“Only one day behind?”
Outside the Death Canyon, Arthur led an army of twenty thousand when he suddenly encountered Viscount Garcia and his retreating group in disarray.
“Garcia Wellington!”
He rode high on his horse, looking down at Garcia who was still in his nightgown and appeared disheveled. “You have disgraced the name of the Wellington family! Because of you… my army will now face a fully alerted, geographically treacherous canyon and fortress! Do you know how much loss this will bring us?”
Arthur gritted his teeth.
After the Wellington family established their duchy, their next step was naturally to dominate the continent.
Previously, they had arranged for Garcia to develop in the Windfly Plains, intending to launch a two-pronged attack on Eagle Fortress. Otherwise, the Wellington family wouldn’t have intervened immediately during the previous chaos in the Windfly Plains.
But now, Garcia had lost all the previous gains.
“I willingly accept the family’s punishment!”
Garcia’s face was covered in soot, and he answered with a defeated expression.
This defeat seemed to have drained all his spirit, as if his backbone had been broken.
“Take them away!”
Arthur waved his hand, and the knights behind rushed forward, escorting Viscount Garcia and his group away.
He spurred his horse and galloped to the entrance of the Death Canyon, staring at the faintly visible blue dragon flag, murmuring, “Is this really fate? The Blue Diamond Crown?”
…
“A combined army of the Red Lion, with more than twenty thousand soldiers?”
Inside the Eagle Fortress, Wu Ming also overlooked the plains below. The red sea was exceptionally noticeable. His extraordinary vision and perception allowed him to immediately determine the exact number of the enemy.
“It seems the nobles of the Highlands have completely submitted to the banner of the Red Lion…”
He sighed and said gravely.
“I’ve just received a message from a carrier pigeon. The Wellington family has unified the Highlands and intends to establish a duchy…”
Emma Lies approached from behind Wu Ming, her eyes glimmering with an unusual light: “And… there’s also a very interesting piece of intelligence!”
“Speak!”
As the ultimate backer of the Windfly Plains’ black market traders, this woman’s sources of information were undoubtedly extremely reliable, with a network spanning the entire continent. Wu Ming himself had not yet achieved such influence.
“The general leading this army is Arthur Wellington! He has already been designated as the heir to the Wellington family. There are many rumors about him, and here’s a piece of gossip…”
Emma Lies smiled like a little fox, her breath warm against Wu Ming’s ear: “This Arthur, nicknamed the Young Lion, is rumored to have inherited the legacy of the Lionheart King, as well as that symbol of kingship—the Holy Sword in the Stone!”
“The heir of the Lionheart King?”
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming felt somewhat speechless.
Although these ancient five kings seemed to have prepared for the prophesied catastrophe, they each seemed to act independently, with their arrangements and intentions clearly conflicting.
“I wonder what kind of extraordinary power the Lionheart King’s inheritance might be?”
Wu Ming slightly turned his attention inward. After ascending the throne, capturing Eagle Fortress, and seizing Death Canyon, the entire Windfly Plains had essentially fallen into his hands. The blue-blooded nobles had also begun to genuinely support him, offering their treasured resources and military forces.
With this support, the progress of his “Ten Thousand People’s Strength” ability was advancing rapidly. The golden liquid within his King’s Heart was already nearly half full, and the light network within his body had become significantly thicker, operating at high speed constantly.
That golden radiance continuously flowed into his body, enhancing his physical strength and magical power, pushing past his limits.
At this point, even he was unsure of the extent of destruction he could unleash if he gave it his all.
“Since he’s come, we might as well meet face to face!”
He suddenly made his decision: “Send an envoy to declare war on the Wellington family and deliver a challenge to Arthur. I will follow the ancient noble customs and face him in battle on the plains!”
“What?”
Emma Lies asked in surprise, her mouth slightly agape, her sparkling eyes blinking rapidly in astonishment: “But… if we just hold our ground and defend Eagle Fortress, they’ll have no choice but to retreat helplessly!”
With the advantage of terrain, defending against an army twice their size with ten thousand men was not an insurmountable task.
Even if the enemy received reinforcements, they wouldn’t be a significant threat as long as there were no internal issues or unexpected problems. They could simply wait until the Red Lions lost their patience and withdrew.
“Why would you let such a good opportunity slip away?”
Wu Ming smiled slightly: “Do you think I’m content with just the Windfly Plains? Now is the perfect opportunity to strike against the Highlands!”
Emma Lies fell silent, recalling the historical accounts of the Conqueror King.
The original Blueblood conqueror, Taler, was also said to be a man filled with endless greed and a desire for conquest.
“He will definitely seize such a great opportunity!”
Wu Ming watched his envoy depart, his eyes filled with anticipation.
…
“What? The enemy wants to fight a decisive battle?”
