Carnage
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
Amidst shouts of battle, the two armies clashed in close combat on the plain.
Crown Prince Caesar wasn't recklessly bold to launch an attack. His expeditionary force, arrayed in full formation, was indeed a formidable fighting force.
The bloody battle had barely begun when the expeditionary force gained the upper hand on the battlefield, directly suppressing the Beastfolk army organized into tribes.
Prince Butzwig, atop his war beast, glanced indifferently at the battlefield before averting his gaze, as if the fighting were not among his own men.
The Behemoth Cavalry, who should have launched an attack at this time to harass the flanks of the expeditionary force and relieve pressure on their own army, showed no intention of moving out.
With the Behemoth Cavalry stationary, Crown Prince Caesar dared not allow his own cavalry to move rashly.
They are old rivals, and the Alpha Kingdom's army has its own ways of fighting against the Behemoth Cavalry when the cavalry is at a disadvantage.
If the cavalry can't win a direct confrontation, they can rely on the infantry on the flanks to provide covering fire. There's no need to charge in and fight the enemy to the death; the mere presence of the cavalry is the greatest deterrent.
The expeditionary force wasn't entirely unprepared to launch this campaign. They had prepared some ranged weapons to counter the Behemoth Cavalry, but the quantity was insufficient.
Many things are fine once they're there; they don't necessarily need to be plentiful. The Behemoth Clan race is small in number, which means that Behemoth Tribe commanders must cherish every single soldier when waging war.
Human armies can sacrifice thousands, or even tens of thousands, of cavalry to win a battle, but the Behemoth Clan cannot.
For the Behemoth Clan, a battle with heavy casualties was a strategic failure, no matter how glorious the results.
Time passed second by second, Beastfolk army was forced to retreat step by step. The situation on the battlefield became more and more favorable to the expeditionary force.
The enemy was on the verge of collapse, and Crown Prince Caesar was overjoyed. If he hadn't been so well-mannered, he might have burst out laughing.
However, he did not notice that as the army continued to advance, his own formation became more scattered.
In some local battles, in order to better pursue and kill the Beastfolk soldiers, they even took the initiative to abandon their formation.
Victory that comes too easily can easily make people complacent. As the Beastfolk army suffered repeated defeats, the expeditionary force's weaknesses became increasingly apparent.
At the Silvermoon Wolf Tribe camp, an elite cavalry legion and two ordinary Wolf Riders legions were fully prepared and waiting for Duke Daniel's orders.
As the Beastfolk army closest to the Behemoth camp, and also the most Beastfolk, they should have been the first to reinforce their allies who were currently engaged in fierce fighting.
The actions of the head coach, Duke Daniel, are utterly baffling. On one hand, he orders his men to be fully prepared for battle, yet on the other hand, he delays issuing any orders to send reinforcements.
Although the Five Great Imperial Courts Beastfolk riddled with internal conflicts, they have been banding together for countless years under pressure from the human race.
We are currently at a critical juncture in the war between the two races, and everyone is working together to capture Dapes City. In a sense, betraying our allies is betraying ourselves.
On the battlefield, speed is of the essence. Even a slight delay on the road can be a small blunder for the Behemoth Clan, and they can find an excuse to get away with it.
If they delay taking action and simply watch the Behemoth army fight the humans, and if they accidentally go too far and the Behemoth army is wiped out, the situation will be unmanageable.
"Your Grace, it's time to order the expedition. Prince Butzwig has sent messengers for the second time to urge you."
It is said that their central camp is already showing signs of collapse, and if they wait any longer, it will be too late.
Thomas stepped forward and reminded him.
The troops assembled early in the morning and waited here for two or three hours, but the commander-in-chief did not give the order to attack. Everyone was getting impatient.
Under the expectant gazes of his colleagues, Thomas, as the commander of the elite cavalry corps, became the first to step forward.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he was met with Duke Daniel's sharp gaze, and he began to regret it inwardly.
Knowing full well that the commander-in-chief had a bad temper and was used to being decisive, especially in military command where he couldn't tolerate any criticism, he still came to cause trouble.
