When he learned that the Little World Allied Army would not accept surrender, the acting commander fell into complete despair.
Fortunately, the enemy did not make things difficult for him and let him leave.
When he returned to the city, the gates were still open, and the soldiers who had voluntarily laid down their weapons were still standing where they were.
Some of the city's residents had also made preparations, crouching at the gates with all their belongings on their backs.
Some sat in the shadows at the foot of the city wall, while others leaned against it, all waiting for his news.
Waiting for news that might let them live.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the acting commander let out a long sigh, then said to the garrison standing inside the gates:
"Run. They won't accept surrender."
When those words landed, the people standing at the gates did not react immediately. They were all stunned.
Then the entire gate area erupted into chaos.
Some cried out in terror, some turned and ran back into the city, and some picked up the weapons they had leaned against the wall.
A soldier in iron-gray armor was the first to grab a weapon from beside the wall. Clutching a spear tightly, he demanded angrily,
"Why won't they accept surrender? Don't they need us to farm for them, guard their cities, and work for them? Don't they need living people?"
The acting commander did not answer. He could not understand it either.
Normally, aside from occupied cities, territory, resources, and treasure, the greatest spoils of war were people.
People were the true productive force.
But this pack of monsters only wanted slaughter!
Another old soldier leaned against the shadowed inner side of the city wall. The shoulder of his old leather