CHAPTER 564: CHAPTER 542: WHO WOULD SURRENDER WITHOUT CONDITIONS?

Staring at the castle covered in scorch marks and axe cuts, Gelinon swallowed hard.

He reached out, intending to rein in and stop, but was immediately flanked by two Squire Knights next to him.

"Can’t I even have a drink of water?" Gelinon’s tough tone carried a hint of cowardice, which he himself could detect.

The two Squire Knights said with forced smiles, "Of course, go ahead."

But they had no intention of releasing Gelinon’s warhorse reins, making Gelinon even more troubled.

At the start, he never planned to make any sly moves right under Prince Kongdai’s nose.

It was Count Sanboli who drew him in, and he thought of hitting two birds with one stone: one to sit on the fence and watch, and the other to unite and resist.

Hoping to leave an insurance plan, he participated only in the communications with Moliat and aiding the Saint Sun’s Army.

In the end, he was the one caught, and he wasn’t even the mastermind!

Yet he couldn’t even testify against the mastermind; otherwise, with Prince Kongdai’s temper, it would probably lead to a massive purge.

In the end, under Count Sanboli’s oath, "I shall take care of your wife and children," he tearfully embarked on this one-way journey.

As for the other nobles of Hotam County, naturally, they chose to "sacrifice your small self to fulfill my great self" to quell Prince Kongdai’s wrath.

The current battle situation is undetermined, they can’t rashly tear down that facade.

But in Gelinon’s view, the battle is determined—that is, Prince Kongdai is about to win.

The corpses scattered everywhere, the sword and axe marks on the walls, the taut bowstrings on the wall as they approached...

Gelinon’s tears were almost falling, "If you had these means, why didn’t you say so sooner? Then why would we, the nobles of Hotam County, need to sit on the fence?"

This intensity is not just a battle to encircle and support, it’s rather the true intensity of a siege battle.

Accurately speaking, the Church’s army is indeed conducting a siege.

Just like how Lakunio miscalculated the Salvation Army’s recruitment and mobilization abilities, Horn miscalculated something too.

He simply thought that the reinforcements sent by Duke Oslar were just those Land Servants, but forgot that the Shattered Stone Plain is almost a fiefdom of Duke Oslar.

Puzilio’s brother Arnold had long led nearly ten thousand members of the Noble Alliance Army at the border of North Mangde County.

Due to the matter of the Innocent Dam, the nobles were monitoring potential uprisings by the Shepherds, which conveniently masked the army’s movements.

The so-called encircle and support was just to make Moliat believe it was a war of attrition to encircle and support.

Lakunio wanted Moliat to think they still had a chance to save Gray Horse Knight Veen.

Once Moliat crosses the border with his troops, facing such a formidable enemy as Prince Kongdai, they would have to bring out their entire main force, leaving their rear completely vulnerable.

The Noble Alliance Army of Shattered Stone Plain could then take advantage of the opening, sever Moliat’s retreat, and completely trap him in Deer Horn Town.

So Moliat arriving on the battlefield in ten days and then dragging it out for ten days awaiting Horn is not going to happen.

Moliat would not have reached the battlefield before Sentry Fort should have already been captured.

Even if Moliat wanted to return now, his retreat would be blocked by the Shattered Stone Plain Noble Alliance Army, forcing a decisive battle with the main forces under severed retreat conditions.

Instead of dragging out an attrition war, it would be better to quickly engage in a decisive battle, because waiting for a union of two forces would be a huge problem.

Different from Lakunio, Arman, and Mizam, he never underestimated any enemy.

Knowing that Moliat had already dispatched troops, their only goal was to capture this castle before Moliat’s arrival.

The castle, as its name suggests, was only a castle responsible for sentry duties, with Veen just adding a perimeter of fortifications around it.

Yet this ring of fortifications in front of the advance-arrived Order Units was breached within two days.

Currently, inside this castle, there are only 1,000 defenders, facing an attack from an enemy ten times their number.

And not just ordinary enemies, but 4 Order Units of 1,200 men, 3 Elite Mercenary Corps of 7,500 men, plus 1,000 recruited Guards and Armored Soldiers, along with 300 local country Knights.

Yes, due to a crisis of trust, not a single one of the noble armies of Hotam County was taken by Prince Kongdai.

Regarding the strength of this army, there’s no need to mention about the Order Units.