"Is that so? Since you think it's time to go to war, then go ahead and lead the troops yourself!"
The chilling voice struck Thomas like a bolt from the blue. Recalling Duke Daniel's methods, he began to tremble.
"What are you afraid of? You've already dared to teach me how to do things. Thomas, what wouldn't you dare to do?"
Duke Daniel's ambiguous smile was like another bucket of cold water being poured on Thomas, chilling him to the bone.
The name of the Cold-Faced Duke is legendary throughout the Orc Empire. This nickname wasn't just due to his aloofness; it was earned through countless battles.
Since his debut, Duke Daniel has led dozens of battles, large and small, and has never been defeated, no matter what kind of enemy he faced.
His formidable record propelled him to legendary status, giving him a pivotal position within the Silver Moon Imperial Court.
His only flaw is that he is too cold and ruthless. He likes to act arbitrarily in military affairs and always wants to make his own decisions without listening to anyone else's opinions.
His indifferent gaze held an innate arrogance, as if he were the only intelligent person in the world, and everyone else was just an extra.
Indeed, countless classic cases have ultimately proven that Duke Daniel was right.
When you encounter a commander like this, the generals don't need to think for themselves; they are just tools to obey orders and carry them out.
"I've got it, Thomas."
"You are the commander of my Silvermoon Wolf Tribe's cavalry legion, not the Behemoth Clan's cavalry legion commander. What do the Behemoth Clan's losses have to do with you!"
Upon hearing Duke Daniel's warning, Thomas's previously gloomy face instantly brightened.
This guy never wastes time talking to people, so the fact that he's willing to give him pointers means he's still worth nurturing.
"Your Excellency's guidance is greatly appreciated; Thomas will always remember it..."
Before he could finish expressing his determination, Duke Daniel waved his hand to interrupt him, saying, "We can set off now, but not to rescue the Behemoth army, but to attack the human army's camp directly."
Although both are large camps, the things possessed by the human camp are far superior to the Behemoth Tribe of the poor Behemoths.
Thomas, this mission is yours. Reclaim all the supplies from the human camp, and while you're at it, rescue the Behemoth army.
As for Prince Butzwig, you don't need to worry about him. The real army of the Behemoth Clan is on its way; those tens of thousands of cannon fodder were just bait he prepared.
They invited us to join them, but the fish they caught were too big for them to swallow whole.
These are all just empty schemes, lacking any real value. Even if the plan succeeds, in the end, we'll still have to fight the human race with sheer strength!
Upon learning the truth, Thomas's expression changed drastically once again. He never dreamed that the Behemoth Clan would go to such lengths, abandoning tens of thousands of troops so easily.
Recalling the previous annihilation of a Behemoth Cavalry regiment, he instantly understood that the Behemoth Clan were retaliating.
The instigators, the First Army of the Alpha Kingdom's Expeditionary Force, are holed up in the Flying Bear Fortress and refuse to come out. The only way to take revenge on them is to launch a direct assault on the fortress.
Whether or not it can be done is one thing, the key is that the Orc Empire's current strategy is to take over Dapes City and destroy the Moxi Duchy as soon as possible, and they simply don't have time to waste on the useless Flying Bear Fortress.
If they can't find the direct target for revenge, they can take on other Alpha Kingdom expeditionary forces. This way, they can both establish great merit and demonstrate to the world that the Behemoth Clan is not to be trifled with!
Reinforcements are still on their way, and the situation on the battlefield is becoming increasingly clear.
The routed Beastfolk army had retreated back to their camp. Had it not been for the Behemoth Cavalry supervising them, they would likely have already been routed.
With reinforcements failing to arrive on time, the promise to hold out for an hour before retreating naturally became nothing more than empty words.
Seeing that things were hopeless, Prince Butzwig had no choice but to personally lead the Behemoth Cavalry into the attack, aside from inwardly complaining about how unreliable his allies were.
The expeditionary force, stripped of its defensive formation, was like a naked army... waiting to be attacked...
In the blink of an eye, the Behemoth Cavalry charged into the expeditionary force, unleashing a massacre of infantry by cavalry.
