This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

“The Linzhao Basin is actually quite large; its area is much larger than my Nalaguge. The Second Eastern Army Corps must prioritize its own survival, so you must relocate here.”

Dick pointed to the map, and Reinhardt looked over. It was an unnamed place on the eastern edge of the Linzao Basin, about a hundred kilometers from where they were now, and less than ten kilometers from the eastern coast of the continent. There was a small gap between the mountains on the edge, and a small river flowed straight into the sea.

When Reinhard was studying the map, he noticed this place and wanted to suggest to the Third Prince that the Empire become strong enough to send a surprise force to land here. However, after on-site inspection, he found that the river itself was very narrow and winding, and there were also a lot of mangroves growing there, which made it difficult to pass. Therefore, only small boats with a displacement of less than 100 tons could pass, which severely limited the efficiency of transportation.

Seeing Dick pointing in this direction, Reinhardt subconsciously thought that his brother wanted to use this small ditch connected to the sea to retreat. But the Second Eastern Army Corps had more than 100,000 men. How long would it take to transport them?

Dick shook his head, indicating that he was not asking them to use the river to evacuate, but rather to use the river as a transportation route to receive supplies from the sea.

Based on the calculation that each soldier needs at least one kilogram of military rations per day, the entire Second Army Corps of the East would need at least seventy tons per day. Drinking water can be obtained by drilling wells on-site, as the groundwater resources in the Linzhao Basin are very abundant, especially near the river. Just dig two or three meters and water will start to gush up from the soil.

Dick's plan was for the Second Eastern Army Corps to proceed to the nameless land as soon as possible and establish a defensive line there, backed by this small estuary. He had already joined forces with some southern nobles to raise over a thousand tons of military rations for them, which would be transported to the estuary by large ships and then transferred to the inland areas by smaller boats.

The Second Eastern Army Corps had very limited time, because once they began their operation, the Kingdom's army would inevitably become aware of it and quickly deduce their intentions, so the operation had to be swift.

Having said that, Reinhardt understood: his brother meant for him to switch from offense to defense. As long as the supply lines remained intact, they were still capable of holding on.

"Alas! The war has come to this point. I have failed the royal family and my clan."

"Don't think about blaming anyone yet. What you need to do now is lead the entire army to hold the line. If you hold the line, there will definitely be a way. Trust me!"

Since the possibility of a traitor within the army cannot be ruled out, only Dick and Reinhardt currently know about this plan. However, they can prepare under the guise of a breakout and reveal the real plan when the entire army officially sets off. In any case, the only difference is the direction of advance.

As for the identities of Dick and his men, these were also kept secret internally for the time being; it was simply stated that they were messengers delivering military orders from the rear.

Dick brought three people with him to the front lines: his apprentice Ai, Sister Gigante, and Jeanne d'Arc. Gigante shrunk and hid in Dick's pocket, while Jeanne d'Arc wanted to find an opportunity to personally meet "herself" on the kingdom's side.

At this moment, Bai Zhen and Xiao Ai were guarding outside the central command tent. They were wearing hooded robes that covered their entire bodies and faces. As long as they didn't make a sound, it would be difficult for others to tell whether they were men or women.

Soon, Dick came out of the main tent, and Reinhardt had a bodyguard lead the way, first arranging a separate tent for them nearby.

When the group reached the tent, the guards quickly withdrew, and Xiao Ai and Bai Zhen removed their masks. Qi Gan Te also jumped out of Dick's arms and returned to its normal size.

"Master, how is the situation?"

“If everything goes smoothly, we can start the operation tomorrow night. Until then, we will stay here to provide necessary assistance, and we also need to keep an eye on my older brother. Knowing him as I do, his long-standing lack of confidence makes him habitually indecisive. If his officers all object, he is very likely to change his mind again under the persuasion of others. I have to prevent this from happening.”

