Chapter 857: Chapter 839: The Silent Outbreak!

The Demons’ sudden disappearance might seem like a good thing to the ordinary soldiers–it gives them more time to rest, and more time to repair the defensive structures. However, in the eyes of Cyril and the rest, the Demons’ actions seemed outright suspicious.

Since the Demons’ ambush on the Kalhan Plains, Cyril had been stationed with her family in Qingyuan City for over a month now. During this time, the Demons’ offensive had been relentless. They would launch attacks every two to three days, and sometimes for several days in a row without pause. Never before had there been such a long stretch of complete silence.

If the Demons had truly retreated entirely, that would be one thing. But the reality was far from that–Qingyuan City remained tightly surrounded by the Demons, their numbers showing no sign of dwindling.

What did this imply?

It meant that the Demons had not given up on Qingyuan City. They were preparing for an even larger-scale assault!

Cyril and the other family members were all intelligent people, and even if they had never encountered the Demons’ tactics before, the month-long fierce battles had taught them well. These monsters didn’t retreat–they only advanced, attacked, and attacked again. If they stopped their offensives, there could be only one reason–they were planning a larger, more devastating assault!

Realizing this, Cyril and the others couldn’t help but feel a heavy gloom descend upon them. If the Demons persisted with their usual scattered offensives, attacking every few days, they wouldn’t be as worried. The soldiers had already grown accustomed to the intensity of the battles. Moreover, with news that reinforcements from the Allied Forces were on the way, the troops were brimming with morale. Holding out for a month would remain within reach.

But now, the Demons had suddenly changed their strategy. They seemed to have abandoned their war of attrition and were instead amassing their strength for an all-out assault!

To be honest, if Cyril didn’t know that the Demons were merely mindless beasts, she might have believed someone had “leaked information” to them. How else could it be such a coincidence? No sooner had they received word of the Allied Forces’ preparations to send reinforcements than the Demons prepared to launch a massive assault?

Of course, that was impossible. The Demons could not possess any central command–or so Cyril believed.

Because of this, she instructed all high-ranking family members to mentally prepare themselves. The Demons’ ominous movements couldn’t be disclosed to the ordinary soldiers. Morale was currently at its peak, and even some were secretly rejoicing at the enemy’s silence. If they revealed the truth now, not only would it fail to create a positive impact, but it would also crush the hard-won morale. Thus, Cyril could only quietly inform Bernardo and the others to ready themselves.

And so, a few days passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, a week had gone by in utter silence.

During the week, the Demons still showed no signs of activity. Taking advantage of this quiet, Bernardo managed to direct repairs to Qingyuan City’s walls, and the troops enjoyed ample rest. This was undeniably a boon for the army.

However, the longer the Demons remained silent, the more uneasy Cyril and the others became. This extended calm was unnerving. For an entire week, there had been no movement at all, leaving Cyril and the rest deeply anxious.

Yes–anxious. They had no idea what the Demons’ attack would look like after this prolonged silence.

In truth… they wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

On the eighth day, the Demons, after a week of dead silence, finally made their move.

“My Lady! The Demons are attacking!”

“How many are there?”

“All of them…”

Having remained in Qingyuan City these past days, Cyril immediately stood up upon hearing the officer’s report. The first question on her lips was about the number of Demons. Yet, the answer she received was shocking: all of them?

What did “all of them” mean?

There was no time for detailed questioning. Cyril quickly donned her Holy Angel Armor and rushed out of her tent, heading directly to the city walls. When she stood atop the parapet and peered through her telescope, she finally understood what “all of them” meant.

As far as the eye could see, every single Demon surrounding Qingyuan City had mobilized!

Through her telescope, no matter which direction she looked in, Cyril saw an endless tide of Demons advancing slowly across the land, converging on Qingyuan City from all sides.

Not only that–above the ground forces was an army of Flying Demons. Hovering in mid-air, their leathery wings flapping, these creatures resembled an unending swarm of bats, pushing toward Qingyuan City alongside their earthbound brethren!

When Cyril beheld this scene, her heart sank into despair. She had never imagined that the Demons’ assault this time would truly be an all-out offensive, that they would mobilize every last Demon!

What could they possibly do now…?

“Bernardo, how many Demons are out there?”

Grinding her teeth, Cyril turned and asked.

“At least fifty thousand low-level Demons. As for the Flying Demons… there are no fewer than thirty thousand…”

Before Cyril had even arrived, Bernardo had already made an estimation of the Demon forces. And in his judgment, their numbers were far beyond what the defending troops could fend off. He promptly said, “Cyril, you should leave. There’s still time…”

For the first time, Bernardo didn’t address Cyril as Clan Leader, for the two of them were cousins by blood. It was precisely because of this familial bond that Bernardo couldn’t bear to see Cyril perish here.

“No. If we hold this line, we can wait for the reinforcements.”

Gazing at Bernardo, Cyril shook her head firmly. Then, with a faint, bitter smile, she added, “If we all fall here, the Alliance will protect the remaining cities of our family. That was the promise the Three Great Alliances made before the war.”

In the face of Bernardo’s plea, Cyril divulged a secret known only to someone of her rank.

In order to ensure the wholehearted participation of every family in the counteroffensive, the Three Great Alliances had pledged to all families that, should their forces perish completely on the battlefield, the Alliances would unconditionally shield their remaining members and territories. This was both a strategy to gain the families’ full commitment and a way to honor the sacrifice of warriors who laid down their lives for the hope of reclaiming the land. It was a promise long overdue.

This was one of the reasons Cyril refused to abandon the city. Of course, she hoped to lead her family’s three Sky Cities back to safety. But if that became impossible, then her only choice was to die on the battlefield. That way, the Alliance’s protection would extend to her family’s survivors–they would still have a sliver of hope. Should she escape with Tianji City, however, her family would suffer grave losses, and Alliance protection might no longer be guaranteed.

Weighing the options, Cyril made her choice: the choice befitting a Clan Leader.

“Understood…”

Hearing her response, Bernardo nodded. As a member of the family, he understood what he must do.