Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

Thus, a full thirty thousand men began to advance in neat formations. They finally halted more than three thousand paces from Kalia City’s walls. This distance ensured that if anything went wrong, they would have plenty of time to retreat to a safe position, out of range of the enemy’s ranged weapons or Magic.

Levi breathed on the lens, then wiped it with his sleeve before putting it to his eye. Standing on the Three-headed Dog’s broad head, he carefully observed the distant town.

The enormous Biefeng gave the soldiers of the Vanguard Army a start. After all, they had seen this Magical Beast before, but they never expected the Three-headed Dog, normally only three sanren gao tall, to grow as large as a Giant Dragon.

Fortunately, these grunts all knew this was the mount of their own Lion Hunter Knight, so the commotion subsided after a brief stir. However, they still discussed it excitedly in hushed tones.

After all, with such a powerful Magical Beast on their side, it could inflict unimaginable damage on the enemy.

A single swipe of its paw would probably be enough to flatten a small city wall.

Seeing the soldiers’ morale inexplicably rising, Count Andao was thoroughly impressed with Levi.

Commanders wracked their brains to write rousing, blood-pumping pre-battle speeches to boost morale, yet this Lion Hunter Knight could raise it with his every word and action.

Kalia was a typical agricultural town, the kind seen everywhere in Debei. Most were baronial fiefs, with low, one- or two-story buildings scattered haphazardly throughout the town. The once-hard dirt roads had been trampled into a muddy mess by the melting snow, mixed with cow and sheep dung.

The only prominent building was the Baron Castle at its center.

The surrounding wall was even more pathetic—a simple earthen wall made of loess and straw, standing only three sanren gao high.

Even with two watchtowers built beside it for support, a wall of this quality was barely adequate for fending off wild beasts or a few bandits. Trying to use it to repel an army of professional soldiers was pure fantasy.

Although the Vanguard Army didn’t have any large siege weapons, Levi had brought the Bed Crossbows from High Cliff Castle. A few shots would be enough to keep the enemy from showing their heads.

Not to mention, he also had four Zor Priests. Back then, a few rounds of magical bombardment from those wenches had blasted a huge hole in the walls of the Wind Speech Tribe, which stood ten sanren gao high. A wall like this one would be nothing more than a breastwork to Gus.

The small town had clearly noticed their arrival. Soldiers scrambled to close the main gate, their resolve unshaken by the pleas of a group of farmers in black Felt Hats carrying cabbages on their backs.

No sane commander would open the gates for a few farmers. It would be a different story if they were nobles.

Heads bobbed along the top of the wall and figures scurried about. Amid shouts, more soldiers scrambled up to defend the low ramparts.

Levi carefully observed the soldiers’ equipment and morale, and came to a conclusion—this was a motley crew of civilians press-ganged into service by some Baron.

They wore heavy wool sweaters and deerskin caps, and the only things in their hands that could be called weapons were worn-out Long Spears scavenged from who-knows-where.

This was, through and through, a village Militia. Forget the Lord’s elite soldiers; even the vassals of the Giant Dragon Corps from the Wilderness could have probably taken this town.

Levi didn’t embellish anything, reporting what he saw to the two Counts truthfully. After all, what you see isn’t always what you get. The enemy could be playing dirty, hiding their real elite soldiers and using these men as bait.

After he finished speaking, however, he realized both Counts were staring intently at the spyglass in his hand. The device was passed around between them before it was finally returned to the Lord.

"This thing’s not bad. Get me one later," Count Andao said bluntly, not bothering with pleasantries.

Count Tisi wanted one too, but he was too proud to ask, so he just kept a stern expression.

"This thing isn’t particularly valuable. I’ll get you each one when I have the time."

Levi waved a dismissive hand.

"Levi, I admit my impression of you was too harsh." Count Tisi was taken aback, not expecting to be included. He spoke with genuine sincerity.

"Count Tisi, in fact, I must say our conflict is merely due to our different factions. At the end of the day, we both serve Duke Fulina." Levi’s tone was laden with meaning. "And to be honest, you all subconsciously see me as Fulina’s vassal, but Miss Liya is my true Feudal Lord."

He clasped his hands behind his back and gazed toward the rear, as if looking at Miss Liya, who was far away with the main army. He looked for all the world like a deeply loyal subject.

"This..." The two Counts exchanged a look, suddenly recalling this fact.

In an instant, most of Count Tisi’s hostility toward the Lion Hunter Knight vanished.

’That’s right. This Lion Hunter Knight is only fighting alongside us temporarily due to circumstance. Once the Southern Territory is conquered, he will leave.’

Levi smiled faintly. ’Pledging loyalty is so much more effective behind someone’s back than to their face.’

’Look at me, Lord Li, Liya’s number one loyal subject. Even from so far away, I never forget her.’

’When she takes her seat as a Duke, it would be unthinkable if she didn’t make me a Count.’

The main reason for all this was that he and Tisi had no deep-seated grudge against each other.

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