Chapter 280: The Attitude of War
"War is a matter of great importance to the Kingdom, a place of life and death, the path of survival and destruction; it must not be ignored."
Matthew's sentry team crossed the newly built wooden bridge and rushed toward the other side of the Silvermoon River.
Yaya carefully pondered the meaning of these words, asking questions whenever she didn't understand.
Matthew, without lowering his voice, explained his philosophy on war, sharing his thoughts openly with everyone.
"Once you decide to fight, you must be fully prepared!"
"The first step is to know yourself and know your enemy!"
"We must understand our own situation and also know the enemy's."
"At the same time, we must be familiar with the surrounding environment in all directions to be confident in the upcoming battle."
Everyone's reactions varied, but most made sure to remember Matthew's words.
Skills and battle techniques for professionals can be taught, but leading soldiers in combat has no established learning path.
The quick-witted Angela immediately caught on, pointing at the newly built wooden bridge, thoughtfully saying:
"So this bridge isn't built for us; it's built for the barbarians."
Matthew nodded in praise, pleased that Angela grasped his intention:
"Exactly. If you were these barbarian soldiers, tired and hungry, arriving here to find the wide Silvermoon River, you wouldn't think of swimming across."
Beelzebub, deeply immersed in the situation, rubbed his stubbled chin and observed the seemingly calm yet deep Silvermoon River, nodding thoughtfully and murmuring:
"Indeed, not to mention whether they have tools to cross the river—even if they did, it's impossible to transport tens of thousands across in a few days. They will definitely take the bridge."
Beelzebub's explanation made everyone nod silently.
If they were exhausted and saw a big river, they would choose to cross the bridge.
"So, our first objective is achieved: drawing the enemy into our designated battleground."
"Think about it: the wooden bridge is only so wide, allowing at most seven or eight people to cross simultaneously. All we need to do is block this side…"
Matthew vividly depicted the scene of Bay Territory's soldiers blocking the bridge and laid out the next steps of the plan.
His tone was light, but the meticulously linked strategy made everyone ponder deeply.
When putting themselves in the barbarians' shoes, everyone shivered involuntarily.
Brown, swallowing hard, felt profoundly grateful at that moment.
Fortunately, Bay Territory hadn't shown him any mercy in the previous battle.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have had this chance to make a comeback.
As for now, what's the point of overthinking?
Clinging tightly to Lord Matthew's leg is the best path forward!
"Of course, no matter how perfect the plan, it's impossible to predict the enemy's every move."
"If something goes wrong, there must be backup plans to recover and mitigate."
"The more preparation and plans we have, the stronger our position, and the higher our chances of victory."
"Now, let's start training the soldiers to adapt to the barbarians' possible attack tactics!"
Matthew issued the training orders directly, and the captains of Bay Territory swiftly got things organized, leaving Lin Qi and Brown feeling lost.
What were they supposed to do?
Glancing at them, Matthew gave a faint smile and casually asked:
"As we previously agreed, the soldiers will be under my command, correct?"
Without hesitation, the two nodded in agreement.
In no time, over 4,000 soldiers had gathered at the bridgehead.
Even in their marching and formations, the differences were strikingly clear.
Bay Territory's soldiers, even when running, maintained straight lines, demonstrating discipline, competence, and an intimidating aura.
As soon as they reached the bridgehead, they formed neat formations, fully prepared to enter battle.
Brown and Lin Qi's soldiers, though competent, ran in a disorganized manner, with noticeable gaps in their ranks.
By the time they reached the bridgehead, they were in disarray; it took repeated calls from their commanders to get them into formation.
Seeing the Bay Territory soldiers' excellence, the other soldiers couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
They had done their best, but the difference was clear.
They had often thought before:
If they had Bay Territory's weapons and equipment, they could achieve such dazzling victories too.
But this simple comparison shattered their illusions.
The gap was simply too evident!
Matthew didn't react visibly to the disarrayed state of the other soldiers; he calmly issued his orders:
"Bay Territory soldiers, split into four teams of 500 each. Other soldiers, split into two teams of 1,000 each."
"Position yourselves on either side of the bridgehead and conduct mutual attack and defense training."
Hearing these orders, Bay Territory's soldiers moved quickly, retrieving training weapons from their supply wagons.
They wielded spears without tips, blunt swords, and arrows with unsharpened heads wrapped in white cloth and dusted with lime.
"If your head gets hit, you're out of the fight."
"If your chest is hit, you're out after two strikes."
"If your limbs are injured, you're out after three strikes."
Bay Territory's soldiers took only minutes to rearm.
In contrast, the other 2,000 soldiers took more than ten minutes to do the same.
Brown and Lin Qi looked displeased, but unable to match their counterparts, they could only bottle up their frustration.
Angela glanced at them, noticing the dissatisfaction in many soldiers' eyes, and promptly ordered:
"Team 3 and Team 5 will train on the opposite side: Team 3 attacks, Team 5 defends!"
"Team 4 and Team 6 train on this side: Team 4 attacks, Team 6 defends!"
"Teams 1 and 2 will simulate direct combat."
Lin Qi and Brown exchanged glances, detecting a hint of disdain in Angela's tone, which irked them.
They led their soldiers to form ranks, setting up defensive formations at the bridgehead, reminding them:
"Make sure you perform well and don't embarrass us!"
"1,000 against 500—if you don't try your hardest…"
"They're attacking, and we're defending, and they have fewer people…"
"If you don't think you can handle it, speak up now…"
"If anyone's scared, don't disgrace us later…"
The scolded soldiers were naturally filled with anger, glaring intently at the 500 Bay Territory soldiers.
This time, they were determined to prove themselves!
Bay Territory soldiers charged.
And then, the battle was over!
They managed to hold on for five and seven minutes, respectively.
Complete defeat!