a time, voices of opposition rose one after another.

The independence of noble private armies was the foundation of their survival.

Duke Auston's move was tantamount to touching everyone's reverse scale.

Roko's brow also furrowed slightly.

Although he had anticipated Duke Auston's iron-fisted approach, he had not expected the other party to be so direct and overbearing; this was no longer a simple issue of command, but an attempt to completely control the armed forces of all the nobles.

"Quiet!"

Duke Auston slammed the table, producing a dull, thunderous sound.

The clamor inside the tent ceased abruptly. 【83】 The Duke's cold gaze slowly swept over everyone.

The Duke's cold gaze slowly swept over everyone.

"I know you are not convinced."

"But this is a time of war!"

"The Xin Feng Province has reached a moment of life and death!"

"If you still harbor thoughts of fighting on your own and preserving your strength, then only destruction awaits us!"

"Only by twisting all our strength into a single rope do we have a chance to defeat those brutal Northland Orcs!"

"My orders are not to be questioned!"

"Whoever dares to disobey will be executed!"

Cold killing intent permeated the entire tent.

Those nobles who had originally wanted to voice their opposition closed their mouths subconsciously after coming into contact with Duke Auston's tangible killing intent.

Roko's gaze met with his Seventh Uncle Leo and Twelfth Uncle Ban En not far away.

Both uncles' faces were filled with helplessness and anger, but more so, a sense of powerlessness.

In the face of absolute power, any resistance seemed so pale.

"Roko Raymond."

Duke Auston's gaze suddenly turned to Roko.

"Present."

Roko stood up and replied in a deep voice.

"Your troops will also be incorporated into the main legion."

"You will be notified of your specific tasks later."

"Yes, Master Duke."

Roko replied calmly.

He knew that any objection at this moment would only invite unnecessary trouble.

Duke Auston nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with Roko's tact.

Subsequently, he announced some other military deployments, as well as matters related to logistics and supplies.

The entire meeting lasted for nearly an hour before finally ending in a stifling atmosphere.

The night was deep.

Inside the temporary camp on the Luoxing Pingyuan, apart from the footsteps of patrolling soldiers and the occasional neighing of warhorses, there was only the sound of the wind wailing as it passed through the tents.

In an inconspicuous, remote tent, several candles were lit, gathering over a dozen nobles with varied expressions—these people were mostly Barons and Pioneer Knights who had been forcibly assigned to the main legion by Duke Auston during the day's meeting and faced the reorganization of their troops.

"This Auston! He is simply going too far!"

A short, fat Baron cursed in a low, indignant voice.

"He is forcing us onto a path to death!"

"Who is to say otherwise?"

Another rather young Pioneer Knight chimed in, his face filled with worry.

"I worked so hard to pull together over two hundred men, among whom are over a dozen knights my family has cultivated for years."

"If he forcibly drafts them, what will I have left to defend my territory in the future?"

"I've tallied it up."

A Baron with a slightly hoarse voice spoke up.

He looked to be about fifty years old, with a hint of shrewdness in his eyes.

"The knights and soldiers under our command add up to at least thirty thousand."

"If we follow Duke Auston's words, I fear at least one-third, that is, over ten thousand people, will be drafted and incorporated into his so-called 'main core'."

"One-third?!"

This number caused all the nobles present to gasp.

"Then won't what we have left be nothing but untrained able-bodied men and serfs who can't even hold a weapon steady?"

"How can we fight a war like this?"

"Isn't this sending us to our deaths?"

The atmosphere inside the tent became even more stifling.

Despair and anger spread in everyone's hearts.

"Damn it! I'm not doing it!"

A low-ranking knight with a fiery temper stood up abruptly, a hint of madness on his face.

"At worst, I'll take my men and leave this godforsaken place overnight!"

"Back to my territory, even if the orcs attack, I'll die on my own land!"

"Don't even think about making me cannon fodder for Auston!"

"Shut up! Clive!"

An elderly Baron sitting opposite him shouted sternly.

"Do you think you can just leave now?"

"Duke Auston's scouts have likely already spread across the entire Luoxing Pingyuan!"

"The moment you step out of the camp, you'll be caught as a deserter!"

"By then, not only you, but your entire family will likely be implicated!"

