NOVPUBNecali dared not disturb and waited for a moment. It was not until His Highness was done that he replied in a deep voice.
A gentle breeze passed by, carrying away the drifting voices. Xiulote patiently listened to the military report and asked a few questions before he smiled faintly and spoke in praise.
"To see the large in the small, discerning the whole through the details. Necali, you’ve done well! This journey has not been easy; go now to the logistics camp and take some food and drinks."
Upon hearing this, joy filled Necali’s heart. He respectfully knelt on both knees, seizing this rare opportunity to praise loudly and earnestly.
"The Husco Volcano pierces the clouds, with Divine Eagles soaring above! Your Highness, you are the supreme Divine Eagle in the sky, and we follow you on the earth, to the ends of heaven and earth!"
Xiulote was taken aback. He looked at Necali’s rugged and sincere face, gazed at him for a moment, and slowly nodded.
"Very well! Necali, rest well; there will be more opportunities for you to distinguish yourself!"
Only then did Necali rise, respectfully retreating. Watching the tent close again, the Young Commander chuckled to himself.
"Good, the morale is high, the military heart is reliable!"
With this in mind, Xiulote rose to his full height and walked to the curtained window, gazing at the distant fortress. The fortress still bore the clear marks of smoke and fire, and the bodies of the defending army were not yet fully cleared. Dark red blood congealed on the battlements and broken ladders lay scattered below the walls, revealing traces of the brutal battle.
In fact, Huayamo Fortress had only just been captured by the army the day before. Five hundred Tarasco warriors had all died in battle, and a majority of the five thousand Tekos militia had surrendered. This fortress, entirely constructed from granite and blue bricks, had a very solid structure. It was not large, only half the size of the Rivermouth Fortress, but its walls stood seven to eight meters high. If the fortress had sufficient defenders, it would have been very difficult to conquer in a short period of time.
Thus, after capturing Rivermouth Fortress, Xiulote had almost not paused before he gathered his forces and rushed southward, encircling Huayamo Fortress in a swift assault. He moved so hurriedly after the major victory that he did not even have time to reward his troops, as he was concerned that the Tarasco army might gather at Huayamo and subject him to months of siege with heavy casualties.
Luckily, Akanbaro’s northern remnant forces had not wisely retreated immediately, and the enemy reinforcements from the Chapala Lake Region had not hastened their march decisively. When tens of thousands of Mexica legionnaires arrived at Huayamo Fortress and cut off the northern passage, the fortress held only a mere five hundred warriors and five thousand unruly tribal militia. Between these warriors and militia, there was a clear divide, lacking strong leadership and mutual trust.
Afterward, the Mexica army besieged the city for two weeks, building siege ladders. Surprisingly, the Tekos tribe militia bravely exited the city, screaming wildly, and launched a risky sortie. The initial phase of the assault was tremendously successful, quickly crushing the Otomi militia who were building the ladders, killing three to four hundred. However, when the Longbow Warriors gathered and shot in unison, with the War Club warriors closing in from both flanks, the Tekos militia could no longer hold their ground. They retreated in panic, and many were shot dead at the city gates, leaving nearly a thousand bodies.
The attack turned swiftly from victory to defeat, and the morale inside the city plummeted. Without hesitation, Xiulote pressed two thousand Crossbowmen forward the next day to shoot from sixty steps away from the battlements. The Mexica legion, leveraging the range advantage of the crossbows, gradually suppressed the defenders of Huayamo. Then, the remaining over two thousand Canine Descendants were driven forward again. They set up ladders and launched Clay Tribulus that could explode at any moment, blowing the morale of both the defenders and their own forces into the valley.
The Tekos militia hailed from the western mountains, were fierce in battle but superstitious in belief. Living in a region of frequent volcanoes, they were familiar with the smell of burning sulfur but had never experienced the booming sounds of this new type of weapon. In their hearts, these new weapons were bestowed with divinity, considered either "the roar of the Fire God", "the Envoy of the God of Death", or "the Evil Demon from beneath the volcano", all seen as irresistible forces.
After the explosion, five thousand Royal Warriors surged forth, storming the city from all sides and killing the resolute Tarasco warriors. Soon after, various factions of the Tekos gradually surrendered. By the end of the siege, Xiulote had captured an additional three thousand able-bodied prisoners, while the casualties were only over four hundred Royal Warriors and a similar number of Chichimeca Canine Descendants.
