Chapter 743: The Desert Mission
Even with his eyes closed, Iron Axe could smell the yellow sands.
This was the fourth day since they had entered the desert—the third week since the army left Neverwinter. By the end of this week, two-thirds of winter would be behind them and mid-winter would begin. Unlike the Western Region with its driven snow and bone-cutting northerly wind, the Months of Demons barely touched this place. The sky held its oppressive grey, but the air was still, the sand dry and quiet around the marching column.
The Silver Stream did not converge with any other rivers and ran mainly underground, which meant there was no waterway to follow and the army had to move on foot. Rather than wait for the five hundred new recruits stationed at Palisade City, Iron Axe had decided to leave them to Brian and march ahead. Speed mattered more than numbers here.
Recruits could perform in a static firing exercise. They could not survive continuous marching across open desert. And even with five hundred more men, the situation would barely change—because His Majesty’s mission could not be won by cannon fire or raw aggression. The First Army was present to ensure victory, not to be its instrument. The Mojins had their own methods, their own structures; those were what mattered here.
The recruits’ task was simpler: seize Silver Stream Oasis and hold it. An oasis was a lifeline in the Southernmost Region. Whether a force moved to attack or to flee, it could not live without one, and a flanking attack from behind was the oldest lesson the desert taught.
The tribal people of the Sand Nation could feel the difference in these soldiers before they saw what they carried. Veterans marched differently than mercenaries. No one approached the column to question them—they filled their water packs, ate, and fell back, watching from a distance, whispering.
At this pace, Iron Axe estimated they would reach Iron Sand City before nightfall.
“I’m still not clear on something.” Andrea—the blonde witch who had attached herself to the expedition, though only one Extraordinary had been requested—walked beside Echo with her fine pale skin a sharp contrast to the princess’s darker complexion. “Can anyone call for a holy duel at any time, in any season? Even noblemen can refuse a honor challenge if they’re unwell. On a cold day like this, wouldn’t anyone prefer to stay near a fire rather than go out and fight? What happens if the challenged party simply refuses?”
Iron Axe remembered her as a combat witch who usually accompanied Princess Tilly.
“When someone picks up an axe, kicks in your door, and smashes your stove—you fight.” Ashes’ tone was flat. “This isn’t a contest between nobles. It determines whether a clan lives or dies. Do you think it follows rules like theirs?”
“Kicking in a door is called a sneak attack or a massacre, not a duel,” Andrea said calmly. “Even if the Mojins are barbarians, they know the difference. Do you assume everyone is as ignorant as you?”
“That’s a remarkably learned observation to make in front of Echo.”
“Don’t twist what I said!”
Iron Axe was unbothered by the word barbarian. He had been told directly by His Majesty that in Neverwinter, people were not judged by where they came from. Beyond being Mojin, he held a more important identity: he was a resident of Neverwinter. He waited until Echo’s eyes found his—a silent appeal—before he spoke.
“Lady Andrea’s concern is not unreasonable. The holy duel cannot be refused—both parties must be ready, and the outcome must earn the approval of the Three Gods. But that doesn’t mean a duel can be initiated at any time, by anyone. There is a prior requirement: the challenger must be qualified.”
“What qualifications?”
“First, the challenger must represent an entire Mojin clan,” Iron Axe said. “A single person cannot speak for a clan—not even a chief or a princess. That rule exists to prevent a dozen people from seizing one-sixth of Iron Sand City by fighting their way in. It also excludes foreigners. Iron Sand City allows outsiders to fight for clans, but it bars them from positions of central authority.”
“So we have no standing at all?” Ashes raised an eyebrow. “Echo was exiled years ago. The Osha clan is gone. Do we have to find her surviving clansmen first?”
“No one survived Endless Cape.” Iron Axe shook his head. “But there’s another method. Naming Lady Silvermoon the chief of a new clan is permitted.”
“Is that actually possible?” Andrea looked surprised.
“Mojins don’t value blood the way your people do. Ability matters more than lineage.” He spoke without heat. “Once the first criterion is met, any clan that can hold one of the four small oases surrounding Iron Sand City becomes eligible to issue a challenge. Those oases are where rising clans always fight—which is why they’re called the bloodstained place.”
