When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist

"Good news! Good news!"

The Golden Finch Badge representing Prince Kongdai emerged from the black smoke, and the Armored Knight holding the battle flag shouted loudly even before approaching.

This knight from Hotam County charged to the front of the array, suddenly reined in his warhorse, which then reared up and neighed loudly.

"How is it?"

Priest Mizam, who had been anxiously pacing in circles, rushed to the front of the messenger knight, almost nose to nose with him, and asked.

"A great victory!" The Extraordinary Knight from Hotam County lifted the visor of his bird-beak helmet, revealing his sweat-drenched face, "Our glorious knights only needed one charge to break through the enemy formation. Lord Arman, please order the full army to attack quickly, lest we miss the opportunity."

"Hmph, don't I know?"

Although Mizam said this, his face completely relaxed from its previous frowning, like crumpled white paper suddenly being smoothed out.

When the Salvation Army left their position, he had already ordered the people upwind to stop burning straw and firewood, but the smoke couldn't dissipate quickly.

The smoke obscured his vision, and at one point he even suspected he was becoming farsighted, mistaking the Salvation Army for trees, wondering how they suddenly disappeared into the smoke.

Three minutes earlier, he had sent out many knights to scout for news, but most were blocked by those traitorous Kush Knights.

This undoubtedly made Mizam extremely furious, as he had long said the Kush people were not to be trusted!

The Church hadn't openly said anything in recent years, but secretly tried to annex and assimilate the Kush people, yet before succeeding, this uprising broke out.

However, once it's over and the Church turns the knife towards the Kush, even those El Scholars constantly chattering pointlessly in the Imperial Council will have nothing to say.

The series of events resulted in Mizam failing to promptly capture Horn's movements.

More accurately, he realized the Salvation Army formation had moved, but he couldn't discern clearly how or the exact location of their movement.

Thus, Mizam executed some simple rightward adjustments, waiting for the Salvation Army to engage in battle.

It wasn't until cavalry broke through the Kush Knights and Holy Gun Cavalry interference and brought accurate information to Mizam that he was alarmed to discover: these Salvation Army Infantry were advancing at an unusually fast pace.

In just five minutes, the Salvation Army Infantry appeared diagonally ahead of Mizam!

This is the battlefield! Normally, at such a charge speed, Imperial Infantry would have scattered after running half their formation.

And this was only five minutes! His guards were still struggling to start moving!

If not for the increasingly numerous cavalry reports, Mizam would have thought it was false information.

At this speed, in just another ten minutes, those damned rebels would rush from the side straight into Mizam's face.

Mizam didn't exaggerate about these guards; they were foreign soldiers from Hotam County, morale was already low, facing the enemy head-on was difficult enough, expecting them to retain morale and counter-attack after being flanked was ludicrous.

What about forming a defensive array on the spot?

With his understanding of these infantry, if they could complete a turn rightward in ten minutes it would be a miracle, let alone form a formation to counter the attack.

The Deng Jia'er Array guaranteed counter-impact capability but the trade-off was that its mobility was far inferior to infantry of the same level.

Mizam realized there was no time for adjustment; forcing an adjustment would just mean by the time Horn's army charged over, the guards would be in the midst of repositioning.

Dispatching the Imperial Order Knights directly to attack the Salvation Army's center? That would be repeating the Pavia battle.

The Imperial Order Knights were too far from the main formation, infantry couldn't effectively support, once trapped in enemy lines they couldn't easily escape, ultimately blown away by the Devil's Wind.

The best way to counter these Salvation Army Infantry was to use infantry to force an attack, consume their mana and lead shots, then have the knights attack.

Mizam wasn't well-versed in military tactics, but he sensed the urgency in the situation.

The servants still remembered those circumstances, as the usually composed Mizam frettedly circled the rocks.

Fortunately, there was the veteran Arman on the battlefield, who proposed an emergency countermeasure.

Through the cavalry's reconnaissance, the Salvation Army's over four thousand troops on the right were disconnected from the center and left, lagging by at least a hundred meters.

Thus, using the Imperial Order Knights to charge the Salvation Army's right flank, if the opposition defended, it could slow their attack speed, giving Mizam time to adjust.

If the opposition did not defend or receive them, then directly attempt to charge the enemy formation.

Under the charge of 300 Imperial Order Knights and 900 Extraordinary Knights from Hotam County, if they could break the Salvation Army infantry formation, then their flank would be exposed to the Church army.

