Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 840 - 87 Sawing_2

Chapter 840: Chapter 87: Sawing_2 Chapter 840: Chapter 87: Sawing_2 The sound of military drums and gunfire rose again, and the battle continued.

“Your Excellency!” After a prolonged internal struggle, the middle-aged leader of the cavalry, Dusack, made up his mind and approached Mason, “Allow me to take the cavalry out for a charge.”

Although the captain of the cavalry volunteered eagerly, his knees were slightly trembling.

Mason’s face, blackened by gunpowder fumes, scrutinized the man, “No one can back you up. Going out of the city means certain death.”

Dusack clenched his teeth and responded, “I know.”

“You’re unafraid of death, which is why I cannot let you throw your life away needlessly.” Mason, wiping the soot from his face, was unusually calm, “No need for a counterattack outside the city walls. It won’t be any use.”

As more troops were committed, the Revodan defenders gradually began to suppress the Terdun people.

...

Mason convened his militia captains to reposition the defenses.

Many of the militia captains looked dazed, obviously still unaccustomed to the bloodshed and death.

“Listen well, do not fear the Terdun people digging trenches.” Mason struck the ground fiercely with his sword, “No matter how fast they dig, they can’t be faster than us! Worse comes to worst, we’ll simply build another wall! Earthworks? Those barbarians are still too green.”

Several militia captains unconsciously swallowed their saliva.

Mason pointed to the east and south, “The Terdun people won’t focus their attacks on one spot. Troops on the south and east walls, hold your positions and don’t crane your necks just to watch what’s happening on the west wall!”

The militia captains defending the south and east walls nodded vigorously.

“Your Excellency, what about the beacon smoke from the Old City?” someone hesitated to speak.

“The safety of the Old City is not your concern. Civil Guard Officer Montaigne and I are well prepared.” Mason replied categorically, his eyes flashing with fire, “As long as we can hold the walls, the situation will favor us, not the Terdun people!”

Mason suddenly drew his sword, startling the militia captains into taking a step back.

“See?” Mason shouted fiercely, “In close combat, those barbarians could slaughter you all in one charge! What’s so difficult about holding a matchlock gun, standing twenty meters away, and pulling the trigger at the enemy?”

At that moment, Demon Ons hurried to Mason’s side, “Your Excellency, the hand cannons are ready.”

“Let’s go!” Mason’s spirits lifted instantly.

…

Revodan, Northerly City.

Little Lion Nose led his followers on a circuit around the city walls and not only failed to find any usable breach but also discovered that the walls were manned by nearly a thousand defenders.

He intended to get closer to scout the situation, but as soon as he came within bowshot range of the city walls, the defenders’ small cannon immediately opened fire.

Little Lion Nose did not want to take the risk and retreated.

The Northerly City defenders were already at their limits. Every man capable of bearing arms was on the city walls, and every available banner had been placed on the ramparts.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

At this moment, half of the defenders were men, and the other half were women with their faces blackened and dressed in men’s clothes.

Seeing the barbarian cavalry merely probing before leaving, a huge sigh of relief, like one after narrowly escaping catastrophe, went up from the city walls.

Little Lion Nose returned to the edge of the valley and shared what he observed with his brother.

Lion Nose, alongside just over a hundred followers, attacking a city defended by thousands would be suicidal.

“[Herde Language] We should wait for the rest of our men to join us,” Big Lion Nose, deliberating, decided it was best to play it safe. They had gained considerable loot from their raiding and did not want to lose their lives at this time.

Big Lion Nose further asked his brother, “[Herde Language] Have you sent someone across the river yet?”

“[Herde Language] I sent someone, but they haven’t come back,” Little Lion Nose gloomily said, “[Herde Language] Brother, if the Fire Tender wants a share of our loot, what should we do?”

Big Lion Nose sneered, “[Herde Language] If the Fire Tender wants meat and ends up gnawing on bone, who’s to blame? Horses have four legs, men have two. If he is unfair, we need not stay with the Terdon Tribe.”

“[Herde Language] Right!” Little Lion Nose, already dissatisfied with how the Fire Tender had divided their forces this time, exclaimed, “[Herde Language] The Golden Clan has been bullying the weak for long enough! We should have…”

“[Herde Language] Let’s not speak of this for now!” Big Lion Nose interrupted his brother, ordering, “[Herde Language] Set up camp here; let the young men go out and find some food and drink.”

Although the Lion Nose brothers had plundered a considerable amount of wealth, they had brought little in the way of food or drink, relying entirely on looting along the way.

Over a hundred Herde cavalrymen found a wind-sheltered place to unload their plunder, then split up to raid nearby settlements.

That night, a cavalry infantry troop dispatched by Winters to the northern shore raided that camp.

The heads of the Lion Nose brothers were taken.

…

Revodan New Town, western side outside the arrowhead fort, Terdun people’s trench.

As the defenders brought in more musketeers, the Terdun people gradually began to fall behind in the firefight.

Musketeers needed only ammunition and courage, whereas archers required not only ammunition and courage but also physical endurance.

Moreover, facing the close-range shooting of heavy matchlock guns, whether one wore armor or not merely made the difference between a quick death and a slow one.

Hong Lingyu’s servants and guards were continuously killed, which horrified him.

Yet, since the hundred strong cavalry commanded by the whip was just behind, Tahai dared not retreat. He could only keep telling himself: The rewards promised by the Fire Tender would surely be as abundant as promised.

Tahai’s subjects and slaves were striving to dig the trench; they all made their living from herding and were not accustomed to the labor of digging.

In principle, this task should not have fallen to them.

For it was customary for the tribes to employ captives for labor and drive women and children to fill the trenches.