Boiling Beast Bloodline
Chapter 1179 - 318: Adding Insult to Injury_2

Chapter 1179: Chapter 318: Adding Insult to Injury_2

As Cavalry, the Yak Heavy Cavalry Mixed Brigade also had a tough time. This sole Heavy Armored Cavalry Mixed Brigade of the entire Beamon nation, originally intended as a powerful reserve force, was deployed by His Highness to the weaker right flank. In the end, only one hundred and seventy-five of these Yak Heavy Cavalrymen managed to charge back into the ancient city. It was precisely this incomplete force of Heavy Cavalry that blazed a bloody trail with their iron hooves for the subsequent Beamon soldiers heading toward the ruins of the ancient city.

Three Haus Bow and Arrow Mixed Brigades and the Yak Heavy Cavalry had similarly difficult experiences. Due to being positioned on the flanks and being in rows suitable for Archer attacks, their casualties were heart-wrenching. Of the three thousand elite Archers, only three hundred and thirty-two returned, and of the three Mixed Brigade leaders, only "Breeze of Beiga" Ronaldo, clutching the military flag, managed to break into the ruins of the ancient city.

Two Mixed Brigades of Buer Heavy Infantry at the forefront of the square formation returned with only one hundred and thirty-seven men, including eight Rhinoceros officers. The Liger Mixed Brigade, positioned at the heart of the central army, suffered the least losses, with six hundred and seventy-four out of eight hundred and fifty-two escaping back. Occupying the same position, Taige’s private army, the "Changling Legion," had two hundred and ninety of its five hundred soldiers returning as Taige warriors.

A direct assault team under the command structure, composed of five hundred Orephin Crusher Warriors and Pier Great Axe Warriors, had a relatively intact formation, returning with three hundred and thirty-two men. The forty Beast Tamers they protected were unharmed, but the entire squad of Aerial Scouts under the headquarters perished.

Positioned at the rear to oversee the baggage train, all five hundred Camel Archers were lost. The private armies of Sabak nobles and their servants and followers, a ragtag band of more than a thousand, could only retreat back to the ancient city with thirty-three survivors.

Apart from the five priests within the ruins of the ancient city, the Expeditionary Sacrificial Group had only two chief priests and one hundred and twenty-six priests left, and only two hundred and seventeen followers returned. Nearly every priest was left with only one follower. Four of the ten Liger princes, including Prince Richard, the ancient rival of Liu Shock, were killed.

Looking at the thin piece of paper before him, Liu Shock couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

It was as if the quarrels with His Highness the Prince had only transpired the night before, yet today, he had met his end before Liu Shock’s very eyes.

Previously, Liu Shock felt an intense dislike for the Prince, but now, reflecting on the past, inexplicably, his heart was filled with a sense of melancholy.

"Your Majesty, I’m afraid even if the ants retreat, we still won’t be able to make it out of this desert. According to the intelligence obtained from the prisoners, the Mulanese Flying Camel Cavalry each have three camels. Excluding Your Majesty’s guard, we have only one hundred and seventy-five Cavalry left, the rest are all infantry. This time..." Prince Kahn threw a piece of Poplar firewood into the campfire, heaving a deep sigh.

The few remaining Generals and Mixed Brigade leaders were also silent.

Liu Shock put down the statistics he was holding and looked around cautiously.

The Beamon soldiers seemed to have drifted off to sleep, their snoring forming a chorus of sounds. Inside the ancient city was about a hectare of sandy ground, which apart from a Citron tree, was bare. Coupled with many resting in the mountain caves, it looked very empty and desolate.

The fog, like frost settling, gradually thickened. One could faintly hear coughing from the Sentinels on the City Walls. Liu Shock didn’t have enough coats and bedding on hand, so most of the Beamon soldiers had to bury themselves in the sand to keep warm with the remaining heat. The patrolling military police huddled beside small Poplar campfires, blowing quietly on their hands. Faint moans and groans could be heard; it was the Ant Queen suffering in agony, sheltered in a heap of Giant Aphid flesh.

"In fact, even if the ants retreat, I would still very much like to fight the Mulanese again. It’s just a pity they may not be willing to come," Liu Shock said as he broke a Citron into two, squeezing the juice into two cups of water and handed them to Helen and Golinny, while Guoguo glared at him, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Does Your Majesty mean to hold out in the city? To fight until the last soldier?" Prince Kahn, a seasoned soldier, immediately grasped Liu Shock’s intent.

"No matter the type of defensive battle, as long as we have the advantage of the terrain, there is always some benefit to gain! The Feilengcui Warriors are best known not for pursuit, but for defense!" Liu Shock surveyed the officers one by one.

Everyone nodded in agreement, having heard more or less of the Feilengcui’s battles.

"The Mulanese have hardly lost anything. Their aerial forces played hide and seek with mine, with less than thirty casualties. Although we finally got one of their Dragon Knights, I still don’t think it’s enough!" Liu Shock said through clenched teeth, "Whatever we Beamon have lost, the Mulanese must pay at least the same price!"

"That’s an idea!" Prince Kahn’s face reddened with emotion, and he slapped his thigh fiercely, "If we go back like this, the huge disgrace will follow me for life! It’s better to die in battle here than to return in defeat!"

All the officers nodded in agreement. The Expeditionary Army had suffered such massive casualties this time; if they returned to the kingdom dejectedly, no one would be able to hold their head high for the rest of their life! For the Beamon warriors, the humiliation of defeat was not only unbearable for themselves but could even plague their families and descendants. Moreover, was returning home really as simple as just talking? Forty thousand Mulanese Cavalry would surely not spare a retreating army made up solely of infantry! Faced with certain death anyways, it would be better to hold the ancient city and fight to the death.