The leaves rustled as if something was speeding through the night.

The sentinel stood up alertly, the valley under the moonlight was extremely silent, with only the puddles reflecting a silvery light.

Just as he was about to sit down, a dark cloud drifted by, obscuring the moonlight.

Like stars lighting up one by one in the night sky, hundreds of tiny glowing dots appeared among the shrubs.

That was a common feature among the Blessed; when excited or meditating, their eyes would emit a faint white glow.

It wasn't noticeable in daylight or under normal lighting conditions, but in complete darkness, it was glaringly obvious.

Swarms of glowing dots rippled like water waves; before the sentinel could see clearly, he heard a sharp whistling through the air.

A piece of lead precisely penetrated his skull, creating a bloody hole in his forehead.

When the sentinel's body fell from the high ground, raising dust like piles of hay, seven or eight Holy Armor Forbidden Army members had already dismounted, smashing through the tattered fence.

"Spread out!" Having broken through the dilapidated fences and trenches, the not-so-skilled-in-cavalry Holy Armor Forbidden Army members dismounted.

Half-kneeling on the ground, they raised their heavy clockwork guns.

Lead bullets crackled into the tents, and soon red smears crept up the canvas curtains.

After firing three rounds, they slung the clockwork guns on their backs and drew military sabers from their waists.

Unlike other corps, the Holy Armor Forbidden Army was required to master close combat swordsmanship, marksmanship, and ranged holy guns and archery.

So within the Holy Armor Forbidden Army, there was no distinction between Holy Gunmen and Long Spearmen.

Meanwhile, confused soldiers poured out of the tents in large numbers, starting to engage with the Holy Armor Forbidden Army.

However, as soon as battle commenced, these Holy Armor Forbidden Army members felt something was amiss.

Not surprised by the "Border Knight Order's" weak combat strength, since all present were infantry.

But astonished that these knights had no horses, the horses in the stables were all draped with horse blankets on straw horses and wooden horses.

A shirtless, goatee-bearing officer jumped out, donning armor and chain mail while loudly commanding.

Upon seeing the emblematic white armor of the Pope's Guard, everyone around could clearly sense his slight pause.

That Pope, that Saint Sun Pope, he actually dares... he actually dares!

Not only dares, but arrives so timely, almost immediately after the message was released, the Saint Sun Pope reacted.

Normally, even if they saw through their identity, the first choice should be to assemble nearby troops, right?

How could he dare to charge with only three hundred mounted infantry against his camp of over a thousand?

Wasn't he afraid that these thousand were indeed Border Knights?

......

As the battle progressed, these "Border Knights" repeatedly retreated, finally revealing their peasant soldier nature.

No matter how bastardly André was, he wouldn't truly let the Border Knight Order inside.

These so-called Border Knights were just a few Falan officers leading the remaining noble officers and peasant soldiers trying to bluff Horn.

If successful, scaring Horn back to the Sentry Fort would greatly undermine Horn's prestige.

"Saint Sun Pope Retreats Thirty Kilometers in Fear of Fake Border Knights" would surely hit the front page of the "North Mande Noble Report."

Moreover, this back and forth would delay quite some time, too late to split up and absorb again because the Border Knight Order was coming.

They just didn't expect that Horn, as the "sovereign," occupying the highest Pope status, chose to go all in this win-in vain lose-in-punishment bet!

Bonfires lit up the ground already filled with kneeling soldiers.

Meanwhile, Boned and others were gathered around the campfire roasting dry meat.

"...André's army's wages are all funded by the Imperial Court Order, military outfits, insurance, welfare, and subsequent pensions are all from the Imperial Cardinal Conference.

In the process of founding and training the army, using the "Soldier's Holy Scripture" broke personal dependence.

His Highness repeated multiple times, the soldiers of the Battle Group are not officers' soldiers, but soldiers of the Holy Alliance.

There are, of course, those inclined towards their commanders, but most people are neutral, preferring to retain the current state.

