Chapter 41: Spoils of War
Kaukab's bloody head was passed amongst the Kurdish cavalrymen, striking the hearts of those still putting up a desperate resistance like a heavy hammer.
These Kurdish cavalrymen, even when dismounted, remained skilled in combat. Moreover, they cooperated with tacit understanding, like jackals roaming the desert, working in pairs to end the lives of one enemy after another using the swiftest and most unchivalrous, underhanded methods. They were killing machines, devoid of any mercy, faithfully carrying out Lothar's order to kill everyone who held a weapon.
Lothar no longer participated in the battle; he didn't want to reach a day where he saw living people as mere filler for an experience bar.
After a long while, the sounds of killing completely subsided. The Kurdish soldiers herded the unarmed defenders and servants one by one to an open space outside the manor.
Abdullah, holding a mace caked with blood and flesh, approached Lothar. He studied Lothar's profile and, seeing his calm expression, as if everything had been perfectly calculated, felt a slight chill in his heart. He lowered his head and said respectfully, "Holy Fire Burns Forever. Kaukab's diehard loyalists have been purged. All prisoners who laid down their weapons have been gathered and are under guard."
Lothar nodded. "Let everyone disperse to collect spoils. Our time is limited. Remind everyone not to be blinded by wealth. Also, remember to work in pairs; be careful of hidden enemies launching sneak attacks."
A smile appeared on Abdullah's face. As a regional lord, the wealth Kaukab had accumulated over the years was definitely substantial. Even if they only took gold and silver utensils and coins, it would still be a considerable fortune. No matter how devout their faith or how valiant in battle, even Mamluks wouldn't turn their noses up at money.
"Rest assured, Milord. My lads are all battle-hardened warriors; no one would do something so foolish."
At the same time, the system's notification sound chimed in Lothar's ear.
[You have activated the milestone: Storming the Fortress (You successfully led your soldiers and retainers to conquer an enemy lord's castle, killed the enemy lord, and displayed his head publicly).]
[Reward: Loot Shop activated.
Loot Shop: You can sell spoils of war to the system mall. The system will assess their value and provide gold and silver currency.]
Lothar's expression flickered; this was timely assistance. He had just been worrying about how to select valuable loot; with only four of them in his immediate party, the amount of loot they could carry was very limited.
"Abdullah, let's go too." Lothar immediately shed his reserve and headed towards the manor inside the castle.
***
A Kurdish soldier was just about to rush into a room to plunder valuables when he was stunned to find the room completely empty. Furniture, carpets, murals, utensils—everything had vanished.
"By the Holy Fire, what on earth happened?"
"It's like a swarm of locusts sweeping through a field!"
The Kurdish soldier checked several rooms in succession, all of them equally bare. His companion shouted to remind him, "Go over there! We've already searched this side. Lord Lothar granted us the right to choose spoils first."
"Searched?" 'How could it be searched so cleanly?' The soldier was utterly bewildered.
***
Lothar dashed through room after room. A silver chamber pot, red pine cabinets, velvet mattresses, glazed porcelain vases, tables, chairs, benches... In short, everything except the floor—anything that could be dismantled and judged by the system as loot—was sold off by him. It was like bandits had passed through, leaving nothing behind. Since he only had to give them a light touch for them to disappear, it was effortless.
The final profit, after rounding off the small change, was a full eight hundred system-produced gold coins. They even bore his portrait, and Lothar could withdraw them at any time.
Although having his own portrait on gold coins made him feel a bit of embarrassment, it wasn't actually presumptuous, as many local lords in this era had minting rights. However, it depended on whether their fiefs contained gold or silver mines; if they melted down high-value currency and adulterated it with lead or tin to mint debased coins, they could still be held accountable by their liege lord.
System-produced gold and silver coins like these, being of excellent quality, were hard currency everywhere and could even enhance his fame.
"Only eight hundred coins?" Lothar was somewhat disappointed. He had just gone through all the rooms the Kurdish soldiers had already looted, selling off all the large items they had missed. And it only amounted to eight hundred gold coins.
Lothar refused to believe that the possessions in the territory of Kaukab, a prominent regional lord, were worth so little. Besides these bulky valuables that were inconvenient to carry and other low-value items, Lothar and the Kurdish cavalry had also plundered a large amount of portable gold and silver treasures. These gold and silver items had added value from their craftsmanship, so Lothar couldn't bring himself to sell them directly to the system.
Unfortunately, living things couldn't be sold through the Loot Shop; otherwise, that too would have been a large sum of money. "Living things" here referred to livestock and warhorses. Lothar hadn't yet become so depraved as to sell all the prisoners through the system.
"Everyone, two horses per man! Leave quickly!" Lothar ordered loudly. "Don't carry too many things. Grain, waterskins, and fodder are the priority."
