Chapter 17: Military Crisis

  General Robert's face was solemn, his eyebrows furrowed, his head lowered, and his hands clasped behind him as he slowly approached Rayn, at which point they were the only two people left in the tent.

  But General Robert simply stared at him, sizing him up and down without saying a word, leaving Rain somewhat at a loss.

  "General, is there anything else?" Rayn asked cautiously, afraid of saying something wrong.

  "Rhein, I have a favor to ask of you. Lead your men and escort those civilian families back to Cascaot City, my hometown. How would it be if we were to do so unintentionally?" After pondering for half a day, General Robert lifted his head and looked at him.

  "What?" Renn was taken aback by his words and blurted out.

  "Shh, keep your voice down!" The general glared at him.

  "Oh!" Rain replied softly, lowering his head.

  "Although the Bian Guan Shou Cheng Hai Guan is known as the Empire's First Strong Pass, it is solid and unbreakable, with a single man defending the pass against ten thousand men unable to open it. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. However, if we don't have any reinforcements, how many more days can we hold on? Those nobles in the palace are still discussing surrender, and the transportation of food and supplies has not been settled yet. What time is it now?! Ah! Never mind! I've been stationed at Bian Guan for over a decade, and those generals who followed me, fought alongside me on the battlefield, through life and death... I have to consider their families, can't keep implicating them anymore!" General Robert said helplessly.

  Ran learned from the general's words that the border city was about to face danger, and as the general of the border city, he would only consider retreating when there was no other choice, otherwise he would persist.

  "General, the border fort is an important pass for the empire. If the Xia Hai Pass falls into enemy hands, the consequences will be unthinkable!" said Rain.

  "I knew, so I let you escort the military dependents to leave, so that my generals would not have any worries behind them, and they could fight with all their might to defend the border!" General Robert's tone became heavier, clenching his fists as he spoke excitedly.

  "Yes sir!" Rayn bowed his fist and accepted the order.

  Suddenly, urgent footsteps came from outside the camp, followed by...

  "Report! Report!" The hurried and flustered voice of reporting came over.

  "Come in!" General Robert said in a low voice.

  A soldier in blue uniform, looking flustered, entered the tent and saw Rayn here, wanting to speak but hesitating, his eyes fixed on the general.

  "Speak!" General Robert said, eyeing the soldier in front of him.

  "General, the enemy is approaching fiercely, our troops have suffered heavy casualties, the soldiers defending the city are requesting support!"

  "What?" General Robert exclaimed in surprise, he had never thought that this time the Caesar's army would be so fierce, how long has it been?

  "General, I'll lead the soldiers to provide support!" Rayn hastily requested.

  "Ah, well!" General Robert waved his hand and let out a long sigh as he watched Rain hurry away, filled with emotion.

  The task of escorting the military dependents, General Robert had an ulterior motive, he wanted to let Rain lead Julia away together, but now the situation suddenly changed, the border city was about to face defeat, he...

  Raiding Caesar's camp at night, Lien's wet clothes didn't even have time to change, calling out to the soldiers who had been fighting all day, rushing towards the Bian Guan city tower.

  The sky was filled with arrows and stones, the soldiers defending the city suffered greatly. Normally, they would have had time to clear away the bodies of the fallen generals, but now in the heat of battle, they could barely protect themselves. The scene was a river of blood, too gruesome to behold.

  The defending soldiers fell one after another, and then joined again, fighting hard to resist the siege of Caesar's army.

  More than a hundred catapults of the enemy army outside the city, as well as crazy siege engines, joined the battle. The city wall was severely damaged, and hundreds of siege ladders were lined up along the city wall in an orderly manner. The attacking Caesar soldiers were unusually fierce, which was their true strength in siege warfare.

  Caesar's army supplies, including grain and horses, suffered heavy losses overnight. The 100,000-strong army now faced problems with food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. They were now all-in, launching a full-scale attack on the city without any delay.

  In General Robert's tent, candles were jumping non-stop, and those who came to ask for support also came non-stop.

  "General, thousands of enemy troops near the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Qiaohai Pass are frantically attacking the city, they climbed up from the cliff in front of the city, please..."

  "General, the middle line of Xiakou Pass has been breached by the enemy..."

  "General,... "

  General Robert was busy and worried, his face pale, and Julia beside him also looked serious, biting her lip.

  "Father, let me join the battle too! The women's corps I've formed is applying to participate in the war!" Julia asked for permission, bowing her head.

  "Julia, your two brothers are defending the border, their lives hanging in the balance. Can't you stop worrying your father? Alright? You and these other women should return to the military camp, gather them immediately, protect them well, and safely escort them to Kasakot City, our hometown and the hometown of my soldiers who have followed me for many years! Julia, do you understand? Your mission is also extremely important, extremely arduous. Hurry up and carry out your orders!" General Robert shouted, scolding her, his face red with rage, his eyes wide with anger.

  "Father?" Julia stomped her foot in anger, but at this moment she was helpless, military orders were like mountains, and she could do nothing.

  "...report..." The urgent footsteps outside the door came again, followed by a loud report.

  "Julia, carry out the order quickly! Must I resort to martial law?" General Robert commanded finally, his expression cold and unyielding.

  Julia stormed out of the general's tent in tears.

  "Report, General. The four hundred plus brave warriors led by Rain have successfully repelled the enemy's multiple attacks and are now in a stalemate. The border city tower has temporarily escaped danger." said the soldier, covered in blood, sweating profusely, and with an excited expression.

  "Is that so?" General Robert was overjoyed, this was indeed heartening news, and among the many pleas for help he felt an unusual excitement.

  "General, Colonel Raines requests that we expedite the production of these new weapons. Please review, General!" The soldier said, handing over a blood-stained blue cloth to the general's hand.

  "Weapons? What, what era is this? Is there still time to manufacture new weapons? This...this isn't a joke, is it?" General Robert said with some anger, staring at the blueprints of the weapon designs in his hand, he was stunned.