Chapter 1438 - 1347: Shouldn’t Have Gone South

Chapter 1438: Chapter 1347: Shouldn’t Have Gone South

The roar of cannon fire, iron balls and lead bullets flying across.

On the open ground at the mouth of the valley, rows of Holy Alliance soldiers and Royal Court soldiers exchanged fire as they advanced between the wheat fields and streams.

Wheat stalks snapped by lead bullets, streams occasionally sending up water columns, and misfired cannonballs smashing into the village cottage walls, causing roofs to collapse, beams to break, and dust to scatter.

The cuirasses reflecting morning light under the sun, red and black lines of varying lengths and widths constantly advancing and retreating.

Occasionally, an array of Holy Alliance soldiers would collapse, and occasionally a Royal Court array would collapse.

Under the hooves of the cuirassier cavalry and blood knights, wedge-shaped clouds of dust rose up, with the clangorous sounds of cavalry charging back and forth incessantly ringing out.

Standing on the hillside halfway up the valley, Serafe felt her brain trembling.

This wasn’t the outcome she wanted to see!

At this moment, waiting at the mouth of the valley should only be the orderly ranks of twenty thousand Royal Court soldiers, without the presence of Holy Alliance forces.

Taking a few more steps forward, Serafe could see those Royal Court troops were actually clan troops!

Even though her plans involved clan troops, otherwise she couldn’t lure Horn into action.

But these were clan troops, actually disguised Royal Palace troops, otherwise what if Horn truly dealt them a blow?

At a minimum, there had to be some force.

These soldiers now, she could see clearly, were proper clan troops.

Otherwise, how could they be pushed into such a disadvantage by the five thousand soldiers of the Holy Alliance battle group?

Where did this plan go wrong?

Where did this elite Holy Alliance battle group come from?

What should be done next?

Should she follow the original plan or focus primarily on damage control?

Damn it, Serafe felt her mind was muddled, the more she thought, the more chaotic it became, lacking the clarity she had in the witch’s remains.

Bear in mind, the Wolf Woman’s body had been transformed by the True God Witch’s power, absolutely reaching the limits of an elven brain.

And while Serafe might have been decent in her earlier years, now...

Before she could figure it out, a dozen blood knights rushed in.

After verifying their identities and dismounting, these vampires eagerly bowed: "Your Majesty, we’ve come to assist you, quickly retreat!"

"Retreat? Assistance? Assist to where?" Serafe was almost amused in anger.

"Your Majesty, there’s no time for explanations, quickly get on the horse!"

Lakunio followed suit: "Your Majesty, first avoid the enemy’s edge, we must assess the situation before discussing the next move..."

Muttering about avoiding the edge, Serafe had no choice but to mount the horse and retreat with the remaining three thousand troops.

With the situation as it was, Serafe had no other choice but to take it step by step.

The cavalry first circled behind a hill, ran under a barrage of flying bullets and mud kicked up by cannonballs, before gradually heading north.

Serafe knew that beyond the open field at the mouth of the valley, going north would lead to plains, which were certainly suitable for maneuvering.

After picking up Serafe, the clan troops couldn’t linger, waiting for the Western Battle Army and the other three battle armies to join up.

Leaving a part of the rear guard, the main force began to retreat, while the remaining Western Battle Army didn’t pursue, just waiting for the allied forces from the valley.

Her body rocked on the saddle, cold winds whipping past her cheeks, while she learned the situation from the accompanying soldiers.

"The Western Army from Shalan Castle marched south?" For the first time, a visible look of shock appeared on Serafe’s usually calm face.

If the Royal Court army’s wild advance was like a long spear, then the position of Shalan Castle was akin to a longsword raised mid-shaft.

Though it had been slow to strike, once it did, it could sever the retreat of the Royal Court army.

Its existence was partly to await a future opportunity and also to constrain the Royal Court forces attacking the new five counties.

It shouldn’t have gone south!

Because it was a longsword poised above the forehead, most threatening when it hadn’t yet struck.

From another perspective, it wouldn’t strike until critical moments.

Yet now, it headed straight south, blocking the six thousand Royal Palace troops returning from the new five counties, while driving out the twenty thousand clan troops at the Heat Valley pass.

How did the Holy Alliance predict the Royal Palace troops’ return from the new five counties? This obviously illogical move, they shouldn’t have anticipated it.

She thought she’d endured through six days, expecting smooth roads ahead.

How come now she discovered that smooth road seemed farther away than she’d thought?

This shouldn’t be the case, it should have been Holy Alliance battle groups lured out of the valley by Royal Palace troops posing as clan troops.

Then, since they couldn’t anticipate the Royal Palace troops’ illogical retreat from the new five counties, they would be surrounded by the subsequent Royal Palace troops.

Part of the army trapped in the Winter Embrace River valley, part blocked in the basin outside the valley.

At this moment, the Holy Alliance army couldn’t advance nor retreat, setting the stage for a complete annihilation, killing Horn.

What does the Western Battle Army marching south mean? What does six thousand Royal Palace troops blocked by fifteen thousand Western Battle Army mean?

This isn’t according to plan, Serafe refuses to accept it!

Seemingly noticing Serafe’s confusion, a clan cavalry officer reminded her: "Your Majesty, the Deep Sea..."

"Deep Sea—" Serafe’s expression turned calm, though uttering the name caused a grinding sound from her jaw.

Amidst the surge of emotions, Deep Sea Lakunio caught up: "Your Majesty, what’s the current status of the returning Royal Palace troops?"

This statement awakened Serafe, and she immediately inquired about the situation, with the cavalry officer replying they would reroute to join her.

As expected, the three battle groups of the Western Army couldn’t hold back the Royal Palace troops, they could only delay the withdrawal.

Though the Western Battle Army retreated, Konyaz couldn’t lead the Royal Palace army in pursuit.

If they pursued all the way to the mouth of the valley, they’d run into Horn’s full force with three battle armies, wouldn’t it be catastrophic?

So even if the Western Battle Army retreated, Konyaz must lead the Royal Palace troops north before detouring to meet up with Serafe.

"That’s good." Lakunio nodded.

Serafe squinted her eyes, her lower eyelid twitching uncontrollably, perhaps pondering, only continuing quietly: "Lakunio, what do you think we should do next?"

"All dependent on Your Majesty’s decision, I am here to complete your dreams." Lakunio was respectful, while Serafe remained noncommittal.

She turned to the cavalry who came to assist: "I used myself as bait to draw Horn here, and entrusted the external affairs to Konyaz, given the current situation, he’s most knowledgeable, did he mention the next plan?"

"He mentioned it, but he plans to tell you in person..."

"Can he change anything by telling me in person? What does he mean? Just tell me directly."

After a moment of hesitation, the cavalry officer spoke Konyaz’s stance under Serafe’s pressure.

"Lord Konyaz indicated the plan’s preparation phase has failed, and with changed preconditions, it’s unwise to continue following the original plan..."

"Damn it..." Serafe forcibly swallowed the latter half of her word, coldly speaking: "Summon the twelve Angel Envoys and clan elders when he arrives, to discuss."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In the cold sleet, Serafe and her entourage crossed the winding streams, galloping towards the encampment behind.