"Iron Gate Town is lost, and Qila Castle is also lost?" Jilo, who was training soldiers here, widened his eyes upon hearing the news. "Doesn’t that an..."
"Except for Xia Lvcheng and Damp Dock, there’s no stronghold to defend, so our front line will be quite fragile." Horn explained while washing away the sweat from his travels with clean water.
"Holy Father." Jilo was silent for a mont before drawing a symbol on his forehead. "What should we do then?"
"Enough ti, we need enough ti to wait for the support from the Falan people to arrive. Until then, Xia Lvcheng must hold on as much as possible..." Horn dried his face with a towel, took a deep breath, and walked towards the door.
His location was an unremarkable monastery outside of Rapids City, yet it gathered nearly a thousand "students."
Looking out from the window, one could even see the climbing wall and crawling net used for training.
The square-shaped monastery enclosed the central courtyard, and the second floor ford a long corridor.
A semi-circular balcony protruded from the corridor, and Horn walked slowly to the white snowflake plaster railings.
"Piety! Devotion!"
Accompanied by a dull and orderly chest-thumping sound, a ceremonial officer’s led salute sounded uniformly.
Horn looked down from the balcony at the courtyard filled with golden line chrysanthemums, where a dense crowd of black-clad individuals raised their heads, excited and expectant.
On the paved road and small square, stood hundreds of Defenders trained over six months by the Saint Father’s Association.
These Defenders were mainly from Hotam County, including farrs, lower class workers, artisans, and ordinary citizens.
They mostly shared a common trait: most of them ca from the Saint Sun’s Army and believed in the Holy Path.
During the six months of training, each of them received Horn’s Divine Favor, gaining the ability to drive alchemical items.
Under Horn’s ample supply of at, eggs, and milk, they averaged the level of the second-stage breathing thod.
If placed on the battlefield, with the Gallar Array’s formation, they could fill approximately two arrays of Holy Gunn.
At this mont, they were gathered here, waiting quietly for Horn’s speech.
"Yesterday morning, I received news from Hotam County." Horn’s voice echoed through amplifying monks and corridors within the courtyard, "Qila Castle has fallen, the Military Settlent District has been massacred, and Xia Lvcheng is in chaos.
We may lose Hotam County; to be precise, we will definitely lose it."
The previously quiet crowd instantly beca noisy; it was one thing for others, but Hotam County was their hotown.
"Wasn’t everything fine the day before yesterday?"
"I told you, in the Thousand River Valley War, the Saint’s Grandson was the main force in killing the enemy; Moliat just lay back and enjoyed the victory!"
"Not quite fair to say so, without Moliat entangling Prince Kongdai in Mountain County, we wouldn’t have had today."
"Your Eminence, is my ho occupied?"
"Order, maintain order!"
"Quiet!"
The ceremonial officer gave a shout, and the nearby Close Guard Cultivators imdiately fired guns into the air, stopping the disturbance.
They elected a middle-aged man to speak: "Your Eminence, we have trained diligently for half a year; I think it’s ti for us to go to war."
Gazing at the crowd with eager faces, Horn slowly shook his head: "As Defenders, your training involves assassination, sabotage, tracking, and disguise.
These are not battlefield skills, but skills used after the battlefield.
You are the most steadfast believers in the Holy Path, so have served in the army, I know you want to go to the battlefield.
But I’m sorry to tell you, our army is not yet assembled, and our logistics are not yet prepared.
Not even with Moliat, let alone sitting in Xia Lvcheng’s position, can change the defeat.
Thus, the place you’re heading to is the enemy-occupied area.
The Loyal Successor Cheka will go with you to assist you in completing the tasks.
The Combat Mages of Black Snake Bay will hide in the reeds and marshes to provide support for you."
The crowd gradually quieted down.
The Defenders’ short black cloaks blended with the golden line chrysanthemums, like black roses edged in gold.
Horn glanced at the calloused knuckles and worn collars of these Defenders, pressed his lips, and continued: "You will be under the leadership of Miracle Priest Selomis, Patrick, and your familiar Valent Taylor, forming teams based on the Hundred Households District or the countryside.
After returning to your hotown, integrate, don’t act rashly.
When the Leia people invade, don’t resist openly.
Moreover, you must actively join occasions where the Leia people are present, even help them work.
anwhile, your mission is—to disrupt the enemy, steal intelligence, and develop mbers of the Holy Path, while ensuring your own safety.
Many of you were forr mbers of the Saint Sun’s Army, accustod to fighting around small rivers and reeds."
The Defenders glanced at each other, and soon raised dozens of hands.
Horn casually pointed to a young man.
The young man raised his head and shouted loudly: "Your Eminence, why are we doing this? It seems useless?
Forgive , I’d rather die gloriously on the battlefield than humiliatingly help the Leia people."
Other Defenders imdiately echoed him, but there were also Defenders who cursed at them.
Looking at these enthusiastic faces, Horn couldn’t bear it, his nose even felt a little sour.
He knew how dangerous these actions were, and they would not receive the deserved honor.
But these things still had to be done by soone.
"Because we need ti, even mobilizing enough combat troops would take no less than three months.
The Leia people have local noble help, they can quickly stabilize the lower levels, providing them logistics and supplies.
Your actions may not directly bring victory, but they can accumulate enough ti for us.
As for usefulness, I dare say, useful."
Horn knocked the lectern in front of him, speaking emphatically: "Useful, definitely useful.
Currently, the Leia people have a large force, expected to deploy sixty to ninety thousand troops to besiege us.
And our current strength is less than thirty thousand troops, not to ntion the combat power and numbers of Extraordinary Knights.
Yes, you are indeed not a match for Extraordinary Knights, but it doesn’t an you’re powerless in front of them!
Who forges the weapons and armor for Extraordinary Knights? Who prepares their potion Holy Water?
Who grows their provisions? Who transports them?
An Extraordinary Knight can raid several hundred miles, yet can’t fight on an empty stomach.
Contrarily, they need more food, need better armor to exert their potential.
Knights step on the backs of commoners for a glorious charge.
But if commoners raise their heads, it may cause death, yet it can make knights take a hard fall.
If we all raise our heads, knights will never charge!"
Horn slamd both hands onto the lectern, half his body almost extending over the balcony, his gaze swept through faces young and old.
"We, we once were the ones kneeling, but since March 22, 1446, we have raised our heads.
Then, no matter what kind of iron hoof, don’t expect our heads to lower again!" Horn’s eyes burned with fury, his voice practically a roar, "Don’t expect, I say don’t expect!"
The previous whispers completely stopped, like a rest in a jazz piece, and the next second, a fist was lifted above a head.
"Don’t kneel, don’t bow!"
Almost instantly, all the Defenders along with the Close Guard Cultivators beside them raised their fists.
"Don’t kneel, don’t bow!"
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