At first, Argentau had thought the French were merely feinting. After all, given the current situation, retreating west to hold Cattibona Pass was the most sensible tactical choice.
It was not until Voltri fell that he finally realized it.
Dimoubin was serious.
He hurriedly recalled the troops he had sent out for diversionary attacks, but it was clearly already too late.
Dimoubin's vanguard, the Moulins Legion, arrived at Turchino Pass almost right on the heels of the Argentau Legion, then launched a fierce assault.
Turchino Pass lay west of Genoa Harbor, at the very end of the Alps.
Though it was several kilometers wide, it was already the only terrain around Genoa suitable for defense.
Watching the French cannon thunder incessantly from the northern high ground, Argentau loudly asked the staff officer beside him, "So how much longer until our reinforcements arrive?"
"General, according to the report delivered yesterday at noon, the Tavigna Legion has already departed Milan."
Argentau's brow immediately furrowed. From Milan to Genoa, even on a forced march, it would take a week to arrive.
He had not expected the French to stake everything on a single throw, committing nearly all their forces to the attack.
He had only seven thousand soldiers in hand. It would be difficult to hold out for so long against more than twenty thousand French troops.
As Argentau pondered how to delay until the reinforcements arrived, a Captain hurried over and reported in a wretched state, "Gen... General, two hours ago, a group of Genoese rioters set fire to our Warehouse on Cannevi Way..."
The so-called "rioters" were actually several dozen young Genoese nobles.
They had received a secret order from Governor Ebiasso to wreak havoc behind the Austrian Army's lines. The Warehouse requisitioned by Austria happened to be the property of