Everyone thought Aila was lucky, that her proactive nature, liveliness, and charm were why Lord Chen Yan favored her. Not only did she get the chance to dine with them, but she was also taught how to use the automatic cooker, becoming an indispensable right-hand person to Chen Yan. In fact, Chen Yan also found Aila approachable and proactive. It was she who had initially provided the guarantee for Asold, which is why Chen Yan had asked her to invite the Yellow Rose Knights to dine. After all, everyone knew each other, and it wouldn't be awkward. It probably wouldn't have had the same effect if Lina had done it. Everyone's judgment was correct; Aila's lively personality would increasingly earn Chen Yan's trust, making her a crucial link between him and the refugees, and even the local powers.
As soon as the cutlery on the tablecloth settled, Posses rose and walked to Chen Yan. The hem of her skirt swept across the tiled floor, the clean surface reflecting a person's outline. "Lord Chen Yan." Called upon, Chen Yan put down his chopsticks and stood up, facing Posses directly. She curtsied slightly, her golden hair falling over her shoulders, obscuring a flicker of complexity in her eyes. "Thank you for your generous hospitality."
"It is my duty," Chen Yan replied with a smile, his tone as casual as if speaking to an acquaintance. "You've traveled a long way, so of course, I must play the host."
"Play the host..." The four words landed softly. Posses's fingertips curled beneath her sleeve. When she looked up, her smile had regained its decorum. "Indeed. It is merely that due to our oversight, we did not bring enough provisions before departing. If not for Lord Chen Yan's care, allowing us to have a full meal, we might not have had the strength to draw our bows when the Imperial Army arrives at the city gates." It was a seemingly casual remark, but it hid a deeper meaning. Shifting her tone, her gaze drifted towards the white city walls outside the window. "I've heard you can discern enemy forces from a great distance. Could you tell us how many people the Empire has sent this time?"
"The current intelligence indicates fifteen thousand, a mix of infantry and cavalry, but they are only the vanguard," Chen Yan revealed, sharing the information he had gathered with Posses.
"Oh? What basis do you have for believing these fifteen thousand are just the vanguard?" Posses seemed to be probing Chen Yan, testing his capabilities.
"To devour a city, twenty thousand would indeed be sufficient, but to capture a nation, twenty thousand would be like an ant trying to shake a tree, inevitably falling into encirclement sooner or later. This doesn't even account for troop attrition and non-combat losses." Chen Yan, being a person from the modern era, understood ancient warfare strategy. No matter how formidable an army, to assault a city, three times the force was needed for encirclement, concentrating on a single point of attack to breach the defenses.
"What you say is reasonable. Then, according to your estimate, how many total troops will the Empire dispatch this time?" Posses wanted to delve deeper, but Chen Yan skillfully dodged. "Instead of making unrealistic speculations, it's better to focus on what's before us. These fifteen thousand vanguards will arrive soon. As for the main force..." Chen Yan gave a cold smile. "We'll know when they get here."
Posses had intended to gauge the Empire's strength to formulate a strategy for Italica, but upon reflection, Chen Yan's words made sense. If they couldn't even handle the vanguard before them, knowing the size of the main force would be futile.
"What you say is..." Posses trailed off, but her worry was evident on her face. She knew the Imperial Army's method of siege warfare: heavily armored infantry would swarm the city walls like ants, willing to pave their way with corpses.
Chen Yan looked at her taut jawline and suddenly understood her concern—simply saying "it's safe" wasn't enough; she needed to see it for herself. "Unassured?" he raised an eyebrow, pointing towards the bastion outside the window. "Then come with me to the battlements."
"To see what?"
"To see how this fortress wages war." Chen Yan, without donning helmet or armor, walked unarmed towards the meat grinder of battle.
"Lord Chen Yan, why aren't you wearing protective gear?" Chen Yan scoffed. "Protective gear? Unnecessary. The fortress's defense systems will handle most of the trouble. If there are any stragglers..." He turned to look at the Yellow Rose Knights, their gazes filled with curiosity, their armor clinking crisply. "Then I'll trouble you ladies for assistance."
