Chapter 90: Hestin's "Answer"
"Let's make a bet!"
"Come on... Hastings wouldn't really fight us to the death!"
Adric and Fatty Roule have made a decision!
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In the middle of the night, the soldiers who had made some adjustments were already fully armed and ready for battle!
The cavalrymen tightened their saddles, polished their long spears until they shone brightly, removed the feed bags tied to the horses' heads, and gently patted their beloved warhorses before mounting them.
In the dark of night, the cavalry formed up in line, urged on by the stern and subdued voices of their officers, heads held high, advancing slowly as they dressed their ranks.
The wedge-shaped vanguard formation has taken shape on the open plain, with Sosia's heavy cavalry at the forefront. Their mission is to break through the Odinpole's siege army head-on and thoroughly "pierce" it! In the middle are Rour's Sixth Legion, infantrymen who have abandoned most of their equipment, only those around the formation holding weapons, wearing armor, and carrying shields, while those in the middle are left with just a uniform. They don't need to fight; all they need to do is one thing: run! Run desperately! After the vanguard heavy cavalry breaks through the Odinpole's formation, they must risk death and run across the entire Odin battle line.
And in the rear, responsible for covering the retreat was the 4th Vexillum of the XIII Legion! The Vexillarius of the 4th Vexillum, Phonauta, was a thirty-seven-year-old typical soldier of the Byzantine Empire, born into a middle-ranking noble family, and had entered the military from adulthood. He was a mid-level warrior with six grades, and his left hand only had three fingers, the two missing ones having been cut off five years ago when he suffered frostbite in the icy wilderness of the northeastern border of the empire. The thirty-seven-year-old Phonauta was given an important task: to cover the retreat!
He not only had to guard against the Odins troops who were following behind with a triumphant attitude, but also took on the task of covering the main force's retreat in case of danger after launching a surprise attack on Hastings' position.
Adric gave orders to Fontana with a stern face and said in a low voice: "You might die."
But upon hearing this, the thirty-seven-year-old Fonnata remained calm and composed, his resolute facial features unchanged. He didn't utter a single word, merely straightened his body, looked at his general, then gave a chest-thumping military salute before turning around and striding away.
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The time of launching a surprise attack is usually before dawn, when people are most tired and least vigilant.
The assault troops moved slowly across the open terrain towards their objective: the besieged garrison.
The vanguard was now less than three miles away from Hastings' besieged army when the loud clarion call to charge finally sounded!!
The bugle tore through the silence of the black night! In the midst of the stirring bugle call, the cavalrymen shouted with all their might, kicking their horses' bellies fiercely, urging them on, and galloping wildly forward!
At dawn, just before the arrival of daybreak, it was the darkest moment. At this moment, it seemed as if heaven itself stood on the side of Byzantium. The sky above was densely covered with dark clouds and not a single star could be seen!
In the sound of the horn, a vast cavalry emerged from the wilderness like a dark cloud pouring out!!
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The besieging army of Hastings formed a semicircular array in front of the garrison, while the breakthrough point of the charging cavalry was chosen at the very center!
The Byzantines' loud military horn had just sounded, and a commotion immediately arose in Hastings' large camp, with people shouting and horses neighing, and many places scattered to light torches.
The heavy cavalry of Sosia charged at the forefront, with horses wearing horse armor and men wearing heavy armor. The cavalrymen held long spears and rushed forward wildly on the open plain. Even in the dark night, one could see the surging of a large patch of dark clouds. The vanguard opened up and charged into the Odinpole people's big camp, forcibly breaking through from the middle!
Originally, the rear column did not have many defensive horses, and the simple camp wall was brutally breached by the heavily armored cavalry. The heavy cavalry charged into the Odins' large camp, only to see chaos all around, Odin warriors rushing about in shock, horse hooves galloping down, scattered resistance unable to form an effective blockade. Small pockets of resistance were crushed instantly under the iron hooves! Horse hooves trampled one tent after another, abandoned torches ignited a cluster of flames, and then heard the cries of killing and hoofbeats shaking the sky, as if the entire earth was trembling in the dark night!
