Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

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The temporary meeting place was as quiet as the grave, with only the gentle murmur of the creek. Although the soldiers were surprised and confused, none spoke a word; instead, they listened intently.

They formed a circle, with Winters placing the map in the middle, He explained using a branch as a pointer, "Although we're trapped on the island, the Tanilia's ambush has actually failed. Our main forces are unharmed and will soon land again. This is why, along the coastline, Bard and I found so many Tanilia sentries; their primary defense is directed towards the coast. The further inland we go, the fewer enemies we'll encounter."

Winters looked at everyone and said, "I don't want to tell you the empty words of 'conserve strength and wait for victory.' Right now, our goal is to do whatever it takes to survive, to live until Vineta conquers this island. And in my opinion, our best chance of survival lies in advancing into the heart of the island."

The soldiers of the Third Legion's prime squad were career soldiers, within Winters' small group, there were a few Centurions who had served for over a decade, much longer than the three warrant officers.

But whether they were veterans or new recruits, never in their service had an officer explained to them the "why." Winters actually underestimated his own authority; with the bloody battle in the forest and his leading the team out of the encirclement, he had already earned the soldiers' respect.

"Centurion Montaigne, we're all with you! Just give the order, and we will follow!"

——Cut——

Dawn.

The tranquility of the village Tadong was shattered by cursing and wailing.

The small farming settlement, nestled in the heartland of Red Sulfur Island and home to just over forty families, had been intruded upon by unwelcome guests.

A group of fierce-looking men, dressed as sailors and wielding curved swords, kicked in the gate of a homestead on the eastern edge of the village. They first beat the resisting homeowner, then herded the entire household into the courtyard.

"We're Captain Kidd's foraging party!" The gap-toothed pirate boasted as he brandished his curved sword with a whooshing sound, yelling shrilly, "Bring out anything valuable quickly. If I find it myself, don't blame me for not warning you."

"The cellar's here!" An exultant voice came from the backyard.

"Move it!" The gap-toothed pirate gestured broadly with his hand.

Several pirates emerged from the backyard carrying smoked meats, pickled vegetables, and fine flour. These pirates had an eye for quality, selecting only the best goods.

"Don't be upset, we're paying," the gap-toothed pirate mockingly shouted at the farmer's family, then pressed his curved sword to the dazed homeowner, "Tell me, where does the village chief live?"

The women and children, initially sobbing softly, burst into louder cries. The old grandmother of the family, while trying to grab the leg of the gap-toothed pirate, wailed, "You killed my son, you murderer, just kill me too..."

Taken aback, the gap-toothed pirate hastily stepped back to avoid the old lady.

The old man of the house quickly pulled his wife back and stood, arms extended like a mother hen protecting her chicks, between his family and the pirates, his expression rigid, "Don't harm my son, I'll take you to the village chief's house."

"Alright, patriarch. Tell your women to stop crying; we're not here to kill," the gap-toothed pirate laughed and sized up the family, his eyes lingering on the women and children huddled together, "Your women are quite pretty, is she your daughter-in-law or your daughter..."

The old man angrily stepped in front of the gap-toothed pirate, containing his anger as he said bluntly, "You... you're a guest in my home, take what you will... But you must not touch my women, unless you kill me first."

Another tall pirate behind the gap-toothed one grabbed his shoulder, "Captain Kidd sent us to gather provisions, not to fool around with women. Work first, when it's done, I'll treat you to the expensive ones."

"Patriarch, you've got quite the temper. I just saw your women crying pitifully and thought to cheer them up," the gap-toothed pirate raised his hands, stepping back, "If you're not keen on the idea, forget it, patriarch, lead us to the village chief."

Outside the courtyard, a cart stood ready. Seeing the goods loaded aboard, the gap-toothed pirate rummaged through his belt and pulled out a handful of inscribed paper, shoving several "military notes" into the old man's hands, "Don't say we don't pay. This is called military notes. Keep it safe, and after the war, you can redeem it for money at the Red Sulfur Harbor Gott Guild Hall."

