The vast army sailed into Kache. Although Kache was also a city with fortifications, it was much lower and smaller than the capital, less than a quarter of its size. However, its geographical position was crucial.
It sat at a vital transportation hub, restricting armies from the direction of Zhiyue, and allowing for a swift retreat to the capital of Midoya. As long as this place was held, the Heavenly Calamity Legion would have to pass through the capital to reach Santuoloman from Midoya.
At this very moment, a large number of Orc troops were gathered there.
As Xiao Xun was deploying defenses, the Captain of the Heavenly Calamity Legion, Wu Wang, was leading the legion towards this direction.
Captain Wu Wang of the Heavenly Calamity Legion, just like in the memory gem, was short, bow-legged, sturdily built, with a neck as thick as his head. His face, hidden behind a "gas mask," only revealed a single orange-yellow eyeball.
His face bore the typical expression of the Heavenly Calamity Legion: cold and resolute.
He was a warrior ready to sacrifice himself for His Majesty, the Demon God, and never valued his own life.
A person who did not value their own life naturally would not value the lives of others.
Therefore, Wu Wang led his army on a rampage, burning and killing as if entering an uninhabited land.
Yesterday afternoon, Wu Wang led his troops over forty li of mountain road and sent his vanguard to scout ahead. Not a single scout returned.
He assumed he had encountered a powerful opponent, and coupled with the fatigue from the long march, he ordered the army to rest. He then lay down beside a pile of dead leaves at the edge of the forest.
Captain Wu Wang leaned against a large tree, cross-legged, cleaning his beloved ancestral possession: a flame demon saber bestowed by the King of Arrogance.
The saber's hilt was inlaid with a golden skull emblem symbolizing the Heavenly Calamity Legion, which glittered in the autumn sunlight.
Wu Wang could not have imagined that his life, like this saber, was about to leave his control.
A scout from the Heavenly Calamity Legion hurried over to report that traces of Orcs had been found in the direction of the capital of Midoya.
Upon hearing this, Wu Wang immediately ordered his troops to assemble and looked intently in the direction indicated by the scout.
Suddenly, he noticed a path beside them, leading through a dense primeval forest to two towering mountains, with only a narrow passage between them, traversable by a single person.
Wu Wang stood in the mountain gap, gazing at the sky, "We haven't engaged the Orc warriors yet, so we don't know their strength. We cannot act rashly. Since the capital is currently occupied by a large Orc army, we will detour there and proceed. If the Orcs think they can devour my Wu Wang Brigade, they likely don't have the teeth for it."
The entire brigade marched in a single file for a full half hour before emerging from the narrow passage. The scene opened up before them, revealing a completely different world.
This place was not marked on the military map. Wu Wang immediately sent a message to the Legion Commander: "Vanguard personnel lost, but no resistance encountered along the way. Occupied the strategic chokepoint 'One-Line Sky,' will continue to advance."
Wu Wang never dreamed that he had unknowingly entered the territory defended by Svinn, the commander of the Phoenix Army.
Xiao Xun's troops had just entered the city, finding it scarred and devastated, with only heads and the stench of blood everywhere.
At this moment, the sentries discovered the Heavenly Calamity Legion assembling and immediately notified Xiao Xun.
Xiao Xun slammed his fist on the table, the immense force causing the water cups on it to jump. "Wipe out these beastly Heavenly Calamity Legion!"
Xiao Xun issued a series of orders, and the two major legions of the Phoenix Army converged, forming the left and right flanks in preparation for an offensive. The curtain of battle was thus drawn.
Wu Wang was initially stunned to discover people in the city, but then became excited. "Haha! It's humans, such excellent recruits! Kill them and strengthen our legion."
The area in front of the city gates was filled with smoke. The Heavenly Calamity Legion's black powder cannons bombarded the Phoenix Army's forces relentlessly, causing heavy casualties among the knights of the two major legions.
Wu Wang's field fortifications were ingeniously designed, forming concealed echelon lines facing the tall city walls. This provided an unobstructed view of the attacking force, completely negating their advantage of high ground. Magical attacks were rendered useless, and curved artillery fire, such as magical cannons, was rare.
