Chapter 475: Knight Order Charge

Before dawn.

Lei En, who had been meditating inside a camp tent, opened his eyes, a hint of doubt flashing in them. The ground trembled slightly, a minuscule sway that must have come from at least ten li to the north, certainly not caused by the centaurs in the camp; such a noise would require several thousand people running together.

He rose and stepped out of the tent; a thin strip of pale dawn was just brightening on the eastern horizon, still some time before sunrise.

He exhaled a breath of warm air, which vanished in an instant within Kangjiatuo's cold wind.

The camp stationed at the southwest corner of Jinsilan stretched in a line along the Black Water Riverbank; squads of night‑watch centaurs patrolled outside the camp, eyeing the city walls two li away, where the guards still watched the camp, and everything seemed normal.

Lei En waved his hand, opened a portal, and stepped through, appearing high above.

He glanced toward the city of Jinsilan, and his pupils instantly contracted.

Kai De Jia and Kelaoaosi appeared beside him, both suspended in midair, clearly having sensed the anomaly as well. The three of them fixed their gaze on Jinsilan's north gate; from over ten li away, under the half‑dark, half‑light dawn, they saw the drawbridge over the moat lowered, and thousands of cavalry riding gray‑white giant wolves charging out.

"The Brandon family's Ice Wolf Knight Order."

Lei En's brows furrowed slightly; he couldn't quite grasp the situation.

The Brandon Duchy lies in Kangjiatuo's northern realm, the largest of the seven duchies, occupying a quarter of the entire kingdom, yet it is also the coldest; ice and snow never melt year‑round, and most of its vast frozen lands are uninhabitable, with a population under three million.

From lords down to commoners, the entire Brandon Duchy worships the "God of Winter and North Wind" Yurel; legend says that before ascending to divinity, this deity was an ice‑field wolf born in the bitter cold, so its followers also revere it as the "Wolf God" and use a wolf as their emblem.

The harsh environment and worship of the Wolf God forged the Brandon Duchy's rugged folk spirit.

With such a small population, they raised Kangjiatuo's largest Transcendent Army: the Ice Wolf Knight Order numbers nearly four thousand, each infused with ice‑field wolf blood and called "Ice Wolf Swordsmen", each possessing an ice‑field wolf companion they treat as a brother.

Duke of Brandon was inseparable friends with Ma Er Ke, having grown up together, so he stood firmly by Ma Er Ke's side and was one of the chief architects of the overthrow of the Zhuogeng Fortress dynasty.

Ten days earlier, the Duke of Brandon had led the Ice Wolf Knight Order into Jinsilan.

Lei En originally thought Ma Er Ke would hold Jinsilan to the death.

Now it seemed Ma Er Ke did not wish to be trapped in a passive siege; he appeared ready to strike out.

The entire Ice Wolf Knight Order poured out, but that was not all.

Behind those ice‑field wolves, more cavalry appeared, riding warhorses, numbering around two thousand; judging from their haphazard gear and varied mounts, they were not a formal order but a hastily assembled cavalry supplement to the Ice Wolf Knight Order.

The Ice Wolf Knight Order exited through the north gate, gathered on the open ground opposite the moat, and re‑formed their ranks. Simultaneously, large numbers of Transcendent soldiers were assembling at Jinsilan's west and south gates.

"Is this a decisive battle?"

Lei En wondered internally, who had given Ma Er Ke the courage?

These over five thousand cavalry looked formidable, yet they were still at an absolute disadvantage before the Dragon‑born army; even the centaur forces could offset them.

The Dansi family's Golden Lion Order garrisoned the south gate, making that defensive line hard to breach.

"Two Speakers, we should also prepare," Lei En said, turning back through the portal. The entire camp had been roused, voices boiling, centaur horns blaring, troops rapidly gathering, and the Transcendent armies of the great families lining up.

In the middle of the camp, Ai Mi Li Si, drowsy from pregnancy, wore a slightly dazed expression.

But upon seeing the three Speakers, she snapped awake.

"Lei En, two Speakers," Ai Mi Li Si said rapidly, "Wa Luo Gen just received scout intel: Ma Er Ke's forces have all mobilized, seemingly to battle us!"

"I see," Lei En nodded, "the Ice Wolf Knight Order and two thousand cavalry are gathering at the north gate; there are movements at the west and south gates as well, and they could open the gates at any moment, breaking out and attacking from three directions."

Ai Mi Li Si sneered.

"If Ma Er Ke relied on Jinsilan's Red Dragon formation, defeating him would be harder; since he came out himself, that's even better," she analyzed calmly. "Our forces hold the advantage, even a three‑sided encirclement won't scare us."

"Lord Lifu Si, Lord Duo Lang."

Ai Mi Li Si ordered, "You will lead the River Bay Order, the Snake Venom Order, and your respective Transcendent troops, totaling six thousand, to block the south gate. Remember, stay clear of the city walls and avoid the Red Dragon formation's attack zone; wait for the enemy to emerge before encircling them."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the two replied in unison.

