Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 577 Siege (Twenty-nine)

"No matter how special your identity is, you are still a soldier, a soldier in the combat sequence.

"I don't remember ever giving you the order to 'come to the front', Major Montagne." Gesar's tone was not only stern, but even a little aggressive. "So, what are you doing in the Castle of Kings?"

Inside the central army tent, the atmosphere of relaxed chatting between friends regardless of age difference was instantly cleared, and the atmosphere became solemn and serious.

Geisa Adonis was no longer speaking as a friend or a senior, but was questioning as a superior and the highest military leader.

Although he was still angry, Geisa's anger was no longer the feigned anger he had shown when he complained that Winters did not come to see him the first time. Instead, he was really angry.

But beneath the surging anger, Winters caught a fleeting glimpse of negativity.

Sadness? Disappointment? Exhaustion? It's hard to tell what it is.

Winters could understand why Geisa had such a strong reaction, because Geisa wasn't just asking, "What are you doing here?"

Still asking, “Who asked you to come?”

He was even asking, "Are you guys going to join forces to deal with me?"

Because it was not Gesa Adonis but Skull Mecklen who urgently summoned Winters back.

"During the time you were in the Castle of the Kings, the fleets of the Federation became increasingly active," Winters chose his words carefully. He did not answer the question directly, but started talking about the river defense. "They are no longer satisfied with just blocking the waterway of the Cinders Stream River. They have begun to harass ports along the coast, even inland ports such as Green Bay and Rock Harbor. Some fishermen have also witnessed strange ships measuring the water depth..."

"Do you need to tell me this?" Geisa frowned, picked up the whip on the map table, and knocked heavily on the file box behind him. "Do you think Skull only handed you the letter and didn't inform me?"

"Of course you know more about the rear affairs faster and more comprehensively than I do," Winters first affirmed Geisa, then changed the subject, "But you and I may have some differences in our views on the movements of the Federation Fleet."

"Oh, really?" Geisa grinned, making the scar covering half of his face look even more hideous. He asked in a friendly manner, "What's the disagreement?"

Winters answered honestly, "I don't agree with your opinion that the actions of the United Provinces Fleet are just tricks to tie down our forces. I support Commodore Skull's judgment. I think the activeness of the United Provinces Fleet is likely a precursor to an attack."

"I understand," Gesar raised his chin and sneered, "Skull, that stupid guy, couldn't beat me, so he brought you back."

Geisa spread his hands and said, "What's next? Get rid of me? Skoll and Matthias only have two votes, which is not enough. But, with your two votes, we can do whatever we want."

Winters' brows twisted into a knot when he heard this. He stared at Geisa Adonis, looking him up and down without saying a word.

Geisa was annoyed by being stared at, and asked sternly, "What are you looking at? Don't you recognize me?"

"It does look a bit strange," Winters said, moving his camp chair back in disdain. He asked incredulously, "You've only been the boss for a few days? Have you grown scales already?"

Geisa was furious and wanted to have a big fight, but he couldn't understand what Winters was talking about after thinking for a long time. He could only pinch his nose and ask fiercely: "What do you mean?"

Winters was too lazy to explain. He told the chairman of the interim military committee directly: "No one is colluding privately, no one is forming a small group, and no one wants to get rid of you. Please rest assured. We are not from the Federation and are addicted to coups."

Geisa was stunned at first, then he flew into a rage and slammed the table and stood up: "Is this what I care about?"

"If not," Winters asked, "what do you have to worry about or be angry about?"

Geisa was speechless, wanting to refute and defend himself, but he didn't know where to start. He was a man with a strong sense of self-esteem, and he couldn't handle unreasonable arguments; he was good at using his power to pressure people, but it also depended on who the target was - he couldn't count on this guy in front of him.

Anyway, Geisa didn't know what to say, so he crossed his arms and simply kept silent.

"However," Winters stepped up the steps and solemnly told Gesar, "I have to admit to you that it was Brigadier General Skull Mecklen who found me.

"Brigadier General Skull does believe that it is necessary to review the current strategy within the Provisional Military Committee, especially to discuss whether to continue the siege of the Castle of the Kings - at least that's what he told me in his letter."

Geisa was immediately inspired and slapped the armrest: "After all, it's still necessary..."

"No," Winters interrupted Geisa bluntly and reiterated, "It's 'discussion', not 'the minority obeys the majority'. Brigadier General Skoll hopes that the four-member group will reach a consensus again, and no one wants to go to the step of 'voting'.

"If Brigadier General Skoll, Colonel Matthias, and I really intended to use voting to force you to surrender, then there would be no need for me to come all the way back. My two votes have long been authorized to Andre and Senior Mason. Don't you know that?"

