Augsburg

As summer dusk fell, the afterglow of the sunset illuminated the blood-red earth, and the resounding bugle calls pressed the pause button on this war.

As the retreat horns sounded, the already chaotic Beastfolk army became even more disorderly.

Beastfolk soldiers from different races and tribes engaged in a fierce struggle over the remaining goods, weapons, equipment, and even the corpses of their comrades on the battlefield.

If the defending troops were to launch an attack at this time, they would surely achieve considerable success. Unfortunately, the defending troops in the city had already become like frightened birds.

The previous crushing defeats had shattered everyone's confidence in going out into the field. Now, all they wanted to do was endure their final service period and return home alive.

The reason why an army with no morale has been able to hold out until now, besides the factors of defending the city, is that it has nowhere to retreat.

Two legs can't outrun four legs; once they're out of the protection of the city walls, the infantry have no chance of escaping the Beastfolk cavalry's pursuit.

A terrified army has no courage to launch a proactive attack; even if a war opportunity arises, it can only watch helplessly from within the city.

"Supervision Team, hurry up and separate these scum!"

Crown Prince Alex gave the order in annoyance.

This was his first time leading troops since becoming crown prince. He was leading the Behemoth Legion, his most powerful fighting force, and his performance was only mediocre.

In the previous battles, Alex led the Behemoth Legion to a head-on victory over the Noble Allied Forces of Fengyun Province, but due to a minor command error, the Noble Allied Forces still managed to slip into the city.

The Behemoth Legion, which was invincible in open field battles, was powerless against the Purple Thistle Pass before them; siege warfare had never been Behemoth's forte.

Siege warfare is a life-or-death struggle, Crown Prince Alex is unwilling to risk his elite troops in a war of attrition against the human army.

Traditionally, battles requiring a large number of lives were fought by vassal races.

Unlike the Behemoth Legion, which prioritizes logistical support, the vassal races' logistics are barely adequate. To survive on the battlefield, the corpses of their comrades are the best food.

Even if there are specific preferences and one is unwilling to eat their own kind, they can still exchange with each other.

If there is not enough food for a long time, it is common for the authorities to attack weaker races in order to make up for the food shortage.

For the Beastfolk tribes participating in the war, the enemy was not only the human race, but also other Beastfolk tribes of different races.

You have to be extra careful when you sleep, otherwise you might wake up to find yourself on a barbecue grill, which would be a tragedy.

If you're alone, you need to run even faster. When there's no real danger, your allies are the biggest threat.

"Military discipline" was far too much of a luxury for a group of Beastfolk soldiers who were starving.

Commanding a disorganized army to attack a city is certainly not a pleasant experience. With the capture of Purple Thistle Pass proving slow, Crown Prince Alex began to feel the pressure.

He had painstakingly laid out so many plans in the imperial court, but before he could even put them into practice, he was thrown to the front lines by a single order from the Behemoth Emperor.

Deep down, Alex strongly suspected that his father had sensed something and thus quickly intervened to disrupt his plans.

Unable to personally oversee the overall situation, the chances of successfully staging a coup in the imperial court through remote control are virtually zero.

In fact, even if everything is in place and the operation proceeds as planned, Alex's chances of successfully seizing power are no more than one-third.

While the chances may seem slim, for a power struggle, this is already a very high success rate.

No matter how thorough the preparation, the success rate can never be 100%. Often, people will take the plunge if there is even a sliver of hope.

Now everything has become a pipe dream. Without my personal presence, even if the coup succeeds, who knows who will sit on the throne?

Within the Behemoth Imperial Court, there were quite a few who were qualified to vie for the throne. Alex was unwilling to risk his life to become someone else's stepping stone.

"Your Highness, the city's garrison is like a bird startled by an arrow; no matter how you try to lure them out, they refuse to come out."

The nearby castles are strategically positioned to support each other; without taking Purple Thistle Pass first, the other castles will be difficult to conquer.

The relentless attacks over the past few days have resulted in significant losses for each tribe. Continuing the offensive could destabilize morale.

"It would be better to halt the attack and look for a breakthrough elsewhere."

Legion Commander Augustine advised.

He had never had any confidence in this crown prince, who was good at eating, drinking, and having fun. Alex's performance on the front lines had far exceeded his previous expectations.

That is why Agustin was even more worried.

A spoiled brat who only knows how to eat, drink, gamble, and whore has limited destructive power; but a crown prince with some ability can often cause things that shake the heavens.

Fortunately, Alex was not young. If it were a hundred years ago, anyone who dared to doubt his military command ability would definitely be whipped.

Time is the best weapon; Alex's rough edges have long been smoothed out. After decades of a life of indulgence, he has long since learned to face his shortcomings.

"General Agustin, what suggestions do you have?"

Above him was a father who wanted him dead, and below him were a group of nephews and nieces vying for the throne. For Alex, whose position as crown prince was not secure, winning the war was the top priority.

"Your Highness, the defenses of the Alpha Kingdom's front line are too tight. Even if we break through the Purple Thistle Pass defense line, we can't advance very far before a new defense line appears."

