After a few shots of adrenaline from Raffel and Ginijis, the large formations of infantry finally steadied and stopped retreating.

As for the Holy Alliance army, they did not counterattack but also retreated slowly.

After all, every step forward meant an increase in the distance to transport supplies by clockwork warehouse.

Though the battle situation now obviously was in their favor, the battlefield is ever-changing.

Maybe this tiny problem could cost the entire victory of the war.

The Battle Commanders quickly assessed and ordered the Corps Commanders to alternate the retreat amidst the enemy's confusion.

This was different from the Imperial Guard's alternate retreat, which was a genuine retreat, not a feigned one.

Like the Imperial Guard's reverse attack at the Battle of Ladan Castle to lure the enemy; it was tough even for the Black Champion Army to execute.

Though the soldiers were anxious, hold back the impatience.

The anxious one is King Jiji, while the Holy Alliance fights on home turf, replenishing forces, resources, and provisions at any time; what's fighting another several days?

As for King Jiji, Horn said they had evacuated every village on their main marching route.

Thrown broken hair into the wells, dead pigs, ducks, and excrement into the ponds, and ready ambush of Defenders at the floodgates, ready to wash out camps.

From the riverside route was fine, but those taking the inland route were facing full-on trouble.

Xia Lvcheng reinforcements, arriving within ten days would be fast.

The Holy Alliance can afford to fight slowly, the loaf is big, bite by bite, there will be a time it's finished.

The slowly retreating Holy Alliance army suddenly heard a thunderous boom behind them.

It was a sound akin to hail striking a copper cauldron, the veterans quickly realized it was the sound of hinges moving as metal armor was adjusted.

The iron hooves of warhorses chiseled the hard ground, with horses crisscrossing back and forth, pulling countless swallow tail flags into straight lines with the wind.

Over a thousand Noble Knights had launched a charge against the retreating Chongxin Battle Group!

The knights, instead of forming into the previous wedge-shaped formations, were arranged in a peculiar loose line.

Behind the heat-distorted air, their tall figures undulated like ripples, reflecting dazzling light.

The dirt rose, whirling like a corridor, forming a smoke screen, which could be considered a sandstorm.

"It's those Noble Knights, stand firm, prepare for defense."

The officers shouted, passing orders level by level.

The wheels rolled, cannon mouths turned, Service Soldiers gritted their teeth, horses neighed, dragging the cannon frames to the front line.

The clockwork cannons once again emerged from the infantry formation, aiming at the charging Noble Knights.

The Corps Commanders had anticipated the knights' return charge; thus, they did not expend all their clockwork warehouse.

The artillerymen pressed the final clockwork warehouse into the cannon tail, tracing a character on their foreheads, seeking protection from the Holy Spirit of the cannon.

They cranked handles; Dwarf-forged steel screws elevated the cannon barrels.

Steel gears engaged the trigger rod, strapped with flax ropes, with no time for astrological divination, the gunners immediately ordered.

"Fire!"

Three gunners simultaneously pulled the ropes.

"Buzz——"

A crescendo of buzzing sounded from the clockwork warehouse, sounding exactly like the prelude to a church pipe organ.

Lead pellets and iron sand, the size of peach pits, spewed forth, shredding the air, enveloping the Noble Knights charging unto death.

First came the residual sound of shattered glass; one by one, armor exploded.

A dense 'puff puff' sound akin to rain piercing parchment, interspersed with the crisp sound of deforming armor.

Immediately at least twenty knights fell from their horses, more cried out in pain, clutching their arms, chests, or thighs.

Watching the knights rolling on the ground, the Holy Alliance Corps Commander's lips involuntarily curled into a contemptuous and angry smile.

This line-charging group of knights seemed deranged, still employing a circular tactic trying to scare the infantry into fleeing.

What did they take the Holy Alliance army for?

This group of charging Noble Knights started facing the Chongxin Battle Group, rotating their line into a column.

Chaotic, shouting, they swept past the Holy Alliance's linear battle formation, nearly absorbing all the damage from the Falcon Cannons.

They hadn't even reached the Black Champion's position before they were crying and dispersing in panic.

The Holy Alliance Battle Group, the recruits once again cheered.

Only the veterans furrowed their brows, it was too abnormal.

As the Battle Commander of the Chongxin Battle Group, Dass, constantly picked up his binoculars with unease.

Keenly aware that the Noble Knights' actions were highly unusual.

Knowing they would be bombarded but still proceeding so, knights are arrogant but not fools.

And after the bombardment, the casualties were about a hundred; it should be a retreat, not a rout.

No matter how much you underestimated the Noble Knights, their basic military discipline was intact.

Observing their path, they headed towards the direction of leaving the battlefield; and King Jiji allowed it?

Why were these knights able to flee openly in front of King Jiji so brazenly?

Dass licked his cracked, bleeding lips, focusing on the dust ahead: "Give me enhanced hearing Divine Art."

"Now?"

"Right now!"

The monk adjutant clad in black said nothing, delivering a blessing upon Dass.

A cacophony flooded his ears and brain along with needle-like tinnitus.

Eyes closed; Dass furrowed his brows, lips tightly pursed, suppressing the urge to vomit.

Battle cries, shouts, clashes of weapons, cannon fires, amid endless noise, he suddenly picked out a rhythmic sound.

"Da-da-da, da-da-da——"

This wasn't the hoofbeats of the fleeing; it was impossible to be this uniform.

Opening his eyes, cold sweat ran down his cheeks and nose.

"All corps, hold positions, rule Victor and Jeska!"

Dass abruptly ordered.

Adjutant was confused: "Weren't we supposed to retreat?"

"Hurry!" Dass shouted, eyes ablaze.

Three to five military police quickly left the battle group heading towards the other two groups and Horn's direction.

The swirling dust like a stage curtain, beneath the translucent yellow veil, he saw faint red shadows surging.

Row upon row, column upon column, churning through the smoky dust, increasingly distinct silhouettes.

"Whoosh——"

An arrow tip shimmering with red pierced through the dust, cutting a small hole, arcing in and landing before the Chongxin army formation.

"Praise the Holy Wind!"

Upon sighting the long arrow, the front-line Corps Commander quickly issued a command without hesitation.

Lead pellets instantly tore through the smoke screen, forcefully unveiling the stage, revealing terrifying creatures behind the smoke.

Scarlet cloaks gleamed eerily red in sunlight, decayed knuckle bones clenching mounted spears and long swords.

The stench hit ahead of the earthy smell, the ground vibrated below, with many recruits turning pale.

They recognized what it was.

The bugle urgently sounded, blood knights formerly expressionless turned sinister.

They bared their fangs, even exposing molars on their cheeks.

The Leia people dropped their bandages, trying to intimidate this way.

"Damn..." Dass' neck vessels throbbed.

Indeed, the Noble Knights' role was merely to deceive artillery and cover the blood knights' advance.

Unsure when the north wind had diminished; they only realized this now.

Dust blowing up could completely conceal the blood knights; when they emerged, they were just about a hundred paces away!

Only a hundred or so paces; for blood knights, it's merely a matter of seconds.

The clockwork cannons had just fired; leaving aside if there were new clockwork warehouse or even if there were, refilling would be too late.

Rubbing his dry eyes, Dass gasped deeply, feeling both tense and relieved.

"Finally, the blood knights have come."

"Uwah uwah——"

"Ahbah ahbah!"

Emitting incomprehensible battle cries, the blood knights who were silent accelerated, launching a charge at the Chongxin Battle Group ahead.

"Lower your lances!" Corps Commanders rasped hoarsely.