Posses blinked, then understood—this was both an invitation and a show of force. He wanted her to witness firsthand that this fortress didn't rely solely on its stone walls but possessed fangs capable of tearing apart the "tide."
"Very well," she nodded, her voice gaining a touch of resolve. "I am eager to witness for myself how much weight your words of 'safety' truly carry, my lord."
Chen Yan smiled and turned to walk out of the dining hall. "I promise to open your eyes."
Behind him, the Yellow Rose Knights began to whisper amongst themselves. Amidst the clang of armor, a young knight couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Miss, are we really going to watch?"
"Yes," Posses replied, her steps unwavering, her gaze already fixed on the distant city walls. "Not only will we watch, but we will watch closely—this concerns Italica's next move."
The wind on the city walls must already carry the scent of gunpowder. She tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword at her waist and quickly followed.
"Too reckless!" Argo's electronic voice transmitted through the translation earpiece with intense emotional fluctuation. "Have you forgotten the very reason I established a combat command center? To observe the battlefield unarmed on the city walls—you are far too reckless!"
"My apologies, my apologies. But if I need to demonstrate our strength to Posses, this is the best stage," Chen Yan explained his reasons to Argo while apologizing.
"I understand that you are both engaged in a mutual game, but you shouldn't risk your life so carelessly," Argo paused. "You don't have any suicidal thoughts, do you?"
"No, I swear!" Chen Yan's tone became serious. "I may fall into despair, I may feel lost, but I will never take my own life. You can rest assured of that. And..." Chen Yan also fell silent for a moment, then said, "I want to see firsthand the weight of the lives I've taken, not through a screen."
"My pilot is truly quite willful," Argo quickly adjusted the defense system. "I will allocate some of the AI base station's computing power to deploy a swarm of drones to protect you. This is a one-time exception; it will not happen again, do you understand?"
"Understood! No exceptions!" As soon as Chen Yan finished his call, Posses stepped forward to ask, "Who were you speaking with?"
"Argo, my Iron Giant. I have communication equipment on my ear, allowing us to speak regardless of distance." Chen Yan brought his ear closer for Posses to see. However, this casual gesture caused the resolute young woman's heart rate to quicken. Even fighting on the battlefield hadn't made her heart race like this. Why now...?
"I... I thought it was some kind of earring..." Posses quickened her pace, not wanting Chen Yan to see her flushed cheeks. Perhaps the wind on the battlements cooled Posses's heated emotions. She stopped before the parapet and turned, no longer a graceful noblewoman, but a warrior with a determined face.
"Lord Chen Yan, what exactly are you? I've never heard of anything like this here." Chen Yan scratched his head. Although he had prepared himself and knew he would eventually have to reveal his identity, when it came time to confess, he found himself unable to utter a word.
"Could you give me some time..." Chen Yan's words held a hint of hesitation, or perhaps uncertainty. He didn't know where to begin or how much to reveal. "Once the immediate crisis passes, I will tell you."
"I apologize; I was too abrupt," Posses lowered her head, realizing now was not the time to discuss Chen Yan's origins. "With the enemy at our gates, I let my curiosity get the better of me and askedvous questions. Please forgive me."
Chen Yan intended to say, "It's nothing" or "I don't mind," but realizing the weight of a noblewoman's apology, such casual replies were inappropriate. "I accept your apology. As for your curiosity, I will satisfy it."
"Thank you very much," Posses looked up, her smile returning. Chen Yan thought this look suited her better.
"The enemy has arrived," Argo's cold electronic voice pulled Chen Yan back to reality. "They are faster than anticipated; they may have forced march."
Chen Yan's expression turned serious. Posses also sensed the approaching danger. She ordered the Yellow Rose Knights to spread out on the ramparts and monitor every move below the hills.
"Argo, build me a telescope next time, will you?" Chen Yan squinted at the distant hills, unable to spot any movement, doubting if it was due to the distance.
