Chapter 477: The Breakout Begins!

Such final farewells and arrangements from families like House Austin were happening everywhere throughout the army.

Especially among the lesser nobles.

Because their strength was weaker, and they were more likely to encounter danger and mishaps.

And Mil, Ian, and the others, although they had not brought their heirs, were likewise making mutual requests of one another.

"Everyone, the risk of this breakout is extremely high. I'm not certain I can withdraw safely."

"So, I implore you all here—if I die in battle, please, for the sake of our past friendship, look after my eldest son, who is only ten years old!"

"Same here, everyone—if in the future some disaster or danger befalls my territory, please, you must help me out."

"Since we're all of the same mind, let's make a pact: whichever families manage to break out and return today will, from now on, help look after the other families!"

"No problem, then it's settled!"

And so, Mil and the other members of the Border Alliance completed their pact.

"Sigh! It's a pity Gervas isn't here. If he were, he'd have the highest chance of breaking out successfully this time, and if we could entrust this matter to him, we wouldn't have to worry too much about the safety of our territories in the future!"

"Right! If Gervas were here, we could entrust him with looking after our territories for a few years, and once our heirs grew up, the territories could settle down again!"

"Everyone, I think Gervas definitely wouldn't have died so easily—maybe he's still alive! After all, that day no one clearly saw Gervas's face." Mil couldn't help but speak up at this moment.

The other nobles fell silent at his words. Although they too hoped such a thing were true, everyone knew the likelihood was not great.

After all, the beastmen had no reason to forge a head of Gervas to deceive people, had they?

Gervas had previously deliberately let Mil take the credit for his fame.

Therefore, Gervas was considered rather "unknown" within the army, completely unable to serve the purpose of crushing the kingdom army's morale.

Unless…the beastmen wanted to round out a number.

"Baron Mil, we hope that's true too. Sigh, everyone, let's start mustering! Prepare in advance!" Ian patted Mil's shoulder in comfort.

Mil's hand clenched tight for a moment, and finally loosened.

"Damn beastmen—if we really can't break out, then I, Mil, will kill my fill this time, to avenge Gervas!"

"Right, me too, count me in!"

"Me too! I want to avenge Gervas as well!"

……

Wooooo!

Several minutes later, the sound of horns suddenly rang out at Lindongbao.

The Grand Commander had said the breakout would happen in an hour, but in fact, after only half an hour, he set out with the greater nobles.

Moreover, it had been said earlier that the breakout would be along the mountain path outside Lindongcheng.

Yet at this moment, the Grand Commander and the greater nobles had instead arrived before the great gate located within Lindongcheng.

The reason for this, naturally, was to catch the beastmen off guard.

After all, it had been confirmed that the beastmen had spies within the army, so the breakout news just given was very likely impossible to keep hidden.

And indeed it was so—after the order was issued, the Grand Commander and the two dukes had been observing the beastmen's movements from the castle's commanding height.

Ten minutes earlier, they had indeed seen a large contingent of beastmen leave Lindongcheng and head to the foot of the mountain pass outside the city.

Moreover, the beastmen were still continuously shifting troops at this moment.

This showed that the beastmen had indeed received the secret report.

However, the Grand Commander made use of exactly this, and together with the two dukes decided on the spot to immediately begin the breakout operation.

And thanks to the breakout's main force being the greater nobles, there was no need to relay complicated orders, giving the beastmen extra time to react.

Taking a deep breath, the Grand Commander ordered: "Open the great gate!"

Creak, creak!

As the sound rang out, the great gate of Lindongbao, which connected to the rear of Lindongcheng, slowly opened.

"Northern Region cavalry, charge!"

The gate fully opened, and while the beastmen outside were still shouting in agitation, the Grand Commander issued the assault order!

"Kill!"

Boom! Boom!

Immediately, the three thousand Northern Region cavalrymen spurred their horses into a gallop, charging out through the gate.

A breakout battle naturally differed greatly from a normal battle.

In a normal battle, the best method was to use the lesser nobles' cannon fodder to wear down the enemy's effective strength, then deploy elites to rout the enemy in one stroke.

This method did not care about time, but about the scale of casualties and losses.

A breakout battle, however, required charging out of the encirclement at the fastest speed, to avoid being entangled by the enemy.

Therefore, a breakout battle would use the most powerful troops as the vanguard, to tear open the enemy's defensive line like a sharp blade.

Hence, now the army's only three thousand Northern Region cavalry formed the vanguard.

Following them were the elite soldiers of the Northern Region Legion, and after that the greater nobles' soldiers.

Once the greater nobles' soldiers had also charged out through the gate, it would be the turn of the lesser nobles' ranks.

In an instant, the cries of battle filled Lindongcheng.

Wooooo!

The beastmen horns also sounded urgently, notifying beastmen units from other sectors to come support, especially the unit outside the city.

"Quick, don't get bogged down—we're breaking out through the south gate!"

At this moment, time was life itself.

The kingdom army needed to break through the beastmen's encirclement at the fastest speed.

Otherwise, once the beastmen all mustered back, their hope of breaking out would become slim.

At the Grand Marshal's shout, the entire army fought with all their might.

Even the aerial knights of both sides, who had barely engaged each other until now, joined the battle.

Griffin knights and Bloodsucking Bat knights clashed fiercely in the sky.

And thanks to the Grand Marshal's feint, the breakout speed at this moment became extremely fast.

The three thousand light cavalry ahead were like a sharp blade, swiftly tearing toward the south gate of Lindongcheng City.

"The south wall gate is just ahead, everyone hold on!!"

Some twenty-plus minutes later, the vanguard of the army finally saw Lindongcheng City's south gate.

As long as they charged through this south gate, their breakout would be half accomplished.

"Northern Region light cavalry, charge!"

"Kill!"

The light cavalry who received the order paid no heed to the hundreds of beastmen waiting for them ahead, whipped their horses, and launched another charge!

Bang bang bang!

Muffled thuds rang out, some from beastmen being sent flying by warhorses.

And some from light cavalry being struck by beastmen's greataxes or wolf-fang clubs, then men and horses tumbling together.

"Quick, charge through, support the light cavalry!"

Seeing the light cavalry's advance slowing, the great nobles behind dared not delay, immediately ordering their subordinates to go support them.

After another fierce bout of fighting, some seven or eight minutes later, the beastmen blocking the army's path were finally dealt with.

"Quick, open the gate!"

Seeing all obstacles cleared, the Grand Marshal and the great nobles were overjoyed, immediately ordering their subordinates to go open the gate.

Although the city walls above were still occupied by the beastfolk, as long as the gate was opened and everyone could charge out of the city, paying some losses would be fine!

Creak! Creak!

The familiar groaning sounds came, and the Grand Marshal and great nobles felt for the first time that this usually grating noise was so wonderful.

With two bangs, the gate fully opened.

"Northern Region cavalry, attack, we leave the city now!"

Although there were also a small number of obstructions outside the city, they certainly could not stop the kingdom's army.

Thus, the Grand Marshal issued the charge order once more.

And the light cavalry, as brave as ever, prepared to charge the five or six hundred beastmen who had just gathered outside the city.

Rumble! Rumble!

The roaring sound passed through the gate tunnel, and the first row of five or six Northern Region cavalry charged out of the tunnel side by side.

And just as they raised their lances, preparing to engage the beastmen some dozens of meters away at close quarters—

Suddenly, they felt the warhorses beneath them plunge into emptiness, and their bodies uncontrollably tumbled toward the ground.