Trash, Worthless Lives, War

The elves retreated.

Although it's only a temporary retreat, once it's retreated, it's a retreat.

This meant that the sudden and tragic defense of the city had finally come to an end.

The devastating onslaught, like the collapse of the heavens and the splitting of the earth, pressed down wave after wave, almost causing the elven cavalry to charge over the walls and allowing the city to be captured in one fell swoop by the rushing elves. The elven army's formidable fighting power left a deep mark on the city walls and was also etched into the hearts of many.

The people on the city wall watched silently as the elves retreated.

Even those not on the city walls—the city lord who led the battle, the mage corps providing magical support, and the war sorcerer troops who played a crucial role—many silently watched the temporarily retreating elven army, observing without any reaction.

They clearly drove the elves away.

The elves had clearly already retreated.

The enemy troops, who had made a long march to this place, were demoralized and sounded the retreat. According to military strategy, the defending troops in the city should have taken advantage of the situation to open the gates, pursue and attack, and expand their gains... But there was no movement in the city, and no one volunteered to fight.

Even the elite city defense troops who appeared last on the city wall and delivered the final blow simply watched the elves leave in silence, without any reaction or action.

Because the elves are simply too powerful.

It was the kind of strength that even militiamen fresh out of battle could see.

Even in retreat, they maintained the arrogance of a powerful army. It was not a hasty escape, but a calm withdrawal under the attack of arrows, war machines, and magic from the city. The cavalry and the archers covered each other, moving quickly and orderly, and they were still full of fighting spirit. They firmly remembered the shame and hatred of this defeat for the future.

Kang De even saw many elven cavalrymen slash their chests with their weapons, smear the blood on their faces, and then brandish their spears, roaring at the city walls.

Even though he had already experienced it on the Holy Seal Archipelago, the style of the elves still left a deep impression on him.

Undoubtedly, these top predators who emerge from the forest have the blood of the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. Intelligent creatures that can emerge from forests with their highly developed ecosystems and complex food chains must maintain extreme wildness and ferocity. How could they be weak, frail, and peace-loving?

Therefore, there was no movement within the city, and no intention was made to pursue them outside the city.

Everyone knew that pursuing them outside the city would only lead to certain death. Faced with such a fierce and powerful army, holding the city to the death was the only hope. As for open battle, it was simply out of the question.

But... how many days can they hold out?

Kang De and Hong San looked at each other, both seeing the helplessness and powerlessness in each other's eyes.

This victory was purely accidental. It just so happened that Kang De was here, and it just so happened that Kang De had a way to destroy the earthen mound created by the elven mage. In other words, if the attack had been on the other side of the city wall, or if Kang De hadn't accidentally teleported to Valentan —then today would have been a day of bloodshed.

But what about next time?

Next time, if the elves are fully prepared, gather all their forces, and instead of resorting to a surprise attack, launch a straightforward and forceful assault, what will happen then?

No matter how many methods Kang De used or how great his abilities were, he was still just one man, capable of holding off a small section of the city wall at best. How could he possibly withstand the countless spirits? In war, the bravery of one person is utterly insignificant.

This time, having truly participated in and experienced war firsthand, I realized how terrifying it is, and just how suffocating this terrifying beast, which has devoured countless lives throughout history, truly is.

He asked softly, "Are you still going to guard it?"

He just asked Hong San what exactly was the "unless" that he hadn't finished saying earlier.

Hong San did not answer.

And this time, there was still no answer.

The sound of steel boots pounding the ground rang out, and a Goth officer walked towards them. He was the leader of the elite soldiers who had fought back against the elves at the last moment. After the elves retreated, he ignored the dead and wounded all over the ground and instead questioned the veterans who were in charge of leading the militia one by one. After confirming the details, he walked towards Kang De.

"Cathayan."

After he stood still, he slammed his spear to the ground with a dull thud, then beat his chest and bowed to Kang De in respect.

The soldiers on the city wall also saluted him.

"Thank you for doing the right thing in this critical moment; we all owe you a favor." He pronounced the Cathay name of China, "Dong Zhuo," in a clearly accented manner.

It's very distracting.

Normally, Kang De wouldn't mind chatting with him, since he was a very ordinary person; as long as others were kind to him, he wouldn't mind striking up a conversation.

But right now, he's not in the mood.

Accepting the gratitude with equanimity, Kang De calmly said, "You are not the ones who should be thanking me, and you should be thanking not only me. The deaths and injuries of these people not only protected this city, but also saved the wealth, status, and lives of many others..."

Upon hearing this, the Goth officer raised his head, looked at Kang De, and calmly said, "I understand you're in a bad mood right now, but if I may be frank, it was you, the mage order, the war sorcerers, the projection troops, and us who protected this city, not these people. They were merely fulfilling their duties and responsibilities."

