Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

In the early morning, Shovel Port was awakened by the sound of horse hooves as three unfamiliar cavalrymen carrying green banners charged into the small town like a bolt of lightning.

They first rang the church bell to gather residents, then affixed three notices to the church door without reading them out—literate townsfolk would read to the others—and promptly left for the next village.

...

Shovel Lake, located to the northwest of Revodan, is the largest lake within Iron Peak County.

Legend has it that in ancient times, to enlighten the Paratu People, the saint Ados performed a miracle in public, digging out a lake with just one shovel.

From then on, the local Paratu People converted to the public faith, and the lake thus came to be known as Shovel Lake.

The port town situated by the lake naturally took the name Shovel Port.

The main livelihood of the people of Shovel Port was farming and fishing, with a portion also engaged in trade and manual labor.

Goods transported from downstream were unloaded here, and many of the agricultural products sold by Iron Peak County were also shipped from here.

Thanks to its unique geographical advantages, Shovel Port gradually became the second wealthiest town in Iron Peak County after Revodan.

...

After the strange cavalrymen had departed, village folk gradually congregated in front of the notices. An elderly gentleman dressed in nice clothing squinted his eyes and began to read them with feigned profundity.

The three notices were straightforward and addressed three distinct matters.

...

The first notice, "Encouraging Agriculture."

This year's winter was warm, and the early wheat had already sprouted. Montaigne, the protector of the people, ordered all town and village heads to immediately organize manpower to "press down the wheat seedlings" and arrange for "livestock to lie on the ground," without delay.

"Pressing down the wheat seedlings" meant flattening the sprouts with rollers or logs.

Overdeveloped winter wheat, after being flattened, would not only remain unharmed but also benefit, resulting in a more robust growth come springtime.

What the experienced farmer from Saint Town described as "holding a market in the wheat field" was based on this principle—a concept Winters had also taken great pains to understand.

However, holding a market meant trampling the sprouts with foot traffic, while Winters went a step further, directly ordering each town and village to take rollers and logs to "press down the wheat seedlings."

"Livestock to lie on the ground" was a technique shared with Winters by another famed farmer named "Arator."

When winter wheat first sprouted, it was very delicate and could not withstand any contact or trampling; carelessness would result in uprooting.

But now was different; after nearly a month of growth, the wheat's roots had become very sturdy.

Even if livestock were to graze on it, the root system beneath the soil remained undamaged; grazing off the top sprouts was actually beneficial for the wheat's development next year.

Furthermore, grass withers away in winter, and livestock feeding on dry hay tend to lose weight.

Allowing large animals to feed on the tender wheat sprouts would not only help them overwinter and maintain body weight, but also tread on the wheat field, achieving the "rolling" effect.

Moreover, the dung and urine from the livestock left in the field would lead to vigorously growing wheat next year, truly a trifecta of benefits.

This farmer named "Arator" was forcibly brought to Revodan, traveling in fear and trembling.

Only when he laid eyes on the Blood Wolf did he realize the protector of the people summoned everyone not for extortion, but truly to "protect the people."

A sense of relief, as well as gratitude, filled Arator's heart.

That was why he no longer kept his farming secrets, spilling every last one of them.

Properly managed, a disaster where warm winter caused the wheat to sprout could actually become an asset—an unexpected gain for Winters.

...

Following "Encouraging Agriculture" was the "Preparation for War."

The content of the "Preparation for War Order" was even more straightforward. As the supreme commander of the garrison forces, Winters notified all villages and towns in Iron Peak County:

The day before, the garrison captured barbarian scouts. The barbarian scouts confessed that due to the warm winter and abundant fodder, the barbarians would attack the Newly Reclaimed Land a second time.

Part of this information was false, and part of it was true—Winters had no intention of elaborating on the source of the intelligence.

Montaigne, the Garrison Officer, immediately ordered all town [Garrison Officers] and [Acting Garrison Officers]: to blockade roads, scrutinize suspicious individuals, and arrange sentries.

Most importantly: to immediately recruit militia and set up beacon towers along the Big Horn River and within every village and town.

Upon detecting any move from the barbarians, they must instantly light the beacons to signal a warning; Revodan would dispatch troops for rescue. Those who delayed military information would be severely punished without mercy.

The beacon towers were to be ready within three days, to be inspected by the garrison forces once the deadline arrived. Delayers would face severe punishment as well.

The militia and beacon towers were emergency measures.

The Big Horn River acted as a barrier between the wilderness and the Newly Reclaimed Land; defending along the river might be a good strategy.

But the border was too extensive, and the places Winters was tasked to defend were too many while his troops were too few and lacked the mobility of Hurd's swift cavalry.

Could the militia hold off the Terdun Barbarians?

Winters was not optimistic, but if there was even a sliver of hope, he had to try.

The plan for recruiting the militia was personally devised by Winters and consisted of two phases.

The first phase: Each village and town was to form a militia, responsible for local defense.

Would each village and town comply? Of course not—Winters was prepared for this.

Towns like Wooden Flute Town and Fuyuan Town, hundreds of kilometers away from the border, wouldn't feel threatened until the barbarians were right at their doorstep.

Not to mention, Winters couldn't provide any weapons or supplies to the militias everywhere.

The first phase was already troublesome enough to implement, but its difficulties were nothing compared to the plan for the second phase.

As for what the second phase plan was, the esteemed Montaigne protector of the people didn't even mention it in the "Preparation for War" notice.

At present, if each village and town could organize militia forces in an orderly manner, Winters would have no further demands.