Escape

A military operation involving more than two thousand people had suffered a crushing defeat. There was no way to keep something like that secret, at least not in an army like Giles's.

After Samar returned in disgrace with the remnants of his battered forces, all kinds of rumors began circulating in whispers that very night.

There were plenty of outrageous claims. Some said that tens of thousands of Northerners had already appeared behind Eagle Beak Pass, while others claimed that even Five Rams City had been captured by the Royal Army.

"Did you know? There are lots of large ships in Northwest Bay. I'm a fisherman's son, and I've seen their ships with my own eyes. They're huge—so huge that when they're docked, they're as big as castles. Crystal Radiance can requisition those ships and transport soldiers directly from the sea to the coast of the southern territories, or even sail upriver and reach Five Rams City directly!"

Many well-informed soldiers offered up whatever information they knew as proof that the rumors were true.

Giles realized that the current situation was extremely unfavorable for him. The army morale he had worked so hard to rally was rapidly draining away.

He had to take decisive action.

When dawn came again, low horns echoed through the valleys before Eagle Beak Pass, and the Kingdom Army launched a fierce attack.

This attack was completely different from the probing assaults of the past few days.

The Royal Army's artillery roared like thunder. Its astonishing fury tore through the thin dawn mist as scarlet tongues of flame spurted from the muzzles, hurling shell after shell at Eagle Beak Pass. The battlements atop the walls shattered layer by layer under the repeated hammering of Solid Shot, crumbling into scattered fragments of stone.

The artillerymen worked bare-chested