124. The Role of the Cavalry

As expected, when Mo Fei led sixty bear clan mages into the imperial city’s palace, he was stunned by the scene before him. Outside the palace, lavish tents had been erected. Judging by their opulence, they were surely occupied by nobles or similar high-ranking figures. Just by looking at this, Mo Fei knew without a doubt that the area outside the palace was packed to the brim.

As soon as Kane learned of Mo Fei’s return, he appeared beside him like a whirlwind. Seeing Mo Fei, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

“What’s wrong? Acting like a child? Didn’t you bring any sweets this time?” Mo Fei teased, noticing Kane’s beard and bloodshot eyes—clear signs of the immense pressure he’d been under recently. “Don’t worry. I’m back. How many of those who dared to cause us trouble are still alive?”

Mo Fei’s words not only reassured Kane and the berserker guards standing nearby but also resonated deeply with the berserkers—who had never tasted defeat since forming their own unit.

“Wind! Wind! Wind! Wind!…” The berserker palace guards roared fiercely.

Wherever Mo Fei was, morale was never lacking. The roars inside the palace echoed to the outer city. The soldiers who had been on guard at the city walls for days were momentarily stunned. Archers and crossbowmen quickly took up combat positions. The city’s massive crossbows had long since been stripped of their protective coverings; the enormous bolts were laid out nearby, ready to be loaded and fired at a moment’s notice. The berserkers’ roar was the signal for archers to prepare their attack.

When the relaxed populace learned that their war god had returned, the entire imperial city burst into joyous celebration. The armies seemed to be possessed by a new spirit, radiating a fierce killing intent.

“Go back. I want to know everything!” Without paying attention to the unfamiliar people emerging from the lavish tents outside the palace, Mo Fei entered the palace with Ailin and Vivian.

“Your Majesty!” Just as he entered the council hall, a dwarf appeared before Mo Fei. Mo Fei remembered that this dwarf was responsible for managing the palace—essentially the palace steward. His memory was poor, but luckily, everyone in the palace knew him; otherwise, it might have led to some awkward misunderstandings.

“Oh, Steward. What is it?” Mo Fei’s tone made it clear that if there was nothing important, he intended to proceed with the council meeting. Everyone in the palace knew that once Mo Fei and the empire’s key figures entered the council hall, those looking for trouble might as well knock on the door and wait.

“It’s like this, Your Majesty,” the steward said, “Since the sovereign of the Doma Empire has evacuated their realm, I have arranged for their royal family members to stay in a secluded chamber inside the palace. The rest of the empire’s people are camped outside in tents. I have not allowed them inside.”

“Ah!” Mo Fei was still unaware that the entire Doma Empire had relocated to his side.

“That’s right, Young Master,” Kane quickly explained to Mo Fei.

…………………………

“Steward, you’ve done well. After our council meeting, take me to see him. We’ll discuss their plans for restoring their kingdom.” Mo Fei’s confidence was unwavering. Even without clarity on the enemy, he was already thinking about restoring a kingdom.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The dwarf steward relaxed immediately upon seeing Mo Fei had no objections to his arrangements. He had hesitated before deciding whether to admit the Doma royal family into the palace, but now he was delighted to see he had made the right choice.

When Mo Fei and his companions left the council hall, he had gained a preliminary understanding of the situation. Their faces heavy with worry, they proceeded to the war command center. Here lay maps collected since the founding of the Death Empire—maps of the entire continent, supplemented by charts of Demon Island. Every terrain of the two continents was clear as day. Major imperial battles were coordinated from this very place.

Outside the door, in addition to the heavily guarded berserker infantry, all the messengers gathered as well.

“Kane, your deployment has advantages, but do you know its greatest flaw?” Upon entering the command room, Mo Fei addressed Kane directly. “You’ve concentrated all our forces within the cities. This means that if they lay siege, we will have no support forces outside.”

“I know, but they have so many troops. I didn’t know how else to arrange our men. If I send forces out, I’m afraid the city defenses will weaken.”

“Our cavalry doesn’t defend cities. Although they can be stationed on the walls, isn’t that a waste of their combat strength?”

“That’s right! How didn’t I think of this before…” Kane slapped his forehead hard upon hearing Mo Fei’s words.

