vstars Chapter 675 Fierce Battle
Chapter 675 Fierce Battle
Meanwhile, Griffith was being besieged by Yoda's army. He quickly moved to the inside of the city wall, pressed his back against the wall to steady himself, and looked over the battlements into the depths of the street.
Yoda's soldiers were pushing a heavy organ cannon forward. Several soldiers were bending over and holding onto the cannon's handle. Their steps were slow but steady as they pushed the cannon toward the city gate little by little. The angle of the cannon barrel toward the city was gradually lowered, exuding a menacing aura.
Griffiths raised his hand and pressed the sword at his waist. The scabbard was cold as it brushed against his palm. His clothes, which clung to his body, were stained with a few drops of blood. He had no time to tidy himself up. He just stared at the city gate and calculated his current situation.
Just as they captured the city gate, the Midland soldiers outside the city surged forward as planned. However, before the Midland soldiers could take a few more steps forward, the towers on both sides, dozens of meters away from the city gate, suddenly exploded. The cannons in the windows spewed out flames, and the shells, with sharp whistles, crashed down on the city below, suppressing the following troops and preventing them from advancing for a while.
Before they could catch their breath, a large number of Yoda soldiers rushed out from the corners of the streets on both sides. They quickly blocked the several intersections leading into the city from the city gate, forming a tight encirclement, and then rushed towards Griffith's troops.
Griffith's mercenaries could only retreat with their backs to the city gate, barely holding up the defensive line.
Griffith glanced at the people around him. Including the injured and squatting on the ground panting, there were only about two hundred people in total. Everyone was covered in blood, and many of their weapons had chips and cracks. Some people's armor had been cleaved open, revealing bleeding wounds underneath.
Looking at the Yoda soldiers across the way, their figures were everywhere on both sides of the intersection and under the porches of houses in the distance; a rough count showed at least a thousand of them.
Moreover, the Yoda soldiers charged with increasing ferocity, each attack filled with ruthlessness, as if they wanted to tear them apart completely. Several small gaps had already been torn in Griffith's defensive line. When someone fell, no one could immediately fill the gap, and the situation was becoming increasingly dangerous. He knew in his heart that if this continued, they would be worn down on their own without the Yoda soldiers even launching a strong attack.
"Plug the breach and don't let them reach the city gate!"
Griffith shouted to the men around him, his voice not loud, but enough to drown out the chaos. The soldiers around him immediately responded, gripping their weapons and charging towards the approaching Yoda soldiers.
He himself did not dare to look away, keeping his eyes fixed on the organ cannon. At this moment, Yoda's soldiers had pushed the cannon to the middle of the street, and several soldiers were adjusting the angle around the cannon. The cannon barrel slowly turned around, and if it was hit by this cannon, the tower would not be able to withstand it.
Griffith's heart sank. He knew that the cannons in the tower were the only thing that could keep the Midland soldiers in check. If the tower collapsed, the Midland soldiers would be able to rush in without any hindrance.
Suddenly, the organ cannon fired first, the roar was so loud it hurt your ears, it felt like your eardrums were about to burst. A volley of shells, carrying waves of heat, flew toward the tower at such a speed that no one had time to react. The air was filled with the scorching heat of the shells as they passed, and they were about to crash into the tower wall.
Griffith didn't dare to think too much. He lunged outwards towards the outside of the tower, his movements so fast they were almost instinctive. His back grazed the edge of the tower window, tearing a small hole in his fabric. His skin stung as it brushed against the rough brickwork. Then he crashed heavily onto the city wall walkway, his shoulder throbbing against the brickwork, the pain radiating and his bones feeling like they were about to dislocate.
He instinctively rolled twice to the side to avoid the area where the tower was collapsing.
Just as I rolled to the side, a deafening explosion came from behind me. The tower was hit directly by the shell, bricks and stones fell down with a clatter, and the crisp sound of breaking wooden beams was deafening. The once intact tower collapsed halfway in an instant, and large sections of the wall crashed to the ground. Smoke and dust rushed in with the wind, making it impossible for people to open their eyes.
