When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 579 - 557 Battle of Black Lettuce Village (Part 2)

"Who said this road was impassable? This road is very passable."

Whipping the stumbling mountain cat with a riding crop, a leading temple knight couldn't help but boast.

Over five hundred knights formed a long line, slowly proceeding on the road flanked by farmland and ditches.

At the end of the long line, axes and pikes swayed, the guards clad in chainmail or armor swaying as they drowsily followed the horses' tails.

As the 20 Imperial Decree Master Decree Commander, Ailard walked at the forefront, disdainfully glanced up at the noisy temple knight.

This time, departing from the camp to attack Shuimi Town's Salvation Army landing, he had practically mustered all his forces.

Not only were the knights in town recalled from their revelries, but the mercenaries were surprisingly paid in full.

Although scouting reports showed the enemy only had 3-4 companies, and all infantry, who would dare underestimate them?

If it were regular infantry, Ailard was confident he could sweep them away with two hundred temple knights.

But these were Devil Black-clothed Soldiers, a mad army unmoved even by a hundred knights' charge.

The devastating defeat at Rapids City forced him to be on high alert, wanting nothing more than to charge headlong with his entire family.

To prevent the Salvation Army from gaining a foothold, Ailard launched a light assault this time.

He specifically brought along donkey carts, not loaded with food but weapons and armor, to keep the infantry from dragging their feet.

The original plan was to go through Pefos Manor, but as luck would have it, one of the guides was from Pefos Manor.

That night, he leaked the secret to the farmers, causing the people in the manor to flee with money and supplies overnight across the Nao'an River, hiding in the small woods on the other side.

After walking all morning, not even getting a bite to eat, wasn't this bullying our esteemed Master Knight?

Luckily, another guide named Tam or Sack pointed out another route, passing through a place called Black Lettuce Village.

Though not as flat as the path through Pefos Manor, it lacked forests and hills.

This way, the Salvation Army couldn't use the terrain to their advantage, though they might be slightly short in numbers and probably wouldn't fight comfortably.

In any case, it was only a half-day's journey, at most a battle lasting one or two days. If it's uncomfortable, so be it.

Ailard felt he was already displaying the qualities of a renowned general, understanding how to use terrain to restrict the enemy.

"Company Commander, ahead is Huanggu Bridge."

Black Lettuce Village was situated beside the Nao'an River; like most villages in Hotam County, it had small artificial rivers and ponds for field irrigation.

On the artificial river stood a plank bridge level with both banks, Huanggu Bridge, which extended to Black Lettuce Village on the other side.

Black Lettuce Village once housed dozens of families, but due to floods and warfare, most residents had fled.

Riding on horseback, Ailard scanned the horizon, seeing nearly a hundred overlapping earthen and thatched huts flanking the road on both sides.

Banners and tents lined the street, with stacked houses and tents making for a chaotic and cluttered scene.

Gazing at the Huanggu Bridge ahead, Ailard frowned and called over the guide nicknamed Mountain Cat, "Hey, what's up with this bridge?"

"This bridge is very sturdy, as long as too many people don't cross at once, it won't collapse," Tucker said calmly, through a face full of whip marks. "Fairs used to be held here, sometimes with over a thousand people, and the bridge never had an issue."

Staring at those numb and calm eyes for a while, Ailard finally waved his riding crop, "Temple knights cross first."

The sound of hooves on the bridge raised clouds of dust.

Quickly, over two hundred temple knights crossed Huanggu Bridge in line without incident.

Seeing the temple knights were fine, Ailard finally ordered three hundred Imperial knights to cross the bridge.

Only after all knights had crossed the wooden bridge did he finally relax.

The moment he saw this bridge, Ailard felt a pang of unease, but it seemed he was overthinking things.

How quiet these streets were, without villagers or Saint Sun's Army people...

Walking through streets formed by houses, Ailard led the knights forward slowly, scanning the ruined buildings on either side.

Besides birds, there wasn't a single human in sight.

Quiet, too quiet; he couldn't even hear the chirping of insects.

Sometimes, it was so quiet he thought he heard deep murmurs.

Deep murmurs? Ailard abruptly pulled the reins.

No, not right! This wasn't an illusion!

"Something's wrong, turn back, turn back!"

As he tugged the reins and shouted, it was too late; a hot wind swept his back, enveloping him in scorching heat and blinding light from behind.

Turning his head, he saw a series of fireballs erupt on the flat bridge over the river, half of it ablaze.

In the thick black smoke, dozens of guards engulfed in flames screamed, jumping into the river water.

Like a demonic dance, flames soared as the entire bridge turned into charred black charcoal, its burning wooden components crashing into the water with a hiss of steam.

Amidst the crackling sounds, the flat bridge broke from the middle, slowly collapsing into an irrigation ditch over half a person deep.

This artificial ditch, seven to eight meters wide, allowed the guards clad in chainmail to barely swim across, but Ailard foresaw danger in the crowded buildings and marketplace.

"All forces, speed through the village, ignore the guards!" Decisively, Ailard stood on the saddle, shouting anxiously.

Yet amidst the shouting, he heard a peculiar whooshing sound.

The knights instinctively looked up.

Under the pallid clouds, dozens of shadows flew from behind the houses into the sky.

Then, like rain, they clattered to the ground with loud bangs.

"Fireball Technique! Raise your shields, raise your shields!"

"Priests, quickly interrupt their magic!"

"What's this? Where did these iron balls come from?"

Exclamations rang out, and the knights who witnessed the red Dragon's Breath at Rapids City instinctively raised their shields, hunching over their saddles.

Among the knights present, only those temple knights stood foolishly, straight and still.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock—"

The expected flames did not appear; these spheres only emitted a curious ticking sound.

Even one temple knight speared a ball with his lance, listening to the dial on it, puzzled as he pressed his ear against it.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock—clack!"

"Don't panic, maintain formation, it's not Fireball Technique!"

The leading temple knight had just shouted when he heard a series of fine humming sounds.

What is this sound? The thought barely crossed his mind when the humming in his ears suddenly amplified tenfold.

Then he lost all consciousness.

The air rippled with waves, the dust on the ground surged and dispersed, and invisible shockwaves instantly swept through the densely-packed street.

"Neigh—" The warhorses let out pained cries.

The bustling street suddenly quieted by several decibels, almost all the lower-ranked knights stiffened, with many falling directly off their horses.

Even the War Monks on the edge of the shockwave displayed pained expressions.

Immune to the Dragon's Breath shockwaves, the Imperial Knights fought through nausea, shouting loudly, using lances to rouse their companions stunned by the Dragon Bone whistle shockwaves.

"Clear a path, forget about the unconscious knights."

Seeing the crowded tin can bodies ahead, as the Company Commander, Ailard wiped the blood from his nose, shouting loudly.

Due to nearly all the temple knights ahead succumbing, they blocked the way forward.

The knights behind instinctively moved forward, leading to jostling horses and clanging armor, creating a chaotic congestion.

Ailard was anxiously trying to clear the way.

Sweat trickled from beneath his helmet, and without even realizing it, Ailard slipped off the saddle before his fellow Personal Guard Knights could react.

The bewildered knights did not notice the unique muzzle that emerged from rooftops, window panes, and alleyway crevices.

"Alright, praise Holy Wind!"