Chapter 162: Eighteenth Episode: Chapter 8 (1/2)

Chapter 162: Eighteenth Episode: Chapter 8

Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The moonlight in the night of the 20th day of the 5th month was a silvery white. There was a breeze whistling around the mountain; the plains and the pine trees in the forest were swaying in the wind. Under the quiet sky, the Boudesdorf Highland seemed to be in deep slumber. However, if one listened closely, one could still hear the tromping of military boots on the ground.

The stink of the dead bodies was carried along with the mountain wind. That sort of nauseating smell was the hypnotic solution of the Guards' warriors. The deadly aura that was in the air made them sleepy as if closing their eyes could allow them to reach heaven. But the people who fought in the Boudesdorf Highlands all knew that this place was actually hell!

Thank God of Light! The moonlight in the night of the 20th day of the 5th month was white. This was extremely important to O'Neil Andrew Morisette. With the aid of the unerring brightness cast from the sky towards the ground, the Marshal of Guards could observe the whole battlefield.

His battlefield was only a highland with an area that was around four kilometers squared. The five divisions he controlled were still holding on to their resistance. The resistance had withheld from mid-day until evening. The regretful thing to note was that there seemed to be no progress at all other than the wounded count had increased to 1500 people.

”It's 2077 people! 1209 wounded, 20 missing in action. This is the latest report!”

”Yeah...” Bagheeda Narov blinked his red, strained eyes. He looked terrible. Only the cigar he held in his mouth was still glowing brightly.

”2077 people!” the leader of Titan's Liberty Activists glanced at the warriors who were gathered at the control center. Many of the familiar faces were not around anymore, and the people all had their heads lowered.

”After one whole afternoon, we have lost one-sixth of our forces. And the enemy's base still stood there, unmoved! What does this show?”

No one spoke.

The army that was put into the Boudesdorf Highlands Battle was the last resistance force in the Five Southern Provinces. After hearing of the Coyttshag's news, they had hidden within Faran's border and entered the battle area under the secret cover of the Faran Kingdom Army. But... Now that it seemed like maybe Boudesdorf would be the birth of another tragedy.

”Look at you guys! You don't even dare to answer my question!” Bagheeda scanned the commanding base which was filled with sorrow. ”Our injury count is more than one fifth. This can only mean that our enemies are stronger than expected. And our attacks are not as strong and fierce as we imagined!”

The map had already been changed to a new one. The red arrows that surrounded the Center highland had already disappeared. Bagheeda looked at that small, narrow area with disapproval.

”Latest by tomorrow morning, the First and Second Corps of the nearby Eighth Region will reach the battlefield. Why are we taking the risk of having our whole army eliminated to start a war here? It is because O'Neil Andrew Morisette and his Special Combat Brigade is our strongest enemy! If we win against him, that shows that we can still carry on our resistance! If we just let him be, one day this Prince will send us and our family to the guillotine, just as he'd done to the liberty warriors in Coyttshag!”

The people within the control center raised their heads eventually. Family, liberty, comrades. These were the reasons they kept fighting and O'Neil Andrew Morisette was the sole person who could ruin it all.

”Do you understand? Being pessimistic is useless! Fear is extra! We have fought for seven years. What sort of attack have we not been through in these 7 years? What sort of sacrifice have we not been through? Sure, O'Neil Andrew Morisette and his Special Combat Brigade are strong! But he can't stop us. His cannons are not comparable to our anger, nor his determination against our beliefs. His weapons are not stronger than our bones!”

The mountain warriors raised their heads with pride. A beautiful light had finally returned to their eyes. They gripped the weapons in their hands tightly.

”I don't want to say anything more!” Bagheeda folded the map. There was not much use with this thing. ”With Company as our units, when the God of Light pulls the moonlight to the back of the mountain; when the highlands fall into a total darkness... All members, attack!”

O'Neil Andrew Morisette opened his eyes in a sudden movement. He looked to his left and right in terror. Thank goodness... They were all familiar shadows beside him. If it was a stranger, the nervous Marshal of Guards would have given him a slash.

”What time is it now?”

First Lieutenant Kirk gave a water bag to the Marshal. All units no longer had water. In the water bag was some unknown liquid that had been mixed with alcohol. Oscar took one sip with care. He had a small cut on his mouth, and both his dry mouth and burning throat stung under the shock of the alcohol.

”A quarter past midnight. You have only slept for half a quarter.”

”You should have woke me!” Oscar complained at the Orderly. He tidied up his outfit before walking out of the tent with Messier, who had his head lowered. Paul and Shaw Curlink were the first to come up to him. They stayed on both sides of the Prince. Then, there were the military officials of the Special Combat Brigade. These fierce and strong generals greeted the Marshal passionately as if they had not seen him in a while.

Oscar looked at the forest at his left. Something fishy was going on! Surrounding the Center Highland, the forest to his left had a string of light that was made of numerous fire torches. The wind made the fire sway violently as if they were wisps that kept appearing.

”They are lighting the route for the attack units and telling us that they are coming!” Brigadier General Luke Citel mocked while he looked at the torches in the forest. ”Those criminals surely did not learn their lessons. They still need to light up the road in the night even though they are so familiar with this place.”

