Greasy, blood-stained wax paper packages were passed between the red-robed monks and the Blood Knights.

The red-robed monk, while distributing, murmured, "Lord, grant your mercy, let your holy warriors not become restless."

After receiving the wax paper package, the Blood Knights didn't need to sound the horns and began devouring the contents.

Although Blood Knights are said to be low in intelligence, normal eating and movement are no problem for them, as they're not truly undead.

Being able to perform normal human activities does not mean they are obedient.

To command them, two things are necessary—horns and meat.

The horn needs no explanation; it's the key tool for directing Blood Knights.

As for the meat, it is not ordinary meat.

Just as Imperial Knights need to consume large amounts of beast meat, potions, or intake two to three times the usual amount of food, Blood Knights similarly require meat consumption.

However, their meat is not beast meat, but human flesh from low-level breathing techniques.

Despite the red-robed monks calling them Blood Knights, their "bloodline" is closer to Ogres.

Watching the Blood Knights crunch raw meat, the red-robed monk drew an inverted "well" symbol on his chest.

Just as he was about to continue, he felt a rider's dust storm approaching.

Alaric reined in his horse, the steed rose up: "Have the Blood Knights' restlessness been calmed?"

Looking at the Blood Knights crunching meat, the red-robed monk was uncertain: "Maybe it's the aftermath of the Divine Art, they're a bit unruly."

"Didn't the Divine Art suppress your horns? What does it have to do with them?" Alaric hurriedly spoke, "This battle must be won! Regardless, once this monk battle group collapses, you immediately strike the Guard Battle Group at the rear."

At this point, no matter how many Blood Knights are lost, they must charge.

Because this is the most critical winning move, losing more now will not be a pointless loss.

The red-robed monk looked back at the Blood Knights and gritted his teeth to nod: "Alright, I'm not skilled in cavalry combat, I still need you to command."

......

The recoil of the clockwork cannon shook loose stones from the small hill.

Despite the construction of Triangle Fort and the artillery platform, the height of these three hills doesn't exceed ten meters.

On a large boulder atop the hill, a waterproof map made of sheepskin was laid out, with Petier leading a group of staff monks gathering around the map for quiet discussions.

Not far from the monks, Horn sat on a large stump, donning his breastplate.

Hakuto stood by Horn, occasionally nodding, seemingly listening to Horn's briefing.

The commander overseeing the entire battle situation next will be Hakuto.

"Your Majesty, are you really going to command the Guard Battle Group personally?"

"Of course, I want to stand alongside my monks."

Boned was at a loss: "But you need to oversee the grand strategy..."

"My personal involvement means, there's no more direction that can be given." As he hung the Blood Covering Cloud on his belt, Horn's eyes gleamed, "It's come to this point."

"How do you plan to deal with the Great Knight?"

"Once he begins his charge, bombard with the cannon; once he reaches the front line, block with infantry; after the infantry, cavalry tangle, then bombard with cannons and shoot with gunners."

After a long wait, just as Horn had donned his leg armor, Boned realized: "There's no more?"

"No more."

"You have no trump cards prepared to restrain the Great Knight?"

"I've simulated it multiple times with the staff monks, there's no solution." Hakuto's face was stern.

"Surely you know the adversary has Great Knights? Why is there no solution?" Boned couldn't believe it.

Before Chief Petier could answer, Bernardo's words fired off like a barrage:

"What good is knowing the enemy has Great Knights?

Then I ask you, how fast does he run? What armor is he wearing? How long can he fight? What blessings does he have?"

Boned was speechless.

"These, you don't know, none of us know.

All we know is that the adversary has two Great Knights, Bodman, born a great noble, and Raffel, from the royal knights.

Who will provide us with specific intelligence and data on Great Knights?

There are only those few Great Knights in the world today, concealing information is all too easy.

I asked the Flanlaya Spy, Flanlaya also has Great Knights, they said they'd consider, and have been considering until now."

Boned listened with an increasingly pale face: "The Staff Department hasn't made a preliminary plan? So there's no trump card at all?"

"Reveal a trump card, they'll reveal a trump card, it's like a card game?" Bernardo couldn't help but mock.

Petier kicked Bernardo's calf and glared at him, among the Secret Monks, there are staff monks and document monks.

Bernardo and his staff monks have long found Boned, the document monk, disagreeable.

Horn, while changing clothes and armor, showed no sign of nervousness: "If you ask if there is a method to restrain the Great Knight, there is one, Boned, there is."

