Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 160: Chapter 139: Can Fast-Recovering Lizardmen Become Fodder?

An officer waiting outside the meeting room approached and asked, "Are you Baron Henry?"

"Yes. These two are Knight Boman and Knight Fass."

The officer saluted and said excitedly, "I’m a Senior Infantry battalion commander in the Twenty-Third Legion. I’ve heard of your deeds."

Henry returned the salute with a smile. "I’m honored to hear you say that, but I believe every soldier on the battlefield has their own story and glory."

The officer nodded excitedly. Henry glanced around and continued, "Frankly, I’m more concerned about our situation against the Lizardmen. What have our casualties been like over the past two months?"

A somber look flashed in the officer’s eyes. He took a deep breath. "Since the fighting began, our casualty count has been constantly rising. As far as I know, over five thousand Legion soldiers have been killed, and countless more have been wounded.

I don’t know the casualties for the Militia and the nobles’ Private Armies. The logistical pressure is also immense. We’re struggling every day to replenish supplies and medical resources.

Those damn Lizardmen are always trying to raid and cut our supply lines, which has forced us to waste a large part of our Cavalry forces on patrol duty."

Henry’s brow furrowed. "So, how have we fared against them? Have we made any new progress in understanding the Lizardmen?"

"As far as I know, we’ve eliminated at least two thousand Lizardman warriors. Furthermore, our scholars and physicians are studying the Lizardmen, hoping to find their weaknesses and decipher their language."

Boman and Fass listened silently from the side, analyzing the current situation.

Soon, the doors to the meeting hall opened, and all the nobles and officers filed inside.

As was customary, the nobles went first, followed by the officers. Seating was arranged by status: those with large fiefs, numerous subjects, strong armies, and high titles took the center seats, while those of lower standing sat to the sides. The same principle applied to the officers.

Inside the meeting room, the Third Prince and three other Legion Commanders were gathered around a huge map, their faces grave.

The Third Prince gave Henry a slight nod, then turned his gaze to the other nobles, making an effort to acknowledge each of them.

Henry looked around. The nobles here were all strangers to him; with dozens of them present, their faces began to blur together. The nobles, in turn, were sizing up the three newcomers, wondering where they came from.

The nearly one hundred officers behind them were a disorderly crowd, whispering to one another.

"Quiet!" A Legion Commander slapped the table, and the meeting hall immediately fell silent.

The Third Prince pointed to the map and said, "Gentlemen, the Lizardman army is vast, their weapons are advanced, and their combat strength is formidable. We have all experienced this firsthand."

He pointed to several major roads on the map. "I’ve decided to dispatch our entire Cavalry force. Their mission is to secure our supply routes and courier lines. We must ensure our supply lines are not harassed by the Lizardmen."

The nobles all nodded in agreement with the Third Prince’s decision.

Henry nodded along, wondering, ’Did my own encounter with the Lizardman army make the Third Prince take logistics more seriously?’

The Third Prince then pointed to some markers on the map. "I’ve already sent out Cavalry to order all major surrounding cities to ramp up production of crossbows and other armaments. We also need to request reinforcements and grain supplies from cities farther away."

The Third Prince paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "I know this sounds like a passive defense, but given our current strength, the strategy must be to dig in and defend at all costs, ensuring Hobia does not fall into enemy hands."

The nobles and officers remained silent. Though they felt frustrated, they were helpless, as they lacked the strength to defeat the Lizardman army.

Although the Third Prince’s arrangements seemed passive, they were the most rational choice at the moment.

"We also need to strengthen the defenses on the city walls, including increasing the frequency and number of night patrols. We must remain vigilant at all times to prevent sneak attacks by the Lizardmen."

The officers immediately began speaking freely. They were on the front lines of command and knew what areas needed strengthening, how to arrange guard shifts, and so on.

Suddenly, a noble asked, "Your Highness, why don’t we feed the Lizardmen to our livestock? If you cut a piece of flesh from a Lizardman, they can recover in a few days."

Everyone stared at the noble, their eyes wide.

The noble shifted uncomfortably under their stares, shrugged, and said innocently, "What are you looking at me for? I’m just making a suggestion."

The Third Prince’s mouth hung slightly open as he stared at the noble. ’This man is giving me a headache.’

The Legion Commander of the Twenty-Third Legion shook his head and shot down the idea. "No one knows if Lizardman flesh would cause diseases in livestock. If it leads to mass deaths among the animals, who takes responsibility? And if our soldiers eat the meat from livestock that have eaten Lizardman flesh, will they be affected? For those reasons, your suggestion is denied."

The noble gave an awkward laugh and said no more.

