Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: The Encirclement
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The two armies began their standoff.
Als's forces, positioned on the southern slope, commenced fortress construction.
They built walls as if erecting city battlements, extending them lengthwise and raising their height.
Jack Walter, watching the scene, furrowed his brow.
"Mercenary Wade... I heard he wasn't an ordinary general, but I didn't expect him to be this bizarre."
He had a hunch about why they were building the wall.
"He's planning to completely encircle us."
Judging that sweeping them out was impossible, they were establishing a siege network.
Their camp's north, east, and west were already blocked by highlands, making encirclement easy there, but the southern slope was different.
The Western army could break through and escape if they wanted.
So Als was erecting a massive wall to seal off that southern front.
That was the purpose, so the wall lacked any systematic structure. It wasn't uniform stonework or a palisade.
Instead, it was mostly piled-up dirt and mud.
Als was somehow raising this structure higher and higher. A thin dirt wall towering in height alone. That was why soldiers had to climb ladders to work on it.
Over 20,000 troops were thrown into the construction day and night, and with materials supplied almost infinitely from the Ballast Kingdom, the dirt wall rose rapidly.
By the ninth day of the war and fourth day of the standoff, it had reached a staggering twenty meters.
"Just how high does he plan to make it...?"
It was too high. Only then did Jack Walter feel a twinge of doubt—perhaps he was mistaken.
Maybe there was another purpose beyond encircling them.
A flash of insight struck him.
"That's it—that's what it was!"
Walter rushed straight to Tetora.
"Lady Tetora! I've figured out the enemy's intent!"
"..."
Tetora, wearing a displeased expression, replied softly.
"Tell me."
"Yes! The enemy plans to topple that dirt wall toward our camp! To neutralize the fortress we've built!"
If a wall that size collapsed onto the camp, the primary defensive line would be rendered meaningless at the impact point. The Ballast forces would exploit the gap to infiltrate the fortress.
"He's going to artificially trigger a landslide."
"Exactly! It's a truly astonishing idea."
Mercenary Wade's scheme. But Jack had seen through it.
It proved he wasn't an incompetent general.
Jack was a promising commander even in Ballast. He just hadn't risen due to lack of family backing.
Captured as a slave now, he didn't despair. He saw it as an opportunity.
He lusted for promotion by catching Tetora's eye in this war.
"Lady Tetora, if you give the order, I'll handle it."
"...And how?"
Jack chose his words carefully. Tetora was reluctant to attack now. She believed Wade was testing her.
'I want to lead troops and collapse the dirt wall from its base... but they'll be prepared for that, so it's risky, and she won't like it.'
Counter their intended outcome instead.
"I'll rebuild the fortress to withstand the dirt wall collapsing toward us. If we do that, the enemy will waste their strength."
"Not bad. I can watch them panic when their plan's exposed. It's yours—do it."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The Western army, anticipating a Ballast landslide via the dirt wall, began reconstructing their fortress.
Als, atop the dirt wall, smirked at the sight.
"Not a bad call on their part? If only they weren't completely off-base."
Dorothy, guarding beside him, spoke with an anxious face.
"Als, is this really okay? If it doesn't work..."
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility. Besides, since they've reacted this way, we can move to the next phase."
"Yeah, preparations are perfect."
"Good. Let's start right away."
Als's second maneuver.
A complete encirclement of the enemy.
*
*
*
Having sealed the southern route with the dirt wall, our forces occupied the highlands to the east, west, and north, erecting palisades for true fortification.
Including the southern dirt wall, we had enclosed east, west, south, and north, encircling the enemy.
Construction was commanded by Olaf in the north, Dorothy in the east, and me in the west.
"Not a single gap allowed! Build exactly to the blueprints issued! Report any discrepancies with the terrain to your officers immediately!"
As construction proceeded, Sophia approached me with a troubled look.
"Ilrain, what the hell is this?"
"What else? Building the encirclement net."
"Then you should've started on day one!"
Sophia burst out. Her grievance was why we waited until the fifth day of the standoff to begin the encirclement.
If we'd done it sooner, we could've started civilian rescues a day earlier.
Around 150,000 civilians had died while I delayed encirclement for the dirt wall.
Heading out for rescues now must look like locking the barn after losing the horse to her.
"Even accounting for potential enemy raids, we only have about 2,000 spare troops. Sophia, you lead them for the civilian rescue. Focus solely on evacuating while avoiding combat."
"..."
Sophia fell silent. Then she asked gravely.
"What kind of plan is this? I thought you meant to topple the dirt wall onto their camp at first, but that's not it."
"You think I'd use such an obvious tactic?"
"Then what is it?!"
"Not the time to explain. It's not that I don't trust you—consider it a security measure."
"Ugh...!"
"I get the complaints. But remember this: Ballast's General Mainz Ramstrong endorsed my plan."
"...!"
Sophia's eyes widened.
"Now that you mention it, that's weird. Why is General Ramstrong...?"
She was newly surprised that Ramstrong, who'd pushed hard for civilian rescues, was silent now.
She itched with curiosity about my true intent, but the rescue op was imminent.
I assigned Sophia and Landon Crowe as commanders, deploying Ash, Lisitea, Gunter, Anton, and all the elites to the rescue.
Everyone except Eonia.
Eo understood I had something in mind but pouted anyway. Lately, she seemed thirsty for military merit.
Her precarious state was one reason I kept her from rescue, but more importantly, I had another role for her.
"Eo, I've got a mission for you. A very important one."
"Important mission...! How much merit does it count for!?"
"Not sure on the merit scale, but if it fails, the whole operation's jeopardized. So, very important."
"Such a crucial task for me...! Tell me anything!"
"Alright, then. Eo, from now on, keep a close eye on the sky."
