industrial lord

Chapter 735 Shocking Change
The autumn wind, carrying a chilling atmosphere, swept through the massive military camp of the Rhine Alliance outside Flensburg.

The tragedy of Baron Sende perishing in the fire at the port cast a shadow over the soldiers' hearts. When Rudolf inspected the camp after the war council and noticed the low morale, it only fueled his desire to conquer and made him even more eager to wash away the shame and prove himself with a victory.

The atmosphere at the final pre-war operational meeting was more somber than ever before.

Rudolf stood before the huge map, pointing his finger forcefully at the outskirts of Flensburg, and shouted, "Without a clear outer perimeter, the siege will be difficult. The bridgeheads and those bunkers outside the moat must be taken down!"
"This is a springboard for our attack, and also Yulmand's henchmen. We must go all out and crush them with thunderous force!"

This was the tone set yesterday, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Count Shu Yun Stiga stepped forward, his expression more stern than ever, and began to make specific arrangements based on the General Staff's plan: "Your Majesty, clearing the outer perimeter is indeed necessary, but going all out is too risky. Yurmand has held out for so long and knows the castle's defenses well; he must have a backup plan."

Everyone felt that he had become like Earl Rank, a civil official, and had even started to nitpick over words. Yesterday he said "all troops attack", and now he said "go all out", which is no different.

However, Shu Yun Stiga felt there was a difference. He continued, "According to the General Staff's plan, today I will command half of the main force to attack the bridgehead and bunker complex; the other half will be commanded by Count Pistor as a reserve force to deal with possible enemy counterattacks, ambushes, or threats from other directions."

He and the Minister of Military Affairs divided today's cake.

The others understood why he was being so pedantic: "All troops attack" meant that half of the troops would not participate in the attack, but "all-out effort" meant that half of the troops would also have to go.

Rudolf frowned, extremely dissatisfied with the proposal to attack with half of his troops. He said in a deep voice, "Half? Shu Yun Stiga, although the outer strongholds are fortified, our army outnumbers the enemy several times over, and morale needs to be boosted!"

"If we divide our forces in half, our offensive will inevitably weaken. Yurmand is already like a mouse in a rat cage. Why should we be so cautious?"

"I want to see a crushing victory! Increase the attacking force!"

This matter was also mentioned at yesterday's operational meeting, but in the end, we reached a compromise that everyone could accept at the moment. Unexpectedly, things have taken another turn for the worse now.

Count Shu Yun Stiga did not back down, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable insistence: "Your Majesty! Yulmand is no caged rat, and the lesson of Baron Sende is right before our eyes!"

"This man is cunning. If our army launches a full-scale attack without leaving any room for maneuver, and he has a hidden surprise attack, our army will be put on the defensive or even collapse!"

"The reserve force is not cowardice, but insurance, the cornerstone of victory. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Rudolf's face was grim. Shu Yun Stiga's defiance infuriated him, but the memory of Send's crushing defeat made him waver slightly. He looked at Earl Rank.

Rank immediately stepped forward, smoothing things over in a diplomatic voice: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Count Shuyun Stiga is loyal and his words are all for the greater good."

"Your Majesty's life is of paramount importance, and your safety depends on the foundation of the nation."

"In my opinion, it is sufficient for Count Shuyun Stiga to lead the elite main force to attack the stronghold."

"The other half of the troops will be personally commanded by His Majesty, stationed in the central army. This will serve three purposes: first, to deter the enemy; second, to protect His Majesty's safety; and third, to provide support to all sides at any time. This is a foolproof plan!"

He cleverly replaced the concept of "reserve force" with "protecting the king" and "holding command in the central army," giving Rudolf a way out.

Count Pistor immediately chimed in, saying that commanding the reserves was a slacking-off job anyway, and besides, he wouldn't be doing the actual work.

Rudolf's expression softened slightly. Although he was still dissatisfied with the troop allocation, Ranke's words made him feel that he had saved face and emphasized his own importance, which made him very satisfied.

He said in a deep voice, "Shu Yun Stiga, I need you to finish this quickly and take over the outer strongholds!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Count Shu Yun Stiga accepted the order, but felt no relief.

