Chapter 6

The people stationed at the northern defense line, who had long been in close contact with the Osasu savages, knew of their brutal and ferocious nature. Whenever a military town fell, the young and strong soldiers within would be massacred, and the children and women would be taken as slaves and treated as spoils of war, brought back to the northern Osasu. To defend their homes, they would fight to the death, doing everything in their power to obstruct the enemy.

The troops, upon receiving orders, fell into a silence. These soldiers knew that the future was bleak, and the unknown reinforcements might not arrive before the Laidan military town fell. However, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, they had a chance to fight and turn the tide.

The more than 5,000 soldiers stationed in Laidan were reduced to less than 3,000 when the city gates and walls fell. With the departure of a detachment of knights sent to seek help, they had only about 2,000 soldiers left. The combat readiness of Laidan had been lax for years, and to defend the town to the last possible moment, all the young and strong men in the city were armed and joined in the defense. They had to rely on street fighting to wait for the arrival of reinforcements, standing together in life and death.

The cruelty of street fighting was far more severe than imagined. Facing the Osasu savages who poured into Laidan like a flood, the Laidan soldiers, despite their familiarity with the terrain, were like a small boat struggling against a raging sea. People died every moment, and the intense situation burned through every corner of Laidan.

Xialan was now with the Aubur family, gathered at the rear of Laidan, where women and children were concentrated to avoid being caught in the street fighting. Seeing the people around her crying, pessimistic, and fearful, Xialan, who was originally to be sent to the front lines, was spared from conscription due to her connection with Aubur.

"Brother, will we be okay?" Lona, in her mother's arms, looked at her brother with wet, large eyes, trembling as she spoke. Though young, Lona knew the situation was very dangerous, and the emotions around her made her feel uneasy and afraid.

"Don't worry, I will protect Lona and Mom!" Xialan said firmly, looking at Lona.

In reality, Xialan felt her whole body trembling with fear, but he tried to control himself and not show it. He didn't want Lona to become even more sad and scared because of his fear.

Looking at the burning Laidan in the distance, Xialan's eyelids kept twitching. He knew that this time, the outcome would likely be dire. His heart began to waver, cursing the heavens for treating him so cruelly. Having been reborn after death, he now faced death again. Was this a cruel joke from the heavens? How ironic!

Xialan, somewhat neurotic, kept looking around, as if facing great danger at every moment. He muttered to himself, and Lona, watching from her mother's arms, became even more afraid. Her beloved brother now seemed abnormal.

The intense resistance of the Laidan soldiers was somewhat unexpected by the Osasu savage army's commander. Although such situations were common when they attacked the northern defense line towns of Adria, it was strange for the lax Laidan soldiers to show such capability. However, the overall situation was already determined, and these issues were not worth his concern!

The brutal street fighting continued until the sun set, and the Laidan soldiers, who had successfully repelled the enemy, were greatly boosted in morale. However, after such intense fighting, their losses exceeded half. What they didn't know was that the reason the Osasu commander ordered the troops to stop the attack was not because of the Laidan soldiers' resistance. The Osasu, after a day of marching and capturing Laidan, were very tired and needed rest. They also had other important tasks to complete.

Tomorrow would be the day Laidan fell completely! The Osasu commander, Huroshan, looked at the military map and smiled coldly.

At night, the Laidan soldiers and young men took turns returning to the rear to say goodbye to their families. Aubur, whose leather armor was stained with blood, had messy hair and a dirty face. In front of Xialan and Lona, Aubur was somewhat silent. Having survived such intense street fighting, he knew what the outcome would be tomorrow. Laidan could not hold.

However, he could only think about it, not say it. At this moment, with the soldiers' morale boosted, spreading any dangerous words could result in immediate execution by the military judge. After a brief conversation with Lona and her mother, Aubur gestured to Xialan.

