Chapter 32: One-Sided Massacre

“Lord, a group of suspicious enemy figures has been spotted outside, and it seems they are scouting our situation.”

While Farra was resting and looking at the map, Yanis suddenly entered and reported.

“Mm, let them watch… no need to do anything,” Farra said. “Set the engagement to this village.”

“However, the roads here are narrow, which will hamper our performance,” Yanis objected.

“Hmph,” Farra snorted. “It’s not advantageous for us… and even less so for them! Engel will definitely drag over a thousand, probably up to two thousand, into an open-field battle, where we’ll be encircled and suffer huge losses. By striking in a narrow area, their numerical superiority will be significantly diminished.”

“I see,” Yanis said, his face lighting up with understanding. “Have someone block off both the east and west roads with debris, leaving only two routes open… that will be sufficient.”

“Yes, Lord!” Yanis immediately turned and walked out.

Farra did not worry about being unable to sustain a prolonged battle. Slashing enemies is exhausting, but with soldiers taking turns and our troops possessing better Constitution, we will certainly not be outmatched… unless Engel can muster more than three thousand men. Based on past experience, Farra was certain the enemy could not assemble more than two thousand.

***

Engel anxiously waited for his subordinates to recruit more troops while also awaiting reports from the village. He worried that the bandits might suddenly flee.

“Lord… …”

“What’s the status… are those bandits still there?” Engel asked.

“They’re still there and haven’t left.”

“Good, then,” he said with a chuckle, relaxing. He also couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh. They still hadn’t left. When his main force arrived, even if they tried to escape, he wouldn’t give them the chance!

After some time, the men tasked with recruiting brought the militia to the outside of the castle.

Engel marched out with his soldiers and asked, “How many have you mustered?”

“My lord, a total of one thousand men.”

“Only one thousand?!”

“Uh, recruiting more will take longer; it might not be until tomorrow or even the day after.”

Engel frowned. “Forget it… one thousand, plus my own eight hundred, gives us eighteen hundred. That’s enough to deal with a band of highwaymen! Move out!”

“Yes!” the subordinate shouted, and nearly two thousand soldiers marched out of the castle in grand formation, heading straight for the occupied village.

***

Soon, Farra received word that an army was approaching.

“What is the enemy equipped with?”

“The frontline soldiers each carry an iron sword!”

“And the ones in the rear?”

“According to reconnaissance, the rear has only farming tools and wooden spears.”

“Heh…” Farra laughed. “About how many enemy troops are there?”

“I can’t count exactly, but there are more of them than us… probably over a thousand,” Yanis estimated. They had nearly six hundred men, so the enemy’s numbers were clearly greater but still capped around one to two thousand.

“Good.” Farra stood and stepped outside. “Prepare for battle! I’ll spare you the rest of my speech… one enemy head for one pound of grain! May the Goddess of Plenty forever protect us!”

“May the Goddess of Plenty protect us forever!!!” the soldiers roared.

They could earn food by working or by killing enemies… either way, they would get enough to fill their bellies. Thus, the Goddess of Plenty had always watched over them.

At Farra’s command, everyone rushed to their positions and completely blocked off the only two roads. Shield bearers took the front while spear-wielders stood behind.

When Engel’s army arrived, he gave no further thought and directly issued the battle order. “Charge! Kill those bandits who have occupied my lands!”

The subordinate in charge led his unit straight into the fray, only to find every path into the village blocked. They proceeded down the two remaining roads and saw the so-called bandits arrayed and ready.

“…These are bandits?” the lead captain muttered.

“How should we fight them?” one soldier asked.

“…Just press forward… they’re few in number!” came the order, and Engel’s soldiers began a probing attack.

As they closed in, a wooden spear shot out from behind with a cutting sound. “Puchi…” The sharp wooden spear, wielded with immense Strength, pierced the leading soldier through and was then withdrawn, splattering warm blood everywhere. The soldiers behind hesitated in fear.

A half-beastman frowning behind his shield whispered, “Why do I feel like the enemy is so weak?”

“I feel it too. But the captain’s orders are to defend,” his comrade replied.

“Tch… the other side is on the offensive. We got unlucky not being assigned to the attack,” the half-beastman said, though without specific orders they remained on defense.

On the narrow path, the same grim scene repeated: soldiers held by shields, then suddenly speared from behind and grievously wounded or killed, their bodies blocking the way. After the dead and wounded were removed, more soldiers reluctantly pressed forward.

***

On Farra’s flank, he drew the iron sword at his waist and stepped to the front. “No fancy tactics… charge with me! Everyone, advance!”

With a shout, Farra led the charge, swinging his sword at Engel’s troops to unleash slaughter. The three hundred soldiers behind him followed closely from the narrow path onto the wider road, then flanked past and pounced on the horrified enemy like tigers and wolves.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

“Attack! Attack! Attack!”

Their war cries rang out with the force of three thousand men. After killing their enemies, they severed heads and hung them at their waists before continuing their onslaught, as if death were meaningless.

This horrifying behavior and their ferocious expressions turned the battle into Farra’s one-sided massacre. Engel’s seven hundred troops assigned to the attack were decimated… over a hundred slain… and immediately broke into rout. Chaos ensued as they fled.

Farra, with his three hundred, followed up the rear, slaying the fleeing soldiers while thinking, “Damn! I still overestimated that eastern lord! I knew they were useless, but I never imagined them this hopeless…”

If the Blue Featherwing Kingdom’s forces had attacked here, they would have swept from east to west in a single day.