Summoning Total War - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: This is War! (Part 2)

The rain started to become heavier as it neared three in the afternoon.

It had previously just been a misty drizzle, but now it had turned into a heavy drizzle. The rain was pitter-pattering everywhere, and it made everyone feel damp. They felt sticky all over and very uncomfortable.

But for now, there was nobody who dared to complain about these conditions anymore.

Murphy’s previous actions had already made those mercenaries learn to be in awe of the Greek infantry, and in awe, they understood what obedience meant!

The road was slightly muddy, and a few people would occasionally slip and fall onto the ground, but they would quickly stand back up and go back to following the team in silence. All it took was just a few short hours, and the momentum and cohesion of the entire team had drastically changed!

These mercenaries, who’d been lacking in self-discipline, were unconsciously focusing on the strictly disciplined Greek infantry as the army advanced. They were beginning to naturally learn from the Greek infantry. The change was felt by everyone. Everyone was taking it seriously, and you could see it in their eyes. Unconsciously, some of the mercenaries slowly puffed out their chests and acted high and mighty, as if they were already qualified soldiers.

With regard to this change, Murphy was happy to see the results.

These mercenaries had all received brief military training, so as long as they all had strong self-control, they could quickly whip themselves into shape.

The march, which lasted more than three hours, had made everyone feel a little tired. At about three kilometers away from the gathering grounds of the gnolls, Murphy ordered the entire army to take a break and prepare lunch.

It was obviously impossible to start a fire on a rainy day, so all they could eat were the dried field rations.

The Greek infantry’s dried field rations consisted of white bread, dried meat, and salted fish. On the other hand, the food for the mercenaries was much worse. A majority of the food had been prepared by them for themselves, so there was very little meat.

During the march, the bread was usually put in their backpacks while the dried meat was carried close to them in their arms.

This way, because of the temperature from the human body, when they took the dried meat out to eat, it wouldn’t be too hard from the cold. When it was taken out, it would still be warm and pliable from the body heat, which made it easy to chew and swallow.

Everyone was already soaked through their clothes, and there was nothing particular to talk about at the time.

The soldiers casually sat on the floor, regardless of the mud and water on the ground. Still, the food in their hands had to be handled very carefully. After all, nobody wanted to eat mud. There was also no need to find water. In this era, there was no such thing as industrial pollution. The rainwater was very clean. All one had to do was casually look for a stream and the water wouldn’t be worse than the so-called “purified water” of modern times.

Murphy led the horses under a tree and then took the dried meat out from his arms and ate it bit by bit by the kettle.

During the march, he’d always eaten the same food as the soldiers. He didn’t even prepare a single special treat for himself!

What could be considered the morale of a soldier?

A soldier’s morale was built-up from things like this, bit by bit, over time.

Having eaten a little bit too fast, Murphy choked on accident.

He picked up the kettle and drank a few large sips of water before sighing a breath of relief.

Half a pound of meat and two pieces of white bread.

Murphy had a big appetite, and his body, which was increasingly growing stronger, needed to be supplemented with more energy, and his food intake needed to be increased.

Murphy couldn’t help but frown when he looked at the dried field rations that the mercenaries had brought themselves.

Surviving on dried field rations alone without adding any dried meat would limit how much physical strength they could regain, and they would also get hungry very quickly! This was the same as in the 1970s, when there wasn’t much oil or water, and there was the same idea that any adult laborer could eat up to several large bowlfuls of rice.

Murphy reached out his hand and summoned the herald, and asked in a low voice: “How much of our dried meat do we have left?”

“The dried meat is gone. Two sheep were slaughtered yesterday, but there is still a lot of salted fish. We can’t even eat up all the fish that are being supplied by the port now,” the herald said. During the march, Murphy couldn’t go and inquire about all these details, so under normal circumstances, these matters were usually the responsibility of the herald.

“Well, in that case, share it with them. There will be a fight later. They can’t do that on an empty stomach!” Murphy said, nodding and ordering the herald to distribute the extra salted fish to the merchants.

“Yes!” the herald responded.

The salted fish was quickly distributed, and once the mercenaries got the meat, they immediately warmed up more to Murphy.

To small fries like them, there wasn’t much they could hope for, and they could easily recognize when they were being given attention like this.

After having their lunch, the entire army rested for half an hour.

Their food needed to be digested, and their physical energy consumed by the march had to be replenished.

