Formal Clash

At this moment, within the Vanguard Army's main camp, beneath two large banners, Viscount Isold was speaking with Viscount Leo and Baron Freyzer.

"Baron Freyzer, you don't need to persuade us. Our forces outnumber theirs by two to one. I am perfectly safe."

Besides, while I'm safe in the castle, I'm too far from my troops—that's not my style!

Viscount Leo chimed in, "Yes, Baron Freyzer, you don't need to be here. Your Red Ginseng Territory has suffered considerable losses, and you don't have enough troops. You should just go back to the castle and defend it."

"But my lords, Viscount Golden Sunflower is very cunning. I think we should be cautious. How about we surround them and wait for Count Black to arrive with his main force tomorrow before launching an attack?"

At this moment, Viscount Isold looked displeased. "Baron Freyzer, are you looking down on us? The enemy has so many fewer troops than us, yet they dare to form a frontal battle. How can we possibly avoid them!"

"No, no, that's not what I meant, Viscount Isold."

Freyzer sensed Isolde's anger and mumbled incoherently.

At this moment, Viscount Leo stepped forward and said, "Isolde, don't be angry. Baron Freyzer is just concerned about us."

Freyzer, you can rest assured. Isolde and I are both seasoned veterans. This time, we've managed to corner the Golden Sunflower rebels at the dock and riverbank. We can't let them get away so easily.

All you need to do is defend the castle and provide us with rations. Once we defeat Viscount Golden Sunflower, we will help you reclaim the serfs and supplies you have lost.

Baron Freyzer eventually returned to the castle.

After Baron Freyzer left, Viscount Isold said with some displeasure, "That Baron Red Ginseng is really clueless. Before we got back to Red Ginseng Territory, he kept urging us to hurry up. Now that we've helped him take back Red Ginseng Territory, he's trying to stop us from fighting."

"Alright, Isolde, this is normal, it's only human nature."

He has already recaptured Red Ginseng Territory. Although he has suffered considerable losses, as long as Count Black leads his troops, he will surely be able to take Golden Sunflower Territory, and he can then recover his losses.

However, if we fight on his territory, it will cause him additional losses, so naturally he wouldn't want us to start a battle here.

"Then let's ignore him. At first I thought there was some kind of conspiracy, but I didn't expect that we actually blocked Viscount Golden Sunflower and his troops at the dock. Now that Golden Sunflower kid must be very regretful for not running away immediately."

Viscount Leo nodded in agreement, agreeing with Viscount Isold's view. After all, no one in the world would willingly set up their base in a place with no way out.

It was clear that Viscount Golden Sunflower wanted to retreat from here, but they arrived in time. The troops of Golden Sunflower Territory had not yet had time to withdraw and could only hastily form a battle formation to try to resist.

"However, it seems we won't be able to capture that Golden Sunflower Boy, Leo. After all, his fleet should be at the dock. Even if we break through his formation, he can still retreat by ship."

"That's alright, Isolde. As long as we can severely damage the Golden Sunflower Territory's forces here, it will be a great achievement. That old man Black would never dare to suppress our merits at this time!"

Viscount Isold nodded. "It should be about time. Our soldiers should have digested the food by now, and the temperature isn't too hot anymore. We can launch the attack."

How should we fight?

Isolde chuckled, "How do we fight? Just charge straight in. We have the numerical advantage."

Look, his Heavy Infantry are well-equipped, but their formation is too scattered, with only two ranks. We can break through them if we put in a little effort.

I plan to use the Sword-and-Shield Soldiers on the left and right flanks to pressure his flank formations, and then the Pikemen in front and the archers and crossbowmen in the back will launch a full-scale attack, forcing him to be distracted.

Then we'll break through his main camp, take his command post on the hilltop, and force that Viscount Golden Sunflower to retreat and flee. This will directly disrupt his formation, and we can achieve a great victory. However, this will result in significant losses for us.

"What's the big deal? Let the Serf Soldiers charge first. It doesn't matter if they all die. It'll just wear down their strength."

"Alright, let's each take a battalion of Serf Soldiers and charge ahead. If we can disrupt their formation, we'll push straight in."

"Okay, let's do it this way!"

Soon, bugles and drums sounded from the Vanguard Army, and the formation began to change, all of which Victor noticed.

Under his gaze, nearly 2,000 Serf Soldiers charged out from the Vanguard Army, all dressed in coarse linen clothes and carrying rudimentary weapons. They couldn't even guarantee that each of them had a rifle, and many of them were carrying pitchforks.

Victor spat lightly, "These guys are really using the same old tricks. What's the use of something like a serf charge?"

However, we can't fight too fiercely; if we scare them, they won't dare to advance.

Victor instructed the standard-bearer to give the order, and horns and drums began to sound in the army formation of the Golden Sunflower Territory. The Heavy Infantry in formation adjusted their stances, gripping their spears tightly on their giant shields with both hands. The spear tips rotated, reflecting the Sun, and the entire arc-shaped formation seemed to shimmer and become a crescent moon.

The archer formation in the rear also began to change. Victor ordered the archers to move forward and the crossbowmen to retreat. Victor did not intend to expose the lethality of his crossbowmen; he wanted to leave that to the Vanguard Army soldiers.

Soon the Serf Soldiers began their charge, slowly advancing to within about 100 meters of the front line.

The archer officer began giving orders. "100 meters ahead! Heavy archers! Draw your bows! Aim! Fire!"

Hundreds of long arrows blotted out the sky, and a few breaths later they landed accurately on the dense formation of the Serf Soldiers, scattering them in one fell swoop.

The thin linen clothing did nothing to stop the long arrows fired by the heavy archers, and many Serf Soldiers were directly pierced through by the arrows and pinned to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the heavy archers switched to light arrows and fired three volleys in quick succession. The rate of fire was much faster, but the killing effect was far less than that of the first volley of heavy arrows.

However, these four volleys had disrupted the rhythm of the Serf Soldiers' attack, separating their front and rear formations.

The Serf Soldiers at the front had already rushed to the front of the Heavy Infantry phalanx. Just as they were shouting and trying to charge into the shield wall, countless spears pierced out from the shield wall, and the entire formation instantly became like half a porcupine covered in long quills.

Rows of spears impaled the Serf Soldiers on the ground, and some unlucky ones were even hung on the spears. The Heavy Infantry behind the shield wall thrust their spears out in two rows.

Just a dozen seconds later, no one was standing in front of the shield wall, only the wails of dying serfs remained.

At this point, the rear ranks of the Serf Soldiers, who had already spread out, noticed the horrific scene ahead. Most of the remaining Serf Soldiers no longer had the courage to continue charging and turned back.

Viscount Isold had already witnessed all of this, and he shouted angrily, "That's how Serf Soldiers are; they're utterly useless in crucial moments. Pass down the order: kill one in ten Serf Soldiers who have escaped, and reorganize them into new units for another charge."

Viscount Leo suddenly said, "This Viscount Golden Sunflower's troops are no joke. It seems we're going to have to take on a tough challenge today!"

Isolde's face darkened, and she gritted her teeth. "My teeth are fine; I can chew even bones!"