Lei En silently praised Ai Mi Li Si's meticulous thinking; the south gate was the most critical exit and had to be sealed by the most trusted.

Duke Fei She needs no introduction; once he swore fealty he was exceedingly loyal, fighting diligently with no hint of duplicity. Prince Duo Lang Mo Er Si arrived only last night with his family troops; this Divine Chosen is a Legendary High‑rank Snake‑tongue speaker, at level seventeen, slightly weaker than Duke Fei She, yet his loyalty is beyond doubt, having served covertly for years.

The two Legendary Lords took their armies and departed on orders.

Ai Mi Li Si continued issuing orders, still keeping five thousand centaurs at the front, moving toward the south gate, ready to support the Dansi family at any moment.

Di Lan Lao Bo Di Er led three thousand Transcendent soldiers behind the centaurs, forming the final defensive line.

Ai Mi Li Si had only half a squad of Scale‑riding Guard and the Wizard Corps left beside her, as well as Lei En's Gun‑Wing Knight Order and Extreme Warriors.

Speaker Kai De Jia waved his hand and cast a spell, projecting an image of Jinsilan's northern city.

The Ice Wolf Knight Order and the two thousand cavalry had finished gathering; at the front, ice‑field wolves began moving, running slowly west along the riverbank, preparing to cross the river at some point in Jinsilan's northwest corner.

The north river's width was less than that of the Black Water River, and with the Ice Wolf Knight Order's abilities, they could easily freeze a section and choose the most advantageous crossing point.

Then, ahead lay a plain; they only needed to accelerate southward, charging head‑on into the Dragon‑born army.

Lei En glanced at the flat terrain.

Kangjiatuo's temperature is low; the season suitable for agriculture is brief, under four months. Outside Jinsilan's western city lie vast farmlands that were fully harvested last month, now frozen, offering an unobstructed hundred‑li radius.

This was an ideal battlefield for cavalry, perfect for a massive charge.

"I'll send the Gun‑Wing Knight Order to lead the vanguard and break them up," Lei En suggested.

The Gun‑Wing Knight Order claims to be a knight order, but in reality their combat style is nothing like traditional cavalry.

Since the day they 'invented' the machine gun and submachine gun, most of Ai Lun E Si's knight orders could be swept into the trash heap of history.

Although this time they only brought a single company of Gun‑Wing Knights, a total of 150 men, their combat power cannot be judged merely by numbers. Ignoring the enemy's high‑end forces and casters, this company could sweep across the entire ground forces of the Kangjiatuo kingdom, only costing a bit more ammunition and time.

A single charging volley would split the Ice Wolf Knight Order in two, leaving the remainder to be handled by the Golden Lion Order or the centaurs.

That would greatly reduce our losses and maximize the spoils.

"No need!" Ai Mi Li Si unexpectedly shook her head, took out a speaking horn and ordered, "Ding La Ji, have the Golden Lion Order move north to meet the enemy, confronting the Ice Wolf Knight Order head‑on. The centaurs will follow them; the west gate is to be blocked by Prince Di Lan's men."

A few seconds later, Ding La Ji's response rang out: "Yes... Your Majesty."

His voice was very hesitant, yet he complied.

Everyone looked at Ai Mi Li Si; she did not conceal her thoughts, speaking gravely: "Whether the Dansi family truly surrenders will be decided this time. The Golden Lion Order always claims to be Kangjiatuo's First Knight Order, outnumbering the Ice Wolf Knight Order by double; this is their chance to prove themselves."

"What if both sides are wounded?" Wa Luo Gen asked.

He asked and saw Ai Mi Li Si's cold smile, instantly realizing that a mutual loss was exactly what she wanted; he sighed inwardly and worried, "I'm afraid..."

Ai Mi Li Si said lightly, "The centaur army is right behind the Golden Lion Brigade; if he dares to disobey, he'll flatten the Dans family as well."

The people around wore strange expressions, finally deeply understanding her hatred toward the Dans family.

For the next half minute, Ding Laji sent no further news.

Within the spell illusion cast by Kai De Jia, activity was detected at the Dans family's camp south of Jinsilan City; the Golden Lion Brigade began to move, each Lionheart Knight mounting his warhorse, forming a column heading north. Seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Duke Dans still accepted the order, showing his loyalty.

Ai Mi Li Si raised an eyebrow, also a bit surprised.

"Consider him to have understood the bigger picture."

At this moment, the vanguard of the Ice Wolf Knight Order had reached a riverside, where hundreds of ice wolves opened their mouths to exhale cold breath, freezing the river in patches; in less than half a minute a ice sheet hundreds of meters wide formed, and the wolf pack crossed the river on the thick ice.

After landing, the ice wolves let out repeated howls and began to gradually accelerate.

A few miles away, the warhorses of the Golden Lion Brigade also began the prelude to their charge.

At the speed of the two orders, they could clash in less than two minutes; at that moment, a howl of eagles rang out in Jinsilan City, and massive flocks of snow eagles rose into the dawn sky. In just a dozen breaths, hundreds of snow eagles formed a dark cloud, flying toward the camp where Ai Mi Li Si was.

