After thinking it over, he looked at the [ Great Wei Boxing Champion ] in front of him:
"I do find bloody scenes a bit unbearable, but I also feel guilty about doing nothing and just standing there like a clay or wooden sculpture."
Alfonso paused, then finally accepted reality and let go of his own guilt:
"It's not good for you to switch back and forth between acting independently and following my orders. How about this: from now on, I will only be the nominal commander-in-chief, and all the actual tactical arrangements will be left to you. Of course, I need to know the specific tactical arrangements after we have discussed them."
"Of course, no problem."
Upon hearing that the isolated case was to become the norm, [ the Great Wei Boxing Champion ] was naturally delighted.
Alfonso continued:
"Since you're in charge of the combat, I'll take care of things like logistics, transportation, and supplies."
"To be honest, I'd much rather be His Majesty's court minister than a general of the empire..."
So that's what they were waiting for...
[ The Great Wei Boxing Champion ] curled his lip, thinking to himself that Alfonso might have already figured out his post-war court position under Nuowa's command, and that he probably only managed to fall asleep by fantasizing about it every night.
Objectively speaking, however, Alfonso's line of thinking does have some merit.
He wasn't a complete failure; he could handle most things.
However, he is also a bit timid, and might not be able to control the situation if he actually went to the front lines.
Combining these two factors, appointing someone as the transport captain for players is indeed a good choice.
"In that case... my lord, it's time for you to prepare to send troops."
[ The Great Wei Boxing Champion ] whispered to Alfonso.
"Send troops? What do you want me to do there?"
The viscount in the main seat looked puzzled.
"According to reliable intelligence from our compatriots, the skeletons in Riel Valley tonight."
"What?!"
Alfonso shocked on the spot:
"Such a sturdy fortress, they've abandoned it?"
"Right."
"So the reason why the demon servants have swarmed out is..."
"To intercept and kill the skeletons before dawn."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Of course, we'll attack the fortress in Riel Valley after nightfall and achieve unparalleled glory!"
The Great Wei Boxing Champion's tone was full of anticipation.
Alfonso frowned slightly:
Were there still skeleton soldiers in the valley back then?
How could we let you take such a risk?
[ The Great Wei Boxing Champion ] gave a very tactful answer.
"And this military merit..."
"Grown ups."
[ The Great Wei Boxing Champion ] puts on a sycophantic face:
"Once the fortress is captured, you can kill as many skeletons as you want, right?"
"I'll have them bring back the remains of the skeleton they intercepted. We won't take a single penny for this credit; it'll all be yours!"
"Such a good thing?"
Alfonso's eyes lit up, [ The Great Wei Boxing Champion ] half-jokingly:
"Once you get promoted, do you really think you'll forget about us?"
"To be loyal to the Empire, one must first be loyal to one's superior!"
"Well said!"
Alfonso clapped his hands and laughed:
"Summon the remaining centurions and explain the situation to them. We will march out as soon as it gets dark!"
Later that day, around eight or nine o'clock.
Almost effortlessly, Alfonso stood atop the walls of the Riel Valley fortress.
The entire siege lasted less than half an hour. No one from the Empire was killed; they were wounded in total, fewer than ten, about half of whom fell off the siege ladders while charging too aggressively...
The remaining half was the result of hand-to-hand combat with the few remaining skeleton soldiers in the fortress.
Inside the barbican in front of Alfonso, the military equipment and supplies that the enemy hadn't had time to take were piled up like a small mountain.
Along with him, a dozen or so half-dead skeletons fell into his hands; these were the last remaining defenders of this fortress-like stronghold in Riel Valley.
These skeletons were ordered by the Bastion Lord to destroy all the supplies they couldn't take with them before leaving.
They had barely finished piling things up when humans suddenly appeared and started killing them!
Less than an hour had passed since the main force's retreat. The few skeleton soldiers pretending to be sentries on the city wall were completely bewildered as they watched the human soldiers surge towards them like a tide.
Your transition was absolutely perfect!
If it's not a coincidence, then there's only one conclusion!
There is a traitor within the Alliance's army!
But as ordinary soldiers, they had no way to report the news, find reinforcements, or organize any decent resistance.
Tonight, Alfonso's more than a thousand men have come out in full force. Even if these skeleton soldiers have been upgraded to the next level, it would be difficult for one of them to defeat a hundred.
And so things have turned out this way.
Looking at the results of the battle before them, the centurions who had been transferred by Alfonso's father all wore complex expressions.
They certainly knew that Alfonso had recently beheaded several of their old comrades.
The incident caused quite a stir at the time, with many people saying that Alfonso was a good-for-nothing who could only establish his authority through murder.
But judging from today's arrangements, the previous rumors were indeed just rumors.
If even such wise and composed leaders resort to ganging up to bully others, then they have nothing more to say.
Just as everyone was about to step forward to congratulate Alfonso, they heard a new order coming from him:
"Go open the back door of the fortress, then set up an ambush."
"My lord... what is this?"
The centurions were puzzled, but Alfonso explained:
"If the sneak attack succeeds, some skeletons might escape back from here. We can let them in to fight then."
Sneak attack?
Could it be the commotion during the day...?
The centurions suddenly realized what was happening, and even the [ Great Wei Boxing Champion ] who was acting as their strategist was somewhat astonished.
He had originally intended to remind the other party, but he hadn't expected that Alfonso himself had also thought of this.
This guy's alright.
Alfonso had already established some prestige within the military, still carried considerable weight with his words.
His orders were quickly relayed, and the fortresses throughout Riel Valley entered a state similar to an empty city stratagem.
Two or three hours later, just as midnight was approaching, chaotic footsteps suddenly came from the east side of the fortress.
Humans, skeletons, Hoofed Beast, skeletal horses...
The sounds of trampling, mixed with shouts of battle and the Psionic Energy wails of skeletons, surged toward the city wall.
Seeing that the city gates were still wide open, the skeletons, who had been chased to the point of losing their minds, immediately swarmed forward and squeezed through the gates.
Then...
Then they were trapped inside the barbican.
Alfonso only opened the first door, but not the second.
When the skeletons rushed in, they realized it was a dead end, and it was too late to turn back.
With a burst of banging and clanging, countless human soldiers immediately appeared on the surrounding city walls. The skeletons, exhausted from running for hours, lost their last hope and turned into fragments of bone, dying in the yellow sand of the barbican.