Crown Prince Caesar, who was just basking in the joy of victory, was immediately brought back to reality by this bucket of cold water.
Reason told him that the Behemoth Cavalry were still Behemoth Cavalry, and even with a current strength of less than four thousand, they could still pose a significant threat to an army of tens of thousands.
"Pass down the order: all cavalry shall attack and hold back the Behemoth Cavalry."
He ordered all legion commanders to reorganize their troops and form ranks to coordinate with the cavalry to encircle and annihilate this Behemoth Cavalry!
As soon as the order was given, the three thousand cavalrymen, who were already prepared, immediately maneuvered to the rear of the Behemoth Cavalry at top speed and launched an attack on them.
The initial pursuit of the fleeing Beastfolk soldiers suddenly slowed down. Under the organization of the noble officers, a huge encirclement slowly began to take shape.
No matter how brave and skilled they are, they are no match for sheer numbers. The battle just now, while exhausting the expeditionary force soldiers, also boosted their morale.
After the initial chaos and confusion, the expeditionary force quickly regained order under the organization of the noble officers.
One after another, formations of a hundred men appeared on the battlefield, using the power of their formations to fight against the Behemoth Cavalry.
He cursed under his breath, "Damn it!" Although the expeditionary force was inexperienced, their formations against the Behemoth Cavalry were extremely skilled.
Clearly, this is the result of countless rehearsals beforehand.
In an instant, Prince Butzwig realized his carelessness. The army of the Alpha Kingdom was ultimately different from the Moxi people; even their ordinary troops had not forgotten to be specially trained in these methods used against them.
If the expeditionary force is not crushed in the first instance, it is simply impossible to defeat an army twenty times larger with only a few thousand cavalry.
Before the encirclement was complete, Prince Butzwig immediately gave the order, "Behemoth Tribe warriors, follow me and charge to capture the enemy commander alive!"
With the order given, the Behemoth Cavalry, who had fallen into blind obedience, instantly found a new target, their spearhead aimed directly at Crown Prince Caesar's banner.
"Your Highness, the enemy is making a final, desperate stand. It would be better to retreat for now and wait until the encirclement is complete before settling things with them."
Count Jose, against his conscience, offered this advice.
To save face for Crown Prince Caesar, the Behemoth Cavalry were still lively and energetic on the field, were portrayed by him as an isolated army on the verge of annihilation.
Despite the expeditionary force's well-organized encirclement, the experienced Count Jose immediately saw the problem.
Many square formations appeared on the field, seemingly capable of dividing and compressing the Behemoth Cavalry, and finally encircling and annihilating them.
In reality, there were significant problems with the coordination between these formations. They failed to separate the Behemoth Cavalry in a timely manner and were repeatedly broken through from the middle.
The junctions between the legions were particularly problematic. Either a huge gap was left, or they bumped into each other, and no one could get into formation.
At the slightest opening, the Behemoth Cavalry could break through and once again operate on the outer edge of the battle.
They're heading straight for Crown Prince Caesar, and this isn't just for show; they're genuinely making a breakthrough. The soldiers who tried to intercept them along the way were quickly broken through in three waves.
Just as Crown Prince Caesar was hesitating about whether to leave, thick smoke suddenly rose from the camp behind him.
"The main camp is under attack by the enemy!"
Upon having this idea, Crown Prince Caesar was not worried but rather delighted. The two Behemoth Cavalry that had ambushed their allies had gone to the main camp, leaving the Behemoth Cavalry unit before them isolated.
"Count, don't worry. It won't be so easy for the Behemoth Cavalry to get here."
The Second Legion has already blocked their way. It won't be too late to consider temporarily retreating after they break through these dozen or so lines of defense.
"Pass down the order: command the troops to cease pursuing the fleeing Beastfolk soldiers and focus all their efforts on annihilating this Behemoth cavalry..."
Before he could utter the word "soldier," he heard an urgent report coming from afar.
"Report!"
"Crown Prince Highness, the Griffon Cavalry sent out to conduct reconnaissance have not returned for more than an hour and a half, and the Griffon Cavalry sent out again have also lost contact."
