Chapter Fifty: Arrayed in Battle Formation

  In front of the city gate of Haiguo, more than 1,500 soldiers gathered. These soldiers had just turned from Guimen Pass and were about to face another fierce battle again.

  After fierce and cruel battles, the soldiers' clothes were tattered, their armor was severely damaged, and some soldiers even bared their upper bodies.

  "Soldiers, the Caesar's army is launching a crazy attack on the border city. For the country, for the safety of the border people, for your freedom, use the weapons in your hands to strike their arrogance, drive them back home, let..." The commander at the front of the team was Somat, who was stirring up the soldiers and shouting loudly.

  But the soldiers were not inspired by his words, and most of them were whispering to each other, except for the team led by Rayn, which was unusually quiet, but the scene was still chaotic.

  "Are you trying to rebel?" Somat's face sank, frowning, and said coldly.

  "General Somat, we've just returned from the battlefield, with armor and weapons... are we supposed to go into battle like this against the enemy?" A figure emerged from the ranks of the Imperial relief troops. He was slender, wearing a brown short-sleeved shirt, with dark skin, holding a shield in his left hand and a broken knife in his right, with only the hilt remaining, gazing at Somat with no fear in his voice.

  The soldiers' murmurs rose and fell in waves, a deafening roar, when Somatheerath suddenly burst out laughing, the ranks subsided into stillness, all eyes fixed intently on Somatheerath.

  "Haha...... Warriors, your armor and weapons are all ready. Now go to the military camp, receive your weapons, and prepare for battle." Somat explained.

  "Hurrah......" The soldiers' loud cheers.

  The soldiers were in high spirits, brandishing their shields and weapons as they marched out of the barracks.

  The battle at the forefront of Haiguo Pass was exceptionally fierce, with the well-trained Dru people's mercenaries launching a powerful offensive in this campaign. With improved lifting and descending siege ladders, as well as the extraordinary power of the imitation crossbow design of the siege engine, the crossbows they held crazily counterattacked the soldiers on the city wall of Bian Guan, forming a sky full of arrows that was the only feature of the battlefield.

  The Dru people, who had once suffered at the hands of crossbowmen in the Battle of Strait of Gibraltar, now possessed them and were as fierce as tigers with added wings, advancing their siege operations very smoothly.

  Faced with Caesar's army of over 40,000 men, the Castilian soldiers defending the city abandoned their resistance and fled in panic, throwing away their helmets and armor.

  "Charge..."

  "Kill..."

  “……”

  When the border town's gate was broken through, Caesar's army rushed past in a frenzy, with dust flying everywhere, and the scene was extremely magnificent.

  General Solandi, the commander-in-chief of Caesar's army, rode a white high-headed horse into the border town, observing the terrain with no joy on his face.

  The banner of the Caesar Empire is already fluttering on the frontier city towers and walls, the entire vanguard position of the frontier defense has fallen into their hands, and the soldiers under the city are arrayed in wait.

  "The naval forces of the Kastor Empire have yet to appear, and now they've abandoned the border fortress so easily... Is there something going on here?" General Sorandi's brow furrowed with concern.

  Suddenly, the sound of urgent horseshoes came, General Solandi looked up and saw that it was Dranoes, the commander of the Dru people's mercenary army. He wore a golden armor, which shone brightly in the sunlight, riding a black armored horse galloping towards him.

  "General Solrand, why must we halt the attack? The soldiers are now in high spirits, don't you fear affecting their morale?" Dranos said angrily, removing his helmet as he awaited a response.

  "Commander of Draenos, don't you feel that this siege is different from the previous ones?" General Solandi said with a smile.

  "Hmph, extremely easy! My warriors took down the border garrison with minimal casualties." Dranosh replied.

  "Haha... The last pass of the Sea Valley is just ahead. Once we capture it, we can..., but we must be vigilant and prevent their navy from cutting off our rear route. If that happens, we will..." General Solandi continued to explain.

  "Haha... General Sorandi, are you overthinking this? This isn't the Strait of Haiguo, and there's no General Robert here. What are you worried about? These little brats can't be your match! If the Castel Empire's navy was going to come, they would have arrived already, hehe! General Sorandi, if not, since the soldiers of Montedan and Lusitania are skilled in naval warfare, why don't you let them handle the border defense? My brave warriors will continue to attack the city. And as for you, send me another 10,000 troops, how about that?" Dranos said with a probing tone, his eyes gleaming with eagerness to join the battle.

  "Very well! Commander of Draenos wishes you victory!" General Solandi smiled and agreed to his request.

  Gazing at the receding back of Draenos, a hint of cold light fell in Sorandi's eyes, and he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh from time to time.

  War is the life of these Druse mercenaries; without war their existence would lose its meaning.

  "Maintain the offensive formation! Advance!" The majestic commander of Dranoth, riding a tall horse, waving a golden sword, loudly commanding.

  The front of the troops was five phalanxes, each with more than 2,000 people. The central phalanx consisted entirely of heavy cavalrymen holding shields and long spears; on either side were heavy infantrymen, with the first five rows of soldiers all holding shields, behind whom were crossbowmen and archers, as well as light infantrymen. On both wings were uniformed light cavalrymen, who held crossbows or short spears.

  In the middle of the troops were the siege engines and catapults, behind them a huge phalanx formation of over 10,000 soldiers, armed with long spears and guns, marching in unison, advancing forward in a majestic manner.

  "Charge!" Under the command of the commander in Draenos, the heavy cavalry and light cavalry rushed forward first. The soldiers shouted frantically, and the horseshoes shook the entire earth.

  However, at this time in front of the last stronghold of Haiguo Guan, thousands of soldiers were fully armed, wearing armor to protect themselves, holding shields and weapons, waiting in a tight formation.

  On top of the over 10 zhang high and solid city wall, there were densely packed bowmen, crossbowmen and soldiers, and catapults were also ready.

  The Dervish mercenaries charged forward with a mad yell, the cavalrymen spurred their horses and galloped towards them at full speed, while the infantry advanced rapidly, making a tremendous show of force and shouting to the skies.

  Thousands of soldiers lined up in neat rows near the city gate, with the front row of soldiers fully armed, helmets only revealing their eyes, holding rectangular shields carved with tiger patterns, forming a dense defensive formation.

  When the cavalry entered the range of the crossbow, the crossbowmen on the city wall began to attack frantically. The arrows flew over the sky, and the heavy cavalry of the Drus continued to charge forward, more bravely and more wildly.

  The cavalry equipment of the Dervenians had been improved, and they were able to withstand the attacks of the crossbowmen. Their morale was boosted even higher, and the infantry behind them quickened their pace.

  Suddenly, the sky full of arrows turned into dazzling flames...

  "Ah?......" As the cavalry realized what was happening, they were already engulfed in flames, screams and neighs merged into one.

  The vast ground was covered with dry grass, and after being ignited by rockets, it had already formed a sea of flames, reflecting a red glow in the sky.

  Flames and smoke disrupted the Druse cavalry's charge, also disrupting the infantry phalanx behind them. The entire scene was chaotic, with cries of agony ringing out continuously.

  The Imperial soldiers of Kastor stood in formation before the city gate, waiting sternly.