Chapter 238: The Battle in the Distance

At the very same moment the Partridge family's banquet reached its climax, the distant Port Sardo welcomed a new day under the faint glimmer of dawn.

This bustling port, standing on the eastern shore of the New Continent, was once the outpost from which the Aus Empire opened its Golden Trade Route. Though the tides of time had passed and it was no longer as glorious as in its prime, it remained a vital stronghold for the Empire on the New Continent and a key supply channel for the Imperial Navy in the region.

Built against the mountains, the port spread out along the winding coastline, its dense stone-brick buildings shimmering like fish scales under the sunlight. On the wide docks, merchant ships and warships were moored side-by-side, massive cranes slowly hoisting and lowering as crates of supplies were securely transported to the warehouses.

Dockworkers and soldiers flowed in a constant stream, each performing their duties to maintain the port's prosperous operation.

Everything should have remained this way—

Yet today was different. As a thunderous explosion shattered the morning silence and the crowd recovered from their peaceful dreams, Port Sardo was already stained red by blood and fire!

"A volcano! The volcano has erupted!"

"Damn it... that thing has been dormant for how many years? Why did it have to be today?!"

Gazing at the billowing thick smoke rising in the distance, the residents standing at the port had faces filled with terror.

The once-busy docks were now crowded with ships fleeing in panic. The streets were filled with a scorched scent, and soldiers ran along the city walls, shouting. The sea to the west surged with waves, and to the north, that volcano, silent for a thousand years, had finally awakened. Rolling black smoke shot straight into the sky, and scorching lava flowed like crimson venomous snakes along the mountain ridges, devouring everything in its path. Scattered sparks drifted into the city, instantly igniting raging flames.

But what truly brought despair was not the volcano's roar, but the aura of death that had quietly descended, aided by the eruption.

The moment the volcano erupted, rolling smoke and lava ravaged the surroundings, illuminating the mountains on the north side of Port Sardo!

And amidst this chaos, a shadow exuding the aura of the Netherworld had arrived silently.

General Saibeisi, the Demon of Fear, stood at the volcanic vent, coldly overlooking this battlefield.

He did not order his main army to attack directly; instead, under the cover of the volcanic eruption, he quietly dispatched undead troops to launch a surprise attack.

Swarms of ghosts and skeletal lurkers moved through the smoke, quietly closing in under the cover of black fog and lava.

Like phantoms from the abyss, they climbed the northern highlands silently. Before the Imperial garrison could notice, they swiftly wiped out the sentries stationed there, seizing the crucial high ground in one fell swoop.

It was a bloody massacre.

The Imperial soldiers had no time to react at all; their attention was entirely focused on the suddenly erupting volcano, and they were not even prepared with their equipment.

After the highlands were secured, the terrifying war beasts of Hell surged out. Those giant beasts from the abyss seemed born for battle, their heavy claws crushing the charred rock, their scarlet eyes flickering with bloodthirsty light amidst the flames.

Their appearance caused the scales of victory to tilt rapidly toward Hell!

However, Saibeisi did not rush to advance despite his advantage.

He knew well that humans were not as small and weak as other demons believed; their cunning far exceeded what ordinary demons imagined.

Therefore, he chose to hold the highlands firmly, constructing a solid defensive line to wait at his ease.

Knowing the importance of the northern highlands to Port Sardo, the local garrison quickly organized a counterattack. Imperial musketeers took turns firing, spellcasters jointly released incantations, and they even organized a small-scale bayonet charge, attempting to retake the position from the demons.

Yet, in the face of the Hell Legion's copper-walled and iron-clad defense, these counterattacks appeared insignificant.

Saibeisi's coldness and patience determined the direction of this battle.

Facing the garrison's struggle, he did not show the slightest sign of underestimating the enemy, but steadily expanded his gains, quickly building a demon fortress on the highlands. Huge stones and obsidian transported from Hell were cast into stern city walls. Necromancers used the remains of the dead to reinforce the defensive works, and blood-red magic patterns flowed over the fortress, wriggling like living things.

Twenty magic crystal cannons were then deployed on the mountain ridge, their thick, long barrels pointed directly at the core area of Port Sardo.

The corners of Saibeisi's mouth curled up slightly, his gaze filled with cold contempt—

He had already foreseen the end of this seaport.

It would meet its end in the shadow of fear.

At least for a time...

The Hell army finally completed the deployment of their positions, and the Imperial garrison had no hope of turning the tide.

When the magic crystal cannons gathered the first wisp of magic energy, the doomsday of Port Sardo had arrived.

