Chapter 264 Weakening The Enemy
Currently, there are two battlefronts in this war.
In the north, Ryntum has successfully captured the city of Haugdak, as well as two towns, Caushilbo and Dunston. In the central region of the continent, Ryntum, unfortunately, has suffered a setback and lost control of the city of Mezorin.
Usually fighting on multiple fronts is a challenging and complex situation for any military force. It requires careful allocation of resources, strategic decision-making, and effective coordination to ensure success.
The demands of battling enemies on multiple fronts can stretch a military's capabilities, both in terms of manpower and logistics.
Despite knowing this, a new battlefront was opened in the south of the kingdom.
Samuel Lazo, Mayor of Baroks had taken charge of leading the army in the south even though the main battlefield happened to be dangerously near the city of Manfura.
His objective was clear—to capture the cities of Nyirdi and Hajdu, expanding the kingdom's territory and weakening the enemy as much as possible. By doing this, he intended to cut off their supply lines, disrupt their communication networks, and undermine their morale.
....
The troops ultimately arrived at the outskirts of Nyirdi. Mayor Lazo surveyed the surrounding area, inwardly formulating his plan of attack. He knew that timing and coordination were vital to achieve success.
At his command, the army swiftly moved into position, aligning their forces for the assault. The air was thick with anticipation as soldiers readied their weapons and adjusted their armour. With a resounding battle cry, they charged towards the city.
The Ryntum soldiers stormed through the city's gates. Their battle cries echoed through the streets, startling its inhabitants. To their surprise, the resistance they expected did not materialize. They encountered little resistance as they swiftly moved to secure key points of the city.
With Nyirdi under their control, Mayor Lazo ordered his troops to consolidate their positions.
"Check the city! See it this place is supplying the Inverloch army!" he ordered.
The soldiers combed through the city. However, as time passed, it became apparent that Nyirdi was not a significant transit point for the enemy's supplies.
"So, the supply is in Hajdu," the mayor responded after he was giving a report on their search. His eyes gleamed with determination as his mindset its target on Hajdu. The opportunity to cripple Inverloch's operations was within their grasp.
Mayor Lazo wasted no time. He stood tall, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Gather the troops! We march for Hajdu at once."
The orders spread like wildfire through the ranks as soldiers, sprang into action and readied themselves for the upcoming assault.
The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as they prepared to march towards Hajdu. In the light of day, Mayor Lazo led the charge while the soldiers moved like a well-oiled machine with their footsteps synchronized. The sun above illuminated their path and cast a shadow of anticipation over the battlefield.
As they neared the outskirts of Hajdu, their pace quickened. The distant sound of drums and horns signalled the defenders' awareness of the impending assault.
The booming sound of artillery fire filled the air as shells rained down on the city gate, aiming to crack its sturdy defences. Explosions echoed through the streets, sending plumes of smoke and debris into the sky.
While the Inverloch scrambled to respond, the gate, weakened by the relentless barrage, began to splinter and crumble under the force of the artillery. With a final thunderous blast, the gate gave way, its wooden beams shattering into pieces.
Mayor Lazo seized the opportunity, leading his soldiers through the breached gate.
The soldiers moved swiftly through the streets of Hajdu, securing key locations of the city just as they did in Nyirdi. With each step, they gained more ground, encountering pockets of resistance that were quickly subdued.
"Capture all of them. We need to gather as much information as possible." His eyes narrowed with determination as he issued a stern command to his soldiers.
A group of Inverloch-affiliated personnel were quickly restrained. Their limbs were bind as to ensure they posed no further threat.
Among them, a particularly defiant man stood out, his eyes burning with a potent mix of anger, hatred, and ridicule. Despite being restrained, he mustered his courage and shouted, his voice dripping with contempt, "You can't do this! Do you even comprehend the sheer magnitude of our army?! The empire is going to effortlessly obliterate your puny and sparsely populated kingdom."
Mayor Lazo, undeterred by the man's outburst, approached him with a calm yet resolute expression. But the restrained man scoffed as his spiteful gaze fixed upon Mayor Lazo.
The man's hatred seeped from every pore, poisoning the air around him. "You're delusional if you think you can withstand the might of the empire," he spat with disdain. "They will crush you, just as they have effortlessly crushed countless others before you. Your feeble attempts at resistance will be nothing more than a fleeting annoyance to their unstoppable force."
The man's arrogant posture and condescending tone revealed his overwhelming sense of superiority. His every word dripped with scorn, his gaze piercing through Lazo's resolve, attempting to shatter it into pieces.
But Mayor Lazo remained unyielding, refusing to let the man's venomous hatred undermine him. He calmly replied, "Look, young man. When it comes to a country, size doesn't matter..."
As the man glared at Lazo, his eyes filled with even more contempt. His hatred seemed to deepen, fueled by the defiance he witnessed.
In his mind, the mayor's refusal to cower only intensified his loathing.
His lips curled into a malicious smirk as he sneered, his voice dripping with venom, "It does... And I can't wait to witness the utter annihilation of your feeble kingdom under the overwhelming might of the empire. We will reduce your people to nothing more than slaves, grovelling at our feet."
"This young man sure has a spiteful mouth." Mayor Lazo responded. He turns to his subordinate, "We should address this young man's behaviour appropriately. Imprison him like anyone else. And since he has a lot of energy, reduce the amount of food for him. Let's see who becomes whose slave."