Ten days later, Claude appeared in Major Skerry's office and reported in detail the news he had heard.
"... It is said that the several legions on the front line have no intention of fighting. No one is willing to attack the Principality of Karnas. Even the officers gathered together to discuss the news of the armistice. I borrowed Captain Durrioro's place in Squirrel Village The Harriers of the Garrison Battalion sent a secret message to the frontline headquarters, reporting on the situation of our 1st Ranger Battalion and requesting reinforcements and supplies. However, it took three days to receive a reply, saying that they understood and asked us to persist and the rear would For those who have made adjustments to provide operational guidance and support to our First Ranger Battalion, please reply here..."
Claude put the reply letter from the frontline command on the table. Major Skerry picked it up and looked at it. It was exactly the same as what Claude said. When he looked at the sign again, he was immediately discouraged because he knew the inside story of the frontline command: "This thing is useless. You see, the name on the reply letter is Frontline Operations Staff. This means that no one takes the situation you reported seriously, and it is not assigned to a specific department. The reply only means that the Staff We already know your situation, but how to solve the specific problem needs to be consulted by them and then reported back to the superiors. The decision will be made by the superiors above.
This is the most common way to delay. Anyway, they don’t know when the superiors above will issue the instructions. As staff officers, they have already considered your matter and reported it to you, which means they are not derelict in their duties. But the problem is that the eldest prince is not at the frontline headquarters now, but has returned to the royal capital. Our fourth battalion of Rangers is under the direct jurisdiction of the frontline command, which requires instructions from the Grand Prince or a formal order from the frontline command. Those staff officers didn’t know which folder they put in when they reported our situation, and I don’t know whether it was seen by the commander who acted as Prince Hansback in charge of the frontline headquarters... "
Major Skerry was angry, but there was nothing he could do. If the 1st Ranger Battalion is stationed in Squirrel Village, it doesn't matter how long they wait, it will always be their turn. But the 1st Ranger Battalion is currently besieged by the enemy and has less than half a month of food. If you reply to the letter asking the 1st Ranger Battalion to persist, isn't it asking everyone to commit suicide? If he really insisted on staying in the castle, Major Skerry believed that by the time the officers at the frontline headquarters remembered the 1st Ranger Battalion, everyone here would have starved to death.
If it were still at war, perhaps the situation of the 1st Ranger Battalion would soon receive a response from the frontline headquarters, and there would be an explanation for whether it was a battle or a withdrawal. But according to the situation reported by Claude, it is inevitable that both the officers and soldiers of the frontline regiment and the officers of the frontline headquarters are focused on the armistice negotiations, ignoring the situation of the first ranger battalion.
Moreover, in this reply from the frontline combat staff, they also reprimanded the 1st Ranger Battalion for not reporting the loss of contact in time. Even if the hawk eagle message was useless and was suppressed by the enemy's prairie golden eagle, capable personnel should be sent to penetrate the enemy's defense. The frontline reported to the frontline headquarters in a timely manner. Because the frontline command sent five falcons to convey a message to the 1st Ranger Battalion, but none of the falcons came back. This led the frontline command to believe that the 1st Ranger Battalion that penetrated deep into the Karnas Prairie and occupied an area was also like Just like the Blue Feather Army that was attacked on the grassland, the entire army was wiped out...
Major Skerry held his head and could only smile bitterly. Only now did he understand why the eldest prince had always disliked the staff officers of the frontline headquarters and the boastful people among his personal adjutants. Many of them were recognized as heroes of the moment and were dismissed. Known as a rising star in the military. However, the eldest prince was not very willing to promote these people. Instead, people like Lieutenant Colonel Lederfunk and himself, who were usually taciturn and always immersed in work, easily gained the eldest prince's favor.
It turns out that discussions at the rear and fierce battles at the front are really two different things. No wonder the eldest prince likes to go to the army to talk with grassroots officers and veterans, because in this way he can grasp the most real situation. Like the rebuke from the frontline command staff in this reply, it is easy to say it, but do they know how difficult it is to do it? This place is besieged by enemies with superior strength, and a fierce battle is underway, but the superiors have to send elite veterans to report to the superiors why there is no news. Is this possible
"Are armistice negotiations really underway?" Major Skerry asked in a murmur.