"There's no need." Argo's electronic voice didn't come from the earpiece but from beside him. A volleyball-sized drone floated silently at Chen Yan's shoulder, startling both him and Posses.
"When did you get here?" Chen Yan's tensed nerves almost snapped, but now they relaxed.
"Just now. You weren't in the command center, and I had no purpose staying there. The instructions can be issued from anywhere anyway." Argo's electronic voice carried a hint of resentment, like a stray puppy finding its owner and complaining. Chen Yan, knowing he was in the wrong, changed the subject. "Miss Posses, allow me to introduce my partner, Argo."
"Huh? Didn't you say Argo was that giant? Why is it a metal ball now? And floating in the air." Perhaps the words "metal ball" struck Chen Yan as funny; he stifled a laugh and replied, "This is just its avatar. The main body is still the giant. You see, sometimes when the giant can't enter, this metal ball... *snicker*... can follow me."
"So that's how it is. Then why is it floating?" "I don't know that either. If Argo is willing to say." "Reconnaissance confirms enemy engagement. This is absurd. Marching without rest, and no formation deployment? Such a commander must have mental issues."
Chen Yan and Posses felt the same. Chen Yan thought the Empire disregarded human lives, even their own people. Posses, however, felt a bit relieved; if it were a seasoned, stable general, there would be no opportunity.
Soon, the Imperial soldiers hidden in the woods shed their camouflage. Ten thousand sets of armor simultaneously made a dull thud, like a red-hot iron plate being pushed across the wilderness. The front-rank soldiers bent over, hoisting siege ladders. The wooden poles creaked under the strain. Their Adam's apples bobbed. First, a few scattered growls, then they coalesced into a deafening roar: "--Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The war cry, carrying the scent of sweat and rust, surged like a muddy wave, causing the city walls to tremble. The soldiers carrying the ladders strode forward, their iron boots crushing gravel, their footsteps drowned out by the roar. Their faces flushed red, eyes wide as if about to burst, each step pounded the ground, and the metal trim on their shields glinted in the sunlight.
"Charge! Charge! Charge!" The soldiers in the rear roared in unison, pushing the ones in front forward like a herd of enraged bulls. No one looked back, no one paused, all with the sole aim of reaching the wall as quickly as possible and engaging the defenders on the ramparts.
On the battlements, the wind suddenly stopped. Posses gazed at the surging tide of iron, listening to the echoes of the "kill" cries bouncing off the wall. She suddenly tightened her bowstring—this wasn't a charge; it was a pack of beasts tearing at their prey. Every shout carried the ferocity of mutual destruction. Even she, accustomed to scenes of battle, felt her heart tighten. The bowstring in her hand emitted a low hum.
"Prepare to fire." The Yellow Rose Knights were about to loose their arrows when Chen Yan stopped them. "No need. Save your arrows for Italica. Argo!"
"Drone swarm, commence attack." Argo's cold electronic voice issued the command. First, a few scattered silver lights pierced the sunlight, then thousands of drones, like an disturbed swarm of bees, descended from the sky, darkening it. Black gun barrels gleamed coldly. The whirring of rotors drowned out the human roars—the next second, red laser beams swept across the charging formations like a torrential downpour.
"Raise shields! Raise shields, quickly!" The front-rank captain roared, raising his iron shield. But the laser beams were as fine as a hair. As they penetrated the shield, they emitted only a "hiss," and the shield surface instantly burned with black holes. The armor of the soldiers hiding behind them cracked, and blood splattered along the trajectory of the light beams. No one had time to scream; the wounds were cauterized into charcoal by the high temperature.
The roar of the plasma cannons erupted immediately after. Azure energy orbs trailing flames plunged into the crowd. Upon impact, they exploded into waist-high mists of light. Iron shields curled and melted like paper in the mist. The soldiers carrying them, man and shield, were blasted into fragments. Limbs mixed with scorching metal debris scattered everywhere.
