The End of the Military Exercise

"Division Commander, look!"

A cry of alarm suddenly rang out from the Fourth Division troops who were retreating to their own camp.

Upon hearing the sound, everyone in the Fourth Brigade turned to look in the direction it came from. They saw firelight illuminating the sky above the Red Army camp, plumes of smoke rising from the camp, and shouts of battle echoing through the air. Seeing this, Harry knew that a battle must have broken out First Division and 2nd/ Third Division.

After taking a few deep breaths, Harry forcibly suppressed the urge to return to the battlefield and coldly commanded, "No one is allowed to turn back. Keep moving!"

"Haha! Harry, we're Old Friend, you're practically at my doorstep, wouldn't it be a shame to leave without even seeing me!"

Harry had barely finished speaking when a hearty, rough laugh drifted from ahead. Immediately afterward, a long line of torches appeared around the road, and squads of soldiers emerged from the hillsides on either side, each holding a crossbow with its arrows aimed at the Fourth Division positioned in the center of the road.

"Da da"

The crisp sound of hooves approached from ahead, and a dark figure on horseback gradually came into Harry's view. By the firelight, Harry immediately recognized the person.

"Who do we have here! It's Brother Heradi!"

"It's me! How have you been, Brother Harry?"

"That's alright! But, Brother Heradi, what do you mean by this?"

After exchanging greetings, Harry pointed to the soldiers lying in ambush on both sides of the mountain path and asked Heradi about them. Heradi smiled at Harry and then said in a half-joking tone, "Of course, they're for ambushing you, Harry, and your Fourth Division!"

Before Harry could even react, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the rear of the Fourth Division, followed by a cloud of smoke that enveloped the entire path. Seeing his opportunity, Heradi decisively ordered the ambushing troops to attack.

"Release the arrows!"

"Whoosh"

"Whoosh"

Countless feathered arrows pierced the sky and flew towards the mountain path, followed by screams of agony from the dust and smoke.

Red Army Camp

"Division Commander So'oren, what should we do now?"

So'oren, who had just dodged an arrow and was lying on the cave wall catching his breath, was so angry he wanted to curse after hearing Dabo's words. "We've all fallen into this pit, and we're all being used as live targets for shooting, and you want to ask me what to do? How should I know what to do!" Just as everyone was at a loss, Elkley, who was huddled in a corner of the pit, suddenly shouted, "We have to find a way to climb out of here and take care of the archers outside. Otherwise, we'll all become prisoners of the First Division!"

Upon hearing Elkley's suggestion, So'oren shouted, "Brigade Commander Elkley, have you already thought of a way to escape from here? If so, just say it, and the entire Third Division will cooperate with you!"

No sooner had So'oren finished speaking than Dabo followed suit and expressed his opinion.

"Yes! Brother Elkley, just tell us what you think, we'll do whatever you say!"

With the support of Dabo and So'oren, Elkley shouted, "First, we need to find enough shield bearers to block the incoming arrows. Then, we need people to lie on the cave walls as human ladders to help the assault troops escape the pit. After the assault troops have dealt with the enemy archers, we will lead the main force to break out."

"Good! That's it! Everyone in the Third Division, immediately follow Brigade Commander Elkley's instructions!"

"Everyone in the Second Division, quickly follow this method!"

Since their objective was to raid the First Division's camp, they were led by archers and pikemen. Therefore, although Dabo and his men found a way to overcome the predicament and immediately put it into practice, they were unable to achieve anything significant in the short term.

Just as the men in the pit were preparing to climb out and deal with the ambushing archers, Kurelle outside the camp was directing the First Division's guards and pikemen to approach the edge of the pit step by step. So when the men of the Second and Third Division climbed out of the pit, they were met with a tightly sealed shield wall and a forest of guns behind it.

West City, Headquarters

"Knock knock"

"Knock knock"

A series of urgent knocks on the door startled Sordil from his culinary reverie. Rubbing his sore eyes and wiping the drool from his mouth, Sordil reluctantly got out of bed, then called out somewhat irritably, "What's gotten into you that you're waking me up so early?"

Upon hearing Sordil's question, the man outside the door excitedly replied, "Reporting to the General, last night the First Division engaged in fierce fighting with the other three divisions. This morning, Division Commander Kurelle reported the battle situation to the General Staff. The report stated that they successfully captured the Division Commander of the other three divisions alive and destroyed their manpower in one fell swoop. Therefore, Division Commander Kurelle requested to end the exercise. The Chief of Staff was unsure how to handle this matter, so he sent me to inform the General."

"Plop"

The person outside had just finished informing Sordil of the message when a heavy thud was heard from inside the room. The door opened immediately, and Sordil appeared, clutching his forehead and disheveled.

Are you telling the truth?

"It's absolutely true, General!"

Although the messenger repeatedly assured him that everything he said was true, Sordil still couldn't believe that Kurelle and the First Division could be so formidable. To further verify this information, Sordil immediately headed towards the General Staff Headquarters.

"General, you're not dressed yet!"

"General, clothes! Clothes!"

Seeing Sordil walk out disheveled, the messenger hurriedly reminded him of the clothing issue. However, Sordil was too fast; the messenger only had time to call out twice before Sordil disappeared from his sight. Left with no other option, the messenger went into Sordil's room, helped him get dressed, locked the door, and then chased after him towards the General Staff Headquarters.

Walking along this familiar road once more, and gazing at the city in the distance, Langu's ambition, which had been about to die out, was rekindled. He excitedly asked his adjutant the question he had asked hundreds of times before.

"Keith, how much longer until we reach West City?"

If someone had asked him the same pointless question hundreds of times under normal circumstances, Keith would have definitely rushed over and given them a good beating. But after experiencing the 'hellish' life in Kaysir City, gazing upon the familiar West City again, Keith's feelings were just as fervent as Langu's. So he didn't feel impatient at all, but excitedly replied, "Reporting to the General, two more days! Two more days, and we can go home!"

Upon hearing Keith's answer, Langu's face flushed with excitement, and he gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly. The other officers of the Western Border Army behind them, their faces also flushed, stared at the city not far away, feeling fortunate to have escaped Kaysir City alive and with tears welling up in their eyes at the order to return to West City.