CHAPTER 351: CHAPTER 250: LOYALTY IS NOT ABSOLUTE..._2

The woman’s cry caused a moment of hesitation among the soldiers. As she charged, they instinctively turned their spearheads away from her.

But this hesitation was destined to come at a cost. Seizing the opportunity, the woman drew near and, with a wave of her hand, sent a black smoke, invisible to ordinary people, sweeping over the soldiers.

The next second, as if struck by some terrifying force, they were engulfed in extreme panic, screaming in agony.

The spear formation, which had stood firm against assault after assault, began to waver, even recoil.

The Heretics seized this chance and surged forward, on the verge of breaking through the defensive line. Unexpectedly, one soldier withstood the Heretic Priest’s Sorcery and, in his extreme fear, erupted with powerful resolve!

"I absolutely will not let you escape unless you step over my dead body!"

A surge of strength welled within him. In an instant, as if possessed by Zhao Yun, he swung his spear, thrusting it through two enemies like skewering candied hawthorns on a stick. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled it out and plunged it into another’s eye socket.

Emerging solo with his spear from the heavy encirclement, his heroic presence and sharp spirit struck terror into the enemy’s heart!

Instantly felling three foes, the sight of the man wielding the spear made the Heretics’ hearts tremble, their movements faltering for a moment.

But it was only for a moment. Soon enough, those fiends recovered, and the Heretic Priest raised her hand, seemingly intending to cast Sorcery again.

However, at that moment, a gunshot rang out, a bullet piercing directly through her outstretched palm.

Lance stood there, gun in hand, his expression serene, without a ripple of emotion.

He had been watching the battle closely, so of course, he hadn’t failed to notice the woman.

He had deliberately let her approach. Let those muddle-headed soldiers get a taste of hardship. Whether driven by infatuation or pity... just because of a woman, they forgot my previous warnings and orders. Those easily swayed, even if they recover, can only serve as regular soldiers. They aren’t qualified to join my core troops.

However, he did spot a promising soldier with a firm will, one worth cultivating. Lance wouldn’t let him come to harm and promptly pointed, calling out.

"Wang Cai, attack!"

AWOOOO!

With a wolf’s howl, Wang Cai was finally unleashed. He transformed into a blur, charging into their midst and unleashing his pure, wild nature.

With a leap, he pounced, knocking a man down. Without a moment’s pause, he bit into the man’s throat. Ferociously shaking his head, Wang Cai tore out the trachea, his jaws stained with blood that had yet to drip.

After the successful strike, he didn’t linger but attacked again. A single swipe of his claws could rip Flesh, a single bite could break leg bones—he demonstrated exceptional offensive prowess!

"Withdraw them and re-establish the defensive line!" commanded Reynard. He had, of course, noticed the situation and quickly moved to fill the gap, simultaneously ordering the terrified soldiers to pull back.

Wielding his sword, Reynard charged forward. Facing multiple enemies was no issue for him; he left only corpses in his wake.

The unexpected disruption was swiftly quelled, the battle line restabilized.

"Surrender and live! Resist, and you will be cut down without mercy!"

Lance needed to keep some alive for research, so he immediately halted the soldiers’ slaughter and issued a command: "Advance! Tighten the encirclement!"

The soldiers moved. The encirclement, initially about sixty meters outside the camp, began to shrink further. Meanwhile, Lance started to clear the battlefield, tying up the living and using Sacrifice on the dead.

The situation had stabilized. For this rabble, having lost their leaders, surrender was the only path. As for those who wished to resist, I’ll send them to meet their ancestors... Lance thought.

"Report! Mission completed! No fatalities, twelve wounded, forty-nine Heretics captured, among them..."

Lance listened to Reynard’s report. With us being prepared against their unpreparedness, and one side well-armed while the other barely had weapons, if there were any deaths on our side, I might as well give up. There shouldn’t even have been injuries. Those soldiers will need treatment and time off, straining our already tight manpower.