Taking Xialan to a secluded place, Aubur looked around and then leaned close to Xialan's ear, whispering, "Child, I have one last wish before I die. Laidan may fall tomorrow. As a soldier, I will die for my country, but I can't let go of Lona and her mother. Today, I killed an Osasu cavalryman in the street fighting and hid his horse in the Jernon merchant's warehouse, the one where you and Lona often go to buy things. I hope you can take Lona and her mother to find it and escape before Laidan falls. Even if the chances are slim, you must try! Can I trust you, child?"

Xialan, looking at Aubur's sharp eyes, nodded involuntarily. He had learned to ride from Aubur, and perhaps the chance to seize the horse made Aubur think of this plan. For survival, even the slightest hope was worth trying!

"I will! Your family's kindness to me is something I can never repay. As long as there is a chance, I will take Lona and her mother out of the siege!" Xialan took a deep breath and said seriously to Aubur.

"Good child!" Aubur suddenly laughed, rubbing Xialan's hair, as if all his wishes were fulfilled. There was no regret in him, only the acceptance of death.

The noble sons and officers who had tried to escape before the battle had already been caught by Nefal's men. Those who weren't caught might have already met a dire fate. The captured nobles, still bound and proud, shouted, thinking Nefal wouldn't dare kill them.

"We once had a chance to hold Laidan, but your cowardice, disgracing your ancestors' honor, made you choose to be deserters! You delayed the important defense, and I am ashamed before all the people of Laidan and the king who entrusted me with this task! But I have never been ashamed of my duty. You, these cowards, who refuse to repent even after making such grave mistakes, do not deserve the right to die in battle or be captured. You will fulfill your last duty as officers!"

Nefal, holding a long sword, his eyes burning with cold fury, scanned the bound nobles.

"Tomorrow, I will sacrifice all of you to the flag! Your duty is to boost the soldiers' morale and make them fight harder!"

This statement caused a commotion among the bound nobles.

"You can't do this! My father is a Golden Flower Baron!"

"My father will destroy your family!"

"Think carefully about your actions! Who do you think you are?"

Threats did not sway Nefal. He waved his hand, and his guards took the nobles away to be imprisoned. As a commander who had been promoted to legion leader, Nefal had his own abilities. Laidan might not hold tomorrow, and the Osasu's strong attack had shattered any hope of delaying them for a few days. Once the Osasu rested, could the weakened Laidan resist?

Laidan was finished. Nefal, familiar with the Osasu's nature, knew the entire town would face a brutal massacre. These nobles, rather than being captured and killed by the Osasu, could be used to boost morale. The outside world, unaware of the situation, would assume they all died in battle.

Rubbing his face, Nefal sighed, feeling that ending his life this way was truly unsatisfying.

The cries of battle began at dawn in Laidan. Xialan, sleeping in the rear, was suddenly awakened. Gripping his long sword and looking around, he saw that most people had also woken up. A pessimistic and negative mood began to spread through the rear, perhaps because they had learned some ominous news from their returning family members.

The remaining Laidan soldiers and the young men assisting them faced an even stronger attack from the Osasu, compounded by the severe reduction in Laidan's forces. The street fighting became even more arduous, and the death toll continued to rise. Many young men, facing the strong smell of death, began to flee in panic.

When Nefal heard from his subordinates whether to send the military judge to deal with the situation, he shook his head. The young men were not soldiers, and they had done remarkably well to reach this point. The only sigh was that even if they fled, would they really think they could escape after Laidan fell? They would be the first to betray their families in the rear.

Nefal stood up from his seat, drew his long sword named "Lievind," which the king had bestowed upon him when he was promoted to Laidan's legion leader, hoping he would keep Laidan safe. Now, he could only do one last thing to repay the king.

Staring at the inscription on "Lievind," the blade shimmered with a graceful wind. Such a beautiful sword, worthy of its value, should be used to kill the Osasu. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the command room and looked at the clear sky after the sunrise.

"Today will be a good day."

"Sir, what are you saying?" his deputy, who had just followed him out, asked in confusion.

"A good day for battle."

"Sir..."

"Even if we die in battle, it doesn't matter! Let's go! Do our last thing."

The red cloak fluttered behind Nefal, and the fully armed guards followed him. Time froze, marking their departure, as they moved further and further away...