Kang De flew into a rage and shouted, "What did you say?"

"If what I said made you uncomfortable, I apologize. But that's how war is; if we were to argue, we could go on for three days and three nights. Arguing with you is not my intention."

Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, the officer calmly nodded and said, "Goodbye."

He turned to leave, Kang De, his heart blazing with anger, wanted to grab him and demand an explanation, but Hong San pulled him back. Turning back, the Cathayan's face was expressionless, but his eyes clearly burned with a raging Flame.

Hong San said in a low voice, "Arguing with him is useless."

This elite force has temporarily taken over the defense of the city walls. Although the elves have retreated, there is still much to be done: cleaning the walls, assessing the damage, replenishing supplies, and counting the casualties.

Seventy-nine people died.

Two hundred and fifty-three people were injured.

It's almost halfway done.

The greatest casualties came from the sudden magical bombardment, while the elves' torrential rain of arrows wounded a large number of militiamen, who were only responsible for guarding a section of the city wall, and most of the powerful spells were intercepted by the mage legion.

But the result was still the same.

After collecting the bodies, Hong San looked them over one by one, calling out their names. If the bodies were damaged or the identities were unrecognizable, he would ask others to deduce their identities. He also bandaged the wounded and examined each one. From beginning to end, Hong San was calm in a way that was somewhat frightening.

Most of the militiamen remained silent and stunned, while a few with better mental fortitude cried out, begging Hong San to let them go home. The wounded were even more distraught, some even cursing at Hong San, asking why he had brought them to fight and why he hadn't protected them.

Kang De was listening from the side, was furious and wanted to kick the guy, but when he saw that the other guy was covered in blood and had many injuries, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

The power of magic, the terror of the arrow rain, the cavalry raids—the military prowess and destructive force displayed by the elven legion even shocked this well-informed modern man, let alone ordinary mortals from another world... It's a miracle they didn't go insane.

He just felt a burning Flame inside him, and he didn't know who to vent it on.

Not long after, while Hong San was still busy helping the wounded, a commotion broke out on the city wall. Mayor Nick, dressed in military uniform, climbed the wall under the protection of his guards. The western wall was very long and was defended by several troops. Everyone shared the burden of the elves' frantic firepower, and the casualties were all considerable, with morale on the verge of collapse.

As the city's highest-ranking official, Nick should indeed be present at this time.

Following behind him were mages, nobles, and soldiers, probably representatives from various sectors. Such a victory in repelling the elves naturally warranted some reward and encouragement—they were the first to march towards the Heaven and Earth Society's defensive zone.

Because many people witnessed it, and the traces of the explosion below the city were clearly visible, the situation reversed at the desperate moment when the earthen mound was being built and the cavalry charged the wall. Veterans can all testify that it was Kang De who did it.

In a sense, he saved the entire city.

Nick smiled gratefully and warmly from a distance, extending his arms to Kang De.

But for some reason, Kang De's opinion of Mayor Nick had plummeted. He looked at the mayor with wariness and scrutiny, and thus observed something.

He wasn't sure if it was his prejudice or just his imagination, but he felt that the other person's smile was... somewhat forced, and even their gaze seemed a bit complicated, not just the simple fear and gratitude they seemed to have.

He seemed somewhat annoyed, and also somewhat helpless.

But under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the mayor still displayed his most fervent acting skills, shouting, "Gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, this is the hero who turned the tide and saved this city, he..."

Before he could finish speaking, Hong San appeared from behind Kang De.

Then he walked past Kang De and headed towards Mayor Nick.

Kang De stood there, his gaze detached, offering no resistance.

He knew what Hong San was planning to do.

The question that would only be answered later, Hong San didn't answer because he himself wanted to know.

Hong San walked toward the mayor.

Nick's expression changed slightly, but he reacted quickly, saying, "This is Mr. Hong San, the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society, a hero who embodies both courage and benevolence. He is..."

With a flick of his toes, Hong San pulled a sword from the ground into his hand. He held the sword, pointing it diagonally at the ground. The tip of the sword touched the ground, drawing out a fine trail of sparks. Without stopping, he walked towards the mayor.

A commotion arose on the city wall. The guards laid their spears flat, and several officers circled around from both sides. The mage behind Nick also slightly raised his staff, and a thunderous sound flashed in the air.

The mayor raised his hands and then lowered them, stopping the guards from taking the initiative.

He said, "Mr. Hong San, what are you going to do?"

Hong San's expression was heavy, even ferocious. Those who had met Hong San before thought he was a very good-natured and kind-hearted person. They never imagined that the amiable and eloquent Cathayan would reveal such a ferocious look, as if he wanted to devour someone... He was just like a wounded lone wolf.

