Not far to the north of Anthony and the others, 11 mbers of the Anti-Foreigner Group were crouched in the snow, holding matchlock guns, launching a volley at the fleeing Anthony and his companions.
In order to ensure that tonight’s operation could conclude with the best possible outco, the Anti-foreigner Group had specially procured 12 matchlock guns, reportedly produced by the Mito Domain, capable of conducting long-range attacks.
One of them was held by Mogami, who used it as a starter gun.
The remaining 11 were all entrusted to the group mbers who had undergone a period of shooting training.
The matchlock gun, an outdated weapon over two hundred years old, naturally had extrely poor accuracy and firing rate.
When a shot was fired, whether the bullet hit the target was entirely up to luck.
If more than a hundred matchlock guns were gathered, the firearm soldiers could form a tight formation and fire together, then the power and accuracy might be sowhat acceptable.
But the Anti-foreigner Group only had a re 11 matchlock guns... Therefore, to be honest, neither Mogami nor the others pinned much hope on these matchlock guns they had painstakingly acquired to be of much use.
Being able to hit Anthony and the others and directly kill them would naturally be best.
If they missed... it didn’t matter, they could at least be used to boost montum.
Eleven scorching bullets whistled towards Anthony’s group, who were running towards the horses.
The accuracy of the matchlock guns did not disappoint — most of the bullets either buried into the snow or flew off to who knows where, not hitting a single person.
However — the unintentional trees planted beca a shade.
One bullet, flying in an unknown trajectory, actually hit a horse that Oomura’s subordinates had painstakingly brought over!
Screeeech——!!
The hit horse let out a pained roar.
The two guards pulling the horse, caught completely off guard by this occurrence, were thrown to the ground by the maddened horse.
The bullet had hit the horse’s vital point, and amidst its pained cries, it kicked its four hooves, and shortly after, it keeled over, its hooves twitching, likely unable to move shortly.
These horses were not war horses.
They hadn’t heard gunfire, never experienced the baptism of gunfire.
The three horses pulled over by Oomura’s subordinates were already in an unstable ntal state. With one down, the remaining two were completely spooked by the nearby gunfire.
The two surviving horses reared up on their hind legs, letting out shrill cries.
The guards pulling these two horses desperately tried to keep hold of them, attempting to calm them down.
But in a test of strength, humans ultimately cannot win against these cart-pulling, currently crazed horses.
The two horses successfully shook off the guards and galloped away into the distance.
"What are you all doing?!" Oomura, watching the two escaping horses, furiously roared at his subordinates who failed to hold on to the horses.
The horses that were supposed to help Anthony and the others escape were gone... Oomura now felt his fingertips and toes growing cold, and even more sweat stread down his face.
Anthony felt similarly as if he had fallen into a cold lake.
The horses were gone... there was no need for anyone to explain to Anthony what this ant.
While Anthony and his companions felt as though they had plunged into icy depths, the Anti-foreigner Group, seeing that Anthony’s escape horses were gone, felt a boost in morale.
Mogami, fully responsible for tonight’s operations, and Yamada, acting as his deputy, had clear division of duties.
After the operation began, Mogami led a reserve team of 20 n, staying in the "Main Array," ready to step in with the reserve team should any ergencies arise.
Yamada, on the other hand, was responsible for leading the attack, serving as the "Frontline Commander-in-Chief."
Yamada was presently located not far to the south of Anthony and his companions.
Seeing one horse dead and the other two fled, Yamada excitedly waved the tachi in his hand.
"The barbarians’ horses are gone! They can’t escape now!"
"Charge! The barbarians are right there! Quickly, take the heads of the barbarians and these scum who serve them!"
The blood-red "ocean," its montum beca even more vigorous.
Oomura hurriedly turned his head, scanning his surroundings.
Whichever direction he looked, all he could see were blood-red feathered robes flying around.
Oomura gritted his teeth as if to shatter them, and then raised his blade high:
"Everyone! Gather around! We’re breaking through!"
Amidst the chaos as the Anti-foreigner Group stord the camp, many of Oomura’s subordinates had already perished in the lee.
Currently, the subordinates remaining by Oomura’s side... totaled only 28.
Upon hearing Oomura’s call, the remaining 28 quickly gathered around Oomura, as if finding a backbone.
Forcing a bloody path through—this was the last idea Oomura could think of.
Oomura directed his subordinates to form a conical formation, with Anthony, Elodie, and others protected at the very center, while he himself personally took the lead of the "cone," charging toward the direction with seemingly the fewest enemies in the west!
Saito also joined the fray.
Saito clearly understood — he and Aoto, with Anthony and Oomura, were now entirely in a lip-and-teeth, mutually dependent relationship.
Joining forces with Oomura and the others offered a chance to break through the encirclent, to strive for survival!
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