Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 29: Ula! Ula!
Everything unfolded as Xi Wei had predicted. The orc forces converged near Ironstone Village and clashed head-on with his army ambushed nearby.
Outside Ironstone Village, the orc and human armies faced each other across the Blackwater River. Although the weather was still mild, the Black Spotted Fish, bred in the Solendo Mountain Range, released a large amount of cold air during their spawning season, ensuring that the ice on the Blackwater River remained thick.
Twilight descended, and the sunlight deepened from golden to a deep crimson, making the air around Ironstone Village grow increasingly heavy.
In terms of numbers, even with the players included, the orc legion still held a significant advantage.
Xi Wei and Talomb’s regular armies combined numbered just over five hundred. With the online players and over a thousand hastily conscripted militiamen, the total force reached more than two thousand. However, war had never been decided solely by numbers. Players would resurrect, and though individually weak, they couldn’t simply be counted as single units.
Clad in armor and mounted on his Dragon Blood Horse, Xi Wei observed the orc formations on the opposite bank, with Clemon and Talomb positioned on either side.
“Clemon, what are your thoughts?”
“Young Master Xi Wei, while the orcs are numerous, apart from over a thousand Orc Heavy Infantry and about sixty Wolf Cavalry, the remaining Goblin Vanguard are all cannon fodder.” Clemon paused before adding, “These goblins are even more vulnerable than the Black River Town militia.”
Talomb’s expression turned grim. These very goblins, branded as cannon fodder, had already captured two major towns in the Black River Territory and were now threatening his base. Wasn’t this just a roundabout way of calling the Black River Territory militia useless, and by extension, him, the lord, useless too? These two, master and servant, were truly as sharp-tongued as each other.
Clemon’s analysis was sound. Goblins were weak creatures; apart from certain mutated variants, ordinary goblins were born to be cannon fodder. They stood less than 1.5 meters tall, comparable to children. During a charge, they would emit strange squealing noises, and due to their limited intelligence, they often ran in the wrong direction.
…
Leading the orc invasion this time was the new orc general, Biden Bloodfang. He urgently needed a distinguished record to solidify his position in the orc army, and the weak yet strategically significant Black River Territory became his proving ground. Biden Bloodfang believed he was different from the fools and brutes in his clan who only knew how to charge recklessly; he was an intelligent orc. Powerful strength combined with a sharp mind would make the orcs invincible.
Therefore, the moment he encountered the human army, he didn’t roar “Lok’Tar Ogar!” and charge forward with his troops. He remained in position, confronting the human army from a distance, and carefully observed its composition. It was clear that the lord of the Black River Territory had found external help; the number of regular troops on the opposite bank was more than double the intelligence reported. Furthermore, there was a disheveled group of humans. They didn’t look like militiamen, standing or sitting haphazardly, making noise and showing no military discipline. They looked more like…
As if to confirm his suspicion, Biden Bloodfang glanced at his own Goblin Vanguard. Those goblins were also chattering incessantly, some climbing trees, others chewing grass. Biden Bloodfang even saw one goblin setting its own crotch alight. They were identical. Had the human army degenerated to this extent? His thousand-plus Orc Heavy Infantry could slaughter the human’s less than five hundred regular troops and militiamen, not to mention his Wolf Cavalry. As for that undisciplined mob of humans, they could be left to the goblins.
Biden Bloodfang found it unbelievable. He had devised so many schemes and made such detailed, comprehensive plans for this campaign. After much deliberation, Biden Bloodfang decided to attempt to persuade the humans on the other side to surrender. He patted the wolf he was riding and prepared to move forward, but then seemed to think of something. He waved his hand, signaling a Wolf Rider behind him to approach and communicate.
“Og kart, ug-wort grim-zod uz-bad waa gut-dreg, Tuf jerk mek-nar uk-rog hawaa!” (The human army on the opposite side, the benevolent leader Bloodfang is willing to give you a chance to live, but you must surrender immediately!)
The advancing orc Wolf Rider shouted loudly at Xi Wei, but Xi Wei understood not a single word.
Doug stepped forward, chest puffed out, feeling it was finally his chance to showcase his talents. Though his face was stern, it couldn’t hide the smugness in his eyes. As a top graduate of the Kolon Empire’s Butler Academy, mastering the main languages of the Cain Continent was one of his required courses, and that included the Orcish language.
“Lord Xi Wei, allow me, Doug, an outstanding graduate of the 18th class of the Butler Academy, to translate what the orc Wolf Rider is saying. He says: The human army on the opposite side…”
“No need,” Xi Wei interrupted Doug with a raise of his hand, his expressionless face betraying nothing. He then took a longbow from a nearby archer. Notching an arrow and drawing the string, he released it in one fluid motion. It was too late for the orc Wolf Rider to escape. With a “hiss,” the sharp arrow flew ahead, piercing the orc’s skull with a shrill whine. The orc Wolf Rider was thrown from his mount by the powerful force, falling to the ground and rolling several times before coming to rest in front of Biden Bloodfang.
“Despicable humans!”
Seeing the tragic state of his subordinate, Biden Bloodfang’s eyes blazed. He drew the wolf-tooth club from his waist, raised it high, and let out an enraged roar, “Blood and glory! Orc Legion, slaughter the humans!”
“Lok’Tar Ogar!”
“Quack gurgle quah-la!”
“Woo— woo—”
With the deep sound of the horn and the excited roars of the orcs, Biden Bloodfang’s Orc Heavy Infantry began to drive the goblins towards the human army on the opposite bank. The Orc Wolf Cavalry protected the flanks and rear of the army.
“Wow! The orcs are attacking!”
“Holy crap! Holy crap!!”
“We’ve fought city battles before, but the realism and oppressive feeling are incomparable to this.”
“Ula! Ula!! For the Alliance!”
“Get out of the way, I’ll be the head!”
“Does orc meat taste good?”
“Incredible, is this what war is like? The ground is actually shaking!”
“Fan Ge, move the Temporary Resurrection Crystal further back… I’m afraid the orcs will charge and lose it.”
…
Unlike the excited yet anxious feelings of the players, Xi Wei, as the leader, remained absolutely calm. The thousand-plus Orc Heavy Soldiers were not to be underestimated; each one was comparable to a standard Knight, or even superior. This was, after all, open terrain, unlike the narrow castle passages. In such an open space, being surrounded would put even a Great Knight at a disadvantage. Not to mention the orc general on his towering war wolf lurking menacingly behind the army. Moreover, even if he and Clemon could retreat unscathed, their subordinates would be wiped out by the orcs, rendering their survival meaningless.
“One hundred paces!”
“Eighty paces!”
“Ready…”
“Fire!”
“Hiss, hiss, hiss!”
“Foreigner Spell Legion, free attack!”
The militiamen in the formation drew their bows and fired. The orcs opposite were densely packed, so they didn’t need to aim. Amidst the whistling arrows, nearly a thousand shafts landed among the orc vanguard. The goblins wore no protective armor, only the simplest bone knives and grass skirts. This volley of arrows instantly caused several hundred goblin casualties. The players’ low-level magic, flying through the air, followed closely behind the arrows.
