pdf-ebookys Chapter 189 Bloodstained Bridge
Chapter 189 Bloodstained Bridge
Chapter 120 Bloodstained Bridge
In the governor's mansions, the maritime guilds, and the bustling taverns of Lys, Tyros, and Myr, an almost fanatical sentiment was spreading. As the Kingdom of the Three Daughters suffered defeat after defeat on the main battlefield and could only barely hold on with the awkward strategy of "luring the enemy deep into their territory," the achievements of Jules and Tiberius's flanking force were magnified and mythologized to an extreme degree, becoming the only spiritual comfort and capital for boasting in their despair.
"Have you heard? Jules the Keeper of the Faith has practically become the god of war of Essos! The Battle of the Golden Spurs, a brilliant victory against overwhelming odds! And then the Lake of Controversy! Three weeks! Eight thousand against two thousand, a piece of cake!" Inside the tavern, a Lissian merchant boasted to his companion with spittle flying, as if he had witnessed it all himself.
"More than that!" A Tyrosian mercenary leader took a swig of wine, his face flushed, and chimed in.
"They've now struck right at the heart of Valantis! We, the Tyrosians, have the best intelligence; Jules' army has already crossed the Heartbreak Territory and occupied the ruins of Chayon! Their next step is to descend straight down the Lorne and Laruru Rivers!"
"If Kohol and Norfos don't know what's good for them, we'll take them down too!"
A Mil man nearby couldn't stand it anymore, scoffed, and smashed his wine glass down.
"Bah! You Tyrosians are all talk! The latest battle report from Mil is that General Jules is engaged in a bloody battle with the main force of Valantis at the Longbridge! Blood is flowing like a river! The enemy's main force has decided to withdraw from the disputed territory!"
Even more outrageous rumors came from Pentos's side: some claimed with absolute certainty that the Jules Legion was actually entirely infected with greyscale and planned a tragic final assault to avenge themselves against Valantis, before fleeing into the eastern wilderness, reaching even more distant barbarian lands, and perhaps even seeking help and reinforcements from the Golden Empire—
In Ries, the most mainstream and exciting "official news" was that Jules and Tiberius's armies had reached the Valanna River, a tributary of the Lorne, and were poised to strike at the walls of Valantis! It was as if this ancient free fortress was already within their grasp.
However, the reality is:
Tiberius and Jules did indeed create a small miracle. They did not play by the rules, neither heading south to storm the fortified crossings nor retreating west back to the disputed river region, which had become a meat grinder. Instead, they headed east, rushing towards the richest and relatively undefended heartland of Valantis—the area where the lower delta of the Lorne River meets the Valanna River.
This route was completely unexpected by the Valantis, whose main forces were deployed to deal with a possible threat from the west.
It wasn't because the White Army was full of war gods, but simply because the local garrisons and the private armies of powerful families were far too weak.
Just as Tiberius predicted: the main force of Valantis is currently trapped on the other side of the disputed river, while their heartland is completely empty.
At this moment, Tiberius's army was indeed standing on the banks of a muddy river, whose waters flowed into the wider Lorne River in the distance.
"What? Drinking from the Lorne River? How come I didn't know we were that awesome?" Tiberius complained to Le.
"We only have a few thousand people at most, and our strength and numbers are no match for the enemy. How could we possibly drink from the Lorne River?"
Saying it's "drinking from the Lorne River" is a bit of an exaggeration, but it is indeed a tributary leading to the Lorne River system. The soldiers were exhausted but excited, while Severta's Ironborn and sailors were busy on the riverbank, collecting anything that could float—fishing boats, cargo ships, even dismantled door panels—in preparation for crossing the river. The air was tense and filled with anticipation.
Tiberius and Sevita stood on the high bank of the river, watching their men busily at work.
Severa, with a hard blade of grass in his mouth, tilted his head and looked at Tiberius with his usual nonchalant attitude, but his eyes held a hint of seriousness.
"Captain," Severta mumbled, gesturing with his chin towards the downstream river, in the direction of Valantis.
"According to the merchant you captured, Valantis's 'main force' fleet—if those few wrecked ships can still be called the main force—had barely returned home before their own backyard erupted in chaos. It appears to be a mutiny, and they've even seized the port and part of the delta?"
