Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 455 - 237: Duel

In the Saracen Camp.

Saladin, somewhat perplexed, repeated the message brought by the servant.

"The Crusaders have sent a messenger, wanting to engage us in a fair ’Knight’ contest?"

When he mentioned "Knight," Saladin deliberately spoke in Frankish.

"Why should we adhere to the barbaric traditions of the heretics?"

Taqidin found it laughable.

As a Kurd, he had the courage and valor passed down from his ancestors, but unlike the Crusader Knights who preferred single combat, both Kurds and Arabs came from nomadic tribes.

For them, tribal consciousness was more ingrained, meaning a greater emphasis on collective power.

Saladin thought for a moment and grasped the opponent’s intention, he chuckled, "Are they so sure they can defeat us?"

He paused before continuing, "Then let it be as they wish."

"My lord?"

Taqidin was visibly surprised.

Saladin shook his head, "A duel doesn’t signify much, but it can reveal what cards the opponents have up their sleeves. Inform the Crusader’s messenger that we are willing to send someone to engage in a fair duel with them."

Taqidin responded, "My lord, let me enter the fight!"

He patted his chest, and the flesh on his broad and robust frame quivered, making him appear especially burly.

Saladin glanced at his nephew and thought somewhat helplessly—"Do you still see yourself as you once were?"

Taqidin was once a mighty and valiant warrior.

But during his tenure as Governor of Egypt, he indulged in pleasures, emptying his body with wine and women. Now, though he still looked robust, his former courage and fierceness were long gone.

Saladin decisively rejected, "Taqidin, you are too impulsive now."

Taqidin sighed with some helplessness, "My lord, you know better than I do how great the cost to maintain such a large army. Even if Egypt and Syria are prosperous, there’s a limit."

Egypt seemed vast, but its true core areas were only Upper Egypt located upstream on the Nile and Lower Egypt at the downstream Nile Delta. The remaining regions were mostly uninhabited desert.

Saladin had gathered forty thousand troops here.

Even if each soldier consumed only a kilogram of wheat per day, without any meat, the daily grain consumption would be forty thousand kilograms, i.e., forty tons.

This was just the combat personnel, without considering the numerous conscripted laborers.

Besides food, the daily soldier and livestock waste produced in the entire Saracen Camp amounted to tens of tons, which had to be carted out of the camp and buried far away to prevent mosquitoes and flies from breeding.

Forty thousand was not the maximum number of soldiers Saladin could gather, but it was the limit this land could sustain.

If it were a war in Europe, even if the offensive side gathered tens of thousands of troops, they would often divide the support army into several, even dozens, hundreds of units, dispersed to raid the enemy territory.

Adopting the strategy of living off the enemy to reduce their own logistical pressure as much as possible.

To truly gather tens of thousands of troops to besiege the enemy’s city would undoubtedly be a ruthless move, injuring the enemy ten thousand but losing eight thousand.

"If only money and supplies could take Jerusalem, it would be the most lucrative deal."

Saladin sneered.

Taqidin’s thought was not wrong, gathering such a large army was to quickly resolve the conflict with the enemy—dragging it out would lead to restlessness among the lords and soldiers camped out, even if supplies were not an issue.

Saladin seriously said, "In this war, if we can achieve ultimate victory, I can bear any cost."

"Please bring over Master Shemir and Master Mudeliji, I remember the warrior who guards the Giant Dragon Master Shemir, and the personal guard of Master Mudeliji, both are formidable warriors."

...

Both armies lined up, facing each other from a distance.

No one dared to relax their minds.

Though the Crusaders knew today’s objective was to duel the heretics, only God knew if the cunning heretics might seize this chance to raid.

The scorching sun overhead made everyone desperately thirsty.

Many soldiers took out their water bags and sipped the lukewarm water. Some knights even began drinking beer. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Losa rode Eclipse, standing at the very front of the ranks.

This big creature initially showed off its upright posture proudly to everyone, but after waiting for a long time without the chance to unleash and run wild, it gradually became dispirited.

Behind the Winged Cavalry units, tightly holding the Riding Spear with flags attached.

The Double-headed Eagle flag flapped in the wind.

The decorations on the Winged Cavalry behind them were like swans taking flight—the two wings of the Winged Cavalry were fully armored Armored Archers.

Their armor was strict, with not a single piece of skin exposed.

Beneath the perfectly fitted armor was like a steamer, if Furinjira hadn’t cast a Group Cooling Technique on them, they would have had to wait until just before the enemy charged to completely put on all their armor to ensure their combat power.

Fighting in this weather was hardly easy even for those Light Cavalry.

Derum finally got his wish to become an Attendant of Ulm, trailing behind the one commanding a troop of his own, Ulm, his mood shifted from excitement upon hearing of the battle to calm, and now patience.

He felt like he was back in the Hebron’s new recruits camp, standing in the scorching sun day after day.

This was nothing like the wars he imagined, killing enemies, building achievements whatsoever.

More like two cowards cursing insults at each other in a tavern, neither daring to make a move.

"Sir, I think instead of just standing here, we should curse those Saracens."

"Save your breath."

Ulm said helplessly.

He glanced at the Light Cavalry Losa had assigned him; although they had undergone brief training and, compared to ordinary Nomadic Cavalry, were considered elite, their combat effectiveness was still highly questionable.

This is why despite being promoted to a Commander of a troop, he still hoped to return to the Winged Cavalry’s combat lineup as an ordinary cavalryman.

...

At this time, both messengers had completed their announcements.

Hans, dressed in full armor, was the first to arrive at the open ground before both camps.

"I am Torle from the Neva River Valley."

The newcomer was a warrior wearing a Kuman-style face-covering chain armor helmet, revealing only a pair of pale blue eyes.

He surveyed the Crusader Knight opposite, clad in mirror-polished silver-white armor and a Barrel Helmet adorned with bull-like horns, his expression subtly disdainful.

Hans said, "I am Hans, Lord of Sego."

"Your armor and mount are nice, I think they will be my trophies."