André truly controlling the Iron Fist Battle Group is less than two years; his prestige and connections couldn't have soared to convince most people to rebel with him in such a short time.

His true firm supporters, on the other hand, were those over-capacity troops.

But these troops gradually drifted away from him after Senior Pastor Valent Taylor and the issuance of the "Land Regulation."

Senior Pastor Valent Taylor could take over his position when André was soft-resisting.

He brought enough talent and had enough prestige within the Iron Fist Battle Group.

And the "Land Regulation" further dug out André's real roots; the current army camp soldiers are only temporary entities.

At most, André granted them usage rights, still exchanging for conscription.

But Horn directly gave them the land; regardless of André's obstruction, it would lead to the military estate siding with Horn.

Horn has been shaping legitimacy for quite some time, convening parliaments, establishing constitutions, debating extensively, giving speeches everywhere to create a presence.

It wasn't all for nothing, in the eyes of most people, Horn is indeed André's superior, and even more, their 'loyalty' target.

The Guard Battle Group taking advantage of the defense of Reif County had just the right timing; André hadn't genuinely managed this piece of land yet.

"We thought His Highness was too hasty, yet didn't expect us to be oversimplifying it." Thinking back to when he considered Horn self-conscious, adamantly wanting to attack, Boned couldn't help but blush.

Loren followed along with a sigh: "Yes, such an obvious flaw, we couldn't see it; we were blinded by fear."

"Your Highness, you are powerful."

Everyone cast reverent eyes on Horn.

Having worked at the desk for so long, people always compared Horn to those scholar popes or philanthropist popes in history.

But 1445 was just four years ago; people almost forgot Horn personally led the charge, defeating all the formidable generals, including Prince Kongdai.

When evaluating famous generals in civil or military circles, people always ranked Jeska, Prince Kongdai, Jeanne, etc.

But it was forgotten that the top general in Thousand River Valley who truly trained in blood and fire, defeating or nurturing all the aforementioned, was Horn himself.

"I want to see Horn, I want to see Horn!" The hoarse shout attracted everyone's attention, especially the impolite calling of his name.

"I am Horn."

"You, you are Saint Son Horn, that Mad Pope Horn?"

"Weren't you looking for me? Here I am." Horn pointed the blood-dripping longsword at the person's forehead.

The goatee-bearing officer, looking at Horn in white armor, even appeared shorter among the Holy Armor Forbidden Army.

Just moments ago, he personally led other white-armored soldiers in a charge, which the goatee-bearing officer witnessed firsthand.

Such a figure, charging like a soldier, was the Saint Sun Pope?

"Where did I give myself away, making you so sure we aren't the Leia people?" the goatee-bearing officer asked in a thick Falan accent.

Horn picked up a silver pot, took a sip of cold coffee: "I wasn't sure."

"Not sure... you're not sure?!" As if hearing an enormous lie, the officer stepped forward, "Then you dared to charge our camp? Aren't you afraid André would truly betray?"

"No difference."

"What did you say?"

Glancing sideways at the officer, Horn slowly screwed the lid onto the silver pot: "You think my Pope position was casually elected by a few bishops in a small dark room, starving till dizzy?"

The officer froze, suddenly recalling hearing about Horn's arrival, André pacing back and forth daily locked in a room.

When the Border Knight Order arrived, André merely skipped a piece of bread at dinner.

Upon hearing about Horn's arrival, André didn't eat at all for a day.

Then he wondered, but isn't he just a feeble priest, what's there to fear about?

It wasn't until Blood Covering Cloud was held to his neck did he understand André's fear.

Horn, to this day, had never been defeated in battle.

In any battle he directly led, it was invariably a victory.

"Kill me; I started the rebellion."

Even though Blood Covering Cloud was already placed on his shoulder, Horn withdrew the sword.

"Knock him out, take him on board."

Mounting his horse again, Horn turned and shouted to the many Holy Armor Forbidden Army members: "André has sent us a big surprise; it would be impolite not to reciprocate. Shall we go send him a grand gift?"