Night fell, and a scorched sulfur smell permeated the air, as if an invisible hand had gripped the throat of the entire city. The Imperial garrison had just begun their night patrol, attempting to be alert for possible enemy attacks; however, before they could stand firm, a strange red light quietly lit up among the northern mountains.

The next second, a deafening roar tore through the night sky—

A thick, long beam of light tore through the sky, whistling as it fell and smashed into the market in the center of the port.

Boom!

The violent explosion instantly swallowed everything, flames shot into the sky, and the once-prosperous market was instantly transformed into a human purgatory!

Burning rubble and twisted metal splattered like rain, the violent shockwave tearing through surrounding buildings, throwing vendors' goods and merchants' bodies into the air together.

The bloody scent mixed with thick smoke spread out!

Before the garrison could recover from the shock, the second shell followed, accurately striking the city wall.

The sturdy defensive works turned into broken walls and ruins under this strike, heavy rock blocks pouring down like broken porcelain, carrying despair and death.

Screams and fleeing sounds intertwined into a chaotic wail, terrified soldiers stumbling to find cover, but the continuous artillery fire gave them no chance to catch their breath.

Magic crystal cannons were different from mortal artillery; every strike carried a curse from the abyss.

Those soldiers caught in the artillery fire, even if they were lucky enough not to die, turned into charred remains amidst wails, their bones shattering in the flames, their flesh burned away.

Even more terrifying was that for some, before death could even descend, their souls had already been torn apart by magic energy, screaming as they turned into ghosts, wandering among the ruins, struggling to find flesh and blood that still held warmth.

That was not entirely the credit of the magic crystal cannons; to a large extent, it was the small demon legions that had crept close and launched a surprise attack amidst the chaos. Through necromancy, they amplified the lethal aftereffects caused by the magic crystal cannons, while also amplifying the fear of the human soldiers—

The living dead were awakening!

The fire swallowed the granary, chain explosions erupted in the ammunition depot, and the entire port, under the reflection of the flames, looked like purgatory.

On the sea, panicked sailors desperately maneuvered their warships to retreat, yet their efforts were all in vain—artillery fire continued one after another, warships capsized in the flames, wreckage and corpses floating in the blood-colored waves.

In this despairing ruin, the Viceroy of Port Sardo had a face as pale as paper.

His fingers trembled slightly from fear, and he finally left his mark on the last request for reinforcements, then released the carrier pigeon familiar summoned by the army mage, rushing toward the sea under the cover of flames and smoke to send the final plea for help to the Empire.

However, would reinforcements... really be able to arrive in time?

He dared not think about the consequences if they were too late.

The military base closest to Port Sardo was Fort Sheng-Yi.

When the request for reinforcements reached this ancient fortress, General Hamu'erdun almost did not hesitate, immediately ordering his army to board ships and sail at full speed toward Port Sardo.

An army of 50,000 marched majestically, steam-powered warships lined up on the sea like a long snake!

Yet when the Imperial warships arrived in the port's territorial waters, what greeted them was a doomsday-like scene.

Port Sardo was still burning, the city walls were dilapidated, and the broken walls and ruins told of the ruthlessness of war.

The seawater of the port was stained red with blood, corpses drifted with the waves, and on the mountains to the north, the magic crystal cannon positions were still slowly recharging, as if the Grim Reaper were waiting to swing the next sickle of destruction.

The adjutant stood beside Hamu'erdun, gazing at the distant battlefield with a solemn expression, unable to help but hold his breath.

"General... forgive me for speaking bluntly, our chance of winning is less than one-tenth."

Perhaps even one-tenth was an overestimation.

What they were facing was not just Port Sardo after being ravaged by war, but also that demon fortress overlooking them. And stationed within the fortress was likely their most difficult old opponent—General Saibei'er, known as the Bloody Butcher.

That Demon of Fear, cruel and ruthless to both himself and his enemies, had a fearsome reputation in both Hell and the human world!

Hamu'erdun nodded slowly, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield. He knew well that this was a battle destined to be tragic.

The Empire's siege weapons were long outdated; relying solely on catapults and traditional artillery could not shake Hell's defense. And the enemy's magic crystal cannons not only had a long range but also contained terrifying magic curses.

As soon as the battle started, the Imperial army's losses would be immeasurable!

"We have no choice."

The adjutant gritted his teeth, lowering his voice: "We can't even touch the edge of that fortress! General, are we going to throw our lives away for this port that has already fallen?"

"Port Sardo has not fallen yet!" Hamu'erdun roared, interrupting the adjutant's speech.

The adjutant stared at him blankly, swallowing the saliva in his mouth, unable to say a single word.

