Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 449 - 231: Trapped in Enemy Lines

"Which one is Losa?"

"That one wearing the Kuman-style mask helmet?"

Groups of nobles left the camp, heading out to meet them, whispering among themselves. Many were Crusader nobles from the North, who had long heard of Losa’s renowned name but had never seen him in person.

"Look at that Double-headed Eagle!"

"He’s at the very center of the formation!"

Losa’s position was at the very center of the entire army.

Behind him were two Winged Cavalry, following closely, holding riding spears with Square Banners. The Double-headed Eagle emblem fluttered with the flag as if coming to life, soaring.

Losa raised his palm to signal the army to halt and rest, with the sound of the graceful horns rippling down the ranks. The massive army resembled a giant’s limbs, stopping gradually with Losa’s command.

He rode forth from the formation, his cape flapping in the wind, with the gold-embroidered Dragon Head pattern shining even brighter under the blazing sun.

"Such a magnificent horse, just like the legendary Unicorn."

The Crusader nobles exclaimed in admiration, as the armored horse, Eclipse, appeared like a steel beast. Only such an extraordinary creature could march under the blazing sun, carrying Losa and his full set of equipment.

As Losa drew nearer, the Crusader nobles coming out to greet him felt a tension as if facing a charge from thousands of cavalry.

Yet in front of them was only Losa alone.

As the rider pulled the reins, the unusually tall steed rose high on its two front hooves, the flying dust accentuating the rider’s heroic and exceptional figure.

He removed his mask.

Revealing, contrary to many people’s expectations of an arrogant demeanor, a young, handsome face with a gentle smile.

"Good day, everyone."

He nodded casually towards the crowd. An act slightly improper, but in his manner, it appeared exceptionally carefree and was difficult to resent.

The nobles who hadn’t seen Losa felt an inexplicable sense of witnessing a legend.

This was the legendary Dragon Slayer; once a nighttime raider forcing Saladin to retreat from the Crusader camp; the inventor of the Gwent Card; the Divine Favored blessed by the Heavenly Father; a Champion Knight who acquired honors in Constantinople; the Count of the Outskirts of Jordan and Military Zone General at Limassol...

"Good day, Losa."

As the highest-ranking noble aside from the King, Duke Raymond spoke first: "It is an honor to finally fight alongside."

"I am honored too, Lord Tiberias." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Losa smiled, admiring the patterns on Raymond’s plate armor, joking, "Are you competing with me to see who can achieve more merits in this war?"

...

Below a castle northeast of Tiberias.

A giant boom was heard.

A polished round projectile, with a sharp whistle, smashed down, toppling a wooden tower flying the Crusader Banner.

The defending Crusaders had no countermeasures against such massive War Machines.

The crossbow cannon and catapults mounted on the walls had ranges far inferior to the Counterweight Catapult crafted by the artisans summoned by Saladin, capable of launching missiles weighing up to three hundred pounds.

The Saracen army camp stretched over tens of miles, with no apparent intent to quickly seize this castle, despite the defenders’ morale plummeting from the fierce bombardment, with the largest nearby water source—Lake Tiberias—right behind the castle.

They merely concealed themselves within the camps, showing no inclination to push the Siege Weapons and initiate an assault, as if fearing being scorched by the intense sun above.

"What is Saladin thinking?"

In the Saracen camp, Baron Fulk sat in his tent, silently observing the massive Counterweight Catapults in the siege camp. These War Machines were perfect for attacking the numerous castles scattered across Europe.

He was Baron Fulk of Languedoc.

Having previously escorted Reynard’s fiancée "Eleanor of Languedoc" to the Holy Land, and later meeting pirates on his way back, sold as a slave to a Saracen noble.

Fortunately, due to his noble birth, his "master" treated him exceptionally well: a separate tent, a full set of armaments, and no menial tasks, merely donning Zha Armor and charging alongside his "master" on the battlefield.

The days spent "trapped in the enemy camp" for Baron Fulk were not particularly hard.

Saladin—this Heretic Monarch—embraced Egpytians, Bedouins, Syrians, Greeks, Berbers, Turks, Caucasians... under his rule with open arms.

Including Franks.

He had seen Franks entering and exiting Saladin’s tent, dressed lavishly, clearly important figures under Saladin’s command.

Even though Baron Fulk had a deep-seated hatred for Saladin, during his time trapped in the enemy camp, he had to concede that Saladin was undoubtedly a broad-minded, upright, and compassionate wise ruler.

He rose like a comet, snatching the apex of the Saracen World within ten years, establishing a vast empire stretching south to Yemen, west to Tunisia, north to Armenia, east to Sassan.

Based on Fulk’s observations, Saladin’s army was complex, with many troops from lower-tier vassals contributing fairly average combat capability.

Yet his forces had a robust backbone, including a substantial Mamluk Imperial Guard, which he didn’t even fully deploy when last besieging Reynard’s Kaler Castle. The elite Casagia Guard consisted of fully armored heavy Cavalry Archers.

Baron Fulk had the privilege to witness these formidable heavy cavalry of over a thousand charging against rebels.

The troops under the last Prince "Salah" were no more than pitiful souls working in vain before them, and after being toyed with, were simply torn apart by these heavy cavalry switching to Riding Spears and launching a charge.

"Is the Holy Land doomed to fall under the iron hooves of Heretics?"

Every time he saw those fully equipped, awe-inspiring Mamluk Cavalry, Baron Fulk couldn’t help but feel despair.

Worse yet, he was now one of these Mamluks.

Roar—

A deep growl startled Fulk.

Many Saracen soldiers also began to jestingly complain.

The sound came from the Dragon Beasts locked in special camps. These creatures, over four meters tall, capable of easily tearing apart elephants, charging not just against Crusader Knights but even castle walls could be easily shattered by them, had not yet been truly deployed.

But even thinking about it, Fulk felt pity for their enemies.

"Will Count Losa come?"