Horn spread out his hands, allowing the loyal follower to put iron gloves on him: "For example, the steel war chariot driven by gears, it's a definite kill.

But now, we don't have such weapons, the only way is to kill his horse, force him to dismount and fight on foot, then bombard him with the gear-driven cannon at close range.

This was how we killed Prince Kongdai back then, and this is our current goal."

"Then think of a way to kill his horse, like using the helical gun!" Boned quickly asked.

"Do you think the staff department didn't simulate this? The Dragon Blood Horse's armor is too hard, there are scales under its fur."

"Then use the gear cannon."

"A Great Knight is too fast, and the gear cannon has poor accuracy, unless he stands still to let us hit him, the probability of hitting is very small."

"Then..."

"We have simulated all weapons, there are indeed ways to restrain a Great Knight, but it requires gambling! One wrong move and our twenty thousand troops could be buried here!"

Boned's lips trembled. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Horn, wearing iron boots, smiled: "Remember at Pavia Village, what trump cards did we have against the Imperial Knight group?"

"..."

"Remember at Cheese Bay, what trump cards did we have against Prince Kongdai, a Half-Step Great Knight?"

"..."

"You won't always have a trump card to restrain the enemy, that's committing the error of opportunism." Horn stood up and patted his knee, "Since the Second Thousand River Valley War, we've internally reformed our politics, unified our thoughts, sought Falan's support, and recruited new regiments.

At the Nao'an River defense line, we consumed the enemy's forces of more than ten thousand, in the Battle of Marenpo, we annihilated twenty thousand of the enemy in one sweep.

At Ladan Castle, we crushed twenty thousand border knights, Jia Li led four thousand mountain cavalry and helped me divert the twenty thousand troops at Thorn Garden.

We quickly advanced to Haji Castle, and the Defenders relayed messages at the rear, sabotaging roads, delaying reinforcements from Xia Lvcheng.

Finally, in this local battlefield at Grey Robe Hill, our troop comparison reached twenty thousand versus thirty thousand.

We scouted the terrain in advance, occupied strategic positions, and after an afternoon of fighting cleared up the enemy's troops, strengths, and deployments.

We were ready, completely deployed, the battle began and as per plan almost shattered most of the infantry and a small portion of the cavalry's morale.

As for the Great Knight, we've obtained as much intelligence as possible before and during the battle.

Though not fully understood, we won't be completely unaware.

Just because we don't have a trick up our sleeve or overwhelming strength, should we dread, should we not fight?"

Horn led a warhorse, besides the usual smile, there's a rare sight of iron and fire: "All wars, in the end, have only one way left, which is to fight desperately.

This is my final trump card, in Pavia, in Black Mountain, in Cheese Bay, in Ladan Castle… My trump cards are all the same.

My trump card is that I've made all preparations, and next, all I need is to believe in their power."

With firm gaze, Horn stretched out his finger, pointing towards the nearby battle group monks.

Believe in their power…

Boned subconsciously followed Horn's fingertip, only seeing the collapsing edge of the Chongxin Battle Group, hearing the horn of the Blood Knights sounding again.

Their power?

Mounting his horse, Horn charged towards the Guard Battle Group with dozens of riders.

Boned stood atop the dirt hill, unsure of what to feel.

"Lord Hakuto… Uh?"

Boned just raised his head, intending to ask Hakuto what he could do, but caught a glimpse of red from the corner of his eye.

He blinked and quickly calculated the direction in his mind, stumbling to rush next to Hakuto and Petier: "Look, look quickly!"

"Look at what?"

"The Blood Knights are charging towards us, oh no, they're charging towards His Majesty's direction!"

......

The Blood Covering Cloud at his waist buzzed, but Horn hadn't noticed.

His attention was completely captured by those Blood Knights, despite the distance, he can still feel that aura.

That aura almost identical to the red eyes seen in the astral rift.

Indifferent, insane, yet possessing a warmth and familiarity akin to a mother.

No mistake, Horn's eyes shone terrifyingly, no mistake!

"Are they attacking the battery?"

Horn didn't reply, just turned his horse and charged several steps in the opposite direction.

Amazingly, those Blood Knights followed and turned.

Horn confirmed, even though he doesn't know why, these Blood Knights have broken command and are chasing him?!

"Go." His Majesty Saint Sun suddenly turned his horse, "Deliver my Holy Banner to the Guard Battle Group, with the banner they shall stand!

Tell them, this banner is not the Pope's banner, but the flag of the Holy Alliance!"