”No!” Oscar shook his head. ”I'd discussed this with the head of Military Intelligence Bureau. The criminals that participated in the Boudesdorf Highland Battle surely are not the only unit in the nearby mountain. Messier thinks that the larger portion of the resistance forces in Southern Five Provinces are gathered here. I believe this as well.”

Brigade Commander Citel nodded, ”It seems to be so. They are the combination of many armed criminal groups. No wonder the enemy's commander seems so conserved whenever he launches an attack.”

Oscar shook his head again, ”I believe it won't be like that any longer! The battle in the afternoon had them retreat with 2000 casualties. After that...” the Marshal looked at the moonlit ground. ”Wait for the shadow of the mountain to be cast on the highlands. When we can't see anything anymore, you will find yourself surrounded by criminals.”

Devil Sandy twitched his mouth, ”I have already prepared the tunnels on the highlands.”

Oscar smiled, ”That is not the problem. I am saying... the Criminals will utilize the darkness to launch their attack.”

Brigadier General Citel nodded with difficulty. ”Yes... But we still lack people here. Especially in the riverbed.”

”No! No...” Oscar moaned. ”The criminals won't go near the riverbed again. It was painful enough for them this afternoon. They know that the riverbed is our main defense point. So... this time it will be the right wing mountain; At the same time, the carriage formation will also face a strong attack.”

Everyone could not help but look at Big Worm Blasky's bade.

The mountain on their right was pitch black. The long line of fire torches extended from the back to the waist of the mountain. The base of the Guards seemed extremely lonely. From the tall grass or hiding between the rocks and the forest, the rebel warriors could clearly see the light reflected from the armor of their enemy.

In the mountain 1.7 kilometers away from the defensive line of the commando, the moon shone its white light stingily onto the ground of the dense forest. Their armor was reflecting light as well. This light shone upon the battlefield that was littered with bodies. This was the place where the Third Battalion of the Commando had been eliminated. Those numerous young and quiet faces were once the fiercest and strongest fighters. It was just that... They had not been born at the right time, or to say in another way… They were forsaken by the God.

The stink of the dead bodies filled his nostrils as Acshin carefully pushed the bodies that covered him away. He looked around him. The criminals seemed to have avoided this horrifying place. Their torches burned in the deep part of the forest. Sometimes, there would be the flickering of human shadows. Sometimes, there would be voices talking to each other.

There was no one around him. The messenger immediately pushed the bodies away. His gains in this battle were not many, just a shortsword and a few iron arrowheads from a crossbow.

The young messenger was just like a flexible monkey. He jumped around and kept concealing his figure in the pine forest while moving forward. After a series of complicated mountain routes, Acshin easily reached the back of the mountain. There was a slope that was surrounded by weird rocks at that place. All warriors of the Third Battalion of the Commando were hiding at the center of the slope.

After exchanging a series of signals, Platoon Head Massimi signaled the alerted warriors. The two warriors immediately relaxed their crossbows. A figure jumped out from among the huge rocks and two soldiers immediately held this comrade.

”Acshin, d*mn kid! You are finally back!”

”Quiet down!” the young messenger said in a low voice. He did not care about his passionate comrades. He simply took off his shirt in front of the platoon head. The little warrior took out the war equipment of those who had been sacrificed. At last, he sighed in frustration.

”D*mn it! Those people who treat others so cruelly and ruthlessly also took almost everything out of our people. The few things that were left were some broken weapons.”

Massimi shrugged. This movement immediately pulled at his wound and the platoon head, who survived, was in so much pain that he almost pissed himself.

”Sh*t! We will get it back sooner or later!” the platoon head said as he distributed the precious war resources to the soldiers.

What could eleven people do? After they had successfully retreated from the criminals' attack, Massimi had been thinking about this question. He was a smart commander. He did not return to the foot of the mountain but instead chose to go towards the direction of the enemy's base at the back of the mountain.

”The enemy's base?” Massimi carefully stuck his head out. From the weird rock, he could clearly see the area that the torches formed a ring around.

”This is seeking our own deaths!” the platoon head turned back. He glanced at his own warriors once again. Eleven people. This was all he had left. Could he lead them into the commanding center of the enemy?

”No! No! No!” Massimi shook his head at last. ”I must let the warriors survive! This is what the Marshal had said!”

”We should take a look!” a warrior approached the Second Lieutenant.

”Yes! We've already come all this way. We have to take a closer look!” another warrior joined in.

”Just looking?” the messenger Acshin looked at his comrades who gave the suggestion doubtfully.

”Of course we're just looking! What else do you want to do?” his comrade glared at him mockingly. Anyone could see how frustrated he was. Since he had joined the Special Combat Brigade, he had never been defeated to such an extent before.

Acshin smiled mysteriously. He took a leather bag that was stained with dried blood out. Massimi immediately widened his eyes. On that leather bag was printed the number of the Guards' First Cannon Division and the bloody red Titan's word – Dangerous.

”Where did you get this from?” the Second Lieutenant snatched the precious resource away.