Fortunately, he had examined the soldiers’ injuries; most were minor and they would recover quickly.

Lance wouldn’t use Flesh Reconstruction to heal them, as that would create dependency. At most, he would provide them with better medical care.

Of course, the more direct reason is my lack of Spiritual Essence, limited by current circumstances.

"Continue clearing the camp. Be cautious of hidden enemies and traps."

"Yes, My Lord!" Reynard accepted the order and began arranging personnel.

If it were just Lance alone, or even a small squad, thoroughly clearing this camp would have been very difficult. But after mobilizing the army, the situation was quickly resolved—such is the power of the collective.

That was why Lance had insisted on developing his forces, rather than relying on a few elites to clash head-on with the old ancestors immediately after transmigrating and gaining a rough understanding of the situation.

Succeeding that way might make one a hero, but the margin for error is too slim. I can’t afford to lose. Of course, while the strength of the collective is immense, the existence of individual power cannot be denied.

"You have all done well! When we return, I will hold a formal commendation ceremony. Your bravery will be duly rewarded."

Lance looked at the soldiers before him. They had all shown extraordinary performance in battle and were worth investing resources in for further training. This would also encourage the other soldiers.

"Soldier, what is your name?" Lance asked.

"Rhodes, My Lord!"

"How did you resist the Heretic Priest’s Sorcery just now?"

"At that moment, my head hurt terribly. In a daze, I seemed to see many painful memories. But then I remembered your words, My Lord: we absolutely cannot let them escape, or Hamlet will be harmed. When I solidified that resolve, determined to stop them even at the cost of my life, I shook off the Sorcery’s influence. Instead, I felt a surge of strength rise from within my heart."

"You’ve done very well. As long as the will is strong, no Sorcery can shake it," Lance said encouragingly. That surge of strength, of course, was the Bless I bestowed upon him.

"Yes, My Lord!" The spearman straightened his back, his voice ringing out.

These words enlightened many soldiers, further solidifying their resolve. They realized that as long as their convictions were firm, no enemy could sway them. Loyalty!

But not everyone received the Lord’s reward and encouragement.

"I warned you repeatedly before the operation that those people are all dangerous Heretics! Did you take my words to heart at all? Just because of a woman, you willingly lowered your weapons! If I hadn’t been here, would you have considered surrendering by embracing her? Have you ever considered the lives of your comrades? You have endured the harshest battlefields, yet your willpower is so frail! Soldiers like you bring shame upon Hamlet and upon me, your Lord!"

Lance cast a severe look at the soldiers who had been overwhelmed by the Sorcery, his rebuking tone growing increasingly harsh.

Excessive coddling makes soldiers blind to authority. Only strictness can highlight the value of my care.

His words made the commendable soldiers unconsciously puff out their chests, confident they hadn’t betrayed their Lord’s trust, their loyalty unshaken.

Their glances toward those men even contained a trace of mockery and disdain. These men were swayed by a woman, disloyal... the implication was clear.

Those soldiers could only endure it, for they had indeed erred, almost ruining their Lord’s plans.

Just as that soldier had said, letting these people escape would have had unthinkable consequences.

"For disobeying military orders, according to military law, you are to be expelled from the army."

As these words were spoken, the minds of those already tormented by the Sorcery churned once more.

Regret, remorse, pain, fear... The thought that if their families or the townsfolk learned they were expelled from the army for this, the ensuing shame would be more unbearable than death itself.

This maelstrom of emotions undoubtedly signified the immense pressure building within them.

"However, I am willing to give you another chance."

These words were like a lifeline grasped as they plummeted into the Abyss, sending a tremor through their entire beings.

"Now, pick up your weapons and stand! Prove that you still have the ability to fight."

Although I’m not pleased, Lance thought, in these times of manpower shortage, I’m reluctant to waste any potential, especially after investing so much in them initially.