He stopped a short distance in front of Nick and hissed, "I just want to ask you a few questions."

The crowd roughly guessed why Hong San was acting this way. Some sighed silently, while others tried to smooth things over, saying, "This isn't the place to talk. If Mr. Hong San has any questions, please find a place to discuss them privately with the mayor. Military affairs are busy right now, and there are many other things to attend to..."

"I'm going to ask right here," Hong San said coldly, "Because they died here."

Nick remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "May I ask?"

Although he was wearing armor and helmet, the mayor's face remained meticulously refined, very fair and elegant, yet it inexplicably conveyed a sense of determination.

Hong San lowered his voice, as if suppressing his anger, and slowly said, "After the elves made a mistake, the mage legion, war machines, and archers launched an attack simultaneously, accurately seizing the opportunity. Were you coordinating and commanding the ranged forces from the very beginning, waiting for the opportunity?"

Nick calmly replied, "Yes."

Hong San then asked, "The regular army came to the city to provide support just as quickly. I ask you, were they already waiting near the city walls for your further instructions?"

Nick nodded and said, "Yes."

Hong San closed his eyes, then opened them, gritting his teeth as he said, "So, in the first round, we, this rabble, will defend the city to lull the elves into underestimating our strength, to probe the enemy's firepower, and to wear down their offensive. Was this your plan from the beginning? Did you immediately decide what to do with us once we arrived near the city and were discovered by you?"

Nick looked directly into Hong San's eyes, remained silent, the air seemed to freeze, and then answered.

"Yes."

Hong San's body was trembling, the veins on his right hand were bulging, and his long sword even trembled. His eyes were bloodshot, and his facial features were distorted, making him a terrifying sight.

Tears welled up involuntarily, along with snot and saliva. He opened his mouth, a strand of liquid sticking between his lips, making him look extremely disheveled. Yet no one laughed; they all knew the reason and significance of these tears.

Sometimes, humans do have empathy.

"Is it... is it..."

The Cathayan could barely speak, straining to exhale and squeeze out each word.

"Are these people... born into humble circumstances... useless... have such cheap lives... that they can just die so easily?"

He asked the question almost choked with sobs, his body convulsing with intense emotion.

Hong San, Cathayan, had never in his life questioned a person of far greater status than himself—especially not for a group of insignificant people as humble as himself.

Nick looked at him, their gazes meeting and clashing in the air.

"Yes."

What the mayor said was, as always, concise and to the point.

Their lives are worthless.

"They're insignificant, they can be sacrificed at will."

"That's why it's placed here."

"What else?"

Mayor Nick walked towards Hong San, getting closer.

"Otherwise what?"

"Tell me, if these useless pieces of trash aren't placed here, who will? Who will test the strength of the elves' firepower? Who will risk their lives to lull the elves into underestimating our resistance?"

Mayor Nick said in a somber tone, "Those elite soldiers waiting below the city walls? Were they made to remain on the walls from the start, passively defending against the elves' offensive, only to be blasted to pieces by magic?"

"Why are you asking me this? Why ask such nonsense? What kind of answer do you want to hear? My repentance? My apology? Am I supposed to kneel before these corpses and weep?"

"Do you want me to feel deeply ashamed, then lead the entire city's army out of the city to fight the elves, suffer total annihilation, and then let the elves conquer and ravage the city—do you want me to do that?"

"Why don't you tell me what to do? The enemy's military strength far surpasses that of Valentan. Teach me how to allocate my limited fighting forces, and how to defend this city?"

He moved closer to Hong San, even poking the man's chest with his finger.

"This is war, you idiot. Why don't you go and talk to the elves about compassion and morality?"

The mayor and Hong San stared at each other without backing down.

"I've already answered my question. Can you answer the question I just asked?"

"If I don't let these worthless lives climb the city walls, who will?"

He said grimly, "Those who came up with you were volunteer veterans. After facing the same death, danger, and suffering, and facing the elven cavalry about to charge the city walls, they dared to stand up, form a thin defensive line, and fight the elves to the death—would your men dare? They are useless, utterly worthless, and their lives are cheap. Where am I wrong in what I'm saying? Why don't you tell me?"

"Those Goth People who followed you, upon hearing the call, who among them answered bravely? Their homes were plundered and destroyed by the elves, so they fled east and west. Under your protection, we stayed to fight to the death against the elves, while they only knew how to run! They only wanted to run! They are not useless, are we?"

"So, oh, the grief- Cathayan..."

"--What do you think war is?"

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PS1: I probably couldn't write about every battle, every tactic, and every change in the battle situation between the two armies, but that would be boring anyway... So I'm writing about people, the choices and changes of each person in this war. That's all. Goodnight.