At the same time, he approached the prisoners. Under the terrified gaze of the man at the front, he slashed the ropes binding him with a single stroke of his sword. "You are free."
The prisoners looked at each other in disbelief.
"Go, untie your companions. My lord Saladin is a merciful man. The reason he dealt so harshly with your lord Kaukab was entirely due to Kaukab's arrogant insults towards my lord. You can go and inform the Sasanian King that if any lord under his command dares to disrespect my lord Saladin again, I guarantee they will meet the same fate."
With that, Lothar turned and, leading the Kurdish cavalry troop, kicked up a fierce wind and galloped away. The dark cloaks and the fluttering Holy Fire Eagle Flag gradually receded from their sight.
Only then did a few loyal servants lead away the inferior horses Lothar's party didn't want, rushing towards the garrison in the oasis near the wooden fort.
***
In an oasis near Kaukab's territory, Kaukab's eldest son, Safar, commanding a hundred armored cavalrymen, was leading his soldiers, preparing to rush towards the distant wooden fort from which beacon smoke was rising. No one had attacked here for many years. He couldn't figure out which army would be so deranged as to attack a wooden fort located in the desert. Didn't they consider the problem of supplies?
Just then, a servant on horseback hurried over and knelt on the ground. "Lord Safar, Lord Kaukab has been killed by an army sent by Saladin!" His face was flushed, his expression grief-stricken. "Milord, we must avenge Lord Kaukab! That troop of Saladin's cavalry hasn't gone far!"
Safar stared in astonishment at the messenger. "What did you say? Say it again!"
The messenger, his face sorrowful, cried, "Our lord is dead!"
"Immediately muster the troops! We will go back and rescue Lord Kaukab!"
The messenger looked aghast. "But Lord Kaukab is already dead!"
"Silence! Lord Kaukab is not dead!" Safar cut down the messenger before him with his sword and shouted loudly, "Lord Kaukab is under attack! He has appointed me to command all forces! Rush immediately to rescue our lord!"
Among Kaukab's several cavalry units, his own, stationed in this small oasis, was the closest to the wooden fort. Those soldiers of Saladin had left in a hurry. As long as he arrived, the entire wooden fort and the wealth Kaukab had accumulated over the years would all be his!
As for pursuing Saladin's departing cavalry? What a joke! To be able to breach the wooden fort so quickly, the elite quality of that army was self-evident. He had no intention of wasting his hard-earned forces on such a matter.
His heart burning with eagerness, Safar practically led the charge, his cavalry troop kicking up rolling clouds of dust as they stormed into the wooden fort. "Seal the fort immediately! If anyone comes, they must be kept out!" he ordered loudly.
But upon entering the wooden fort, his heart instantly sank. "This?" 'What happened here?'
The once beautiful manor, like a royal court, now looked as if a sandstorm had swept through it. Forget valuables; even the large stone statues in front of the manor had been carried away. 'Are they fools? Carrying so many heavy objects, how could they possibly escape our pursuit?'
"After them! They can't have gone far!" he roared in frustration.
Just then, a guard rushed in and shouted, "Milord, bad news! Lord Lund is approaching with troops, demanding immediate entry into the wooden fort!" Lund was Kaukab's second son and his greatest rival for the inheritance.
Safar's face stiffened. He had thought the wooden fort was a great treasure trove, but never imagined there would be nothing left. Now that he had entered the fort first, wasn't he now implicated and unable to clear his name?
Safar was both anxious and furious. After much thought, he still said, "Let them in!"
When Lund and his men rushed in, they too were dumbfounded. "Safar, did you do this?"
Safar retorted irritably, "How could it be? How long have I been here? With so many treasures, where could I possibly hide them? They were all taken away by those running dogs of Saladin! But don't worry, they're carrying so much stuff, they definitely can't have run fast. Immediately gather the troops, we'll go after them!"
But when Safar's party followed the tracks left by Lothar's group, they found the hoof prints were shallow, and there were no cart ruts.
Lund, his face furious, berated him, "Safar, do you take me for a brainless fool? I've already interrogated those spineless commoners! Saladin's men didn't take much at all!"
Safar instantly drew his weapon. "Didn't your interrogation also reveal that I arrived hardly any earlier than you?"
"Stop quibbling, Safar! You are unworthy to be Father's son! Father is murdered, and instead of pursuing the enemy, you empty out his legacy!" Lund shouted, "Soldiers, look at the ugly face of this despicable man! Are you willing to serve such a person, or will you pledge allegiance to me, the great Lund?"
"Silence!" An enraged Safar slashed out with his sword. His trusted followers naturally joined the fray. The two sides clashed in a tangled melee, all thought of pursuing the Kurdish cavalry troop completely forgotten.
Besides, pursuit was useless; the cavalry troop, with two horses per man, was already more than ten leagues away.
*****
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