It was impossible for anyone to withdraw from the battle now. Both sides understood they had encountered a formidable opponent and issued reinforcement orders.
Xiao Xun formed three suicide squads composed of Xuanjia Divine Soldiers, naming them "First to Ascend."
The four legions under the second-largest army group of the Phoenix Army advanced on all fronts, while the five detachments of the Scourge Legion met them head-on. Amidst the fierce artillery fire from both sides, corpses littered the ground, and the small town was reduced to ruins under the pincer attack of the two forces.
The Scourge Legion also deployed modern troops. Bullets rained down like a tide. Their bullets had no warheads; they were energy impact waves.
The cannons were improved versions of black powder cannons with extremely wide splash damage, but under the dual assault of Saint Roman's firepower suppression and magical attacks, they were struggling to hold their ground.
As the battle had just begun, Bortu was sent to support the area and encountered a small contingent of Scourge Legion soldiers on the way.
Bortu, adhering to the principle that even the smallest mosquito is still meat, ordered them to be killed. However, as soon as the fight started, he felt something was amiss.
This small group of Scourge Legion soldiers reacted with astonishing agility. Their spear phalanx was hurled at the unsuspecting enemy.
These individuals reacted almost in unison, rolling behind rocks in various poses. While rolling, they retaliated, and a few precise shots eliminated a large number of werewolf soldiers. There were no enemy corpses on the mountain path, yet Bortu had lost dozens of his werewolf soldiers.
Bortu had been fighting the Scourge Legion since the Midoya period and was intimately familiar with the tactics of Scourge infantry. He had never encountered such a formidable opponent before.
Bortu ordered the shamans to cast spells to eliminate them, thinking, "If they hide, will I be unable to deal with them?"
Balls of lightning descended from the sky, followed by two explosions. What was sent flying into the air were not the enemy soldiers hiding behind the rocks, but the shamans who had just cast their spells.
Bortu's cold sweat broke out. Enraged, he roared at the messenger, "Relay my orders: all shamans are to provide covering fire, and the wolf cavalry will charge in unison. There are only a few of them; we can trample them to death. Remember, leave one alive; I want to know where these people came from."
The wolf cavalry brandished their sabers and roared ferociously. The gunfire from behind the rocks was sporadic, with no sustained barrages, only the sound of disorganized single shots. The wolf cavalry fell one after another, and their vanguard officer was also killed, a bullet accurately piercing his heart. A terrifying unrest enveloped the attacking troops.
The wolf cavalry retreated like a tide. The rhinoceros man, serving as the disciplinary officer, waved his long sword and roared orders for the troops to continue their attack. Before he finished speaking, a high-speed rotating projectile struck him on the forehead, and the immense impact sent him flying back two meters on his back.
In the command post, Staff Officer Eagle Eye wiped a cold sweat from his brow and said to Bortu, "General, this battle cannot be fought. These are definitely not ordinary Scourge Legion troops.
Look, these people are experienced in actual combat, have orderly firing discipline against large-scale charges, and each one possesses the skill of a crack shot. Furthermore, their psychological resilience is extremely stable, allowing them to maximize the efficiency of limited ammunition. They are too terrifying! If we continue to fight like this, we will run out of men and still lose."
Bortu was observing the attack situation ahead. His side initially had the advantage of attacking from higher ground towards the enemy behind the rocks.
Suddenly, the gunfire from the opposite highland stopped, replaced by rapid-fire volleys like popping beans. Scourge Legion soldiers, clad in dark green combat uniforms with helmets featuring glass face masks that obscured their faces, appeared in their line of sight.
They were using various skilled tactical maneuvers to engage the machine gunners. In the hail of bullets, the bodies of the wolf cavalry twitched as if electrocuted... Truly a naturally warlike race.
Bortu's reaction was no slower than theirs. He turned, grabbed a crossbow, and shouted, "The enemy is climbing up from the cliff behind us! Prepare for battle!"
Bortu's alertness saved his life. As soon as he finished speaking, the enemy behind him began to show themselves and open fire.
However, they were met by Bortu's spears, flying arrows, and battle-axes.
He suddenly remembered that before he left, Xiao Xun had given him several boxes of grenades, the size of apples, and taught him how to use them for self-defense.