At around four in the afternoon, the rain was starting to die down, and the sky in the distance had also begun to clear up.

“The sky is becoming clear!” the soldiers said. They couldn’t help but cheer. The rain had greatly affected their vision, and now that the rain was starting to die down, the weather wouldn’t affect the battle.

“Entire army, advance forward!” Murphy said, turning back and riding on his horse, and he ordered the General Guards to investigate the area where the gnolls were gathering.

Because of the clear weather, the mercenaries were in a much better state of mind. They picked up their weapons and quickly moved toward their destination. The slave traders’ cavalry of about twenty people also began to scatter and check if there was anything special happening in the surrounding areas.

Twenty minutes later, the army arrived at the gathering grounds of the gnolls. Under Murphy’s command, they surrounded the gathering grounds of the gnolls in a fan-shaped formation with twenty people lined up in four columns.

The two Greek infantry phalanxes were stretched out to a depth of more than fifty meters in diameter and blocked the gathering ground of the gnolls with an inverted triangle-shaped front with about an angle of two hundred and forty degrees per side.

The guards were divided into two columns and advanced forward in an arc.

At a distance of about three hundred meters from the gathering ground of the gnolls, the alert beast-like gnolls had already spotted the army.

It was normal to be noticed, and Murphy never assumed that gnolls wouldn’t able to notice them while they formed the perfect encirclement while bringing along these mercenaries.

More than 600 to 700 mercenaries were divided into two teams and ran forward, tightly followed by the General Guards. They had to snatch the gnolls before they escaped and plug the holes in the encirclement so as to wipe out the gathering grounds of the gnolls.

In the face of the enemy, the first thing a living creature thought of was combat!

Only if they couldn’t win would they think of running away.

So these gnolls needed some time to react, and what Murphy needed to do was surround the gnolls before they reacted so he could keep all the gnolls where they were at!

The dull horn sounded!

The infantry phalanx began to advance more quickly, and the cavalry yelled and ran, rushing into the gathering grounds of the gnolls.

Before the adult gnolls could even organize themselves and start to resist, the General Guards closed the final gap between them and formed the encirclement!

“Advance!”

Murphy stood outside the battlefield. The herald urgently blew the horn, and the Greek infantry gave a fierce roar and advanced forward!

The mercenaries began to yell to try and drive the beasts away. The loud noises from all directions caused a huge commotion in the gathering ground of the gnolls. Obviously, these simple but intelligent creatures already knew that they were being surrounded.

The encirclement gradually tightened, and some mercenaries equipped with javelins and bows and arrows automatically began to attack.

The Greek infantry at the frontline had already dealt with the adult male gnolls defending the main entrance of the gnoll camp. These robust adult gnolls tried to break into the phalanx and defeat the enemies that were in front of them.

However, before they could even approach, the spears had already pierced their bodies!

The first counterattack from the gnolls had been stopped, and the adult gnolls were organized to defend the perimeter.

A team of about 150 mercenaries took over the gap in the rear of the General Guards, and the General Guards moved to the main gate position under Murphy’s orders. When they reached the front of the encirclement, the knights of the General Guards spread out and took out the javelins from on their backs and got ready to throw them!

The encirclement was further tightened!

Roughly about 500 or so gnolls were squeezed into an oval encirclement about three hundred meters in diameter.

At this moment, Murphy glanced at the slave traders around him and nodded.

The guard cavalry of the slave traders rushed out, and they scattered about fifty meters away from the front.

The role of these people wasn’t to participate in the battle. but to supervise the mercenaries who joined the battle.

If anyone escaped the battle, these knights would kill them!

“Clang!”

Murphy pulled out the sword from at his waist, and the Spartan Berserker Mode Heavy Warriors behind him silently stepped forward.

Immediately, a powerful horn sounded!

“KILL THEM!”

The Greek infantry phalanx shouted and started to charge forward! The mercenaries also roared and rushed ahead!

The phalanx and the crowd were like fierce and violent waves that hit the defensive lines formed by the gnolls. At the very moment of impact, it felt like a whole head of wheat had just been cut and fallen to pieces! The squeezed gnoll defensive line was a flesh-and-blood target. Under Murphy’s calculations, the deliberately compressed space gave these gnolls no extra room to dodge. The javelin soldiers didn’t even need to aim. All they had to do was throw their javelins harshly into the encirclement!

For a time, the sound of fighting and the screams of gnolls rang through the land!