When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#361 - Battle of Black Mountain (end of the first battle)

"Praise the Holy Wind!"

The whistling sound of airflow passing through the balance holes traveled from the left wing all the way to the right wing. Wherever the whistling sound appeared, a Holy Gunner's body would suddenly jolt and lean back.

The firing rod and gun barrel rubbed violently, and sparks even came out of the muzzle.

80 rounds in the front, 40 rounds crisscrossing on the left and right sides, 120 rounds in total sped through the air. Because of the front kneeling and rear standing firing position, the barrage was even denser.

The crackling sound of lead bullets hitting armor caused both the knights and their horses to panic.

The knight's line, which had been running at full speed, suddenly paused.

The knights in the front row let out terrifying screams, warhorses neighed and reared up, and bursts of blood mist rose one after another.

These knights seemed to be hit by an invisible heavy hammer, and some even exaggeratedly seemed to be blown away.

The knights in the back row hadn't noticed yet, some couldn't stop their horses and were tripped by the horse corpses, and some blankly rushed past the fallen knights before reining in their horses and turning their heads to look.

Nearly twenty transcendent knights were lying or lying prone on the ground, on horseback, covering their chests or arms, with broken armor pieces and wriggling flesh exposed in their wounds.

The remaining knights frantically looked around, searching for the enemy.

"Is it the Devil Wind? Dodge!"

"It's all blown over, what are we dodging?"

"Hurry up and charge, the Holy Lord will protect us."

"Let the priest cast spells, why are we charging?"

Just as the transcendent knights were trying to reorganize from the chaos, Victor began to give orders again: "Holy Gunners, retreat and fire, retreat to the rear of the spear phalanx."

In fact, whether it's retreat firing or advance firing, it's all in place, so Victor had to add a sentence to order the direction of the Holy Gunners.

Amidst the rustling sound of clothes and breastplates rubbing, the first row of Holy Gunners stood up, propping themselves up with short supports, hung the short supports on their waists, and turned to walk backward through the gaps in the column.

The second row of Holy Gunners behind them put away their gun stands and followed the first row of Holy Gunners towards the rear.

After the first two rows of Holy Gunners passed through the passage, the last three rows of Holy Gunners took five steps forward in unison.

While the Holy Gunners who had finished firing were reloading and using reviving smelling salts, the first two rows of Holy Gunners once again aimed at the knights in front, one standing and one kneeling.

On this slope with an inclination of about 5°, while these Ibe knights were still hesitating, the second round of gunshots had already begun.

With a " snap" sound, a branch smashed on the Ibe knights' helmets.

Whizzing bullets passed through the bushes, and the crackling sound of popping beans rang out again, with armor fragments and people wailing.

Because this time they were hitting fixed targets, a full twenty people were hit because they stood stock-still in place.

Encountering nearly 20% casualties right from the start was something they had never encountered when suppressing rioters.

As the effects of the medicine gradually weakened, the suppressed fear and dread surged into their hearts once again.

They came to serve and take spoils, but dying here without even getting a chance to pay ransom was a huge loss.

Not knowing who started it, they quietly moved back a few steps. In a matter of seconds, the psychological defenses of these Ibe knights collapsed as quickly as the ranks in reality.

The Hussars cheered and charged from the side of the battle formation, pursuing the Ibe knights like a tide.

Their main targets were those lightly wounded knights who fell from their horses and those who were carrying heavily wounded soldiers and trying to leave together.

These transcendent human knights were too difficult to kill, and they ran very fast. If it weren't for the Hussars, it's estimated that less than a third of the knights would have actually been killed in these two rounds of attacks.

For slow-moving infantry, in addition to scouting and harassing, an important role of the Hussars is pursuit and finishing off.

…………

Before the hillside, arrows flew back and forth, sometimes rising from below the slope and landing on the slope, and sometimes rising from the slope and landing below the slope.

The lush green grass was full of broken arrows. The Kush knights volleyed left and right, hurried and very forceful.