With one defensive line after another, the enemy clearly intends to use these castles to bleed us dry, gradually depleting our strength.

If we continue our relentless assault, we'll likely be exhausted by the time we reach the capital of the Alpha Kingdom.

This is a common tactic used by the enemy. In every major battle, we have suffered heavy losses in the early stages, resulting in a lack of sufficient explosive power in the later stages.

In contrast, the situation is much better for the other two human nations. Once their front lines of defense are breached, the resistance from the rear will be much weaker.

Judging from the map, as long as we...

Before Agustin could finish speaking, Alex interrupted, "Commander, similar plans have long been formulated within the Empire."

However, the one responsible for implementation isn't us, but the Eagle Tribe, whose mobility is the highest. The specific plan remains undisclosed; just know that this exists.

We're currently implementing Feint Attack Plan, aiming to draw the human race's attention as much as possible. Of course, it would be even better if we could find an opportunity to break through the previous obstacles!

Alex's seemingly trusting behavior was out of necessity. As the crown prince, he needed a few trusted confidants.

Having succeeded so successfully in the early stages, Alex now needs to show even more sincerity if he wants to recruit followers.

As a general commanding troops, Agustin undoubtedly possessed high value for winning people over. Deliberately leaking some secrets was Alex's tactic for winning people's hearts.

Augsburg, as the most important link in the defense of Beastfolk Moxi Duchy, has always been heavily guarded.

After the outbreak of war, this place became the front line.

As the garrison commander, Urbis was living a very comfortable life.

Since the outbreak of the war, he has launched seven surprise attacks on the Beastfolk army outside the city, and has achieved good results each time.

If it weren't for the King's strict orders, he would have organized an eighth raid.

Although he only eliminated small fry, compared to his colleagues who were passively taking hits, Urbis's achievements were truly remarkable.

If this situation continues, Urbis will most likely be able to obtain the title of Marshal. And not just Marshal of the Moxi Duchy, but a Marshal recognized by all human nations.

This is also a means for the Human Alliance to encourage everyone to fight against other races. As long as you make great contributions in foreign wars, the titles and ranks you receive will be recognized by the entire human race.

Having such a title would make one well-connected in all human kingdoms.

Urbis was basking in glory, as if he had become a hero of the human race.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The falling boulder stunned the defending soldiers. The crossbows, Magic Crystal Cannon, and catapults deployed on the city walls were destroyed instantly.

Upon receiving the message, Urbis hurriedly gave the order:

"Send the signal quickly to get the Griffon Cavalry to come and reinforce us!"

Order the archers to immediately organize a counterattack.

All officers in the army who possessed flying magical beasts immediately took to the air to disrupt the eaglemen's formation.

Notify the mage corps to prepare for an attack...

It's clear that Urbis has some ability. After being attacked, he immediately used all the power at his disposal to fight back.

Unfortunately, it was all too late; the number of eagle-men who launched the attack was simply too great. In addition to ordinary eagle-men, there were also Eagleman Priest.

Although their power systems are different, their attack methods are similar to those of mages. The only difference is that these guys can fly.

The magicians had barely made their move when they were ambushed by Eagleman Mage and archers from the sky, suffering heavy casualties in an instant.

The scattered noble officers who took to the air, though formidable in combat, were too few in number and quickly fell into a disadvantageous position under the siege of the eagle-man experts.

Needless to say, the archers below, except for a few sharpshooters, could not hit the eagle-men flying high in the sky at all. Instead, the falling Arrow Feathers injured many of their own men.

The chaos on the city walls created an opportunity for the Beastfolk army outside. Taking advantage of this confusion, countless Beastfolk had already scaled the walls.

Under the cover of air power, they quickly captured the city walls. By the time the Griffon Cavalry of the Moxi Duchy arrived, the situation had already turned completely one-sided.

Due to their numerical disadvantage, the Griffon Cavalry were unable to compete with the eaglemen for air superiority and quickly withdrew after a brief engagement.

Lacking air support, Urbis could only order the defenders to retreat to the inner city and resist step by step under the cover of the city's buildings.

As time went on, the struggle surrounding Augsburg became increasingly fierce.

On one side was an endless army of Beastfolk; on the other side was a defending force with no way out but to fight to the death.

The most dramatic scene since the outbreak of war began in Augsburg.

Apart from a few strong individuals who led the surviving mages to safety, all the defenders displayed the fierce spirit of humanity.

With their flesh and blood, they shed blood for every inch of the land, writing a tragic song for humanity.

Upon receiving the devastating news in the Royal Capital Chris IX was so enraged that he fainted on the spot.

It was already evening when they woke up. Although the fighting in Augsburg had not yet stopped, everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before it fell.

The worst-case scenario has indeed occurred. The Beastfolk' fierce fighting in Alpha was ultimately just a ploy to lure them into lowering their guard.

War still couldn't escape the law of "picking on the weak".

Augsburg was just the beginning. As the weakest of the three human kingdoms, the Moxi Duchy was about to suffer the most brutal beating from the Beastfolk.

