Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 486: Chapter 310: Intelligence_1

”The enemy’s formation is in disarray; follow me and charge!”

Lance swung his saber, beheading an enemy, then charged forward on his steed.

Behind him, the armored Knights also galloped after him.

This was not a random dash but a coordinated charge.

Lance, leading the charge, cut down another hapless foe, then led the Cavalry through the ranks of the bandits.

By the time the Cavalry stopped, not a single enemy stood on the battlefield; they either lay dying, emitting pitiful groans, or had been trampled into pulp by the horse hooves.

”Damn it, where’s that arrogance you had when you were slaughtering the village? How come you’re so easily defeated!”

Lance reined in his warhorse and looked coldly at the corpses scattered around, his spear, almost dyed with blood, still dripping.

He rode towards the bandits’ leader, who had sustained a blow to the shoulder and several broken bones from being trampled by horses, and was already dead.

But the terror on the man’s face hadn’t faded a bit, as if he’d been frightened to death.

He probably never expected that just for killing a few commoners, he would be hunted down by a regimented Cavalry. Was it really necessary?

Lance had been to that village—over twenty households, and not a single soul spared, all slaughtered by this gang of bandits. The bandits had even occupied the village for a while, and the traces left behind spoke of the unspeakable torments the villagers had endured, especially the women, who lived longer and suffered even more unbearable ordeals. If it weren’t for someone who escaped, Lance wouldn’t even have known about this. If he hadn’t found them, it couldn’t be helped. But now that he has, they can only blame their own bad luck. He has no intention of giving these scoundrels any chance. They must die! There is no room for negotiation. The only pity is that their deaths came too swiftly. Since he has no backup forces and is just a lone army, there is no need for prisoners. Otherwise, they’d have been guaranteed the ’VIP suites’ in the ’sanatorium’.

But similar incidents weren’t confined to this location; they were occurring throughout the entire Empire, and there was little Lance could do.

”Damn it, it’s too lenient for scum like them,” Dismas dismounted, grabbed one of the bandits who hadn’t fully died yet, and finished him off with several stabs, continuing to say, ”They should have had their blood drained slowly.”

”I reckon these small fry are too weak,” Boudica commented while riding her horse, a War Halberd slung over her shoulder.

Don’t assume that because Boudica is from the Barbarian Tribes she can’t ride a horse. On the contrary, her tribe also had beasts of burden in the Mountains, and for someone with her extraordinary bodily control, learning to ride was very simple.

Lance hadn’t blindly expanded the cavalry corps; in fact, he had long prepared for it, choosing members who displayed a talent for Cavalry.

Previously restricted by the number of horses, they could only take turns training, but now they were fully equipped with them and had also been rigorously drilled by Reynard for three days, already possessing a decent combat ability.

Yet they had to be tested in real battle. This outing was to examine the result of their training, and this rabble of bandits was the perfect whetstone.

Through consecutive skirmishes, the entire cavalry corps’ combat abilities improved significantly. Whether attacking or pursuing, they could now skillfully employ various formations.

While Dismas and Boudica were still preoccupied with the bandits, Lance was considering much more. Over the past few days, relying on the mobility of the Cavalry, they have eliminated several large bandit groups; at least this old road will be peaceful for a while. But it isn’t just the men; even the horses are nearing their limit after continuous fighting. Fortunately, they defeated a few bandit gangs along the way and seized some extra horses to enhance their mobility, or else this Cavalry would have been immobilized by the spoils of war. Lance knows it is time to return—they need a period of rest and recovery, at the very least.

”Clear the battlefield, rest for a moment and prepare to go home.”

Lance’s order was passed down, and the thought of returning home brought a faint smile to the weary faces of the soldiers.

Soon, the cavalry corps finished clearing the battlefield, leaving only large patches of still-damp blood soaked into the soil as evidence of the recent battle.

...

At this moment, the discussion inside the coach about Hamlet and that Lord had not subsided.

”What impact do you think this Lord will have on the situation in the Empire?”

”It’s unpredictable, but to be honest, in such major events, it’s very hard for an individual, no matter how strong, to influence the situation. What truly matters is the identity and power that person represents. From what I know, the Northern Borderlands of the Empire are currently in chaos; he can’t even secure control over his original lands.”

Speaking of which, the woman felt increasingly perplexed and couldn’t help voicing her doubts.

”It’s very strange, why hasn’t he chosen to reveal his identity to the world and reclaim his original Hamlet territory?”

It is hard to understand. After all, he is an Extraordinary being with a strong claim to this place and troops at his command. Why doesn’t he take back everything that is his, instead of wasting time in a rundown little town? If it hadn’t been for the Seeker of Omens stumbling in by accident, she might not even have known such a place existed in the Empire.

Either he is a fool, or he harbors greater ambitions. He doesn’t wish to attract external attention. So, what is he preparing for?

The woman had guessed a bit of it, yet she couldn’t fully understand what Lance was ultimately after.

The old woman knew a bit about this issue, but she couldn’t speak of it. The person before her, although in charge of the Empire’s regional affairs, did not yet have the clearance.