"Our original goal was to rescue Rapids City."

Qianqian urgently chased after Jeska, jog-walking as she tried to persuade Jeska.

"Rapids City looked down on us in the first place. We came here to fulfill an alliance, so why should we risk a rescue?" Jeska walked briskly with a headache, impatiently rebutting Qianqian's words.

"If it weren't for Lady Catherine introducing those wizards with lightning energy manipulation, could we have assembled the Holy Gun before the Battle of Pavia?"

"If it weren't for Lady Catherine's support, could the 'Expedition of the Saint's Grandson' be spread throughout the Thousand River Valley? Could the victory of the Saint's Grandson be turned into fame?"

"If it weren't for Lady Catherine's channels, could Martin have gone to Langsande County? Without Martin and Lady Catherine's favor, could the grain agreement between Kasha County and Langsande County have been signed so smoothly?"

Qianqian bombarded Jeska with questions.

"What? Moral coercion?" Annoyed by Qianqian's arguments, Jeska blushed for the first time, "Why don't you mention the spies in Rapids City planted within Kush Territory, attempting to infiltrate and seize power in the Salvation Army Government?"

"Meigedi Commerce Association has various subordinate branches. We don't understand every single one of them." Qianqian stiffened but still argued with reason, "Didn't Lady Catherine later send a list of activities in Langsande County and allow His Majesty to punish them?"

"You're from the Meigedi Commerce Association, of course you'd say that." Hakuto, guarding the central army, said mockingly, "Who knows what you're really like?"

Taking into account the battlefield situation, Hakuto stood on Jeska's side. They had no feelings for Rapids City, simply fulfilling the previous alliance contract.

If they could defeat Arman, the great enemy here, let Rapids City fall; it's not their city, so why care?

"But..." Qianqian rushed over to block Jeska's way, still trying to persuade.

"Qianqian, we've been old friends." Looking at the stubborn Qianqian, the redness faded from Jeska's face, and the single eye blinked guiltily and helplessly, "I know Rapids City is full of your family and friends, but the Salvation Army also has our family and friends."

"We're here using fireball crossbows to bombard, keep pressing them to attack, and we'll win eventually, then we can still rescue Rapids City." Standing with arms crossed in front of his chest, Hakuto added calmly.

"By that time, the whole of Rapids City would have been burned to the ground!" Unable to persuade Jeska and Hakuto, Qianqian quickly walked towards Jeanne, "Jeanne, little sister, there are tens of thousands of innocent civilians there!"

Jeanne had just returned from the battlefield, pulling a slippery piece of intestine from her dress armor gap while asking in a low voice, "How far is Rapids City from us?"

"Eight kilometers." After a moment of thought, Qianqian replied, "We can let the cavalry go ahead, then unload the wagons and saddles, and let a regiment of infantry ride there; it will take less than half an hour."

"Can we still make it to relieve them?" Jeanne tilted her head, struggling to take off her boots, pouring out the sweat with a steady stream, "I mean, by the time we arrive, if Rapids City has already surrendered and the Church is defending the city instead, what do we do?"

Qianqian resolutely said, "I believe in Lady Catherine; she will definitely persist in fighting street battles with the Church army. You know me, please trust my judgment."

Jeanne's face showed hesitation, but under Qianqian's hopeful gaze, she sighed heavily and nodded, "Alright, if it's for the lives of tens of thousands of innocents, I'm willing to take this risk."

With a tied vote of two to two, the final decision rested with Horn.

To be precise, within the Salvation Army Government, even a one versus ten thousand scenario would still require Horn to make the final decision.

Usually, Horn abides by the votes and opinions of ministers and elders, essentially giving them face, ensuring the proper functioning of the government and maintaining the dignity of the ministers.

If Horn wanted to be stubborn, the powers of the Saint's Grandson could be considered limitless.

If you dare to protest, beware of the Holy Father descending and possessing someone in public for a one-on-one guidance session.

Facing the composed Saint's Grandson, Qianqian gritted her teeth and stepped forward, "Your Majesty, if you can capture Rapids City, the entire Meigedi Commerce Association is willing to accept you as their lord."

Jeanne, who was bent over wiping the inside of her shoes with a cloth, straightened her back abruptly.

Wearing full Milan-style armor up to his knees, Horn drove the sheathed Blood Covering Cloud into the ground, standing on a large rock underfoot, gazing in the direction of distant Rapids City.

"Stop arguing, I'm thinking."

Horn neither agreed nor refused.

From the current position of the Salvation Army, apart from those High-tier Knights with exceptional hearing, hearing the bells of Rapids City eight kilometers away was nearly impossible.

Based on the reports from the cavalry, they should have breached the city twenty minutes ago.

Twenty minutes ago...

Rubbing his brow, Horn thought that Nidesar's Kush Knights were already enough of a weak link, and yet Rapids City had to add to the trouble?

The previous letter was optimistic, urging the Salvation Army to attack leisurely, and the next letter declared the city's fall.

Seriously, girls, the main forces of the Church had been withdrawn to here, was holding the pressure for half a day that difficult?