"Snow Eagle Guard!"

Wa Luo Gen said quickly, "Over four hundred snow eagles, the entire Etes family has deployed them." The whole Etes family has only about six hundred snow eagles; last time in the Lao Bo Di Er Principality more than two hundred were killed, and the remaining are all here.

"Xi Ka Liu Si, go eliminate them." Lei En gave the order.

"Yes, boss!"

The Extreme Warriors had long been riding Flame Dragons; they never took off, merely waiting for the Snow Eagle Guard to appear.

Amid the howling gale, forty‑eight Flame Dragons rose into the air, confronting enemies nearly ten times their number.

"Roar…"

A few dragon roars echoed across the sky.

Bo Er Qi, Yi Geng, Jia La De Luo Si, and Xin Da La each revealed their giant dragon forms, their wings blotting out the sun, emitting terrifying draconic might as they surged straight at the over four hundred snow eagles.

This was the strategy set earlier: the Snow Eagle Guard was assigned to the Extreme Warrior Corps and the giant dragons, and it would be best for the air force to handle them.

Clack—clack—clack—clack…

Dense gunfire rang out over Jinsilan, and the Extreme Warriors opened fire first. Within seconds, a snow eagle let out a mournful cry and fell, but that was only the beginning; the range of Lambo's Spear far exceeded that of the Eagle Song Hunter, and every second a snow eagle was shot down, blood and feathers scattering across the sky.

Lei En observed the battle in the sky and noticed something was off.

A few survivors from the previous battle were in the Snow Eagle Guard; they surely knew Lambo's Spear's range, yet they still bravely charged the Extreme Warriors at high speed, using their comrades' lives as living shields, just to close the distance so that Flame Dragons and Extreme Warriors could enter their bow range.

This required a huge price; with the firepower of Flame Dragons and Extreme Warriors, they might never reach the front, and the snow eagles would be wiped out.

Not to mention the four powerful giant dragons; approaching them was tantamount to courting death.

Nevertheless, the Snow Eagle Guard paid no heed to any of this.

One by one, the snow eagles' wings lit with white light, accelerating as they flew wildly from different directions toward the Extreme Warriors, as if only to see the enemy clearly before death.

"Do not linger in battle; pull back distance immediately."

Lei En sensed something amiss; though he didn't know the cause, he decisively used original-body symbiosis to order the Extreme Warriors not to allow the Snow Eagle Guard to get within contact range.

Doing so would reduce the efficiency of shooting enemies, but safety comes first; each Extreme Warrior is precious and cannot be risked.

The Extreme Warriors, upon receiving the order, immediately triggered the Flame Dragons' "Raging Flame Dive", their wings igniting in crimson fire, speed surging, and they all rose skyward, instantly breaking out of the Snow Eagle Guard's aerial encirclement and pulling the distance to a safe margin.

A flash of cyan spirit light barely brushed past the Flame Dragons' feet and vanished into the air.

A warning bell rang loudly in Lei En's mind.

He couldn't immediately identify the spell, but judging from the magical flux, it was at least a Seven-ring Spell; the spirit light was cone‑shaped, covering an enormous area, and if the Flame Dragons hadn't suddenly accelerated upward, at least two‑thirds of them would have been hit by the spell.

Lei En instantly located the caster.

The opponent was hidden on the back of a snow eagle, concealed behind the Eagle Song Hunter, his whole body shrouded in hazy light and shadow; Truth Will pierced the shadows, revealing a wizard in a gray robe wearing a featureless mask, making his origin impossible to discern.

The Soul Eye could not penetrate the mask, unable to see the face, but could read the opponent's soul details.

Legendary High-rank, eighteenth‑level Elementalist!

"I'll take this one."

Kai De Jia also saw through the Legendary Wizard's invisibility, hummed, vanished, and a second later appeared near that snow eagle; pointing a finger, the entire snow eagle burst into a spray of blood, and the Eagle Song Hunter on its back died instantly.

The unknown-element Elementalist was forced to reveal himself, eyes filled with dread, instantly opening a random door and stepping through, vanishing again.

Kai De Jia gently twirled his staff, flashing as he chased after them.

Two Legendary High-rank Wizards began a spell duel in the sky, the Snow Eagle Guard lost its protection, its formation instantly fell into chaos, and the Extreme Warriors, exploiting their range advantage, shot them down en masse.

West of Jinsilan City, the Ice Wolf Knight Order and the Golden Lion Brigade charged at each other, each reaching its maximum speed.

The ground rumbled loudly, as if an earthquake had struck.

The sun in the east rose, its first ray shining down; both sides in the charge could now see the enemy's faces clearly, and a brutal clash was about to occur.

At the hair‑breadth moment, the high‑speed sprinting Ice Wolf Knight Order suddenly split on both sides, leaving a passage in the middle.

The Golden Lion Brigade also contracted its formation, slipping right through the passage, crossing safely without harm.

(End of Chapter)