On the high ground two or three hundred meters away from the Kush knights, 150 former rangers and hunters组成的弓箭手(弓箭手: archers) were exchanging arrows with the Kush knights.

However, after shooting until now, not a single person has been injured.

" Retreating?"

Domenico shot an arrow towards the towering slope, glanced at the smoke and dust of the central army, and immediately turned to ask the squire knights.

Although Domenico followed the charge with his knights, they did not charge into the central army together, but charged towards the right wing (i.e., Hohen's left wing).

Perhaps because they were charging the relatively steep right high ground (Hakuto's left-wing army), their speed was not fast.

The Ibe knights were already engaging with the Salvation Army, yet they were still shooting arrows at each other with the archers on the hillside and high ground.

" Yes, they've retreated."

"Did the Salvation Army pursue?"

" No."

"Alright, family members!" Domenico shouted to a group of relatives around him, " Released three arrows before battle, we've lived up to Lord Zelaken and Lord Nidersar, let's go."

" Go?" Several young Kush knights who had been pierced with several arrows because they charged too far forward asked in astonishment.

They squeezed their warhorses to Domenico's side: "Uncle Four, we haven't charged yet, why are we leaving?"

Domenico pulled an arrow from their armor and stuck it in the gap of his own shoulder armor: "If we don't go, what are we waiting for? Waiting for a banquet?"

"No, why?" A stubborn young Kush knight grabbed Domenico's reins: "If you don't explain it clearly, I won't go."

" Rebelled are you, let go!"

"You have to explain it clearly, it's a matter of a knight's honor."

" Tsk!"

Domenico tsk and explained to these few single-minded Kush knights: "Think about it, we only have four situations.

The first is that the Ibe army wins, we put in effort, a bunch of people die, and we end up with a bunch of injuries.

But ask your own family members, in this situation, can we get credit?"

The young Kush knight wanted to argue, but perhaps he remembered his father and brothers' conversation and fell silent.

"The second is that the Ibe army wins, we don't put in effort, we don't get credit but we don't have losses, which is the best.

The third is that the Ibe army loses, which is the worst.

We put in effort, lost a lot of people, and suffered a bunch of injuries. Then, who do you think they will blame?

It can't be Lord Nidersar's fault, it can't be the Golden River Archbishop's fault, who do you guess is at fault?"

"Don't guess, it's us." A middle-aged Kush knight with a slippery aura said as he walked, "Who didn't have valor when they were young? It's not that I'm cowardly, it's that valor is useless."

"The fourth is that the Ibe army loses, we don't put in effort, we don't lose anything, but the Salvation Army said that Kush people don't fight Kush people..."

Domenico chuckled twice: "Our people are doing well in Jeanne d'Arc Fortress, but many other knights have been hanged. Even if we lose our knight status, we can at least save a life.

Even if the Salvation Army doesn't succeed, we've preserved our strength, and they've suffered heavy losses. Instead, they'll have to rely on us. At that time, we won't be fish on a chopping board!"

These Kush knights who were on the battlefield for the first time seemed to have their worldviews refreshed. They muttered for a while, but still followed Domenico's steps in silence.

Just like their fathers and brothers before them, Domenico's knights were basically like this.

"Uncle Four, did you think of all this yourself?" A young Kush knight asked.

Domenico didn't answer at first, but after being asked annoyed, he sullenly said: "Old grandmother told me, can you rest assured now?"

The Kush knights slowly came down from the hillside, and just as they reached the battle formation, a central army messenger came galloping.

"What are Lord Zelaken's instructions?"

"It's Lord Nidersar." The messenger corrected, "He orders you to reorganize your formation, do not attack the high ground, attack the enemy's left wing from the side, without delay!"

"Where is Lord Nidersar?" After taking the warrant, Domenico grabbed the messenger's hand who wanted to leave.

" Lord Nidersar discovered an opportunity and is flanking the enemy's right wing from the side!"