Even if the city fell, there surely had to be a process, some buildup at least. How could it be that one moment everything was fine, the next moment it was over?

"The Meigedi Commerce Association is willing to bear all the expenses of the Salvation Army!" Seeing Horn still silent, Qianqian added hastily.

This time, Horn finally responded, glancing at Qianqian: "Don't say that again."

Qianqian, realizing her slip of the tongue, quickly closed her mouth, standing to the side like a pleading little white rabbit, awaiting Horn's decision.

Retracting his gaze, Horn directed his attention to the army that had battled all the way from Autumn Dusk Island in front of him.

No one understood the fighting power of the Salvation Army better than Horn.

This was not just nonsense Horn usually joked about, but a fact.

Due to the need to develop the Holy Gunman, unlike most religious leaders of this era, Horn had to spend a significant amount of time accompanying the War Monks.

Therefore, he had a deep understanding of the War Monks' combat abilities.

Back in his hometown, in the absence of the Extraordinary, these Salvation Army Infantry could easily crush these Late Middle Ages feudal armies.

However, analysis needs to be context-specific, as the presence of the Extraordinary allows the Knights to ignore trenches, chevaux-de-frise, forts, and phalanxes of ordinary men.

If it weren't for the Extraordinary, in this Empire where there are no cannons or gunpowder, the fort tactics they employed on the long road of blood and sweat would be lethal to the Knights.

But with the Extraordinary, these formidable Knights could physically destroy the forts or even leap over them.

If they continued using rigid fort tactics, the consequence would be soldier dependency.

If they do not change timely, it will be difficult to drive the ability to fight on the plains in the future.

This forced Horn to adopt the more flexible Gallar Array tactics, combined with the Holy Gun Cavalry and Cuirassiers, forming a barely complete tactical system.

However, since its inception, this system has been using the defense and counterattack concept of fort tactics, which goes against Horn's original intent.

It was realizing the inflexibility of fort tactics that led him to choose the Gallar Array.

Yet, reality and ideal are at odds. Horn's initial environment was too harsh, and the development was too rapid, leading to a situation where, even with sufficient meat provided, the entire army remains in the process of quantitative change.

That is, the rate of Extraordinary and their training do not match their morale—they can fully exert their strength in static defense; however, in offense, they easily expose flaws and get countered.

Simply put, the original Knights have high attack and high health, while ordinary human battle formations have low attack and low health. The Deng Jia'er Array, with the popularization of the Extraordinary and armor, has low attack but high health.

After being equipped with the Holy Gun, Horn's Gallar Array changed the low attack issue of ordinary men, bringing the Extraordinary Knights to the same level—both sides now have high attack and low health, neutralizing each other on contact.

This is why Horn has always attempted to employ defense and counterattack tactics, as the fighting power of Extraordinary Knights far surpasses the Knights on Earth, and minimizing casualties is paramount.

The problem is, fighting this way achieves tactical victory while strategically falling behind.

If he ends up sitting here with the Church's army, and Rapids City gets massacred, the Thousand River Valley People might understand the necessity, but there will still be disappointment towards him.

It should be noted that Horn's Saint's Grandson status is quite sensitive, much like a ghost, existing only in belief.

Compared to other traditional elite figures of the Thousand River Valley, his influence is not deep, mainly prevalent among the lowest-level refugees.

If he watches Rapids City being slaughtered, not only will he lose many people's favor, but also a portion of his legitimacy, especially considering Rapids City is a crucial strategic point.

From Rapids City, one can descend the river to attack Feiliu Castle or head north to support Moliat; retreating would mean falling into Xiaochi City. If seized by the Church, it would put him in a strategic disadvantage.

Thinking of this, Horn couldn't help but shake his head; he couldn't accept such an outcome.

Seeing Horn shake his head, Qianqian felt her heart sink, her spirit shattered like a porcelain doll.

However, a few seconds later, she returned to normal, only with a trace of tragic determination in her eyes, "If you aren't willing to rescue, please lend me a warhorse and a longsword."

"Who said I'm not going to rescue?" Horn raised the Blood Covering Cloud grounded on the earth in surprise, hanging it back at his waist.

"You just…," Qianqian opened her mouth in astonishment.

Grayish smoke from burning straw drifted from the upper wind, making the entire battlefield somewhat blurry.

Yet Horn could still see rows of black-clad soldiers standing neatly, towering like iron rods driven into the ground.

The moist wind made clothes stickily damp, with some occasionally reaching out to discreetly pull up their clothes to fan or scratch at itchy noses.

Aside from occasional low murmurs, there was almost no other sound, amid such small-scale maneuvering and standing, they seemed like a wall of steel.

Since the battle, the Salvation Army has primarily engaged in positional warfare.

However, this is not a long-term strategy, as Horn cannot always choose the battlefield, facing inevitable skirmishes or ambushes.

The bride must eventually meet her in-laws.

"Order!" Drawing the Blood Covering Cloud from its sheath, Horn's voice rang with the clang of iron, pointing to the enemy's right wing, "March diagonally westward, flank them sideways!"

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