“The barbarians… they really retreated?”
Vera watched in disbelief as the barbarian vanguard fled in what could only be described as a rout.
They clearly had not engaged in any combat with us, yet they looked as if they had suffered a devastating blow.
“This is called Psychological Warfare. The enemy thinks we have an ambush, so they don’t dare to attack lightly. Then, they keep putting pressure on themselves, stretching their nerves like a tight string until they snap. Next, it’s just a matter of seeing who breaks first, them or us.
However, Vera, that broken string earlier was truly timely. How did you think of that? If it weren’t for you, this wave of enemies might have forced themselves into the city and fought a battle with our hidden troops before retreating,” Anke said, letting out a long sigh of relief.
“Your Highness, actually… the string breaking was an accident,” Vera admitted to Anke with some embarrassment. At the same time, she felt a strange sensation. As a Mimic Beast, she shouldn’t have been capable of feeling such awkwardness.
“An accident? Then let’s call it providence. God is watching over us, protecting us so that we may achieve final victory!” Anke declared, pointing a finger toward the sky.
‘A god? Could it be that God of Science, Sai-insi, again? I see! It all makes sense now! Anke’s reckless arrangement was actually at the behest of the god!’ Vera thought as she listened to Anke, silently forming a logical explanation for this peculiar victory.
“Everyone, stay sharp! This wave of the vanguard was scared off, but the barbarians won’t give up on Border City so easily. They will likely send another unit soon.
But don’t worry. If we can scare them off once, we can scare them off a second and third time! As long as we hold firm, we will surely win!
I promise that after our victory, every soldier will receive a reward of at least one Gold Markor! Even if you fall in battle, there will be a pension of ten Markol, and the families of the fallen will be provided with stable jobs!”
Anke then began to motivate the soldiers guarding the city, re-emphasizing the generous rewards he had promised when they were first conscripted before the war.
Nothing motivated people more than the sight of actual gold coins.
“I will defend the Lord to the death! Victory to the Lord! Victory! Victory!”
“Defend the Lord to the death! Victory to the Lord! Victory! Victory!”
Once the first soldier started shouting, the others gradually joined in a thunderous chorus.
The resounding voices of the soldiers within the city reached the ears of Old Gula and his men as they gathered their defeated troops.
“Father, listen!” Guda said, looking back at Border City.
“I hear it. There really is a trap in that city! It’s a good thing I didn’t fall for it. Also, when we get back, we must say that we saw an ambush at the city gate. The enemy numbers… at least 1,000!” Old Gula instructed Guda after casting a glance back at Border City.
“Yes, Father,” Guda nodded.
“Everyone! Remember, we only retreated because we saw a massive army lying in ambush. Do you understand?” Old Gula did not forget to instruct the rest of his soldiers.
“Understood.”
The soldiers under Old Gula didn’t actually know if there were enemies or not, but if the Centurion said there were, then there were!
……
“Why did you retreat? Didn’t you say the city gates were wide open? We were all getting ready to follow you in!” Gros asked, looking suspiciously at the hurriedly returning Old Gula.
“Yeah, why did you run back like that?” Big Barton added mockingly, having failed to secure the vanguard position for himself.
“Chief, it appeared that the gates of Border City were wide open and undefended, but when we approached within 100 feet, we encountered an enemy ambush,” Old Gula explained calmly to Gros, ignoring Big Barton’s sarcasm.
“That’s right, Chief! There were at least 1,000 or 2,000 soldiers lying in wait! we were almost surrounded!” Guda chimed in.
“Shut up! Don’t talk nonsense!” Old Gula barked at Guda immediately after he spoke, then turned back to explain to Gros. “Apologies, Chief. The boy is young and inexperienced. He’s talking nonsense.”
“Now, Old Gula, I don’t think Guda is lying. Don’t stop him. Let him speak,” Gros interrupted, signaling for Guda to continue.
“Father?” Guda didn’t speak immediately but looked at Old Gula instead.
“The Chief told you to speak, so speak,” Old Gula said, signaling Guda with his eyes. The latter gave a slight nod in response.
“Lord Chief, behind those wide-open gates of Border City, there was indeed a massive ambush. At a rough estimate, there were at least 1,000 or 2,000 soldiers, and most were heavily armored.
The moment we began our assault, the enemies rushed out, intending to encircle us. It was my father who decisively led us to turn around and break through. He led everyone out just as the circle was closing, or else we would have been completely wiped out there.” Guda’s description was exaggerated and vivid.
“Were there really that many hidden troops?” Gros asked, looking at Old Gula.
“Yes,” Old Gula nodded, secretly casting an approving glance at his son.
“In that case, you’ve worked hard, Old Gula. You’ve just returned from the battlefield, so take your men to the back to rest and reorganize. I will arrange for others to take over the vanguard.” After saying that, Gros sent Old Gula and his men away and began arranging for another Centurion’s unit to take the lead to probe the enemy’s strength and defensive layout.
“Father, you’re amazing!” Guda said with an admiring gaze once they stepped out of Gros’s temporary tent.
“It’s all experience. Learn from it!” Old Gula chuckled.
Inside the tent, Gros quickly picked the replacements for Old Gula. They were two steady Centurions, which left Big Barton very dissatisfied.
“Old Gula and his men discovered that there are up to 2,000 armored soldiers lying in wait behind those open gates. Exercise extreme caution,” Gros reminded the two Centurions before they departed.
They took the warning to heart, promising to return with good news.
The new vanguard soon arrived at a spot 200 feet outside the city gates.
Seeing the wide-open, deserted city gates, the two Centurions also hesitated. Fearful of the “ambush” inside the city, they didn’t dare take another step forward, terrified of being annihilated by a sudden charge.
Just as the barbarian army ground to a halt, a flippant voice drifted down from the city walls.
“Hey! You got here pretty fast! Come on in and play!”
Anke leaned his hands against the battlements, shouting down at the barbarians outside.
Even though she suspected this was the instruction of the God of Science, Sai-insi, Vera still felt breathless watching Anke provoke the barbarians so boldly.
The two Centurions outside also heard Anke’s shocking provocation.
“Old Gula was right! There really is an ambush in Border City!”
“What should we do?”
“What do you think? Retreat! Do you want to walk into a trap?”
“Right. Retreat! All units, retreat!”
The two Centurions led their troops in a turnaround, fleeing back as fast as the wind.
‘The enemy retreated again?’ Can a war really be fought like this?! Vera felt as if all the human military texts she had read were completely useless.
“The barbarians have retreated again! Victory to the Lord! Victory! Victory!”
“Victory! Victory!”
Someone started the chant, and the soldiers on the walls once again began cheering for Anke.
The waves of sound grew higher and higher, acting like a pursuing force that made the barbarian troops retreat even faster.
The two Centurions, who hadn’t even fought a battle, naturally couldn’t tell the truth. They chose to follow Old Gula’s explanation and further exaggerated the strength of Border City.
“You’re saying… inside Border City, just behind the gates alone, there are 4,000 armored elites waiting in ambush?!”
Gros rubbed his head, unable to believe the news the two Centurions had brought back.
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