"Damn it!" Facing the polygonal fortress outside the western city of Kingsfort, Gessa Adonis voiced the same sentiment as his subordinates, "In the end, we're still late!"
Beside him, Brigadier General Skur Meklen said nothing.
Captain Woods, who accompanied the two generals to the front line for inspection, apparently had no sense of timing and continued to explain the terrain with full focus:
"...The new district on the West Bank initially had city walls but no moat. But look, the city walls are now basically surrounded by trenches and earthen ramparts.
"If I'm not mistaken, behind this earthen rampart, there should be a parapet wall right at the foot of the city walls—because that's what we were taught in school."
Woods' expression was somewhat bitter: "There might even be a trench because I calculated that just taking soil from the front trench alone is far from enough to form this earthen rampart."
"Why guess?" Gessa frowned, displeased, "Send some people over to take a look at night, wouldn't we know everything then?"
"Report?" Woods was startled awake, "Oh! The report! Where was I... Right, the fortress. Talking about the fortress."
Woods swallowed, pointing to the two ends of the city walls: "Besides the main bastion at the city gate, Minister Cornelius also built a secondary bastion at the water gate and riverbank. Bastions were also extended from the city walls as additions.
"In recent days, I have selected a few points outside the new city for on-site investigation, confirming that no matter which attack route is taken, they are all within the firing range of the city cannons—Minister Cornelius not only cleared the firing fields but even changed the original terrain in some directions."
"The main bastion's defense is especially terrifying," Woods pointed to the area in front of the fortress, "Did you notice the color of the soil around the main bastion? It's all new soil. The surroundings of the main bastion seem like a flatland, but it's actually all gentle slopes; just walking up is directly in line with the hidden walls, triangles, and the main bastion's firing lines."
Woods bit his lip, bravely giving his conclusion: "I'm pretty certain, that is a killing zone designed by Minister Cornelius. So, under no circumstances do I recommend a frontal assault on that fortress."
The atmosphere today was already somewhat unnatural, and the officers present were cautious, fearing to get on the bad side of General Gessa.
With Captain Woods' words, the tension in the air increased. Accompanying officers were silent, not daring to make any sound.
"[Paratu swear word]," it was Gessa Adonis himself who first broke the silence, gnashing his teeth as he hatefully said, "Those bastards from the United Province, all these years, they still only know this one shitty maneuver! From the Mountain Front Territory all the way to Paratu, it's always this one move, don't they feel ashamed! [Paratu curse word]!"
The officers present exchanged glances with each other, unsure how to respond.
However, after Gessa cursed a bit, he suddenly laughed.
He turned to look at his subordinates and sincerely said, "But one has to admit, they're damn good at their maneuver... That bastard Cornelius, well done, giving us a big challenge."
Seeing the straightforward smile on someone's face, the officers present all breathed a sigh of relief—honestly, this was the Gessa Adonis they were familiar with.
The previously uptight and volatile general had really exhausted everyone.
Gessa rubbed his bald head and asked, "Was the letter of persuasion sent in?"
"It's been sent in," Roson quickly replied.
"Any response?" Gessa looked at Roson.
Roson showed a difficult expression: "Minister Cornelius hasn't replied yet."
"I'm not asking about Cornelius—that guy is just like the stone of the Oath Breaker's latrine, dirty and hard, and thinks highly of himself," Gessa laughed and asked, "I'm asking about the reactions of others in the city. Hasn't anyone secretly climbed down the city walls to express loyalty to us?"
"Well... so far, no 'inside agents' have proactively contacted us," Roson thought for a while and joked, "So I would say, behind that earthen rampart, there must really be another trench."
Gessa burst out laughing, and the officers present also laughed along.
Seeing the atmosphere gradually calm down, Woods Frank seized the opportunity, plucked up the courage, and interrupted: "Actually... Minister Cornelius could have done even better."
Gessa's smile froze on his face, his eyebrows slowly standing up, and everyone's hearts followed up to their throats.
Woods suddenly became the focal point of attention, making him extremely uncomfortable.
"Explain," Gessa stared at his old subordinate, "Captain."
