Night Battle

After two days of relentless attacks, the exhausted defenders of Allentburg were on the verge of collapse, yet they clung to life with their last breath.

As the attacking force, the Behemoth Legion was also having a tough time. Unable to defeat the defenders immediately, the war gradually turned into a war of attrition.

Although the castle was too small to accommodate a large army and could not rely on the advantages of the city for defense, it still played a crucial role in the final battle.

The Behemoth Cavalry's usual rapid assault tactics failed them here. No matter how skilled the cavalry were, they were powerless once they reached the city walls.

Unable to break through the central army, the army, relying on the castle as its core, stood firmly in place.

Even if the Behemoth Cavalry attacked from any direction, they could rout the defenders, but they still numbered over 100,000, and it would take a while to kill them all.

Since not all the men had been killed, the noble officers immediately jumped out and reorganized the army once the Behemoth Cavalry changed their attack direction.

It wasn't that no one tried to escape, but they were a minority. They were all composed of noble private armies, and the serfs were all watching their masters' movements.

The noble officers weren't stupid; they knew perfectly well what running away meant. Staying to resist wouldn't necessarily mean death, but running away meant certain doom.

Bearing the stigma of "deserter," losing all honor and wealth, and being hunted down by the entire Human Alliance is clearly not a worthwhile trade-off.

After the initial panic, everyone gradually calmed down once they realized that the number of Behemoth Cavalry was limited.

The defending forces were numerous enough to take turns resting. On the other hand, the Behemoth Cavalry were limited in number and needed to rest for a period of time after each charge.

During the rest period, not only did the Behemoth Cavalry recover their strength, but the defending troops, who had been passively attacked, also restored their formation.

Although they did not carry heavy weapons during the long march, they were still equipped with some simple long-range weapons.

Every Behemoth Cavalry charge was met with a hail of arrows. The Heavy Cavalry were unaffected, but the light cavalry inevitably suffered losses.

It may seem insignificant, but if it happens several times, the cumulative casualties can be quite substantial, not to mention the normal attrition during combat.

After spending two days here and launching thirteen attacks, the number of Behemoth Cavalry casualties had already exceeded four figures this morning.

Although the victory was even more brilliant, with the number of enemy troops killed being more than ten times their own losses, it still greatly disappointed Prince Butzwig, who was in charge of commanding the battle.

Whether they can completely annihilate the enemy force in front of them if they continue fighting like this is unknown, but his Behemoth Cavalry is about to be worn out.

The same human army had a smooth campaign in the last Dachias Battle, but they ran into trouble here.

In terms of overall strength, this army is no stronger than the enemy in the last battle. Although it has an elite infantry legion and a Knight Order, the rest of the army is incompetent.

Ultimately, it was a hastily mobilized force, and both the quality of the personnel and the training situation showed a significant decline.

Almost a single charge was enough to tear apart the enemy's formation. If it weren't for the castle in the middle blocking their way and preventing the Behemoth Cavalry from flanking, he would have already achieved victory.

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in war. The castle in the middle not only ensured the safety of the commander-in-chief, but also protected the logistical supplies very well.

Even if we stay here for ten days or half a month, the enemy can still hold out, while the attacking side will be the first to be unable to withstand it.

There was no other way; speed was of the essence on the battlefield. Prince Butzwig needed to consider the overall situation and couldn't afford to drag this out indefinitely.

They tried splitting their forces to attack from all four sides, but one cavalry regiment unfortunately ran into the enemy's elite legion and was finished off by the enemy's Knight Order, losing half of its strength.

Like a bucket of ice water in winter, it chilled Prince Butzwig to the bone.

The harsh reality told him that it was not a good choice for cavalry to launch a direct assault on an infantry formation, even if the infantry's combat effectiveness was only average.

"Your Highness, an urgent report has come from the Eaglemen scouts: the Alpha Kingdom's expeditionary force has suddenly accelerated its march and is heading straight for Dapes City."

Based on their marching speed, they should arrive in Dapes City as early as tomorrow evening or as late as the day after tomorrow morning.

Satuk gave a slightly nervous report.

A person's name, a tree's shadow.

Hudson's reputation had already gained considerable influence over the lower-ranking officers and soldiers of the Orc Empire.

The true combat effectiveness of the hundreds of thousands of expeditionary troops has not yet been confirmed.

Anyway, the answer given by the Eagle Scouts was: the elite of the human race.

It's not a big deal if one eagle says this, but if a whole group of eagles say it, then we must take it seriously.

