Chapter 99 An Otherworldly Military Drill Was Conducted
Henry's carriage raced ahead, flanked by eight horses and the War Wolf Battle Squad on horseback.
The War Wolf Battle Squad were fully armed, with swords at their waists, recurve bows on their backs, and various other gear stowed in their packs.
Leo and the others had camouflage painted on their faces, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Anyone who dared to attack the carriage suddenly would be shot dead by their flurry of arrows.
David, who was driving the carriage, saw this and said to Charles, sitting next to him, "They've really come into their own."
Charles, unimpressed, spat out a straw and glanced at the War Wolf Battle Squad, "If they're still useless after all the effort Henry put in, they should all go back to mining and spare us the embarrassment."
"Yes." David nodded in agreement, feeling a pang of heartache as he thought about the resources invested in them.
The equipment alone on a member of the War Wolf Battle Squad cost several gold coins, enough to train several well-equipped knights.
"How long until the others catch up? We can't keep Henry waiting." Charles asked, looking towards the city gates as Eldoria came into view.
"Based on their training, they should catch up in about eight minutes," David replied calmly.
"I hope they don't disappoint Henry." Charles mused, thinking about how much better his life had become in the past twenty days.
The War Wolf Battle Squad escorted the carriage out of Eldoria. After seven or eight minutes, a group of around a hundred people, arranged in four columns, began running towards the city gates.
Silent and determined, their faces filled with a sense of purpose, today was an important day as Henry would be testing their abilities.
If anyone made a big mistake today and brought shame upon themselves, David and the other instructors had issued a stern warning that failure and embarrassment will result in retraining with next year's recruits.
They couldn't afford to embarrass themselves like that. David considered the recruits rookies, the kind of people who needed guidance even in the simplest tasks.
Twenty sword and shield soldiers led the way. Their shields, made of steel-covered wood, provided protection comparable to heavy armor.
Following closely behind were twenty longbowmen, composed of hunters or skilled archers, their hands calloused from years of practice. The broken arrows from their training sessions piled up like small mountains.
The longbowmen were the most lethal unit, capable of taking down large numbers of enemies if protected by the sword and shield soldiers.
Next were the pikemen, each wielding a pike with a steelhead, ready to join the sword and shield soldiers in battle.
Then, the most important unit was the knights. Twenty knights clad in steel-plated armor, each carrying a horseman's axe at their waist, a lance slung on their horse's side, and a crossbow on their back.
Relying on the mobility of their cavalry, they could easily outmaneuver the enemy, using their axes for close combat or launching spears from a distance.
Finally, there was the logistics team, which included the tank heavy armor squad. Due to the cumbersome nature of their heavy armor, they had to rely on horse-drawn carriages. Among them was Gabriel, carrying a long scythe.
"Hurry up!" Brian roared as he rode his horse, cracking his whip in the air, the sound echoing.
The team quickened their pace, the cavalry leading their horses, and no one was able to walk easily with so much gear.
In the southwest of Eldoria, there was a suitable place for military exercises, one of Henry's target locations.
"We're here!" David stopped the carriage and knocked on the door.
Henry pushed open the door, his lips slightly swollen, and a smile on his face. Today was a happy day.
Mila also emerged from the carriage, her cheeks flushed, and her lips slightly swollen. She followed behind Henry, occasionally adjusting her collar. There was a red mark behind the collar which caused her entire body to go limp.
David and Charles exchanged a knowing glance, quickly understanding what was happening. They smiled and obediently stood aside.
Henry shook off the alluring scene in his mind and turned his attention to the task at hand. With a serious expression, he asked, "How much longer until they arrive?"
"About eight minutes, give or take a minute," David replied.
Time was of the essence in the military, and Henry had provided his brothers with timers, so they all used seconds, minutes, and hours to keep track of time.
Henry had already considered gradually introducing timers in Eldoria., influencing the commoners through details, similar to introducing scales and weights from the main market.
"Have the War Wolf Battle Squad prepare. As soon as they arrive, we'll start immediately. There's no rest time for them." Henry said indifferently.
"Yes, sir!"
The War Wolf Battle Squad quickly gathered their gear and entered the nearby forest, the other crucial location for the military exercise.
"Henry, do you think this plan will work?" Mila asked, her cheeks still flushed.
She knew about Henry's plan and had some concerns about the target of the other side's military exercise.
"Just let them train first so they won't be all over the place when the real battle begins," Henry said calmly.
A strong army wasn't built through military drills alone. He was just letting them adapt in advance. The most important thing was to develop their courage. Soldiers must never be cowardly on the battlefield.
If they couldn't even pass this test, the training would need to be doubled , or perhaps it would be time to consider using some special means.
The eight minutes passed quickly, and the ground began to tremble slightly as a group of people came into view.
With over a hundred people, along with their equipment and horses, they certainly had an imposing presence; at least, at first glance, Henry's impression wouldn't be too bad.
"Stop!" David shouted, holding a wooden stick. "Get ready immediately."
"Get battle-ready immediately."
"You have only three minutes to prepare."
"Those who don't want to die, take it seriously."
