Though divine fire could shatter Xuanjia divine soldiers, Xiao Xun was not a fire-elemental mage and could not control the flames. Even with a plan, execution would be difficult.
Under Augustus's fierce and cautious assault, the Santi Roman army had already lost ten consecutive battles and ceded five encampments.
Facing the relentless attack of the Xuanjia divine soldiers, the Santi Roman army could barely resist. Such an enduring and formidable force was unlike anything they had ever encountered.
Amidst the string of victories, Sain laughed heartily, "With the ruler like this, it won't be long before we can reclaim our Manfang territory!"
Although Zhao An showed joy, he did not forget to remind Augustus, "Ruler, you must be careful! Swain's tactics are bizarre, and he excels at ambushes. Never let yourself become complacent!"
Augustus chuckled loudly, "An, you've truly been frightened by that inexperienced brat!"
Zhao An's old face flushed, but he calmly replied, "Caution ensures a thousand generations of peace!"
Augustus sighed, drained his wine bowl in one gulp, and rose, saying, "Follow me!"
With that, he strode out of the great tent. Sain, Zhao An, and the other leaders exchanged glances and scrambled to their feet, following Augustus to a high slope.
Augustus pointed forward and said, "Look ahead!"
Zhao An, Sain, and the others gazed into the distance, only to see barren land, devoid of a single blade of grass or tree, only rocks.
Augustus explained, "This place is known as the Land of Death. Within a hundred miles, there is not a drop of water, nor a single plant that grows."
At this point, Augustus's gaze grew even sharper, "The Santi Roman army will be defeated within these three days!"
Seeing Augustus's prowess in warfare, Zhao An nodded in admiration, "It seems my worries were indeed excessive!"
Augustus withdrew his gaze and confidently affirmed to Sain and the others, "Swain's defeat is sealed!"
Zhao An, Sain, and the others exchanged glances, each showing a look of astonishment. Their opponent, whom the entire Manfang region had been unable to deal with, was finally about to be thoroughly defeated by the Wu clan.
Augustus, however, suddenly let out a cold laugh, "Now, I fear Swain will be driven to desperation."
He cast a glance towards a distant rocky knoll, then turned back and said sternly, "Increase our defenses, lest the Santi Roman army attempts a sneak attack or assassination!"
This statement left Zhao An and Sain exchanging bewildered looks. "Assassination?"
They clearly did not believe the Santi Roman army would resort to such crude tactics. However, after hearing Augustus speak, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. "With the ruler's skill, we should let him come in and offer his blood to your treasured sword!"
Augustus took a deep breath, "The enemy has been following us for days, and I haven't sensed their presence at all. Given this, this person is by no means ordinary. We must not be careless."
Zhao An and Sain exchanged a look, silently lamenting Augustus's remarkable skill, as they themselves had no inkling.
Seeing everyone's tense expressions, Augustus suddenly burst into laughter, "However, this only proves that Swain has exhausted all his options! Hahaha!"
Augustus's hearty laughter infected the others, and they joined in with laughter.
Behind the pile of rocks that Augustus had glanced at, Jessica's back was drenched in sweat. She had never imagined that there could be such piercing eyes in this world. Even from such a distance, she could feel the tangible presence of his gaze.
Nearby, Madame Milady's curses sounded, "That old geezer! So formidable! I merely let my emotions show for a moment, and he still detected it."
Lord Magis frowned slightly, "Sister, this old fellow seems even more formidable than before!"
Madame Milady nodded in agreement.
As they spoke, Jessica, having just recovered from the shock, felt an increasing sense of dread. She nervously asked, "Mother, do you think the Santi Roman army is finished?"
Madame Milady shook her head, "Swain is not a simple opponent. We shall see."
Jessica worriedly asked, "What if Swain cannot defeat them?"
Madame Milady's eyes narrowed, as if countless blizzards were churning within them. "Then I will kill him myself!"