Regardless, the expeditionary force had achieved victories including annihilating the Behemoth Cavalry regiment, severely damaging the Bearman infantry legion, and trampling the Bearman Imperial Court.

It can be confirmed at least that the expeditionary force had more than 20,000 elite infantrymen and several thousand elite cavalrymen.

Even the illustrious Prince Butzwig would have to take this kind of enemy seriously.

After glancing at the battlefield, Prince Butzwig reluctantly ordered, "Send the order to retreat. The army will rest for a day and march back to Dapes early tomorrow morning!"

The best opportunity for a decisive battle has been missed. If this drags on, Prince Butzwig is confident he can defeat the defenders.

The problem is that he doesn't have time!

If the reinforcements arrive late, the expeditionary force and the defenders of Dapes could coordinate an attack from within and without, and the 300,000- Beastfolk army besieging the city might not be able to hold out.

The imperial reinforcements had only just set off. If the 300,000- Beastfolk army collapsed first, his Behemoth Cavalry legion would become an isolated force.

An understrength Behemoth Legion, reduced to an isolated force, is essentially handing over its heads to the enemy.

Countless nobles would see them as a stepping stone to advancement, while hordes of enemies would tear them to shreds.

The war may be lost, but the myth of the Behemoth Cavalry's invincibility with ten thousand men must not be shattered. The political interests involved are too great, and Prince Butzwig does not want to become a sinner against the Behemoth Clan.

As dusk fell, a large army marching in perfect unison appeared on the horizon.

Before the people even arrived, the sound of their synchronized footsteps had already spread far and wide.

Hudson hadn't originally intended to rush over, but the sudden turn of events forced him to abandon any hope of preserving his strength.

As the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, he was no longer just a small corps commander. In addition to considering the interests of the expeditionary force, he also had to consider the overall situation.

From the limited intelligence he had gathered, he could tell that the Warhammer Kingdom was in dire straits and that the Moxi Duchy was also teetering on the brink of collapse.

If these two allies fall, the Beastfolk army's next target will undoubtedly be the Alpha Kingdom. Hudson understands the principle of mutual dependence.

They couldn't reach the Warhammer Kingdom, but they still needed to find a way to protect the Moxi Duchy. Having another ally to share the burden would lessen the pressure they faced domestically.

Without two allies, the kingdom's western front would be burdened with a million Beastfolk. A single expeditionary force couldn't possibly withstand so many enemies.

Closer, closer...

At some point, high-ranking officials of the Moxi Duchy also appeared on the city wall, gazing expectantly into the distance.

If the Beastfolk army were to suddenly launch an attack, they might be able to catch one or two big fish. Unfortunately, the Beastfolk's attention is currently focused entirely on the expeditionary force.

The army that was originally besieging Dapes also sent out a detachment to block the direction from which the expeditionary force was coming.

The sky was gradually darkening, and night would soon fall. This was no longer a suitable time for fighting.

"Pass down the order: archers fire a volley, then Heavy Infantry attack!"

Hudson gave the order, which was unusual for him.

Compared to the disadvantages of night battle, he would rather not have a Behemoth Cavalry suddenly appear behind him during the battle.

The strategic objective this time is to relieve the siege of Dapes, not to annihilate the entire Beastfolk army; simply defeating the enemy is enough.

The Beastfolk were too bold; knowing the expeditionary force was approaching, they still didn't lift the siege of Dapes.

While dividing forces to intercept may seem like a way to address both issues, in reality, it's difficult to effectively cover both sides.

The siege Dapes 300,000 troops in the first place was already a stretch, and now half of the army has been diverted to confront the expeditionary force. The remaining 150,000 troops are expected to besiege over 100,000 defenders, which is clearly a joke.

Knowing it was futile, Balats was forced to do it anyway. Although the Orc Empire was ruled by Five Great Royal Families, military orders remained absolute on the battlefield.

His orders were to besiege Dapes City, and he had to carry them out. Otherwise, even if he won the battle, he would be held accountable.

Want autonomy? Dream on!

Why is it that he's not a member of the Five Great Royal Families?

He was appointed acting commander-in-chief because Prince Butzwig recognized his outstanding abilities, but that was all.

Cannon fodder is cannon fodder after all; the more capable someone is, the faster they tend to die.

Appointing him as acting commander may seem like a sign of Prince Butzwig's high regard for him, but who can guarantee that this isn't just a scapegoat?

Bait is still bait; no matter how thorough the plan, there will always be oversights.