As for those three Mercenary Corps, the North Mangde Mountain Knights, who battled them, would never categorize them as Guard or Armored Soldier class.

Different from the rabble mercenary corps hired by Bo Ao Lie and Puzilio, these mercenary corps participated in the Battle of Windmill Land.

The Death Squad, Eagle Squad, are top contenders in the current mercenary market, securing a top ten rank easily.

Hakuto’s former employer, the White Maple Mercenary Corps, might not be as good as the first two, but it’s still top-tier.

These people are true veterans of a hundred battles and are familiar with large-scale army operations.

If Prince Kongdai is willing to sign a hundred-year contract with them in the future, these people will seamlessly become land servants.

If it wasn’t to lure Moliat out, these thousand or so people would have been conquered by the elite infantry yesterday.

The battle is decided, and he is doomed; Gelinong drank the boldening spirits from his water pouch, and tears finally couldn’t be held back.

How could I be so blinded as to think Moliat had a chance against Demon Horn?

"What are you here for?"

Two squire knights holding white flags shouted loudly toward the inside of the castle: "We are here to send envoys for negotiations."

"Negotiations, what’s there to talk about? With the Saint Master’s blessing, it’s either you die or I live!" The mountain knights responded fiercely, giving Gelinong a glimmer of hope.

Yet, not knowing what was said by the people on the castle, a basket was still lowered.

"Lord Gelinong, do we need to invite you?"

Gelinong wiped his tears and snorted coldly: "No need."

Then he fell off the horse, barely standing upright by holding onto the saddle, boarding the basket signified death.

Were it an ordinary territorial dispute or title claim war between lords, there would be customs of not killing messengers and knights ransoming themselves.

But the force between Moliat and the Church, it can even be considered a heretical crusade.

Moreover, Prince Kongdai’s task for Gelinong was to force Gray Horse Knight Veen to surrender, but he did not have the authority to promise any conditions.

What’s the point in negotiating then? Isn’t it just sending him to his death?

Who exactly is the Gray Horse Knight? The old Duke’s subordinate, Moliat’s swordsmanship teacher, a titled knight!

How could he possibly surrender?

The basket slowly rose into the sky, his body swaying with it, and Gelinong felt as if his soul too was ascending with the basket.

Escorted by several soldiers, the tearful Gelinong was even in a daze when taken to the commander’s room.

"Are you Charles’ envoy?"

With blurred tear-filled eyes, he saw a handsome middle-aged knight with a worried face seated at the main position.

This knight had his left hand bandaged, scrutinizing him, likely the renowned handsome Gray Horse Knight Veen.

The middle-aged bearded man beside him seemed familiar to Gelinong, but he couldn’t recognize who he was.

After a few murmured exchanges with the handsome knight, Veen first looked surprised, then smiled at him: "You’re the unlucky Gelinong? The one jailed for trading with the Saint Sun’s Army?"

Gelinong’s sobbing suddenly paused; his fame certainly wasn’t high enough to be recognized by this titled knight at a glance.

"It’s me, Seching." said the bearded man, "Gelinong, do you still recognize me?"

Gelinong was stunned. The lumber supplier he employed for the castle and palace construction was Seching. Wasn’t he a noble from North County? How did he end up here?

But with death looming, he had no mind to explore these matters.

Gelinong tried to stop crying, yet tears continued falling uncontrollably; he choked, saying: "I’m here to persuade surrender."

"Hmm, and then?" Gray Horse Knight waved his hand, sending out the soldiers who were trying not to laugh, leaving only Seching, Veen, and Gelinong.

"That’s it."

"There must be something else."

"Really, there’s nothing else."

"I’m asking you, is there really no condition?" Veen lowered his voice.

"No, none."

"Who would surrender without conditions?" Veen’s eyes widened, "Didn’t you pocket all the benefits meant for me?"

"Huh?"

Gelinong and Seching exclaimed in unison, retracting their tears and smiles.

Seching looked at Veen as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"There’s an old saying in the El Empire, only those who understand changes in things are outstanding," Veen gestured, "I already know that defeat is inevitable, not only for this castle but for the entire battle.

Under such circumstances, why go against the Holy Father’s intent?

You go back and tell Prince Kongdai that I want the title of Count, fifty beauties, and a thousand gold pounds!"