our family is gone

Chapter 39 Deserters
"I don't think those people are bandits~" Barristan frowned, as if recalling what happened at that time, "I think they might be the army."

"Hey! How is this possible?"

Disma looked very surprised, but Lance nodded in agreement with this statement.

"I think so too."

"It is impossible for the army to appear here to attack civilians~"

Even Leonard thought this was a bit of a problem until Lance took out two things.

"Look at this."

A crossbow, and the other is the long-barreled flintlock in David's hand.

Disma has a little understanding of these things, and after taking over and examining them carefully, he understands what's going on.

"These are the standard weapons of the Imperial Army, but the markings have been worn off."

"These things should have been captured by David killing the bandits, so it means that those people are actually the army, but why did the army mix with the bandits?"

"deserter."

One word from Barristan made everything make sense.

Although the soldiers in this world are also professional, their treatment is definitely not good, not even as good as Lance's treatment for those recruits.

But it is too difficult to survive in this world, and many people join in for a bite to eat, but the treatment of these soldiers is not even as good as that given by Lance.

Even the little money may not be in my hands, it is very common to be in arrears, and to be exploited and beaten by officers.

This kind of army is okay in a downwind battle, but once it encounters a headwind, it is easy to be defeated. After becoming a deserter, the officials will either want them to be wanted, or even if they all die in battle, they will directly remove their identities, and the above can eat their pensions.

It is a routine operation for the upper echelons to drink soldiers' blood, and it has not changed even in modern times, let alone in such an ignorant age.

Therefore, these deserters who have been removed from their status can only become the dangerous side of the bandits, until they attract the attention of the people above.

The mobilization of the army may have spawned new deserters.

It's an endless cycle, it's just that these things happen in remote areas, and those who live in the big cities don't even notice it.

People at the top will not notice these - ants.

But it is obvious that the ants of the empire are ferocious hungry wolves in front of this town. They just bit off a large piece of flesh not long ago. It is impossible for Hamlet to withstand another looting.

After a moment of silence, Lance finally spoke.

"An unknown number of troops with muskets and artillery is entrenched and may attack the town at any time. If this is the case, I don't think the few of us plus those untrained militia can do anything. No one can bear it."

When this judgment was made, everyone felt a pressure.

It is a very real problem to speak directly, although several of them are experienced and individually belong to the elite of ordinary people.

But the battles they encountered before were either run-down mercenaries who were consumed by alcohol or sex, or ordinary people who didn't encounter any tough bones at all, so they seemed to be devastated.

But it's hard to say about a large-scale attack on an army with guns and cannons. Barristan's previous fate has shown that the power of an individual is really limited.

Disma, who originally wanted to fight the cultists with lofty ambitions, also fell into a downturn. He knew that what Lance said was very realistic.

"Hahaha~"

But in this dignified atmosphere, Lance suddenly laughed, which made them feel strange.

Why is the lord laughing?

Feeling their questioning eyes, Lance explained calmly.

"You have actually overlooked a very important factor, that is, they are deserters, not a real army.

In other words, they could not get logistical supplies after they attacked Hamlet last time, but the consumption was real, and how much ammunition could some deserters bring? "

Lance's words opened their minds. If there is no artillery, they only need to hold their positions. No matter how strong the bandits are, it will be difficult for them to attack.

"So now we are mainly training soldiers, and we will start preparations with the bandits as the target. When they come again, we will give these guys some color. Look, I, Lance, am not the trash of the mayor!"

After setting the tone, Lance began to issue tasks to them.

As a veteran of Barristan, he is familiar with the drills of the army, so the basic training and formation are left to him.

And Leonard is outstanding in swordsmanship, and is responsible for teaching those new recruits to fight in close combat.

Disma has been waiting for Lance to give him a task, but the lord's arrangements are all concentrated on them, and everything is arranged in detail.

And he didn't even have a simple task like patrolling, as if he had left the team personally, Disma couldn't help but fell into some kind of self-blame.

Could it be that I was dissatisfied with the lord's dissatisfaction with the cowardice I faced with corruption and the fact that I didn't control my lower body to find a prostitute...

This tangled emotion has not been relieved as time goes by, on the contrary it has become more intense.

"Disma, I have a task for you."

Finally it's my turn!

Disma only felt that the lord had pulled him out of hell with one hand, and he was full of energy in an instant. He urgently needed to prove himself to the lord with actions.

"Just tell me, my lord, I can do whatever you want me to do."

Lance looked a little strange at his excited look, but he didn't care too much, and then began to talk about the tactical arrangement.

"Training requires time and a lot of resources, and what we lack most now is time, and no one knows when those bandits will attack.

At the same time, we know too little about the bandits, their equipment, and the exact number of people. To change this situation, we must know the bandits' strongholds and whereabouts, as well as the terrain of the wilderness. "

Speaking of which, Lance put on a very serious expression.

"This information is very useful for us to eliminate bandits, but to carry out this operation, we must let a person go deep into the old road to investigate the situation. This is a very difficult task. I hope that you, Disma, will complete it."

"Leave it to me, and make sure to complete the task." Disma agreed directly, and did not resent the lord for entrusting him with this dangerous task.

On the contrary, he thinks that this is the lord's trust in his ability, and he has been waiting for this when he is given a chance to prove himself.

That shame will be washed away with blood.

Lance didn't think so much, simply because Disma is more familiar with bandits and wilderness, and he still needs to use veterans and Leonard for training.

(End of this chapter)