Chapter 1454: You Stand Down First

Chapter 1454 -1363: You Stand Down First

The Mud Ditch River flows from north to south, and it is considered a medium-sized river in the Dawn Island region.

At the bend, sediment accumulates to form a river heart islet, which is still expanding.

The islet is densely forested, and even has a small settlement of seven or eight houses, convenient for nearby villagers to come for logging and fishing.

The islet is connected to the east shore beachhead by a wooden bridge, usually wide enough for three to five people to walk side by side.

Standing on one side of the wooden bridge, looking at the literal meaning of the hustle across the river, Dass remained silent.

He squatted down gently, lowered the lantern, and was able to see the mud under the bridge’s wooden piles.

“Tsk, it’s the dry season.” Dass cursed softly.

Actually, this river heart islet isn’t far from the riverbank, and usually the river is wide, but this winter’s dry season makes the riverbed partially exposed.

An adult standing in the river can only reach the neck, which is really unfavorable for defensive combat.

Standing up, Dass continued to take out the binoculars to observe the situation at the riverbank beachhead.

From six or seven o’clock in the evening, the vampire assault had entered a fever pitch.

After repeated tug-of-war, the southern battle army groups distributed at Bone Marsh have mostly withdrawn, and still suffered losses of nearly a thousand.

With the appearance of the Royal Court’s main forces including the twelfth and second to sixth emissaries later, over nine thousand Holy Alliance troops at Bone Marsh were struggling to hold on.

However, Dass’s goal was to delay, he had to hold on until the Royal Court forces from Holy Grail Heights moved south, until Horn moved in through the central route, then it would be victory!

At least, relying on the beachhead defensive line, they could still hold on for another half hour, the river heart islet was estimated to hold for one or two hours, and the opposite shore could still hold for one or two hours.

Based on the analysts’ analysis of Konyaz’s past campaigns, he would definitely demand to attack the Mud Ditch River west bank at four or five in the morning.

By seizing enough advantage, it could offset the disadvantage vampires faced at dawn.

“Sir, the cavalry reports that the subsequent fifth and sixth emissaries have arrived.” Pressing down the hat lifted by the night breeze, the adjutant quickly approached.

“No rush, the place is just so big, can all forty thousand soldiers cram into the beachhead?” Dass continued observing with binoculars, but suddenly, he looked toward the river.

“Sir, the following four emissaries didn’t approach the beachhead, but instead headed south, maybe to cross the river in batches.”

“The river water is turbulent, we’ve also set up shore defense cannons, the river heart islet is the most crucial point…”

At this point, Dass suddenly stopped talking, only silently turning the binoculars upstream.

“What happened, sir?”

Putting down the binoculars, under the reflection of the fire on the opposite shore, Dass’s face turned ashen.

“I see many horses and zombies in the river, being swept downstream by the current…”

The adjutant didn’t react at first: “Isn’t it normal for there to be zombies in the river… ah! Could it be?”

“Immediately order Chechisen to withdraw the troops at the beachhead, defending the bridge is now meaningless!”

“Yes.”

Watching the adjutant hastily leave, Dass punched the bridge pile.

He should have realized earlier, vampires were attacking this time without regard for cost and future!

……

“Holy Father above, is this the true demon?”

Looking at the giant figure in the night, even the usually steadfast Holy Alliance soldiers couldn’t help but freeze.

Steel-headed night flares carved colorful paths in the darkness, like meteors striking the flesh titans.

Their average height exceeds three meters, their black steel heavy armor gives off a clanking sound resembling a train with every step.

Whenever a flesh titan swung a war hammer or great sword, the confronting hunters or Royal Court forces were sent flying and rolling like rag dolls.

On the beachhead, there’s a succession of bone-cracking sounds and the dull thud of bodies hitting the ground.

“Wretched humans, this is your self-inflicted fate!”

“Weaklings, why do you fight?!”

Casually grabbing a Holy Alliance soldier by the head, the flesh titan laughed wildly, hurling him towards the fortifications.

The sixteen-year-old soldier flew in an arc, crashing heavily to the ground amidst the desperate shouts of the Corps Commander and military chaplain.

The crisp sound of bone cracking accompanied by panting like a broken bellows, just as some soldiers tried pulling him back to the bunker trench they were subjected to vampire volley.