Claude didn't know if Major Skerry was asking himself questions. It seemed more like he was talking to himself. But he still replied: "Yes, that's what Captain Durioro said. He said that Prince Hansback hurried back to the capital just to make a suggestion to His Majesty, refuse peace talks, and ask him to mobilize troops to attack the Principality of Karrnath. He reported that three legions were ambushed on the prairie and the entire Blue Feather Legion was annihilated. However, His Majesty summoned the Prime Minister, Duke Creius, to the palace overnight. After discussing with the eldest prince for a night, the eldest prince returned home and claimed that he was ill. The kingdom then began truce negotiations with envoys from the Kingdom of Nasseri and the Principality of Karnas.
Now it is said that the soldiers of all the legions on the front line have learned about the armistice and peace talks, and are waiting for the announcement of the end of the war. The soldiers had no fighting spirit and their morale was low. Even the officers of the Guards Corps refused to send soldiers to conduct reconnaissance on the Karrnath Steppe. The soldiers said that the war was coming to an end anyway, so why go to the enemy for reconnaissance? No one is willing to die now, and they almost started a mutiny under force... "
Major Skerry could only shake his head and sigh with Claude. First, there was a huge defeat. He could have used revenge to boost the morale of the soldiers. But then came the news of an armistice and peace talks to end the war. Once the morale dropped, it was difficult to improve it again. . In addition, the war has lasted for more than four years, and all the soldiers are beginning to feel war-weary. No one is willing to return to their hometown to see their relatives, and the armistice and peace talks are the best news for them.
Now Major Skerry understood why Claude came back with only three people, McJack and Big Germi, and left the elite veterans of that small team with Murray Ed. This was because they were worried that the veterans of the small team would spread the news of the armistice and peace talks after returning to the castle, so that the soldiers of the first ranger battalion would lose their will to fight and their determination to persevere.
"So we are the only one on the front line who is still fighting?" Major Skerry asked with a wry smile.
Claude nodded.
"We only have thirteen days of food and grass now." Major Skerry said: "No matter how much we save, we can't survive the rainy season in March. And it is impossible for the rear to provide us with any logistical supplies and supplies in such a short period of time. reinforce."
Major Skerry raised the reply letter in his hand and looked at Claude seriously: "Are you sure that retreat is safe?"
"I can guarantee that," Claude said.
Major Skerry nodded and made his final decision: "Defend for another week, make all preparations for retreat, make all the remaining food and grass into dry food for use on the road, and expand the defense against enemy scouts." within the range, don’t let the enemy notice any signs of our breakout.”
Claude didn't know how difficult the decision to evacuate made by Major Skerry at this moment was, and how much impact it had on him. At this time, Claude was just executing the orders of his superiors as a subordinate: "As ordered, sir."
There were a lot of things going on, and Claude was very busy. There were more than two hundred jars containing the ashes of soldiers killed in battle, and more than a hundred wounded, all of which had to be brought back. Claude had no choice but to discuss with Major Skerry and let the Markchi Squadron set off three days early. Under the leadership of Michael Jack and the big man Germi, they went to the mountainous area to set up temporary campsites to accommodate those coming from behind. The wounded and the urns.
After another four days, Captain Coldwalk took the remaining soldiers of the Fourth and Second Battalions to escort the battalion logistics personnel and medical staff of the treatment center as well as some necessary supplies and set out overnight under the leadership of a guide. The third battalion under the direct control of Major Skerry, Claude's first battalion and an artillery squadron still stayed in the castle. They need to stay stationed for another day and wait until dark before evacuating.
Night passed and day came. Claude personally led the Diavid squadron to launch a tentative attack on the village, using the precise aiming and effective range of the 100-meter effective range of the Obash Type III arquebus equipped in his hand to snipe the enemy's layout. The guard posts and reconnaissance personnel in the village caused panic among the enemy, thinking that the 1st Ranger Battalion would launch an attack on their defensive positions, and had to send a large number of additional defense personnel at night.
At this time, the soldiers of the 1st Ranger Battalion used the side door of the castle to quietly leave the castle of Count Crelaus, which had been stationed for nearly eight months, leaving only an empty house, and strode under the cover of night. Go to the mountains.
Major Skerry was the last to leave the castle. He opened his notebook and wrote a line of large words on it: At one o'clock in the morning on February 11, 581st year of the Holy Light Calendar, due to exhaustion of food and fodder, evacuate Crelaus Earl’s Castle…
The enemy only noticed the abnormality at noon the next day. A few brave soldiers approached the castle. It took more than an hour to confirm that the 1st Ranger Battalion had evacuated from the castle. So the enemy sent a small team of scouts to follow the traces on the snow, trying to confirm where the 1st Ranger Battalion had retreated. However, when this small group of enemy scouts tracked all the way to the intersection into the mountains, they were ambushed by Diavid's squadron, which had been cut off from the rear. Fortunately, they managed to escape with two wounded men, waiting for them to come back again with a large group of troops. By the time they arrived, it was already evening, and all that was left for them was an empty temporary campsite.
