EFB Chapter 61 Dawn
Chapter 61 Dawn
"Karl! Drop your crossbow and pick up your spear!"
Amidst the frenzied shouts of killing and desperate cries, Karl's mind went blank. He only knew to follow the deputy squad leader and run forward, completely forgetting what he had been told during training: to discard the crossbow that had already been fired and to charge forward lightly.
The deputy squad leader's loud shout immediately pulled him out of his daze. Karl subconsciously dropped the crossbow and took off the spear from his back.
His pace quickened, from a jog to a run, while his four companions stood in a strict straight line, their spears pointed forward.
They don't know swordsmanship or knives; spears are the most suitable weapon for them because they are not individuals, but rather a battle formation of five.
Five spears thrust out simultaneously are far more lethal than a single master swordsman.
"Catch those bastards! Speed up!"
The deputy squad leader roared, and Karl immediately sped up his running speed. Because the old valley was surrounded by rolling hills and low slopes, the terrified bandits ran slower and slower and were quickly caught up by the guard.
Seeing that things were not going well, several ruthless bandits suddenly swung their knives backward and slashed wildly.
The deputy squad leader also yelled, "Stab!"
Without any hesitation, Karl mechanically thrust out his spear. The synchronized movements caught the bandits completely off guard, and they were all stabbed to the ground.
Karl stared blankly at his spear, which was now embedded in the chest of a bandit.
Despair, fear, resentment, regret... countless emotions were displayed on the robber's distorted face until he collapsed to the ground with lifeless eyes, completely losing his breath.
"What are you standing there for! Keep chasing!"
The deputy squad leader shouted, and Karl and his comrades immediately snapped out of their daze and continued their pursuit.
The entire Old Valley became a battle royale.
The guards were divided into six groups, each operating independently. The guards guarded each entrance to ensure no one escaped. Even Steel Cable and Morata, who had previously fled, rode back and swiftly and decisively slashed at the fleeing bandits with their long swords.
Some of the bandits were utterly terrified. They dropped their weapons, knelt on the ground, and begged for mercy. The guards let them go because the order was to only hunt down those who resisted while armed.
The battlefield was now completely one-sided. Although the bandits still numbered at least 50, they were unable to mount any effective counterattack and were being chased by the guards.
Seeing this, Steel Cable and Morata were stunned, staring in astonishment at the guards.
"Aren't they tired?"
"You mean these guys are just new recruits who have just started training? My God, I guarantee nobody will believe you."
Morata shook his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Steel Cable said helplessly, "But it really is true, they used to seem to be just ordinary serfs."
"Damn it, a group of serfs are almost as good as the elite mercenaries. How did this lord manage to do that?"
Morata looked curiously at the low hill in the distance.
At this moment, everyone on the low slope looked at Vilan with great excitement.
"We won! Those bandits were utterly defeated!"
"Long live Lord Vilan! Anvil Territory has triumphed!"
"Good heavens! If it weren't for the magician, those guys would have escaped."
"Yes! Lord Vilan, you actually hired a legion of mages to deal with the bandits?"
The refugee leaders shouted excitedly, and their eyes now held a hint of admiration and awe as they looked at Vilan.
Of course, they didn't know what gunpowder was, and naturally assumed that the two terrible explosions were the work of a magician.
Vilan and Merino exchanged a glance, then smiled and said, "Yes, some amazing magic, isn't it incredible?"
A cheer erupted, but some astute individuals exchanged glances, their eyes revealing deep surprise.
For example, there are 3 mercenaries, and Mad Cat.
These four people had all been on the battlefield, and they were the only ones who had seen what a battlefield was like. Therefore, they were far more surprised than the others.
Because everything the guards showed was incomprehensible.
A crossbow with an extremely long range, yet its power only increases...
The order was impeccable; even during a charge, there was no chaos, but rather a guard that strictly maintained its formation…
And those two explosions, that was definitely not something a single mage could have done!
It would take at least two, and they must be the highest-ranking mages in the magic legion, to create such a terrifying explosive magic.
It's impossible for Anvil Territory to hire such a mage, and most importantly, magical explosions only produce dust and smoke, not this much thick white smoke, and the pungent smell has even reached the low slope.
What exactly is that thing?
All four of them frowned, but dared not ask any more questions.
Vilan didn't bother to keep it a secret; he directly smiled at Merino and asked, "So? Did you find the problem?"
Merino nodded. "The smoke is too thick, easily covering the battlefield and making it impossible to see how many casualties have been caused. It's also very dangerous, as it's easy to accidentally injure our own people. If we can solve these two problems, gunpowder will definitely be more powerful."
Vilan nodded and affirmed, "That's right, but there's another problem you haven't noticed. The explosive charge was thrown out by my guards. It was very dangerous and had many limitations. It's impossible for us to safely get behind the enemy every time we fight a war."
"What do you mean?"
"We're missing a launch vehicle."
Vilan smiled mysteriously and didn't say anything more. Making cannons was definitely not something that could be done in a short time. It would require meetings and discussions with various workshops. Merino alone couldn't do it.
Hearing their conversation, the onlookers behind them all looked up in astonishment.
What does that mean?
Was that explosion not magic?
What is gunpowder?
Mad Cat and the mercenaries, in particular, were beyond words in their shock.
What would war look like if it weren't magic, but a weapon that could be mass-produced?
Wouldn't that be equivalent to countless mages unleashing a devastating spell simultaneously? Would soldiers even be needed then?
What exactly happened in Iron Anvil Territory? Why does such a terrifying weapon exist there?
They couldn't understand, and dared not imagine, that if such a weapon could actually be mass-produced, they, the mercenaries, would become a laughing stock.
No matter how strong one's individual combat ability is, under that godlike power, they are no different from ordinary people.
Like a strong wind, the mercenaries knew his strength; he was a top expert who could withstand the pressure of steel cables. But in this battle, he didn't even have a chance to make a move before dying from the double blow of explosions and crossbow bolts.
The mercenaries fell silent for a moment.
Meanwhile, the battle of Old Valley was also coming to an end. With the help of the guards and the steel cable, none of the bandits who entered Old Valley escaped.
Corpses littered the valley, and the stench of blood and gunpowder carried by the cold wind permeated everyone's nostrils.
As the last resisting bandit was pierced by a spear, the first rays of sunlight pierced the gray sky.
As dawn broke, Iron Anvil Territory's first battle was won.