Upon hearing this, the madness on the knight named Clive's face dissipated significantly, replaced by a sense of dejection and unwillingness.

He sat back down heavily, letting out a sigh of helplessness.

"Then what should we do now?"

"Are we just going to let Auston manipulate us?"

The tent fell into silence once again.

After a long while, the shrewd elderly Baron spoke slowly.

"Things have reached this point; head-on confrontation with Duke Auston is no longer possible."

"The only thing we can do is try our best to secure some favorable conditions for ourselves within the Duke's plan."

"I've gathered some information."

He lowered his voice and said mysteriously.

"Although we have had our elites drafted and incorporated into Duke Auston's main core, the areas we are responsible for are mostly near the Castilla Principality."

"The orc tribes there are relatively weak, and their numbers are not too large."

"The high-end combat power we have, such as the knights under everyone here, although some will be drafted, shouldn't all be taken away."

"As long as we can retain a portion of our core strength, and rely on the prowess of our knights."

"Even if we are leading those serfs and able-bodied men, dealing with those insignificant orc tribes shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"At the very least, it's much safer than gnawing on those hard bones."

Hearing him say this, many of the nobles present showed expressions of contemplation.

Although they were still unwilling, they understood that this might be the only choice for now.

Rather than challenging Duke Auston's authority, it was better to find a way to preserve themselves within the established framework.

They still had considerable confidence in their own strength and that of their knights.

In their view, as long as they held the advantage in high-end combat power, those low-level orcs were nothing to fear.

The next morning.

On the Luoxing Pingyuan, the sound of horns rose one after another.

Units of varying sizes, led by their respective lords, began to break camp one after another and set off in different directions.

The entire plain was plunged into a tense and busy atmosphere.

Roko's camp had also completed its assembly early.

He bid a simple farewell to his Seventh Uncle Leo and Twelfth Uncle Ban En, who had come to see him off.

"Roko, be careful in everything."

Seventh Uncle Leo's face was filled with worry.

"Duke Auston's move this time is too big; I fear it will attract an attack from the main orc force."

"So, you must not let your guard down."

"Thank you for the reminder, Seventh Uncle, I understand."

Roko nodded.

"Both uncles must also take care of yourselves."

"Our Raymond family must not lose our momentum on the battlefield."

"Haha, that goes without saying!"

Baron Leo laughed heartily and patted Roko on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, your Seventh Uncle isn't so old that I can't lift a sword!"

Although Baron Ban En didn't say much, he also patted Roko's other shoulder heavily, his eyes filled with encouragement.

After bidding farewell to his two uncles, Roko led the Vanguard Valley troops, along with the four thousand "new recruits" temporarily assigned to him by Duke Auston, and joined the main legion's marching sequence.

The army marched, dust billowing.

Roko rode on his horse, his gaze sweeping over the "new recruits" beside him, who wore expressions of confusion and unease.

These men were poorly equipped and their formations were loose.

They formed a sharp contrast with the well-equipped and disciplined Vanguard Valley troops under his command.

He knew that Duke Auston assigning these people to him was ostensibly to strengthen his power, but in reality, it was also a test and a trial.

Just as the army was marching, a messenger from Duke Auston suddenly rode up to Roko.

"Master Roko."

The messenger bowed slightly on his horse.

"The Duke has an order."

"You are ordered to assume the position of Commander of the Main Legion's Scout Battalion, effective immediately!"

"You are responsible for commanding the five thousand troops under your command, as well as all scout units directly under the legion, to expand the reconnaissance range of the surrounding area!"

"You must ensure the safety of the legion's marching route and promptly ascertain the movements of the orc tribes ahead!"

"Commander of the Scout Battalion?"

Roko's brow arched slightly.

This appointment was somewhat unexpected.

Scout units were of vital importance in marching and combat, but they also meant greater risk and responsibility.

"Yes."

The messenger replied respectfully.

"The Duke also said that the Scout Battalion's actions can be relatively independent and do not need to be completely restricted by the marching speed of the main legion."

"Understood."

Roko nodded.

"Please tell the Duke that Roko will certainly not fail his mission."

The messenger took the order and left.

Roko immediately summoned Martina and Hart.

"Martina, Hart."

"The Duke has appointed me as Commander of the Scout Battalion, in command of these five thousand men."

