Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Artillery Company_1

Using cannons against refugees is indeed something the Empire would do, or to be more precise, it’s quite normal in this world. Due to low productivity, once a major disaster strikes, it’s fundamentally impossible to support so many people, and it’s quite obvious what these refugees will turn into. It’s better to give the refugees a cannonball than food. This is the Lord’s mercy. After all, the Lords within the city walls can’t see it, and if they can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. If there are no refugees, then the Empire is thriving, and peace and prosperity reign across the land.

This artillery unit thought the same. How hard could it be to fire at some refugees?

According to what Laosan said, they belonged to the newly formed artillery units of the Empire. There was only one battalion in the entire Eastern Province, comprising six companies. One must know that a cannon requires four to six horses to move, along with specialist knowledge that the Artillerymen need, which is hard to obtain in an era without universal education. Training a Non-commissioned Officer cost a fortune, making them even more precious than Cavalry. An artillery company had 150 men, equipped with eight cannons of varying calibers. At the time, three companies were deployed, amounting to nearly five hundred men, plus nearly twenty-four cannons. Add to that the infantry, gunners, Cavalry, and other regular military branches, as well as Knights summoned by local Lords and peasant soldiers—there could be three thousand men in total. This force was sufficient to conduct a sizable battle with the Regular Army. Dealing with refugees should be easy, right?

Until they encountered a horrifying war.

Laosan stopped here. Even though Lance kept asking, he refused to continue, only shaking his head in panic.

”After the battle, we got separated from the main force, leaving less than one hundred of us, and that included many from other companies. As for the cannons, we were only left with three. We were remnants of a defeated force, but we could have proven our identities by returning on time. However, for some reason, when we appeared before the Regular Army, we were attacked.

”We later learned that we were probably declared dead in battle. Showing up before the Empire now, we could only be seen as deserters—and deserters always receive the death sentence, no matter where. It was impossible for us to go back; we could only take our gear and flee into the seclusion of the mountains.

”During our flight, we lost most of our supplies. To survive, we had to attack bandits for food, snatching it from their hands, and then find our way home.

”That was until we rescued a woman from a group of bandits. She claimed to be of Nobility, saying her Guard had been killed by bandits and she had been abducted. After the captain got together with that woman, he began to grow increasingly crazed...”

Lance had heard Dismas mention a very enchanting woman among the bandits, and now hearing something similar from Laosan left him somewhat speechless.

A group of deserters robbing merchants, raiding villages and towns, burning, killing, and plundering—stopping at nothing, yet they pin the blame on a woman.

He’d heard such stories too often. Former feudal dynasties would also blame others for an inept, foolish Emperor. Even when he took over Hamlet, the blame for the old ancestor’s problems was pinned on the Butler and the mayor.

Lance had no interest in these tales of degeneracy. To him, solving the current problems was more pressing.

”Where are the cannons? Can they still be used? Is there enough ammunition left?”

”They are in the camp, usable. As for the ammunition, although there isn’t much, there’s still enough for a few rounds.”

Hearing this, Lance felt fortunate he had chosen to strike first rather than wait to be attacked. His defensive lines would have completely collapsed once those cannons fired, and those new recruits would never be able to stop hundreds of bandits.

”Do you think the captain will bring the cannons to attack the Barbarians?”

”He’ll probably only take one Eight-Pound Cannon. The other two are too heavy and difficult to move in the wilderness, and a single cannon requires eight experienced gunners to operate.”

”Who do you think has the better chance of winning?”

”Of course, us. How could those Barbarians possibly stand against the Empire’s cannons?”

Laosan showed no hesitation. Even though he had become a deserter, he still retained the pride of an Empire Artilleryman.

***

The return of Lao’er and the two injured elite soldiers to the camp immediately caused a sensation. To be honest, it was agonizing to be cooped up in the mountain gullies every day, and even with women around, one would grow weary after some time. As such, everyone had become sensitive, and the slightest incident could spread instantly throughout the entire camp, let alone such an obviously major situation. Two teams of elite soldiers plus two bosses, and in the end, only three came back—a situation that sparked everyone’s curiosity.

”What the hell happened?” This included the captain, although his curiosity was tinged with palpable anger.

He was at home waiting for good news, and then this major setback hits him. Who could bear such an ordeal?

”Barbarians, we were... ambushed by Barbarians...” Lao’er gasped for breath as he arrived. ”Hurry and rescue Laosan! They won’t hold out for long!”

The captain, driven to exasperation by him, immediately called a large group of his men and, led by Lao’er, rushed back to the site of the incident.

However, the site had already been cleared. Only some bloodstains and pieces of flesh remained; there was no sign of any bodies.

”Where the hell are the men?” the captain asked Lao’er hurriedly, a bad feeling welling up as he looked at the deserted camp.

”Still messing with that damn gun of yours? I asked you, where are the men?”

Lao’er, also stunned by the scene, looked around in a panic, hoping to find some trace.

In the time it took to go there and back, they all vanished? Not even a single body left?

”Is this the place? I asked you, where are the men?” the captain pressed when Lao’er didn’t answer. ”Where are Laosan and the two teams?”

”I... I don’t know!”

Lao’er was helpless. It was indeed this place, but there was nothing left.

Hearing this, the captain confirmed that Laosan and the eight elites were gone. His rage surged, and he yelled into the dense forest, ”Barbarian, I swear this isn’t over! You just wait!”

The surrounding bandits watched the captain’s frenzy silently, afraid of being implicated.

After venting his anger, the captain quickly regained his composure. What’s happening to me? On the battlefield, this kind of mentality wouldn’t let me live long. Ever since I came here, I seem to have become so irritable. Is it because discipline has slackened after becoming a bandit?

But even after venting, he still felt a dull ache in his heart.

If it were just eight common soldiers dead, it would be easier to bear. But eight of my direct elites? What does that even mean? These were the elites he had brought from the artillery company—literate men, skilled with cannons and guns. His own people.

”Tell me what happened,” the captain demanded, suppressing the rage simmering inside him as he looked at Lao’er.

”We followed that guy out, and just as he said, all the bodies were gone. There were wolf paw prints and remnants of human bones on the ground. In this area, only those Barbarians can command wolves.

”Later, we followed the traces and discovered that bandits in several consecutive camps had been killed, and their bodies were all gone too.

”It wasn’t until we reached this place that we encountered a hidden attack by Barbarians. They had at least ten Gunners, all extremely accurate. We barely had time to react before most of us went down. Only after a desperate struggle did we manage to escape back here.”