Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 82 Finding a Way to Survive
"I've found out that the council took all the boats off the island days ago, and the farmers don't even have large planks left," Gold brought back bad news.

The remaining Venetia soldiers, having escaped the manhunt, transformed into pirates and headed east, bypassing the port without stopping. Winters even sent Gold to Red Sulfur Harbor to exchange his head for some money.

The enemy is currently mostly searching for the Venetians on the southwest side of the island, while Winters and his group have already reached the east side. The situation is temporarily safe; the next step is to find a small boat to get out to sea.

Badmo stroked the stubble on his chin: "As expected, the Red Irrigation Island Council went to great lengths to prepare such a grand gift, and of course they don't want any word to leak out. Even if some islanders are hiding ships, they will definitely not hand them over."

"Can we trust this man? Wasn't he a pirate before? Wasn't he captured by us?" Andrei's focus was completely off the ship.

Winters, who was carefully examining the map of Chiliu Island, said without looking up, "I don't know why he's on our side, but if he wanted to betray us, we would be dead already, so I choose to believe him."

They first traveled on the main road, then turned onto a side road and traveled a distance before Winters ordered them to stop and rest.

The group stopped by a stream. The Venetians, who had just escaped death, had barely relaxed a little when weariness immediately crept over them. Even the sentries were dozing off, and the others were snoring the moment their backs touched the ground.

“Fourteen men who can still walk on their own, plus a large cart.” Winters thought to himself, looking at his sleeping subordinates under the shade of a tree, “This is the last of my hundred men.”

He tried not to think about what would have happened if he had chosen to "turn back" instead of "charge forward".

But as the backbone of this remnant force, he couldn't afford to think about "what ifs," much less rest. Lieutenant Montagne told himself, "You must find a way for these men to survive."

“You two come and look at the map.” Winters called Bard and Andrei to his side. “This map is 1:10000 scale. I counted the steps as we walked. After leaving Red Sulfur Harbor, we walked more than 4,400 steps on the main road and another 3,200 steps on the side roads…”

Winters was referring to marching steps, with each step consisting of one movement of the left and right feet, and each step being approximately 1.2 meters.

Bard immediately calculated the result: "Then we've walked about nine kilometers since noon, which is pretty fast, almost like a forced march."

"We don't even have a pot to eat from, how can we not walk fast?" Andrei rolled his eyes and said to Winters, "It's useless. Knowing how far we've gone is of no use. Did you bring a measuring tape?"

“I didn’t bring it, but I have this.” Winters smiled slyly and took out a steel awl: “This steel awl of mine is exactly fifteen centimeters long, no more, no less.”

The three warrant officers fiddled with the map for a while, regaining their map-reading skills, and finally determined their current location on the map based on the distance traveled and the streams and roads around them.

They continued along the road and were almost at the east coast of Chiliu Island, only about three or four kilometers away as the crow flies on the map.

“We can’t just wander around like headless chickens now.” Winters put away the map and said to the other two warrant officers, “The team will rest here for now. Bud and I will go scout eastward…”

"I want to go too!" Andrei exclaimed anxiously when he heard that he wouldn't be taken.

“You’re not going either.” Winters pushed him back down. “If the three of us aren’t here, won’t the rest of the people think we ran away? You stay here.”

As the sun began to set, Winters, who had returned to his resting place, convened a meeting with everyone.

The current situation is rather special. The composition of the troops is complex, and he is not confident in his own prestige. Therefore, he can only use this method of military democratization to make the soldiers more willing to obey orders.

“The coastline is less than four kilometers behind the hills to our east.” He didn’t waste any words and looked directly at the few sailors in the group: “Does any of you know how to build a raft?”

“Sir, I’m afraid it won’t work for you to go out to sea on a raft.” A bolder sailor explained, “Rafts not only can’t carry heavy loads, but they’ll also capsize in the slightest wind or wave, and… and we don’t even have the tools to build one.”

“What if we had the tools?” Winters countered.

The naval sailors counted on their fingers for a long time: "To fit all of us in, we'd need at least fifty pieces of timber, enough rope, and preferably some asphalt."

"Do you know anything about shipbuilding?" Winters asked again.

“I used to work in a shipyard,” the naval sailor said, scratching his head.

“Everyone heard it, the enemy has looted all the small boats, so it will be difficult for us to make some temporary rafts.” Winters looked into the soldiers’ eyes and said loudly, “Moreover, when Warrant Officer Bud and I went to scout the direction of the coast, there were enemy sentries everywhere. There is absolutely no way we can cut down trees and build boats under their noses.”

