Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 317 In-Depth
"Watch out for those sharpshooters!" Farman shouted, his voice still clearly audible amidst the shouts of battle and the clatter of hooves.

Clearly, with Robin's outstanding performance on the battlefield, Wilke's army also vigorously developed its own sharpshooters.

Under Robin's tutelage, Wilke's army also trained more than a dozen sharpshooters. Their archery skills may not be as precise as Robin's, but in the chaos of the battlefield, they had no problem shooting down enemy officers or knights.

Upon hearing Farman's warning, the gatekeeper knights became even more cautious.

They continued to use their shields to fend off the rain of arrows while searching for the sharpshooters hidden in the darkness.

Taking advantage of the knights' momentary panic, Wilke's archers unleashed several more volleys of arrows, inflicting further casualties on the gatekeeper knights.

In this fierce battle, the other soldiers of Wilke's army were not idle either.

The spearmen seized the opportunity and thrust their spears at the charging knights.

Their spears gleamed with a cold light in the firelight, each thrust carrying immense power.

The shield bearers held their ground, using their bodies and shields to block the knights' attacks and protect their comrades behind them.

Despite the breaching of the camp gates, Wilke's army resisted with increasing tenacity.

They knew that if the Gatekeeper Knights broke through their defenses, the entire Wilke army would face annihilation.

Therefore, each of them was determined to die and fought a desperate battle with the enemy.

Viscount Wilke commanded the battle from the rear, his eyes resolute and determined: "Soldiers, hold on! We cannot let the enemy succeed so easily!"

His voice boosted the morale of the soldiers, making them even more courageous in this difficult battle.

The Gatekeeper Knights' night raid lasted from midnight until dawn, a spectacle that left Farman utterly enraged.

He never imagined that the night raid would be so difficult. He originally thought that with the surprise and the powerful cavalry charge, he could quickly defeat Wilke's army, but reality dealt him a heavy blow.

This was because more than thirty gatekeeper knights had been killed.

These knights were all highly trained and battle-hardened elites, and the loss of each one was heartbreaking for Farman.

They continued to fall under the fierce resistance of Wilke's army.

The once orderly cavalry ranks are now sparse, and the ground is littered with the corpses of knights and flowing blood.

Of course, Wilke's army also paid a heavy price. Their soldiers suffered countless casualties under the fierce attack of the Gatekeeper Knights.

The camp was littered with corpses lying haphazardly, the groans of the wounded mingling with shouts of battle, filling the air with a thick stench of blood and death.

Although Wilke's army's defenses were still holding on, they were already on the verge of collapse.

"Retreat!" Farman finally gritted his teeth and gave the order.

He knew that continuing the fight might result in the deaths of more knights, and although Wilke's army had suffered heavy losses, their will to resist had not been completely destroyed.

If the stalemate continues, and Wilke's reinforcements arrive or they reorganize a more effective defense, the Gatekeeper Knights may find themselves in an even more dangerous situation.

With the order to retreat given, the knights of the Gatekeeper Knights began to slowly retreat.

As they retreated, they warily watched Wilke's army, wary of a sudden counterattack. Wilke's army was also unable to pursue them at this point; they could only watch helplessly as the Gatekeeper Knights withdrew, while they themselves began treating the wounded and clearing the battlefield within the camp.

Viscount Wilke watched the Gatekeeper Knights gradually disappear into the distance, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Although the battle repelled the enemy's night raid, Wilke's army suffered heavy losses.

This is only a temporary victory; they will face many more challenges before Robin returns.

“Your Excellency, what should we do now?” Ito walked up to Viscount Wilke, who was covered in blood and looked exhausted.

Viscount Wilke took a deep breath and said, "Treat the wounded first, count the casualties, and then retreat to Wilke Castle. The Gatekeeper Knights will definitely not let this go. We can't hold this place anymore."

His eyes revealed helplessness and exhaustion. The night raid had severely weakened Wilke's army, and continuing to hold the position would only lead to their complete annihilation.

Ito sighed slightly. With this retreat, they had lost even their last defensive depth, leaving the enemy to besiege the city.

He understood that Viscount Wilke's decision was the only option at the moment, but it also meant exposing the core area of ​​Wilke Territory directly to the enemy.

Although Wilkeburg is a sturdy fortress, it would be no easy task to withstand the attack of the Gatekeeper Knights without the buffer of the outer defenses.

Wilkeburg is now the capital city of Wilkeland. After Robin's planning and reconstruction, it is showing signs of becoming the fourth largest city in the Westerlands. The only thing it lacks is time for development and population.

Under Robin's planning, the walls of Wilkesburg were made taller and thicker, the buildings inside the city were rationally laid out, and there were complete defensive facilities and water conservancy systems.

The streets are wide and clean, and some new business areas are thriving.

Due to the impact of war, population growth was slow, and many areas have not yet been fully developed and utilized.

“Sir, we can only hope that young master Allen will return as soon as possible,” Ito said.

“Yes, Allen is our only hope now. He can definitely lead us to turn the tide.” Viscount Wilke clenched his fist, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes.

Therefore, Wilke's army began to organize a retreat in an orderly manner.

The soldiers helped the wounded, gathered the remaining supplies, and slowly withdrew towards Wilkesburg.

Their figures appeared somewhat lonely and tragic in the morning sunlight, leaving behind a camp ravaged by war.

The Gatekeeper Knights did not let their guard down after their retreat.

They are also licking their wounds and reassessing the strength of Wilke's army.

"I didn't expect the Wilke army to be so tenacious. Although this night raid caused them considerable losses, we also suffered heavy losses ourselves," Farman said with a frown.

Of the five hundred gatekeeper knights, thirty-one have been killed and forty-five wounded, reducing their fighting strength by one-fifth.

“But they’re definitely not having an easy time right now either. If we keep attacking, they’ll be defeated sooner or later,” another knight said.

“We cannot underestimate the enemy; we must proceed cautiously. First, send scouts to investigate Wilke’s army’s movements, and then formulate our next plan,” Mönchengladbach said.

With the retreat of Wilke's army, the situation in the West became more tense and delicate, and the myth of Wilke's army's invincibility was completely shattered.

(End of this chapter)