“Like admission tickets,” Ashes said.
“You could say that. The clans holding these positions generally fall into two types.” Iron Axe paused. “Challengers. And watchdogs.”
“Watchdogs?” The word caught Andrea’s attention.
Echo answered before he could. “They’re obstacles placed by the top clans—men who don’t want the order of Iron Sand City disturbed. The big clans use their resources and influence to field mixed clans that plant themselves in the small oases. Watchdogs won’t challenge their patrons, but they hold the challenger positions permanently. They live well on the water and food the oases provide, and keep rising clans out.”
“Hounds willing to eat leftovers,” Ashes said. “The name fits.”
“Because a holy duel carries so many variables, the big clans will try to bribe or neutralize potential challengers before they can threaten the order. My father refused to serve as a watchdog. He challenged the Iron Whip clan directly.” Echo’s voice went quiet. “You know how that ended.”
“They’ll pay for what they did that year, Lady Silvermoon.” Iron Axe spoke evenly. “Their time is coming.”
“So we need to find a challenger clan first, install Echo as chief, and then work up through the six big clans?” Andrea asked.
“There’s a problem with that approach.” Iron Axe glanced at the horizon. “Once people settle into a small oasis, they tend to stop moving. A clan that holds a position and doesn’t immediately challenge often becomes the next watchdog. After that, there’s no easy way to dislodge them—by words or by force.” He let the pause sit. “But we travel under the king’s mandate. We carry thunder and grace both. There’s no need for the indirect approach. Any humble clan will become unstoppable with the First Army behind it. Whoever stands in His Majesty’s way—we will remove them.”
Chapter 743: The Desert Mission
Translator: TransN Editor: TransN
Even with his eyes closed, Iron Axe could still smell the unique odor of the yellow sands around him.
Today was the fourth day since he had entered the desert and the third week since his army had left Neverwinter. After the end of this week, two-thirds of the winter season would have passed and the coldest period, mid-winter, would start. However, unlike the snowy Western Region, the Months of Demons had less influence here, leaving the area almost untouched. Although the sky maintained a shade of oppressive gray, there was at least no piercing northerly wind and icy snow that could freeze the whole desert.
As Silver Stream did not converge with any other rivers and flowed mainly underground, the army had no choice but to make its way on foot. Rather than following the original plan, which was to wait for the 500 new recruits who were stationed in the Palisade City to be ready and then incorporating them into the army to move together, Iron Axe decided to leave those recruits to Brian and marched alone so that he could reach Iron Sand City faster.
Recruits might perform well during on-the-spot firing, but they would not be able to survive a journey of continuous marching on foot. Moreover, the situation would barely be improved even with the addition of 500 people.
He understood very well that His Majesty’s mission could not be accomplished by cannon attack or aggression. The First Army would be there to ensure victory, but it would not be the means to conquer the Sand Nation.
Mojins had a set of traditional solutions.
As for the 500 recruits, all they needed to do was seize Silver Stream Oasis to ensure that the frontline troops would not be flanked.
In the Southernmost Region, an oasis was a lifeline. Whether people intended to attack or flee, they could not live without an oasis.
The tribal people of the Sand Nation could feel the formidable vigor coming from the veteran soldiers who were marching orderly on the road even without witnessing the power of the flintlocks. No one dared to walk up and question the soldiers coming from Graycastle but just whispered behind them after they had filled their water packs, got fed, and set out again.
Iron Axe estimated that, at this rate, the First Army should be able to reach Iron Sand City before nightfall.
“I’m a little confused. Can one initiate the so-called holy duel at any time in any season?” A beautiful blonde woman walked toward Echo and her fine skin was in sharp contrast to that of the princess of the Osha clan. “Even noblemen could refuse the honor challenge between themselves if they were unwell. On such a cold day, everyone would want to stay near a warm stove the entire day instead of going out and fighting, right? I mean… what should we do if someone refuses the request for a holy duel?”
Iron Axe remembered the lady’s name was Andrea, a combat witch who often followed Princess Tilly. As His Majesty once said, there ought to be just one Extraordinary, Ashes, to help them, but somehow Andrea ended up joining the campaign as well.
