Adam's forces quickly arrived at the location of the Winter Army, which was a Bulgar town along the Kama River.
However, the army did not enter the town because it was too small.
Moreover, the local citizens had mostly fled due to rumors that the Rus were going to massacre them, leaving only a few old men waiting for death.
The Rus naturally couldn't demand anything from these old men, so they simply ignored them and let the city fend for itself.
Such situations occurred more frequently the further east they went, indicating that Akad had seized upon the news of the Rus massacre and exploited it, successfully luring the population that could have been used by the Rus to the East Bank.
The Winter Army's camp outside the city was several times larger than the city itself; what Adam saw upon his arrival was a vast sea of noisy tents, with the Rurik Trident and saint george slaying the dragon banners fluttering in the wind.
Cavalry constantly moved around the camp, relaying messages, while infantry engaged in various activities to pass the time, either training, polishing weapons, or chatting and gambling.
He also saw Bishop Tiberius's contingent blessing the Christians in the camp; they were dressed like soldiers, with only their large crucifixes indicating their true identities.
However, this attire was quite to the liking of these common soldiers, especially after Bishop Tiberius personally struck down several impudent Bulgars, leading to an increasing number of conversions to Christ faith.
Tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry stood on this land, their fighting spirit incredibly high, and their optimism for war overflowing.
The air was filled with the scent of war, a scent Adam was no stranger to, as he had arrived with this grand army.
Adam knew that directly across the river from the main camp was the city ruled by his father, Bulgar, the city from which he had been driven out.
The Bulgar Prince still had some impression of everything before him; his father had once brought him here on a tour and had even led Bulgar nobles here for a collective hunt, where Akad and his father were also present.
But now it seemed as if those events had happened a hundred years ago; his father and Akad's father were dead, both killed by Akad.
And Akad had usurped the throne to become the Bulgar Khan, while he himself was first driven out, then returned to this land with a foreign army.
Adam felt that life was truly unpredictable; he had been driven out so miserably back then, and Akad had become the ruler of this land.
Now he had returned with a foreign army, while Akad dared only hide behind the river and city walls, lacking even the courage to face them directly.
The wide Kama River flowed before everyone; the Rus had built a small dock on the West Bank where they were situated, with many Rus vessels moored there.
There were also Rus boats fishing in the lake; the fish of the Kama River were famously abundant and plump.
However, strictly speaking, the work of these vessels was to patrol and scout, and to blockade the river as much as possible, but this did not prevent them from earning a little extra money, as many people were willing to pay for these plump Kama River fish.
On the opposite bank of the river, Bulgar army activity could be seen from time to time; knights dressed in Persian or Arab attire patrolled the riverbanks, surrounded by large numbers of infantry and nomadic cavalry, wary of any potential enemy crossing the river.
Fortunately for the Rus, the West Bank where they were located was very steep, covered with various difficult-to-climb slopes, while the opposite side was much gentler, very suitable for an amphibious landing.
If the Bulgars wanted to cross the river and launch a counterattack, it would be impossible, as they would be directly trapped by the steep slopes and then annihilated by the Rus occupying the high ground.
Adam also witnessed a small-scale battle on the lake; a few Bulgar fishing boats seemed to be trying to catch some fish while the Rus were not paying attention, but they happened to run into Rus warships.
The fishermen were easily captured by the Rus and then imprisoned in the ships, and their fishing boats were also confiscated by the Rus, becoming part of the Rus fleet.
This struck Adam as strange; didn't he recall Bulgar having quite a capable fleet?
This force existed to maintain river security and crack down on smuggling, so why hadn't he seen any sign of them until now?
However, Adam did not dwell on this question, as he still had to meet Rostislav.
As one of the two leaders of the grand army, Adam entered the military camp unhindered; the soldiers all recognized his handsome face.
Of course, because of this, many restless brutes always used him as an object of sexual fantasy, and many did not mind that he had a penis, as long as there was a hole to vent.
Rostislav's main camp was located at the center of the encampment, the largest and most luxurious tent in the entire military camp, where the Prince usually handled various affairs.
However, Rostislav would not sleep here at night, but in an inconspicuous smaller camp.
In his words, this large tent was a target; if there was a raid, it could divert fire, and he himself could escape.
Adam couldn't help but be a little astonished after hearing this; he hadn't expected Rostislav to be so protective of his life, as he had thought such valiant generals were not afraid of such things.
It also made him revere Rostislav even more and admonish himself to be more humble; if a figure like Rostislav was so cautious, how could he harbor any pride?
Upon entering the main camp, the first thing Adam saw was Rostislav boiling something in a copper pot.
And around Rostislav, lords, generals, and officers were busy with various tasks; the daily affairs generated by this grand army were never few.
The Moscow Prince saw him enter, picked up the pot, filled two cups, handed one to Adam, and took the other himself.
To Adam's surprise, the contents of the cup were not very hot and emitted a fragrant aroma; he immediately drank it all, and the taste made him incredibly refreshed.
"It's tea."
Adam was not unfamiliar with this beverage; this product from the East also had many consumers in Bulgar.
"Yes, it's tea, found in the home of an impudent Bulgar lord."
Rostislav also drank the tea, a look of reminiscence on his face, as if recalling something distant.
However, Adam was very curious; he remembered that this lord didn't drink tea, having never seen him do so during their many years together, but he ultimately kept his question to himself, as it was not his place to ask.
"I imagine you're wondering why I called you here at this time."
The Moscow Prince put down his cup, and Adam nodded slightly, indicating his confusion.
"Suvar… we've received very bad news."
Rostislav's tone was slow, as if he was carefully choosing his words.
"It seems there's been some disturbance over there, and Suvar doesn't want to raise an army as per our agreement."
The Moscow Prince's words immediately silenced the entire tent; everyone looked at Rostislav and Adam, understanding that the Prince was about to make a decision.
Suvar's participation was part of what Adam had promised; he had guaranteed that there would be no problem, and Suvar's military strength and location could immediately break the current stalemate.
But if Suvar could not join, then the Winter Army's strategy would be problematic and would need to be readjusted.
Upon hearing this, Adam immediately knew he was in trouble; he didn't know why Suvar hadn't cooperated as agreed, he only knew that what happened next might be very bad.
Because of this matter, the Moscow Prince could logically allow the Rus to control the land west of the Kama River or make further demands, as some compensation was always due.
However, the Moscow Prince did not say so.
"Our plan must change; we originally intended to advance on both banks with Suvar's participation, but now, it seems we must force a crossing of the Kama River and fight a truly hard battle!"
The Moscow Prince's words made Adam breathe a sigh of relief; so he wasn't planning to use this as an excuse to make trouble, but the Prince's next words made Adam's expression sour again.
"As compensation for this error, Lord Adam, I hope that once everything is ready, your troops will be among the first to land."