“Our cavalry’s mobility is far more effective outside the city. Besides, although the Jinshi Empire is strong, I doubt their endurance to withstand this kind of pressure. After all, the enemy is terrifying this time. Our cavalry can maneuver outside to support as needed and boost morale.”

“Indeed. And don’t forget the Elven Kingdom. We still have ten thousand heavy cavalry stationed in the City of Death, plus a recently replenished thirty-five thousand light elven cavalry. That’s a significant force.” Vider suddenly recalled many things.

“Kane, this time it’s all on you. Take all the cavalry and lead the troops personally. The outcome depends on you. Remember, they have overwhelming numbers. Use our mobility to strike hard, then retreat before they can catch you. Can you do that?”

“Young Master, as long as you’re here, there’s nothing I can’t do. Just watch.” Kane’s confidence returned in full.

“This time, I won’t command you directly. If the capital is besieged, I won’t be able to reach you. Everything will be in your hands.” Mo Fei smiled, reassuring him. “Don’t worry. I’ll command the defense here. No one will enter without my say. Also, no matter which city they besiege, don’t be anxious. We’ll wear them down with our fortifications. We mustn’t rush. Remember, they’re the ones under pressure. Now that you’ve evacuated the Doma Empire, they’ll run out of food soon. They’ll have to attack quickly. Take your cavalry out of the city soon and hide near the City of Death. Be ready to support the Jinshi Empire, whose forces are weaker. I fear they’ll be attacked first.”

“Understood, Young Master. I won’t let you down.” Kane fully grasped Mo Fei’s strategy—to use the height and strength of their walls to offset the enemy’s numerical advantage. If the enemy suffered heavy losses in prolonged sieges, they would be forced to retreat. “I’m heading out now. Take care of yourself.”

“Stop fussing here. Since we came together, what haven’t we faced? When have we ever feared anyone? But you—don’t rush. Think more. If unsure, ask someone nearby. Oh, and this time, I want you to bring out a few elven generals. The elves lost many commanders in the last great war. The queen has mentioned this many times. It’s your task now.”

“Rest assured, Young Master. Among those thirty-five thousand elves, a few generals will surely emerge.”

“Be careful. If nothing else, get going.” Mo Fei’s humor lightened the tense atmosphere, making everyone laugh.

“Kane taking all the cavalry doesn’t harm our city defense, but it does mean we lose rapid counterattack capability. We must train a quick response force while ensuring the city’s defense remains strong. We can’t rely solely on Kane’s cavalry; we don’t know how busy he’ll be.”

“Your Majesty is right. We can’t stop counterattacking just because we lack cavalry. If we add shield bearers to our previously trained spearmen, they’ll make an excellent field assault force. The berserker infantry’s attack power is terrifying. We can select some for assault training. Combined with the spearmen, it will work well.” Vider had spent the longest time in the capital and understood the forces better than Mo Fei or Of.

“Good. You’ll take charge of this…”

“Me again? What about the rest of you?” Vider felt tricked.

“I’m giving orders, aren’t I? As for Elder Of, he has many tasks—preparing defensive supplies like oil and stones, and so on…”

“Your Majesty, you don’t mean using stones to smash those besiegers from the walls, do you?” Vider and Of looked surprised.

“What’s wrong with that?” Mo Fei replied matter-of-factly.

“Of course it’s wrong,” they said in unison. “It’s satisfying, but if the enemy has enough troops, stones mixed with corpses will…”

“That’s right. We can’t just let them charge up. Don’t you have a better idea?”

“Your Majesty… well…” Vider sighed dramatically. “Haven’t you been on the city walls? Have you noticed those huge iron balls with chains attached at the base of the walls?”

“Those iron balls?” Mo Fei recalled them—spiked iron balls with long chains. He had wondered what they were for but had forgotten. Now Vider’s mention jogged his memory.

“The chains are fixed to the walls. You can lift the balls and drop them on attackers. If the enemy tries to pull the chains, we cut them. This is the simplest and most critical defense.”

“Heh heh… you guys really know your stuff!”

With Elder Of and Vider present, Mo Fei found that many of his ideas had already been anticipated and acted upon. He felt reassured. Now, his priority was to train the three thousand mages. At that thought, a sly chuckle escaped his lips.