CHAPTER 537: CHAPTER 515: MAKING PLANS (PART 2)

Looking at the lines on the map, Puzilio couldn’t help but praise the Grand Master of the Border Knight Order.

Over decades of warfare with vampires, the veteran Grand Master Lakunio had developed a keen strategic intuition and planning capability.

Although he himself hadn’t achieved great victories, he had kept the vampires at bay behind the Kush River for thirty years, without them gaining an inch.

Initially, Puzilio thought Lakunio was merely a mediocre commander, but now he believed that Lakunio was indeed a hidden brilliant general.

Of course, this was based on Lakunio not indulging in empty talk. With his decades of experience as the Grand Master of the Knight Order, he would likely not engage in mere armchair strategies.

What a pity it is to throw a pearl before swine, Puzilio lamented as he smacked his lips, "May I ask about the current military strength of the Salvation Army?"

"Based on the collected battlefield information, excluding auxiliary troops, they have about five thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry. If including allies, even forces of the Secret Faction, they could reach fifteen thousand,"

Lakunio said with disdain, "Don’t believe those street knights who claim fifty or a hundred thousand—the Salvation Army doesn’t have that many. They’ve been defeated by peasants and only boast to save face."

"Yet, according to intelligence from the Oslar Clan, they are renowned for their infantry, which is quite elite, to the extent that..." Saying this, Puzilio trailed off, as Prince Kongdai was still present.

Prince Kongdai didn’t show much anger on his face, merely responding indifferently, "Currently, two and a half Imperial Knight Detachments are still replenishing; they can roughly regain sixty percent of their original strength."

"The bishops have always been inconsistent in their propaganda about the Salvation Army’s strength. On odd days, they are as insignificant as ants; on even days, they seem like gods; by Sunday, they claim battles at the doorstep." Lakunio shook his head disdainfully, "The true combat strength of the Salvation Army can be seen from their rise."

"Could you elaborate?"

"The Salvation Army’s predecessor was refugees, who survived thanks to the Gallar siblings, giving them time to grow.

These refugees were elite forces that escaped from the pursuit and siege by the Imperial Knight Detachments and local garrisons. Those who were weak were either abandoned or died during the march.

Under the threat of death, they developed the most essential quality for elite infantry—discipline.

The later battles such as Long Bridge Battle, Pavia Campaign, Black Mountain Conflict were all life-and-death situations; under such enormous external pressure, they forged excellent iron.

I dare say, some soldiers of the Salvation Army, if they enter the path of knighthood, would easily surpass the threshold of Imperial Knight, even the Titled Knight, if their talent allowed."

Puzilio couldn’t help but question, "Isn’t this a bit exaggerated?"

"It’s not exaggerated. Their soldiers aren’t afraid of death, have high morale, and endure in long battles. That’s the key to their strong combat strength, but this also means they can’t expand their army too much," Lakunio said, tracing the lines on the map, "This is one of the reasons I say the Salvation Army’s extended lines will lead to scattered forces."

"Are you saying they won’t expand their army?"

Lakunio nodded, "Yes."

"Based on existing intelligence, I believe, they build their army’s backbone with these formidable veterans.

Otherwise, they couldn’t have such discipline and morale; they must be the most fervent believers to have such mentality.

The reason I say they can’t expand the army quickly is that the number of such fanatical veteran soldiers is limited. Even if they forcefully replenish, their strength wouldn’t be as before."

Lakunio said confidently.

While he held the Salvation Army in extremely high regard, considering them more elite and dangerous than Moliat’s forces.

In terms of danger, he equated them both in status.

But from a long-term strategy perspective, he ultimately despised these brainless peasants.

To blatantly loot noble homes in their territories and redistribute Church lands like that—

The former would prevent them from recruiting elite personnel, the latter from obtaining administrative talents.

This means they can’t develop internal strength, beyond external expansion to sustain their army, there’s almost no other method.

If after capturing Joan of Arc Castle, Pope Horn appointed some ancestral relatives as the new Duke of Kush on the spot,

then Lakunio would advise Prince Kongdai to ignore Moliat and go all in on the Salvation Army, otherwise, things would spiral out of control.

Knights only need a lord to be loyal to; they don’t care who that lord is.

In the current situation, if the Thousand River Valley was occupied by Moliat, then it truly would be in Moliat’s hands.

And if the so-called Salvation Army occupied it, that would be merely a temporary occupation; the Salvation Army system is inherently fantasy, and even without external forces, it would collapse upon itself.

The only variable lies in that thing.

"I heard the Salvation Army has some kind of magical lightning rod; would it impact the plan?" Puzilio asked, voicing the concern in Prince Kongdai’s heart.

"We’ve investigated that lightning rod." Lakunio, upon entering the Thousand River Valley, even before reaching Feiliu Castle, went to do one thing—meet the defeated knights.

From these knights, he gradually pieced together intelligence on the newfangled gun, and upon reaching Feiliu Castle, he spent considerable effort to have Demon Hunters obtain an abandoned one from the Salvation Army’s side.

Unlike those ignorant rural knights, after understanding the Salvation Army’s combat mode and the newfangled gun, Lakunio’s first reaction was disbelief, the second was creeping dread.

A magic crossbow unaffected by Divine Art, capable of casting densely, extremely fast, and piercing knight’s armor!

It’s like eliminating all the flaws of magic; more terrifying than the Bone Archers on the border battlegrounds.

If this thing could be widespread, then knights would indeed be at their demise.

Now, when a farmer attempts to assassinate a knight, they get noticed halfway, and they can’t even cut through.

In the future, a farmer could assassinate a knight with a headshot from a hundred steps away with one gun.

If that happens, which knight would dare leave the castle? None would dare, and unruly civilians would truly become masters, wouldn’t they?

Fortunately, its only likely flaw is that it’s quite costly and requires long training.

Because in the intelligence Lakunio received, the number of these Magic Crossbowmen has always been few.

But that’s expected; low cost and short time, where’s such luck?

If it were truly so, Lakunio would have long waged war with an army of a hundred thousand to sweep across the Empire.

With such ability, why not conquer the Celestial Kingdom and become Emperor, instead of playing a small rebel in the Thousand River Valley?

"So far, regarding the newfangled gun, we temporarily don’t have sufficient means." In front of Puzilio, Lakunio still conceded this point.

Prince Kongdai then added, "Therefore, we all believe that if there’s a chance to annihilate them, it must be done swiftly with the Salvation Army.

For the deeply entrenched Wild Boar Knights of Moliat, we can only erode them slowly, encircle and destroy aid, gradually eroding their foundation."

"What do you think?" Lakunio timely followed up.

Puzilio didn’t speak, only lowered his head, slightly swirling his wine glass, watching the light blue liquid cling to the glass. Then he raised the glass, showing a smile, "Cheers."