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Martina's bright eyes.

"Roko, although the Scout Battalion is dangerous, it also has greater autonomy."

"We can use this opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the battlefield environment in advance, and perhaps even find a suitable location to establish a temporary base."

"Just as you said before, using those simple earth-made castles as a support for our actions."

"Exactly."

Roko nodded in approval.

"Hart, you must immediately select the most elite scouts from our Vanguard Valley main force and mix them with the scouts directly under the legion."

"I want to control the movements of the entire Scout Battalion in the shortest possible time."

"At the same time, have Ron and Joven begin preliminary reorganization and training for those four thousand new recruits."

"Although their foundation is poor, at the very least, they must understand that military orders are like mountains."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Hart replied in a deep voice.

Three days later.

The Scout Battalion led by Roko finally arrived at the border area of the Xin Feng Province.

Before them lay a stretch of rolling hills and mountains, interspersed with dense forests and rushing rivers.

The terrain was complex, and the environment was harsh.

The Scout Battalion's temporary camp had just begun to be built.

Duke Auston once again summoned the commanders of all units, including Roko, to hold a brief military meeting.

At the meeting, the Duke announced that the main legion would be divided into two large camps.

One would be responsible for clearing out the scattered orc tribes in the surrounding area.

The other would be responsible for using local materials to build a simple defensive castle as an advance base and logistics transit station for the army.

The tasks of the two camps would be rotated periodically.

Although Roko's Scout Battalion was nominally responsible for reconnaissance, it also received the task of clearing out small orc tribes in the surrounding area.

In Duke Auston's words, it was "training the troops."

After the meeting ended, Duke Auston's butler, Philip, quietly stopped Roko.

"Master Roko, please stay."

Butler Philip wore a gentle smile, his tone as respectful as ever.

"The Duke has high hopes for you."

"He specifically instructed me to pay more attention to your situation."

"If you encounter any trouble that is difficult to solve while executing your mission, or if you need any support, please be sure to inform me in time."

"The Duke will certainly do his best to provide you with help."

Roko understood in his heart.

However, he remained calm on the surface and smiled.

"Thank you for your concern, Butler Philip, and please tell the Duke that Roko will certainly do his utmost to complete the mission."

Butler Philip nodded with a smile and turned to leave.

The next day.

Roko received his first formal clearing mission.

He was responsible for clearing out all orc tribes, large and small, within an area of approximately two thousand square kilometers around his camp.

This range was by no means small.

Roko personally led five thousand men, left the temporary camp, and headed deep into the vast mountains.

Due to the complex terrain and rugged mountain roads, the march of the large force was exceptionally difficult.

Those newly conscripted recruits were even more miserable, complaining endlessly.

"Master, the mountain road ahead is becoming increasingly difficult to traverse, and the forest is dense, which is not conducive to the deployment of a large army."

Hart came to Roko's side and reported in a deep voice.

"Should we change our marching route?"

Roko pulled on the reins, looking at the mountains looming ahead like giant beasts, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Pass on my order, the entire army is to turn southeast and advance along that river valley."

"Yes!"

During the march, those new recruits assigned to Roko gradually began to adapt after experiencing the initial chaos and complaints.

Especially when they saw the Vanguard Valley soldiers under Roko, who maintained strict discipline and high morale even in such a harsh environment.

In their hearts, they couldn't help but make a comparison.

"Sigh, we're all soldiers, why is the gap so big?"

A young man from a small Baron's territory complained in a low voice to his companion while wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Our lord only knows how to urge for rent and collect taxes; when has he ever cared about our lives?"

"Look at Master Raymond, how good he is to his subordinates; not only is the food sufficient, but I heard there are heavy rewards for meritorious service!"

"Yeah, yeah, and Master Raymond looks so young, yet he's so capable!"

Another soldier chimed in.

"If only we could follow Master Raymond forever, that would be great."

Similar discussions were not uncommon among those new recruits.

Hart soon reported these situations to Roko.

"Young Master, many of those new recruits have developed a favorable impression of you, and some have even revealed intentions of wanting to defect to our Vanguard Valley."

Upon hearing this, Roko just smiled faintly.

"Now is not the time to deal with these things."

"Their loyalty still needs to be tested by blood and fire."