"We have no choice." His hands gripped his shoulders tightly, Hamu'erdun repeated, his gaze steady, his voice without a hint of hesitation, "If we don't attack, Port Sardo will truly fall, and in the future, we will have to pay a more painful price to take it back from the claws of Hell! Do you know why those demons haven't come over? They are right there, waiting for us there!"

Saint Xisi above—

Please lend me a hand!

He took a deep breath, his gaze landing on the deck of the warship—

The Griffin Knights had gathered, and the mages who jointly cast spells were also waiting for orders.

This was their only advantage!

They had no magic crystal cannons, no powerful siege weapons, but they possessed the sky and the wisdom of the Imperial mages. And this, perhaps, was their only way to break the situation.

"Order the entire army."

Hamu'erdun's voice was calm and decisive, "Tomorrow at dawn, the entire army will land! At noon, we will have a decisive battle with the Hell Legion!"

"I will personally lead the landing!"

The adjutant's pupils shrank, but he quickly straightened his body and saluted solemnly.

"Yes, General!"

A moment later, he added, his tone no longer hesitant.

"Please let me follow you."

Hamu'erdun showed a faint, gratified smile, patting the adjutant's shoulder.

"The Holy Light will be with us."

Although they both understood in their hearts that it was nothing more than self-consolation.

Night slowly fell, the Imperial warships quietly moored in the burning port, and the magic crystal cannon positions in the distance still flickered with a cold, eerie light in the dead silence.

A war destined to be filled with despair was about to begin.

Night fell, and among the ruins of Port Sardo, residual firelight still burned, reflecting on the dilapidated streets and alleys, casting ferocious and dark shadows.

The sea breeze of the port whistled past, carrying smoke and the scent of blood, flipping the flags on the decks of the Imperial warships, making them snap in the dark night.

In the cabins of the warships, General Hamu'erdun's soldiers were making their final preparations. They wiped their armor, adjusted their weapons, and closed their eyes to rest. There were no extra words between them, only heavy breathing and resolute gazes.

They knew tomorrow's battle was a narrow escape from death, but no one retreated; everyone was prepared to face death.

Under the blowing of the night wind, Hamu'erdun's legion was like a sharp blade about to pierce the darkness, and they kept watch until the arrival of dawn.

Standing on the deck of the warship, General Hamu'erdun drew his longsword and held it high above his head.

"We will never retreat!"

"Even if we die—"

"We must never let the Empire's flag fall on this land."

"Today, we live and die with Port Sardo!"

That voice was like molten steel, clanging under the cold morning glow.

And unlike the resolution of the Imperial army, the Hell fortress standing to the north was in a relaxed and high-spirited atmosphere.

The soldiers of the Red Flame Legion were patrolling the camp, mocking the humans trapped in Port Sardo. They drank strong liquor mixed with sulfur and blood, telling stories by the campfire about the past defeats of the human Imperial army.

Scorching lava flowed on the mountain ridge, and the crimson molten light reflected on the magic crystal cannons, which were like lighthouses of death, ready to rain a new round of fire upon the city below.

Pinching these humans to death would be as easy as pinching a grasshopper!

In the center of the fortress, on a barren pile of rubble.

General Saibeisi sat at a black stone table, his gaze calmly fixed on the chessboard before him.

His fingertips gently moved a chess piece carved with the Demon King's emblem, pushing it toward the diagonal position.

"Checkmate."

Opposite him, the adjutant Baluo frowned, looking at the game he was about to be completely surrounded in, and sighed: "General, you have won again... but it's no wonder, your chess game is just like the war situation, always in control of the big picture, moving step by step."

Saibeisi smiled slightly, his fingertips tapping the chessboard, his tone calm and low: "You flatter me, Baluo."

Baluo grinned and continued: "But then again, the General's strategy this time was truly brilliant. Taking advantage of the lava eruption to send undead to surprise the highlands, the human garrison had no time to react. By the time they discovered it, our army had already bitten into the entire ridge. This move was simply a stroke of genius! I bet that after the war, the War Department will definitely reward you; a Baron title is definitely no problem for you!"

The land they had just taken was enough for a Baron's fief!

Saibeisi did not answer immediately, just gently rotating a chess piece with his slender fingertips, his gaze falling on the chessboard, seemingly thinking about something.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing an inexplicable smile: "Promotion? You are too naive, Baluo."

Baluo was stunned for a moment, the smile on his face stiffening.

"What do you mean?"

Saibeisi did not answer, just examining the finished chessboard, his fingertips fiddling with the "Demon King" piece.

"What do you think the war between Hell and the Empire is for?"