”Hehe! I heard that a platoon head in the Third Company stole some fire powder from the Cannon Division, so I tried my luck. As a result, I found this!”

Massimi could only smile bitterly. A platoon head in the Third Battalion who liked this sort of thing could only be Nelly! Massimi was Nelly's best friend, but he did not want to know that Acshin had found this thing in Nelly's stomach.

”Tough guy!” the messenger exclaimed. ”Head Nelly must have been afraid that the criminals would find this, so he hid it in the injury on his stomach.”

”Hehe!” Massimi suddenly laughed. ”This way, Nelly actually died of overeating!”

All eleven warriors could not help but laugh, but their laughter soon died down. In its stead, it was anger fueled by endless thoughts of revenge.

”Head! Give your order! Or are we supposed to hide here until the war is finished? In that case, our sacrificed comrades will use their spit to drown us.”

”Yeah! Head! We have fire powder! We can blow that place up!” a warrior said as he pointed to the area at which the fire was most densely gathered.

Massimi slowly shook his head. The spirit of the warriors quickly dropped, but the Second Lieutenant suddenly smiled. ”You dumb kid. How can a bag of fire powder compare to a continuous bombing?”

The platoon leader Second Lieutenant held the young messenger. ”Return to the base, Acshin. Be smart! Tell our gunner brothers to aim at the middle section of the mountain. Once they see the explosion, then fire the cannon that way! I will be waiting for the sounding arrow here. Once the Center Highland starts to move, we will move out!”

Acshin's smile was as bright as the sunlight of summer, but this smart kid immediately thought of another problem.

”Head, fire at the explosion area? But at that time... you will all be there!”

Massimi smiled. He turned to the ten warriors by his side. This commander glanced at each and every one of their faces. He was satisfied to not see any fear and terror in their eyes.

He only saw the happiness that accompanied well-deserved justice.

”Be quick! Others don't have such privilege! Is there anything to tell Acshin?”

A warrior moved his dry lips, ”My home is in Bornska. If you have time, then tell Barya to stop waiting for me. There are two extremely tall Banyan trees in front of her house. They're very obvious.”

”My mother has eye problems...” another warrior muttered. ”Tell her to not sew clothes anymore in the night...”

”I have some coins here... This is our salary for half a year!” a warrior took a bag out of his clothes. ”If you have the time, pass this to the lady boss of the Hotel Xontour in Horan town. She is raising a son for me, but I have not done anything for both of them!”

”This can't do!” Second Lieutenant Massimi snatched the bag full of coins over. ”Acshin will be heard if he carries this!”

Acshin did not think so. He took his military boots off and poured the coins from the bag into the boots. ”It's good this way!”

The warrior laughed. ”Remember to wash them. Your feet stink too much!”

”Is that all?” Finally, Acshin was moving out.

The warriors shook their heads, and only Head Massimi came forward. ”Tell Marshal that I am sorry for not completing my duty. And... Section 27.8 in the Military Law of the Guards! The battle order as given by your upper head must be conveyed. This is the same as the brother's exhortations! Or else you, kid, will be getting a whipping!”

Acshin gave a military salutation to his Head and comrades. He went over the rocks reluctantly. Careful... Acshin! The wind sent the comrades' exhortations with him. The scenery in front of the young warrior was blurred by his tears.

01:59 on the 21st day of 5th month, a warrior who was nodding off was almost pricked by his own weapon in the jaw. He opened his eyes in terror, while the forest on the other side of the frontline attracted his attention.

”Head! There's action on the mountain!”

The warriors of the Commando quickly ran towards the iron fence. They carefully scanned the forest in front of them from behind of the defense fence.

Along with a terrible shriek, a ragged warrior ran out of the forest. He ran towards the base without caring about the arrows landing behind him.

This shriek broke the silence which had lasted since the night had begun. All of the soldiers of the Guards looked to the open land in front of the mountain on the right.

”It's Acshin! Acshin!” a warrior finally recognized the messenger of the Third Battalion who was running for his life thanks to the light of the torches. An official pulled this warrior away in a sudden movement. Blansky looked at the young warrior who was unbelievably approaching the base.

Icy arrows glittered in the light of a thousand stars. The young warrior was running in the open while the arrows that brushed his limbs thudded into the ground.

”What are you all doing, staring blankly? Fight back! Fight back!” Blansky finally shouted loudly. His warriors finally came back to their senses from the shock and fire arrows immediately lit up the night sky and the forest.

”Twenty meters... Ten meters...” Acshin's chest was about to explode. He could already see the faces of his comrades. He could already see the smile of his Division commander, but he could not hear the deafening cheers.

No one saw the iron arrow arching perfectly, heading straight for the chest of a frantic, panting runner.

Numerous warriors reached their hands out towards the messenger who had just jumped over the defense fence. Everyone had a smile on their faces as if they were celebrating Holy Day of God. Acshin, who was mid-air, was also smiling as he reached out his arm towards his comrades. The scenery at that moment was so slow that the warriors could hear the sound of the arrow piercing through flesh.

Acshin fell onto the numerous outstretched arms of the warriors.