He knew that the real test had just begun.

Others also had some doubts: what if His Majesty the King suddenly changed his mind during the battle?
The call to attack has sounded.

Count Shu Yun Stiga commanded half of the Rhine Alliance's elite troops, who surged like an iron torrent toward the bridgehead outside the Flensburg moat and several sturdy stone fortresses.

Bullets rained down on the city walls, and light mortars roared, providing cover for the mages to unleash more powerful but time-consuming spells to suppress the defenders' counterattack.

However, the defenders of Flensburg put up an exceptionally fierce resistance. They relied on their strong fortifications, magical shields, rocks, and their own lives to withstand the enemy's attacks, and used every firing hole to launch precise counterattacks.

The garrison was well prepared, and the flames outside the port gates were not an isolated incident.

As the Rhine soldiers, carrying ladders and shouting, charged across what appeared to be a flat, open area, attempting to approach the base of a bridgehead, a dull thud suddenly came from beneath their feet!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The gunpowder buried underground was ignited, and the enormous explosive force ripped the ground apart, sending mud, gravel, and the remains of soldiers flying into the sky.

Thick smoke and flames instantly engulfed the charging troops. Screams, cries of alarm, and explosions mingled together, throwing the attacking front into chaos and causing heavy losses.

The explosions didn't just occur near the bridgehead; an explosion further away sent a group of royal mages, about to cast a spell, flying high into the air.

Four gunshots rang out in succession from the firing ports behind the defenders' bunker walls and on the distant castle walls. The shields cast by the mage company and the armor on the soldiers' bodies were shattered by the four bullets that came one after another, and finally entered their flesh and blood.

Bunkers, city walls, and arrow towers together weave a web of death. Bunkers are specifically designed to target approaching soldiers, while city walls and arrow towers are designed to deal with distant mages, each fulfilling its specific function.

Count Shu Yun Stiga's face was ashen; he had suffered considerable losses right from the start of the battle.

He also occasionally learns from the magazines of the quill pen military strategist. Today is the first time he has commanded a new type of weapon. The old tactics may not be able to cope with the new situation. It seems that some new tactics will have to be used.

Suddenly, a series of explosions occurred on the castle as griffin riders dropped bombs from the sky, targeting the platforms atop the arrow towers.

The protective magic on the arrow towers was immediately activated, and explosions rang out above everyone's heads.

These magic shields look shaky and won't last long.

The royal mage order also joined the fray, their combined spells erupting like a volcano. Becher controlled fireballs the size of carriages, hurling them at the arrow towers and the magic crystal cannons on the city walls. Yulmand merely smirked; Flensburg's magic crystal cannons had long been exhausted in previous battles, and now they were just empty shells.

Shu Yun Stiga seized the opportunity to immediately adjust tactics, ordering the follow-up troops to bypass the suspicious area and use mortars for more intense suppression, while the infantry adopted a more dispersed formation, using the wheelbarrows that were originally used to fill trenches as cover, and gradually approached the bunker.

As the team approached the bunker, the assault team composed of superhumans launched an attack.

The battle was exceptionally fierce, lasting from dawn until dusk.

As the sunlight turned blood-red, the Rhine army, having paid a heavy price, finally captured several of the most important outer bridgeheads and bunkers, relying on its numerical advantage and the bravery of its soldiers.

The remaining defenders retreated into the main castle through the tunnels and then blocked the tunnels.

Exhausted, the Rhine soldiers occupied the ruins and planted their own flags.

Inside Flensburg Castle, Count Jurmand stood by the window, looking at the ruins of a stronghold in the distance, where enemy flags were flying, without any sign of frustration on his face.

He turned to his adjutant and said, "The Rhine attacked during the day and suffered heavy casualties. Now that they occupy the ruins, they must be exhausted and least vigilant. Do they think we'll just cower and defend?"

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Order 'Night Owl' to prepare. According to the plan, exit the city through the secret passage, ignoring bridgeheads and bunkers, heading straight for the Rhine Army camp. Give them a surprise!"

