Chapter 1335: The Last Defense (1/2)

Their bodies were already numb, and their minds were gradually becoming so as well. They would simply slash at the nearest enemy silhouette out of instinct. It was as though they were experiencing a nightmare that would never end. Even if they would only wake up to find themselves dead, it was also a form of release.

Combat and death were the only fate left for the living.

They watched as countless familiar faces fell before their eyes, their bodies gradually turning cold. They saw one dark race soldier after another charge toward them before turning to corpses.

The ground was covered in lifeless remains, leaving almost no room for one to set foot on. From time to time, an arachne would get stuck in a narrow passage-way.

Whenever that happened, an Imperial soldier would jump onto its back with suicidal intent and hack the arachne’s spine with an axe. They would then die to the arachne’s attack or be killed by other dark race members.

The fortress was like a black hole devouring soldiers from both sides.

After an unknown span of time, a commotion broke out in the dark race army. A vampire squad actually turned on their comrades in an attempt to leave the battlefield.

The dark race army split into two units and quickly suppressed this small squad from both sides. It was just that the riot caused a sharp drop in morale, and the dark races found it difficult to continue the assault. Finally, the bugle call sounded for the retreat.

Most Imperial soldiers stood dazed as the dark races retreated, waiting for the next wave of enemies to come.

Zhao Jundu appeared on the walls, the black fire around him so dense that it was almost tangible. The flames would occasionally emit some sparks, and the dark race corpses that came in contact with them would immediately burst into flames.

All Imperial soldiers stayed far away from him. No one dared risk touching his flames.

Zhao Jundu made his way through the fortress, patrolling for survivors.

He slowly retracted the black flames during this time. Only when the black blaze was entirely contained within his body did the generals dare approach him.

One of them said, “Sire, we have less than a thousand soldiers remaining. Are there no reinforcements?”

“There will be no reinforcements. Clean up the battlefield, we withdraw afterward.”

“What?!” The generals couldn’t believe their ears. They had never heard Zhao Jundu say anything remotely similar to retreat.

“Sweep the field within the hour, then we will retreat.” Zhao Jundu repeated his order.

The generals immediately dispersed to do their work. An hour was too tight of a schedule, so they couldn’t afford any mistakes.

All airships and military supplies, along with the turrets, cannons, and kinetic towers had been destroyed in the battle just now. These two trucks were pieced together with available parts from the rubble.

The Imperial forces had just left when a fire broke out from within the stronghold, growing into a raging flame that devoured everything. All items that could not be brought along had been torched, along with the corpses from both factions.

Some of the generals traveled alongside Zhao Jundu on the way back and proceeded to report the results of the sweep.

“Sire, a rough estimate shows that we lost around six thousand men while the enemy lost close to forty thousand. The death ratio is almost one-to-six, a glorious outcome.”

A different general sighed. “We had eight thousand comrades at first, but now, we barely have a thousand left. Such a bitter victory, sigh!”

“What? Are you questioning the sire’s commanding ability?”

“Of course not, I was just thinking how to explain things to the family.”

This silenced everyone.

The combat environment in the new world was unusually cruel. Most of the Empire’s regular soldiers did not meet the requirements, so a large number of elite private soldiers from the aristocracy families had to join the fight.

Many of these generals were leading their clansmen and friends into battle, a true family force. Now that eight of ten were dead, it would seem their hometown was soon to be full of people in mourning garbs.

Zhao Jundu had been silent up until this point. “You’re going to find it hard to explain, but the dark races have it even worse.”

The generals understood this reasoning, but that didn’t make them feel any better.

…

The conference hall of the main Imperial base. Song Zining was standing before the map, facing a group of dukes, generals, Imperial ministers, and elders from the nobility.

He said slowly, “Just as I said before. We’re having a hard time, but the dark races are having it worse. We have reached the cruelest phase in the war. Both parties are bleeding and will continue to bleed! If we shrink back now, all the sacrifices from before would’ve been in vain. The only path right now is to keep draining the dark races. We must let them see our determination, faith, and hope!”

A commotion broke out below as people whispered to one another.