The enemy commander looked up at the sky and then at the snow-capped mountains and forests, and could only sigh and order his troops to retreat. He was convinced that the enemy had found a way back in the mountainous area, otherwise they would not have evacuated the entire army so simply.
February is the melting period, but for mountainous areas, the melting of ice and snow will take a while longer than the snow on the grasslands. The 1st Ranger Battalion marched along the temporary passage opened by Claude and others in the mountainous area. From time to time, they had to stop to cut wood and build bridges to strengthen the road to allow the packhorses carrying items to pass. After seven days and seven nights of tossing like this, we finally arrived at the camp site of the Murray Ed Squadron at the entrance of the mountain pass, with many injured and no deaths.
"Give us something to eat first. We are almost starving." The first thing Claude and Muriel said when they met was that they wanted to eat. All the food had been eaten a day ago. Claude and the others The latter climbed the last section of the mountain road hungry.
Muriel had already sent people to respond and brought a lot of food. However, all the food was snatched by the people in front. Claude and the others who were behind wanted to destroy the temporary passage they had set up, so the marching It was relatively slow, so I had to go hungry.
This Muriel had been prepared for a long time. First he drank a large bowl of steaming broth, which warmed his whole body. Then he ate two large bowls of meat porridge and a large piece of steak. Claude fell on it. He fell asleep on Murray Ed's camp bed without even bothering to clean himself. Now he could finally have a peaceful sleep.
After sleeping for nearly ten hours, Claude got up with a refreshed look. Just as he was looking for some hot water to wipe his body, Mike came in and reported that Major Skerry had something to discuss with him. Because Claude slept too deeply, Major Scree waited until now.
Claude came out of the tent and casually grabbed a handful of snow and wiped his face, pretending to have washed his face, and at the same time making himself more awake.
When they arrived at Major Skerry's camp, they found that Captain Coldwalker was also there. After saluting and saying hello, Major Skerry said that he was ready to set off immediately and take the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions to the former garrison of the 1st Ranger Battalion, Rosa Town to garrison. He had already inquired about it, and found out that the original camp there was still empty, which was perfect for the 1st Ranger Battalion to spend the rainy season in March.
Claude's First Brigade is stationed in Squirrel Village, assisting Captain Durrioro of the local security battalion in guarding this cross-mountain road to prevent the territorial nobles of the Principality of Karnas from invading Squirrel Village again. Because if the entire battalion were to evacuate, the mountain pass entrance position guarded by the Murray Ed Squadron would also need to be abandoned. The camping site here is not suitable for spending the rainy season, and there is no need to hold on here anymore.
Claude knew that Major Skerry asked him to garrison Squirrel Village to satisfy himself. Many people knew that he had found a hunter girl as his girlfriend in Squirrel Village. This was Major Skerry's kindness. There was no need to refuse. Claude happily obeyed the order.
However, the camp next to Squirrel Village has been occupied by the local security camp, and Claude has no intention of fighting for it back. Anyway, Squirrel Village is very big now, so Claude unceremoniously requisitioned some houses in the village, and used the half-month period before the rainy season to build many simple houses and awnings in the village. The requirements were not high. Let’s get through the rainy season in March first.
For the next time, it was raining heavily outside. Claude would either stay in the house and read the books he borrowed from Sheila, or he would take advantage of the rain to go to the witch grove to have a tryst with Sheila, living a carefree life. When April came, good news finally came. The Kingdom of Orvilas, the Kingdom of Nasseri, and the Principality of Karnas signed an armistice and peace agreement, announcing that the four-and-a-half-year-old war had swept across the entire eastern part of the continent. The war that destroyed three principalities was finally over.
The soldiers cheered, whether they were from the local security battalion or the first brigade, they were all hugging and cheering, and kept throwing their hats into the sky. Claude was looking at the joyful scene in front of him with a smile when he saw Captain Durrioro, the commander of the local security battalion, running over in a hurry. He brought Claude an incredible piece of bad news: "The soldiers of the 1st Ranger Battalion The battalion commander, Major Skerry, was arrested on charges of desertion and dereliction of duty, abandoning the territory of the kingdom... "