"Remember, the main objective is harassment and creating chaos; do not linger in battle!"

In the dead of night, all was quiet. Several hidden tunnel exits quietly opened in the shadows a few kilometers outside Flensburg.

Hundreds of elite soldiers emerged like ghosts, silently rushing towards the Rhine Army's eastern bridgehead camp, which appeared particularly tired and even somewhat lax after the day's fierce battle.

However, they were not greeted by chaos and slumber.

Just as they approached the camp fence, a piercing siren ripped through the night.

Immediately afterwards, countless torches lit up the darkness, flares fell from the sky, and rows of Rhine soldiers, who had been waiting in battle, appeared behind the makeshift low wall, aimed their guns, and fired in unison!
"There's an ambush!"

"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

The Danma night raid caught the soldiers off guard, and a large number of them were instantly shot down by a hail of bullets!
Count Shu Yun Stiga's figure appeared in the firelight. He had indeed left a backup plan—those reserve troops who had not participated in the fierce attack during the day and had been resting and recuperating had now become the iron wall of night watch.

The night raiders abandoned dozens of corpses and hastily retreated along the route they had come from, disappearing into the dark tunnel entrance.

"Clean up the battlefield! Increase vigilance!"

Count Shu Yun Stiga gave the order in a cold voice, but felt no joy in his heart.

Yulmand's swift and ruthless reaction proved that he still had reserves of strength. This battle was more difficult than anticipated.

Just as Count Shu Yun Stiga successfully thwarted the night raid and breathed a sigh of relief, shocking news came from behind!
A knight, covered in blood and with tattered armor, practically crawled into Rudolf's tent, his voice hoarse and desperate: "Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The supply...supply convoy! In...in the forest leading to Redwaterwheel Village...ambushed! The entire army wiped out!"

A deathly silence fell over the tent. Rudolf jumped to his feet: "What?! Explain yourself!"

The messenger, panting heavily, reported, "It was...it was Preben, the swordsman of the Danma people. The convoy...the magic crystals, food, and the newly collected military funds...it's all gone! Destroyed!"

"Preben?" Rudolf's face turned deathly pale. He recognized the name: the swordsman of the Kingdom of Danma, renowned for his bravery and surprise attacks, and the guardian of the Danma royal family!
"He...wasn't he protecting the royal family in the north? How could he..."

This news was like a bolt from the blue!

What was lost was not just supplies, but the lifeline upon which the entire army relied to survive the winter and continue fighting!

Magic crystals, in particular, are crucial for sieges, and the loss of gold coins can directly shake the morale of the army!
A swordsman who fights guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines is extremely terrifying. To deal with him, it would take at least three equally skilled experts and a large number of high-level combatants to form an encirclement.

The news spread through the military camp as quickly as a plague.

The daytime attack resulted in significant casualties, the shock of the night raid lingered, and the supply lines on which they depended for survival were cut off, along with the destruction of valuable resources…

The soldiers' morale plummeted instantly. Panic, despair, and anger filled the camp.

What's even more frightening is that Preben is no longer guarding the royal family, but has appeared in the south. What does this mean? Is the Danma royal family completely finished, or have they joined forces with Kosdorf?

Rudolf slumped back into his chair, dejected, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

Preben appeared like a ghost, completely shattering his illusions of a quick victory.

A chilling fear, accompanied by a profound sense of defeat, gripped the young king's heart.

Flensburg, this seemingly crumbling fortress, now appeared to him as a bottomless, terrifying abyss that devoured everything.

Shu Yun Stiga immediately said, "Your Majesty, we must use all our strength and spare no expense to take Flensburg. Even if things develop to the worst, we can rely on the castle to wait for reinforcements!"

Ranke, unusually, offered military advice: "Your Majesty, we can feign a night raid that disrupts our camp, prepare now, and launch an attack before dawn to catch Yurmand off guard!"

This is a tactic from a novel, and it seems feasible now.

Rudolf shook his head and said, "No, let's first besiege Preburn and get the Byrne army to help!"

(End of this chapter)