Sun Fei felt everyone's eyes on him.
He gave the anxious soldiers and civilians a reassuring smile, then beckoned Brook and Pierce over to the foot of the gatehouse. He paid no attention to Oleg, the warden, who was trying desperately to catch his eye from a distance, or Bazel, the herald, who stood not far behind him.
It was an unmistakable signal.
Even a farmer who understood nothing could see that Bazel and Oleg, once Chambord City's two most powerful ministers, would likely fall out of favor with His Majesty Alexander from now on.
"Brook, first tell me what the enemy has been doing."
Sun Fei stood by the battlements, gently stroking the stone scarred by blades and spears as he looked at the dark mass of enemies outside the city.
"Your Majesty, during the four hours you were resting, the enemy stayed put for some reason. They made no moves at all, not even a single feint to harass us. It was as though they were waiting for something, but..." Brook pointed into the distance and continued, his voice full of worry. "They moved their three remaining siege ladders and some other hastily made siege equipment onto the stone bridge. They're well prepared and have committed more troops than they did over the previous three or four days. Once they attack, we'll face an unprecedented threat."
Sun Fei looked where Brook was pointing.
The formation of the black-armored soldiers had changed considerably once again-
A square formation of several hundred tower shields still stood at the very front of the army, only a step away from Chambord City's northern bank, guarding the troops like a great black wall.
But behind the tower shields, the enemy's formation had changed-
The three formations of javelin throwers, axe throwers, and archers that had followed closely behind the tower shields that morning had pulled back slightly. Soldiers in black light armor waited there, carrying three siege ladders. Farther back were four or five enormous wooden walls hastily cobbled together from green, damp timber to block arrows. Behind those walls, soldiers who were clearly somewhat stronger guarded six boulder catapults over twenty meters tall...
Sun Fei's pupils contracted at the sight.
Those six boulder catapults were formidable siege weapons, far more threatening than the siege ladders. As long as those six battlefield monsters were pushed within two hundred meters of Chambord City, they could blast through its walls no matter how sturdy they were. The fewer than 1,000 defenders on the walls could all be wiped out in just twenty simple volleys.
The enemy commander had clearly committed everything this time, determined to take Chambord City in a single assault.
Those arrow-blocking walls were hastily made, and the trunks still have green branches and leaves on them. But the six boulder catapults never appeared in the earlier sieges. Could it be... the enemy has received reinforcements?
At that thought, Sun Fei unconsciously licked his lips.
If that was the case, there was hardly any doubt about the outcome of this battle. Once the enemy attacked, they could set up those wooden walls beneath the city to block Chambord City's less-than-formidable arrow fire, then bring the boulder catapults within range, and Chambord City would be finished.
This was an asymmetric war.
Aside from the huge disparity in strength, the enemy's mysterious commander was also exceptionally careful and left nothing to chance. He had zeroed in on Chambord City's fatal weakness, its lack of troops, leaving Brook and the others barely able to find any opening through which to break the deadlock.
Sun Fei looked at the grim situation before him and frowned slightly.
Brook watched Sun Fei's expression from the side, starting to speak but stopping himself.
"Say whatever's on your mind. Being so hesitant isn't the style of Chambord City's future grand general." Sun Fei noticed Brook's expression and made a little joke.
Brook had no choice but to lean close to Sun Fei's ear and whisper, "Your Majesty... perhaps... Chambord City may not hold. I'm willing to stay on the walls with the soldiers and buy some time. You should let Lord Lampard and Pierce take a squad of elite soldiers to escort you and Miss Angela out through the rear of the city..."
"No!"
Sun Fei shook his head and cut Brook's suggestion short before he could finish.
He said nothing impassioned, but from the slow shake of his head, both Brook and Pierce saw His Majesty Alexander's resolve. They immediately understood that, no matter what, the young king would never retreat. His stance left them both moved and reassured, yet anxious at the same time.
"We can't keep waiting like this. I've decided to take the initiative and attack."
Sun Fei tapped his fingers gently against the stone of the wall as he spoke.
His words exploded in their ears like a thunderclap from a clear sky.
"Take the initiative and attack?"
Brook and Pierce were stunned. In such a desperate situation, with such a vast disparity in both the number and quality of their troops, what did taking the initiative mean? It meant abandoning Chambord City's geographical advantage, like smashing a soft apple cake against hard mountain rock... The outcome was easy to imagine.
"Your Majesty, isn't... isn't that too risky?" Brook tried to persuade Sun Fei to change his mind.
"There's no time."
Sun Fei shook his head, his tone firm. "If I'm right, the enemy will begin their siege as soon as lunchtime is over... If we want to survive this war, we have to catch them off guard and strike first. If we wait any longer and let them start the battle, death will be our only fate."
With that, Sun Fei's gaze slowly swept over the two men.
Seeing the faintly puzzled looks on the two burly men's faces, Sun Fei asked in a persuasive tone, "Well, my warriors, do you have the courage to charge out with me and send those gutless bastards into the Zuli River for a bath?"
It was a simple question, as though he were asking friends for their opinion.
But in that instant, Brook and Pierce felt as if the blood in their bodies was about to catch fire.
"Your Majesty, we're willing to serve you." Their voices trembled.
"Good. I need you two to do a few things now... Brook, tell the soldiers to rest for the time being. Remember, just leave a few of the sharper ones to watch the enemy's movements... Also, pick twenty reliable, loyal strongmen as quickly as you can and bring them to me. Pierce, go help me prepare these things..."
Sun Fei whispered a few instructions in Pierce's ear, and the white-haired man turned and left, puzzled.
Once that was done, Sun Fei stood quietly on the wall for a while.
Only after he had carefully sorted out everything he needed to keep in mind for the action about to begin did he turn and leave.
Under the soldiers' watchful gazes, Sun Fei made his way to Frank Lampard, Chambord City's strongest expert, who had a massive black sword on his back.
"Your Majesty!" Lampard gave a slight nod.
The strongest expert, who had initially been exceptionally cold toward Alexander, was finally willing to set aside his airs and speak to Sun Fei of his own accord.
Sun Fei was secretly pleased.
He knew that his conduct earlier had earned him the taciturn "expert bro's" approval. Sun Fei was grateful, at least to some extent, to this expert who had almost single-handedly protected Chambord City's peace and secured the idiot Alexander's throne over the past few years. Lampard was said to have been the late old king's closest friend, so Sun Fei could also regard him as an elder.
"Uncle Lampard, Alexander has something he would like to ask of you," Sun Fei said politely.
Lampard looked at Sun Fei, then turned to look at the enemy occupying the stone bridge outside the city like a black torrent. After a brief silence, he asked, "Do you want me to act and help you destroy those boulder catapults? I'm only thirty to forty percent confident I can destroy two or three of them in a surprise attack..."
"Destroy the boulder catapults?"
Sun Fei was taken aback. He understood what Lampard had in mind, but immediately shook his head and said seriously, "Uncle Lampard, that isn't what I want to ask of you... Well, here's the thing. I'm going outside the city to launch a counterattack shortly, so I hope you can stay on the wall and keep the situation here under control for me. If I'm unlucky enough to die in battle, I hope you'll take care of Angela for me and protect her and Jima as they leave here safely."
All right, I shouldn't have opened my big mouth.
I set a goal that looks like I really can't meet.
But the third chapter is still out. The red votes and all that were just meant to spur me on anyway; I'd already made up my mind to post three chapters today.
I'm desperately asking for red votes and bookmarks.
Thank you, everyone.