Chapter 379: The Orcs' Ambush!

Time passed, second by second.

Although the servant troops inside the wooden fortress fought hard, due to their numerical disadvantage and crude equipment—most wielding wooden spears and stone axes—the soldiers of the Vanguard Camp gradually began to scale the walls.

At this moment, the nobles knew the critical moment had arrived.

They immediately dispatched orderlies, commanding their respective elite guards to advance, hoping to capture the wooden fortress in one concerted push.

Even Commander Ryan, no longer sparing his legion soldiers, issued an order for all legion troops to launch a full-scale assault.

In an instant, the fighting on the front wall and the left-side city wall grew even more intense.

For as the elite guards appeared, the orcs likewise joined the battle.

However, compared to the front and left walls, the Southern Region Legion on the right side now seemed unable to bear it.

For those two thousand soldiers were still standing right where they were!

Immediately, all the nobles kept glancing at Mil.

Obviously, they hoped the Southern Region nobles led by Mil would also exert themselves to secure victory in this campaign in one stroke.

Ryan could finally hold back no longer, given the current situation.

The two hundred orcs within the camp had been completely drawn away by them; only five or six hundred servant troops remained on the right, presenting an opportunity of a lifetime.

"My Lord Mil, now is the best chance to capture this wooden fortress in one stroke. I wonder if the Southern Region force can launch a full-scale attack?"

"Uh..." Mil froze, glancing subtly at Gervas.

Gervas shook his head almost imperceptibly, and Mil's face immediately twisted into a bitter grimace.

"This... this... Commander Ryan, I think we should wait a little longer!"

Huh!

The nobles never expected such an answer.

Commander Ryan had actually been observing Gervas from the corner of his eye all along.

He had seen Gervas shake his head.

Immediately, he too wore an expression of helplessness.

Although, thanks to his previous merit, he could grant Gervas maximum 'freedom'.

For instance, the earlier battle could be dragged out, or strength could be deliberately preserved.

But now, the campaign had reached its critical moment.

If the Southern Region force encountered trouble here.

Even he, the Commander of the Vanguard Camp, would be hard-pressed to escape blame afterward.

"My Lord Mil, then when do you plan to make your move..."

"This..."

Mil was nearly in tears.

This has nothing to do with me!

You should all be asking Gervas!

Facing the nobles' confused and questioning gazes, Mil felt as though he were being pricked by needles.

"Roar, roar, roar! Orc warriors, kill!"

However, just then, an unexpected change erupted.

Shouts of battle suddenly echoed from afar.

Everyone was startled and immediately turned to look back at the wooden fortress.

Yet, what puzzled them was that the orcs inside the fortress were still locked in combat with their own soldiers, making no extra moves.

Then, from where had that roar just come?

"Ah, look over there, on the right... on the right hill, are those orcs?"

"Damn it, it's orcs! There's an orc ambush in the woods on the right hill!"

However, quickly, a noble noticed the real problem.

Inside the woods on that right hill, a group of orcs could be seen faintly, charging down the slope.

In an instant, all the nobles broke out in a cold sweat.

"Quick, order the soldiers to retreat and defend! It's an orc ambush!"

"Yes! Quickly recall the troops! If we get flanked by the orcs on both sides, we will surely suffer heavy losses!"

"It's too late! Our subordinates are already locked in combat with the orcs inside the wooden fortress!"

The nobles panicked.

Although judging by the scale, the ambushing orcs numbered only two or three hundred.

Yet, given the orcs' combat power, plus the suddenness of the attack in the wilderness, it would inevitably have a huge impact on today's battle.

Thus, the best course of action now was to withdraw the subordinates first, avoiding them being flanked on both sides and then routed.

Unfortunately, it was all too late.

The timing of the orc sortie was perfect, coming just after their elite soldiers had also climbed the wooden walls.

If they retreated now, they would instead immediately collapse, while also losing their elite troops.

Ryan's face was equally solemn; he instinctively glanced at Gervas.

And when he saw Gervas's calm and composed demeanor, he paused slightly in surprise.

"Could it be..."

Ryan thought of the Southern Region force's strange behavior just now, and an inexplicable flutter arose in his heart.

"Spearmen, form ranks!"

Just then, shouts echoed from afar!

Yet the two thousand Southern Border soldiers, who had previously seemed to be slacking off, began to move.

The two thousand men, with one hundred spearmen at their core, after assembling, actually advanced actively toward the forest at the foot of the mountain.

"This..." The nobles, seeing this scene, wore expressions of shock and doubt on their faces, and all turned to look at Gervas.

Gervas was actually in a state of shock as well, but feeling the gazes of the surrounding nobles, he immediately lifted his head high.

"Orc warriors! Kill!"

"Spearmen! Thrust!"

"Kill!"

Moments later, the orcs and the two thousand Southern Border soldiers finally collided.

Just as the nobles were praying that these two thousand Southern Border soldiers could hold off the orcs' surprise attack, a scene that both shocked and delighted them appeared.

Those orcs, whose momentum of charging into the Southern Border formation had been fierce, suddenly came to a halt; the next instant, they were forcibly stopped by that peculiar spearman phalanx.

So, this was how the Southern Border Legion dealt with the orcs that night?

Now, the nobles finally understood how the Southern Border Legion had defeated the orcs that had been lured away that night.

This is how it should be!

We are all minor nobles; why can your guards not fear the orcs?

It turns out it is due to the weapons!

The nobles all committed those spears to memory, preparing to find a way to assemble one after the fact.

Once assembled, they would no longer need to fear the northern campaigns in the future.

Gervas sensed the emotions of these nobles, yet, naturally, he remained outwardly calm.

That spear phalanx stopping the orcs seemed simple.

In truth, apart from his subordinates, others would likely find it difficult to achieve.

Not to mention the density of the formation, the coordination of combat, and the courage of the soldiers.

Just the strength alone; this point would be very difficult for other nobles to replicate.

Without sufficient strength, a single sweep of an orc's mace could sweep away a large swath of spears.

Therefore, this spear phalanx dealing with orcs is feasible only for him, Gervas.

Even if other nobles replicated it, they could only deal with opponents of similar strength, such as humans.

Roar, roar, roar!

At this moment, roars came from the distant battlefield; those were the orcs' anger and unwillingness.

And after their frontal assault on the spear phalanx was frustrated, they naturally sought a breakthrough among the guard units on both flanks.

But this time, Gervas gave them no chance; instead, he actively pressed these orcs from both flanks.

It was seen that Gervas's two hundred and fifty sword-wielding guards, holding shields, were positioned at the very front of the formation, pressing the orcs toward the forest behind.

Of course, from a distance, this scene appeared as the orcs being forced into the forest by nearly two thousand black-clad noble soldiers.

After all, the group of nobles was also positioned on flat ground and simply could not see the scene at the very front line.

And after entering the forest, the Storm Guards wasted no time, immediately dispersing to begin actively surrounding and killing these orcs.

The orcs had originally believed that once inside the forest, the humans' tight formation could not function, and the advantage would be theirs.

But truly entering the forest and witnessing the strength of these humans, they were each filled with shock and fear.

Since when could such short humans contend with them in single combat?