“No matter how unwilling you are, you have to fight when someone picks up an axe, rushes into your house, and kicks your stove.” Ashes curled her lip. “Do you think this contest which, to some extent, determines the life and death of a clan will follow the hypocritical rules of the nobility?”
“That’s called a sneak attack or a massacre, not a duel,” Andrea said disdainfully, “even though Mojins are barbarians, they’re still able to distinguish between the two. Do you think that everyone is as ignorant as you?”
“I can see you really are a ‘well-learned person’ by saying that in front of Echo.”
“Stop misinterpreting my words!”
Iron Axe was not bothered about being called a barbarian as he knew that people in Border Town were not judged by their identities. This was something His Majesty had told him personally. Other than being a Mojin, he had a more important identity and that was being a resident of Neverwinter.
Iron Axe did not respond to the dispute between Ashes and Andrea until he received Echo’s gaze calling for help. He cleared his throat and explained voluntarily. “Lady Andrea’s concern was not misplaced. Certainly, the holy duel can’t be refused and must be done when both opponents are well prepared to earn the approval from the Three Gods. But it doesn’t mean that the duel can be initiated at any time by anyone’s will. The first requirement for the duel is that the challenger must be qualified to fight.”
“What kind of qualifications are needed?”
“First of all, it must be an entire Mojin clan,” Iron Axe said briefly, “One person can’t represent a clan and this rule applies to even a chief or a princess. This rule is to prevent a situation where a dozen people occupy one-sixth of Iron Sand City. In addition, the rule also excludes foreigners. Iron Sand City allows foreigners to fight for the clans but excludes them from the central power positions.”
“Does that mean that we are not eligible at all?” Ashes raised her eyebrow. “It has been years since Echo was exiled and the Osha clan has disappeared long ago. Or should we start by looking for her surviving clansmen?”
“No one is able to survive Endless Cape,” Iron Axe said as he shook his head, “but we can use another method. For example, making Lady Silvermoon the chief of a new clan is allowed.”
“Is this… possible?” Andrea was surprised.
“Mojins don’t value bloodlines like you people do. They value one’s ability more than lineage.” The commander-in-chief of the First Army said calmly, “After satisfying the first criterion, any clan that is able to stand their ground in one of the small oases around the Iron Sand City qualifies for the duel. There are a total of four small oases that newly rising clans always fight in and that’s why these four oases are also called the bloodstained place.”
“They are like admission tickets, right?” Ashes did not take it seriously.
“You could say that. In fact, these clans generally fall into two categories,” Iron Axe paused, “challenger… and watchdog.”
“Watchdog?” The blonde witch’s curiosity was piqued.
“These are the obstacles set by the top clans who are unwilling to see the order in Iron Sand City change too much.” Echo was the one who replied this time. “They rely on their huge resources and influence to recruit a large number of warriors to form a mixed clan that has its roots in the small oases. Watchdogs won’t seek a holy duel with their owners, yet they occupy the positions of the challenger. Despite not being allowed to enter Iron Sand City, they live quite well relying on the water and food supplied by the small oases.”
“They sound like hounds that are willing to eat leftovers.” Ashes sneered. “That is a very appropriate name.”
“As the holy duel is full of variables, the big clans would try to rope in or bribe the potential challengers stationed in the bloodstained place. My father was reluctant to be a watchdog so he was determined to initiate a holy duel with Iron Whip clan, yet he ended up with…” Echo’s voice became despondent as she was reminded of her distressing past.
“They’ll pay for their insidious behavior that year, Lady Silvermoon.” Iron Axe comforted her. “Death is coming for them now.”
“So we need to find a challenger first, whose chief will be replaced by Echo, before we challenge the six big clans?” Andrea asked.
“Once people start to settle down, they’ll lose their motivation to go forward. One who has occupied a small oasis and doesn’t challenge others immediately will very likely become a new watchdog. After that, it won’t be easy to overpower him by words or by force,” Iron Axe said slowly, “since we are under the king’s order and carrying thunder and grace with us, there is no need to do it in such an inconvenient way. Any humble clan will become unstoppable with the First Army backing it up. We will just crush anyone who dares to stand in His Majesty’s way.”