The morning sun rose from the Divine Mountain in the Eastern Valley, illuminating the fertile plains of the Lake Region in the west. The plain was covered with deep red traces of slaughter, extending all the way to the end of the river. At the crisscrossing center of these traces lay the boundless Mexica encampment, like a hunter in a red spider web, enjoying the tranquility after the hunt.
The large army encamped in the open, simply arranged yet filled with a solemn atmosphere. Over twenty thousand elite troops were stationed in the camp, guarding a vast number of captives. Patrolling elites, archers, and staff in hand, spread out for miles, vigilantly guarding against the southeast direction.
First came the loud cries of eagles from afar, then appeared the fierce figures of Jaguar warriors. They wore colorful Leather Armor, escorting the bound Samurai warriors of the enemy. These elite Battle Groups, not lacking in meat, could see clearly at night, the only ones to pursue throughout the night. For the merit of capturing prisoners, they had chased throughout the entire night, sparing valueless Militia, now finally returning with satisfactory spoils of war.
Xiulote sat cross-legged in the large tent at the center, dealing with the complex military affairs after the battle, listening to the continuous reports from the warriors. Despite not having slept all night, he was still spirited, memorizing all the military information. Only when the cooking smoke rose from outside the tent and the guards brought in steaming cornbread did he finally relax, stretching his back, and looked towards Olosh beside him.
"So, in this great battle, we lost over fifteen hundred warriors, defeated thirty thousand of the Chapala Legion, and captured more than ten thousand prisoners?"
The robust Jaguar warrior nodded. He looked at the calm expression of the Young Commander and smiled contentedly, saying,
"This was a victory blessed by the divinity, and it will also be an epic that shall be sung and passed down! Nearly fifty thousand warriors lined up for battle on the plain, their shouts thunderous, even the birds flying overhead were frightened into falling due to the noise of the slaughter! Well, we can let the poets note down a poem: The Chief Divine watches over the battlefield of the divine war, blessing His Divine Revelation. He bestowed us with a Thunderbolt of unmatched force, granting the Mexica a destined victory!"
After laughing, Olosh recalled his experiences of the battle, summarizing it briefly.
"The Chapala Legion was actually quite brave, the Militia fearless like Canine Descendants. Only, a pack of wolves led by a fox will be completely defeated and scattered. Of the thirty thousand enemy troops, less than one-third managed to escape back to the Lake Region; that is, three thousand warriors of the Feather Battle Group, and over six thousand demoralized Militia. After this battle, the Chapala Lake Region will no longer pose any threat to our rear!"
Xiulote thought for a moment, then grinned knowingly. After this great defeat, the internal turmoil within the Chapala Lake Region would be intense, and external chaos would erupt, leaving them unable to attend to their own affairs.
The Feather Family Head, responsible for the defeat yet also the only one who retained a significant force of Samurai, had limited options. Regardless of whether the envoy he sent played a sufficient role, once the news of the main force’s annihilation spread, the migrating Guamal Canine Descendants from the north and the resisting Tecos Tribe from the west would surely respond by attacking the weakest foe.
"Then, the seriously wounded or dead enemy soldiers numbered around ten thousand, although the warriors did not count precisely. We do not have extra medicine for injuries. If the wounded people of Chapala can’t walk on their own, they always end up returning to dust; better to sacrifice them on the spot."
Xiuluo nodded calmly. In the battlefields of the Middle Ancient Times, the lack of medical supplies and transportation meant that serious injuries meant death. Even if it was one of our own warriors, unless they had a special status, this was often the case, let alone captured enemies.
"The remaining ten thousand or so enemy troops are now either our Surrendered Army or prisoners. In the camp, there are about three thousand captured Chapala Samurai, including those from the Sky Battle Group, all worth a great deal of effort to reorganize. Among the surrendering Militia are two thousand skilled Archers considered rare elites, usable indeed."
"However, the remaining six thousand Chapala Militia are a large problem. They will create too much of a burden for our logistics and represent an extremely unstable group of prime-aged individuals, needing sufficient manpower to suppress."
As he spoke, Olosh paused briefly. He looked at the resolute Young Commander, his eyes indifferent to life and death, his words chillingly frank.
"According to Alliance custom, when an army is on a campaign, once a great victory is achieved, and if there are too many prisoners, a grand sacrifice is conducted after the war. We offer lives to the Chief Divine, thanking the War God for His blessing!"
Hearing this, Xiulote slightly lowered his gaze, his internal scale swaying back and forth, continuously weighing.
Mobilizing troops over long distances, logistics are always the greatest pressure. The hinterland of Tarasco had been emptied by the enemy, the countryside save for the sturdy noble Manors was full of displaced people and wild fields. The long supply line began from the Lake Capital City, running down the river, passing through the Rivermouth Fortress, and reaching the front line at Huayamo Fortress. Each portion of food delivered to the front line was immensely precious; this was the foundation of the Legion’s campaign.
At this moment, the troubles caused by these ten thousand unstable prisoners to the Legion were perhaps even greater than when they were enemies.
After a while, Xiulote shook his head and made up his mind.
"Olosh, the religion is being reformed, the Chief Divine aims to show mercy. If the Alliance wants to establish a solid rule here, we cannot leave behind too much bloody hatred. Slaughtering the prisoners would admittedly solve the problem once and for all, yet it would result in the loss of popular support. Since I stand atop the high mountain, I should be looking towards the distance. Why not let the imprisoned Militia go so they can spread tales of the Legion’s valiance and mercy far across the Chapala Lake Region."