The soldiers' eyes dimmed.

“But we have another way out.” Winters’s purpose was not to demoralize the troops. He calmly stated his plan: “Lieutenant Colonel Contaire’s plan is to find a way to the coast and find a boat to go out to sea. But my plan is the opposite. We will not only not go to the coast, but we will also go northwest. We will go to the more inland parts of the island.”

The makeshift meeting room was completely silent, save for the babbling of the stream. The soldiers, though surprised and puzzled, said nothing and simply listened attentively.

The group stood in a circle, and Winters placed the map in the middle, pointing at it with a twig as he explained, “Although we are trapped on the island, the Tanilians’ ambush has actually failed. Our main force is unharmed and will soon land again. That’s why Warrant Officer Bard and I found so many Tanilians sentries along the coastline; their main defensive direction is the coast. The further inland, the fewer enemies there will be.”

Winters looked at the crowd and said, "I don't want to talk to you about empty words like 'preserve your strength and wait for victory.' What we need to do now is to do everything we can to survive until the day Veneta conquers this island. And in my opinion, the best chance of survival is to head into the heart of the island."

The soldiers of the Third Army's Chief Battalion were all full-time professional soldiers. In Winters' small unit, several deputies had served for more than a decade, which was much longer than the three warrant officers.

But regardless of whether they were veterans or new recruits, no officer had ever explained "why" to them during their service. Winters had actually underestimated his authority; he had already earned the soldiers' respect through the bloody battle in the woods and leading his troops out of the encirclement.

"Centurion Montagne, we'll all go with you! Just give the orders, and we'll do them all!"

——Cut——

early morning.

The tranquility of Tadong Village was shattered by shouts, curses, and cries.

This small farm, located in the heart of Chiliu Island and home to only forty-odd households, was suddenly invaded by a group of uninvited guests.

Seven or eight fierce-looking men dressed as sailors, carrying curved knives, kicked open the gate of a farmhouse at the east end of the village. They first beat up the male homeowner who tried to resist, and then drove the entire family, young and old, into the yard.

"We're Captain Kidd's supply convoy!" The lead pirate, with a gap in his teeth, brandished his scimitar with a sharp, whistling sound, shouting, "Bring out whatever good stuff you have! If I find it myself, don't blame me for not warning you!" "The cellar's here!" came a delighted voice from the backyard.

"Move it!" The gap-toothed pirate waved his hand.

Several pirates emerged from the backyard carrying smoked meat, pickled vegetables, and refined flour. These pirates were quite discerning, only taking the best items.

"Don't be angry, we'll pay you." The gap-toothed pirate shouted mockingly at the farmer's family, then he held his curved knife to the dazed male head of the household: "Tell me, where is the village chief's house?"

The woman and child, who had been sobbing softly, suddenly burst into deafening wails. The old woman grabbed at the gap-toothed pirate's leg, wailing, "You killed my son! You heartless bastard, kill me too..."

The gap-toothed pirate was also taken aback and quickly took a few steps back to avoid the old woman.

The old man quickly pulled his wife back inside. He stood between his family and the pirates, spreading his arms like a mother hen protecting her chicks, his expression stiff: "Don't hurt my son. I'll take you to the village chief's house."

"Alright, husband. Tell your wife to stop crying. We're not here to kill anyone." The gap-toothed pirate chuckled as he sized up the farmer's family. His eyes lingered on them, and he walked over to the huddled women and children: "Your wife is quite pretty. Is she your daughter-in-law or your daughter...?"

The old man angrily stood in front of the gap-toothed pirate, suppressing his anger and saying stiffly, "You...you're a guest in my house, you can take whatever you want...but you're not allowed to touch my woman, unless you kill me."

Behind the gap-toothed pirate, another tall pirate reached out and grabbed the gap-toothed pirate's shoulder: "Captain Kidd ordered us to collect grain, not for you to play with women. Get to work first, and after this is over, I'll treat you to some expensive prostitutes."

"Master, you're too hot-tempered. I just saw your wife crying pitifully and wanted to help comfort her." The gap-toothed pirate raised his hands and took two steps back: "If you're not happy, then forget it. Master, take us to the village chief."

