novelraw Chapter 196 : The Stratagem Within the Stratagem
Chapter 196 : The Stratagem Within the Stratagem
Chapter 196: The Stratagem Within the Stratagem
After making it through the first perilous night without much difficulty, Aches woke everyone up early the next morning before dawn.
Due to the shortage of supplies, no one could afford proper washing. In fact, they might even endure a prolonged period of hunger. But at that moment, everyone was in a desperate state of survival, so naturally, no one cared about such things.
「We must first find a marker point to determine our current location.」
Sien, Aches, Roda, and the others discussed their next course of action.
Before them lay a newly drawn map of Bayor Territory, created only after Wade Kasein took control and began implementing policy reforms. If the war hadn't broken out, he would never have allowed this map to be copied by Yam—any lord would treat the terrain of their domain as top-secret. Even when required to submit one to their liege lord, it would only be a rough version.
The map that Aches now unfolded wasn't the public version handed over to Monica, but a more detailed survey version. This included several hidden paths not shown on the earlier one—although everyone knew Wade likely possessed an even more precise version, this one was already exceptionally detailed.
Sien pointed to a fortress marker near the center of the map and said,「This is the War Fortress.」Then he shifted his finger down across the map,「Our original destination was here, about three days’ travel from the fortress. The original operation plan was to sweep through this settlement first, establish our initial supply station, then expand our reconnaissance outward. But due to the ambush we encountered—」
He pointed to another spot:「Roughly here. - Afterward, we rescued the others here, then retreated in the opposite direction of the enemy. Today, the sun rose on our right-hand side, which is east, so we must now be heading this way.」
He pointed to a spot on the map to the left of their original destination, which, judging from its position, should be northwest.
For Aches, all of this was unfamiliar yet practical knowledge—things he hadn't learned from books. When he returned to the Soderbell Family, he was already thirteen years old. Despite the books Annie later sent him, three years simply wasn’t enough to master so much theory and skill, let alone apply them in real situations.
Fortunately, Aches was a clever person. So, the practical experience Sien was now explaining became clear to him quickly.「I have an idea.」
Aches stared at the map in silence for a moment before suddenly speaking.
「Go on,」Sien replied.
「The enemy is currently searching for us everywhere, so they’ll definitely think we’re trying to break out. But they’d never expect us to double back.」Aches fixed his gaze on a point on the map and said in a low voice,「So, we can return directly to the settlement from last night, hide there for a few days, and then plan our next move.」
At Aches’ words, both Sien and Roda frowned slightly.
「Isn’t that a bit risky?」
「How often did we agree to make contact with my second uncle?」
「Every five days,」Sien answered.
But then he quickly realized what Aches meant:「There’s still one day left.」
「Exactly!」Aches nodded.「In one more day, my second uncle will notice we've lost contact. He’ll definitely send someone in this direction to investigate—」
「No,」Sien shook his head.「Knowing Lord Yam’s personality, he’ll assume we’ve already run into trouble. So, at most, he’ll wait another one or two days. If we haven’t contacted him by then, he’ll definitely dispatch a rescue party. Their first stop will naturally be our original destination. So even if we don’t hide in that settlement, we must leave clues.」
「Three days, huh?」
If Sien’s estimate was right, then Lord Yam would discover their predicament in no more than three days.
「But some of our people have been turned by the Aust Empire. If they’re the ones delivering the message, can Lord Yam really figure it out?」Roda suddenly asked.
「My second uncle and I considered that scenario,」Aches took a deep breath.「So we devised a code. If the message sent back lacks the code we designed, then he’ll know something happened to me.」
「I see!」Roda’s face lit up with joy.
But Sien cast a discreet glance at Aches—and noticed Aches looking directly back at him.
In that instant, Sien suddenly realized: among the rescued riders, there was a traitor!
But he couldn't understand—how did Aches know?
Aches didn’t explain further. Instead, he turned and began issuing orders for the plan to return to the previous settlement, explaining the reason for their move—he didn’t know what other commanders would say in such situations, but he believed that at a time like this, keeping the soldiers’ morale stable was key. Honesty might be the better option.
Afterward, he patrolled the temporary 「camp」, ensured the soldiers’ injuries and conditions were stable, and then announced that they would depart at night.
After all, it was still morning. Although their numbers weren’t large, they certainly weren’t small—nearly twenty people moving together would be easy for the enemy to spot.
Then, Aches approached a soldier.
「I heard you were the first to react last night, leading the others to break out?」
「Yes, sir!」The soldier responded, visibly excited and thrilled by Aches’ attention.
