NOVEL NEXT Chapter 105: Resist! Resist! Resist!
The myriad scholar strategist took the lead. He whipped the disorganized myriads into proper formation. Every fiber of their being beat in unison to the sounds of battle. The blood and sweat as they toiled soaked the scarlet ground, overshadowed by the dark, windy morning sky.
Overhead, the sun peeked over the battle, waiting for the right time to rise and exalt over the entire earth, with its bright illumination of all glorious things. The clock was ticking. Once the sun shone over them, the ghouls would be weakened to their normal state, unlike at night where they were powered by the powers that be.
Until then, they just had to hold, and then perhaps hope might finally arrive for them, so that a chance would bloom over the battlefield.
The scholar glanced to his side. With each look, anxiety grew, which was only offset by proper breathing technique, ensuring that the mind had enough oxygen to process all variables that were transpiring around them.
He had to make sure that he saw and understood everything, made adjustments in advance, and gave decisive orders with clarity and effectiveness as much as possible. A mistake could lead to wipeout.
Before that, he first confirmed his surroundings and saw that the civilians had been safely evacuated, and another squad, which was certainly more numerous than what he had now, was currently protecting them.
Moreover, the bulk of the ghoulish forces were concentrated in the city, especially in the areas and places where the mysterious redcoats had been. Overhead, thunderous explosions that made waves into the very ground itself sent shivers down every myriad spine and skin that had witnessed and heard it.
Truly, the redcoats' mysteriousness and bravery seemed to have left a mark on the hearts and minds of everyone present on this occasion. Now, before every last bit of morale went out the window, he waved his hands and ordered a change of formation.
In his hand was a simple sword, with good balance and weight that was perfect for him. He was lucky when he found it over a corpse earlier that had been eaten and looted by the accursed ghouls.
As they were preparing and moving into formation, the ghouls, without a single provocation coming from them, immediately moved without any orders being heard. He was confused. The lack of barbarity and taunting had caught them off guard; nevertheless, he must take action.
"Shields forward! Spears in between! Swords and bowmen at the back! Move! Move! Move!" The scholar barked with increasing intensity.
The soldiers, while filled with anxiety and uncertainty, immediately went into action. So far, the scholar had been the only myriad to have taken up the mantle of leadership, and so far it had been working well enough.
Which was why, at the very least, they trusted him in this matter, forced or not; they did not really have any choice in the matter at hand.
Quickly and swiftly they moved; the shields were placed in front, and the spears between each shield member, the bowmen were at the very back, and the swordsmen behind and near the spearmen.
This was done in consideration of the ghouls charging against the shields, and so the spears would act as spikes to stab them and therefore prevent the culmination and being overwhelmed with ghouls on the line of shields.
Not only that, the bowmen had their bows nocked and pulled tightly, so that when a ghoul used its super strength, it would be bombarded by arrows if it ever jumped. Lastly, if any ghoul got through, then the swordsmen would duel them, thereby protecting each member of the formation.
The ghouls dashed forth at extreme speed. The more steps they took, the earth rumbled in fear. Once they arrived at the front, defying all expectations, they immediately stopped at the front, and with a twist of their bodies, they kicked the spears toward the top.
Once the spears were knocked atop, a set of ghouls immediately rushed forward, without anything blocking their way. When they made their way, they smashed themselves into the wall of shields. In just a single moment, taking advantage of their kind, they had easily broken through the myriad formation.
The scholar was flabbergasted by the sudden events. Chills ran down his spine; his breathing became unstable as his beating heart picked up its pace. Fear and anxiety began once again to gnaw at his mental wellbeing. Every hair on his body stood up in fear, and adrenaline entered his system.
Time seemed to slow down for him.
However, he must not get agitated or be struck down in fear. Right here, and right now, dozens of fellow myriads relied on his strength for knowledge and tactics. Failure was not an option, and if it ever occurred, it would lead to their absolute destruction.
Thoughts of ruined families and the screams of horror of his and others' deaths would continue to haunt him even if he died and rose again. Beyond the chaos, he glanced over and saw that the ghouls had their mouths tilted, as if they were mocking them, playing with them, and thinking about that.
It brought him rage; his earlier anxieties seemed to vanish. Thus, with a decisive mind, he took action; he ordered the swordsmen to move forward and to support the shield men and spearmen, and had the other two groups regroup into new formation.
Overhead, the distant sound of fighting continued. The sun had slowly started to rise, and the battle had only begun. There were a lot of things at stake—lives and families—yet the future had also become uncertain.
The scholar knew—no, he wanted to believe—that a new era was about to rise, and right now, he was at the very center of history that was currently being written.
The redcoat, albeit he had only briefly encountered it, it was as if the gears of fate had started to move and had lit up something that should not have been lit, shone once again. He did not know; only the gods and goddesses knew, who had already forsaken this world.