A large cart was parked outside the courtyard. Seeing that everything had been loaded onto the cart, the gap-toothed pirate pulled out a handful of papers with writing on them from his belt, counted out a few at random, and stuffed them into the old man's hand: "Don't say we didn't pay you. These are military notes. Keep them safe. After the war is over, you can use these notes to collect your money at the Got Club in Chiliu Port."

The old man accepted the "military draft" with humiliation, and followed the gap-toothed pirate out of the courtyard, looking back every few steps.

The tall pirate was the last to leave. He raised his hand, and a silver coin arced through the air before landing precisely in the old woman's lap: "Keep it, don't say we didn't pay."

After saying that, he left, closing the door behind him.

In their extreme terror, the family failed to notice that the tall pirate was speaking with a clear and distinct Hai Lan Ya Yin accent.

However, there are all sorts of people in the pirate community, so it's not unusual for Venetians to be pirates.

The village chief's house was the second one whose door was kicked open.

The pirates repeated the process of "beating up those who dared to resist - driving the whole family into the yard - requisitioning grain".

"Gentlemen, our Tadong Village has already paid its quota," the village chief said timidly, head bowed.

"Bullshit! You ate yesterday, so you won't eat today? You've already paid your quota before, so you don't have to pay this one?" The gap-toothed pirate slapped the village chief's face with the flat of his scimitar. "Flour, oil, meat, salt, we want everything. Oh, and big carts too, we need six big carts. I don't need too much from you, just fill three carts, and I'll go to other villages to load the remaining three."

Looking at his son's bruised and swollen face, the village chief of Tadong Village said bitterly, "Where am I supposed to find six large trucks for you?"

"Don't you know who owns a big cart?" The gap-toothed pirate raised his eyebrows, pressed his scimitar against the other man's neck, and sneered, "Looks like you're not afraid of Captain Kidd, are you? Fine, come with me. William Kidd loves to slowly torture tough guys into soft ones..."

The village chief shuddered at his terrifying laughter, begging for mercy and swearing that he would wet his pants every time he thought of Captain Kidd, and that he would give Captain Kidd anything he wanted.

The gap-toothed pirate nodded in satisfaction and casually asked, "By the way, where does your village barber live? Is there a doctor nearby?"

……

My name is Captain Kidd
When I sail on the sea
I will do anything
I have committed many evil deeds

I killed William Moore
I killed William Moore
......"

The wagon creaked and groaned as it drove away, along with the pirates' howling songs. The wagons of the village chief and several other wealthy farmers, along with their livestock, were requisitioned, leaving the farmers of Tadong Village holding their "military scrip" in despair. Several women discovered that the vicious pirates had even stolen their iron pots.

"Now we really are robbers." Winters sighed as he sat on the wagon, swearing for once. "Won't we end up in a military court because of this?"

While driving the cart, Bader calmly said, "It's really nothing. We mainly took non-staple foods, not much staple food. Nobody will starve. During the Sovereign War, there were far worse things. The book only records one sentence: 'In times of famine, people eat each other.' Haven't we already discussed this? If we want to move through the countryside without suspicion, we can only disguise ourselves as a grain requisition team. What kind of grain requisition team is it if it doesn't even have carts?"

“We’ll talk about the future later.” Winters sat up abruptly, saying with a headache, “There’s only one doctor who can do bloodletting within a few miles, and he’s a plantation owner. This is going to be difficult.”

Lieutenant Colonel Contair's vitality was astonishing, and thanks to the meticulous care of the three warrant officers, his condition stabilized. However, another problem arose: Contair, who was in a coma, began to develop a fever.

It was clear that Kontair's fever was due to a foreign object in his wound. Upon examination, they discovered that the lead bullet, along with a piece of fabric from his clothing, had been lodged inside Kontair's body.

Even though Bard was well-versed in medical classics and had the best grades in hygiene class, he did not have the ability to open his abdomen to remove the lead bullet.

Even if you help Lieutenant Colonel Contair remove the lead bullet, he might still die. But if you don't help him remove the lead bullet, he will definitely die.

The question is whether to watch Lieutenant Colonel Contel die, give him a quick death, or find a doctor to do everything possible.

Winters, Budd, and Andrei face a difficult choice.

In fact, the song "Captain Kidd" only began to be sung after Captain Kidd was hanged.

Thank you to all the readers who voted for this book before, especially the readers who voted for it: JusticePureIsKoala, PleaseCallMePleasantSheep,DontKnowWhatToCall,writersblock,YuanHongjian,Reader20181013204343295, andKeKkKkk. Thank you everyone.

(End of this chapter)