Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters
Chapter 1236 - 39 Great Alliance Advances (24)_3

Chapter 1236: Chapter 39 Great Alliance Advances (24)_3

For the Iron Peak County Military, half of whom were musketeers, a devastating volley fire was their ultimate means of confrontation.

But up until now, no one had applied this tactic in actual combat—Bart Xialing wasn’t entirely sure either.

"I know! You’re all exhausted!" Bart Xialing walked behind the soldiers, his tone showing not a hint of panic or hesitation, as if victory was already in the bag: "So—fight hard! Once this battle is over, I’ll let you sleep for three days and nights straight!"

In the blink of an eye, the brown-uniformed cavalry had crossed the nameless river from the ford, and the leading riders began to speed up.

The thundering sound of hooves echoed on both banks of the valley, drowning out the Iron Peak County Military’s front lines. It was clearly just a few hundred cavalry, yet it felt like thousands of troops.

Including Bart Xialing, the Iron Peak soldiers tasked with blocking the cavalry unconsciously held their breath.

The powder pool covers were open, fingers already resting on the firing levers; there was only one chance for a volley fire, and the slightest error could plunge the entire army into irreversible doom.

Bart Xialing kept a close eye on the brown-uniformed cavalry, his mind continuously estimating the distance.

Just as he was about to give the order to fire, the brown-uniformed cavalry suddenly changed direction and turned back towards the West Bank.

The dust kicked up by the hooves obscured Bart Xialing’s view, but when the east wind cleared the smoke and dust, Bart Xialing immediately understood the reason for the enemy cavalry’s sudden move:

A unit of cavalry from the northwest was charging on the West Bank, desperately intercepting the council army cavalry that had yet to cross the river.

And the cavalry was waving a flag emblazoned with the emblem of Mont Blanc County.

"It’s the cavalry from White Mountain County!" Bart Xialing shouted: "The cavalry from White Mountain County is still here! Attack! Attack! Attack!"

The opportunity is fleeting, unable to wait for his subordinates to convey the order to all parts of the front line, Bart Xialing directly snatched the flagpole from the standard-bearer, raised the military flag high, and rushed out of the front line, shouting sharply as he charged towards the ford, a shout almost breaking the sound barrier: "Attack!!!"

This time, there was no need for sergeants and couriers to deliver orders; all Iron Peak County soldiers knew what the orders from the Second Battalion Commander were.

After a brief hesitation, the Iron Peak County Military, like a bursting mountain torrent, shouted as they followed Bart Xialing and charged towards the ford.

Captain Luosong, commanding the Thunder Group County cavalry on the West Bank, was surprised to see the Iron Peak County infantry on the East Bank take the initiative to attack.

Having successfully lured the council army cavalry back to the West Bank, Luosong had already ordered a retreat for reorganization.

But spying a rare opportunity, Luosong had no hesitation to rein in and led his men to launch another charge.

In the absence of any communication, the Iron Peak County infantry and Thunder Group County cavalry executed an impeccably timed coordinated attack, trapping the disoriented council army cavalry at the ford upstream of the nameless river.

Bart Xialing commanded the musketeers to occupy elevated positions on the riverbank, firing down upon the desperate brown-uniformed cavalry.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but when the Mont Blanc County flag sped across the opposite riverbank, Bart Xialing saw the Thunder Group County cavalry beneath the flag remove their helmets and nod to him.

...

[East Bank Hillock]

[Council Army Artillery Position]

"It’s all over." Major Walei thought wearily: "It’s all over."

The appearance of Iron Peak County rebels disrupted the council army’s deployment, forcing the council army, which was already in pursuit of Riverside County and Thunder Group County fleeing enemies, to change direction and replenish the southern lines.

If the enemies of Riverside County and Thunder Group County chose to take the opportunity to retreat, the council army might still have a chance to defeat them one by one.

But would the enemy commanders of Riverside County and Thunder Group County seize the opportunity to retreat?

Although Major Walei didn’t know the senior holding the silver-edged military flag, just through several encounters today, he already had the answer.

And at this moment in his view, the enemy’s large column advancing back toward River Valley Village further verified his conclusion.

The current council army was like a clumsy giant trying to turn and seize the wolf biting its rear but exposing its rear to another wolf.

"Turn the cannons!" Major Walei ordered through gritted teeth, pointing at the distant silver-edged military flag: "Reload."

The expressionless artillerymen stood still, until the gray-haired old artillery chief nodded, and the artillerymen resumed their work.

They laboriously moved the cannons, re-aiming the guns initially targeted at River Valley Village towards the approaching enemies from the southwest.

Walei closed one eye and stretched out his arm, calculating the distance to that silver flag.

At this moment, he heard someone behind him ask, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

A lazy voice answered, "From the main camp, delivering ammunition."

Although the responder spoke with a mouthful of Paratu dialect, it contained a slightly familiar accent to Major Walei.

He turned towards the direction of the voice with a frown and asked, "Who told you to deliver ammunition?"

The responder casually "oh" and took out a folded piece of paper, walking over to hand it to Walei: "Sanel, it’s the order."

"Sanel?" Major Walei was taken aback: "You mean Colonel Sanel? Why would he send you to deliver ammunition..."

The responder stopped speaking and continued walking toward Walei, just a few steps away now.

Major Walei suspiciously glanced around, noticing that unfamiliar riders had already surrounded the artillery position, he shouted in alarm: "Stop! You’re not delivering ammunition!"