Chapter 240: Twenty-sixth Episode: Chapter 5-1 (2/2)

Before the war, Alan was most worried about Moreiro border garrison area, and it happened that Deiss launched a surprise attack from here. Moreover, it seemed that the group of 40,000 cavalry soldiers was very familiar with Moreiro area. They had not walked a wrong way and arrived from the western end of the front line to the assembly site of the Northern Army Group's left flank in only four days and nights.

In this sense, this war plan was not only a bold assumption. The Deiss High Command must have undergone careful calculation, strategic deployment, as well as strict security measures and covert marches in order to lure the sly, old Silver Fox into this modest trap.

The reason why Deiss's tricks were only modest was because… their target was Alan. Even if he encountered attacks from both sides, even if his right flank did not draw closer to him during the battle, even if Deiss troop forces were twice the strength of Titan's, Alan managed to devise a campaign strategy that did not profit Marshal Stanbein too much in the decisive battle.

Perhaps the fierce battle between Deiss and Titan which happened out of nowhere on Church's year 801, 8th day of the 11th month was not a decisive battle at all. Both sides maintained the attitude to keep on fighting and never give up. This was the first time that Alan stuck to convention while fighting a battle. On the other hand, Deiss commander who was afraid the table would turn did not entirely oppress the Silver Fox using his massive troop forces.

Maybe the Silver Fox was really down on his luck. During the Devil's Attack, the number of casualties on the battlefield were already approaching Alan's acceptance limit. The commander of Imperial Guards was going to beat the drums and withdraw from the battle, but before he could do so, the left flank of the Northern Army who had been exhausted by the enemy was finally defeated. The Teutonic Knights who had just entered the battlefield destroyed all the fronts of Titan Army Group left flank with crushing force.

Alan was left with no options. The collapse of the left flank was predicted even before the war. At times like this he could only urge the central army group to withdraw from the battlefield as soon as possible to meet with the right flank army group who has not been contributing in any sorts. They should preserve their strength and retreat in depth of the defense line.

Deiss sent out their symbolic chasing troops to drive Alan and his central army group out of the battlefield. Later, they surrounded the Titan soldiers who had been defeated on the left side of the battlefield.

According to the records in the history of the Great Defending War, the Northern Border Defensive War on the 8th day of 11th month lasted for five hours. Slight snow fluttered from the sky. The Deiss Army led 160,000 people to attack from the front, and commanded 40,000 cavalries to attack Titan left flank from the west side of the battlefield. The Imperial Guards Commander Vann Hewitt Alan did his best to attack the enemy. However, the left flank was caught in a fierce battle whereas the right flank was confined to outside of battlefield by the enemy...

Nine infantry divisions of the Northern Army Group lost their organisational systems forever. More than 30,000 Imperial Guards fell on the battlefield, 11,000 were taken prisoner, wounded were too much to be counted. This was Alan's biggest defeat since the start of his military career.

However, that was not the end. Marshal of Imperial Guards issued a general order to every department that he and all the officers would evacuate the battlefield at the last moment, and Alan did it! But it did not go well. An arrow hit him on the mount by accident and sent the unprepared commander to the air. Alan refused the assistance from his knight guards and struggled to his feet by himself. He was later carried away on a stretcher. It seemed like… he might no longer be able to stand up with his own strength again. All the military doctors were at a loss of what to do. Their commander was not feeling any pain and discomfort, but he felt weak all over.

Alan has collapsed; his face pale. He was lying in a carriage that was used to transport hay. He knew that it was not the Deiss that defeated him, but himself. The reason for the failure could possibly be misuse of war strategy, or an issue with the intelligence report, or the damned right flank army group. No matter what, Alan was the commander. He had already been defeated when the Second Defending War has just begun. What was more terrible was that he had also lost himself in this battle.

The river embankment was much higher than the plains. The Imperial Guards lined up in a loose formation and evacuated to the rear along the road. They filled up their water sacs with iced-cold river water. On the surface of river water was some ice floe particles which flowed down from the upper reaches. The soldiers had no choice but warmed the ice water with their depressed morale.

Temporary tents for food distribution were established every few kilometers along the river. Since it was not a disastrous defeat, they were left with some army gears and food supply. The chef has made a big pot of fish broth using the river water. The soldiers had to fill their servings of broth using helmets as they had discarded their dishware and utensils on the way of retreat. These people began gulping down the broth by roadside and chewed those rock hard stale bread as if it was the most delicious feast they have ever eaten.

Inside the massive carriage covered with horse hay was Alan who has not eaten or drank. He was not taking the opportunity to rest either. His face was paler than the clown in the circus, and there were traces of blue-blacks on the corner of his left eye and his chin. The commander of Imperial Guards by this time could not accurately urinate into the toilet. The accompanying officers and knights repeatedly prayed at God of Light to replenish his health. Some even went to the side and sobbed silently at his misfortune.

If an official order was issued for them to get the emotions off their chest, perhaps each and every Titan warrior would cry their eyes out. They had lost. They had lost to the cruel Deiss. Those devils would go from house to house searching for winter supplies. They would go from house to house to bully the good and violate the women.

Those women were wives, sisters and daughters of the soldiers. However, the Deiss have won, hence the local men had no other choice than to retreat. The men constantly turned their head around as they marched. The last thing they wanted to remember was this ashamed and resentful battle, but the chasing troops of the enemy would not give up harassing them. Whenever the team at the back blew their whistles, the men sighed deeply and tried to speed up their pace.

The massive army troop lost their flashing weapons and the imposing manner they first carried when they were marching toward the battlefield. Now, they were only walking aimlessly. They seemed to know that river and national road would lead them to Bron Fortress – the largest fortress in the entire Westland. What they needed most right now was a sturdy fortress to put away their exhaustion and depression that broke their souls.

Far away from the border, the population increased as they got nearer to the inland. The enthusiastic and kind-hearted northerners rushed forward to the river to check out the commotion. They brought along some homemade food and distributed them to hungry soldiers.

There was another group of people waiting on the dam. This group of people consisted of men and women, young and old. They stood tall on the dam to obtain better and more expansive view. They craned their neck to look around in all directions, in attempt to locate the faces of their loved ones among the defeated soldiers. However, the number of soldiers who marched past seemed endless and it was difficult to distinguish one by one.

As a result, they could only stand by the road side to shout their questions at random soldiers. ”Have you seen a private soldier named Seth?””Do you know Captain Rock?”

”Captain Rock from 2-3-1 archery battalion?”