industrial lord

Chapter 740 Death Breakthrough
The port had long been burned to ruins, and the army of the Kingdom of Suomi had set up tents.

The three kings—Kasimir of Piast, Snellman of Suomi, and Kosdorf of Sverrières—sat around a campfire to ward off the early winter chill, the flickering flames reflecting their varied expressions.

Kazimir spoke first, somewhat impatiently, "Your Majesties, the Rhine Alliance has collapsed. We can see their soldiers are ashen-faced after one defeat after another, and their food sacks are almost empty!"

"What are we waiting for? Let's combine our strengths and launch a full-scale attack on their main camp!"

"As long as we completely crush the Rhine Alliance's army and capture or kill Rudolf before the Wesen Army arrives, this war will be over!"

His voice was urgent, seemingly filled with a desire for a swift victory, but still revealing a hint of fear of the Duchy of Wessen's army.

"A direct assault?" Snellman chuckled gruffly, his burly frame leaning slightly forward, his face brimming with absolute confidence in his own strength. "Your Majesty Kazimir, your Winged Hussars are unstoppable on the plains except by our Bear Hussars, but using them to storm a fortified camp with deep trenches and high walls will only cause your painstakingly rebuilt elite troops to bleed in vain!"

"Our warriors in the snow forest are not meant to be wasted in front of wooden fences!"

He patted his thick breastplate forcefully, pointed towards the Rhine camp, and said seriously, "The safest approach is to continue the siege and starve them, while I remove that thorn in the side—Hawthorn Village."

“The Mainz army is entrenched there. Let me deal with them. After I’ve dealt with Hawthorn Village, I’ll work with Prince Kosdorf to deal with the Weisen army at Stork Harbor and cut off the retreat route of the remaining Rhine Alliance troops.”

"Then we can deal with them slowly and easily!"

Kosdorf stroked his neatly trimmed beard. Although his recent winning streak had slightly relaxed his inner caution, his years of experience remained.

He spoke slowly, his voice steady: "His Majesty Snellman's strategy is more comprehensive. Attacking a fortified camp is indeed costly, and the movements of the Wesson army are always unpredictable, so we must be wary."

"Dividing forces to address uncertainties first is the prudent approach."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he confidently declared, "The Duchy of Wessen and the Duchy of Mainz have a close relationship. His Majesty Snellmann's attack on Hawthorn Village drew the Wessen army to its aid. I will personally lead the Sverrière army to intercept and defeat the Wessen army coming from the direction of Storkport."

"As long as we defeat the Weisen army, the last pillar of the Rhine Alliance will collapse, and the remaining enemy will crumble without a fight. Then we can deal with them as easily as catching mice in a rice jar."

Finally, he said to Kazimir in a reassuring tone, "Your Majesty Kazimir, your Winged Hussars only need to continue to firmly block the southeastern route to prevent Rudolf from breaking out and to prevent the Byrne army from Redwaterwheel Village from going north to support Rudolf."

"Wei Senjun? He's nothing to fear."

Kazimir sighed inwardly. He had fought against the fledgling Weisen army before and had studied them for many years, so he knew how terrifying they were.

He glanced at Snellman, who was living in a remote corner and had little contact with the Duchy of Wessen, and was now bursting with confidence; then he looked at Kosdorf, who was proud because of his successive victories and whose words revealed contempt for the Wessen army, and the thought of cutting his losses in time came to mind.

But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we can't bear to miss it.

Now that the two allies had reached an agreement, he suppressed his dissatisfaction and calmly said, "Alright, let's proceed according to the plans of the two lords."

"The next battle must be swift; we must not give Wessen's army a chance to counterattack or Rudolf a chance to catch his breath."

The three kings finalized their strategy of dividing their forces, and the army began to be mobilized.

The griffin riders of the Rhine camp risked their lives to cross the blockade in the air to scout back, bringing back crucial intelligence: the main force of Suomi's army was moving in large numbers to the southwest, heading straight for Hawthorn Village! The main force of Sverrière's army was also marching in the same direction, aiming for Stork Harbor! Only Piaster's main force of winged hussars remained like a nail driven into the key road leading to Redwaterwheel Village.

