The enemy fleet arrived at the Chishui River fork half a day later than expected, and it was not until the afternoon of the fourth day that ten sailing ships appeared slowly at the end of the horizon.
Upon receiving the message, Vanna proceeded through six compartments in sequence, issued the preparation order to the artillery unit under his command, and then returned to his own position.
"Where is the enemy?" Rodney lifted the window panel to a narrow slit and peered outside.
"Still hundreds of meters away," muttered the cat-clawed watchman at the skylight, "I can't even see their silhouette here—the roof's overgrown with weeds." Each compartment had a hole in the wall near the top, aside from the firing window. Climbing two steps of the earthen staircase, one could easily survey the Chishui River below.
"Speaking of weeds, that Green-haired Witch's abilities are truly mind-blowing," Youtai wiped the rusted cannonball. "Wherever she goes, the grass grows like wild hair, completely covering those bunkers—making them look just like ordinary mounds." "What Green-haired Witch?" Vanna snapped. "That's Miss Leaf. When we first fought the Duke's Knight Regiment, she planted vines in the woods on both sides, blocking their flanking maneuvers. Otherwise, those tin cans would've circled around and attacked us from behind." "If we're talking about the most extraordinary witches, which one is ordinary?" Rodney shrugged. "Building bunkers overnight, covering the ground with vines and weeds, flying freely in the sky, or even transforming into a giant dove—none of these are achievable by mortals." "I'd still pick Miss Nanawar for the most extraordinary," Catclaw said with hopeful anticipation. "I wonder if I'll get to see her wounded in glory this time. If I do, I might even hear her comforting words." "Watch the enemy!" Vanna scowled. "If you dare talk nonsense again, I'll send you back to clean the toilet!" Catclaw stuck out his tongue and leaned forward.
The artillery captain sighed inwardly. These men had lost their edge, no longer trembling like they had when they first stepped onto the battlefield months ago. He couldn't tell if this was a good thing or a bad one, feeling he was being too lenient with his troops. Yet he couldn't harshly reprimand them either—after all, he wasn't much better. Ever since becoming Your Highness's soldier, Vanna's understanding of combat had been turned upside down: the bloody, brutal clashes no longer required strength, skill, or courage. Victory came simply from repeating the steps they'd memorized in training—preparing, facing the enemy, and firing according to the rules.
The battle against the new king's militia in the small town was particularly intense. Though the enemy were human-like beasts with astonishing strength and fearless courage, the fight lasted merely half an hour before it ended. When he cleared the battlefield, he found himself completely unexhausted—like he had just completed a warm-up exercise, yet the enemy had already been routed.
If this trend continues, will there come a day when conflicts become so intense that we can eliminate enemies from afar simply by operating these metallic machines, without even seeing them face to face?
Just as Fanahu was lost in his thoughts, the warning from Cat Claw pulled him back.
"I see the enemy!" "Load the ammunition!" Fan Na shook his head, dismissing distractions, and gave the order in a low voice.
The compartment immediately became bustling with activity. Having practiced this procedure countless times, everyone could now effortlessly insert the ammunition into the gun barrel with their eyes closed. Without needing to consider reset or angle adjustments, the artillery crew could fire once every twenty seconds.
RolandYour Highness and Iron Axe had memorized the battle plan like the back of their hand. Mirroring the Border Town defense tactics, observers would only lower the gunports 'camouflage screens and fire once they spotted Miss Lightning's red flag. The nearest gun crews (No.1 and No.2) would clear the deck with shrapnel, while the others would bombard the cabins with solid shells.
He waited quietly for the red signal flag to arrive.
...
Without binoculars, Lian could see the fake king's fleet inching closer to the ambush site.
These vessels were markedly more slender than the three-or four-masted ships sailing the open seas, lacking towering sides or railings. Their low hulls appeared as if clinging to the river's surface. Alongside the bulging sails, a row of sailors sat on either deck side, gently rowing their oars.
As of now, Your Royal Highness has not issued any orders.
She couldn't help but grow anxious. The observation post perched atop a high hilltop offered a sweeping view of the battlefield, yet remained distant from the river. With both Lightning and Maxi absent from Your Highness's side, and considering the time required for messengers to relay orders to the squads, any further delay might prove too late to prevent the fleet from crossing the Chishui River's fork.
As the lead sailboat was about to pass through the earthen house, Lian was about to ask when a thunderous roar suddenly echoed across the river. Like a warning signal, over a dozen thick plumes of smoke and flames erupted from the earthen house, accompanied by a continuous, muffled rumble.
What happened?
Lian's gaze returned to the riverbed, then she could hardly believe her eyes—there were no knights or mercenaries engaged in combat, yet the deck of the first sailing ship seemed to erupt in chaos. Splinters and severed limbs scattered everywhere, and the oarsmen lost more than half of their crew instantly. Clusters of blood mist rose, staining the deck with a crimson hue.
With half its power gone, the ship's speed dropped sharply, yet the roar continued unabated. Soon, the towering mast at the hull's center was cut in half by a black shadow that shot up, swayed twice, and crashed to the deck with a thunderous crash, sending the two Knights who had just climbed out of the cabin sprawling on the deck.
Propelled by the current, the lead sailboat began to retreat slowly. The other vessels had to disperse to avoid it. Hearing the commotion, many crew members emerged from their cabins in a single file, staring blankly at the lead sailboat now reduced to a living hell, looking utterly bewildered.
Then the terrible blow came to the second ship.
The crowded deck intensified the blood mist's fury. Lian could see that after the thunderous roar, several crimson voids had emerged from the enemies who had been pressed together. The unfortunate souls standing in these voids were torn apart into pieces, some still clinging to life, dragging their spilled entrails in agonized wails. The survivors, having narrowly escaped, scrambled into the river, refusing to linger on this terrifying deck for another moment.
She finally grasped the meaning of Your Highness's remark about' they can't make it through,' but how exactly did his subordinates pull it off?