Any defender on the battlements who dared to show themselves was immediately shot dead by the Heavenly Calamity Legion's skeleton archers.
The battle raged for an entire day. The area in front of the city gates was littered with the corpses of Phoenix Army soldiers. The first few legions to attack had suffered over fifty percent casualties and lost their combat effectiveness.
Xiao Xun watched clearly through his telescope. He grabbed a legion commander who had just withdrawn from the front line and asked, "How far is the city gate from their defensive position?"
The wounded legion commander immediately understood: "More than eighty meters. The casting range is completely insufficient."
Xiao Xun frowned and said, "A frontal assault is not a solution. We need to think of a stratagem."
As the battle for Kache began, things became lively in the capital of Midoya.
The Orc general Botu, upon hearing that Svinn had left an empty city for him and that he was leading his troops to defend a small city not far from there, considered Svinn to be extremely cunning, more cunning than a fox.
He said to Bai Yang, "Tell your commander that although we are allies, if he treats his allies like this, I will not provide support if his side comes under attack."
Bai Yang replied with a cold tone, "I am only responsible for relaying our lord's words, not yours. If you have any questions, you can communicate them in person or send someone."
Botu's displeasure was evident on his face. "Arrogant human, are you not afraid of death?"
"If you wish to kill me, I fear your current strength is insufficient." As he spoke, a six-pointed star magic array descended from the sky, "erasing" Bai Yang in front of Botu.
Xiao Xun watched through his telescope as his attacking forces surged towards the enemy positions like tides, only to recede like the ebbing tide moments later. The area in front of the city gates was strewn with the corpses of Phoenix Army soldiers.
Xiao Xun gritted his teeth. "Concentrate all magical cannons to bombard the enemy positions, then send out everyone who can participate. We will flatten their pit, even if we have to tread on it!"
Then, he said to the Taurus behind him, "Bring my twin-headed dragon. I will personally go and destroy these scumbags."
Upon hearing this, everyone present tried to stop him, urging him to command from the rear.
Xiao Xun watched as the enemy's black powder artillery shells fired indiscriminately. For a time, he had no better countermeasures. There was a gap in weaponry, and no effective strategy.
Although the magical cannons had a good range, the enemy's energy shield could neutralize the attacks, making it impossible to penetrate.
Just as Xiao Xun was at a loss, he noticed a ceramic jar nearby, with a fat belly and a narrow mouth. An idea struck him.
"Notify everyone. All personnel retreat into the city. This is a defensive battle, and we will not engage them head-on."
At this moment, Bai Yang appeared beside Xiao Xun. "My lord, I have relayed everything you said to the Orc general without missing a single word."
Xiao Xun nodded, bent down to pick up the ceramic jar from the ground, and said, "Relay my order: gather all the jars in the city onto the city walls, fill them all with oil, remember all the oil, and then plug the mouths of the jars with long cloth strips."
The generals thought Xiao Xun was planning to use the same tactic as the day before, but with a different method, and thus scoured the city.
It was worth noting that these ceramic jars were a specialty of Kache. They were found everywhere, and many workshops were producing them, so a large batch of jars was quickly assembled.
Xiao Xun picked up a jar and demonstrated to the two legion commanders and several other commanders, "First, soak the long cloth strip on the jar with oil. One end stays inside the jar, and the other end is outside." He saw the commanders listening attentively and nodding.
He then continued, "Light the cloth strip outside the jar with fire, and then throw it towards that 'pit'."
At this point, Xiao Xun thought, "If only the Centaur tribe were here. Natural grenadiers and archers."
Seeing the determined gaze of the commanders, he asked, "Do you all understand? If you understand, teach your soldiers."
Just then, the black powder cannon of the Heavenly Calamity Legion extended and fired a shot directly at the city tower.
Taurus immediately activated his golden shield to protect Xiao Xun.
Half of the city tower collapsed, injuring a few people, but none of them suffered life-threatening injuries.