This news, like a spark thrown into Rudolf's gunpowder called fear, instantly ignited.

He sprang from his chair, a near-manic flush rising across his ashen face, his eyes gleaming with a desperate, grasping-at-a-lifeline light. He roared almost hysterically, “A gap! The encirclement has loosened! The enemy has divided their forces! This is a golden opportunity! Break out! Break out of Hongshuiche Village immediately! All troops, prepare!”

Count Rank rubbed his temples, feeling weary.

He proposed that Queen Antonia oversee the army, urge the Weisen troops on, and boost morale.

Everyone thought it was great, but they overlooked one thing: the queen came from the Kingdom of Gaul, and upon receiving news of the appearance of the three enemies, she immediately moved from Hamma City back to the capital.

This turn of events not only caused a sharp drop in morale but also irritated Rudolf's spirit, making him somewhat...manic.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Shu Yun Stiga was the first to rush forward, his voice hoarse with extreme anxiety. "This is very likely a trap. The enemy has divided their forces, but the Winged Hussars of Kazimir haven't moved an inch. They're blocking our way between Redwaterwheel Village!"

"Once we leave the camp and are exposed in the open, the Winged Hussars will crush us like rabbits!"

"The Suomi and Sverrière armies only seem to have left; they could turn around and come back at any time. If we get bogged down in the field, we're doomed!"

"Your Majesty, please remain calm. Holding the fortified positions and waiting for the Weisen army to lift the siege is the only way to survive!"

His analysis was rapid and clear, attempting to pull the king back from the brink of disaster.

Count Rank hurriedly added, sweat beading on his forehead as he spoke: "Your Majesty, Count Shuyun Stiga is absolutely right. The enemy's division of forces must have a backup plan. Breaking out now is extremely dangerous! The Wesson army has already begun its operation. We only need to hold out for a few more days..."

The army was merely surrounded; radio communications remained unaffected.

Franz Jr. received Shu Yun Stiga's action plan from the main camp. After studying it, he found it feasible and telegraphed back to proceed with the plan.

Wei Senjun's operation prioritizes reconnaissance; he has been conducting large-scale reconnaissance for the past few days, aiming to find vulnerabilities before launching a swift and decisive strike.

"Shut up!" Rudolf rudely interrupted the two, his face contorted with madness, fear and deep-seated suspicion of Frederick completely consuming his reason. "Wessen Army, you're still mentioning Weisen Army?!"

"Whether they will come or not is unknown. Even if they do come, who knows what that ambitious Wesson is up to?"

"He'd love for me to die in the chaos of battle!" Everyone in the tent thought to themselves. They all knew this, but they shouldn't say it aloud.

"I don't trust him! I only trust the sword in my hand! Now that the enemy has divided their forces and the encirclement has a flaw, this is our last chance to break out!"

"You're not leaving? I'll leave by myself! Gather! Break through with me immediately!"

Ignoring the pale faces and desperate pleas of the generals inside the tent, Rudolf rushed out of the tent, went to the stable, mounted his horse, and loudly summoned the team that would be running the dungeon with him.

The fear of the Winged Hussars' massacre and the delusion of Frederick's betrayal drove him down the most reckless path.

The others in the camp were waiting for orders from the main tent. News of the enemy's division of forces had already spread, and when they saw the king shouting for a breakout, they assumed there were new orders and began to act.

Becher was preparing for the upcoming battle with the Royal Mage Order, while Palatine was arranging for the Griffin Knights to harass them that night. Rudolf rode to their encampment and personally gave the order.

Hegel was slightly injured a few days ago when he stopped Preben's sneak attack. He was resting in his tent when he heard the noise and rushed out immediately.

The army's biggest fear is being annihilated, and the current situation is almost the same. Everyone is packing their things, preparing to break out with His Majesty the King.

Shu Yun, Stiga, Rank, Pistor, and others ran around trying to persuade people to stop, but to no avail, and they were utterly disheartened.

Such a hasty breakout signifies the collapse of the army's command core.

Morale can be boosted temporarily, but if setbacks are encountered, the already low morale of the troops will completely collapse.

