Our Family Has Fallen

On the other side, several members of the Personal Guard charged towards the cave entrance together, trying to stop the enemies and buy more time for their teammates.

There was no time for further arrangements; halfway there, they ignited the fuse and rushed forward with the shortening dynamite pack.

”Damn it!”

A kick sent a heretic trying to emerge from the cave back inside, then, with a swift motion, the impending explosive pack was tossed, and he turned around and ran out.

As soon as he turned and took a dozen steps, a deep yet shocking sound erupted from behind him, followed by a force propelling him forward, feeling like his heart was momentarily gripped, causing a brief pause, rendering his mind somewhat dazed, everything in front of him appeared blurry, and his ears couldn’t hear a thing.

The teammates noticed this, and just in the nick of time, a heretic lifted the dynamite pack out, sacrificing half his body to the sacrificial act, but the cave entrance, aside from some tremors, didn’t collapse.

Since the dynamite pack was lifted out, the heretics were less affected by the explosion compared to the Personal Guard team, allowing them to recover quicker and continue emerging.

The team was already small, and the failed first explosion tilted the situation towards the heretics.

More heretics were emerging, and one was about to claw at a fallen Guard; however, before the archer could react, a gunshot rang out, and the heretic fell.

Their team didn’t have any Musketeers?

Before they could question, a squad rushed out from the nearby forest, joining the battle without a word.

Taking advantage of the situation, the teammates pulled the fallen demolitionist away, and with the increased numbers, the two squads quickly suppressed the heretics.

Each squad had two dynamite packs, anticipating unforeseen occurrences.

When the second explosion went off, the cave entrance seemed unresponsive, but luckily, it suddenly surpassed some limit, causing water to seep in, and it was flooded and submerged with mud.

Lastly, they vaguely heard the heretics’ screams, which quickly vanished.

The two squads had just disengaged from the battle, exhaling deeply.

Judging by their demeanor, it was clear they were the first squad to complete their mission, realizing something was wrong when the beacon wasn’t lit, and due to proximity, they didn’t head to target three but came over to complete the task.

”Ignite the beacon quickly, tell the others not to come; we can’t waste more time.”

Without time for detailed explanation, several individuals quickly lit a smoke signal, the fifth column of smoke rose, marking the completion of the first phase of Lance’s plan.

The demolitionist was only slightly affected due to the lack of shrapnel from the dynamite pack and the distance they ran; they quickly recovered due to their unique constitution that couldn’t be measured by an ordinary person’s standard.

After a brief intelligence exchange, the support team understood that this target was a tough nut to crack, explaining the prolonged engagement.

However, their mission wasn’t finished yet.

They dealt with the bodies on the spot, and soon after the battle ended, they moved towards the next objective.

Other squads afar witnessed this and breathed a sigh of relief before heading to their destinations.

Judging by the heretics’ fierce reaction, undoubtedly another tough battle awaited them there...

Outpost.

The sun clung to the last threads of summer, finally bringing a faint light at dawn.

Lance stood atop the outpost’s highest tower, gazing into the distance, his panoramic view seemingly encompassing the entire wilderness, even the distant yet faint Old City Ruins on the horizon.

Within that view, three columns of smoke appeared, indicating the destruction of three targets.

But in the ensuing ten minutes, two other places remained silent, which made Lance uneasy.

A shaky start wasn’t a good omen...

The fourth column of smoke rising shortly after brought him some reassurance, but the final target?

Lance alternated his gaze between the watch hand of his pocket watch and the wilderness ahead, suppressing the urge to let Wang Cai assist or issue orders to move other teams; everyone had tasks and couldn’t move lightly.

He trusted the Honor Guard to solve the issue, believing those steadfast warriors could work miracles.

Finally, the last smoke signal rose, bringing a smile to Lance’s face. Though slightly delayed, the Honor Guard lived up to their trust, giving nothing more exhilarating than success.

Ancestral one, it seems I captured your piece first.

Army units had already set off; cavalry led by Reynard cut through the northwest like slicing a cake.

Previously, a Witch infected the wilderness with fungi, luckily dismantled by Lance, followed by measures using lives to contain the spread of corruption, preventing the north of the town from being fully infested.

The complex terrain of the wilderness made it unsuitable for cavalry, but thankfully, most were flatlands, with towering trees providing ample space amid their competition.

And because the dense canopy formed a sunshield, sunlight didn’t penetrate, causing scarce undergrowth, with only protruding roots to beware, allowing passage with adequate riding skills.

No one is born knowing how to ride, but the ease at which these cavalrymen maneuvered through the wilderness spoke volumes of their training efforts.

For the rest, their swords and guns must be taken from the heretics they face.

The second squad defended the outpost last battle, earning the Lord’s Iron Wall title, but against the Bastia Order of Knights, things were tough; without the Lord’s presence, defeat seemed imminent.

They were eager to prove themselves; after all, Hamlet waits for no one, achievements were crucial to justify the Lord’s training.

On another side, Balistan led Squad Two past Target One, heading to Target Two. They weren’t responsible for the cleanup; that was for subsequent troops.

Their task was to seize and hold positions.

Barton lagged far behind them; the artillery faced a major challenge in transporting twenty cannons and ammunition to Target Two wasn’t simple.

The saving grace was they were Six Pounds field guns, lightweight.

Nonetheless, apprehension lingered over the battle ahead; most troops were untested, and frankly, Barton himself was unsure of the outcome but remained resolute.

He had lost everything, destined for death long ago; living meant seeking redemption in Hamlet.

......

Currently, only the Navy hadn’t acted; their primary role was escorting, with two main ships frequenting the Hamlet to Totnes route.

Due to Hamlet’s decline and pirate threats, the route neared abandonment; reviving Hamlet meant reviving this trade line since they relied heavily on imports.

Lance tempted them with generous orders, spreading Hamlet’s name globally through benefiting merchants.

Profit drew them in, but beyond established orders, merchandise alone couldn’t suffice for continued transactions; they needed guaranteed safety.

The Hamlet Navy must combat pirates, protect merchants, but remained too weak.

Not only compared to the fierce Totnes Navy, some larger pirates had three or four swift ships.

Clearly, the vast waters surrounding Hamlet remained pirate territory, with a ship under a pirate flag heading towards Hamlet...