SWDnovel Chapter 42 Allocation
Chapter 42 Allocation
"Shi Yong, Han Li." Lin Mo's voice broke the silence of the hall, "How are the personnel selection and monitoring progressing?"
The two people who had been waiting nearby immediately stepped forward.
Shi Yong clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice booming: "Master, as per your orders, all personnel within the manor who have undergone basic training, possess above-average skills, and have relatively clean backgrounds and high credibility have been screened, totaling eighty-seven people. Among them, twenty-one are former retired border soldiers, fifteen are down-on-their-luck wanderers, and the rest are all strong, robust, and courageous vagrants. I have divided them into ten teams, each with a temporary captain."
Han Li handed over a thin booklet, his tone calm and precise: "Master, the joint escort team of the four great families departed from Jincheng yesterday at noon. Based on the current speed and the usual itinerary, they are expected to arrive at Eagle's Beak Cliff around noon five days from now. The team is slightly larger than we previously estimated, with over a hundred guards, composed of top experts from each of the four great families. The leaders are Wang Gang, the 'Broken Mountain Blade' of the Wang family, and Zhao Qingyao, the 'Cotton Needle' of the Zhao family. Both of them are renowned first-rate masters. There are a total of eight caravans, with the three in the middle being particularly heavily guarded, suspected of transporting valuable items."
Lin Mo took the booklet, his gaze sweeping over it quickly, his eyes completely unmoved, as if the increased number of guards and the names of renowned experts were nothing more than a few strokes of ink on the paper. "Understood. Five days is enough time."
He stood up, walked to the huge topographical map, and pointed his finger at the entrance to Eagle's Beak Pass. "Now, begin personnel deployment."
Everyone's eyes were focused on the map, and they unconsciously slowed their breathing.
"This operation is codenamed 'Falcon.' Sixty people will be selected from the eighty-seven chosen by Shi Yong. The remaining twenty-seven will stay at the mountain villa, under your personal command, Shi Yong, to strengthen security and prevent any unforeseen events."
"Yes!" Shi Yong replied in a deep voice.
Lin Mo's fingertips moved slowly across the map, his voice clear and cold, like a blade scraping across ice.
"First group, crossbowmen. Select ten men with the best eyesight, steady arm strength, and proficiency in crossbows. Han Li, you will lead them personally." He pointed behind the "Sleeping Ox Stone." "Your mission is to lie in ambush here. Han Li, you are responsible for sniping the primary target—'Broken Mountain Blade' Wang Gang or 'Cotton Needle' Zhao Qingyao, at least rendering one of them incapable of fighting. The rest of the crossbowmen, under Han Li's command, concentrate fire on the vanguard scouts and elite guards, striving to weaken their command and elite combat capabilities to the greatest extent possible in the first round of attacks. After achieving this, fire freely as needed to suppress any enemy counterattacks."
Han Li's eyes were sharp as an eagle's, fixed firmly on that spot, and he nodded slightly: "Your subordinate understands, and will not fail in his mission."
"Second group, the trap group. Select fifteen nimble and skilled workers familiar with civil engineering." Lin Mo's finger slid towards the pre-planned trap and tripwire area in the middle of the official road. "Your mission is to secretly infiltrate the area the night before the operation and complete the final setup and camouflage of all the traps and tripwires. Once the operation begins, you will not participate in direct combat. Retreat to the safe areas on both sides and be responsible for monitoring the triggering of traps and preparing to intercept enemies who may try to escape from or flank the trap area. This group will be led by... Sun the Cripple." He pointed to the name of a former retired soldier. Although this person had a slight limp, he was experienced and especially skilled at setting up various small battlefield traps.
A middle-aged man with a weathered face and steady gaze stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and growled in a low voice, "Sun Desheng obeys!"
"Third group, the boulder rolling group. Select ten brave, meticulous, and exceptionally strong individuals." Lin Mo's fingertip moved to the marked locations of the boulders on both sides of the cliff top. "Your mission is the most crucial and also the most dangerous. Conceal yourselves on the cliff top beforehand, await my signal, and simultaneously push the designated boulders. The timing of the roll must be precise, triggered when the caravan is thrown into chaos by crossbow bolts and traps, and the core vehicle has entered the middle of the pass. This will completely divide the caravan, creating maximum panic and casualties. Shi Yong, you will personally command this group."
Shi Yong clasped his hands in a deep fist salute, his face taut with menacing strength: "Rest assured, Master, I guarantee those stones will hit where they're meant to be hit!"
"Fourth group, assault team. Select twenty of the most skilled, courageous, and adept at close combat." Lin Mo highlighted several ambush points on the cliff face. "You are the blade of this battle. Ambush at the pre-set positions on the cliff face. When the rolling rocks cause chaos in the enemy's formation, immediately strike from above, directly attacking the heart of the caravan. Eliminate any resisting enemies as quickly as possible and take control of the target caravan. I will personally lead this group."
Everyone's hearts tightened. The fact that the manor lord was personally leading the assault team undoubtedly greatly boosted the group's combat strength and morale, but it also meant the greatest risk.
"Fifth group, support and evacuation group. Five people remaining, plus three reliable and skilled individuals I brought in from the black market, making a total of eight." Lin Mo pointed to the hidden mountain crevice behind the pass and the subsequent forest route. "You are responsible for guarding the evacuation route and preparing clean water, basic medicine, and spare weapons at the pre-arranged rendezvous points along the way. After the battle, assist each group in evacuating quickly in the predetermined order, clean up any traces, and cover the rear. This group will be led by... A-Huan." He named a clever young refugee who was extremely familiar with the mountains and forests.
A bright-eyed, agile young man stepped forward excitedly, his voice trembling as he said, "Master Lin... Ah Huan will definitely handle it well!"
After the groups were formed, Lin Mo looked around at everyone, his gaze sharp: "Does everyone understand their position and task?"
"Understood!" A suppressed yet unified growl echoed through the council chamber.
"Alright." Lin Mo's tone remained unchanged. "Starting tomorrow, all personnel involved in Operation Falcon will cease all other activities. Shi Yong, conduct targeted pre-battle drills according to your assigned groups. The crossbowmen group, under Han Li's guidance, will conduct concealment, aiming, and coordinated firing training. The trap group, led by Sun the Cripple, will repeatedly simulate setting up traps and tripwires. The boulder rolling group will practice prying boulders, signal response, and self-concealment. The assault group will follow me, practicing rapid descent down the cliff face, breaking into formations, and small-group coordinated operations. The support group will familiarize themselves with the evacuation route and the management of supplies at the assembly point."
He paused, his voice growing even colder: "This exercise is not child's play. What I need is for you to truly master the skills to kill the enemy and survive at Eagle's Beak Cliff. Anyone who slacks off will be dealt with according to military law!"
A chilling atmosphere filled the air, and everyone straightened their backs, their eyes devoid of any other thoughts, filled only with tension and anticipation for the upcoming battle.
"Han Li, during the exercise, your spies on the perimeter must not be relaxed. They must ensure that the movements of the escort team are always under our surveillance. If there are any changes, report back immediately."
"yes!"
Lin Mo took one last look at the menacing outline of Eagle's Beak Cliff on the map, then waved his hand and said, "Go and prepare. Remember, we only have four days to practice. Four days later, it will be time for the falcons to spread their wings and fight!"
The crowd responded with a resounding roar and quickly and orderly withdrew from the council chamber to engage in the final, intense pre-battle preparations.