Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

There were no prisoners in this battle to eradicate the ulcers.

However, the spoils of war were considerable.

Not only did they obtain thousands of pounds of grain and flour from the miller, but they also acquired 12 relatively complete sets of chainmail, 1 set of half-plate armor, and 12 decent weapons from the "Ulcer" gang. They plundered the "Ulcer" camp, acquiring some replacement equipment and approximately 50 Groshen coins.

When Peter returned on his warhorse laden with spoils, the remaining men cheered with joy. Food meant they wouldn't go hungry; weapons and armor meant greater self-defense. These were the guarantees of the camp's growing strength, and as members of the camp, they shared in its glory.

That night, the campfire in the center of the camp burned brighter than usual. Bread, flatbread, roasted meat, vegetables, hot soup, and cheese were served one plate after another, and the combat team, carpentry team, logistics team, and propaganda team members ate and drank to their hearts' content around the campfire.

The campsite construction work was indeed tiring, but the dinner after work was also very plentiful, and everyone was able to eat their fill. Compared to when we had to endure hunger outside, life now is really good.

The combat team members loudly recounted the course of the battle.

"You didn't see it! This ambush was full of unexpected events and close calls. We were lying in ambush at the valley entrance before dawn, just waiting for these guys to come out and enter the ambush area. But those lazybones didn't come out until almost noon. They only took a couple of steps before stopping, and guess what?"

"What's wrong?"

The gang's second-in-command went straight for a crooked pine tree! What for? To pee! And since it was downwind, he peed all over his own shoe!

The whole place burst into laughter.

"Once he finished urinating, the group should have moved forward into our ambush area, right? But then another unexpected thing happened: two rangers ran over, and guess what?"

"What? Fight?"

"No, no, no, the executive sent them to recruit the Ulcer gang. It turns out they were already in cahoots, planning to launch a surprise attack on our camp."

"Damn it. And then?"

"Then Lord Peter ordered the ranger to be shot to ruin their plans. Team Leader Tom shot the ranger right in the face, and the guy's eyes were wide open until he died. Lord Peter also deliberately had us let another ranger escape, causing the executive to misjudge. You didn't see the look of shock on that guy's face when the sky fell."

"Hahaha"

"Then the lord ordered us to attack. There were five of us against twelve, and we weren't afraid at all. You didn't see how accurate Tom and Robert's arrows were; they pierced right into their throats in a flash. Those men's chainmail hoods couldn't protect their necks at all."

"I charged in and broke their formation. They couldn't stop me at all. One short guy even tried to stab me in the stomach with a short sword, but I told him, 'Go ahead and stab me! Go for it!'"

"That bastard 'Ulcer' never respected me before, and this time he even tried to betray us. I just chopped off three of his fingers and asked him if it hurt!"

"I took down their third leader, 'Rotten Lung.' He was panting like a broken bellows, and I felt exhausted just listening to him. I knocked his weapon away in a few moves and ended his suffering with an axe."

"The funniest one was that second-in-command, 'Broken Jaw.' He wet his shoes before the fight started, and then he just 'peed away' after the fight began! He ran faster than a frightened rabbit and went straight to the miller. When we finally caught him, he was begging for his life. He never showed any mercy to the civilians he had killed before when they begged for mercy."

"People like that deserve to die!"

As the combat team members recounted their stories, they occasionally made exaggerated imitations, which made everyone burst into laughter.

Jerry secretly regretted that he couldn't participate in such a wonderful battle because of his spy mission.

Doug listened intently, but a chill ran down his spine. He hadn't realized that John the Big Mouth, Andre the Redbeard, Robert the White Hair, and Monkey the Skinny were so ruthless and brutal! He'd been bossing them around, hurling insults, and forbidding them from eating until they finished their work… Was he really that brave? No, they weren't afraid of him, they were afraid of Boss Peter. As long as he clung tightly to Boss Peter's leg, no one would dare retaliate against him!

Handsome Charlie was filled with mixed feelings. He was worried about his brothers' hardships, but also about them driving Land Rovers. Yesterday, he was glad he had become the deputy foreman of the carpentry team and didn't have to fight, but now he was starting to envy them. What was wrong with him? He also wanted to be surrounded by people and brag about his work!

The eight guards who had just joined the camp felt a chill run down their spines when they heard that Peter had wiped out the ulcer gang without leaving a single survivor. They were glad that they hadn't put up too much resistance.

Seeing that his combat team members had finished their boasting, Peter rose, surveyed the crowd, and, firelight flickering in his eyes, declared, "Victory favors the brave, and the courageous are the first to enjoy the world. Come, let's drink to our warriors!"

"Cheers——!"

Laughter and cheers once again filled the camp.

After the eating, drinking, and boasting, it was time for the rewards. Peter also intended to create an atmosphere where merit would be rewarded.

"Andrei, Monchi, Robert, step forward."