"...?"
She tilted her head.
Why was sky-watching a crucial mission?
After issuing orders to most officers, I had a moment to speak with that man.
General Yugen Dresden of Europa, working with Olaf on northern palisades.
I wanted to know his thoughts on his traitorous son.
When I brought it up, Yugen smiled wryly.
"Isn't it good?"
"Good...?"
"When you demanded my son as a POW exchange for the prince, the retainers came begging. They pleaded to accept for the nation's future."
"Hm. So you tearfully sent your son away for the nation's sake?"
"No, nothing like that. I begged them instead. To take the boy."
"Pardon?"
"Of course. The kid holed up writing erotic novels for years, waiting for a lord who'd understand him. When Wade suddenly wanted him as POW trade bait, I got a feeling. Something passed between you two. I already knew you'd met him."
True, our first meeting was at the Dresden estate. Servants would've reported it.
"So I agreed. The useless fool became the prince's ransom, and if he could shed the nation's yoke to meet his dream lord, fine by me. Rumors said you killed him, which pissed me off briefly, but it wasn't true, so no reason to rage."
"Haha... Fair enough."
"From what he says, you're treating him well. Mind him for me anew. He's an idiot, but he'll help."
"Understood."
Then Olaf came rushing over.
"Hang on, Als! What're you telling my dad!"
Thinking we discussed his dark history, he anxiously dragged his father away.
"Dad, no chit-chat—help with work!"
"Dear me. I haven't even gotten to how you tried reforming beastkin thugs and got thrashed."
"You just did!"
"Or when I caught you with your smut novels."
"That's now too!"
Father and son, thick as thieves regardless.
*
*
*
The layered encirclement net took shape. The dirt wall kept rising too.
Finally surpassing thirty meters. Als signaled the operation's full launch.
Day eleven of the war.
"All forces! Move as ordered! No fear! War is for protection—for you and your families' lives! Be brave!"
"ROOOAR!"
Soldiers roared at Als's command.
Jack Walter scowled deeply, watching.
"They're attacking!?"
Then why build the encirclement?
Ballast's net looked solid even to him.
Their own rebuilt fortress was good, but Als's palisades were impressive too. Breaking through meant heavy losses.
Now the Western army couldn't attack either.
In this mutual stalemate, Ballast was obviously disadvantaged.
Troop numbers were even here, but outside differed.
Raiding detachments numbered 20,000, plundering civilians. Recall them, and the net shatters.
But Tetora didn't. She ordered external detachments to ignore the main force and plunder relentlessly.
Overfocus risked deception by enemy misinformation.
Detachments operated fully independently.
Only exception: enemy reinforcements. None in sight.
Europa, able to send aid, was locked in fierce battle with Svenner. Ballast had concentrated all spare troops on the capital coup defense.
No reinforcements for Als.
Western forces just needed to hold until supplies ran out.
Als prepping an attack in this was unexpected.
Als deployed 40,000 infantry omnidirectionally along the encirclement: east, west, south, north.
Shield walls advanced on the Western fortress.
'Massed assault to overrun?'
Suicide. Broad losses, no gain. For real siege, pinpoint breakthrough was better.
'I don't get the hidden intent, but...'
Walter signaled Tetora atop the watchtower. She nodded.
Approved, Walter stepped forward and bellowed.
"Fools charging without fear! All units, battle ready! Show these idiots our might!"
Click! Click! Soldiers snapped into defensive formation.
Walter was certain of victory.
Tactical edge was clear; training gap wider.
Ballast troops advanced terrified; Westerners grinned defiantly.
'No contest. Wade's blunder!'
As Ballast neared, Walter raised his baton.
"Fire!"
Piiiing! Arrows flew.
Facing them, Ballast infantry paled, raising shields.
Front rank knelt, slamming shields into earth; rear pressed close, angling shields atop for a barricade.
Boom! Arrows hammered shields.
Walter spared no arrows for intimidation.
Sustained volleys pinned Ballast infantry in place.
"Hahaha! They can't budge!"
Mocking Walter.
Then Ballast acted oddly.
Arrow barrage halted; officers yelled instantly.
"Now! Deploy the prepared items!"
Soldiers unpacked satchels onto the ground.
Junk: sundries, dry kindling, hay.
Trash.
They spread it, poured liquid atop.
Task done, they retreated.
"That liquid...?"
Walter narrowed his eyes.
His guess was right.
Rearmost soldiers lit the piles—woosh! Flames erupted.
Fire attack.
Walter was speechless.
"What the hell...?"
Not torching the fortress—just outside ground, then flee? Meaningless.
Flashy, though. Circular fires trapped the Western camp in flames.
But no forest fire risk.
Their site was last year's slash-and-burn field. Already scorched barren.
No trees, scant grass. Scattered petals or leaves as kindling? No conflagration.
'Wait—Wade did something similar in the Chimera War.'
Faked fire attack, used smoke for ops.
"Smoke!?"
Walter finally noted the towering, obscuring plume.
Then Tetora shouted.
"Trash! Incoming!"
"!"
Piiiing! Incendiary arrows rained from highlands onto the camp.
Smoke hid trajectories; visible casualties.
Tents ignited; small fires sparked.
Just that, though.
No main force infiltration amid chaos—they couldn't approach the all-around blaze.
So what was the point? Walter clapped, realizing.
"That's it! To burn our arrows!"
Arrows were recyclable. Tonight, they'd recover some shot at Ballast.
But now?
Enemy fire consumed ground-stuck arrows, ruining them.
"Real assault after depleting our arrows. Hahaha! Clever, Wade!"
But not beyond my insight.
For smug Walter, surprise unfolded.
That night. Ballast repeated: minimal harassing arrows, yet lit ground fires and shot incendiaries.