Way of Overlord-Chapter 635: Attacking the Sore Spot

There is a huge map on the table provided by the spies under his brother 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Belarion look at the map and nodded

The one who proposed this plan is Xiwanu. But the one who conceived the idea is Belarion. Belarion knows the objective that Aeryon gives him

Contain the Nergui tribe so that they could not aid the Ultar tribe and the Chagai tribe

The idea came to him simply because he knows that the only way for him to contain Nergui tribe is to make sure either he came to them, or they came to him

And it would be better to make them come to him. And for them to come to him, he either has to create a bait that they would try to take or try to take something they could not let go.

Belarion knows that he has no baits that he could use to entice the Nergui tribe to come to him and engage him

Since he could not produce a bait, then he needs to try to take something that they could not let him have.

Contain Nergui tribe

That is the task.

Of course, he knows his brother wanted him to do more.

The reason why Belarion choose this settlement out of the many settlements that he could attack is because this settlement is one of the settlements of the place where the most warriors of Nergui is being recruited.

The Karaldyk settlement.

Most of the brave warriors of the Nergui tribe come from this settlement.

The tribe of Karaldyk is a relative tribe of the tribe of Nergui. The Nergui tribe and the Karaldyk tribe has been together for hundreds of years.

They supported each other

They are more like brotherly tribe. Most of the great warriors in the Nergui tribe descended from the Karaldyk tribe.

Before Belarion even attack Nergui he had investigated all of these. And it is for this reason when this particular settlement is attacked it struck a different chord for Nergui tribe.

This is the one thing they could not let go.

They would not just let this be. And so, the scattered forces of Nergui tribe all over the area of the border and even those that wanted to help the Chagai tribe would gather here.

Belarion does not worry that the enemy would concentrate their forces and attack him. What he is most worried about if the enemy stays away or attack him without even thinking of having a decisive battle

He wanted a decisive battle. In a decisive battle Belarion is confident with his men and the superior discipline of the army, he could break them

Belarion is confident one of his men could take down three men of Nergui tribe.

Belarion learns that when they wanted to scatter, then he should make them gather.

Never does what your enemies wanted you to do.

Belarion has never been afraid of a direct battle against other tribes. Most of the time, that is something he wanted

Aeryon had forged an iron army and in a direct battle, no one could defeat this army

Why did the steppe tribes lost so quickly against Aeryon. How did Aeryon in a span less than a year defeated all of the tribes around him and then almost a year later, become the overlord of the lower south.

Why?

Aeryon and Belarion are powerful warriors.

But two men could never create such foundation

If it was so easy, then the tribe before them that have innate warriors and a strong chief would have swept the steppe long ago.

If it was that easy, then the Steppe would have been conquered long ago.

His rise has reasons

Aeryon at that time, have only a few hundred men. Fighting hundreds of men, defeating the Ghar and Xewa tribe with swift attack and momentum, he forged his reputation.

Using that reputation, he met with the Viper and then agree to an alliance.

Then the alliance between him and Utgard gives him breathing room.

It was this breathing room, this time that he used wisely.

Instead of stopping and give anyone chance to strike him, he strikes first, swift and decisive and in a matter of weeks, all the small tribe and small clans around the tribe is subdued with force.

And he did not stop there.

Even though at that time, he could have stopped and digested, Aeryon knows if he stop at that time, he would be merely seen as an upstart tribe and the larger tribe around him would have time to gather men and curb him before he gets too big

So, instead of resting and holding banquets, he rewarded the army, reformed the system and expand the army

And instead of slowing down, Aeryon rate of conquering the tribes around him goes faster. Strength alone does not explain his fast rise.

The strength that he gets from his men is because the reform he did to the way he governs his army.

Only merit. You are rewarded and the chief would not monopolize the loots and the war bounty

And Aeryon himself is generous in rewarding his men.

As long as you dare to do something for the Khan, if you succeed you could get titles, fame and fortune

Aeryon is not stingy with rewards almost like he wanted to give his wealth away.

But it is precisely because of this generosity that exceed any other chief, that his men is fiercely loyal to him

But of course, if the only reason they are loyal is because of wealth, then that is just superficial loyalty. There is the carrot, then there is the stick.

The punishment is clear and the rewards is clear and it is because of this everyone obeyed, respected, fear and in awe.

Belarion did not understand this before, but it is because of the reforms that Aeryon had been doing that Brolgadhr army is cut above the rest

From the moment Aeryon took reins of the tribe, he emphasizes discipline and following orders.

Certain orders must be obeyed and certain orders are flexible.

But there is this discipline

But if that was the only thing, then that would not be much

Aeryon explains to him before, but he did not understand it.

But when he was learning with Xiwanu, Lughan, Cahya and Chulun, he slowly understands why no tribes in the south could ever effectively fight against the Brolgadhr in direct battle

Brolgadhr army has superior command structure, absolute discipline to the Khan. With command structure, the orders are clear.

What does it mean for orders to be clear.

It means everyone knows what they should do, and who should do it.

Overlapping orders create chaos and waste.

And in a tribe without such command structure, sometimes, not doing what you are supposed to do is a recipe for disaster.

If someone who should defend instead go out to fight and got himself killed, isn’t that a neglect of duty and such action could affect the morale of the army

And that is not all.

What support the army is the intelligence networks. They know the terrain, they know the enemy

And when you know more things, the more strategy you could employ and the more you could prepare.

You know the strength of your enemy, and you could avoid it, you know the weakness of your enemy, and you could attack it.

Then there is the shared doctrine across the unit and the finishing touch by his sworn brother is the merit-based promotion.

Why does these newcomers and defeated warriors would fight so fiercely for the Khan?

Outsiders looking in could not understand but the insider understand.

It is none other than the fact, regardless of your past affiliations as long as you render merit to the Khan you would be rewarded.

Not by blood or familial relations, but by merit alone.

If you are capable, you could gain power and wealth. In such a time, what they need is capable people.

It might seem excessively fair. And Belarion used to think like this. But when he consulted his brothers, he understands something that only a few people in the higher ups understand

Capable.... who decides what is capable?

The Khan.

Even though the Khan himself did not say anything about character, in the end, Aeryon himself said, he could forgive little cunningness.

But if it the kinds of cunningness that could erode his foundation and create a hidden danger for the tribe and his ambition, then even the most capable person should be send to the ground six feet under.

Because then that is not a capable person. But a calamity. Having abilities only make such person even more dangerous

However, to the outside world, Aeryon accept everyone as long as they are capable. This is the method of attracting talent. It is not yet time to dispose of the hidden danger. For now, every bit of talent is important.

And Aeryon himself walk the talk. He truly gives what he should give and those who fought for him would not have to worry that the Khan would not reward them

This is the art of the ruling. His brother cares about result but result is not the only thing he cares about

He also cares about foundation.

..