HCB Chapter 387 The first contact
Chapter 387 The first contact
Hearing this, John felt nervous. It was not until this moment that he clearly felt the approach of the crisis. What was coming finally came. Although he didn't understand why Calixica was able to end the war in the north so quickly, there was no doubt that he had to take action as soon as possible.
John quickly began to plan his next countermeasures. He knew that it was crucial to obtain first-hand intelligence on the Galician army. Only by understanding the enemy's movements and strength could he formulate an effective strategy.
So John first wrote a letter for help to General Reynald who was far away in Slave Bay, and then handed it to the messenger.
"Go to Slaver's Bay as fast as you can and give him this letter for help."
Then, John quickly called all the generals together for an emergency military meeting. As the meeting progressed, the complex situation of the war gradually emerged. The generals put forward their own opinions and plans, and the atmosphere was filled with anxiety and urgency. After some discussion, John finally made a decision.
"We have to fight, but we can't blindly confront the Calixtian army."
John said firmly:
"I decided to test the strength of the Galician army before making any plans. I need to understand their strength and movements so that I can formulate our next strategy."
Therefore, John decided to leave 10,000 soldiers to defend Acre, to ensure that the army in the rear could protect the safety of Acre while he was fighting on the front line. He personally led another 10,000 soldiers to Murcia to join the army of the Murcians.
"Everyone must remain vigilant and proceed with caution."
Three days later, John and his army finally arrived at the city of Murcia. After days of rapid march, although the soldiers looked tired, their eyes were shining with fighting spirit.
He was greeted by Chief Hashim who came in a hurry. After John conquered Murcia, Chief Hashim immediately moved his tribe from the desert oasis to the outskirts of the city. Compared with the small oasis deep in the desert, Murcia's environment is undoubtedly more superior, with sufficient water and rich resources, which is very suitable for the survival and development of the tribe.
"Master Mamtim, you are finally here!"
Chief Hashim said, his voice full of anxiety and expectation. He hurried forward, looking at John's army with sharp eyes, as if assessing their fighting ability.
"The envoy of Galicia brought a group of troops to the city of Murcia one week and said a lot of things that asked us to surrender. I said I would consider it for a few days and stabilize him. Then he left with his troops to the north. But I think he is likely to come back in the next few days."
John stared at Lord Hashem with a hint of urgency in his eyes and asked:
"How big was that army? Did they carry siege weapons?"
Lord Hashim hesitated for a moment and said:
"I observed from the northern city wall at that time, and there was indeed a huge army gathering to the north of the city," he replied, looking solemn.
"Each of their soldiers is wearing armor and looks very elite. It is estimated that there are at least several thousand of them."
"Thousands of people..."
John frowned slightly, secretly calculating the enemy's combat capability. He then asked:
"Did they use siege weapons? Like trebuchets, cannons, etc?"
Chief Hashim shook his head:
"I didn't see any siege weapons. Perhaps they weren't ready yet."
John felt even heavier in his heart after hearing this. He understood that if the army of Gabriel was really as Hashim said, then according to his judgment of the war situation, Gabriel's war in the north was obviously coming to an end, and he would soon lead his army south to recapture the city of Acre in the south, which had been occupied by the King's Office for decades.
Realizing the severity of the situation, John immediately turned to Chief Hashim and said in a firm tone:
"Chief Hashim, we must act immediately. Please gather the people in the city immediately, have them pack their bags, take away everything they can, and then head towards Acre."
Lord Hashim was slightly stunned, then he understood what John meant. He nodded, and quickly and decisively began to execute the order, calling the guards around him, and told them to pass the message to everyone, telling the people in the city to prepare to evacuate.
The atmosphere in Murcia had long been tense. After the envoys from Galicia left a few days ago, residents began to feel unusually nervous, and rumors of a possible war were quietly circulating in the streets. People's whispers and uneasy expressions conveyed a vague sense of crisis.
When the messenger of Chief Hashim arrived and conveyed the order to persuade them to pack their bags and march to Acre, the residents of Murcia finally realized that the upcoming war was not just a rumor. The sorrow and anxiety on their faces were intertwined. Although they were reluctant to leave their homes, at that moment, they knew in their hearts that they had no choice in the face of the threat of being besieged.
People hurried back to their homes, frantically packing up what they could take away. The next day, under the escort of Chief Hashim's soldiers, a large crowd of people set out from the south gate of Murcia and headed towards Acre.
John stood on the wall of Murcia, staring at the crowds going away, with mixed feelings in his heart. He then ordered the soldiers to use materials from nearby houses to reinforce the defenses of the wall, and instructed them to pile up wood and stones to make it more solid.
At the same time, he also ordered his soldiers to set up chevaux de frise outside the city. This simple but effective defensive measure could effectively block the attack of enemy cavalry.
A few days later, a scout came back from the north like an arrow from a bow, his face full of anxiety. He rushed into the city without stopping and went straight to where John lived. John was patrolling on the city wall, and when he learned that the scout had returned, he immediately ordered him to climb the city wall.
"Report! There is important information!"
The scout was panting, his forehead covered with sweat.
"A Kushan army is coming here from the north, estimated to number several thousand."
John realized the urgency of the situation and immediately ordered his soldiers to quickly climb the city wall and prepare for battle.
At noon, the air was filled with a tense atmosphere. Suddenly, a clear horn sounded from the north of Murcia City, sharp and loud, as if announcing the coming of the battle. Along with the horn sound, the ground in the distance began to tremble, and the deafening sound gradually approached, as if it was the prelude to war, which was chilling. John felt the ground shaking, and his heart tightened. He knew that the enemy was coming fiercely and should not be underestimated.
He quickly stood up, holding a telescope in his hand, eager to spy on the outside. The soldiers had all climbed up the city wall, ready to meet the incoming enemy. John pointed the telescope at the distance, his eyes fixed on the end of his vision. His heartbeat seemed to be particularly loud at this time, accompanied by every rapid breath.
However, when he looked out along the line of sight of the telescope, he was shocked by what he saw: dozens of armored elephants were slowly approaching. They were huge, and the armor on their bodies shone with metallic luster in the sun. What made John even more nervous was that each armored elephant had a small wooden fortress on its back, and in the fortress, a cannon stretched out of the fortress and pointed directly at the wall of Murcia.