Chapter 8 - That Fat Guy Is Escaping?
The cavalry, deprived of their steeds, continued their advance towards Fatty's spearhead formation, their movements echoing through the barren grassland with a resounding clang. Each cavalryman resembled a metal canister, exuding a sense of immense heaviness.
Deprived of their horses, the cavalry's pace was sluggish, almost turning them into living targets. The incessant sound of arrows clanging against their armor filled the air. Though the majority of arrows failed to inflict serious damage due to their heavy armor, some "unlucky" soldiers were struck through gaps in their armor, such as arrows piercing their necks, sending them crashing to the ground.
The loss of the cavalry ignited a raging fire within Instructor Hall's heart, fueling his vow to make Fatty's end miserable. He ordered the main force behind to charge towards Fatty's position with all their might, driven not only by anger but also to rescue the beleaguered cavalry. The cavalry's charge widened the gap between them and the main force, bringing them perilously close to Fatty's dwindling army. If the main force failed to support in time, the three thousand cavalrymen would be easily devoured by Fatty.
In truth, this was merely a game of war chess, and the loss of three thousand cavalry meant little. However, Instructor Hall could not afford the humiliation of being defeated by Fatty, the so-called idiot, who had seemingly consumed all his cavalry. Such a defeat would not merely be a shame but a monumental disgrace.
Throughout the advance, Instructor Hall continually issued orders for a charge, accelerating the main force's pace.
"It's too late..." Instructor Cangfeng's brow furrowed as he watched the chessboard.
The densely packed pieces on the board had converged on the Lionheart Plains, with Fatty's spearhead formation facing off against dozens of phalanxes. The scattered cavalry were significantly closer to Fatty's formation than Hall's main force.
A single charge from Fatty would engulf the three thousand cavalry, drowning them without so much as a ripple. The destruction of the three thousand cavalry was inevitable, and Hall's order for the main force to march swiftly was now a poisonous pill. No army could maintain stable formations while charging full force. A head-on collision with Fatty's spearhead would be disastrous.
Though the numbers were five to one, favoring Hall, the casualty rate would skyrocket, sealing Hall's fate on the pillar of shame in the imperial capital.
Instructor Cangfeng's brow remained furrowed, while Qingyin's sapphire-like eyes sparkled with growing delight. A simple order to shoot the horses had overturned the situation to such an extent.
Had Fatty suddenly become enlightened in the midst of battle?
Qingyin abruptly turned her head, staring slightly dazed at Fatty. But in a fleeting moment, she seemed to realize something, and her joyful gaze turned into a look of helplessness.
Shooting the horses... If Duke Roselle found out about this, wouldn't Fatty be in deep trouble? Duke Roselle was an upright knight, and every victory he achieved with his army was done with honor and integrity. His battlefield charges and tactical maneuvers were so impeccable that even the most upright generals of the Holy Knights Corps in the Church could find no fault. But Fatty...
Tragedy struck Fatty once again. If Fatty lost, even if it was a humiliating defeat, he would merely receive a few scolding words. But if the order to shoot the horses was discovered by Duke Roselle, it would be far more than mere scolding; the punishment would be severe.
Qingyin's gaze flickered for a moment before becoming as calm as still water. She had made up her mind to conceal this matter. Though she didn't know where Fatty got the inspiration for the horse-shooting order, it was now hers to take responsibility for.
Having found a solution, Qingyin's previously restless hands relaxed, resting on her white floral dress, exuding a sense of tranquility.
But just then, a puzzled "huh" suddenly shattered the silence of the alchemical space. Instructor Cangfeng's usually half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, staring at the chessboard in disbelief, as if he had witnessed something incredible.
At the sound, Qingyin's gaze immediately shifted to the chessboard. Whatever had surprised Instructor Cangfeng, renowned alongside Earl Heil, could not be trivial.
As her gaze settled on the chessboard, Qingyin shared Instructor Cangfeng's confusion, her body freezing like a statue.
The three thousand cavalry, now scattered and disorganized, were easily within Fatty's spearhead formation's reach. Even with the Lionheart Legion's hasty rescue attempt, their formation now slightly disheveled, a collision with Fatty's forces, despite his poor command skills, would still inflict heavy damage... Such a feat would earn Fatty a place in the Royal Academy as a "miracle."
Though it was due to Instructor Hall's negligence, even the current students of the Royal Academy might not have fared better than Fatty in terms of accomplishments.
Yet, in this situation, Fatty abandoned the easily attainable "victory."
On the chessboard, Fatty's spearhead formation, composed of remnants, suddenly turned away from the approaching cavalry and the disorganized main force, charging towards the weakened flank of the encirclement.
As the phalanxes closed in, Hall's forces had concentrated in the center, leaving the flanks exceptionally vulnerable.
"That fat guy is escaping?" After a long moment, Instructor Cangfeng spoke, his words gritted out between clenched teeth.
Given the current situation, if Fatty had persisted in the collision, the "victory" he would have achieved would have been unimaginable. Escaping would yield far less than what he could have gained, making it a poor choice.
Moreover, even if he escaped, what then? Based on the Lionheart Plains battle, even if the remnants of the three kingdoms had fled the plains, they would still have faced annihilation beyond the mountains, blocked by the Holy Sword Fortress.