Chapter 303 - 64: A Swift and Decisive Battle
Chapter 303: Chapter 64: A Swift and Decisive Battle
Prince Odoruo had been melancholic ever since he learned of Gustav’s latest defeat.
As long as the intelligence from Tec and Castro was correct, Prince Odoruo was certain the time he’d chosen would be when the humans were at their most exhausted.
If the humans had simply held the advantage of favorable timing and terrain in the previous encounters, then the rout of Gustav’s Beastman Army shattered any of Prince Odoruo’s wishful thinking.
The raw strength of these humans was simply off the charts.
Even when Prince Odoruo had deliberately picked the timing, the enemy still managed to crush his so-called elite soldiers despite being outnumbered.
"Your Highness... well, victory and defeat are common in war. This sort of thing..." Elder Linton said, looking at the melancholy Prince. For a moment, he didn’t know how to comfort him. ’Victory and defeat may be common in war, but there’s no reason for us to lose every single time.’
"There’s no need to comfort me, Teacher... I’m just... a little worried...
I heard that on the central front, my father, the Emperor, was outmaneuvered by that human general again.
Now I’ve also failed to complete the task he gave me. *Sigh*... After our defeat in the last war, the various tribes already had considerable complaints about him.
Now, not only have we failed to achieve our objectives on the western, central, and eastern fronts, but my father has also resorted to those forbidden methods. What will become of the Empire?" Prince Odoruo said, gazing at the distant Wayne Mountain.
After several days of forced marches and much haste, Prince Odoruo had finally arrived at the foot of Wayne Mountain.
Prince Odoruo had originally dispatched a few vanguard units to Wayne Mountain, back when human convoys were still transporting supplies and Soldiers there.
But after the Cavalry on the mountain taught them a lesson a few times, Prince Odoruo decisively abandoned this plan, allowing the human convoys to pass unhindered.
A wave of melancholy washed over Linton as he heard this.
Unlike Prince Odoruo, Linton, as an old retainer of the royal family, had personally taken part in building the Empire.
He had watched the Kemal Dynasty rise from decline to prosperity, and then watched it fall from prosperity back into decline. Now, the royal family was even beginning to lose its grip on the great tribes.
Emotionally, Linton was one of the dynasty’s elder statesmen. If he hadn’t backed the wrong side all those years ago, he would probably still be at Beast Emperor Kemal’s side today.
’No myth lasts forever, no empire is invincible...’
"But let’s focus on the current situation instead.
Your Highness, what is the situation now?" Elder Linton seemed to realize his words had been a bit bold and quickly changed the subject.
Prince Odoruo paid it no mind. Elder Linton was his teacher, and the debt of gratitude he owed him was immense; he wasn’t going to hold a few words against him.
Besides, Prince Odoruo felt the same way himself.
"You can see for yourself, Teacher." Prince Odoruo turned and had one of his Personal Guards bring out two letters.
One was a standard military report; the other bore the crest of a tribe.
Elder Linton recognized it. It was the mark of the Bloodthirsty Jackal-Wolf Tribe. He remembered this corps had followed Castro to Wisley Path to corner the humans.
As Elder Linton opened the letter, Prince Odoruo began to explain.
"Since Gustav’s operation failed, we have no choice but to try another way," Prince Odoruo explained. "Right now, all we have left in Wisley Path is Fido’s Gnoll army. After several days of fierce fighting, they have about two thousand troops remaining."
In Prince Odoruo’s original plan, he was to use an army of nearly ten thousand to pin the humans down on the main front while Gustav led the Beastman Corps in a surprise attack from the rear.
"In that case, I suspect we don’t have much time left," Elder Linton added.
That Jackal Wolfman Tribe was meant to guard against the human forces south of Wisley Path and prevent them from breaking through it too quickly.
If Gustav had successfully crossed Wayne Mountain at night, the Beastmen would have been on equal strategic footing with the humans. They could have tied the humans down for a while, waiting for them to lower their guard before launching an attack.
But Gustav failed. To rescue the routed troops in Wisley Path, they needed a combat-effective unit to provide cover.
Once Fido retreats, the Human Corps behind them will rapidly reorganize their forces within a few days. If Prince Odoruo hasn’t withdrawn by then, he probably won’t be able to leave at all.
The humans have now won the battle. Their next move will surely be to press their advantage, fighting with desperate resolve to avenge their previous disgrace.
"We were already running out of time anyway," said Prince Odoruo. "Look at the other letter. The enemy is already on the move."
Elder Linton opened the second letter. It was written by a scout, reporting that the human army near Ancient Dumu Town had begun to move.
They were now massing in the direction of Wayne Mountain.
Prince Odoruo had sent forces to intercept the humans at Ancient Dumu Town, but those troops were no pushovers.
While not as formidable as the human army at Wayne Mountain, they had still taken Ancient Dumu Town after a day of fierce fighting.
If the army from Ancient Dumu Town reached the foot of Wayne Mountain, the Prince’s forces would be caught in a pincer attack. Any delay would allow the humans from Wisley Path to charge in as well.
Then Prince Odoruo would be in a truly desperate situation.
"This calls for a risky gambit... What will you do next?" Elder Linton asked, looking at Prince Odoruo.
"Tomorrow. We’ll continue making camp tonight. The humans will never expect us to attack tomorrow!
We’re out of time. Once night falls, I will order the entire army to rest where they stand.
First thing tomorrow morning, Castro’s forces and I will launch a joint attack. I will personally lead the troops, along with my Personal Guard, to reinforce them.
This is our last chance. If the battle drags on tomorrow, we’ll pull Castro out and abandon the rest of the army.
The day after tomorrow, we must begin our retreat to the north!
We can’t afford any more delays," Prince Odoruo said, laying out his plan.
It was simple and direct: a decisive battle first thing in the morning to settle the outcome in a single day. Win or lose, they would flee immediately afterward.
There was no other choice. The situation demanded it.
If Prince Odoruo had been given a little more time, he would have been determined to fight those humans to the bitter end.
But with the situation having deteriorated to this extent, he had no choice but to admit the enemy was a cut above.
"Mm. In that case, let’s begin," Elder Linton said with a nod.
Prince Odoruo did have some military talent. At the very least, the plan he had just proposed was the one best suited to the current situation.
"Odoruo, victory and defeat are common in war.
As long as our people survive, we will fight our way back sooner or later," Elder Linton said, comforting the dejected Prince.
Prince Odoruo looked up at the sky and sighed.
"*Sigh*... Let’s hope so."