Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 1307: Chapter 711: Today We Are All Hamlet’s People (Part 2)

”We also need to think about the retreat route—why did they choose this place for us to retreat?”

”Exactly, the shortest distance should be this direct line from the Church to the town. What is over there?”

”It’s the main road, previously the central thoroughfare of Hamlet, and we can only deploy the cavalry here for support.”

The Honor Guard gathered quickly and asked each other questions, but they quickly sorted out the situation and made a response.

”Now we should have Brother Martin release a pillar of light to signal both sides.”

”Send a message back with the hawk.”

Although Brother Martin had a special status, he didn’t put on airs; after all, everyone was in the same boat.

And in the Honor Guard, someone quickly took out paper and pen, wrote down a message, and quickly sent it to Laura on the rooftop.

If one understood, they’d find out the Honor Guard members mostly came from ordinary backgrounds, exaggerated a bit, mostly serfs or refugees.

To those who came from the Church or lived abundantly, or adventurers who were free people, these were considered lowly, but honestly, there were so many adventurers here, yet few were literate. Hamlet’s soldiers could read and write!

Obviously, it wasn’t that they didn’t try hard; they just didn’t have the means to ensure survival, let alone opportunities, whereas Hamlet provided them an opportunity.

But now everyone was thinking of running away, nobody cared about these, Brother Martin also went to the rooftop and sent out a pillar of light.

The hawk didn’t have the vision strengths of owls in dim environments, but its speed was astonishing, and before long, the message was delivered, confirming the escape plan was indeed on the main road.

It also brought back a second piece of good news; the hawk spotted the missing team while flying to the support area.

”What? They already moved ahead of us?”

This revealed why the search was unsuccessful, because everyone had been searching in directions leading deeper into the ruins, unaware they had rushed out first.

Martin was listening nearby, surprised there truly was a team, but regardless of authenticity, haste was now crucial.

”Don’t waste time—move quickly.”

Under Martin’s urging, the massive group resting within the building began mobilizing, which attracted those Skeletons, causing a surrounding uproar instantly.

The group fought valiantly, forcibly squeezing out through the ”waves.”

Why did Martin think those adventurers had no future?

Because their coordination was really terrible, unlike the coordinated efforts found in a well-rehearsed Mercenary Corps.

But as the numbers grew larger, things became chaotic, each with their own thoughts, wanting others to shield them at the front, if someone beside them got into trouble, they had no reaction and just wanted to distance themselves.

If relying on them for protection, one would have to split focus to take care of those guys, let alone concentrate on spellcasting.

Contrarily, Hamlet’s people—everyone knows what they need to do, and if a teammate encountered trouble, they would truly step in, the more numerous the stronger, resembling an indestructible whole, emanating resilience and tenacity.

It was actually due to Martin not understanding these people, the entire Hamlet has chosen merely about fifty from tens of thousands, their quality was undoubtedly strong.

Plus, they rose from the army’s lower ranks, participating in campaigns involving thousands, having rich experience in team combat.

In contrast, these mercenary groups are typically a dozen people, their fighting styles more adapted to small-scale combat.

The disparity becomes clearer when numbers increase—it’s not about strength, but about coordination.

Near Hamlet’s adventurers could still pull it off, but the others had a hard time, stragglers were not absent—once fallen, they got devoured by Skeletons in an instant, couldn’t even scream.

To this, the Honor Guard showed no reaction; their solidarity was exclusive—the rest weren’t Hamlet’s people, who cared?

But undoubtedly as Martin had guessed, such a large team’s mobilization attracted all nearby Skeletons, causing a vacancy.

Some adventurers, who hadn’t followed the breakthrough, hid within dimming, obscure buildings and mocked those struggling.

”Those idiots.”

”Luckily, we didn’t run with them.”

”The boss is clever; we just need to hide.”

But did they consider one thing, that another protagonist in the ruins yet made its debut, the rats.

Those Skeletons attacked all living things, even rats weren’t spared, especially Skeletons being bones, without any food, rats wouldn’t dare expose themselves.

But now with Skeletons gone, the restraint was lost, allowing hidden rats to surface; they’ve been breeding and living here for over a decade—seeing one rat signifies thousands.

They dared to appear even during the day, fearless of humans, and now, driven by the evil force pervading this area, madness and hunger dominated their already tiny brains.

Finally erupting at this moment.

”Squeak... Smack!”

Whatever fell made a noise, prompting those who were laughing to turn their heads—under the torchlight, they saw merely a rat fleeing into the dark, relieved with a sigh of relief, almost terrified.

”Ah!”

Yet as one raised the torch towards the ceiling, they let out a sharp cry, collapsing to the ground, causing the torchlight to flicker, casting weird shadows of several writhing figures.

”Why the hell are you screaming?”

The others weren’t scared by the rat, but rather startled by that scream, prompting curses.

”You... you guys look...”

The person frantically stood, raised the torch, and then others saw—thick clusters of red eyes on the beams, layers of shadows, obviously the previous rat hadn’t fallen but rather been squeezed off!

And that torch seemed to have agitated the rats on the beams, moving like a boiling pot—then collapsing, falling like a storm of rats.

”Aaaah! Get off! Get off!”

”Damn! It’s biting me!”

”No! They’re trying to eat us...”

The scene spiraled into chaos, even as they frantically waved torches, it was hard to fend off the agitated rats—they lost their fear, driven instead by madness and greed.

Especially once the first bite broke flesh, the ”sweet” scent further ignited them, no rat could refuse, more poured in, entering from unknown places.

The room’s cries were fierce but shortly fell silent, and the torchlight had long gone out.

Similar situations occurred all around, those who chose to stay couldn’t last a day.

Some adventurers fought desperately out of rooms, even inciting battles between Skeletons and rats, alas nobody witnessed the scene.

But who cared?

Guided by hawks, the breakout team had already reunited with the last squad.

Balistan, Dismas, William, Margaret.

This squad bore a special mission—to search for the legion, probe their purpose—hence their position differed from other squads, not in the same area.

Their swift retreat could be attributed entirely to decisiveness, from Fergus the hound sensing danger, William issuing a warning, they immediately disregarded all else for a retreat.

While the sky hadn’t fully darkened, they’d run quite a distance, proving that seasoned veterans had strong survival capabilities.

Once the pillar of light appeared, they had moved ahead, only when the evacuation point was marked did they turn around to catch up, then the hawk arrived, and everyone united.

Now, all that remains is to move towards the evacuation point, and the road will progressively extend...