NOVEL NEXT Chapter 57: Truth
In response to Venn's question, desperate shouts from various parts of the troops echoed loudly in the training ground. When the Onis heard the same predicament that happened to them had happened to their fellow brother-in-arms, all of the militias clenched their fists and bit on their teeth, remembering the humiliation they suffered in the past when their villages were attacked by the goblins.
"I couldn't save them! Only I survived…" That was their only thought when they found out they survived whilst their villages were destroyed.
Prior to joining the militias, most of them were normal villagers, farmers, or craftsmen living in the outskirts. The only reason they joined the militias was because they wanted revenge on the goblins. With their original lives destroyed, they had developed an intense hatred for the goblins. And Venn knew about that.
He was planning to make use of that to his advantage right from the start. He needed to gain the loyalty of these simple-minded civilians to support his actions. He needed them to comply with his every order. The regular army that undergoes training would not qualify his requirement when they had their own obligations, thus he had to lower his standard to the militias.
He deduced all of this crucial information in the war tent from when the Brugvun elder forced Ysera to hand over the control of the troops. It was the only useful ability he gained from reading mountains and mountains of books - the ability to single out relevant and useful information, and it was this ability that allowed him to join the Blood Serpents as well.
Contrary to the elite NPCs in the game, these villagers that recently converted to the militias had a much lower stat in wisdom, and thus, lacked critical thinking skill. With just his words and charisma in the game, it would be possible to turn them to his allies.
Just by controlling their emotions, and feeding them information that he wanted them to hear, he could control the troops.
Similar to the politicians that put the blame of everything on the immigrants and fanned the locals' hatred by controlling the media, Venn was doing the same thing. By pitting them against a common enemy, and promising them what they wanted to hear, he could gain their undying support.
Sensing that the opportunity had arrived, Venn continued his speech to further fan their emotions.
"People! I understand your grievances! And I promise you all that as long as I live, I will eradicate the goblins that destroyed your lives! That is my only goal!"
"And if my goal coincides with yours, please lend me your strength, no matter how small it is! Compared to the goblin army, our strength is insignificant. Like an ant that faces off with an elephant, our fate is doomed from the start."
"However, if we are all going to die either way in the upcoming war, then let us die in the most honorable way possible! I cannot promise your safety in the war! But I can promise you this one thing that the elders of your clan can't! And that is your death will not be in vain! Your sacrifice will be the driving force to take down the goblins! I swear upon my life!"
"As men of the honourable Oni clan, you have already run away once! Don't make this your second time living like a coward! I implore you to lend me your strength! Dedicate your mind! Dedicate your body! And dedicate your heart to me! Give me everything you have in you and then die for our goal of killing all the goblins! What do you say, proud men of the Oni Clan?!"
At the end of his speech, Venn's voice resounded to every corner of the training ground, and penetrated into the heart of the soldiers standing at attention. His eyes were looking directly at all of them without any hint of hesitation. His gaze was intense and crystal clear, and one could see the brightness shining in his eyes.
His speech had the soldiers stunned. Although they were just simple civilians that lived ordinary lives, they could discern that Venn had told them nothing but the truth. There was no sugarcoating behind his words like their previous commander, and deep down they understood the harsh reality.
As survivors of the goblins' assault, they knew how terrifying the goblins were and how weak they were even though they hated to admit it. Although they underwent and suffered many months of training to strengthen themselves, they knew that they would most likely lose their lives in the upcoming castle siege regardless.
But never did they expect an outsider to point out the harsh truth to them. Wasn't a new commander supposed to encourage and motivate them to battle?
"Hahaha! What is this situation?"
"Can you believe it? This is the first time someone told me to die for his goal! And so shamelessly at that!"
"Haha! What's the matter? There's nothing left to lose either way? Isn't it?"
"Even though his words are nonsense, I couldn't help but feel my blood in my veins boiling with excitement!"
"Well… my life has already ended the day I lost my wife to the goblins. I don't mind dying."
"How audacious! But I like this young man."
Murmurs began to start, and gradually it turned into loud clutters with everyone talking to one another. Loud arguments could be heard among some of them but it never grew into scuffles. Slowly, the noise from the militias died down, and came forth a middle-aged man with a long beard.
As if he was the representative of all the soldiers, he stood in front of the formation and drew out his secondary dagger with a stern expression. As soon as he did so, everyone followed suit as well in unison.
As the troops of the Oni clan, everyone was equipped with a small dagger to defend themselves in case they lost their main weapon. Venn knew about this, but he couldn't figure out why they were taking out their daggers at this time.