Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

Three months later, at the construction site of the fortress by the Yabo River mouth, around 1,000 converted Saracens were working diligently. The castle, which had begun construction a year ago, was now almost complete. The main keep rose high above the ground, and the outer walls had fully encircled the structure. Inside, numerous defensive installations and watchtowers were already in place.

While the moat, outer defenses, and certain functional rooms like the stables and blacksmith shops were still under construction, the fortress was now capable of offering some degree of defense.

Several Knights Templar patrolled the surrounding roads, ever watchful for bandits or any signs of Saracen scouts.

Standing on the main tower of the castle, Otto gazed southward, seemingly awaiting something. It wasn't until he saw a convoy of two hundred men slowly approaching that a smile finally appeared on his face.

The convoy bore the flag of the lion, and it was Mike Bai's delegation bringing supplies for his uncle.

Mike Bai, leading the convoy, sighed deeply. He had hoped that his uncle's promotion would quickly lead to him earning the papal indulgence and gaining a chance to return to his home. However, to his surprise, Commander Odo had placed Otto in charge of the castle here.

This fortress was a key strategic location, fiercely contested between the Kingdom and Saladin. If Saladin wasn't blind, he would surely try to prevent its completion. As a result, King Baldwin had stationed around 3,000 troops nearby to provide support should Saladin attack.

But strangely, despite the castle nearing completion, Saladin had shown no sign of action.

Outsiders might assume Saladin was still recovering from the aftermath of the Battle of Montgisard, but thanks to his contacts in the Sassanid network, Mike Bai had learned that Saladin was already rebuilding his strength, recruiting archers, engineers, and other skilled personnel.

Mike Bai couldn't help but think: if Saladin wasn't mad, his inaction could only mean one thing—he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike and wipe out the Kingdom's forces, to redeem himself for the humiliation at Montgisard.

"Damn it, why is it always my uncle?" Mike Bai muttered to himself, his teeth clenched. If anyone else were guarding this place, the land would have been lost without much consequence. Even if Saladin wiped out the Kingdom's army, it wouldn't be a great personal loss. But with his uncle stationed here, he couldn't just stand by and let him fall.

For his stubborn uncle, Mike Bai had no choice but to make his craftsmen work overtime, producing a set of full plate armor, distilled kerosene, and…

He turned around to look at two strange wagons being pulled by two heavy draft horses. The wagons were completely covered in white cloth, and only the vague shape of a bulky cylinder could be discerned beneath.

"I hope we won't need them," Mike Bai prayed quietly, hoping the gods would keep Saladin occupied for the next couple of months.

The convoy slowly made its way to the castle gates, where Otto was already waiting.

"Uncle Otto! I've brought everything for you!" Mike Bai maintained his childlike attitude, despite the gravity of the situation. After all, in this world, he had few people who genuinely cared for him.

Otto responded with a smile, but his gaze shifted from Mike Bai to the convoy behind him. Besides the supplies and cattle, what pleased him most was the 150 soldiers accompanying the convoy.

Mike Bai's household guard, consisting of 100 men, along with 50 Nordic mercenaries, had been hardened in the fires of Montgisard. They now carried an intimidating presence, their equipment upgraded with captured Mamluk gear and the finely crafted cold-forged weapons produced by Mike Bai's estate.

Dressed head to toe in heavy chainmail and cloaks, their feet clad in Mamluk's finest handmade boots, the soldiers were armed with spears and shields, and each bore a warhammer on their waist. Though they had opted not to wear full plate armor for the march, their appearance alone was enough to strike fear.

Seeing Otto's astonished reaction, Mike Bai couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. It was nice to show off his soldiers for once.

"Mike Bai, it looks like your guard has been well-trained!" Otto remarked, impressed. In a time when war was constant, such a force was truly exceptional.

"Uncle Otto! I've missed you so much!" William, one of Mike Bai's knights, rode forward and gave Otto a playful punch on the shoulder. The other knights, Patrick and Hamo, also rode up to greet Otto. Otto responded to each in kind and then ordered his Templar knights to prepare quarters for the convoy.

That evening, Mike Bai's chef once again worked wonders, ensuring that everyone ate well. During the meal, Mike Bai's concern could no longer be hidden.

"Uncle, how's the castle progressing?" he asked, his tone laced with worry. He knew that once the castle was finished, his uncle would be safe, even if he couldn't be sent back. He would be well protected in this stronghold.

"It's almost done. Another two months, and we'll be finished," Otto replied confidently, assessing the progress.

"What about any news from Saladin?" Mike Bai asked, knowing that while he had intelligence from the Sassanids, it couldn't compare to the immediacy of frontline reports.

"Saladin hasn't made any moves. But…" Otto paused, considering his nephew's intelligence, and decided to tell him the truth. "The borders have been unstable again. King Baldwin and the Kingdom's army left a day ago."

"So, the castle's now vulnerable?" Mike Bai asked, his concern deepening.

"It's fine. We have 80 Templar knights, 160 squire knights, 300 soldiers, and nearly 1,000 workers here. Saladin won't take it easily," Otto reassured him. "Even if he does attack, we can hold for at least twenty days."

"And if Saladin does move against us, the Kingdom can send reinforcements quickly. He'll have no choice but to retreat."

While these words offered some comfort, Mike Bai still felt uneasy. If Saladin were to attack, he was certain Otto had already prepared for the worst.

"But Mike Bai, you're right. You should leave first thing tomorrow morning, to avoid being caught up in it all," Otto said, though he didn't want to involve his nephew in this dangerous situation. Despite being a knight of the Templar Order due to his own penance, he didn't want Mike Bai to be dragged into the turmoil.

However, as is often the case when things seem poised to go wrong, fate had other plans.

The next morning, as Mike Bai was about to mount his horse and bid Otto farewell, a messenger appeared, galloping furiously toward them. Upon seeing Otto, he shouted, "Urgent military report! Saladin is marching with 8,000 troops!"

Mike Bai's heart sank. Couldn't Saladin have waited just one more day? he thought to himself, feeling the weight of impending disaster.