Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1017: Chapter 366: Reinforcements Gather, A Motley Crew, Unexpected Joy, The Battle Begins

Moao Calendar Year 131, October 20th

No matter how the people of the Seven Towns view it, Jiang Xinfan’s ultimatum as Town Chief ultimately proved effective.

The Cold Resistance Level reinforcements from the Seven Towns arrived almost at the last possible moment before dawn, simultaneously reaching Hongguan Camp.

”What use can these two thousand Defensive Army from Guanghong Pass Camp serve? Without deploying the Red Scale Army, it seems Jiangxia Town doesn’t really want to engage with Dajue Temple. Why even bother with this pretense of calling for reinforcements from the Seven Towns?”

Unfortunately, once everyone arrived, the atmosphere was slightly off.

As soon as Lu Yang’s Seven Towns team entered Hongguan Camp, the leader of the outermost team spoke up, glancing around at the soldiers in the camp, his tone laced with sarcasm, intentionally raising his voice as if fearing others wouldn’t hear him.

”That’s Xiang Tiancheng, the Vice Institute Chief of Bashang Town!”

Lu Yang heard Chen Yiqing whisper beside him and nodded slightly, knowing that due to both being on the East Bank of the Heng River, Bashang and Jiangxia Town had numerous conflicts over river territories and had harbored long-standing grievances against each other. Xiang Tiancheng’s behavior at this moment was not surprising.

Xiang Tiancheng looked to be just over forty, with a somewhat sinister demeanor, carrying a silver broad-bladed saber, the blade appearing over fifteen centimeters wide.

Following him were more than two hundred men, evidently the Cold Resistance Level reinforcements sent by Bashang Town. This number alone made it obvious that the relationship between Bashang and Jiangxia was extremely strained.

Now that the Seven Towns reinforcements had all arrived, Lu Yang had already observed them closely.

The Cold Resistance Level reinforcements sent by Beishuo, Jin Mountain, and Wuchuan numbered all above 350, with the Northern Three Towns being the strongest, which made sense; those from Dragon Valley, Yangqu, and Chui Mountain numbered slightly less, also at around 270; only Bashang Town sent just over 200 men, making them exceptionally conspicuous among the Seven Towns.

Coming with the fewest people, yet having the most opinions, was clearly an attempt to stir trouble!

Lu Yang looked at those two hundred or so from Bashang Town, most of them smirking coldly, shaking his head internally, finally fixing his gaze on Xiang Wentian to see what he would say next.

Due to the similar systems among the Nine Towns, the military force configuration was also similar. Each town basically had two types of forces: one called the Defensive Army, consisting of ordinary troops where soldiers generally had Earth-digging Realm Limit Cultivation, and those leading the troops typically were at Cold Resistance Level;

The other type was each town’s elite forces, consisting entirely of Cold Resistance Level soldiers, such as the Northern Three Towns with their own elite forces, the Beishuo Army named after Beishuo Town, Jin Mountain’s Golden Armor Army, Wuchuan’s Mystic Armor Army... The Red Scale Army that Xiang Wentian just mentioned should be Jiangxia Town’s elite force.

Although Lu Yang wasn’t clear on the troop numbers in the other Eight Towns, he knew Beishuo’s: the Beishuo Defensive Army had fifteen units totaling fifteen thousand people, while the Beishuo Army had four units totaling four thousand soldiers.

Jiangxia certainly couldn’t compare to Beishuo; the Defensive Army was likely around ten thousand strong, and the elite force at most two to three thousand.

When he first entered, Lu Yang also observed that Hongguan Camp currently had indeed only two thousand troops, mostly wearing Hundred-forged Armor, clearly the Defensive Army.

However, towards the back of the camp, in Hongguan Village, there were also many clad in Earth-digging Realm armor patrolling the village, and undoubtedly, there was a large group inside as well, though the exact number was unknown.

While Lu Yang was contemplating, Xiang Tiancheng didn’t let up and spoke again.

”According to me, the trouble caused by Dajue Temple should be dealt with by whoever instigated it. Doesn’t Jiangxia like occupying the North Bank of the Heng River...”

”In that case, Xiang Tiancheng, lead your men back to Bashang!”

This time, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted.

The curtain at the main tent entrance towards the back of the camp was lifted, and a middle-aged man in blue brocade robes stepped out slowly. His gaze was fixed on Xiang Tiancheng, clearly indicating that he was not joking; Xiang Tiancheng could now lead his men back to Bashang Town if he wished.

”Deputy Army Chief Jiang!”

”Greetings, Deputy Army Chief Jiang.”

”Salute to Deputy Army Chief Jiang.”

......

As soon as Jiang Yuanlong appeared, the Vice Institute Chiefs leading the other Six Towns promptly saluted him. Witnessing this, Lu Yang’s eyes slightly gleamed.

The authority of a Deputy Army Chief naturally outweighed that of a Vice Institute Chief, but Jiang Yuanlong was Jiangxia Town’s Deputy Army Chief. The salute from the other Six Towns’ Vice Institute Chiefs was clearly for his power, not his position.

Huang Tianxing’s estimated power was around forty maneuvers, even he had to salute, indicating Jiang Yuanlong’s power was certainly above his.

”What, don’t dare to leave?”

Xiang Tiancheng’s expression was somewhat stiff at this moment, being openly questioned by Jiang Yuanlong in front of so many people for a second time; naturally, his pride suffered, yet restraining Jiangxia was a command from the Town Chief, even given a thousand guts, he wouldn’t dare leave with his men.

Additionally, it was possible Jiang Yuanlong intentionally provoked him to leave.

With this thought, his expression flickered even more, raising his head to look at Jiang Yuanlong, remaining silent.

”If you don’t dare leave, then shut up and obediently follow my orders. This joint operation to resist Dajue Temple was a decision made at the end of last month after discussions among the Chiefs of the Eight Towns. Anyone among you who has objections is free to lead their men away from Hongguan; I will not stop you.”

Jiang Yuanlong evidently intended to impose his authority on the Seven Towns reinforcements, and after subduing Xiang Tiancheng, he surveyed the others from the Six Towns and continued: ”I’ll say this up front: if it has been decided you’ll stay here, then all matters on the battlefield ahead must follow my arrangements. If anyone dares to pay lip service and not exert effort, delaying military operations, don’t blame me for being impolite!”