Chapter 254: The Rearguard

In essence, the Empire was undoubtedly the main villain in this war. Its motives and actions were completely unjust. The key point is that it took the initiative to attack but fought so poorly. It was as if the Indians from Earth had possessed it, confidently launching an attack, only to be beaten to a pulp by the "weak" they had previously looked down upon.

Of course! The Hessian Empire was more principled than India; at least it wasn't scared into moving its capital.

As for the southern nobles who were most enthusiastic before the war, seeing the imperial army's offensive falter and not being able to get any spoils, and with a high probability of being beaten, their attitude immediately made a 180-degree turn. They went from clamoring to take over the Linzao Basin and have breakfast at Fenglu's luxurious palace to becoming an anti-war force calling for peace.

The vast empire, from top to bottom, was like a circus, with all sorts of clowns taking the stage and putting on a series of hilarious farces.

Throughout the entire process, all Dick wanted to do was floor the gas pedal and accelerate as much as possible!

With Dick's assistance, the Second Eastern Army Corps quickly prepared for a withdrawal. The soldiers thought they were about to break out to the rear, so their morale was low, but at least they did not collapse.

Reinhardt tried to give a pre-battle pep talk, but unfortunately his oratory skills were not very good, and he himself was also unsure of himself, so his pep talk was as good as nothing at all.

“Your older brother is not mediocre, but he is indeed not suitable to be the head coach.”

In a corner of the mobilization site, Joan of Arc shook her head as she watched Reinhard's speech. As a corps commander, he might not lack intelligence, but his charisma was severely lacking; to put it bluntly, he lacked leadership qualities.

You may feel uncertain, but you can't show that emotion in front of your soldiers.

Furthermore, Reinhardt had another problem: he was too aloof. His aristocratic air, like an idol, made him unconsciously put on airs and speak in a pretentious manner, leaving his subordinates completely bewildered.

In contrast, the northern nobles were generally more "down-to-earth," even a bit too much so. Those bumpkin lords were as refined as bandit leaders! Their mouths were as sweet as honey, and their everyday language was extremely rich in slang, allowing them to communicate with the common people without any barriers.

After all, everyone's quality is on the same level (in a good way)!

Even though he saw through Reinhardt's problems, Dick didn't intend to say anything more.

After completing the pre-war mobilization, Reinhardt summoned Dick to discuss military matters.

While the main force advances in front of the enemy, the kingdom's garrison inside the fortress may not simply stand by and watch. Therefore, a rearguard is essential, and preferably an elite force, otherwise it will be of no use.

Reinhardt's elite forces consisted of only his 20,000-plus guards; the other noble private armies were hardly reliable in terms of either combat effectiveness or obedience.

Dick's suggestion was to leave the heavy magic cannons used for siege warfare behind. Carrying them around would make it difficult to move quickly, and there weren't many large-caliber shells left. It would be better to fire them all during the relocation to create the illusion of an attack on the city and thus confuse the enemy.

Once the shells are used up, just destroy the cannon.

This suggestion made Reinhardt hesitate for a while, but in the end he gritted his teeth and nodded.

do my best!

After careful consideration, the two decided to leave behind heavy artillery and 6,000 guards to cover the rear, along with several Saint-level experts from the legion. This was to guard against the enemy's Saint-level forces and to maintain morale.

Dick also volunteered to participate in the rearguard action, which greatly moved Reinhardt.

"Fifth brother, I haven't treated you well in the past, and there have been many misunderstandings between us. But I never expected you to help me so selflessly. I am truly..."

"Brother, what can we do? We're brothers."

Almost moved to tears by Dick's persuasion, Reinhard mounted his horse, turning back every few steps, and began the retreat with the main force of the central army.

At this time, the rearguard was commanded by a commander of ten thousand from the Imperial Guard, while four Saint-level experts remained in the central command tent.

Two of these four experts were directly loyal to the royal family and belonged to the Imperial Guard, while the other two came from the southern part of the empire and were temporarily recruited "mercenaries" in response to the empire's call.