The battlefield situation unfolded precisely as Augustus had predicted. In such adverse terrain, the Santi Roman army had no opportunity for ambushes. The bare Land of Death allowed for immediate detection of any hidden troops.
Faced with the fierce onslaught of the Xuanjia divine soldiers, the Santi Roman army's defeat accelerated.
The high command of the Man-Wu allied forces unanimously believed that the main force of the Santi Roman army had already retreated from this lifeless Land of Death. The unit they were currently encountering was likely a rearguard covering the main force's withdrawal.
Based on this judgment, Augustus's offensive intensified and grew even more relentless.
The Santi Roman army suffered five more consecutive defeats and lost two more encampments, leaving thousands of bodies on this land.
On the fifteenth day, Tuosen confronted Augustus at the front lines. The strong winds whipped around, stinging their faces.
Curiously, since the appearance of the Xuanjia divine soldiers, the temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees. Yet, Tuosen and the Santi Roman soldiers felt no coolness.
The prolonged lack of water, coupled with the fierce assault of the Xuanjia divine soldiers, had brought them to the brink of collapse.
Fifteen days ago, Xiao Xun had ordered him to cover the main force's retreat, to hold on for at least half a month, no matter what, to give the main force ample time to withdraw. To ensure his safety, he had given Tuosen an envelope with only four words written on it: "Gradually abandon encampments."
Tuosen couldn't understand why Xiao Xun had given him such an instruction. With his continuous abandonment of encampments, his morale was bound to plummet, making it impossible to resist Augustus's attacks.
However, Xiao Xun was like a saint in the hearts of Tuosen and the Santi Roman soldiers, exuding an aura of confidence in every action, compelling him to trust.
But now, he genuinely began to doubt: Had he already been abandoned by the main force?
The formidable and unyielding nature of the Xuanjia divine soldiers had made him question his very existence. In just half a month, Tuosen's contingent had lost nearly half its strength, and this was even with Augustus's cautious advance and minimal pursuit to capitalize on his gains.
Looking at the dejected soldiers beside him, with their parched lips, Tuosen knew his force could no longer contend with Augustus. As soon as the Xuanjia divine soldiers launched a charge, his ranks would be utterly crushed.
Fortunately, he had held out in this Land of Death for a full fifteen days. If he retreated further, he would exit the Land of Death and directly reach the road to Chuishui City.
The road to Chuishui City was lined with dense forests. At that point, he could escape the pursuit of the Xuanjia divine soldiers with a swift horse.
Tuosen looked up at the orderly, high-spirited Man army. Whether it was thirst or the enemy's killing intent that stirred him, he swallowed.
This army, in terms of morale, combat power, and loyalty, was beyond his own force's ability to resist. Tuosen even believed that no force in Atlantis could contend with such a unit.
As Tuosen was lost in contemplation, his heart suddenly tightened, as if he were locked onto by a peerless master, making his scalp tingle.
Tuosen looked up, meeting Augustus's sinister and fierce gaze. Those eyes seemed to pierce into his very soul, causing Tuosen to shiver inexplicably.
The impact of a single person's gaze was so profound; Tuosen wondered what kind of terrifying opponent this was.
Augustus, mounted on a beast far superior to ordinary steeds, stood out like a crane among chickens, surrounded by his Xuanjia divine soldiers. He wore a sun-moon wolf-hair hat, the brim's shadow obscuring his eyes, but failing to conceal their sharpness. He suddenly let out a loud laugh, "The Santi Roman army has lost its morale! Warriors! Chase your prey!"
The cheerful tone in Augustus's voice ignited the enthusiasm of the Xuanjia divine soldiers. They surged towards the Santi Roman army as if they were facing not a well-equipped regular army, but defenseless prey.
Tuosen had no intention of resisting the enemy's锋芒. He only hoped that the Xuanjia divine soldiers would, as before, advance cautiously and steadily as he retreated, giving him enough time to escape. As long as he could get out of the valley behind him, he would have succeeded.
With that thought, he turned his horse and fled.