If an accident occurs, someone must be held responsible. Prince Butzwig was unwilling to take the blame, and neither were the powerful members of the Five Great Royal Families.

A general capable of commanding hundreds of thousands of troops is a highly skilled individual anywhere. Prince Butzwig couldn't risk his own people, so Balats, who was of ape-man descent, was chosen.

The sound of arrows raining down, "Whoosh whoosh whoosh...", heralded the start of the great battle.

"Counterattack!" "Pass down the order: turn the Magic Crystal Cannon around and target the enemy's center! All crossbows..."

Before Balats could finish speaking, the Magic Crystal Cannon on the city wall fired first. Clearly, the defenders on the wall had realized a major battle had broken out and had also launched an attack on the Beastfolk army.

"Thump, thump... Ah..."

The Heavy Infantry at the very front of the column suddenly fell into a hidden pit and let out a scream.

Upon seeing this, Hudson frowned slightly. Clearly, the enemy was prepared; the commander opposite him was not the kind of simpleton he had encountered before.

"Earth Mage, advance! Cast spells to fill the enemy's traps!" As he gave the order, Hudson silently joined the spellcasting team. Of course, Beldens was the main force behind the attack.

The distance to the enemy's position was only a hundred or two hundred meters to the left and right. Even if there were traps, there couldn't be many. It wouldn't be difficult to destroy these obstacles.

If the entire journey is filled with these traps, then there's nothing that can be done. Even if magicians worked themselves to death, they still couldn't fill them all.

The brief delay did not affect the continuation of the great battle. Close combat soon began.

The high-ranking officials of the Moxi Duchy, who were standing on the city wall watching the battle, were all nervously focused on the battlefield.

"It's getting dark, almost nightfall. Why launch an attack at this time?"

"Exactly! Everyone's praising Count Hudson's brilliant military strategy, how could he make such a blunder?"

"You're right, Count Hudson did indeed fall short this time. Even if he wanted to raid the camp, he should have waited until midnight to make his move."

Taking action now? Sigh... still too young!

A noise broke out, followed by a series of criticisms, which annoyed the spectators.

But the battle has already begun, and no matter what they think, they can only follow suit now.

"Don't worry, everyone. It's understandable that Count Hudson would launch a battle at this time."

You all know how fast the Behemoth Cavalry are. I reckon they've received the news by now and should be back by noon tomorrow.

Unless we can finish the battle in one morning, we will not only have to face the 300,000 troops outside the city, but also a highly mobile Behemoth Legion.

Starting a battle now, though very difficult, also offers the highest chance of victory.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Count Martins quickly offered an explanation.

Regardless of whether the speculation is accurate, the garrison must now cooperate with the expeditionary force. Any trouble that arises will ultimately be borne by the Moxi Duchy.

"Count Martins, the city lacks a general to command troops. Among us, you are the most knowledgeable in military affairs. The battle ahead will be left to you."

Chancellor Herczeg solemnly.

They were forced into it; there was no other way. When Dapes was besieged, all the important military generals were outside.

Among the short men, the Count Martins, who had served as Minister of Military Affairs for many years, was the most knowledgeable about military affairs.

At the very least, Count Martins' resume is impressive. He has commanded large armies to quell numerous internal rebellions and has also organized an army to thwart the Beastfolk' plans to raid southward.

Compared to the achievements of others, Count Martins can be considered to have extensive experience in leading troops.

"Alright, I'll take command of the rest of the battle!"

In this critical moment, Count Martins demonstrated the responsibility of Minister of Military Affairs, taking on the heavy task without hesitation.

After gazing at the battlefield and then at the crowd, he slowly said, "It's difficult to distinguish friend from foe in the darkness, which is the biggest challenge in night battles."

"I trouble the Prime Minister to organize the gathering of all the magical lamps and luminous gems in the city."

Without the slightest hesitation, Chancellor Herczeg nodded and then addressed the crowd:

"With the nation in crisis, everyone should step up and temporarily borrow the lighting fixtures from their homes."

Hamms, go back and bring all the lighting fixtures from the Prime Minister's residence, especially that magic lamp in the storeroom!

Felter, go and gather all the Light Mage in the city. Even Magic Apprentice, as long as they can cast Illumination Spell, bring them all!

Now we split up and each take charge of a section of the city to collect lighting equipment.

Count Renato, you are in charge...

The request was reasonable, and everyone cooperated exceptionally well.

As shareholders of the Moxi Duchy, no one wanted this great ship to sink more than they did.

Even knowing that it would be difficult to return the money intact after the war, everyone still chose to pay the price.