"Report!"
"Crown Prince Highness, a Behemoth Cavalry has appeared twenty miles to the southwest and is rushing towards us."
"Report!"
"Crown Prince Highness, the Silver Moon Wolf Emperor army is attacking our rear camp, and tens of thousands of Wolf Riders are heading straight for our position, no more than..."
One battle report after another came in quick succession, giving Caesar no time to react and making his head buzz.
Upon receiving news of the accident involving the Griffon Cavalry, he knew that this was a deliberate attack by the enemy and that he was in big trouble.
However, the trouble they encountered this time was far greater than expected. In addition to the Behemoth Imperial Court's army, the Silver Moon Imperial Court's army also joined the battle.
As expected, Beastfolk cannot be judged by common sense. The Five Great Imperial Courts fight their own battles, and there is no rule that says they cannot cooperate with each other.
By the time the flames of war reached their eyebrows, they had already realized this, but it was clearly too late.
What Crown Prince Caesar couldn't understand was that he hadn't done anything before, and this was his first battle since his debut, so why was he being targeted by the Beastfolk so much?
It wasn't something that could be accomplished by just three or five Griffon Cavalry. In fact, most eaglemen soldiers were no match for the Griffon Cavalry.
Those who could defeat them were either powerful members of the eagle-men or super-powerful members of other Beastfolk royal families.
The entire battlefield was turned into a giant net, designed to catch him, the fish.
Thinking of this, Crown Prince Caesar felt like crying. What had he done to deserve this?
Don't overthink it. After this battle, his dream of becoming a general will be shattered, and he will lose the opportunity to command an army.
Even though his performance in this battle was mediocre and he didn't make any major mistakes, the final result was still the same.
The loser has no voice, even if he is the Crown Prince. Even if he holds the title of commander-in-chief, he still needs the cooperation of his subordinates.
The nobles of the Alpha Kingdom need a commander who can lead them to victory, not a Crown Prince of noble birth.
"Your Highness, the situation is beyond saving. Order a retreat to preserve our strength!"
Count Jose began to offer his advice.
Deep down, he already regretted not stopping Crown Prince Caesar's autocratic actions, which led the army into danger.
They couldn't take down the Behemoth Cavalry in front of them, and enemy reinforcements were about to arrive. If they didn't run away quickly, it would be difficult to escape later.
After hesitating for a moment and glancing at the battlefield, Crown Prince Caesar gritted his teeth and ordered, "The Second Legion will cover the rear; the rest of you, retreat with me!"
At such a close distance, it's almost impossible for two legs to outrun four legs.
Even if the Second Legion was left to cover the rear, it would still be extremely difficult to lead the main force away.
The thought of the horrific massacre during the retreat, which led to the pursuit of enemy cavalry, filled Crown Prince Caesar with dread.
While the expeditionary force was fleeing, the large camp where supplies and provisions were stored was now awash in blood.
The camp was indeed very fortified, and the two newly formed Moxi legions did try very hard to defend the camp, but unfortunately their strength did not allow it.
Faced with the sudden appearance of Wolf Riders, the recruits were completely bewildered. They were supposed to be guarding against Behemoth Cavalry, so how did it turn into Wolf Riders?
The Wolf Riders answered their questions with their lances. Taking advantage of the moment when the defenders were in a panic, the wolf suicide squad led the charge and quickly tore a hole in the camp.
The swarming Wolf Riders launched a bloody massacre against the defenders, leaving the earth littered with corpses and the world stained crimson with blood.
Faced with the Wolf Riders's bloody slaughter, the defending troops could only struggle desperately in pools of blood, except for lighting beacon fires to signal for reinforcements.
Panic spread, and even the noble officers' courageous actions could not salvage the demoralized army.
With reinforcements nowhere to be seen, more and more people felt desperate. Finally, a soldier led the way in fleeing the camp, followed by countless others. The moment of total defeat had arrived.
"Don't let these two-legged sheep escape! I'll use their heads to build a mound of skulls, their hair as needles and thread, and their hides as cloth to sew it all together..."