In any country on the continent, the status of a Saint-ranked individual is extremely transcendent, and the Empire is no exception. If you are willing to serve the Empire, you will naturally be rewarded with high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and you will be treated like an ancestor.

At this moment, Dick noticed that the old magician sitting opposite him was looking at him with great interest, as well as Bai Zhende and Xiao Ai beside him.

Dick wasn't familiar with the man, but he had heard of him before. The old wizard was named Quinn, and he was a contemporary of his mentor, Grandor.

Quinn hailed from the south of the empire. His magic tower was sponsored by many southern nobles, and he had hundreds of students. Many noble children with magical talent became his students, making it the best "private magic school" in the south.

However, it still can't compare to magic academies that are backed by the royal family and receive national financial support.

Dick met Quinn once during a visit to the capital while he was studying there.

Several years later, the two met again. Upon seeing Dick, who had reached the same Saint rank as him, Quinn couldn't help but sigh.

"That old bastard Grandor is really lucky to have such a promising student as you. Look at my bunch of misfits, not a single one of them is decent!"

As Quinn spoke, he turned around and glared at the disciples standing behind him. The mages were so frightened that they shrank back like quails and didn't dare to utter a sound.

Dick smiled. He had heard that after the news of his breakthrough to the Saint rank spread throughout the magic world, the happiest person was his mentor, Grandor. The old man was so happy that he stopped going to work and went around jumping around with joy, praising all his old friends and rivals of the same generation.

Have you ever taught a disciple who has reached the Saint rank?

Have you ever taught a Saint-level disciple in their early twenties?

You don't have any? I do!

Quinn was one of the many old Saints who got his face turned upside down back then. Just thinking about Grandor's smug, arrogant expression makes his blood pressure spike again.

Now that he finally has the chance to meet Dick in person, he can tell at a glance whether he is a true Saint-level being or not.

What's even more incredible is that the two masked men beside him are also quite powerful, with one of them even faintly exuding the aura of a Saint-level being, making people curious about his identity.

Thanks to its population advantage, the Empire has a considerable number of Saint-level beings within its borders, but it still only numbers around a hundred or so. At this level, people in the circle generally have some connections with each other, so Quinn, the senior, was quite certain that the other party (White Jeanne) was not a familiar face, but most likely a newly promoted Saint-level being like Dick.

The other Saint-level beings present were also very curious, but since the other party was wearing a mask, he certainly did not want to reveal his identity. Therefore, out of respect for a powerhouse of the same level, none of them asked any questions.

Chapter 255: A Swift Turn

In the past five years, the Empire has seen three newly promoted Saint-level warriors, and Dick is one of them, and the youngest. The other two are both martial artists, one in the south and one in the capital, both acquaintances of Quinn, and clearly not the one beside Dick.

So, relying on his age and thicker skin, Quinn asked directly.

"Master Best (a respectful title for a Saint-level being), this friend of yours must also be a Saint-level being, right? I haven't seen him before, so I don't know how to address him?"

“Her name is Jeanne, and she’s my friend. As you know, we mages are quite afraid of being approached by warriors. With her protecting me, I feel more secure when I cast spells.”

"Oh! And she's a Saint-level lady?"

Dick thought for a moment and then asked Bai Zhen and Xiao Ai to remove their masks.

The senior Saint-level figures present were surprised to see that both women were top-tier beauties, one righteous and awe-inspiring, the other playful and charming. They couldn't help but discuss their relationship with Dick.

Quinn, in particular, upon learning that Xiao Ai was Dick's disciple and had advanced from apprentice to intermediate level in just two and a half years of training, knew that she was another promising talent. As a result, he became even more displeased with the group of incompetent disciples and grand-disciples of Fila behind him.

In any era, strength represents status, while lineage is merely a beautiful garment that the powerful wear to adorn their image. Without a matching substance, no matter how beautiful the outer garment is, it will be easily torn to shreds.

