Volume 22: The War of Deification

Chapter 399: Counterattack

“Are the rebels still gathering in the south of the territory?”

After the two women left, Donald asked officials like William for the latest updates on the war situation.

“Yes, my lord!”

William, who was in charge of the territory’s governance and people’s welfare, reported first, “It’s good that you’re back. The rebels blocking the transportation routes in the south have greatly disrupted our territory’s commercial activities. Fortunately, we still have alchemical airships to travel between places, and our food reserves are abundant, so there’s no crisis of food shortage!”

“Have the families of the warriors and soldiers been compensated?”

Jessie, who had just returned from Dragonhorn Town and was in charge of the territory’s finances, replied, “According to the rules set by my lord, each family of a warrior or soldier has received a compensation of ten gold sols, three years of tax exemption, and their eligible family members have the chance to apply as apprentices in mage towers, as local officials, or in the regular army!”

Donald nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this and asked further,

“Have the outsiders been taken care of?”

In his past life, Donald greatly admired the humanitarian rescue operations seen in movies, which were rare in this cold-hearted new century. So from the beginning, he drafted laws regarding the territory, stipulating that the territory would allocate funds to assist foreign refugees, political asylum seekers, and other such people.

Doing so would not only earn Dalaran a good reputation but might also prove useful in case of conflicts with other countries and regions in the future.

William replied, “According to my lord’s laws, during wartime, inns and taverns across the territory remain open as usual, with increased food supplies. Merchants and commoners who can’t afford inns are arranged by the lord’s palace to live in vacant houses in the territory, with regular meals provided!”

“That’s good. No matter how difficult the times, we must put people first. Even refugees are guests of Dalaran, and they must be fed! But aside from nobles and professionals, there’s no need to overcompensate others—just ensure they have basic food. Contrast creates differences. As long as they contribute to Dalaran, the territory will reward them accordingly! We must make our guests feel Dalaran’s warmth and strength, and also show them how prosperous and free the people of Dalaran are!”

At this moment, Barn, the leader of the militia guard, raised a question and said, “My lord! In this battle, we captured thousands of enemy soldiers. What should we do with them?”
Including the reserve members, the number of the Dalaran militia guard had exceeded 300, and this was only after Donald stepped in to control the situation. Many young people also volunteered to become elite soldiers in the regular army.
However, Donald did not intend to have everyone serve in the military. Dalaran’s official population was still less than 2,000, yet the number of regular army soldiers already accounted for more than a quarter of the total population. Although he didn’t mind the substantial military expenses that would be a huge burden for other nobles, if young people joined the army for better benefits, who would then farm the lands in the territory? And who would work in the workshops?
That’s why Donald had ordered the officers in charge of recruitment to select strictly—only young people with excellent physical fitness could join the army.
But he clearly underestimated the excellence of these young people from the territory. Many of them, who came from mountainous areas, had been running and jumping in the mountains since childhood, always ready to follow in their fathers’ footsteps and become skilled mountain hunters.
As a result, Dalaran’s army was showing a clear trend of overcrowding.
In response, Donald devised a solution based on past experiences: he implemented a military service system similar to that of his previous life. Members of the militia guard could serve for up to five years consecutively, with assessments conducted each year. Those who failed to meet the basic standards would be dismissed and sent back home along with other retired militia members—except they would not receive any severance pay!
The assessments for the regular army were even stricter. The service period was also five years, but those who passed could remain in the army. There were no limits for officers above the rank of squad leader, but ordinary soldiers could serve no more than two terms. In special cases, they could apply to their superiors for reconsideration.
This decision effectively curbed the rapid growth of the army. It was estimated that once this year’s assessments began, a group of lazy or incompetent soldiers could be dismissed, allowing for the selection of more capable individuals.
These 1,000 noble private soldiers came at just the right time for Dalaran, which lacked population, especially high-quality personnel like those in the regular army.
“William and Barn, you two work hard. Interrogate and assess these captives. Those who are outstanding can be freed from captivity and integrated into the territory, while the rest should be sent back to their home territories. We don’t need many—just the best! After the war, those who have families back home should be escorted to Dalaran!”

“Yes, my lord!”
After William and Barn received the orders, Donald thought to himself that with such excellent troops, the difficulty of assessing the army would increase even further!
Then he ordered Uther and the others, “Uther, George, Bush—you three lead the regular troops in making preparations for battle. Once I’ve dealt with these matters here, we’ll officially resolve those judgments!”
The three commanders replied in unison.
With about three thousand rebels remaining after regrouping, they posed no real challenge to Donald, who saw them as easily manageable. This mission was still merely intended for training purposes!
Soon, Dalaran sent five hundred warriors—this time all soldiers trained within its own territories, without the help of the druidic elves.
For the first time, the sound of artillery rang out in the Northlands. The three thousand rebels, lacking strong leadership, had already lost much of their fighting spirit due to internal disputes. As soon as the mortar squad launched its attacks, over 30% of the rebel soldiers fled in panic, and more than 50% surrendered immediately.
Fewer than six hundred remained to resist, and when the war puppet army from the mage tower appeared, even their morale collapsed completely.
With the support of the militia guards in the rear, Dalaran once again crushed the massive rebel force of three thousand, capturing over 1,500 enemy soldiers, while killing less than 300. Most rebels were simply terrified and unable to resist effectively.
This time, under Donald’s supervision, all wounded soldiers were treated promptly according to the severity of their injuries, resulting in a victory with zero casualties!
Yet Donald wasn’t proud of this. The reason was that, in his view, both opponents in these battles were too weak, and the Dalaran warriors had received limited training. Only through countless intense battles could these soldiers become as strong as the elite forces of various royal armies!