Baluo answered without hesitation.

"What else could it be? Of course, it's a historical aspiration! Our war has lasted for a thousand years, and our iron hooves will sooner or later step on the Old Land, burning Saint Xisi's Holy City to ashes!"

Saibeisi smiled.

"There is no one from the Ministry of Truth here, you don't need to speak so high-sounding to me."

Baluo's tone stalled, and he said embarrassedly.

"Then... honor and land are always correct."

"To be precise, it is power. For us, it is so, and for the Cabinet, the Society, and the millions of demons in the Demon Capital, they certainly have their own goals... and all their affairs added together is called politics."

Saibeisi smiled slightly, a cold light that made one shudder flickering in his deep pupils.

"War is never because of any historical aspiration, it is just the continuation of current politics."

He paused, his fingertips gently tapping the chessboard, whispering softly.

"And the latter is always just to solve current problems."

Baluo frowned slightly, not quite understanding the meaning of these words, and even less understanding why his General would suddenly say this to him.

Saibeisi did not explain further, just quietly watching the chessboard, a meaningful smile on his lips.

It wouldn't be long before he could leave the front line.

At this moment, the night was deep, and the red light of the volcano reflected a strange glow in his pupils.

Just then, a hurried horn sounded outside, like a sleeping giant awakening, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire camp.

WwwttkдnC〇

The horn sound seemed to come from the coastline, low and hurried, like the gale before a tsunami.

In the direction of Port Sardo, the artillery turrets of the Aus Empire's warships slowly adjusted their direction, the barrels of the mortars raised high, aimed at the demon fortress to the north.

As the officer's command sword fell, flames shot out from the thick, long barrels!

"Fire!"

"Boom—!"

The first round of artillery fire was launched!

Huge projectiles whistled out with trails of fire, smashing into the demon defensive line on the ridge.

Although these human mortars could not compare with the magic crystal cannons, every fall still brought up rolling dust, tearing the ground and setting off sky-high flames on the demon positions.

Then rolling thick smoke rose, forming gray clouds on the mountain.

Looking at the distant battle line, Baluo's pupils shrank slightly.

The range of the Imperial artillery seemed to have increased!

As his gaze wandered along the coastline, he soon discovered a clue from the tongues of fire spitting out.

Human mages were casting spells on the artillery!

They used some method to reinforce the barrels and stuffed them with enough propellant to make the artillery explode, which was why the curved shells could fly further than before!

Even covering the mountain top in the north of Port Sardo!

Even if the landing points of these shells had no accuracy at all!

A bad premonition arose in Baluo's heart, but he did not think that this small change was enough for the Imperial army, which was in an absolute disadvantage, to turn the tide.

The rain of shells falling from the sky became denser and denser. Although it didn't hurt many Hell soldiers, it spread an airtight smoke wall on the battlefield.

Logically speaking, in this terrain by the mountain and the sea, thick smoke could not last long.

But as luck would have it, today happened to be a windless, sunny day, and the sea of smoke on the ground became the only clouds.

And at this very moment, the Aus Empire's infantry legion quickly gathered, and the musketeer troops, under the cover of the magic chanting group, advanced toward the fortress on the mountain.

Those musketeers lined up neatly, black barrels pointed forward, and at the commander's order, hundreds of gun flames erupted simultaneously, bullets shooting toward the demon front line like a storm.

And on those bullets, the priest's Holy Light magic was added!

The skeleton soldiers on the front line died in droves.

However, this little casualty meant nothing to the Hell Legion; those undead were just cannon fodder sent to the front line to consume the Imperial army's ammunition.

They died for a worthy cause.

In front of the black demon fortress, the small demons of the Red Flame Legion watched this scene, each revealing a mocking sneer.

"Are humans crazy?"

"They want to break through us with just this bit of muskets and artillery?"

"Hehehe, too weak!"

"When they are done playing, it will be our turn! Gahaha!"

Led by the Great King of Small Demons, the small demons flapping their wings laughed loudly, ready to cast mental magic.

And not far from them, the abyss war beasts were already ready, preparing to welcome this massacre without suspense!

Yet at this very moment, they who were waiting to watch the humans make a fool of themselves did not know that their respected General Saibeisi, and the Dragong family standing behind this Demon of Fear, actually did not want them to win...

Victory was within reach for them, yet it was also unattainable.

Just at the edge of the battlefield that no one knew about, the Aus Empire's Griffin Knights were flapping their huge eagle wings, flying at low altitude under the cover of smoke, moving quickly along the ridge to the back of the fortress.

That was a blind spot in vision!