This principle has been fully proven in Dick's case. Since he became a Saint, no one has dared to openly mock his half-elf bloodline. The Saints present showed him great respect, not because he was the Grand Duke's youngest son.

Therefore, even though Bai Zhende was very beautiful, no one dared to look at her frivolously or make flirtatious remarks. Xiao Ai was only a mid-level mage, but she was a disciple of a Saint-level mage, so she was not lacking in power and background.

When you become successful, you'll find that everyone around you is a good person!

Dick now felt that what was said was true. He and the seniors present were all Saint-level, so he was indeed slightly lower in seniority, but their status was equal and there was no direct conflict of interest between them, so they were able to have a pleasant conversation.

On the contrary, the commander of the rearguard was unusually humble in front of everyone.

This guy really has a very clear understanding of his current situation. Covering the rear is an extremely dangerous job. Whether he can run back alive depends on whether these Saint-level big shots are willing to help him out.

It's no exaggeration to say that if someone suddenly spoke up right now, saying they were a bit bored and asking the commander for some entertainment, he would absolutely do a backflip without hesitation. Hesitating for even half a second would be disrespectful to his own life!

Outside the military tent, the main force of the army was quietly setting off under the cover of night. The heavens seemed to grant their request, bestowing a thin fog after nightfall. To minimize noise, the hooves of all the warhorses and pack animals were wrapped in cloth, and the non-Guards troops were required to cover their mouths with strips of cloth. At the same time, the distance between the different units was kept as short as possible, with soldiers placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them to avoid getting separated in the fog.

The fact that over 100,000 people had secretly slipped away reminded Reinhardt of the grand fanfare when his four armies set out on their campaign. The stark contrast between then and now filled him with shame and resentment.

It seems my military career has come to an end!

Not long after the main force set off, the kingdom's army noticed and immediately sent light cavalry and mages to scout. They were intercepted by the rearguard, and the heavy artillery opened fire at the same time, pouring shells toward the fortress.

The artillerymen were instructed to fire all their shells at once, then detonate the cannons and retreat.

So once the bombardment began, the artillerymen fired wildly as if they were on drugs, directly suppressing the enemy fortress and causing the defending general to mistakenly believe that the imperial army was about to attack the city again, so he hurriedly gathered all the mages to hold the barrier.

It was only then that some of the noble generals of the Second Eastern Army Corps realized that their retreat direction seemed to be seriously off track, heading directly east. So they hurriedly went to Reinhardt to inquire about the situation.

Reinhardt simply dropped the pretense and told these people directly that to the north lay the Kingdom's "600,000-strong main force (according to public opinion)," and that if their tens of thousands of men charged headlong into it, they would be doomed. Only by heading east could they find a glimmer of hope. He would not stop anyone who wanted to die a heroic death!

Having said that, the nobles who had come to question them with great fanfare fell silent and could only obediently follow the main force to continue their eastward retreat.

Meanwhile, the rearguard artillery fired for a full five hours, right into the middle of the night, before finally running out of ammunition. The kingdom's garrison, taking the brunt of the artillery fire without seeing any enemy advance, realized something was amiss. They figured the imperial forces were probably trying to escape, so they promptly dispatched cavalry in pursuit, only to run headlong into the well-rested imperial mage legion.

Previously, the Kingdom's army had been remarkably effective in its defensive battles, relying on the fortresses protected by large-scale magical barriers. They had successfully thwarted over twenty fierce offensives by the Imperial army, leaving Reinhard with absolutely no advantage. Furthermore, with the main force personally led by the Saintess reporting frequent victories and having already defeated three Imperial legions, the fortress garrison couldn't help but become arrogant, feeling that the so-called Imperial army was nothing special.

It can only be said that the worst thing in war is to underestimate the enemy and act rashly. Whoever starts to be reckless will suffer the consequences!

The previous heavy bombardment had already depleted the kingdom's mages to almost nothing, leaving them unable to launch an attack to cover the cavalry. Furthermore, once the cavalry left the city, they were no longer protected by the large protective magic array. The three thousand cavalrymen were hit squarely by a full-coverage "fire meteor shower" and were instantly routed.