"Then why did you come back?" Geisa glared.

"I came back to avoid voting," Winters said seriously, "You have to admit that since you became the Supreme Commander, you have become stubborn and self-willed - of course, it is also possible that you have always been like this."

Geisa's face changed and he was about to have another attack.

Before Geza could get angry, Winters spoke first, "Anyway, Brigadier General Skull is too busy in Maplestone City to spare any time; Colonel Matthias is making great progress and it is impossible for him to abandon the North Foothills Province, where the situation is very good, and run to the Castle of the Kings. Apart from these two people, who else do you think can speak to you?"

It would have been fine if Matthias Korwin hadn't been mentioned, but when Matthias was mentioned, Geza became even more furious. While Geza led the main force to fight outside the Castle of the Kings, the detachment commanded by Matthias Korwin kept reporting good news.

That alone would be fine.

The problem was that while Matthias Korvin was conquering cities, he was also asking for reinforcements and supplies from the rear.

The reasons were very sufficient: he needed reinforcements because he needed troops to garrison the surrendered towns; he needed supplies because the taxation system of the Beilu Province had collapsed and he could not collect money and food unless he robbed them openly.

Whether or not this was true, Matthias Korvin's conquests in the northern provinces distracted the forces of the new lands, and the more he advanced, the more resources he occupied.

Therefore, when Matthias Korvin was mentioned, Geisa became furious.

But Geisa couldn't express it directly, because he couldn't accept others thinking that he was jealous of others' talents.

So his tone suddenly became harsh.

"Yes," Gesa said coldly, "Besides them, there is only you."

Winters was sensitive to the brigadier general's emotional changes. He thought about it in the direction of Matthias Korwin and rationally decided, "No matter what, let's not mention the matter of the Northern Foothills Province for the time being."

Of course, the best way to deal with it is to get the topic back on track.

So Winters leaned over the map table and asked seriously, "Don't you really think the Federalists might be planning a right hook?"

"Right hook?" Gesar snorted. "Skull is used to being cautious. He sees ambushes everywhere. If Jason Cornelius really had that much force, why would he come to the Castle of Kings with a thousand men?"

Gesar glanced at Winters, "Didn't you also talk to the man who ran away from the city? Before coming to see me."

"You really can't hide anything from me," Winters nodded. "We did talk about it, but that guy is a complete idiot. He still hasn't figured out that Minister Cornelius let him out on purpose."

"But the information he provided corroborates the intelligence I received earlier." Geisa stood up and paced beside the map table. "There were two battalions of soldiers from the Federation in the Castle of Kings. They were the troops sent by Guitu City to help Magnus suppress the opponents.

"Jason Cornelius brought two battalions of infantry, and if we add in the scattered artillery, engineers, and auxiliary troops, the total number will not exceed three thousand.

"Except for these 3,000 soldiers from the Federation, the rest of the troops in the city are just donkeys covered in horse hair - they are just for show, but useless."

Geisa stopped and looked down at Winters. "During this period, the 3,000 provincial soldiers under Cornelius were killed or injured. There are not many who are left intact."

Winters believed Geisa's assessment of the current strength of the troops in the city, but he had some very bad suspicions.

He always felt that this information came too easily, as if someone was feeding it to him bite by bite.

But unfounded speculation cannot be brought to the table, so Winters held back for the time being and said nothing.

The word "intact" in Geisa's words once again brought up his pain.

"Before coming to see you, I went to the wounded camp," Winters said, feeling extremely upset. "Our losses were also huge."

Hearing this, Gesa snorted coldly, put on an indifferent face, and asked provocatively, "What? Can't bear to part with it?"

Winters was not angered, but calmly asked, "Are you willing to give it up?"

Geisa's expression froze, and he stood in silence for a moment. Suddenly, he punched the map table in front of him, causing the tabletop to collapse.

"It's so fucking disgusting!" Geisa gritted his teeth and kicked the legs of the map table fiercely. "It's so fucking disgusting! Damn mud man! It's so fucking disgusting! He just won't shit himself and have a good fight..."

The guards and lieutenants at the command center heard the noise of something rustling in the tent and rushed in in a hurry.

Winters waved his hand, and the guards and lieutenant who had broken in immediately retreated.

After venting his anger, Geisa sat back heavily in his camp chair, leaning against the back, breathing heavily.

Winters stood up and poured the Commodore a glass of wine without saying anything.

But the war must go on. War is like an avalanche or a flash flood, some kind of natural disaster. It will not stop because of the sorrows or joys of the people involved.

"Please allow me," Winters broke the silence, "I have another place I want to go."

"Where are you going? Do you still need my consent?" Geisa pulled the corner of his mouth and showed a bitter smile, "Tell me, where?"

"Margit Island."