They could only watch in despair as the young soldier convulsed, bled out completely, and finally fell silent.

Lead bullets whizzed through the fire and smoke, while the flesh Titans kept charging toward the fortifications, constantly surrounded by the soldiers of the Royal Court.

The soldiers whose fortifications had been breached could only run through the trenches, sometimes turning to fire suppressive volleys, sometimes ducking their heads and running.

The flesh Titans followed right after, mockingly toyed with them, taking out the isolated Royal Court soldiers one by one.

Finally, a Corps Commander could no longer hold back.

He glanced back at those few flesh Titans left alone, gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, “Counterattack!”

The Holy Alliance Infantry Manual, deeply ingrained in their souls, quickly took effect, and the Holy Alliance infantry instinctively spread to the sides and fired volleys at the flesh Titans.

The steel-headed luminous bullets that could cut down Royal Court soldiers like harvesting wheat only left dents in the thick black steel armor.

Occasionally, lead bullets pierced the armor, and steel bullets struck flesh, at most causing the muscles to wriggle, forcing the lead out.

Only when a cannonball from a three-pounder hit their bodies did they change expressions and hastily retreat.

But now, there’s still a distance to the best artillery position.

Not just the Corps Commander, even the Military Chaplain turned pale: “Who gave you the orders? The higher-ups have ordered us to retreat!”

However, it was already too late, as nearly fifty soldiers surrounded them from all directions.

“Levke!”

The leading flesh Titan suddenly roared, while the foremost flesh Titan just smiled and pulled out a shotgun from behind.

At the moment of seeing the shotgun, the Corps Commander shouted to get down.

Levke whipped out the small shotgun, aiming it at the surrounding soldiers.

Blasting lead shot and steel pellets bounced and collided against chest armor and flesh, in an instant, a rain of blood and white bone fragments fell from the sky.

As for those soldiers who had just dropped down and hadn’t gotten up yet, a phantom-like greatsword danced before their eyes.

Blood swirled round and round in the night sky, and in no time, more than fifty Holy Alliance soldiers were reduced to half.

“Boom—”

A three-pounder cannonball smashed the small trees by the side, and the flesh Titans finally stopped their slaughter.

They looked further away, seeing under the protection of nearly a hundred Royal Court soldiers, a dozen three-pounder cannons slowly being pushed closer, and only then did they curse under their breath.

Surveying around, seeing not a single Holy Alliance soldier standing on the retreat path, the flesh Titans finally gave a thumbs-up, wiped their necks, and retreated.

Leaping amidst trenches and fortifications, the Titans’ wild laughter still echoed through the night sky.

With agile bounds, they leapt over several trenches when suddenly a long spear hooked the last flesh Titan.

“Levke!” The leading flesh Titan shouted.

“Don’t worry about me, just a few close-combat soldiers, I’ll deal with them briefly and catch up right away.”

……

“Damn it, damn it, I’ve said before, if you encounter flesh Titans prioritize defense, without full armor don’t even think about counterattacking!” Cheholisen stood at the artillery position, furious.

“Where’s that Corps Commander? I’ll personally send him to the military court!”

Wrapped in a blanket, the Military Chaplain just gave a bitter smile: “Anthony has already died in battle.”

Cheholisen’s curse halted in his mouth, and after a moment, he spoke again: “Continue to block the retreat, reiterate once more…”

“Cheholisen, stand down first.” A charming voice sounded above everyone’s heads, and moments later, a petite figure descended from the sky.

She waved towards Novia mid-air and then looked around.

Cheholisen immediately saluted: “Mistress Louise, is there an urgent military command?”

Throwing the order to Cheholisen, Louise looked towards the battlefield: “There’s no need to hold the beachhead any longer, the whole army returns to River Heart Island immediately, the sooner the better.”

“Immediately?” As Cheholisen confirmed the order, the adjutant couldn’t help but ask, “What about the enemy’s offensive?”

“Leave part of the rear guard, His Eminence has deployed seven witches, arriving in fifteen minutes!”

“But why? Has something happened at River Heart Island?” Having confirmed the order, Cheholisen couldn’t help but ask.

“There’s no point continuing to defend the bridge.” Louise took a deep breath, “The vampires have used zombies to build a dam directly on the upstream channel at River Heart Island, we need more troops to defend a wider frontline.”

“… Oh, fuck!”