Henry gave the noble a thumbs-up. He truly admired the man’s audacity. ’Now there’s a real talent.’

Henry’s thumbs-up made the noble even more awkward, and he could only manage a sheepish chuckle.

Seeing that no one else was speaking, Henry thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, perhaps we should engage the Lizardmen in a probing battle to gauge the total strength of their forces."

The meeting room immediately erupted in an uproar.

An elderly noble couldn’t sit still any longer. He stood up and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Baron Henry Bro, a Vassal of the great Emperor and lord of Westwood Laine."

A collective gasp rippled through the room.

Murmurs of surprise filled the hall. ’So this tall, young noble is the infamous "Half-Beastman Butcher" from last year!’

The elderly noble’s tone became much more respectful, but he still challenged him. "Baron Henry, your valor is truly admirable, but do we have any chance of victory if we fight the Lizardmen in an open battle? Our army is already exhausted. Launching a large-scale offensive would be far too risky."

Henry also stood up and said, "Your Highness, my lords, officers. If we continue to be worn down like this, our morale will be severely affected.

The decline of the desert trade routes has already brought economic growth in this region to a standstill. If we don’t resolve the Lizardman threat quickly, our military supply lines are bound to fail sooner or later."

The Third Prince listened to their debate, his brow deeply furrowed. ’Henry’s proposal is too audacious. A single decision like that could alter the entire war.’

He looked around at the people in the meeting room, then slowly began to speak: "Baron Henry, your courage and Wisdom are admirable. Your proposal is worth considering, but for now, I cannot agree with your view."

The atmosphere in the meeting room grew tense. The Third Prince continued, "Before making a final decision, we need to gather more intelligence and understand the Lizardmen’s latest movements.

At the same time, we must also prepare to counter a potential attack. If any of you have suggestions or information, you may present them at our war councils."

As the Third Prince finished speaking, the meeting room once again filled with discussion.

Henry wasn’t disappointed; he was merely showing the Third Prince that he was ready for a fight.

’The Empire is truly plagued by disasters right now,’ Henry thought. ’Maritime trade on the west coast and the eastern desert trade are both severely obstructed. The Empire’s economic growth is being strangled.’

’Luckily, the autumn harvest is already complete across the Empire. Otherwise, with so many crises piling up, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the great nobles to raise their armies in rebellion and join the "festivities." ’

’The Third Prince is the Emperor’s son. He can’t be ignorant of the rebellion in the western coastal regions. He must understand just how severe the supply problem I mentioned really is.’

The nobles and officers began earnestly discussing the specific details of defensive deployments and patrols, and more and more markers appeared on the map.

Time flew by amidst the tense discussion, and before they knew it, it was noon.

The Third Prince stood up and announced the meeting was adjourned for now. A preliminary map of defensive positions and a patrol schedule had been drafted.

Due to the current situation in Hobia, the Third Prince was unable to host a banquet, so everyone had to return to their own areas to eat after the meeting.

Henry, Boman, and Fass returned to their own camp. They ate a simple lunch alongside their soldiers, then began selecting soldiers to join the patrol teams.

After a brief rest post-lunch, the soldiers began their daily training.

Even last-minute preparations are better than nothing.

Henry wanted to ensure his soldiers would be in peak condition for battle. Boman and Fass also put their own soldiers through intensified training.

Henry’s army had brought ample provisions, and the Thirty-Fifth Legion would also provide them with supplies. This gave Henry extra food to ensure his soldiers’ nutrition and stamina.

Boman and Fass had also brought a considerable amount of supplies, and now that they were practically part of Henry’s army, they naturally wouldn’t go hungry.

Henry ordered the cooks to prepare a hearty meal for the soldiers, ensuring everyone could eat and drink their fill.

Ample food and good physical condition were the keys to a soldier’s survival on the battlefield.

The soldiers sweated profusely under the blazing sun. In the desert, the unique geography and climate caused extreme temperature swings between day and night.

In such an environment, many of Boman’s and Fass’s soldiers began to show symptoms of dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Henry’s soldiers, however, were in much better shape. This was likely because his army had made thorough preparations before arriving in the desert, but most importantly, his men had always been well-fed.

That evening, Henry was eating dinner in his tent. The desert night had a distinctive cold, a stark contrast to the scorching heat of the day.

Just as Henry was preparing to rest, a messenger arrived outside his tent, delivering a secret order from the Third Prince.

After reading the secret order, Henry changed into his imperial robes and followed the messenger to the town hall.

Henry’s mind was filled with questions. He didn’t know why the Third Prince would summon him at this hour, but he was certain it had to be something of great importance.