When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist

Chapter 1334: Chapter 1252: The Return of Vermin

Not long after arriving at the border, Horn hurriedly returned to Silver Bay City.

It even started raining halfway, so the first thing Saint’s Grandson did when he returned to Silver Bay City was to change his clothes.

After putting on a woolen coat that had just been heated, Horn stood by the window, waiting for the strategists to arrive.

It wasn’t that the strategists were dawdling, but they were also gathering information and planning simulations.

Outside the window, on the surface of Silver Bay Lake, a dozen fishing boats were slowly returning in the cold rain.

Close by, Silver Bay City was surrounded by a circle of city walls built from rough stone, the walls about two meters high, with sporadic growth of moss and wild grass on top.

The city walls stretched along the lake’s shore, one end touching the water, the other extending upward along the hillside, connecting to the distant pine forest.

Three towering artillery towers stood on the city walls, their brass-colored gun barrels extending from black firing positions.

"Fire the cannon and blast them to hell," Horn muttered in his hometown dialect for no particular reason.

He uttered this not because of melancholy, but because he really wanted to blast those idiots of the South Norn to smithereens.

Initially, with the help of the Holy Alliance, they managed to lose then win, solidifying the front lines against the vampires.

But soon, the Great Monarchs Norn advanced from the stage of desperate victory to the stage of arrogant victory.

Herring Castle served as the logistical hub of the two critical points, Cheese Castle and Gadwall Fortress, housing a large Norn army.

Immediately after returning from the frontline, from the noble officers to the soldiers, they turned into wolves and jackals.

The nearby market towns and villages were ravaged, and the local nobles and gentry were gnashing their teeth in hatred.

Previously, the army’s garrison posed no issue, but now with the troop rotation, the vampire spies stirred up trouble.

All right, the city was seized, and they rebelled!

Herring Castle was a strong fortress; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been used as a supply base.

Now, with the loss of Herring Castle, two important frontline fortresses were on the brink of food shortage.

The Norn’s logistics were quite sluggish, with significant delays in food transportation.

Every time, the front line would be starving for two or three days before new supplies arrived.

Currently, Gadwall Fortress, besieged by the royal court’s army, needed food the most.

And just at the right time, Herring Castle intercepted a new batch of supplies, and if Gadwall Fortress couldn’t be resupplied within three to five days, the consequences would be dire.

Horn was slightly frustrated at this point.

After many years, he felt once again the powerlessness he had faced back in Gulag against various critters and incompetent allies.

"How can we defeat the vampires with these insects?" It had been many years since Horn last used this expression.

Just then, the conference room door opened, and including André, the generals and strategists arrived together.

A pile of reports accumulated, eventually forming the Norn forces’ deployment map on the wall.

If it weren’t for the signal transmitter, once Gadwall Fortress fell, Horn would likely have known, not to mention the deployment map.

Closing the stained glass windows to keep out the wind and rain, Horn paced to the table, planting his hands on the tabletop with a bang.

"You’re aware of Herring Castle’s situation. What about Gadwall Fortress?"

"Gadwall Fortress is a military fortress; water is not an issue, but food supplies are indeed scarce," said a strategist. "We estimate that if they run out of food for a week, they will surrender."

"Is there any army nearby that can be mobilized?" asked a Shattered Stone Plain officer. "Can’t a few thousand troops be moved within a week? And Herring Castle doesn’t have much militia."

André scoffed disdainfully, "You underestimate it. Herring Castle has artillery; even though the militia is sparse and weak, they can still hold off several thousand regular troops with the artillery.

Moreover, you haven’t considered the travel time; by the time the Norn forces breach the city, the royal court might have already attacked Gadwall Fortress.

Otherwise, where would those citizens get the courage to rebel?"

"Facing the vampires, why can’t they consider the big picture?" the officers began to complain.

But Valent Taylor quieted the complaints: "How can you consider the big picture when you can’t see the next day?"

"Even though we’re out of reach," Horn spoke, bringing silence to the room, "we can’t do nothing. Let’s discuss, please."

After speaking, Horn picked up the map and leaned back in his chair.

The strategists and officers exchanged glances and picked up the materials to read and discuss.

"Maybe we should launch a surprise attack on the northern army to force them to retreat?"

"You’re crazy. By the time our attack reaches them, they might have already taken Gadwall Fortress; bro, you think the royal court has signal machines too."

"Or mobilize the forces here..."

"Then, do we still defend this line..."

"Can we call for reinforcements from Cheese Castle in time?"

"Cheese Castle is also on the front line."

As time ticked by and the skies grew dim, Horn’s face darkened too, as there was still no solution.

It seemed indeed unsolvable, with every feasible plan lacking one crucial element—the executor has to be the Salvation Army!

Given Norn’s military ability and administrative efficiency, even if granted a hundred opportunities, they might not be able to overcome the crisis.

Should they helplessly watch as the steady line retreats once again?

Horn couldn’t help but pinch his nose bridge: "At this moment, everyone is tired; let’s go eat first."

Upon hearing His Excellency’s words, everyone present realized their hunger and began to stand to leave.

Clinging to a last bit of hope, Horn insistently asked, "Does anyone else have an idea?"

"Your Excellency, I have an idea..." suddenly a voice emerged from the crowd behind.

The officers and strategists, who were about to disperse, paused and glanced around to see who was speaking.

Horn turned his head and saw a military police officer responsible for security raising his hand.

"You are a military police officer, causing trouble here, get out, get out..." a Shattered Stone Plain general immediately stood up, ready to shoo him away.

But Horn reached out to stop him: "I seem to remember you; are you from Jinhe Town?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, I’m McGowan, one of the first Kush Youths to attend school at Autumn Dusk Island."

Although a bit nervous, McGowan still spoke humbly but not submissively: "Your Excellency, I do have an idea."

"Alright, go ahead, no one will blame you if you’re wrong," Horn said, deliberately glancing at the proud officers.

McGowan gulped: "Your Excellency, Herring Castle cannot be breached for three reasons only.

The artillery is formidable, the walls are towering, and time is of the essence. If we can address these three issues at once, the crisis at Herring Castle will be resolved."

"Nonsense," someone muttered in the crowd, "if it could be resolved at once, would we still be discussing it?"

"Lack of intelligence."

"What do military police know about warfare..."

Despite being questioned face-to-face, McGowan’s resolve hardened: "Your Excellency, I’ve thought of a method, particularly suited for execution by the Holy Alliance."

"No teasing, what’s your method?"

"I read in yesterday’s Holy Mass report (internal periodical) that the floating battleship has completed its mission of crossing the Dragon Sleep Mountain Range?"

After months of design and construction, the floating battleship prototype was completed early this year.

It had been in testing ever since and only last week accomplished the mission of crossing the Dragon Sleep Mountain Range.

After McGowan finished speaking, several officers were bewildered. Wasn’t the discussion about Herring Castle? How did this involve the floating battleship?

But before others could react, both Horn and André slapped their foreheads simultaneously: "Now it makes sense!"

How could they have forgotten that the ry Court Barracks had such a treasure!

The most important part is, this treasure was right in Norn, just a little over a thousand kilometers away in a straight line.

"A day and a half, or even just a day," André spoke first, "Just swap the cargo for soldiers, and once the city is breached, we can immediately deliver some life-saving supplies to Gadwall Fortress!"

"Use the emergency channel, send an urgent report to ry Court Barracks, and activate the floating battleship," Horn decisively ordered, "Target, Herring Castle."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!