Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 1310: Chapter 713: Rat Tide Assault

Reynard wasn’t a fool, and similarly, those military leaders of Hamlet weren’t fools either. Could they not know that cavalry aren’t heavily armored knights? Could they not know the characteristics of the Skeletons? If they were really to charge directly, it would only send them to their deaths.

The Lord’s teachings were very clear: no matter what battle you fight, you must leverage your strengths. So what was Hamlet’s advantage?

Clearly, it was these gunpowder weapons. Although muskets weren’t very effective against Skeletons, bombs could cause tremendous damage amidst the dense, non-dodging Skeletons.

This was also why Reynard dared to take such a big risk and persist in advancing even under the circumstances where the black mist blocked the sun and the fog cut off visibility.

If charging doesn’t work, then just blow them up. It doesn’t matter if you can kill the Skeletons, as long as you disrupt them.

Bomb, then charge, after charging, bomb again; even retreat could use bombs to cut off the Skeletons’ pursuit.

For this, he pulled enough for three carts of logistics, nothing else, just bombs.

He nearly emptied the town’s gunpowder warehouse reserves, which was why Barton’s agreement to the rendezvous plan was necessary.

The recent round of blasting completely cleared the last obstacle between both sides of the rendezvous, Reynard was initially worried there would be many casualties, but thanks to the Mendicant Monk, there were basically none.

Of course, another reason was that those who fell behind directly died, naturally eliminating the wounded.

”Sobray and... you few, get on the cart, pave the way for us by blasting those bones open.”

The Honor Guard didn’t have many people, but the entire army knew Sobray’s capability; precise throwing wasn’t much to speak of, more importantly, he could accurately time the explosion and explosion range to maximize the bomb’s effectiveness.

”Yes!”

A few individuals from the Honor Guard ran out and boarded the battle wagon, which was simply a two-horse drawn, open-top rectangular carriage, primarily wood encased with iron.

Featuring a modular design, its side covers were split into two segments; fully covering it could increase the carriage’s height, and laying them down would lower it. Lowering both segments turned it into a flatbed, with a wooden board in the middle that could further partition the space.

This was commonly used for Hamlet’s logistics; the driver in front drove, permitting convenient transport of either goods or wounded from the back compartment.

Now it was in a half-open state; when Sobray stood on top, he really felt a bit like a medieval pickup truck gunner.

Upon seeing the cart filled with open crates of bombs, Sobray’s face couldn’t conceal his excitement.

Along the way, he used up all his Incendiary Bottles and bombs, leaving him with only a hammer to strike bones, helplessly watching the dense Skeletons and lamenting his lack of tools. But now, an entire cart was given to him.

Come! Let’s blast to our heart’s content!

The Cavalry Squad had already completed its turn, and those three protected bomb battle wagons had also pulled out personnel to replenish them; everything occurred almost simultaneously, but there wasn’t much chaos, instead, the adventurers appeared somewhat at a loss.

”Action!”

The void created by the explosion was quickly filled again by the surging Skeletons, and with Reynard’s order, the squad moved once more.

Explosions sounded ahead, and the cavalry, taking advantage of the tools’ power, once again tore open the Skeletons’ defensive line.

With someone paving the way, the remaining ones need only to run closely behind, even though there would be harassment from Skeletons on both sides, the pressure greatly diminished.

Yet the most critical threat still clung to their heels; retreat’s most perilous phase typically occurred at the rear.

Nevertheless, Reynard had already made preparations; calling for an injured steed from the Cavalry Squad to switch out his mount, he promptly moved to the back of the squad.

”Balistan, protect me!”

After these words, he ignored the swarming Skeletons behind the squad and took out a scroll from his pouch to unfold on the ground.

The rendezvous plan certainly wasn’t merely about the bombs; the scroll in his hand was crafted by Alhazred.

The unknown leather bore numerous red and black lines drawing puzzling patterns and markings, but Reynard neither saw nor could mind all this. He again took out a packet of blood-red crystals and poured it onto the scroll...

As Reynard arranged the ritual, the Skeletons already approached, and Balistan didn’t understand what he was doing but still brought people to shield him.

However, only the Honor Guard remained, as the adventurers busy themselves with fleeing, fearful of any delay.

With just them, it was challenging to repel the Skeletons, but at that moment, a strange cry rang out, the legion advanced its shields, forcibly pushing the Skeletons away.

This act left Hamlet’s people somewhat surprised, yet Reynard had taken the opportunity to complete his arrangements.

Just the last step was left...

Drawing near the injured steed, Reynard didn’t hesitate to unsheathe his sword and vigorously chopped down. The enormous horsehead thus severed, blood splattering.

The headless horse corpse persisted for less than two seconds before collapsing with a boom right atop the ritual scroll, manifesting a strange aura.

”Retreat quickly!” Reynard swiftly urged everyone to withdraw.

Once the group hadn’t retreated far, as the horse blood soaked into the scroll within its spasms, the blood-red crystals began to dissolve. Then, with the scroll as the center, a pungent stench spread—of course, carrying a potent lifeforce aura.

Originally pursuing the humans, those Skeletons seemed drawn to something, turning toward the ritual.

Yet a more bizarre scene unfolded: countless dark shadows surged from the ground, protecting the ritual. Only the diminishing blood on the scroll could be perceived, and the horse corpse’s flesh gradually withered, likely nearing complete depletion the moment the ritual became damaged.