He lay on the ground, feeling the ground shaking incessantly, as if a heavy object was repeatedly crushing him. His back was also scalded by the heat from the explosion, making his skin feel tight. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, as if it were about to burst out of his chest. There was a faint taste of blood in his throat. If he had been half a second slower, he would have been buried under the collapsing bricks and stones, without even a chance to struggle.
The feeling of weightlessness, like he had almost died, hadn't faded yet, and his back was already covered in cold sweat. He didn't dare waste this lucky chance at life, so he immediately pushed himself up and sat up, brushing the dust off his body. His fingertips touched the blood-stained bricks, but his eyes showed no panic; instead, they became even clearer.
He knew this was not the time to be afraid; he had to find a way to break the deadlock immediately.
Griffith looked up at the organ cannon. Yoda soldiers were busy around the cannon. Some were carrying heavy cannonballs, holding the edges of the cannonballs with both hands and stuffing them into the cannon barrel little by little. The movements were very strenuous. Others were adjusting the cannon carriage, banging and tapping with tools in their hands. The group did not cooperate well and occasionally pushed each other. Their movements were very slow.
His mind raced. He had to seize the opportunity now, otherwise, once Yoda's soldiers finished loading their ammunition and bombarded the city gate again, they would truly have no way out. A force of two hundred men simply couldn't withstand two such bombardments, let alone the pincer attack from Midland and Yoda's army.
He suddenly remembered the artillery knowledge he had learned in Blackwatch, which specifically mentioned the characteristics of the organ cannon. This cannon was powerful, could fire many rounds at once, and had a wide coverage area, making it suitable for attacking cavalry.
However, its disadvantages are also obvious. The loading speed is extremely slow. Unlike ordinary artillery, which can be operated by one person, it requires five or six artillerymen to cooperate in disassembling the breech, moving the shells, loading the breech, and calibrating the angle. The whole process takes at least thirteen minutes. Moreover, if any step goes wrong, they have to start over. These ten minutes are their only chance.
If we can take advantage of the gap while Yoda's soldiers are reloading, we can clear out the Yoda soldiers near the towers on both sides, break their encirclement, force Yoda's army to retreat, and even stabilize the situation at the city gate.
Griffiths turned to look at Jedo not far away. Jedo was wielding a sword and fighting with Yoda's soldier. As the sword flashed, Yoda's soldier's arm was severed, and blood splattered all over him. His gray shirt was torn in several places, and there was a deep wound on his arm that exposed the bone. Blood dripped down his sleeve.
But he didn't retreat at all, still holding the edge of the left-hand intersection, preventing Yoda's soldiers from rushing forward. Every swing of his sword was fierce, as if he was putting all his strength into the blade.
"Jiedu, take thirty men and charge the left tower first. Yoda's soldiers' cannons are slow to reload, so take advantage of the fact that they haven't fired yet and clear out the people near the tower!"
Griffiths called out to Jiedu, his voice carrying across the chaotic battlefield. Upon hearing it, Jiedu immediately turned to look at him, a hint of confirmation in his eyes. Seeing Griffiths nod at him, he didn't hesitate and immediately called out to the people around him.
"Three squads of ten men each, come with me. Prioritize clearing out the enemies near the left tower!"
The soldiers around them responded, temporarily shaking off the Yoda soldiers beside them. When the Yoda soldiers at the left intersection saw them suddenly change direction and rush towards the tower, they immediately raised their shields to meet them.
Jedo charged ahead, completely ignoring the shield formation opposite him. He slashed his longsword down at the Yoda soldier at the front with tremendous force. The soldier quickly raised his shield to block, but the shield was cleaved in two with a deep crack. The Yoda soldier was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting him to be so strong. Before he could react, Jedo had already kicked him in the chest.
The force was so great that he was sent flying backward, crashing into the Yoda soldier behind him. The two of them fell to the ground together. Then, Jedo stepped forward and plunged his long sword directly into his chest. Blood flowed out from the blade and dripped onto the ground, forming a small pool of blood.