The heavy cavalry of Sosia almost met no resistance and charged directly into the inner belly of the besieging army. The galloping of the heavy cavalry, with its powerful impact force, was something that no Odin warrior could withstand physically. Only after penetrating deep did the Odin warriors' resistance gradually show its power. Some Odin warriors gathered together to form a scaled resistance, and small groups of reindeer cavalry entangled them, slowing down the speed of the heavy cavalry charge bit by bit.
At this time, the infantry of the Sixth Legion also rushed into the Odins' camp. Rourou, the fat man, was walking with his troops, wearing a full set of heavy cavalry armor. Fortunately, his warhorse was also top-notch, otherwise, with his weight and the heavy armor, he might not have been able to withstand it.
The fatty rode on horseback, holding a long-handled battle-axe in one hand, surrounded by his personal guards in the middle, while rapidly shouting down orders. The Sixth Army had specially set up more than a dozen small teams, which followed the heavy cavalry into the Odin camp and then dispersed to both sides, running along the way, starting fires on tents, grain, wooden fences... anything that could be ignited was directly thrown with several torches. These special fire-starting teams were obviously not doing this for the first time, shouting loudly in Odin language while setting fires.
General Adrick led the Imperial Guard and the remaining troops in the third wave, amidst a cacophony of war cries, into the Odin's camp. The vanguard heavy cavalry fought hard to clear a path, while Fatou's men were busy setting fires with gleeful abandon.
As I looked around, in the big camp of the Odin people nearby, there was a scene of chaos everywhere, with flames and shadows of people running and shouting.
(Too easy! Too easy!) Adrick was on high alert in his heart, while shouting loudly with his mouth to urge the troops to speed up their advance!
The fourth flag team responsible for the rear was all light cavalry in uniform armor, and Kevin also joined a team of guards into the formation at the back.
After the main force broke in, the rear troops followed cautiously! Fornata's expression was solemn, and he rode alongside Kevin. They had already heard that the Odin people who had been "following" behind them for days were starting to move. The sound of the Odin people's cowbells mixed with the chaotic hoofbeats, it was clear that these guys would not let go of this opportunity to take a hard bite at themselves!
In the darkness, Hasting's camp had fallen into complete chaos. The vanguard heavy cavalry had almost accomplished an unimaginable task: piercing through Hasting's camp! But at this moment, they actually succeeded, and the front line of troops had already broken out of the camp. In the distance, as long as they crossed the battlefield, it was the wall of the garrison!!
At this time, whether it was Sosia who led the charge at the forefront, or Rur and Adrick in the middle army, they all had a heavy question weighing on their minds!
(Hasten! What will he do after all?)
It was as if an invisible hand had gathered all the nodes of time together! Just as this question floated into the minds of several high-ranking Byzantine generals, Hastings' move finally came!
A loud and brief bellowing sound of a cow!
On both sides of the assault troops, a burst of shouting suddenly came from the big camp! The Odin people's crazy roar, the war horse's neigh, the black bear's growl, the reindeer's howl...
On both sides of the assault route, two black torrents, like ferocious beasts hiding in dark corners, finally found the enemy's weakness and madly pounced out!!
Like a pair of pincers! The troops that had launched a surprise attack were tightly clamped from both sides!
Hastings, he's finally made his move! The timing of his choice is very clear, and his intentions are also very obvious!
Target: The troops at the rear!!
He indeed fought with all his might! However... in order to break through the Hastings' defense line, the Byzantines would still have to pay a price!
That is Hasting's answer.
The vanguard and the center have successfully charged out of the big camp, the heavy armored cavalry of the vanguard has killed until they are drenched in sweat and blood, while the infantry of the fat man, even if they can still run, are exhausted to the point where they only have enough energy left to pant.
Although Hastings had given up the frontal interception, and even emptied his main camp of troops, the real killer move was aimed at the rear of the assault force.
Adrick heard the Odinians' cries of killing on both sides, but the sound didn't rush towards him, instead it swept away in the direction behind him! At this moment, Adrick was faced with an extremely difficult problem!
Turn back and kill!
Still... keep moving forward!
As the commander of the 13th Legion, Adrick finally gritted his teeth and bellowed loudly: "Forward!! Keep going forward!!"