Arthur looked at the envoy before him and suddenly broke into a bright smile: “Excellent! William is indeed a brave warrior. I swear on the honor of the Wellington family that our war will follow the most fundamental noble code!”
The so-called fundamental noble code also referred to certain ancient battlefield customs.
For instance, neither side should launch an attack or conduct a surprise assault before both were fully prepared.
When the enemy retreated, especially if their commander fled, the knights on one’s own side should not pursue them.
In essence, these were restrictions imposed by nobles who wanted to turn war into a game, avoiding mutual exhaustion.
But as for Arthur, did he truly care about these rules?
As the envoy departed, he began seriously considering the possibility of a surprise attack.
It would take some time for William’s army to move from Eagle Fortress to the plains. At that moment, a surprise attack could create chaos.
However, after weighing the probability of success, he ultimately gave up reluctantly.
Even if he could inflict a defeat on William, or even kill or capture thousands of his men, as long as there were still thousands of soldiers left in Eagle Fortress, it would be of no consequence.
To truly capture Eagle Fortress, aside from a direct assault, the only other option was to decisively crush William’s army in front of the fortress’s defenders and then use that momentum to force their surrender.
“The Conqueror—William, huh?”
Arthur lowered his head, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips.
…
On the plains, two massive armies slowly approached each other.
The blue and red oceans converged on this grassland. Galloping horses kicked up dust, completely obscuring the sky.
“Bluebloods and Red Lions…”
Wu Ming, clad in a semi-transparent armor resembling blue diamonds, looked at the scene and suddenly smiled: “This reminds me of the last war between Lord Blueshaw and Viscount Garcia.”
This Blue Diamond Armor had been presented by a certain baron family. It was said to originate from the era of Taler, personally crafted by the Conqueror King himself, possessing incredible magical power.
Wu Ming had tested it. Although he hadn’t detected any supernatural traces on it, its defensive capabilities far surpassed ordinary plate armor. While appreciating the treasures these nobles had collected, he naturally accepted it without hesitation.
Now, riding forward to the front of the formation, he immediately spotted the youthful figure in the sea of red on the opposing side.
True to his nickname, the young man exuded an unparalleled aura. Even with numerous knights around him, they were merely supporting actors, like green leaves accentuating a flower.
Wu Wu!
The deep military horn sounded, like the laughter of the Grim Reaper.
“Advance!”
A loud shout came from the opposing side, and soon the entire formation scattered. Numerous knights and soldiers rushed out in chaos, like a tidal wave surging forward.
In the end, they’re still just militia—former farmers who have received minimal training. They can barely maintain formation while marching, but expecting them to charge in perfect order is just a dream!
Wu Ming also waved his hand: “Open fire!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
More than ten wooden cannons roared to life. The earth-shaking sound and the fan-shaped flames of destruction were like dozens of beasts opening their bloodthirsty mouths, tearing deep into the enemy’s formation.
Blood and flesh flew everywhere, turning the battlefield into a scene from hell.
“Retreat!”
After this single strike, the wooden cannon units immediately abandoned their weapons and quickly withdrew.
With the pitiful speed of wooden cannons, a single volley was already their limit. Expecting them to reload on the battlefield was just a fantasy.
In this era, those who could skillfully operate wooden cannons were top talents. Wu Ming naturally couldn’t afford to lose them.
After their withdrawal, the dense ranks of the main force immediately came into view.
Although their numbers were nearly half of the enemy’s, their disciplined and orderly formation, along with their composure in the face of the enemy’s charge, was astonishing.
“Spears up!”
Shua la!
Following the roar of the frontline officer, a row of steel-tipped spears rose, gleaming with cold light.
At this moment, Wu Ming naturally didn’t hesitate to place his newly reorganized elite troops at the forefront.
“Charge, advance!”
Hua la! Hua la!
Several spear formations advanced rapidly, their steps perfectly synchronized. At the front were rows of tower shield bearers, holding shields as tall as a man. Numerous spears protruded from the gaps in the shields, making the formation resemble a giant hedgehog.
Xiu xiu!
The distance between the two sides rapidly closed, and almost simultaneously, both sides unleashed a volley of arrows.
The arrows struck the shields, producing crisp sounds like rain hitting leaves.
Compared to the disciplined and specialized crossbow units of the Bluebloods, the enemy’s attacks appeared scattered. After enduring a round of cannon fire and crossbow volleys, their entire formation became disarrayed.
“Kill!”
With a deafening battle cry, the blue and red torrents finally collided.
A cacophony of roars, screams, and growls filled the air. In an instant, the battle lines became entangled, blood and flesh flying everywhere. Countless lives were claimed by the Grim Reaper.
“There’s a huge difference between a well-organized army and a disorganized rabble!”
Wu Ming watched his side gaining the upper hand and smiled slightly, as if he had already foreseen this outcome.
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