Having witnessed this scene firsthand, Dick thought to himself, "Isn't the matchmaking system in the Southern Continent pretty balanced?"

After losing a large number of valuable cavalry, the kingdom's commander must have regained his senses, quickly gathered the defeated troops back to the city, and then closed the gates to continue his defense.

This relieved the commander in charge of the rearguard, who held his ground until dawn and then withdrew from the defensive position as planned, with several thousand men running off to catch up with the main force.

At this point, the Second Eastern Army Corps temporarily broke off contact with the enemy, abandoned its unrealistic attack plan, and after a day and a half of forced march, successfully arrived at "Unnamed Cape" in the southeast of the basin, where it met up with a transport fleet going upstream and obtained several hundred tons of supplies.

Although this amount of supplies is small, enough for the consumption of more than 100,000 troops for three to five days, having supplies is better than having none, and more importantly, it can stabilize the fluctuating morale of the troops.

When Reinhardt met with the head of the fleet, he was surprised to find that the other party was actually a cousin of the Beston family. He then learned that the life-saving supplies were provided by his own family, and that Dick had taken the initiative to approach them and propose the rescue plan.

Along with the supplies came a group of mages skilled in earth and wood magic and dwarven craftsmen. They would assist the Second Eastern Legion in building fortifications on the spot, striving to construct a sturdy fortress at Nameless Horn that could accommodate tens of thousands of people for a long time before the kingdom's army could react.

This series of arrangements that pulled the Second Eastern Army Corps out of the quagmire was all the work of Dick.

Chapter 256: Flesh and Thorns

When the Second Eastern Army Corps fled to Wumingjiao, the entire army had less than 120,000 men left. A small number of them had been separated from the army in the fog at night, but some were deserters from the private armies of local nobles.

These deserters were generally militiamen temporarily conscripted by the lords to fill the ranks. Their training level and fighting spirit were very low. When they actually arrived on the battlefield, they were just a mob and were not even qualified to be cannon fodder. So they took advantage of the chaos to run away and disappeared into the deep mountains and forests.

They probably thought that hiding in the deep mountains wouldn't necessarily lead to death, but continuing to follow the desperate army would definitely mean they wouldn't live long. Those heartless nobles wouldn't care about the lives of these lowly commoners!

And indeed, the facts proved that these deserters were right.

After the legion arrived at its destination, various nobles secretly approached Reinhard, bringing gold and silver jewels, hoping to secure a higher position for themselves in the evacuation order.

Most of the nobles who wanted to flee came from the wealthy southern regions and generally had a weak fighting spirit. They originally followed the Imperial Army to make money and gain military merit, but the war turned out so badly that they were now afraid and genuinely did not want to die.

Reinhardt felt utter contempt for these spineless cowards and wanted to rebuke them loudly, asking if they had no sense of honor as imperial nobles. Just then, Dick returned, so Reinhardt quickly smoothed things over, telling his angry older brother to calm down first, and that he would negotiate with them himself.

Dick accepted all the gifts without hesitation and promised to arrange for these "distinguished people" to evacuate first. However, he then led them to a simple ferry crossing on the riverbank and pointed to the few small inland boats, indicating that their transport capacity was limited. He said that they could indeed evacuate first, but there would be no room for the private army they brought.

So they can leave, but their men must stay!

Some nobles were indifferent to Dick's request, never considering commoners as human beings and not caring about the lives of some lowly people. Others looked troubled, but they simply wanted to bring more of their confidants. So the deal was quickly and smoothly concluded.

Thus, after the first batch of supplies was unloaded, more than a hundred nobles and their cronies were taken away and evacuated, while the private army abandoned by these nobles was taken over by Dick.

Dick did not hide the truth from these people, but told them directly that they had been abandoned by the lord they had once served, and now they were under Dick's command and would be reorganized on the spot.