"Now they're armed, building barricades, and ganging up with the poor against the Valantis Senate behind the Black Walls? While many more outcasts are rioting."
Tiberius nodded, his gaze still fixed on the river, but a slight, uncontrollable smile played on his lips.
This information came from a merchant they had captured. According to him, the capital of Valantis was in utter chaos: on the one hand, Jules and his men were spreading false information that was causing widespread panic, and on the other hand, countless local nobles and officials were sending messengers to the Senate to "suppress the rebellion" and "crush the conspiracy of the rebels."
On the other hand, the great city of Valantis itself was in chaos: the sailors' mutiny in the port completely paralyzed the city's maritime transport, while the increased taxes brought by the war made life unbearable for the poor.
It can be said that the entire city of Valantis itself now sits beneath two enormous volcanoes!
"That's right." Tiberius's voice carried a hint of suppressed excitement.
"It seems that Valantis is not a monolithic entity. Their Tiger Party and Elephant Party are locked in a fierce struggle, the front lines are going poorly, and logistical pressure is immense. And then our commotion—it seems to be the last straw that broke the camel's back. A naval force dissatisfied with its treatment or command, along with other discontented forces in the delta region, launched a mutiny. Now, Valantis city itself may be alright, but the port and parts of the delta region are no longer under the effective control of the Consul."
Sevita spat out the grass stem and grinned, "Damn! This is really—so interesting! I thought I was going to have to grit my teeth and crash into Volantis's impenetrable walls! Turns out they rotted from the inside out first?"
Vito and old Tom patted Tiberius on the shoulder so hard that he almost stumbled.
"Kid! You're fucking incredibly lucky! Getting lost and stumbling into the enemy's latrine, and then just as their own people were exploding in the shit!"
Tiberius steadied himself and glared at the two veteran soldiers, but the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter. This sudden internal strife was undoubtedly a godsend for their isolated army, which had ventured deep into the enemy's lair and was almost in dire straits!
Chaos means opportunity, it means the Valantis may be temporarily preoccupied with other matters, it means they may actually be able to stir up even greater trouble in this heart of the enemy's territory, or even—find an unexpected way out.
"Inform Uncle Jules and Vito," Tiberius took a deep breath and gave the order.
"Speed up the ship gathering! We must cross this river as quickly as possible! The chaos in Valantis is our opportunity! Let's make this fire burn even brighter!"
Jules Maud stood at the edge of the makeshift camp, holding an ordinary glass bottle filled with murky water from a tributary of the Lorne River. The setting sun stained the river a dark red, casting shadows on Jules's resolute face.
He stared at the water in the bottle, his voice hoarse with disbelief and excitement: "Tiberius—we have truly created a miracle. Only the Seven Gods and the Lord of Light know the immense risks they took to stand on the banks of the Mother River of Volantis!"
Tiberius let out a long sigh, completely shedding the facade of composure and confidence he had maintained in front of his soldiers. His face was etched with exhaustion and lingering fear. He practically poured out his grievances to Le: "Uncle, stop talking about miracles! Our initial decision to come to the capital of Volantis had only one purpose: to stretch the battle lines and keep the main Volantis force constantly on the move! Their journey back to the capital from the River of Controversy is far longer than our direct incursion into the heartland!"
"We've only accomplished half of our goal so far—they are indeed rushing back, exhausted like dead dogs. What we need to do is make them run to the city walls, only to find we've already slipped away, forcing them to keep chasing and wearing them down completely!"
He abruptly changed the subject, a gambler's madness flashing in his eyes, pointing to the silhouette of the massive bridge spanning the Lorne River, faintly visible in the twilight, and the towering black walls of the city of Valantis further away: "But now! Uncle, since they've already come to this point, with a mutiny breaking out in their own home, and everything in chaos—we're already here!" Tiberius's voice rose with excitement.
"Let's do something big! Look at that long bridge, where are the proper guards now? Those old fortresses and garrisons have long since turned into trading posts and slums! The west bank is a lawless cesspool, with more private soldiers and thugs than regular troops! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"