Two black torrents crashed heavily into the route of the assault troops from both sides, then merged together with a loud noise. Running at the forefront were the powerful warriors of the Odin people: Berserkers!
This black bear wearing heavy armor rushed into the queue behind the temple, and dozens of black bear warriors quickly formed a wall, blocking the team behind!
The cavalrymen of the third banner team were fearless, and they charged forward with a loud roar, brandishing their long spears. The horseman who ran at the forefront was quickly knocked down by the black bear's rush, along with his horse, while the following cavalrymen swung their spears with all their might, fiercely attacking these enormous creatures in front of them.
The team was quickly pulled apart and thoroughly disjointed!
More and more Odinsmen surged forward, dozens of black bear warriors blocked the cavalry for a moment, and their path had already disappeared! When the cavalry finally knocked down the dozens of huge objects in front of them at a great cost, the ground was filled with human corpses, horse corpses, and bear corpses. In front of them, the Odin's reindeer cavalry almost rushed to the front!
There is no road ahead! Only Odin's shining axe!
The Odin people's reindeer cavalry surrounded them layer by layer, like toffee, wrapping the troops behind the Third Flag Regiment layer by layer, densely packed. Meanwhile, Kekelan's pursuing troops also pressed forward, their attitude a stark change from their previous farewell, as they chased after with loud whoops of joy...
Then, it's chaos!
The troops in the rear had no formation to speak of, and were cut off by two groups of Oden people who pierced both wings while running, soon they were cut into three pieces, like three black clusters scattered on the ground, and then were enveloped by more Oden people's dark clouds.
The sound of a blade cutting through armor, the sound of a spear piercing flesh and blood, the mournful cry of a warrior falling off his horse, the final roar before life and death...
Iron and blood have merged together at this moment, inseparable...
The camp gate was open, and the vanguard's heavy cavalry poured in. Sosia was already panting with exhaustion, although Hastings had consciously slowed down, but the heavy cavalry still bore the heaviest task of clearing the road ahead, and they lost about 20% of their troops. Every knight's armor was no longer black, but a miserable red.
Then the infantry of Pao Tzu rushed in, and these Sixth Army men, once they had burst through the gate, flung themselves to the ground panting wildly. The squads responsible for setting fires on all sides were half trapped in the chaotic army.
When Adrick led the remnants into the gate, behind him, there wasn't a single Odin soldier chasing after! The empty battlefield, in the distance, that shouting and killing voice grew thicker, while around, countless torches lit up! Illuminating the sky and earth as if it were daytime!
Hastings' answer was clear: My appetite is not large, eating your rear guard will suffice!
Adrick's heart was bleeding, he knew that one of his banner troops was trapped, but he was powerless!
All the cavalry have squeezed out their last bit of strength! The heavy armored cavalry are powerless to fight again, and the people from Rouran... they are infantry! You can't expect a group of infantry who have abandoned most of their weapons after three days and nights of forced marching to go to the battlefield empty-handed and exhausted to die!
Damn it! I only need one Shengli Army! Even if there are only a thousand... no, five hundred! If even just five hundred men rush out, maybe we can rescue more brothers!!
At this moment, Adrick heard a loud roar!
"Get out of the way! All of you get out of the way!!!"
This angry roar was full of energy, and then a powerful horseshoe running sound came from the barracks! With Adrick's experience, he immediately recognized that these horseshoes were filled with power! It was clearly the result of careful preparation!
A cavalry unit charged out, although in Adrick's eyes, this cavalry unit was not exactly elite from their attire... Only half of the horses could be considered qualified warhorses, but more of them seemed to be small and stout ponies or even... mules?!
But the riders on horseback, with their straight waists and sparkling eyes, fully demonstrated their abundant physical strength and vigorous vitality!!
That rookie soldier who had just been recruited not long ago was running at the very front, holding a battle-axe and charging forward. The axe in his hand swung through the air, letting out a loud and clear roar that shook the entire arena!
"Follow me! Go and receive our brother!!"
Horses' hooves thundered, one by one the cavalrymen shouted loudly, following behind Shaya, forming a queue like a raging wind that swept past Adric's side and rushed out of the wide open camp gate!!
At this moment, the momentum of just two hundred riders charging forward was like that of thousands of troops and horses!
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Dancing
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