"yes!"

"You three followed orders strictly and fought bravely during the siege of the Ulcer Gang. Each of you is rewarded with a robe, a set of chainmail, an oak shield, and a weapon. From today onwards, you are official members of the combat team, with a daily salary of 1 pfennig."

Peter reached behind him and found a set of rewards. He handed them out one by one.

Redbeard Andrei received a steel shield painted with a bull's head. A flame of trust burned in Andrei's eyes as he lightly touched the cold iron plate with his forehead, whispering his battle prayer and secretly vowing to become the guardian of his master's wall.

Robert received a fine, well-fitting set of chainmail and a superior redwood longbow. He silently accepted them, the subtle gesture of stroking the chainmail's buckles betraying his excitement. From now on, he was no longer a lightly armed archer relying solely on leather armor. Only by protecting himself could he continuously unleash deadly arrows.

The skinny monkey, Monchi, acquired two fine short swords with narrower blades and deeper blood grooves, perfect for his deadly "drilling" technique.

"I swear in the name of God that I will die for Lord Peter."

After receiving their rewards, the three immediately knelt down on one knee to express their gratitude.

"Ding, Andrei has voluntarily joined the host's ranks. Do you wish to open the character panel?"

"Ding, Monkey has voluntarily joined the host's ranks. Do you wish to open the character panel?"

"Ding! Robert has voluntarily joined the host's ranks. Do you wish to open the character panel?"

"accept!"

"Ding, Andrei's loyalty +5"

"Ding! Monkey's loyalty +5"

"Ding! Robert's loyalty +5"

........

A series of beeps made Peter nod in satisfaction.

"Tom, John, and Jerry, step forward!"

"yes!"

"Tom and John obeyed orders strictly during the raid on the ulcer gang, killing several bandits, and were commended for their merits. Each of them was awarded a cloak, a set of half-breastplate armor, and an oak shield."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

"Jerry, although you did not participate in the battle, you risked your life to act as a spy and defend my camp from the official encirclement. You are rewarded with one Grossen. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

"Ding! Tom's loyalty +3"

"Ding! John's loyalty +3"

"Ding! Jerry's loyalty +3"

........

Peter then looked at the others and said, “The brave fight on the front lines, the diligent build on the backs, and the wise see the big picture. You are all indispensable to the camp. Today, we have wiped out the ‘Ulcer’ gang, removed one of the Executive’s fangs in the Lower Semyon region, and severed any tentacles he might extend. This credit belongs to each and every one of you. Let’s all drink to this!”

"Cheers!"

Everyone raised their glasses and cheered. At this moment, whether new or old, everyone was proud to be a member of the camp.

Peter then announced that some armor and weapons would be included in the first batch of inventory for the "camp's public armory." The combat teams will continue to grow, and everyone willing to fight for the camp will have the opportunity to join.

These words filled the eyes of those who had not been selected for the combat team with anticipation.

"The joy is fleeting; we still face new threats. Troski village is mobilizing, and a major battle is inevitable. This time, we killed a ranger and concealed the bodies at the Ulcer camp, creating a false impression for the executives that we have allied with the Ulcer faction. This may cause the enemy to split their forces in subsequent operations. Once they split their forces, their numerical advantage will diminish, and our opportunity will arise."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over each face that had turned serious, and continued:

"But we cannot place our hopes for victory entirely on the enemy making mistakes; that would be foolish. We must focus on consolidating and strengthening ourselves. Therefore, I order:"

"First, strengthen vigilance and defense. Starting tomorrow, double the number of traps around the camp, increase the number of sentry posts, and increase the density of shifts. Robert, you are in charge of designing new early warning traps and booby traps. Doug, you lead the carpentry team to suspend house construction and instead dig trenches and set up spike barriers around the living area."

"Second, intelligence. Jerry the Grey Rat will continue to gather intelligence on Trotsky tomorrow. We need to know any signs of the Executive's troop movements. Meanwhile, Andrei and Monkey, the two of you, begin to investigate all possible threats within a day's journey around us. We need to eliminate all potential threats in the surrounding area before the encirclement of Trotsky begins."

"Third, we might 'actively' create some chaos and cause some trouble for the executives."

"Fourth, and most importantly, we want everyone to understand why they are fighting. We are fighting for a land where we can live and have a say; for every loaf of bread, every piece of clothing, and every piece of armor we receive; for a fairer, freer, and more dignified life! And all of this is being taken from us by greedy lords and executors. Do you agree?"

"No way! No way!"

The crowd raised their arms and cheered. At that moment, something heavier and more solid than the spoils of war coalesced in the air. It was a clear understanding of the future and a determination to fight to the death for it.

"Fight for our shared survival and future!"

"Fight for survival! Fight for the future!"

Tom, Jerry, John, and others were the first to roar out, and then more people echoed them. Their voices were not loud, but they were like the roots surging in the forest, full of power.