The Young Commander once again gazed at the mottled battlements, and scenes of the war flashed continuously in his mind.
He saw again the fierce combat of the warriors, bodies falling from the towering battlements, blood flowing everywhere; he heard the booming explosions of the Clay Tribulus, the high-pitched cries from both sides, accompanied by the dying screams. Until the last defending warrior died, a throng of Tekos people prostrated and begged for mercy. They cried out the name of the Fire God, abandoning their last resistance, handing over their lives to the enemies endowed with Divine Power.
Thinking of the large number of prisoners, Xiulote felt a slight headache. After the battle at Rivermouth Fortress, he had acquired five thousand Tarasco militia, and now he had an additional three thousand from the Tekos tribe. These prisoners required nearly ten thousand pounds of food daily, plus warriors had to be assigned to guard them, which was indeed quite troublesome! 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
The Young Commander’s gaze shifted, occasionally flashing a cold, murderous intent. After a long while, he shook his head and seriously said to himself.
"Xiulote, killing prisoners brings no good fortune. Human heads aren’t like chives that regrow after being cut. You can face all the ruthless killing during battle, but you shouldn’t get lost in the senseless slaughter that follows after..."
Xiulote’s gaze gradually calmed. He stood silently for a moment, then instructed his guard to summon the surrendered General Ezpan from Tarasco.
The tent flap opened and fresh air surged in. As soon as Ezpan entered the grand tent, he respectfully knelt and bowed.
"Honored Highness, your loyal watchdog Ezpan is here. You are my only master, and I will pounce at your enemies whenever needed!"
Xiulote’s eyes were profound for a moment. Then, with an expressionless face, he slightly nodded and calmly stared at Ezpan.
Ezpan appeared composed, his left hand’s four fingers together, fist placed on his chest in salute. He wore the bright war clothes of Mexica nobility, and around his neck hung a silver Sun Amulet, showing no hint of his Tarascan heritage.
After a while, the Young Commander slowly began to speak.
"Ezpan, the Alliance will inevitably conquer the Tarasco Kingdom. Being one of the first Tarascans to surrender, you will have more opportunities than others. You know, I never care about your commoner background, only your abilities and the efficacy of your actions!"
Hearing this, a surge of emotions welled up in Ezpan. He vaguely sensed something, bowing even more respectfully.
Xiulote paused for a moment, then looked down at Ezpan again before calmly speaking.
"Last month, the Northern Route Army captured the Rivermouth Fortress, taking five thousand Tarascan militia prisoners. This month, the legion has taken over a significant portion of Tarasco Territory, bringing many villages under control. Yesterday, we conquered the Huayamo Fortress, the capital city is now in sight!... Ezpan, the Tarascans are destined to become part of the Alliance, and they should serve the Alliance!"
Upon hearing this, Ezpan, without hesitation, bowed forcefully. Suppressing his excitement, he cried out hoarsely.
"Highness, the Tarascans are willing to become your loyal minions. I am willing to be the forefront canine tooth for you, to bite at your enemies first, no matter who they are!"
Xiulote nodded, finally revealing a gentle smile.
"Good! Ezpan, remember your vows. I have high expectations for you, do not let me down. I will entrust you with the five thousand surrendered Tarasco soldiers, along with several dozen warriors who previously surrendered. They have already converted to the worship of the great Chief Divine. Going forward, there will be more and more Tarascan defectors.
You need to filter useful personnel from these defectors to form a legion loyal to the Alliance! You will be the Legion Commander of this force!"
Ezpan was overwhelmed with emotion. He bowed again, tears sliding down his cheeks, and when he spoke again his voice was choked.
"Thank... Your Highness... to die for you!"
Xiulote smiled again, patting his shoulder.
"This new legion’s equipment will temporarily use the spoils from the two fortresses. However, the design of the war clothes needs to be altered, and the faith in the Chief Divine must be affirmed!"
"Currently, I do not expect your newly formed legion to participate in open battles. Your initial goal is to organize the Tarascan defectors, making them usable as labor for the large army. And when their loyalty reaches a certain level, they can serve as the local garrison legions. Additionally, lead them to inspect and judge the crimes of the nobility at various manors. As for a brighter future... Ezpan, that is up to you!"
Ezpan bowed his head again. His forehead pressed against the cold ground, but his heart blazed with fervor.
"I obey your command! Highness, you are my only sun!"
