Chapter 1207: Chapter 27 The Great Alliance Moves Forward (12)_4

His opponent did not give him the chance to correct his mistakes–the soldiers of the Grand Council who had entered River Valley Village were already at their wit’s end, with limited strength, and were routed in an instant; the Thunder Group County infantry encircled from both flanks, cutting off the retreat of the forces entering the village.

The brown-clad soldiers were either killed, surrendered, or in desperation, jumped off the riverbank.

The New Reclamation Expeditionary Army’s troops no longer had the fierce momentum they once possessed, after experiencing an initial victory followed by defeat. They retreated to the east bank of the nameless river, disappearing into the thinning smoke.

The exhausted defenders did not pursue. The military flag of Mont Blanc County was reinstalled in its original position, and the musketeers on both sides resumed their aimless shooting at each other, though now the gunfire sounded far more feeble than before.

The defenders were also tending to their wounds. The church serving as a temporary medical station was already crammed with the wounded, and more dead lay on the ground of the graveyard than were buried beneath it. No one could perform the last rites for the mortally wounded, and finally, Colonel Bod descended the bell tower to close the eyes of each deceased.

As the Thunder Group County soldiers took over from the Bai Mountain County Troops to repair the defenses, Woods Frank returned to the bastion at the northeastern corner of the river bend.

The air of the bastion was filled with the acrid stench and nauseating smell of human flesh, while some ladders and wooden shields stacked on the riverbank continued to burn with crackling sounds.

Gunfire was still ringing out, and Woods did not dare to show his head.

Looking out through the gaps in the parapet, he saw the mudflats littered with the bodies of Grand Council soldiers that had not been carried away. They lay haphazardly on the ground, like large brown patches.

The unfortunate fellow impaled on a spear on the mudflat still hadn’t been taken down; he stood in a grotesque posture, like a scarecrow bound by a demon. Just as Woods was looking at the poor guy, the corpse’s left eyeball slowly slid out of its socket.

Woods’ stomach tightened sharply, and he could no longer control himself, retching violently while leaning against the wall.

Perhaps only an hour had passed, yet it felt so long, long enough for Woods Frank to feel as though a whole day had been gone by, and long enough for Woods Frank to wonder how he would get through the time ahead.

Erno rushed into the bastion, helplessly patting the lieutenant on the back.

Honestly, those pats from Erno on Woods’ back did little to help, but somehow, when Woods realized there was someone by his side, he felt less miserable.

“Do you have any water?” Woods asked hoarsely.

“Water?” Erno paused for a moment, then hurriedly dug out a water sack: “Yes!”

Erno pulled out the stopper and handed it to the lieutenant. Just as Woods was about to take it, Erno retracted the water sack.

Erno wiped the stopper’s opening several times with the clean part of his clothes before handing it back to the lieutenant.

Woods Frank felt touched, took the water sack, and sipped a small mouthful with care. The fresh water moistened his parched lips and swollen throat, giving him a renewed sense of strength.

“Thank you,” Woods whispered to Private Erno.

Erno was too flustered to say a complete sentence, nodding his head vigorously in surprise and delight.

Woods stood up, handed the water sack to Erno, and heaved a deep sigh: “This segment of the wall is crude, but there’s room for improvement. If we add battlements to the wall, our musketeers won’t have to be so worried. Erno, you’re a good soldier; you shouldn’t stay here. Go to the defensive line behind us, where you’re more needed.”

Erno couldn’t quite comprehend what the lieutenant was saying; he scratched the back of his head and asked, “Sir, does that mean we’re not fighting for now?”

“The enemy needs time to regroup.” Woods patted the wall: “I want to use this opportunity to reinforce the defenses.”

“Oh, well…” Erno said quietly, “I think that pot of soup shouldn’t be boiled dry yet, I… I kept the fire very low.”

Woods chuckled silently: “You…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the bastion in the northeast corner of the high ground was overturned by a thirty-two-pound round cannonball.

Using the smoke as cover, the heavy cannons deployed on the opposite banks began to roar.

The Grand Council army launched a full-scale attack.