Now that things have come to this, there is no longer any possibility of staying and holding on.

Shu Yun, Stiga, Pistor, and the others could only roar out orders, trying to rally the chaotic troops. They hastily followed the king's conspicuous banner and guards, rushing out of the camp in a disorderly, almost suicidal breakout towards the southern Red Waterwheel Village.

The sudden uproar at the Rhine camp and the sight of the massive army rushing out caught Kosdorf, Casimir, and Snellmann, who had just divided their forces and were focused on their new objectives, completely off guard.

They never expected that the indecisive Rudolf would choose such a radical and hasty breakout at this moment.

The Winged Hussars patrolling to the south were somewhat overconfident and caught off guard by the Rhine Alliance's mindless charge, easily breaking through the first line of defense.

"Rudolf has broken through?! Heading towards Redwaterwheel Village?!" Casimir received the urgent report and couldn't help but sneer, "Good timing, but escape won't be so easy!"

"All troops, launch an attack! Engage them, and don't let a single one escape!"

"Keep a close watch on Hongshuiche Village. If reinforcements are sent, fight them back!"

He mounted his horse and personally led the main force like an arrow shot into the chaotic Rhine army.

When Kosdorf received the message, he frowned and muttered, "This is really unexpected. It has disrupted our rhythm. It's a pity we were too hasty. If we had gone a day later and gone further away, we might have succeeded."

He reacted extremely quickly, immediately ordering the messenger: "Order the entire army to halt its advance toward Stork Harbor, turn around immediately, and move at full speed toward the southeast battlefield to cooperate with His Majesty Kazimir's Winged Hussars to encircle the Rhine army attempting to break out, and be sure to annihilate its main force, especially Rudolf's royal banner!"

Snellman roared an order, commanding some of the troops that had been marching southwest to turn back and join the unexpected hunt.

All three parties unanimously dispatched their top combat forces to take the lead and slow down the Rhine Alliance army.

The sky was ablaze as the top combatants of both sides clashed head-on.

The Rhine Alliance camp consisted of Becher, Palatinate, and Hegel, and the total number of the three allied forces was twice that of the Rhine Alliance.

Leiner, who was stationed in Redwaterwheel Village, had been using the fortress to eliminate the Winged Hussars with sniper fire and artillery these days. Suddenly, he received news of the army's breakout. He first sent two of the Duchy of Bain's top warriors to support them, and then prepared to send someone to meet them.

The Rhine Alliance was still outnumbered and could not hold out any longer. A fisherman in the distance sighed, stuck his fishing rod in the water, picked up his weapon, and joined the battle.

An unplanned and exceptionally fierce pursuit and encirclement battle suddenly broke out on the plains south of Flensburg.

The Rhine army, which broke out hastily, was in disarray, with infantry and cavalry separated, supplies abandoned, and soldiers only concerned with running south.

They had only been a few kilometers from the camp when they ran headlong into the main force of the Winged Hussars, led by Kazimir himself, which swept in like a whirlwind.

With thunderous hooves, bullets rained down, followed closely by the Piast royal mage legion, now fully transformed into winged cavalry. They easily tore through the Rhine's thin and chaotic defenses, scattering the massive breakout column into pieces.

Kazimir bought enough time.

Kosdorf's elite Sverrières infantry, which had turned back and were marching rapidly, quickly deployed and, like monsters on an ice field, fiercely attacked the Rhine army that had been scattered by the Winged Hussars from the flanks and rear.

The Suomi army, which arrived shortly afterward, also joined the battle. The bear cavalry continuously annihilated small groups of enemies separated by the winged cavalry, further shrinking the Rhine army's living space.

Desperate resistance, terrified flight, and ruthless slaughter intertwined. Rudolf's royal banner charged left and right amidst the chaos, his guards falling one after another, appearing exceptionally isolated and vulnerable.

On the towering tower of Flensburg, Count Ulmann, holding a telescope, stared expressionlessly at the distant, boiling field gradually being shrouded in blood and dust.

The fortress he defended has now become the coldest witness to this devastating collapse that will determine the fate of the Rhine Alliance.

(End of this chapter)