「You did well.」
「It was my duty, sir!」the soldier quickly replied.
「I greatly admire your courage. Not everyone can stay calm and focused under such conditions.」Aches smiled, patting his shoulder warmly.「But now, I have a very important task for you. It may cost you your life. Do you dare accept it?」
「Of course, sir!」The soldier’s face turned red as he shouted,「Please give your orders, sir!」
「Good!」Aches smiled in satisfaction.「Though this mission is dangerous, if you're careful enough, it can succeed. Once you return successfully, I’ll recommend you to my second uncle. Even if he doesn’t put you in an important post, I’ll appoint you as captain of my personal guard. So rest assured.」
「Yes, sir! I’ll complete the mission!」
At Aches’ words, the soldier became even more excited and eager.
「The enemy may pretend everything here is fine and send a letter to my second uncle reporting safety. But my second uncle and I prepared a code. If the message lacks that code, he’ll know I’m in trouble.」Aches glanced around and lowered his voice,「But even if he realizes I’m in trouble, he won’t know our exact location. That’s why I need you to return to the fortress and deliver this letter to him personally.」
Aches tore off a piece of white cloth and bit his finger to write on it.
The writing looked like random scrawls—chaotic and illegible, almost like arcane symbols.
「This mission is crucial—so do your best to survive, understood?」Aches said gravely.「If you're unfortunate enough to be captured by those Aust bastards, then surrender. Report that I sent you to deliver a message. With this intel, those bastards won’t kill you right away—you’ll at least gain some time. After that, it’s up to you.」
「Thank you for your concern, sir!」The soldier was visibly moved.「I’ll complete the mission!」
「Good.」Aches nodded, then smiled gently.「We’ll be waiting at the settlement for you to bring my second uncle.·」-「Don’t worry, I know there’s a hidden basement there. It was built to evade tax inspections by the Senels Family. If I’m right, it still holds over a month’s worth of food supplies.」
「Yes, sir!」
「Remember! This letter must reach my second uncle’s hand directly.」
Once everything was settled, everyone brought out what little dry rations remained.
Originally, they intended to ration it out, but Aches ordered everyone to eat their fill. Their next destination had ample food and fresh water—no need for restraint.
So, without hesitation, they ate.
Then, when night fell, they began moving—Aches and Sien led the main group back along their original route, while the soldier entrusted with the letter split off and hurried in the direction Aches had indicated.
After the groups separated, Aches led his team for about half a day before stopping.
「Now! Everyone—double back to our departure point from this evening.」
「What?!」Everyone was shocked.
Sien also caught on:「The guy you sent this afternoon was the traitor?」
「Yes.」Aches nodded.
「So there was no secret code?」Sien asked.
Although Sien was nominally the vice-commander, Lord Yam had personally appointed him. In reality, he was the true commander of the squad. Yet even he hadn’t heard of any secret code. That meant Aches had lied earlier. Still, he hadn’t confronted him because he had already sensed something odd.
「There is a code, but it’s used by members of the Soderbell Family when in danger.」Aches said solemnly.「But as for regular timed contact—my second uncle and I never made any special arrangements.」
「Then—」Roda was stunned.「Then what if the traitor doesn’t deliver the letter to Lord Yam—」
「No,」Aches shook his head.「He will. The Aust Empire won’t take that gamble. Once the letter reaches my second uncle, he’ll know something happened. The Austs definitely have a plot—and since I revealed my identity to the traitor, they’ll likely revise their plan and search the settlement.」
「So if we don’t go there, they can’t find us,」Sien followed his reasoning.「But once they fail, they’ll realize we tricked them, and then—」
「No,」Aches shook his head again.「I told them there’s a hidden storage space in the settlement—originally for tax evasion—with food and water enough for over a month.」
「So that’s why you told us not to worry about food this morning,」Roda realized.「The less we seem to care about supplies, the more convinced the enemy will be that we’re hiding in that storage room. They’ll tear that place apart looking for us. That’ll buy us several days.」
「I understand now,」Sien said with admiration.「If they find nothing in that 『storage room』 for days, they’ll call in reinforcements—giving us the chance to break out and return to the fortress.」
「Exactly.」Aches nodded.「Even if we miss that chance, as long as we keep watching the fortress, once my second uncle makes a move, we just have to link up with him—and we’ll be safe.」
Hearing this, even the soldiers’ eyes began to shine.
No one wanted to die easily.
So long as there was the slightest hope of survival, they would grasp it with all their might and fight to live!
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