Chapter 251: Emergency Information

Chapter 251: Emergency Information

It was only the first week of June, and Luo Ning was preparing to announce the knights he would take to Chishan Town when a carrier bird from Wushan Fort arrived, bringing urgent news that changed everything.

"Is the Polante Thieves Group collaborating with the Black Gold Brotherhood?"

The letter contained intelligence solely about the Black Gold Brotherhood, stating that the faction had begun gathering troops on the southeastern border of Wushan Territory and had already started harassing the neighboring noble domains.

Luo Ning turned to Rydar.

"What do you think?"

Rydar took the letter, read it twice, and pondered for a moment before offering his thoughts.

"Sir, there are two possibilities.

The first is exactly as you suspect—the Polante Thieves Group and the Black Gold Brotherhood are working together. One seized Chishan Town while the other took advantage of the situation to pressure the southeast, forcing Wushan Fort to split its forces and fight two wars at the same time."

"But there's also a second possibility—these two forces are not allied. Instead, the Black Gold Brotherhood may have simply seen an opportunity. Upon hearing of the Polante Bandits' occupation of Chishan Town, they might have stationed troops at the border to see if they could take advantage of the situation."

Luo Ning nodded. He personally believed the first scenario was more likely, but the second was not impossible.

After all, the Black Gold Brotherhood's movements followed the Polante Bandits' actions. If they had truly coordinated, they should have acted at the same time.

If one side occupied Chishan Town, the other should have launched an attack immediately, or at least made a move instead of waiting nearly ten days before gathering at the border.

Regardless of the truth, one thing was certain—Earl Wiggins' plan to leverage his military advantage to swiftly retake Chishan Town was no longer viable.

Luo Ning sighed.

That was why Wiggins had sent this letter to all lords, urging them to speed up their war preparations. He also summoned nobles of all ranks to Wushan Fortress for a war council on June 12.

"Sir, from what I know, the Black Gold Brotherhood was severely weakened in last year's battle, losing several occupied territories. The fact that they now have the strength to provoke Wushan Territory again is… suspicious," Rydar remarked.

Now that Wubei Territory was stabilizing, Rydar, McKen, and the other knights spent their time training troops and gathering intelligence.

With the war looming, Rydar had even arranged private meetings with Rogna, Kurami, and Grado—three knights from Horse Herder City—to gather detailed information about both factions.

"Rydar, don't doubt your instincts. There are hidden forces behind them."

Luo Ning's gaze sharpened.

"Especially the Black Gold Brotherhood. Even though their territory is no larger than that of two viscounts, they command several squads of knights. Their strength cannot be judged solely by their territory or wealth."

However, at present, the Black Gold Brotherhood was not Luo Ning's primary concern.

"Our target is still the Polante Thieves Group," he affirmed.

His plan with Wiggins had been set—even if the Black Gold Brotherhood made a move, Luo Ning would focus only on reclaiming Chishan Town.

But now, things had changed.

With Wushan Fort potentially dividing its forces, securing Chishan Town was no longer a guaranteed victory.

That meant Luo Ning needed to bring more men and resources, rather than just a small group of trusted knights.

"Rydar, how well-equipped are our knight squads?" Luo Ning asked.

"Currently, all knights have ironwood shields, ironwood helmets, and spears, with some extras in reserve.

The cavalry's lamellar armor has been prepared, as well as chest guards for the infantry and archers. However, we're still short on lamellar armor for the foot soldiers."

Luo Ning frowned slightly.

With the territory's growing population, the Ironwood Workshop had expanded production several times over, and its monthly output was now significant.

However, this war had erupted too suddenly.

If they had just two more months, they could have fully equipped the entire infantry with lamellar armor.

"I'll have Wilson push the workshops to increase production over the next month," Luo Ning decided.

"Our soldiers must be as well-equipped as possible before marching onto the battlefield."

Rydar's eyes widened. "Sir… are we deploying an entire knight force this time?"

"Yes."

Luo Ning's tone was firm.

"I will personally lead our troops. Twelve extraordinary individuals will accompany me, and the cavalry, infantry, and archers will be deployed at full strength."

Initially, Luo Ning had planned to join Wushan Fort's forces with only a few trusted knights.

But now, with Wushan Fort forced to divide its army, retaking Chishan Town was no longer a sure thing.

If they failed, not only would they lose the Chishan iron mine, but Luo Ning's reputation as a commander would also suffer.

After careful consideration, he decided to bring his own knight squad into battle.

Of course, there would be casualties—he had spent considerable time and resources training these knights.

However, real warriors are forged in battle.

Without actual battlefield experience, no amount of training would truly prepare them. If Wubei Territory was to build a strong, battle-hardened army, they needed to fight real wars.

That didn't mean they would charge in recklessly. As commander, Luo Ning could choose a strategic front where they had the advantage.

"There's still time before we depart," he told Rydar.

"Continue training as usual. Instill confidence in the men. Let them know—if we win this battle, they will be richly rewarded.

Gold, land, and honor—all will be theirs."

If they succeeded in capturing Chishan Town's iron mine, it would more than compensate for the rewards given to the soldiers.

Additionally, this war would introduce the Ironwood Workshop's weaponry to the world.

Equipping all cavalry and infantry with full iron armor was expensive, and most nobles couldn't afford it.

However, ironwood armor was a different story.

While wooden armor was vulnerable to fire, ironwood was highly resistant. Even if soldiers stood in flames, it would take several seconds to ignite.

Unless the enemy had a magician capable of casting large-scale fire spells, the disadvantage was minimal.

"I understand," Rydar said solemnly.

Since its formation, the Wubei knight squad had dedicated itself to rigorous training.

Under the guidance of Rydar, McKen, and the others, the troops had developed discipline, obedience, and battle techniques.

While they weren't yet on par with battle-hardened veterans, they were far superior to the average militia.

Rydar clenched his fist.

"I hope Wubei Territory can grow stronger under my Lord's leadership. If we keep progressing, I will be able to train even more elite soldiers!"

As the nobles of Wushan Territory prepared for war, most of them chose not to mobilize their full forces.

Professional knights and cavalry were too valuable—losing even a few would be a huge blow to a noble house.

However, they also couldn't afford to appear weak.

They had to send a respectable force, demonstrating their commitment to the war effort.

Everything was proceeding as planned.

Until a letter from the southeast disrupted everything.

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