He grabbed a grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it towards the enemy below the cliff. The grenade exploded in mid-air at the edge of the cliff. The scorching, sharp shrapnel hit two Scourge Legion members, who screamed and fell into the ravine.
"So they are also human. I thought they were truly invulnerable monsters."
Then, more than a dozen grenades exploded at the edge of the cliff. Even soldiers with extraordinary skills and wearing advanced technological armor couldn't withstand such attacks and fell into the valley one after another.
This unit that had given Bortu so much trouble was precisely the Scourge Legion's elite "Silent Killers." The captain of the Silent Killers' muscles twitched in pain as he watched his battle-hardened teammates scream and fall into the ravine, completely helpless. He wished he could have captured Bortu and flayed his bear hide to make a rug.
However, reason told him that he must not act rashly at this moment.
Seeing no reaction from the other side, Bortu assumed they were all stunned by his grenades. He ordered his Eagle Eye staff officer to lead the guards in a charge, hoping to capture a few alive.
When Staff Officer Eagle Eye reached the area, he was astonished to find the space behind the rocks empty, save for two steel cable clasps fixed to the rocks. Nothing else remained.
Eagle Eye watched the steel cables vibrate rhythmically and then pulled the safety clasps. A desperate scream echoed from mid-air; it was clear that someone had climbed too slowly and fallen into the abyss.
After the Silent Killers squad took refuge in a completely safe location, the captain looked at the remaining dozen or so members and said, "Those uncouth bastards, I will make them pay."
Meanwhile, on another side of the battlefield, Xiao Xun, in an effort to reinforce Sangqiu's Vengeance Spear army to the north, inadvertently fell into a heavy enemy encirclement.
He was subjected to a joint assault by the main forces of the Scourge Legion, the collaborating forces of the rebellious various countries (commonly known as collaborators), the undead army, and the demon legions.
Xiao Xun led two large army groups and temporarily stationed themselves in a place called Maginot. The three towns above were defended by the First Legion of the Phoenix Army, the Ninth Legion was on the right, the Fifth Army of the Phoenix Army was stationed in the lower right, and the Third Legion was located directly south of Maginot.
The eight members of the command headquarters looked at the sand table before them. Delvana said, "What should we do now? The enemy's main forces have completely surrounded us; I fear it will be difficult to break out."
Xiao Xun remained silent, looking at the map. Ducal pointed to a spot on the map and said, "That place is garrisoned by a local collaborating force. If we break out from there, we are sure to succeed."
The Centaur Prince Kent raised an objection, "Break out from there? Where would we break out to? Didn't you see the Skywater River behind us? We couldn't cross it even with a boat." He then drew his sword and said, "If we want to go north, breaking out from the Angry Water River is the most suitable."
Xiao Xun looked at Lot Fu and said, "Please explain to them the situation we are currently in."
Lot Fu nodded, took out his staff, and began his explanation on the sand table. "Around our forces are the Kliek's Shattered Rock Army. South of the Wujiang River, the eight legions of Cassy have occupied Mina, and their vanguard has approached the Blackwater River."
Amidst everyone's astonishment, Lot Fu continued, "To our left is the Demon Legion. East of the Blackwater River, there are four legions of the Undead Army, and they have already built strongholds. The two detachments of the Tombstone Scourge Legion are heading towards Zhongchang Pass. As for the Red Leaf Army stationed in the neighboring country of Red Leaf, they have ten legions, controlling all traffic arteries in Red Leaf. They have also deployed heavy troops to defend the Skywater River area, and according to reconnaissance reports, there is a defensive tower every ten meters, with both arrow towers and magic towers."
Ducal remarked, "They truly are sparing no expense."
Lot Fu scoffed, "This is nothing. The Shangyun Kingdom, below Red Leaf, still has five legions stationed there. Overall: to the north is the natural barrier of the Blackwater River and the fortress line of the Undead Army; to the south is the Cassy army; to the west are the Red Leaf Army and the five legions of Shangyun Kingdom; and all around us are the Kliek's Shattered Rock Army."
Delvana's brow furrowed, "Our forces are one hundred thousand, while the enemy is estimated to be six hundred thousand, a ratio of one to six. They certainly think highly of us."
"I heard that the King of Arrogance himself is personally in command this time, determined to surround and annihilate us without leaving any room."
Xiao Xun nodded, "The situation is indeed not optimistic!"