"Everyone respects Dalia, worships Kleheris."

"Alexander Cruise, is the name of a hero just like this?"

The morning of June 15th.

On the azure Nao'an River, the waves gather water plants.

A silk-like, silver river, a floating bridge undulating with the current shakes and sways between the banks like a giant brown-yellow serpent.

On the back of this giant serpent, the orderly sound of marching and the sound of military songs crossed the upper reaches of the continent's longest river.

At the Nao'an River estuary at Windmill Land, it can reach nearly a thousand meters in width.

But in the upper reaches, at its source region, it is only less than a hundred meters across.

André stood on the riverbank, the water washing up on shore soaked his shoes.

He watched the marching Iron Fist Battle Group, merely stuffing a piece of candied fruit into his mouth.

According to yesterday's intelligence, after an unexpected incident, the Border Knight Order has already decided to retreat.

Although they lost a large number of horses and strength, this does not mean the Border Knight Order has completely lost its mobility.

According to the staff's estimates, due to the knights' early withdrawal, they are highly likely to bypass André and meet up with the Shattered Stone Nobles.

Once the Border Knights meet with the Shattered Stone Nobles, then the one who would be leading a long expedition would be Horn.

Either retreat and waste the entire plan.

Or launch a hard attack and exchange soldiers' blood for a tragic victory.

Neither is what Horn desires, at least if there are other options, he doesn't want to choose these two.

"How much longer will it take?" Feeling the sweetness turn bitter in his mouth, André asked indistinctly.

"At least another half-hour, Adviser."

Taking out a pocket watch from his chest, André glanced at it: "It is seven o'clock now, everyone must cross the river by nine. Call the cooks and barbers over, prepare food locally. Eat after crossing the river, and set off full!"

"Yes!"

The adjutant's response and the sound of pounding chests were ample but were drowned out by the resounding "Salvation Army March."

"In today's world, who can compare with them?"

"Only rank upon rank, the Holy Alliance Salvation Army..."

Riding past the Imperial Guard singing army songs while advancing, Horn quickly reached the forefront.

The messenger soldier sent by Brune had long been waiting: "Reporting, Your Highness, Lord Brune has preliminarily occupied the ladder's entrance, and no movements have been seen from the Border Knights."

The ladder's entrance mentioned by this messenger soldier was actually where a thousand Imperial Guards initially intercepted the Border Knights.

The Ladder Mouth is the narrow pass in Dusk Bell Valley, where the previously mentioned two-mile-wide plain passage is.

It is also the battlefield chosen by Horn.

"Your Highness." Bether pointed at this pass holding a map and said, "Are you sure they will fight you here? Isn't this clearly a trap?"

"Even if they know it's a trap, they will still fall into it." Lauren did not like Bether, "Wasn't it proven before?"

Horn pressed down on Lauren, who was growing more irritable with age, explaining to Bether: "As a consultant, you should know the importance of intelligence.

You must have self-awareness and enough understanding and rational judgment of the enemy."

After so many days, with investigations by the Saint Father's Association, the Flanlaya Spy's intelligence, and Horn's personal interrogation, he had a general understanding of the Border Knight Order.

These knights, to put it nicely, have an ancient style, but to put it bluntly, are pedantic and as pure as before the Hundred Years' War.

Their inheritance and promotion of the knightly spirit made Horn look on with admiration.

But times have changed!

The kind of grand style before the Hundred Years' War no longer exists.

Most inland knights have learned more practical tactics and a longer-term perspective.

If it were the Leia Army, they would have retreated long ago.

But these Border Knights are still hesitating, mainly for the ostentatious honor.

Having faith is good, but the Border Knights' faith is still about maintaining the knight or the noble group.

They are just pursuing honor for honor's sake.

Faced with such bait, led by the lower-level knights, public opinion will inevitably influence normal military command.

This is caused by the outdated "military democracy" of the order. Not even Horn can resolve this flaw.

"But isn't that uncertain?" Bether still persistently asked, "Since they have the intention to retreat, it means there are still clear-headed knights within."

"We never said random factors wouldn't appear, but the probability is very low. So we just act in the most likely direction."

Pulling out a silver flask from his arms, unscrewing the Dwarf hand-crafted cap, revealing the spiral mouth underneath.

Inside was not wine but coffee with added potion, milk, and white sugar, the kind that makes your heart race when you drink it.

Horn needed to stay awake; the battlefield is not a child's play.

"Mengse, the battlefield in the plains is handed over to you. Act if you can; if not, just run, understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

...

"The battlefield is not child's play!"

Emmerick was so annoyed by the buzz of entreaties from knight commanders around him, he had to shout.

The previously noisy mound finally quieted down, and the surrounding banner captains all looked.

Rubbing his pulsating veins, Emmerick earnestly advised: "You all saw how cunning these Thousand River Valley People are. Would they leave the door wide open for us to attack?"

"Maybe they got careless and want to chase us?"

"Our move is called luring the snake out of the hole, one strike to kill."

"If we don't fight this battle, there won't be another chance to enter the Empire's interior, do you want to bear the title of Lady Knight Order forever?"

The Grand Master put on a stern face, just about to reprimand them when he saw Cosme walking over.

Frustration was not hidden in Emmerick's eyes.

This bastard was always docile, how did he not notice him being so stubborn?

"Lord Emmerick." Cosme still had that meek face, "You promised me, if the Thousand River Valley People attack, then we counterattack."

"That was referring to, oh, that was referring to the Thousand River Valley People exiting Dusk Bell Valley." Pointing to the distant narrow plains, Emmerick irritably slapped the saddle, "Look for yourselves, is this a suitable battlefield?"

The battlefield chosen by these Thousand River Valley People is just right, right at this spot.

If we attack, there's the two-mile-wide passage plain, with their position on one side, leaving no room for the Border Knights' cavalry tactics.

If we retreat, the defending army inside the city shows up right in front of them.

This group of defenders bombarded them for a dozen days, delivered the insult of the Lady Knight, and yet inflicted no more than five hundred casualties.

Now, these despicable locals surfacing without any fortifications, should they not be attacked?

Just because of fear of it being a trap, should they then retreat?

The will of the knight commanders, previously suppressed by Emmerick, finally rebounded.

"Why don't we vote?" one knight commander was the first to speak.

Emmerick's entire body tightened; this was what he feared most.

With Emmerick silent, the knight commanders surged up again, surrounding Emmerick, persuading tirelessly.

"Enough!" The previously silent Grand Master suddenly shouted, "You want to fight, right? Fine, fight!"

Before the knight commanders could rejoice, Emmerick added: "But let me say upfront, I oppose the attack and won't be involved in this matter.

I recently fell ill, my chest hurts, by tradition, Cosme, you will temporarily take over my command duties!"