In this way, Mizam won't need to change formation to the right; he can just charge directly with a classic right-wing diagonal tactic, the Salvation Army moves, and the Church Army follows.

As long as they charge into the enemy ranks before the Salvation Army, although they can't achieve a complete victory, they can swallow four thousand of the opponent's men and seize their logistics troops.

Even thinking with one's rear, it's obvious that once the logistics troops are gone, morale will plummet significantly.

Moreover, if successful, the Salvation Army's flank will be blatantly exposed in front of the Imperial Order Knights.

Can their formation changes and movements be faster than the Imperial Order Knights' charge?

The only flaw in this plan is that the Salvation Army has a strong countercharge capability, with a significant deterrent effect against knights.

Mizam strategized based on past battle examples; even if the Imperial Order Knights served as the vanguard, they wouldn't necessarily be able to break through the Salvation Army's array capable of conjuring the Devil's Wind head-on.

But seeing the situation, he still agreed with Arman's suggestion.

Mizam admitted he was taking a gamble, but it was evident he bet correctly.

Arman's Imperial Order Knights shattered the Salvation Army's array in a single charge, and with the cover of smoke and dust, the Salvation Army didn't even have the chance to conjure that terrifying Devil's Wind!

Recalling the earlier performance, Mizam couldn't help but find it amusing; why was he even anxious?

As soon as the enemy left their position, their countdown to death began, and he had overestimated these peasant rebels.

No matter how fast their growth rate, standing before the millennia-old Imperial Knights, they were still like a bare child.

Satisfied, Mizam caressed the beaver banner belonging to the Xiaochi City militiamen, sneered, and tossed it aside: "Tell Arman, we will immediately carry out a diagonal strike, prepare for guidance and intelligence."

"At your command, Priest Mizam."

Turning his face, Mizam smiled: "Lady Marika, I must trouble you to lead the Lower Reif Knights to disrupt the Salvation Army Infantry's march."

Countess Marika glanced at the purple-faced hired knights and the Lower Reif Knights behind her, then gazed at the indistinct dragon line in the distance, showing a hesitant expression.

Mizam looked at Arman in the smoke and whispered: "You know, if Prince Kongdai can acquire the entire Thousand River Valley, His Highness will not hesitate to grant the Oslar Clan a dukedom in the Thousand River Valley, to be placed in the Kush Territory, what do you think?"

With a glance at the battlefield situation, Marika took a deep breath, looked deeply at Mizam: "The Oslar Clan will not forget your promise."

"I am willing to guarantee it," Mizam said solemnly, tracing a symbol on his forehead with seriousness.

Under Marika's booming command, except for the 200 Lower Reif Knights left to guard the logistics camp and the remaining 400 hired knights, the remaining 1,000 Lower Reif Knights surged towards the smoke and dust.

In previous battles, Marika had not believed in these hired knights at all; they took money and delivered such disgraceful performances.

Taking fake medicine, you deserve it!

The previously diffused straw smoke and dust had dissipated somewhat, yet the whirlwind stirred by the warhorses once again muddied the smoke.

Marika donned heavy armor, her figure hidden within the smoke and dust, leaving only a vaguely clear silhouette.

Count Koma, send someone to issue orders; the whole army should prepare and charge straight ahead!" Mizam didn't have much patience for Count Koma, who had a lower birth.

"At your command, Lord Mizam." Count Koma wasn't vexed; he cheerfully rode towards his infantry array.

After issuing several orders and watching the infantry's large array come alive, Mizam nodded in satisfaction.

Although he had never commanded an army, it didn't seem that hard.

Finally, Mizam called for his servant: "Immediately have the messenger dressed properly; I am drafting a dispatch. Once we achieve victory, sail immediately to Feiliu Castle to report!"

"Yes!"

Riding a horse, Mizam's body rose and fell with the steed as he came to the front of the entire army.

He opened his mouth, about to order the whole army to charge, when a series of popping noises like beans being stir-fried interrupted him.

Silhouetted shadows flickered in the smoke and dust, galloping cavalry silhouettes crisscrossed, and occasionally there was the noisy sound of infantry charging.

Flashes of lightning and screams sounded continuously, as if fighting with a griffin in the rainclouds.

The sound seemed a bit too close; Mizam frowned but quickly relaxed, believing it would be enough to stall the Salvation Army.

The bugle for the charge sounded across the battlefield, and the hired knights' warhorses beside him pawed at the ground; Mizam pointed his staff forward.

"All troops, charge!"