Once the front-line troops made contact, this surprise force could take advantage of the Hell artillery firing down the mountain to launch a surprise attack on the artillery unit!

Watching the rapidly advancing Griffin Knights, Hamu'erdun, standing in the Imperial army formation, could not help but squeeze a sweat for these brave young men.

This would be a huge gamble!

Once the Hell artillery discovered them, the one-kilometer distance would become an insurmountable chasm, burying them all under the dense fire of twenty magic crystal cannons!

But relatively speaking—

This was also their only chance!

If they let the Griffin Knights attack the flank of the Hell Legion according to traditional tactics, they would have no chance of winning at all.

"Prepare for battle!"

Watching the Imperial army getting closer, Baluo, wearing heavy armor, roared low, drawing a battle axe engraved with Nether-script, while releasing the fire suppressed in the flame crystal, letting his burning figure expand by a full circle.

He grinned, already prepared for slaughter.

Hamu'erdun was the same.

Watching the flame demon grinning at him, holding his longsword, he held his breath, letting the clear, gold-like aura flow around his sword edge.

A bloody slaughter was about to be staged!

And just at this time, a strange change suddenly occurred.

Perhaps the gods really heard his prayer last night; the Griffin Knights whistling at low altitude actually broke into the blind spot of the Hell Legion's vision, and taking advantage of the gap in the artillery fire, they killed their way into the artillery position with lightning speed!

Terrified faces were reflected in the shiny armor of the Griffin Knights, followed by rolling heads and spurting blood!

The griffins waving their sharp claws were like wolves rushing into a sheepfold, slaughtering the goblin artillerymen operating the cannons in a few breaths, leaving only some remnants screaming and fleeing.

"No—!"

Baluo roared, looking back at the artillery position boiling with fire, his wide eyes splitting, wishing he could turn back and kill them.

Yet everything was too late.

War is just that cruel, and the opportunity for battle is fleeting.

The Griffin Knights who launched the surprise attack had swept the entire artillery position and used the explosives they carried to destroy all twenty magic crystal cannons!

At the same time, the human musketeer legion had lined up in neat squares, stepping into shooting distance.

Losing the support of the artillery, the small demon legion rushing to the front line was meat on the chopping board, flying away like paper dolls blown away in the rain of bullets from the human soldiers.

And those abyss giant beasts waving their claws were not enough to withstand the repeated bombardment of the gathered human mages, only falling one after another in despairing and angry wails!

The magic crystal cannons that could deter the joint casting of human mages no longer existed.

The scales of victory tilted toward the Empire at an incredible speed!

And just at this time, seeing that failure could not be saved, General Saibeisi decisively ordered the horn of retreat to be blown, declaring the end of this battle.

"Woo—"

Listening to the low and melodious horn sound, Baluo gritted his teeth, glared fiercely at the human knights in the distance, and finally turned his head, retreating in a sorry state.

This was his only choice.

Let alone Gold-tier strength, even a demigod could not fight thousands of troops alone... not to mention that the knight opposite might not be inferior to him.

"Saint Xisi above..."

Watching the Hell army retreating like a tide, Hamu'erdun was dumbfounded, unable to speak for a while.

Until his military flag was inserted on the low wall of the mountain fortress, he still felt that everything happening before his eyes was like a dream.

Too smooth.

Except for the word "god-sent," he could not find a more appropriate description!

He just stood there blankly, until the adjutant rushed to his side with a glowing face, shaking his shoulders, which finally woke him from his dullness.

"We won! Hahaha, we won! Port Sardo has not fallen! We conquered doomsday! We conquered the Hell Legion! Saint Xisi above... this is definitely a miracle! Today's victory is enough to be recorded in history!"

Whether it could be recorded in history, Hamu'erdun did not know, but looking at the soldiers waiting for him to announce victory, he knew clearly what he should do at this moment.

That was almost the instinct of a general.

He held the sword in his hand high, shouting with all his strength, venting that excited emotion.

"For Saint Xisi! For the Emperor!"

Cheers spread across the mountains and plains, burning like a prairie fire.

"Long live Saint Xisi!"

"Long live the Empire!"

Amidst the cheers across the mountains and plains, the arrogant Griffin Knights landed on the ground, one by one the arrogant griffins puffed out their chests, the blood-stained feathers like glorious medals.

Under the sharp claws were mountains of corpses and seas of bones, including dead demons and humans who unfortunately died.

It's just that these excited young men didn't know that what brought them victory was not Saint Xisi at all, but the demons deep in Hell...

For a distant war without smoke, the Dragong family needed them to win. ===== CHAPTER 239 =====