After calming himself down, Chris IX slowly asked:

"How far has the situation on the front lines collapsed?"

Why did the accident happen in Augsburg?

When will our reinforcements arrive?

As if it were a soul-searching interrogation, the faces of all the ministers were extremely grim.

Before this, although everyone had speculated that the Beastfolk would break through from their side, they still held onto a sliver of hope.

While the Alpha Kingdom was under fierce attack, everyone was secretly relieved that they had finally escaped a calamity.

Now that war has suddenly broken out on their own doorstep, they realize that the preparations of the Moxi Duchy were not as thorough as they had anticipated.

They had assumed that the constant patrols by Griffon Cavalry would prevent them from being ambushed by the Beastfolk. However, reality proved them wrong; the Beastfolk, who were prepared, ambushed the patrolling Griffon Cavalry in the first instance.

Not only did they fail to send back news of the Beastfolk army's movements, they didn't even have time to send out a message about the enemy's sneak attack.

Caught off guard, Augsburg lost a large amount of defensive equipment in an instant under the attack of the Eaglemen.

The Magic Crystal Cannon and Magic Crossbow that could have threatened the Beastfolk air force were destroyed by the falling boulders without firing a single shot or arrow.

Having lost their anti-aircraft firepower, the Griffon Cavalry, responsible for containing the enemy's air force, were also unable to play their due role due to their small numbers.

"Your Majesty, the frontline troops are putting up a brave fight, and the enemy has been temporarily bogged down in Augsburg."

We dispatched reinforcements immediately after the incident, but they were attacked by the enemy's main force of Eaglemen en route.

The reinforcements suffered heavy losses and their marching speed was greatly affected, so they will probably arrive later than expected.

For the sake of the overall situation, we have begun to reinforce the second line of defense. Even if the enemy breaches Augsburg and captures the first line of defense, they will not be able to advance unimpeded.

The surviving mage corps has been evacuated, and we have successfully preserved our manpower.

As long as the duchy remains united, the war situation remains under control.

Martins spoke passionately.

It was as if the front lines hadn't suffered a major defeat, but had merely been stung by a mosquito, something utterly insignificant.

Martins, as the Minister of Military Affairs, was forced into saying things he himself didn't believe.

Who could have imagined that the Beastfolk would act unpredictably, and that the entire Eaglemen Legion, one of the Five Great Royal Families, would come to their aid?

Not only the eagle-men, but all the flying races among the Beastfolk appeared above their heads.

The enemy's massive air force was simply beyond the Moxi Duchy to contend with. Moreover, the enemy resorted to sneak attacks without any regard for military ethics.

When has the Moxi Duchy ever encountered such a spectacle?

In the past, infighting among noble lords was limited to mutual brawls. Those were arranged at a time and place, with elaborate displays of force.

The infighting among the nobles might be more intense, but since the arrival of the Beastfolk as neighbors, the nobles of the Moxi Duchy have learned their lesson and stopped engaging in bloody battles.

My combat experience mainly came from Beastfolk raiding my territory. This kind of scene happens almost every year, and it's always a small-scale skirmish.

They were only interested in robbing money, grain, and valuables; they didn't even bother attacking the castle. No matter how the battle raged on the front lines, the Royal Capital always received reports of victory.

This is the first time the Moxi Duchy has encountered total war. Their understanding of Beastfolk largely comes from previous, unreliable experiences.

The reason the frontline has been able to hold out until now is not only because the defending troops have fought valiantly, but also because they see no hope of escaping.

How can something running on the ground compete with something flying in the sky in terms of speed?

Without the cover of the city's buildings, they would only die faster. If captured, they would become food. With no way to survive, they would have no choice but to fight.

Chris IX glanced to the north and sighed helplessly.

It is indeed a good thing that the soldiers on the front line have been able to hold on until now after the defense line was breached.

But he couldn't be happy at all. The Minister of Military Affairs' words sounded nice, but in reality, he was abandoning the troops that were currently fighting and directly investing their strength into the second line of defense.

Militarily, this approach is acceptable, but morally it's unacceptable. The impact on morale, in particular, is enormous.

Unfortunately, Chris IX couldn't do anything; forcibly ordering a rescue would only make things worse.

"Have all the people along the route been evacuated?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room became heavy.

The bad news had just arrived, and everyone was busy with military deployments. Who had time to evacuate the civilians?

Without notification from the duchy, we can only rely on the individual actions of the noble lords at the front.

If the reaction speed is fast, people can be gathered in their own castle and defended; if the reaction speed is slow, it is hell on earth.

"What are you waiting for? Get to it!"

Chris IX said angrily.

It wasn't that he loved his people like his own children; it was simply that the war had progressed to this point, and in the ensuing war of attrition, even the serfs were a force to be reckoned with.

By retreating and holding the castle, even if they cannot stop the Beastfolk's advance, they can buy time for the duchy.

After spending several days sightseeing with Melissa in Beda City, the "Diva Incident" was finally brought to a close.

Lord Hudson, who was preparing to return to his territory, had not yet had time to say goodbye to his fiancée when he received an emergency meeting notice from the Governor's Mansion.