Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

"That guy is making a move!" Mason also gritted his teeth in response, "What can I do if he moves?"

The cavalryman in red armor and on a green horse stood atop a mound on the west side of the square formation, pacing back and forth on his horse as if issuing commands.

Manning the firecannon, Mason followed the adversary's movements, making slight adjustments to the angle.

The most dreaded events often happen at the least desired times.

A Hong Lingyu, accompanied by a dozen cavalrymen, charged over furiously, shouting, "Herde Language] You armoured soldiers dare to falter in battle? Who's in charge?"

"Herde Language] We did not falter, our leader is Eagle!" Bell answered.

[Note: Eagle is a commonly used name among the Herders]

The Hong Lingyu, without slowing down, demanded, "Herde Language] Too many Eagles?! Which one?"

Seeing the Hong Lingyu approaching, Winters steeled his heart, grabbed Mason's shoulder, and said, "I'll make him stop; make sure you aim well!"

"How will you get him to stop?" Mason responded in utter shock.

Winters took a deep breath, entering a state to cast spells.

Despite the lingering phantom pain, he poured all his magical power into a roar, "Yasin!!!"

This roar erupted like thunder, sweeping across the wasteland, audible to every Herder within Bianli City.

Both sides engaged in the fight even involuntarily paused, the knight on the green horse also couldn't help but look toward the source of the sound.

Winters only felt warmth in his left ear; upon touching it, his hand came away bloody.

"Herde Language] White Lion is not something you're worthy of calling out!" raged the Hong Lingyu who had regained his senses.

"Is it ready now?" Winters stared intently at the man in red armor.

"This one's ready!" Mason bellowed, leaping to another firecannon.

Winters abruptly yanked off the cover from the cannon's muzzle and, through the tarpaulin, invoked a fire spell into the gunpowder at the breech.

"Boom!"

The cannon's carriage broke under the force of the recoil, sending splinters flying.

The barrel soared into the air—it was only tied down to the cart with ropes—flying toward the area behind Winters.

A storm of steel swept across the battlefield; the cavalrymen to the right of the knight in red armor were wiped out, but the rider himself remained unscathed.

After the first shot missed, Winters shouted, "Again!"

"Ready!" Mason yelled back.

The cover of the second six-pound bronze long cannon's muzzle was opened.

"Boom!"

Double the powder, double the shot.

The immense propulsive force of the burning gunpowder instantly sent one hundred and fifty spherical lead bullets flying out of the barrel, with the recoil causing the cannon to roll and bounce.

The cloth bag filled with lead balls burst at the muzzle, scattering one hundred and fifty bullets into the air, spreading into a disc-shaped cloud of projectiles.

Like one hundred and fifty arrows, accompanied by the shrieks of death, they flew toward the knight in red armor.

The sudden turn of events left everyone with no time to react.

The first cannon was still tumbling through the air and had not yet hit the ground.

"Herde Language] White Lion!" Only Chiliarch Owl Hawk instinctively lunged toward the blue-gleaming horse, using his body to shield the knight in red armor.

"Pffft," "Pffft," "Pffft"...

A succession of horrifying sounds of lead bullets entering flesh.

The lead bullets did not distinguish between Hong Lingyu, Red Lingyu, or Green Plumed Feathers.

Nor did they differentiate between human and horse.

The lead bullets were equal-opportunity destroyers of all living things.

Everyone around the knight in red armor—including himself—was struck down.

The magnificent blue-gleaming warhorse was killed on the spot, along with several horses lying on the ground, wailing.

"Clang!" The first-fired cannon had just hit the ground.

"Kill!" Winters picked up a spear, knocking down the Hong Lingyu [Herde Constabulary] from the saddle in front of him.

"Kill!" Colonel Jeska stabbed fiercely into the horse's flank, charging out ahead of everyone from the slope.

"Kill!" Piaoqi Troops, Dusacks, mounted infantry... over four hundred Cavalry followed the one-eyed colonel's charge from behind the hill.

The cavalry split into two groups, the left wing following Jeska, and the right following Andre, both sides attacking toward where White Lion Yasin had fallen.

"Herde Language] White Lion! Save the White Lion!" The Herders beside the mound rushed over frantically.

Other Herder Cavalry abandoned the formation, throwing themselves recklessly to intercept the Paratu Cavalry.

Winters was blocked by the Herders, watching helplessly as the Herders by the mound carried off their leader in red armor, unconscious, on horseback.

"Herde Language] White Lion is dead!" Bell shouted at the top of his lungs, "Herde Language] White Lion is dead!"

Everyone in Jeska's unit shouted "White Lion is dead," as they had been taught.

Fear and hesitation began to spread among the Herders.

More and more Herders started to leave the battle, heading toward the remote main encampment of the Red River Tribe.

"Quickly reform the formation!" Winters ordered sternly.
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As for whether the White Lion was truly dead, he had no certainty.

Even if the White Lion were dead, the Herders still held an absolute advantage in forces.

Unexpected reinforcements had given the Paratu People a moment to breathe; the four square formations, already on the verge of collapse, suddenly had the chance to regroup and rally.

The Paratu people left behind the corpses, hurrying toward the main formation where Sekler was.

"All formations! Do not act without orders!" A dozen messengers ran among the formations, "Musketeers! Pick up your spears! Anyone without a weapon shall be decapitated!"

Gales do not last all morning, sudden rains do not last all day.

The rain was quickly lessening, and after a brief skirmish with the Herders, Jeska's Cavalry retreated back toward the large formation.

The Paratu army, which had not disintegrated in the previous bloodbath, now verged on breaking down as soon as the fighting paused.

Sekler dispatched constabulary on the spot to execute more than a dozen people to stop the disorderly rush of Paratu soldiers toward the main formation.

The officer responsible for arranging the formation was known as the "Formation Leader," and Sekler personally took on the role this time.