"Yes.
”
Lampard nodded thoughtfully. "The Inextinguishable Starlight."
"What are you trying to say?" Archduke Roknee furrowed his brows. "The greatest threat to us is Sonia Sasere?"
But Lampard ignored him. The Archduke of Black Sand Region stared at the table in a daze and continued to speak.
"Starlight Brigade. They're very young and inexperienced. Even if they have experience fighting against the rebels in the country, they can't even withstand a single blow from our battle-hardened, invincible Northland warriors."
Archduke Lecco's expression changed and he sank into deep thought.
"On the road from the Northern Territory to the Central Territory, we defeated them in our first battle." Lampard took a deep breath. His expression became firm and persistent. "Nothing special. It was the same as usual: the light cavalry probed, the archers suppressed, the light infantrymen nipped at the main force, and the heavy cavalry launched a decisive attack."
Lampard nodded slowly, but his gaze was extremely complicated.
"In just one encounter, their main force was defeated. The rest fled in all directions. They didn't even have to use the heavy swordsmen and heavy-armored axemen to fight head-on battles. It was a piece of cake.
"Just like all the previous enemies." Lampard raised his fists and punched the eye of his left forcefully with his right fist, like a craftsman hammering a drill. "You gathered the best and toughest warriors and destroyed their strongest parts with a thunderous blow. Then, you waited for the rest to flee, scatter, cry, surrender, and never rise again.
"They weren't even as strong as the private armies of the local suzerains in the Northern Territory. At least they were Northlanders."
Archduke Roknee revealed a strange expression. "So?"
He was sensitive enough to notice that Archduke Olsius and Archduke Trentida, who had personally experienced it, did not speak. They only looked solemn.
'And even a little … respectful?'
"So, that was Starlight Brigade," Archduke Lecco answered him. The old archduke heaved a long sigh. "At that time, no one paid any attention to them."
The bald Archduke of Defense City shook his head. "Until a few days later."
Roknee frowned slightly.
Lampard took over the conversation.
"A few days later, they — the group of child soldiers who should have thrown away their helmets and armor, fled in all directions, and lost their souls." Archduke Lampard sat in his chair and narrowed his eyes.
"They came back."
Ronnie was slightly stunned.
"When we were about to take down Ice River City, he stood before us once again," Lampard said calmly. It was as if he was looking at the scene from more than a decade ago from afar.
"Even though their numbers are small, they are organized, organized, and in formation. It's as if they've just been recruited," Lampard continued. His tone was erratic and his eyes were misty. "They rearranged their formation just like that, and just when we were about to win the siege, they decisively ambushed our rear."
"Just like the rekindled ashes."
"No." Archduke Lecco closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's not dead ashes, it's inextinguishable starlight."
Archduke Roknee's suspicions deepened.
"But we still defeated them." Archduke Lecco suddenly opened his eyes. "Again."
Lampard looked at him.
"Yes, again."
The Archduke of Black Sand Region nodded slowly. "But this time, we sent the light cavalry to chase after them. We want to exterminate them."
"We lost nearly ten percent of the light cavalry." Lecco sighed. "I remember … I was the one who deployed the light cavalry."
"And then?" Lampard's expression was indecipherable. He answered his own question, "Again."
Roknee raised his eyebrows. 'Again?'
"Again!" Lampard's voice rang decisively, like the clashing of metal.
"The scattered Starlight Brigade regrouped and regrouped under the war flag in just a few days. They attacked us again along the banks of Shepherd's River."
Archduke Roknee's expression finally changed.
"How?" the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers said in shock, "How did they regroup? What about morale? Can the supplies and logistics keep up? "
Lampard shook his head.
"We repeated this game a few times." Lampard's tone was a little tired. "But no matter how many times we defeated them, as long as we didn't completely annihilate them, their scattered remnants would always miraculously regroup and regroup. I don't know how they handled logistics on that damned battlefield, but at least the eyes of those child soldiers were very decisive. Then, when we were besieging a city, raiding a land, resting for supplies, or changing troops, they would appear like ghosts beside or behind us and strike a cold blow."
Archduke Lecco's expression darkened. "The Inextinguishable Starlight — this is the name our people gave them."
Lampard snorted softly.
The Archduke of Black Sand Region asked softly, "What all of us can't figure out is how such a young and ordinary army can regroup without any hindrance after experiencing such crushing defeats and collapses every time." "What we can't figure out is how such a young and ordinary army can regroup without any hindrance.
No one answered.
Archduke Olsius furrowed his brows and looked at the others.
"The Starlight War God was a good leader. He trained his army very well. This is an honor that belongs to him," Olsius said firmly. "A great opponent. Even though he's dead, his soul lives on forever."
Lampard's laughter cut in at an inopportune moment.
"Really? Just because John Jadestar was a great military strategist, the civilian soldiers under him could all become warriors with outstanding qualities? " Lampard sneered faintly and said in an unfriendly tone, "Then, our king, archdukes, nobles, commanders, and even warriors are all useless?"
The archdukes' expressions turned cold at the same time.
"Be careful with your words, Lampard." Lecco narrowed his eyes.
But Lampard ignored them.
"Why is it like this? An army that is isolated, without reinforcements, and can't fight us head-on is actually an 'inextinguishable' army?" Lampard's expression was firm. "We are confused, we are curious, we are surprised, because even the Northlanders, who are famous for being good at fighting, can't imagine such a situation."
The other archdukes fell into deep thought.
"Yes, the Northlanders have the strongest physiques among humans, and their spirits are also the most fanatical. Under the same conditions, no one can defeat us head-on on the battlefield! Even the most terrifying and powerful enemy! "Lampard said firmly.
