Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 16 Head-to-Head Showdown
Su Mu and his men returned to the forest farm overnight. They arrived close to dawn. Several carpenters on night duty were standing outside the gate, but they were completely unaware of the approaching army until the sharpshooter greeted them, which startled them.

A carpenter might be a skilled lumberjack, but his fighting ability is even inferior to that of a farmer wielding a pitchfork.

If it were a centaur army that arrived at this moment, the consequences would be self-evident.

"Go tell Xiao Jiu to organize a team to dig up the road into the forest farm and put some abandoned giant logs on it as roadblocks."

The stone road in the forest was specially built, and it could easily transport dozens of logs. Such a wide road was perfect for centaurs to charge forward. Even if it meant destroying their own foundation, they had to overcome the immediate difficulties first.

"The rest of you pack your belongings and go into the mountains to take shelter."

The troops in the fortress are usually not very destructive. When the enemy comes to the forest, they are only after the log resources and will not burn, kill, or plunder.

"Lord Forrest has not yet returned, but the messenger for Baron Eugen has returned."

"How to say?"

"Baron Eugen was furious to hear that Wood and the others had abandoned the town and fled. He said he would definitely report to Longlet Castle and demand punishment. He hopes that you will hold your position with your men and protect the forest resources. Afterwards, the Marquis will send a large army to support you."

Su Mu scoffed, "That sounds nice, but they won't give us any real support. By the time the army arrives, Cangmu Town will be a wasteland."

Baron Eugen, as a veteran hero with baronial lands, had his own troops.

But now that Isildur has launched a full-scale invasion, no one knows the extent of the enemy's forces, so naturally no one dares to take the risk. Even if the forest farm has considerable resources, they can only hand them over.

Ouling frowned and asked, "Did they mention the types and numbers of troops that invaded?"

"They said we had won our first battle and would take all the spoils with us, but the Baron just wouldn't budge and insisted on waiting for the Marquisate to take unified command."

"Really..."

Orling didn't know what to say. If the Baron could send troops to fight alongside them, annihilating the centaur legion would be a piece of cake.

Su Mu was not surprised; he had long anticipated the nature of the nobles of Langlitburg.

He didn't expect any real benefits from these people, but he had to publicize the story of Franz, Wood, and the others deserting their posts. In this way, no matter what their relationship or background was, they wouldn't be able to come back and fight for control of Kuraki Town.

Although Elton was corrupt, his ancestors had built the kingdom step by step through military exploits, and the noble class despised such deserters the most.

Oling said, "Since the Baron is unwilling to send troops, Langlit Castle is even less likely to do so. At this time, they will only defend the city and may even have internal strife. There is absolutely no way they will send troops to resist."

Su Mu glanced at him; it seemed that Ouling had a lot of opinions about Langlitburg.

"I don't expect Longletburg to send troops, just don't cause trouble."

The most promising option is actually the refugee camp, which is also our largest investor. It's unlikely that we can find a better replacement for the destroyed forest farm in a short period of time.

But don't pin your hopes on others. Lead the Earthbow, choose a suitable high ground defensive position, leave no way out, and prepare for a fight to the death!

Ouling accepted the order, his expression showing no fear. After a moment's hesitation, he still asked, "We repelled them in the skirmish. Do you think the centaur forces will dare to come again?"

Su Mu was unusually serious: "Are you going to shrink back just because of a sneak attack? The enemy will definitely come over, and they will be able to identify Cangmu Town as their target much faster."

Never underestimate any hero!

……

On the hills a few miles from Cangmu Town, a centaur army had assembled, their banners made of dark blue natural giant trees, fluttering in the wind.

"Your Excellency Druid Hirel, our scouts report that we have detected a natural resentment around the Kuraki Forest. It was this very town that slaughtered our vanguard."

"We were attacked by archers last night. Although the footprints were blurry, they were definitely heading in the direction of Kuraki Town."

The strength of the Barrier faction lies in its closeness to nature, and the most common hero class is the Ranger, skilled in intelligence gathering and reconnaissance. Although the archers used some unknown method to conceal their footsteps, their scent remained, and they were discovered by the centaur patrol, who followed the tracks.

The centaur leader, Hilrel, was a handsome man wearing a light green cloak, a typical member of the forest tribe.

Instead of rushing into Cangmu Town, he sent a large number of patrols to scout the terrain. They discovered that the road in front of the forest farm had been destroyed, and the area inside was empty. However, defensive fortifications had been built against the high mountains, and there was a surge of magical energy.

After all, the enemy has excellent archers, and relying on buildings for defense has a significant advantage. The forest is located at the foot of the mountain, and even if roadblocks are set up, it will be difficult to withstand the centaur's charge. Defending against the mountain is indeed the best option.

But this means cutting off all escape routes, and the enemy's determination to resist is indeed very strong.

"Send patrols to both sides of the hill to check for any ambushes. Do not attack without authorization!"

"Notify the Silver Pegasus in the north that there are fish in Cangmu Town and ask them to send a small team over."

Attacking such unfavorable terrain would hinder centaur units, but flying armies would be unaffected. A small hill can be crossed in a single leap, and the enemy's main force consists of ranged archers, making it a perfect counter.

Of course, if the other party isn't that strong, he wouldn't mind swallowing them up himself.

……

In just half a day, the centaur army had completely surrounded them.

At this point, in close combat, neither side has any secrets left. Using the Qi Observation Technique, they instantly discerned the other's information.

[Centaur 360, Centaur Leader 40, Healing Tent 1]

【半人马首领（壁垒2阶1级兵种）：攻击力6（8），防御力3（4），杀伤力2-3，生命10，速度8，体型中等。

Element: None

Even Su Mu's heart skipped a beat when he saw the centaur leader. With defense only slightly weaker than a level 1 unit of a tier 2 castle, its high speed completely made up for this deficiency. It was the strongest assault unit in the early game and was undoubtedly an expensive unit.

You get what you pay for. A centaur leader with a speed of 8, especially if paired with Swiftness Acceleration.

They could have reached them in an instant. Luckily, the Earthbow Guard was stationed here; otherwise, the Divine Archer would have been thinking about how to escape.

My gaze slowly shifted and I spotted a general in a green cloak in the ranks.

[Hirel (Druid): Attack 2, Defense 1, Spell Power 3, Knowledge 3.]

Element: Air

Characteristics: Steady, suspicious

Druid Trait: Transform into an animal to increase Legion bonuses.

Basic Air Magic: Reduces mana cost and increases casting speed when using air magic (Elemental air magic specialization: when casting air magic, there is a chance to cast it twice, but the mana cost increases).

Intermediate Logistics Skill: Increases hero's land movement ability by 20%.

Su Mu was spying on Sirel, and Sirel was also watching him, but heroes are highly concealed before they use their abilities. Without magic like Su Mu, he naturally didn't gain much.

The only thing that can be confirmed is that Su Mu is also a hero, and this unit has a hero bonus.

Looking at the centaurs covering the mountains and plains, Su Mu felt an immense pressure for the first time.

Why is the enemy surrounding us but not attacking?
Logically, with the enemy deep in their territory, time should be on their side, and the centaurs should be able to finish the battle quickly. Why are they so slow to act?
Could it be that the other side suspects they have an ambush?
That shouldn't be the case. Even without detailed reconnaissance capabilities, such a small hillside should have been easily visible, let alone by a fortified unit.

Perhaps we could take advantage of their suspicious nature and stall for time while waiting for Forrest's reinforcements?
Su Mu fell into thought.

(End of this chapter)