"Yes!" Woods instinctively saluted, gesticulating wildly, "From the direction and depth of the trenches, Minister Cornelius likely had plans to divert the River Shijian water into the trenches. After all, water-filled trenches are typically used in the Mountain Front Territory, so it's not surprising that the Minister would want to replicate the United Province's experience.
"However, maybe because they didn't arrange the construction schedule well, or more likely because our offensive was launched earlier than they expected."
Woods sneaked a glance at Luosong, who had just spoken up for him, "Our cavalry's harassment also slowed their progress... In short, the trenches on the West Bank were not completed, and there's still some distance from the ideal state."
Gessa laughed silently, "What, Captain? Do you want to say that we didn't come too late?"
"Compared to yesterday, it's late," Woods mustered his courage and said resolutely, "But compared to tomorrow, it's not late at all!"
Gessa glared, "You brat, are you here to teach me a lesson? Speak straightforwardly!"
Facing the stares of everyone present, Woods steeled himself and loudly answered, "I suggest launching an immediate attack!"
Skur Meklen couldn't help but frown and sternly questioned, "Captain, do you know that there is only one large unit at the front line now... oh no, one battalion. The main force is still behind, and most importantly, the artillery is not yet in place. Are you suggesting that a battalion of light infantry launch an assault alone?"
Woods was a bit overwhelmed and softly rebuffed, "We're not ready, but neither is the enemy."
Skur glanced at the trenches and earthworks outside the New Town walls, "I wouldn't say this is unprepared."
"Minister Cornelius has prepared very well on the West Bank," Woods paused heavily, "but only on the West Bank."
Most of the officers present immediately understood Captain Woods's implied meaning, especially the two generals.
Gessa caressed the shattered scar on his left cheek and questioned, "But the old town's walls are much more robust than this side of the West Bank, and the masonry isn't even comparable. Plus, there's a moat over there."
"Indeed, the old town's walls have undergone hundreds of years of reinforcement, making them higher, thicker, and stronger, with a moat as well. The new town walls simply cannot compare," Woods initially affirmed the superior's statement, then swiftly changed his tone, "Minister Cornelius thinks the same! So, he primarily allocated resources for the fortification of the West Bank."
Captain Woods spoke more fluently as he went on, "I believe, rather than tackling the trenches and fortifications on the West Bank, we should head to the opposite shore, dealing with the old-style walls and moat."
"Cornelius didn't reinforce the East Bank?" Skur asked sharply.
"There was supposed to be a star-shaped fortress planned, but now it's just a prototype," Woods's expression was a bit frustrated, "it's still under construction."
"Still under construction?" Gessa looked at Roson Jura with surprise and anger.
"Subordinate is incompetent," Roson helplessly bowed and apologized, "Minister Cornelius had people blow up the bridge thirty kilometers upstream..."
"Not only the fixed bridges but materials for building a floating bridge were either seized or destroyed by the Minister," Woods chimed in, scratching his head, "We're working on solving this problem."
Gessa glanced at the scorched ground under his horse's hooves—the small mound where the new army officers stood used to be a small grove, now cleaner than his head after being burned and chopped down.
In the harvested fields outside the city, the windbreaks that farmers had planted along the roads and between fields to mark boundaries had also vanished.
Looking far and wide, the surroundings of Kingsfort seemed desolate, a lone city more desolate than the Hurd Grassland.
Gessa sighed without blaming Roson and Woods.
"Captain, without a bridge," Skur still held skepticism toward Woods and asked seriously, "how did you understand the situation across the river?"
"I sent people to swim across the river and scout the enemy, confirming that the east bank fortress is only a prototype and currently under construction."
"Oh?" Skur grew more skeptical, "Isn't it dangerous to scout by swimming? Are you the one deciding this?"
Woods paused in silence, then softly answered, "I sent myself across the river."
Skur fell silent.
"Next time, send someone else," Gessa coldly said, glaring at Captain Woods fiercely.
"Yes." Woods, sweating profusely, raised his hand to salute.
"Without a bridge," Gessa continued to question coldly, "how do you plan to cross the river? And how do you plan to 'launch an immediate attack'?"
"The east bank is only my suggested main attack direction, but launching an immediate attack isn't about attacking the old town's walls directly."
"Then where do you plan to attack?"
Woods pointed far away to the island in the lake: "There—Magit Island!"