I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Deep within the alleyway, behind the Holy Kingdom's army's position, a violent riot suddenly broke out.

"They're behind us! Imperial troops are appearing from behind!"

"It's the Empire's reinforcements!"

"Open fire! Counterattack immediately!"

"Don't panic, organize a counterattack!"

……

Terrified screams mingled with a sudden burst of gunfire, coming from behind the Holy Kingdom's garrison.

Lancel suddenly poked his head out from the wall.

He saw the Holy Kingdom's army formation begin to loosen amidst the commotion, and saw the gun barrels that were originally pointed at the alleyway entrance frantically turn around.

He also saw a figure emerge from behind the Holy Kingdom's army.

The man was dressed in an Imperial Army uniform, with a lieutenant's epaulette on his shoulder, and held a longsword, cutting into the enemy ranks like a sharp blade.

His movements were swift and deadly; each swing of his sword was accompanied by the fall of a Holy Kingdom soldier.

Imperial soldiers following behind him poured in continuously.

That's Zod!

Behind him, Cassius and Hitis led their troops, who were riding high on two victories, and swept in like a tide from the rear of the Holy Kingdom's army.

Faced with Zod's rapid offensive, the Holy Kingdom's army was no match at all. Holy Kingdom soldiers fell one after another in the alleyways, and the Holy Kingdom's rear forces were about to suffer a major defeat.

Seeing that the rear lines were about to collapse, the Holy Kingdom lieutenant suddenly drew the cross sword from his waist, a resolute glint in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he drew his sidearm, aimed it at a soldier who was fleeing backward, and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

The soldier fell to the ground, his face still showing fear and disbelief.

Blood splattered and landed on the lieutenant's face, warm and sticky.

He didn't even raise his hand to wipe it away, letting the blood slide down his cheek.

Then, he raised his cross-shaped sword high and roared at the retreating soldiers:

"Don't retreat! You're just a bunch of imperial insects, what are you afraid of? Don't you have any honor as soldiers?!"

His voice drowned out the clamor of the battlefield and the panicked cries of the soldiers.

He resolutely walked to the front of the group, his sword pointing directly at the approaching figure ahead.

"Come fight our way back!!"

Perhaps his resoluteness inspired those soldiers on the verge of collapse, or perhaps their fear was replaced by a deeper kind of fear.

The retreat began to slow down, and some people gritted their teeth, turned around, and followed the figure with the sword raised.

Lieutenant Saint led his remaining troops and charged towards the menacing Zod.

They met on a narrow path.

As he approached Zod, he raised his cross sword high, the blade carrying all his strength, and slashed down fiercely towards Zod's head!

Zod did not stop or even slow down.

He faced the descending sword head-on, his gaze calm and composed.

Just as the sword was about to touch Zod, Zod's figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.

The Holy Kingdom lieutenant's sword missed its mark, his movement frozen in mid-air. He had no time to think, no time to search for the vanished figure.

The next instant, Zod appeared behind him.

Lieutenant Sheng Guo felt a chill in his chest, as if a cold wind had passed through his body.

He looked down and saw that his military uniform had been neatly cut open, and a wound running across his chest was slowly opening, with blood gushing out like a fountain.

Then a tearing, excruciating pain surged up.

He turned his head with difficulty, trying to see the figure that had already passed him and continued forward.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he only managed to utter a muffled murmur.

Then, his body fell heavily to the ground.

The shock lingered in those eyes that never closed until death.

Zod did not turn back, nor did he stop walking.

He simply slowed down slightly to allow the soldiers behind him to keep up, while urging, "Hurry up, we don't have time to linger here."

They also had important information that needed to be relayed to Colonel Xavier in a timely manner.

Even if the message had been relayed to Colonel Xavier a second earlier, the situation on the battlefield could have been very different.

Not far away, Lieutenant Lancel, who was hiding behind a broken wall at a street corner, witnessed everything.

From the moment that Holy Kingdom lieutenant rushed out to the moment he fell, only a few seconds passed.

It was so fast that he didn't even have time to react.

It wasn't until the lieutenant of the "Imperial Blade" regiment had led his team deep into the alley that Lancel suddenly came to his senses.

He turned to look at the equally stunned soldiers behind him, then at the advancing battlefield ahead, and gritted his teeth.

"All soldiers!" He stood up from behind cover, drawing his sword. "Charge with me and bring our reinforcements to their aid!"

If we don't take action now, we won't even get a taste of the soup, let alone any credit.

Lancel knew perfectly well that how to write the battle report depended entirely on his thick skin.

They couldn't very well report to their superiors. He led the soldiers of the 56th Army Corps to cower in their bunkers and watched helplessly as the "Imperial Blade" Corps completed the mission for them. They stood there dumbfounded, without even getting a sip of soup.

No, he couldn't write such a report.

At the very least, Lancel had to eat a bite of the soup and scraps of meat; otherwise, how could this newly promoted second lieutenant face his superiors who had promoted him, and how could he write a satisfactory combat report?

"Charge!"

Lieutenant Lancel led the charge out of the bunker, followed closely by his soldiers, and pressed towards the already routed Holy Kingdom garrison.

Without their commander and caught in a pincer attack, the Holy Kingdom soldiers in the alleyways quickly lost all will to resist.

After the last few soldiers who tried to put up a last stand fell to the guns and swords of the Imperial army, the alley was finally declared completely cleared.

Zod sheathed his sword and walked straight past Lieutenant Lancel without saying a word or exchanging glances.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Zod never looked at Lieutenant Lancel.

Of course, this is not to say that Zod was arrogant or disdainful of others.

Meaningless small talk, besides being a waste of time, does nothing and changes nothing.

He doesn't have time to waste on small talk right now.

Kolansell's gaze remained fixed on the man's figure.

He saw Zod's profile as he passed by without glancing to the side, saw his resolute steps without the slightest hesitation, and saw that he didn't even bother to nod in greeting.

Arrogant to the point of being indifferent.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Lancel's heart: gratitude, admiration, and a touch of disappointment at being ignored.

After all, he was the commander of this squad, and his comrades-in-arms who had just fought side by side. Was he not even willing to say a word?

But he had to admit that the man had the right to be arrogant.

Just as Zod was about to walk away, Lancell suddenly turned around and shouted at the retreating figure, "Lieutenant! My name is Lancell Kruger, from the 56th Regiment! Thank you for your support. May I ask your name?"

Zod paused slightly in his steps.

He didn't turn around, but simply turned his head to the side, leaving behind two brief words: "Zod".

Zod's cold demeanor was solely because he was in a hurry; it concerned his life and fortune.

He had absolutely no interest in making small talk or trying to please someone he would most likely never see again.