“Damn!”
“Damn!”
“Damn!”
“Damn!”
Four consecutive curses were needed to represent the feelings of Reese Daniels and the others. They were all very sad and felt that the Red Flames had suffered heavy casualties, probably with only one out of ten left alive.
But then you came and wiped out thirty thousand South Land troops and were still chasing after forty thousand more South Land troops.
So who the hell is the main force here?
“You must be joking, right?”
Reese Daniels swallowed and said.
“I swear on my life that the Red Flames are really chasing and fighting the South Land army,” the scout said bitterly.
He was also confused.
He didn’t understand either how the Red Flames, such a weak army that probably couldn’t even beat one person, would be chasing the South Land army.
It was too damn ridiculous.
But that was the fact.
“Ken, should we break through now?”
Reese Daniels asked a man next to him with half-white hair but still strong and wearing armor. This was Ken, Reese Daniels’ father’s sworn brother. He had already retired and was living out his twilight years at home.
But he didn’t expect to encounter this situation.
So when he learned Reese Daniels was still alive, he came out of retirement specifically to assist Reese Daniels.
This was the “old general” Jeff Reczek had mentioned.
To earn a fraction of Jeff Reczek’s respect, this Ken was naturally quite capable.
“Yes, break through immediately. The opportunity arises and fades quickly,” Ken frowned and said. Then the old face looked at the scout again, “Which direction did they go?”
“East,” the scout replied.
“East. That’s actually the best place for us to break through, but since they all went east, we can only go northwest. Young master, we must hurry northwest.”
Ken said.
“Alright,” Reese Daniels immediately ordered, “The whole army moves out, heading northwest.”
This large army moved, disciplined and orderly, with formations, acting swiftly but silently. Every man had fierce eyes, not just walking but observing their surroundings. Some had daggers around their waists.
These were elites.
Southern veterans.
Each had fought dozens or hundreds of battles, truly elite warriors.
Far stronger than the Red Flames by a hundred fold.
They were told before departure that the Red Flames were bait while they were the main force of the decapitation plan. Everyone had to be vigilant and not waste the Red Flames’ sacrifice.
So now moving out, the soldiers’ faces were solemn.
Because they knew this was the opportunity brought by the Red Flames’ sacrifice. They must seize it.
As for the news of the Red Flames chasing the South Land army, Reese Daniels didn’t mention it.
If he had, probably no one would believe it.
A new army of students, farmers, and some uncles who had barely trained for days could chase the South Land army?
Nonsense.
No one would believe it if mentioned, so better not say it.
It was better to let them assume this and become even more indignant and furious, united.
As for why Jackie determined Reese Daniels’ group would go east when they actually went northwest, it was because the two sides had inconsistent information.
One side thought Reese Daniels and Theresa Lindsay were cooperating and would leave when their armies clashed. Going east would be best then.
But Reese Daniels was not cooperating with Theresa Lindsay and had no idea when Theresa Lindsay would engage. So they planned to leave when the fighting was almost done, though more dangerous it was necessary.
Unexpectedly, through such accidental circumstances, Reese Daniels’ army slipped by.
And Jackie and the others came up empty.
On a hillside, a scout reported: “No one. We didn’t find anyone or any traces east.”
“Didn’t find them!”
Jackie’s expression changed.
They had spent so much effort and were originally winning but didn’t win decisively, precisely to intercept Reese Daniels here, afraid they really had some means to slip past them and carry out the decapitation mission.
But they came up empty.
They actually came up empty.
How was this possible?
Something must have gone wrong. They should have been here, how could they not be here?
“The enemy sent people to taunt and intimidate us,”
a soldier rushed over.
Because of the long distance and aggressive advance, the Red Flames’ vigor was gone. Even due to the heavy casualties, the entire Red Flames had regressed to their previous low state. There was no other way, new troops would always be very afraid in the face of death.
Especially seeing comrades dying around them.
It would make them think – will I be next?
So the Red Flames’ combat effectiveness took another big hit, reverting to their original form.
Theresa Lindsay stopped chasing.
If they kept chasing, they would be completely wiped out, so they just hung back at a distance, sending people to harass now and then. If the enemy counterattacked, they would retreat. If the enemy kept leaving, they would resume the chase.
Guerrilla tactics.
“Here they come again! These damn Red Flames, if our army wasn’t chasing Reese Daniels, we would have wiped them out long ago.”
“Right, since when do these pathetic troops with a combat score barely over five get to harass us?”
“Too damn arrogant. I request to go fight them and wipe them out.”
Many officers and soldiers had pent-up anger from before, and were extremely pissed now.
To be provoked by weak troops yet not daring to counterattack!
It was infuriating.
“No,” Jackie shook his head, his face somewhat dark, “The enemy is deliberately taunting us. If we engage them, we lose. We can’t do what satisfies the enemy. They’re bait prepared to sacrifice themselves. Wiping them out is useless, it would be a huge blunder.”
From a personal, emotional standpoint, Jackie also wanted to wipe out this army.
But.
He was a South Land general, responsible for intercepting forces from St. Sunday. The enemy dared to leave the city, so they must be confident, or have some plan. He could not let emotions cloud his judgment.
He had to make the most suitable decision from the battlefield perspective. Absolutely could not fall into their trap.
“Pass down the order, no one is to attack the Red Flames army, engage them in any conflict. Violators will be beheaded. Also report to headquarters that we likely let that army slip past us, as well as our own casualties. Report it all.”
That last sentence Jackie said through gritted teeth.
These two failures.
That alone was enough to strip him of his general’s hat, and headquarters would probably berate them too. Thirty thousand troops, even if thirty thousand pigs, would take a long time to kill. Yet they suffered thirty thousand casualties for nothing, and let the enemy main force escape.
This was a big deal.
He would be severely punished.
But he still reported it. After all, this was South Land’s invasion war of Kisia. If they lost, South Land would be in grave danger. Robin the Butcher was no good man.
Moreover, the South Land army did not spare Kisia’s elderly, weak, sick and disabled either.