Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 411 - 49: Reinforcements_3

Chapter 411: Chapter 49: Reinforcements_3

Colonel Jeska flatly rejected Lieutenant Mason’s request to “evacuate the pigs to the other side of the river.”

“Don’t even think about crossing people now, let alone a single pig. My men will run away if they see that,” the colonel fumed with frustration: “Once in camp, no one is allowed to leave!”

The pigs were herded into the dry riverbed, the pig herders turned stretcher-bearers, and Lieutenant Mason became the gunner. Andre stood by the Floating Bridge, ready to strike down anyone who dared to cross.

…

The red-hot charcoal was applied to the touchhole, and with a thunderous boom, the cannon shuddered violently.

The news that the gunner lieutenant was coming to the rescue with pigs had spread throughout the camp, and the defenders eagerly anticipated it, holding their breath as they watched intently.

Then they watched the cannonball trace an arc over the Herders’ heads and land on the hillside behind them.

Behind the trench wall, there was dead silence; the shot had strayed too far, and Winters, too, was shocked as he looked at the gunner lieutenant.

“What are you dazed for! Switch the Chamber!” Mason barked sharply, continuing to prop up the cannon’s breech.

Before the others could react, the man with the birthmark had deftly removed the spent Chamber and replaced it with a new one.

The breech-loading cannon might not have the most power, but its firing rate was unquestionably fast.

Another roar of thunder, and this time the shot was closer to the mark. The cannonball crashed into the back ranks of the Herders’ Cavalry, and it seemed someone was unhorsed.

“Fire again!”

This time, the cannonball flew directly into the crowd. The defenders’ artillery grew increasingly accurate, and the Herders began to panic.

Finally, after several trial shots, a cannonball scored a direct hit on a catapult.

The two-pound iron ball with tremendous kinetic energy shattered the hastily assembled wooden siege engine, putting one of the Herders’ catapults completely out of commission.

The troops behind the earthen wall vigorously beat their weapons against their shields, shouting cheers of encouragement.

The three revolving cannons had a total of twelve Chambers.

With each shot fired by Lieutenant Mason, the Paratu People shouted in unison.

The twelve Chambers were quickly exhausted, and amid the sound of trumpets, the Herders charged towards the fortification wall.

“Bring me the lead shot!” Mason, his hair and eyebrows filled with gunpowder smoke, shouted exhilaratedly: “Today the Herd Barbarians will taste our grapes!”

…

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Lieutenant Colin’s Standing Army company of a hundred men bore the first brunt of the charge.

The fortification wall was built slightly taller than a man from the earth dug out when creating the trenches, with a half-meter high step behind it for soldiers to stand on.

The Herders’ Cavalry quickly filled a few trenches with earth.

Herders climbed over the trenches, while soldiers holding halberds stabbed downward from above.

It was the first close-quarters combat between the attackers and defenders—shouts, screams, and cries of agony were incessant.

The militia positioned at the zigzag-shaped fortification walls fired outwards, while the Herders returned fire with arrows.

The distance was so close that the Herders’ archers aimed for the face; getting hit by an arrow meant certain death or severe injury.

At this close range, their lamellar armor offered no protection against the defenders’ muskets.

A Herder who leaped down from the wall landed on the points of halberds, killed on the spot. But more Herders followed, clambering over the fortification wall.

The fight turned into hand-to-hand combat.

Only at this moment did the militia understand what “Standing Army” meant.

The soldiers clad in half-armor and wielding halberds looked like iron men from afar; the Herders had to pull them down before they could kill them.

Lieutenant Colin, distinguished by the special crest on his helmet, drew the attention of the Herders; they were determined to surround and kill this Paratu warrior, staking their lives on it.

Lieutenant Colin and his soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder, roaring as they slaughtered one Herder after another scaling the wall.

But the number of halberdiers around Colin dwindled, as more and more Herders amassed.

Above the gate, Xial asked anxiously, “Should we go help them?”

“No,” the ensign replied with a stern expression, “The Herders’ advantage lies in their width of attack. If they only knew how to hit hard in one spot, this battle would’ve been won by now. They have to rely on themselves… as do we.”

The defenders were too few, and the camp was too extensive; the troops simply couldn’t control the entire fortification wall.

Sure enough, a dense mass of Herders’ Cavalry split into two groups, flanking both sides of the fortification.

Winters muttered to himself, “Now, it’s our turn.”