CHAPTER 1859: CHAPTER 886: THERE IS NO CONSTANT IN WARFARE

"How could I not know?" General Batumihe sighed, "Who knows how many of these demolition traps the enemy has laid along the way. If we force our way through, who knows how many usable soldiers will be left by the time we catch up to the enemy, plus it’s hard to maintain speed when frightened."

Nalu advised again, "The enemy couldn’t have set traps all over the mountains and fields, surely they’re set on roads or necessary paths. Why don’t we proactively avoid these roads? After all, we are light cavalry, and we’ve never been heavily reliant on roads; the Endless Wilderness has never had roads."

General Batumihe nodded, then shook his head, "The method you’re talking about, I’ve thought of it. If the enemy were in the same situation as us, both without roads, we could indeed rely on the speed of our cavalry to catch up to them.

But with the enemy aided by roads, I’m afraid it would be challenging for us to catch up, marching through the wilderness. After all, this isn’t the Endless Wilderness; while Cesk is mainly plains, it’s not completely flat. Any minor natural barrier, any slight delay, could slow down our march.

Don’t forget what our other important responsibility as the vanguard army is!"

Nalu answered without thinking, "To clear the obstacles for the Khan’s main army."

"The difficulties we’re facing now are the same ones our main army will face next. We not only need to figure out how to catch up to the enemy but also clear the roads for our main army." General Batumihe confirmed.

"Then use livestock to clear the way." Nalu quickly thought of another brutal and cold-blooded method, "Split our vanguard army, scatter them like a pack of wolves, and drive the locals or Monster Tribes ahead to clear the path.

Multiple segments operating simultaneously will naturally enhance efficiency significantly.

Moreover, I guess the traps they set are segmented; they can’t line the whole way."

By livestock, Nalu certainly didn’t mean actual animals but the locals of Cesk.

In the eyes of the Tukan people, those actual animals are valued more than the locals. Especially where transporting slaves from the Endless Wilderness in large numbers isn’t feasible, they serve merely as expendable cannon fodder.

General Batumihe considered for a moment, then nodded, "This is currently the most feasible method, but don’t scatter the troops too much. We must guard against a counterattack; split the Hobgoblin Wolf Cavalry into ten teams of a thousand, let them be responsible for driving the flock and clearing the traps, and keep two teams resting, ready to respond."

"The General’s plan is prudent, let’s proceed as planned." Nalu praised.

The Tukan Vanguard Army is very efficient; within less than half an hour of setting the plan, the Hobgoblin Wolf Cavalry, amid calls and shouts, eagerly spread out into the wilderness.

These Hobgoblin Wolf Cavalry operate very efficiently with the cooperation of the Tukan Eagle Knights.

The fastest unit returned with the first batch of slaves in just an hour and a half.

The slowest took no more than three hours.

General Batumihe chose the Hobgoblin Wolf Cavalry for this task rather than the Jackalwere because he knows how to make the best use of people.

These Hobgoblins have the blood of professional soldiers; as long as they are content with their current lives, even as slave soldiers, they’ll perform their duties to the fullest.

But those Jackalweres are different. They are thugs without moral limits in their bones. Without enough military might to suppress them, letting them loose in the wilderness, let alone accomplishing the task, it’s uncertain how many would even return.

With a large amount of flesh and blood clearing the way, the Tukan Vanguard Army, slowed down by the minefield, began accelerating immediately, pursuing the War Chariot Legion ahead.

...

The Tukan Vanguard Army’s tactics were immediately relayed to the rapidly advancing War Chariot Legion.

"Driving the innocent to destroy traps, the Tukan people’s methods remain as unscrupulous as ever. I believe it won’t take long for them to find enemies everywhere in the Cesk Plains." The Earth Spirit Witch exclaimed angrily.

Apparently, the actions of the Tukan people in the Cesk Plains reminded her of their evil deeds in Laiserman Kingdom.

"Do they think they can break through our trap formations with such methods? How naive."

Gaven turned to ask an expert, "Master Susie, can you improve these trap activation devices to increase their weight-bearing pressure, so that ordinary people stepping on them won’t set them off, but those on mounts will be blasted off their feet."

Indeed, war is a significant catalyst for development; the idea of an anti-tank mine was proposed quicker than expected.

Susie, the Gnoll Trap Maker in Gaven’s employ, didn’t even have to think before answering, "It’s not difficult; we just need to adjust the depth at which those Tremor Bombs are buried. I’ll go immediately to personally guide them in the work."

The Tremor Bomb traps that stalled the Tukan Vanguard Army were indeed the work of the Gnoll Pitfall Maker.

These early followers of Gaven’s have irreplaceable skill in trap-making.

Wherever Gaven goes, there’s their shadow. They not only participate in wars but also in various constructions.

Hence, their growth rate is impressive. The Gnolls in Pitfall Village have grown from less than three hundred to now three thousand, with over five hundred Pitfall Makers following Gaven in battles across various places, all possessing Extraordinary Power, all transformed into Dragonized Gnolls.