Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

Gavin, who was bound to the spot and unable to move, did not answer. At this moment, he looked ashen-faced and his eyes were unfocused.

Lynn glanced at him only and then ignored him. He had Gavin taken into custody and they set off together for the north wall.

The sounds of battle to the north have become much less frequent.

After Gavin's feint attack was repelled by homemade bombs in its initial fierce assault, it found itself in a dilemma.

They dared not approach that deadly zone where terrifying explosions could occur again, but they also dared not retreat on their own.

The adults were still to the south, and no signal was coming. Two of the catapults were destroyed under the focused fire of the ballistae, and the rest were hesitant to get too close.

The battle was at a stalemate, with only sporadic arrows being fired at each other and shouts of insults.

When Lynn and his men appeared at the north wall, and especially when Viscount Gavin, bound tightly and looking ashen-faced, was pushed in front of the battlements, the entire battlefield fell silent.

The soldiers at Ironstone Fortress below the north wall, including several squad leaders, all saw that familiar figure.

Their adults were being held against the wall like livestock awaiting slaughter, their armor askew and their hair disheveled.

"Yes...yes, Viscount!"

"The master has been captured?"

"The south...the south has been defeated?!"

Shock, panic, and disbelief spread like a plague among the feinting troops.

They persisted here because they believed Lord Gavin would open a breach from the south. But now…

Seeing this, Lynn immediately signaled to Leon.

Leon lit a homemade bomb and hurled it with all his might at the most concentrated position of the enemy troops.

The distance wasn't enough, but this time, it wasn't for killing, but for demonstrating.

"boom!"

An explosion rang out nearby, and flames and smoke rose, throwing the already demoralized enemy troops into chaos.

"Retreat! Retreat now!"

"The Viscount has been arrested! What's the point of fighting anymore!"

"Run!"

Someone shouted first, and then the entire feint attack force's formation collapsed like an avalanche.

The soldiers dropped their shields, spears, and even their heavy armor, fleeing northwards without looking back.

The officers' shouts to stop them were completely drowned out by the wave of panic, and even they themselves joined the fleeing ranks.

"Open the city gates! Militia and hunting parties, go out of the city! Pursue the fleeing soldiers, those who surrender will not be killed!" Lynn seized the opportunity to give the order.

He needed to expand his gains and capture as many of these soldiers as possible, whether as laborers or as bargaining chips.

Upon hearing the order, Leon and Bray, who had been waiting behind the door, personally led the team out like tigers.

They had been pinned down on the north wall for too long, fighting with great frustration. Coupled with the enemy's continuous attacks, they had accumulated a lot of anger. Now that they could take advantage of the opportunity to beat a drowning dog, they naturally wouldn't let it go.

Instead of engaging in a fierce battle with the fleeing soldiers, they used their speed, mobility, and superior weaponry to flank them from both sides, drive them away, and divide them into groups. They used the threat of composite bows and flintlock muskets to force the fleeing soldiers to give up resistance and surrender on their knees.

The pursuit proceeded exceptionally smoothly against an enemy who was only concerned with escaping. Most of the fleeing soldiers were caught up with after running less than two miles, or, realizing they were unable to escape, chose to surrender.

Only a few quick-footed stragglers disappeared into the wilderness.

By the time the sun had fully risen, the northern battlefield had completely calmed down. Outside Grayrock Town, a dense mass of prisoners knelt, nearly 200 in total, more than expected to surrender.

The captured weapons and armor were piled up like mountains. Although most of them were crude, they could still be melted down to make good iron.

In this battle, Karl and Gavin mobilized nearly 600 people, including dozens of extraordinary warriors. They even deployed catapults and messengers sent from above.

Ultimately, however, they were defeated by revolutionary military inventions like gunpowder and firearms. This technological gap was not something that could be bridged simply by a difference in numbers.

There's no way around it; it's really a bit unreasonable for a group of people with "guns" and throwing "grenades" to fight against a group of opponents with melee weapons.

Even though this "gun" and "grenades" are still quite primitive.

Leaving some men to guard the prisoners and clean up the battlefield, Lynn turned his gaze to the northeast.

That is Ironstone Fortress.

With Gavin deploying all his troops this time, the forces left behind will inevitably be weak.

Now that Gavin himself has been captured, and the main force has either been destroyed or surrendered, Ironstone Fortress is like a ripe fruit hanging on a branch.

Last time, Lynn wasn't given the opportunity to pursue due to the lack of manpower and weaponry, but this time it's different.

As Gray Rock Town expands and takes in more and more migrants, the number of young and middle-aged people in the town is gradually approaching one hundred.

With the equipment upgrade this time, Lynn felt that the probability of taking Ironstone Castle in one fell swoop was at least 80%.

As for whether he was worried about being retaliated against afterward, that was not something Lynn was concerned about right now. Since others had come knocking on his door, intending to kill him, it wouldn't be Lynn's style to act like a nice guy and just run away and stop.

In this desolate borderland, even the struggle between two viscounts requires the kingdom's intervention; at most, the Southern Grand Guild will have to step in...

With this in mind, Lynn made up her mind.

"Bray, you stay behind with the hunting party and deal with the prisoners. There aren't any extra houses in Grayrock Town to house them right now. We'll discuss everything when I get back. Remember to be vigilant for any remaining monsters to the west."

Lynn quickly ordered, "Leon, take all the musketeers, and then take Gavin. We're going to Ironstone."

"Oh, right, Lia, you're here too. We need you to lead the way."

Lynn nodded at Lia, who was in the hunting party.

Thanks to Lia's intelligence, Lynn was able to gain a general understanding of the enemy.

However, due to the expansion of the enemy's temporary camp as indicated by intelligence, there was a risk of exposure, so Lynn did not let her go out again after her last return.

"Huh? I'm going too?" Lia poked her little head out from the crowd.

Lynn nodded: "That's right, don't worry, it's just leading the way, relax."

Lia blinked her amber eyes, her expression somewhat complicated.

Having participated in the battle from beginning to end at the North Wall, her current feelings are somewhat unpredictable.

Happy? Of course I'm happy.

Once upon a time, Ironstone Fortress itself was like a prison, locking itself inside, like an object being manipulated at will.

Lia was arguably the happiest person after the fall of Ironforge.

But Lia felt more confused.

Before, when I stayed in Grayrock Town, I at least had a reason that I could completely convince myself of: I was afraid that if I left, Gavin would catch me and take me back. I couldn't be caught; I still had to find my mother.

Now, this reasoning has completely crumbled with Gavin's capture. Reason tells Leah that she must leave and embark on the journey to find the elven homeland.

But in this short period of time, she has already encountered many things and people she is reluctant to leave behind.

The naive Martha, the sharp-tongued Thorin who's actually a very nice person, and the shy Ida...

And there are so many novel things here, delicious food, and this man in front of me... Viscount Lynn, who is different from ordinary nobles...

Leah turned her gaze to Lynn, who was waiting for a reply. She gradually came to her senses, and the next moment, Leah revealed her signature smile:

"Lead the way! No problem!"