Chapter 812: Reorganizing the Legions

Henwell convenes Peace Haven's first joint military and administrative conference in Blood Hill Tower's main meeting hall.

The chief military and civil officials from every district attend, and the Expeditionary Zone sends representatives as well.

Rawkins and Victor brief Henwell on Peace Haven's progress over the past two years.

Excluding the Expeditionary Zone, Peace Haven's seven districts now cover more than one million square kilometers and hold nearly twenty million people.

Its mature military and administrative system already gives Peace Haven the shape of a nation.

Henwell gestures for the Lord Iron Guards in the hall to distribute a set of documents to every attendee.

He opens the first volume. "To prepare for the Calamity War, we must make several practical adjustments."

"The strength of the calamity creatures and the development of Peace Haven's armaments require a corresponding change in our army's structure."

"From this day forward, each legion will command four warbands, with five thousand soldiers in each warband."

"Including all directly subordinate units, a legion will have approximately twenty-two thousand personnel."

"The ten numbered legions will be reorganized first, drawing reinforcements from the garrison warbands and reserve legions."

"The three cavalry legions will expand to eighteen thousand personnel each. Every legion will command three cavalry warbands of five thousand soldiers apiece."

"Two years of fighting the calamity creatures have taught us that only a fortress cluster as strong and carefully placed as the one on the Northern Mountain Front can contain a breakout."

"Without such defenses, stopping the calamity creatures from breaking through is simply impossible."

"The best way to fight a mass of calamity creatures is not to rely on a defensive line and grind ourselves down against them."

"Instead, we will use core fortress clusters to split their forces apart."

"Once they are divided, our warbands will maneuver rapidly, choose the right ground, and wipe them out at designated interception points."

"Our intervention in the Calamity War will therefore rely on mobile operations by individual warbands, not passive defense."

"Each legion will take responsibility for one region and use a fortress cluster as its base for direct engagements with the calamity creatures."

"Our assessment shows that neither Lumir's nor Ogiro's defenses can withstand the calamity creatures' assault."

"Sera will command the Southern Theater Army Group, whose main responsibility will be monitoring the situation in Lumir."

"Once the Fifth and Eighth Legions complete their reorganization, they will march south at once and advance to the border."

"If Lumir's defensive line collapses, do not report back or wait for authorization. Advance directly into Lumir territory and establish a buffer zone."

"Kivel will serve as commander-in-chief of the Eastern Military District. The Third and Ninth Legions under his command must make the same preparations."

"If trouble erupts in Ogiro, you may act first and report afterward."

"Augusta will serve as commander-in-chief of the Cloud Tree City Military District. The Sixth and Seventh Legions under his command must be ready to march south and support Prince Sundike's faction in Ogiro at any time."

"They form our southern shield and are currently the strongest fighting force in Ogiro."

"Knowing how the fools at Diversion Bay think, they may dump the pressure from the calamity creatures onto Sundike's faction at the worst possible moment."

"We must prepare a contingency plan for that disastrous possibility."

"Wizet will command the Liverpool Military District. The Fourth and Tenth Legions under his command must monitor developments in Lumir."

"They must also watch the situation in the Billie Kingdom."

"The Tidal Pirate Legion is unlikely to break through the Billie Kingdom, but we still need to prepare for it."

"Ayla will command the Western Military District. The primary enemy facing the First and Second Legions will be the Ika Kingdom."

"They must also monitor developments in Livos territory and be ready to support the Southern District."

"With the Phoenix and Descartes factions absorbed into Peace Haven, the former Northern Theater's mixed-legion structure will be dissolved."

"The two mixed legions will be redesignated as the Third and Fourth Garrison Legions and placed directly under Peace Haven's Central Military District."

"We will transfer three garrison warbands from the Central Military District and build Peace Haven's Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Legions around them, filling their ranks with selected soldiers from the two new regions."

"They will be stationed along the Phoenix and Vorska defensive lines. While guarding against the Ika Kingdom, they must remain ready to reinforce the Northern Mountain Front at any time."

"These three legions will form Peace Haven's Northern Military District, with Gevana as its commander-in-chief."

"Finally, the Phoenix family's main army will be reorganized into a single legion under the codename Silver Claw."

"Johnson, acting head of House Phoenix, will command it. The legion will spend six months training before marching north to temper itself on the Northern Mountain Front."

"Once the Iron Guard Legion completes its expansion, it will enter the Southern Military District and deploy at the southernmost end of the Falling Rain Mountains."

"Its mission is to support the Southern District's defenses and, when necessary, stop the Subterranean River Bandits from joining the Quiet Forest Wanderer horde."

"The Lord's Knight Order will enter the Eastern Military District and serve as its first-echelon professional strike force."

Henwell opens the next volume. "The Military Intelligence Office's Wind Raider Battalion will patrol all of Peace Haven in company-sized units."

"Hunt down bandits and thieves. Root out spies, watch the officials, and uncover hidden crimes. You are authorized to act first and report afterward."

"You may mobilize local garrisons directly."

"If any nobles refuse to obey the rules, especially in Cloud Tree City, Liverpool, Phoenix, or Descartes, deal with them immediately."

"The Wind Raider Cavalry may punish them directly. If they resist, kill them on the spot."

"To ensure that the Wind Raider Guard can carry out its duties unhindered, I will assign members of the Listening Wind Guard to accompany you."

A chill runs through the room. Henwell is about to purge Peace Haven from within.

None of them dares object. After all, they have just used the corruption of the nobility as grounds to pressure Henwell, both openly and covertly, into purging the Phoenix family.

Now Henwell is turning that same scrutiny on Peace Haven's officials. Before this is over, plenty of shortsighted fools will lose their heads.

Henwell does not expect every official beneath him to be incorruptible. They may profit from their authority, but only if they are competent and get real work done.

He can tolerate parasites and their petty greed, so long as they remain useful to Peace Haven.

Some of the fools in office genuinely do their jobs. In the past, Peace Haven simply had too few qualified people.

However foolish they were, they still possessed some knowledge and were far more capable than serfs. At the very least, they could maintain basic order.

Things are different now. Peace Haven has accumulated enough military and administrative talent, and those officials have begun to obstruct its development.

If they come to their senses and resign immediately, Henwell will spare them, provided they have not committed some monstrous crime.

Many joined Peace Haven during its earliest days. In consideration of that past service, Henwell will give them a chance to return home alive and live out their days in wealth.

But if they are too greedy to surrender power they can no longer control, and too foolish to face reality, Henwell will send them on their way.

Henwell has assigned Miller, the young man he brought back with him, to lead this purge.

Miller has now advanced to Grand Knight and has just become commander of the Wind Raider Battalion.

Everyone knows Henwell trained Miller himself. The young man is fiercely loyal to him and carries a few grudges against Peace Haven.

That blade has spent years being honed away from home. Now it is finally poised above the necks of Peace Haven's officials.

Even so, Henwell brings the Listening Wind Guard into Peace Haven's official affairs for the first time to keep the Wind Raider Cavalry from abusing its authority.