"Right now, the most important thing is to complete the mission assigned by the Duke."

He cast his gaze toward a marker point on the map, located downstream.

"Our first target is there."

"A kobold tribe with a population of about two thousand."

Night fell once again.

Inside Roko's tent, the lights were bright.

Hart, Fura, and several low-ranking officers who had performed well and were temporarily promoted from the four thousand new recruits were all gathered here.

"Everyone."

Roko's gaze swept over each person's face.

"Tomorrow morning, we will launch a surprise attack on that kobold tribe downstream."

"Hart, you will lead one thousand elites from the Vanguard Valley main force as the main attack, approaching secretly along the river, and must tear open the enemy's defensive line in the shortest possible time."

"Yes, Young Master!"

"Fura, you will lead fifty knights as a reserve force, ready to provide support at any time."

"Meow."

Fura responded softly, her heterochromatic eyes, intertwined with deep blue and shattered gold, flashing with a serious light.

"As for the remaining troops."

Roko looked at those temporary officers.

"You will be responsible for encircling from the periphery, blocking all possible escape routes for the kobolds, and forming an encirclement."

"Remember, I have only one word for my order: kill!"

"Any kobold that dares to resist is to be executed!"

"However, before the battle ends, I do not want to hear any discordant sounds."

"Whoever dares to flee in the face of battle, or delays the timing of the battle, will be dealt with according to military law!"

The cold tone made those temporary officers' hearts tremble, and they quickly bowed in response.

The next morning.

The sky was slightly bright.

Roko personally led one thousand Vanguard Valley elites and appeared silently on the periphery of the kobold tribe.

This tribe was built along the river, with only some simple wooden fences around it, which could hardly be called any defense.

At this moment, the tribe was silent, clearly not yet awake from their sleep.

"Kill!"

With Roko's order.

One thousand Vanguard Valley soldiers, like tigers descending from the mountain, instantly broke through the fragile fences and slaughtered their way into the tribe.

The shrill screams and the clanging of weapons colliding instantly broke the silence of the morning.

The kobold tribe suffered a devastating blow almost without any preparation.

They rushed out of their huts in a panic, only to face the Vanguard Valley soldiers who were already lined up and waiting.

From the very beginning, the battle presented a one-sided massacre.

The kobold chieftain, a guy who was significantly larger than the other kobolds, had just rushed out of his tent when he was beheaded by Fura with a single sword strike.

At the same time, the encirclement formed by the four thousand new recruits had also been completed.

Although their combat power was far inferior to the Vanguard Valley elites, they were more than enough to intercept the stragglers fleeing in all directions.

In less than half an hour.

The battle was nearing its end.

The entire kobold tribe was awash in blood, with corpses strewn everywhere.

Roko ordered the battlefield to be cleaned and the prisoners to be counted.

A captured kobold remained unruly when brought before Roko.

"Despicable humans! Do you think you can defeat our great orcs like this?"

It roared in the awkward language of the Black Kingdom.

"Tell you what! Our true orc army will be here soon!"

"By then, the entire Xin Feng Province will be the land of our orcs!"

"You hateful humans, you will all die!"

Roko's brow furrowed slightly.

"Orc army?"

He signaled for Hart to come forward.

"Interrogate him well; I want to know what is going on with the orc army he speaks of."

Over the next two days, Roko led the Scout Battalion and eradicated all the small orc tribes in his responsible area.

Although they encountered some sporadic resistance, in the face of the powerful combat power of the Vanguard Valley elites, these resistances seemed so vulnerable.

When Roko completed his mission and led his troops back to the main legion's temporary camp.

He was surprised to find that after only a few days of absence, the place had changed drastically.

A thick earth wall several meters high had already risen, encircling the entire camp.

Although it still looked a bit rough, it had the embryonic form of a castle.

Clearly, Duke Auston had put a lot of effort into building this temporary base.

Roko did not delay and immediately went to the central command to report to Duke Auston.

He recounted in detail the kobold prisoner's confession regarding the "impending orc army attack" to the Duke.

After Duke Auston finished listening, a hint of imperceptible gravity finally appeared on his face, which did not change easily.

"Orc army..."

3

He tapped on the table, lost in thought. **CHAPTER 79**

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.