The old man took the "military notes" with humiliation and followed the gap-toothed pirate out of the courtyard, looking back three times with every step.

The tall pirate was the last to leave. He tossed a silver coin into the air, and with a precise arc, it fell into the old grandmother's bosom, "Take this, don't say we don't pay."

After that, he left and even closed the door behind him.

Being in extreme terror, the family failed to notice that the tall pirate spoke with the eloquent accent of Sea Blue.

```

But in the community of pirates, there are all kinds of people, so it's not strange for Venetians to become pirates.

The village chief's house was the second to have its doors kicked open.

The pirates repeated the process of "beating anyone who resists—driving the whole family into the yard—demanding food supplies."

"Gentlemen, our village of Tadong has already paid its dues," the village chief said, head bowed, in a fawning tone.

"Bullshit, if you ate yesterday, do you not eat today? Just because you paid the quota before, means you don't have to pay this time?" the toothless pirate slapped the chief's face with the back of his machete, "Flour, oil, meat, salt, we want everything. Oh, and carts, we need six carts. I'm not asking for too much, just fill three carts for me, I'll get the other three filled in other villages."

Looking at his son's bruised face, the Tadong village chief bitterly said, "Where am I supposed to find six carts for you?"

"Don't you know who has carts?" the toothless pirate's brows shot up as he pressed the machete against the other's neck, sneering, "Seems you're not afraid of Captain Kidd, right? Good, come with me, William Kidd likes to slowly torment tough nuts until they turn into jelly…"

The village chief trembled in fear at his terrible laughter, begging for mercy and swearing that every time he thought of Captain Kidd he would wet himself, promising Kidd could have anything he wanted.
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The toothless pirate nodded satisfyingly and casually asked, "By the way, where does your village barber live? Is there a doctor nearby?"

...

"My name is Captain Kidd

As I sail the open seas

I commit all manner of deeds

I'm endlessly wicked

I killed William Moore

I killed William Moore

..."

The carts creaked away into the distance, along with the pirates' ghastly, howling song. The village chief's and a few other wealthy farmers' carts, along with their draft animals, had been requisitioned, leaving the Tadong villagers with "military notes" in hand, crying without tears. Several women discovered that these vicious pirates had even taken iron pots.

"Now we've really become bandits," Winters sighed dejectedly, riding on the cart and swearing, a rarity for him, "I wonder if this'll land us in a military court later on?"

Bard, who was driving the cart, said calmly, "It's not that bad, really. We mostly took non-staple foods, not much staple food, no one will starve to death. During sovereign wars, things get much worse, the histories just note them down as 'Years of famine, people ate each other,' and that's it. Haven't we discussed this already? If we want to move undetected in the countryside, our only option is to pose as a grain requisitioning party. What kind of grain requisitioning team would we be without carts?"

"Let's talk about the future when it comes," Winters sat up suddenly, saying with a headache, "It's unbelievable there's just one doctor capable of bloodletting within miles, and he's a plantation owner, too. This is going to be tough."

Colonel Kongtai'er had incredible vitality, and thanks to the careful attention of three warrant officers, his condition stabilized. However, another problem arose; the unconscious Kongtai'er began to run a fever.

Clearly, the fever was due to foreign bodies in the wound. Upon examination, they found a musket ball had even carried a piece of cloth from his clothing into Kongtai'er's body.

But even Bard, the one most versed in "Medical Classics" and with the best grades in health class, didn't have the skills to operate and remove the musket ball.

If they helped Colonel Kongtai'er remove the musket ball, he might still die. But if they did not remove it, he would undoubtedly die.

To watch Colonel Kongtai'er die, to give him a quick end, or to find a doctor and make the utmost effort.

Winters, Bard, and Andre were faced with a difficult choice.