But his tone immediately changed.
"But even for us, the strongest military country in the Western Six Kingdoms, after a great victory, our commander has to spend a day setting up camp and taking inventory. He has to send his trusted nobles and personal guard officers with sabers, swords, spears, axes, or noble warrants to gather and pacify the warriors who are so excited and frenzied that their eyes are bloodshot from killing, their hands are weak, and their pants are loose as they scatter around the battlefield to vent their frustrations.
"Being able to completely reorganize the army in one day and one night and advance the next day is considered a normal efficiency."
Archduke Lecco shook his head.
"That's not strange," the old archduke said slowly. "We have been fighting like this for hundreds of years."
Lampard turned his head abruptly. His gaze was as sharp as a knife's edge as he stared at the old archduke.
The old archduke tilted his head slightly at the stare.
"But what about when we lose a battle?" Lampard said coldly, "Even the Eckstedtians would not be able to reorganize and arrange logistics without a few weeks or even a month's time. Then, when everyone is at a loss, we would not be able to regroup our troops and arrange our logistics properly. Then, we would be able to gather the defeated troops again when everyone is at a loss! It's not like hunting, where you only need to whistle and the stray hounds will run back.
"As for quickly gathering, reorganizing in a short period of time, deploying manpower, arranging logistics, organizing an army, reorganizing combat power, and marching again?"
Lampard crossed his arms and looked at the four archdukes, who had different expressions on their faces. He snorted coldly and said, "In the entire Eckstedt, only the White Blade Guards and the Glacier Sentinels can do it. I suspect that many of the archdukes' personal guards can't do it."
He looked at Roknee.
"Kulgon, the City of Faraway Prayers has seen a lot of blood in the Golden Passage and the Great Desert. Your military power is considered outstanding in Eckstedt." Lampard gestured with his chin. "Can you do it?"
Roknee did not speak, but his expression was solemn.
The other archdukes did not answer either.
Lampard narrowed his eyes. "Have you thought about why?"
A few seconds later, Olsius sighed softly.
The Archduke of Prestige Orchid shook his head. "They have all the advantages on their own land, whether it's the support of the locals or their familiarity with the terrain —"
But he was soon rudely interrupted by Lampard.
"To hell with their own land!" the Archduke of Black Sand Region said fiercely.
"Most of those child soldiers were recruited by the Starlight God of War from the south and west of Constellation. They are newbies who have not even been here for a year. In comparison, as Northlanders, we are more accustomed to the climate and terrain of Constellation's Northern Territory and Central Territory."
Trentida snorted softly.
"Just say it."
The Archduke of Reformation Tower curled his lips. "What are you hinting at?"
Lampard's gaze immediately turned to him.
"Hinting?"
The Archduke of Black Sand Region said coldly, "I've looked through the records of the battles against Constellation in the past three or four hundred years. In the past, in the great war a hundred years ago, the Constellatiates were like us. After they were defeated, they could not gather again without spending a few months. From their logistics ability to the speed of reorganizing, they were on par with us.
"Why can he train the Starlight Army when he becomes the Starlight God of War?"
The four archdukes frowned at the same time.
"Just get to the point. Don't give me a history lesson." Trentida impatiently voiced out everyone's thoughts. "We are not idiots."
Lampard's gaze sharpened.
'No, you are not idiots.'
His expression turned cold. 'This is something scarier than being an idiot — a smartass.'
A second later.
"Which one?" Lampard asked softly.
The four archdukes were slightly startled.
"What do you mean which one?" Trentida asked, puzzled.
Lampard leaned forward. Under the light from the brazier, his entire body was like a small mountain on the upper table. He stared at the four archdukes in an oppressive manner.
"I mean …"
He narrowed his eyes. "The few of you, which King of Constellation in history left the deepest impression on you?"
The four archdukes stared at each other and exchanged a few puzzled glances.
'King of Constellation?
'Impression?'
"The kings of Constellation … There are more than thirty of them …"
Lampard leaned against the back of his chair again. He extended his right hand and slowly began to count.
"The 'King of Renaissance', Tormond the First, who fought alone for ten years and swore to restore his country in a hopeless situation?
"The 'Black Eye', John the First, who expanded his territory and fought against Nuven the First around Overwatch City?
"Or the 'Red King', John the Second, who wiped out the entire Braid Dukedom within a month?
"The 'Far Sail', Kessel the Second, who destroyed Hanbol's fleet in the Second Continental War?
"The 'Conqueror of the North', Queen Erica, the only woman to rule Constellation and forcefully seize Cold Castle from Eckstedt?
"Or the 'Oath Keeper', Midier the Fourth, who was valiant, kept his promise, and was as close as Chara's brother?
"Oh, or the 'King of Eternal Rule', Aydi the Second, who ruled longer than Nuven, had a stable country, and did not cause any trouble except for the last year? Although he did not end well. "
As Lampard spoke, he observed the archdukes' expressions.
But he did not see anything. The archdukes did not even bother to make small movements on their faces.
Lampard sneered mockingly. "No? Impossible, right? "
A few seconds later, he sighed nonchalantly.
"Alright." Lampard narrowed his eyes. "The King of Constellation who left the deepest impression on me …"
The archdukes narrowed their eyes slightly.
Lampard said flatly, "Mindis Jadestar the Third."
Hearing that, Archduke Trentida's expression changed slightly. "Could it be that …"
Lampard nodded slowly.
"Yes," the Archduke of Black Sand Region said flatly, his eyes filled with complicated and incomprehensible emotions. "Mindis the Third, who experienced the Fourth Continental War one hundred and fifty years ago."
He said softly,
"That 'Virtuous King'."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