The soldiers behind them charged forward, some holding up shields to block the swords and spears of the Yoda soldiers. The shields shook violently from the impact, but they did not dare to let go. Some took the opportunity to retaliate with their swords, targeting the gaps in the Yoda soldiers' defenses. Although the Yoda soldiers outnumbered them, they did not expect them to launch such a sudden and fierce attack with such a clear target. For a moment, they were thrown into disarray, and the originally neat defensive line gradually developed gaps.
Jiedu knew time was running out, and the organ cannon could fire again at any moment. Every second wasted increased their danger, so he dared not let his soldiers linger. He shouted to those around him:
"Don't get entangled with them, charge towards the tower, clear out the people near the tower first, and prevent them from launching another sneak attack!"
The soldiers immediately understood and quickened their pace towards the left tower. Half of the tower had collapsed, and piles of broken bricks and stones formed a makeshift shelter. Yoda's soldiers were hiding behind the broken bricks and stones, firing arrows. The arrows flew through the air with a whooshing sound, fast and accurate. Several soldiers were unable to dodge and were hit by the arrows.
But no one dared to stop. They either struggled to their feet and continued charging forward, or were helped forward by those around them, forcing their way toward the tower. No one wanted to drag the whole team down because of themselves.
Jedo bent down, picked up a piece of rubble, and threw it at the Yoda soldier hiding behind the broken bricks and stones.
The pebbles flew with force, hitting the soldier squarely on the shoulder. The soldier cried out in pain, staggered forward, and dropped his bow and arrow. Taking advantage of the moment, Jiedu rushed forward, swung his longsword, and struck the soldier directly in the neck.
Before the other person could even scream, he collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his neck and splattering onto the broken bricks and stones.
Just as Jetto charged forward, Griffith's side was already on the verge of collapse. Seeing that the left flank had been breached, Yoda's soldiers knew they could no longer focus on one spot and began to press forward. Several Yoda soldiers took advantage of the gap in the defenses and rushed in, pouncing towards the inner side of the city gate, staring at them like hungry wolves with fierce eyes.
Griffith immediately gripped his sword and charged forward. The blade flashed coldly as it pierced the chest of a Yoda soldier, who groaned and collapsed to the ground, his body still twitching slightly.
He drew his sword, blood dripping down its blade, and swung it at the man beside him. The blade struck the man's longsword with a piercing metallic clang, knocking the sword away. Taking advantage of the moment, a soldier stepped forward and slashed the enemy in the side, killing him instantly.
As he fired, he didn't dare to look away, keeping his eyes fixed on the organ cannon. The Yoda soldiers were still busy loading it, and the loading speed was slower than he had expected. He breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he still didn't dare to let his guard down, knowing that as long as the cannon wasn't completely disabled, it would always be a threat.
But there were simply too many Yoda soldiers, and the frontal defenses were torn open with an even larger gap. Two Yoda soldiers rushed toward Griffith, one slashing at his head with a sword, and the other thrusting a spear into his abdomen.
Griffith dodged to the side, thrusting his sword at the waist of one of the men while kicking another away. Just as he finished off those two, three more Yoda soldiers charged at him, and he could only grit his teeth and endure it.
Two more small wounds appeared on his body, one on his arm and one on his leg. Blood seeped out, soaking his clothes. He winced in pain, but dared not slow down. He could only rely on instinct and experience to keep fighting back. He knew that he could not fall. As long as he was standing, the soldiers would still have the will to fight.
The battle on Jiedu's side wasn't much easier either. When Yoda's soldiers saw that they were going to clear out the positions near the tower, they rushed over to try to stop them. The soldiers Jiedu brought were all people who had followed him for a long time. Their combat strength was not weak, and they had a clear objective. They did not get entangled with Yoda's soldiers, but only pushed towards the tower.
As Jiedu watched his wounded soldiers, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. He swung his long sword even faster, each strike aimed at the vital points of the Yoda soldiers. The screams of the Yoda soldiers echoed one after another, and more and more corpses lay on the ground, their blood flowing down the ground and forming streams.
They slowly approached the pile of rubble from the tower. The Yoda soldiers hiding inside grew increasingly panicked, and their archery accuracy plummeted, making it impossible for them to stop their advance.
Jiedu seized the opportunity and shouted to the people around him:
"Charge in and wipe them out!"