The soldiers carrying the siege ladders still surged forward, but the drones' strafing was a hundred times denser than an arrow shower. Some ladders were cut in half by lasers, and their bearers were instantly riddled with holes. Some had just hooked onto the battlements before being blown away by energy orbs, the entire ladder and its occupants crashing into a bloody pulp.
"Retreat! Quickly retreat!" Someone shouted this, but it was too late. The swarm of drones flew back and forth in the air, like a vast net enveloping the entire charging formation. The laser beams, like fine threads forming the mesh, crisscrossed. Iron armor shattered piece by piece, screams sharp like a stepped-on cat, but quickly swallowed by the muffled roars of energy explosions.
A young soldier held his shield firmly, its surface already riddled with laser burns. He watched helplessly as a light beam pierced his comrade's throat, saw an energy orb blast their captain into a mist of blood, and then threw down his shield, kneeling and roaring—but before he could even open his mouth, a laser beam shot through his throat. Blood gurgled from his mouth, his eyes still frozen with the fervor of the charge, instantly turning to vacant emptiness.
On the battlements, Posses's fingertips dug into her palms. She had witnessed fierce battles, but never scenes like this: no clash of sword and blade, no bloody combat of flesh and blood, only scorching beams of light and energy orbs, cutting down soldiers in swathes like harvesting wheat. The iron armor, the disciplined formations, which she had once believed to be impenetrable, were as fragile as dried grass before these "iron insects."
Chen Yan stood beside her, watching the holographic projection, his gaze fixed on the red dots representing enemy movements. "Sentinel Tower, target the enemy cavalry on both flanks. Send them on their way."
As soon as the hooves of the cavalry echoed on the side hills, they thought they could outflank and surprise them under the cover of the terrain, but they didn't see the dark muzzles of the Sentinel Tower already locked onto them.
The first grenade exploded in front of the cavalry's flank, sending up a wave of earth and shrapnel. Three warhorses reared up instantly, their riders thrown into the air. Their armor described a desperate arc in the sunlight. Before the following cavalry could react, the second and third shells landed, blooming in the center of the cavalry formation.
"Disperse! Disperse quickly!" The cavalry captain roared, drawing his saber, but the warhorses were already maddened by the explosions, kicking wildly. The formation instantly disintegrated. Some riders tried to urge their horses through the barrage, only to be blasted apart beneath their horses' bellies by grenades, man and horse exploding into fragments. Blood rain mixed with mud and sand splattered onto the armor of their comrades. Their proud cavalry charge formation, amidst the roar of grenades, became like building blocks scattered by a child, the sound of hooves turning into the whinnying of warhorses and the screams of men.
The most tragic were the heavy cavalry at the rear. Their armor was thicker and heavier, making them the perfect targets for artillery shells. A grenade struck the center of the formation, and the shockwave overturned five warhorses. Arrows and rations carried on their backs were blown high into the air. A young rider had half his shoulder sliced off by shrapnel but still desperately held the reins until the second shell blasted him and his warhorse into the slope, leaving only a blurred stain of blood.
The barrels of the Sentinel Tower were still hot, smoke drifting towards the battlefield with the wind. The smoke on the hills gradually dissipated—there were no more charging hooves, only the occasional neighing of warhorses and the moans of the dying. Those cavalrymen who attempted to flank never even reached the base of the fortress walls before becoming souls claimed by the grenades.
On the battlements, Posses looked at the hillsides plowed by gunfire and suddenly loosened her grip on her sword hilt. She finally understood that Chen Yan's "safety" was not an empty promise—when artillery could precisely tear apart flanking tactics, the so-called "mobility advantage" was nothing more than a joke in the face of cannon fire.
The drones continued to circle and strafe, the light beams cutting through the air with a soft hum. The shouts of the Imperial soldiers had long since turned into wails. The charging formations resembled trodden ant hills, leaving only twisted armor and burning wreckage scattered everywhere. This was not a battle; it was a one-sided harvest—crushing the last pride of the cold weapon era with steel and energy.