Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 817 - 80 Mason_2

Chapter 817: Chapter 80 Mason_2 Chapter 817: Chapter 80 Mason_2 The fire-maker bent his bow and fitted an arrow, releasing it into the sky with a whizzing sound: “[Herde Language] Great gods above!”

Like unleashed hunting hounds, the leaders each led their own kinsmen and horses, howling as they charged toward Revodan.

When the Terdun people spied on Revodan, Mason also noticed the dark silhouettes on the horizon.

“What a difficult problem he has given me,” Mason complained helplessly in his heart.

Yet to the trembling defenders of the city, Mason stirred up great enthusiasm with a different argument: “The Montaigne Civil Guard Officer has already wiped out the barbarians at the Panto River! What’s coming now is just a bunch of stragglers!”

The walls of Revodan were about two meters high, made of rammed earth, with wooden frames inside for people to stand on.

Faced with the great foe, the city’s labor teams were directly conscripted, becoming the honorable militia assigned to defend the city. The method of assigning positions was simple: you defend the section of the wall that you built.

...

The only fighting force in the city—the City Guard consisting mainly of armed citizens—was held in Mason’s hands and not stationed on the walls.

“Mr. Priskin, senior,” Mason gently soothed the mayor beside him, “There’s no need to worry too much.”

Although Priskin had weathered major storms, his knees still uncontrollably trembled in the face of the barbarians’ tsunami-like onslaught.

Learning that the barbarians had crossed the river from Forging Village, Priskin had strongly urged Mason to retreat to the Old City, burning down the south bank’s New Town in the process.

But Mason firmly disagreed.

In desperation, Priskin tearfully said farewell to his family and, putting his life on the line, stood with Mason Commissioner on the walls of New Town.

As the Terdun people were about to reach the walls, Mason began calmly explaining his decision to Mayor Priskin: “There are nearly ten thousand civilians in New Town, and our supplies are stockpiled here. Burning it all would be tantamount to cutting off Montaigne Civil Guard Officer’s retreat.”

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Priskin was at a loss for words: “If we don’t burn it down, won’t these supplies fall into the barbarians’ hands, cutting off Montaigne Civil Guard Officer’s retreat anyway?”

“Do you know why I stayed in Revodan?” asked Mason with a smile.

Priskin, hardening his heart, could not bother with flattery anymore: “I don’t know.”

Mason smacked his lips and sighed, “Because I’m best at defending a city. I designed this city myself, and I’m confident in it.”

Priskin wanted to cry: Such low walls, so few people, where does this confidence come from? My goodness!

Elsewhere, the fire-maker and the old Translator were observing the fight from a hillside.

The land surrounding Revodan showed a strange pitch-black hue, not the common yellow-brown of autumn and winter.

The old Translator always felt something off, and after pondering for a long while, he noticed something—too barren. The earth was bare.

The area around a city could not possibly be barren since the process of citizens moving to the outskirts was the growth of the city.

However, the south side of the city was bare, with no houses, no woods, no villages… nothing at all.

The old Translator looked around and saw the same by his side: Unable to find a tree for timber, unable to find a handful of grass for the horses.

“Perhaps it’s a tough nut to crack,” the old Translator thought spontaneously.

Outside the city, the deafening sound of horse hooves drew nearer.

Inside the city, a group of refugees were stealthily approaching the western gate of New Town.

“Halt, what are you doing?” Ivan, the soldier guarding the gate, barked a question.

“We were sent by the Civil Guard Officer, to bring some drinks for you gentlemen,” the leading refugee said with a sly grin, but his steps never stopped.

Ivan, without responding, saw the man continuing to approach and promptly pulled out his whistle, puffing his cheeks to give a blast.

“Damn it!” the leading refugee drew a shortsword from within his cloak and lunged at the guards: “Kill!”

The other Terdon Tribe [affiliates] who had infiltrated the city also surged forth, attacking the guards.

“Spies!” Ivan bellowed a warning, hefting his shield and swinging his broadsword to meet the leading spy: “Protect the gate!”

The guards were fully armored but few in number; the affiliates were many but only armed with shortswords. Blades clashed in a fierce melee.

On the other side, Mason heard the whistle from the west gate.

Mounting his horse, Mason turned back with a smile to Mayor Priskin, “I leave this place to you, Mr. Mayor.”

With that, he led the guards and City Guard cavalry toward the western gate.

“Old man… old man…” Even in the face of Montaigne Civil Guard Officer, Priskin never felt so disheveled. In his urgency, the old man even cried out with a cracked voice: “I’ve never fought a battle!”

On the hillside, the fire-maker watching the fight noticed flames flickering on the southern side of the walls, with the gate wide open.

“We’ve succeeded!” exclaimed the fire-maker, unable to hide his excitement.

The old Translator looked on with an enigmatic expression, noncommittal.

The somber blare of horns pierced the battlefield as a squad of armored Cavalry broke away from the main force, charging directly toward the flaring gate.

The rest of the Terdun Cavalry continued to weave around the city walls, shooting arrows and drawing the defenders’ attention.

Charging the walls with cavalry—even a short wall—was foolish without siege equipment, but for the Terdun people lacking such gear, the ideal strategy was an inside-outside collaboration.

In mid-September, right after the first failed raid, the fire-maker was already planning the second.

The time the Terdon Tribe [affiliates] had infiltrated Iron Peak County and Vernge County was even earlier than the first raid.

The so-called affiliates were those who fled into the wilderness for various reasons and joined the Herde tribes, with the most common source being criminals. It was only through the affiliates that the Herde tribes could glimpse the internal situation of Paratu.