Chapter 90
90 Dangerous plan (I)
The following nights went on as expected. Wave Beast’s hordes would march out of the forest and attempt to reach the city, with the soldiers doing their best to stop them.
There were open channels between the leaders of the squads guarding the different battlefields. Lurin was technically the southwest leader, but this one was smart enough to share all the information he got with Cain.
All the cadets and soldiers showed respect for Lurin, and none of them questioned his orders, but the one that was the true leader in their mind and who they would follow in case everything went south was Cain.
A powerful will had a magnetic effect on people, especially on the battlefield, where everything was uncertain. For the cadets and soldiers, every time they saw the red light in Cain’s eyes, they felt all doubt vanishing. In their hearts, as long they obeyed Cain’s orders, they would survive.
Lurin knew how the cadets and soldiers looked at him, and there was nothing he could do. He did most of the work, but it was Cain’s commands the one that had the greatest effect on the battlefield.
Although he would have liked to take the undisputable role of leader, Lurin accepted that his skills had yet to reach that point. Instead of getting bitter about it, he learned from this experience. He focused all his mind on studying every command Cain gave and how this one a.n.a.lyzed the battlefield.
Personally, Cain liked this arrangement. Lurin was intelligent and capable enough to take care of the soldiers and cadets 95% of the time, leaving him with only the 5%, which were critical points where no flaw was allowed.
Cain saw how the sun was setting down when Lurin reached his side. This one began to inform him about the latest news of the other battlefields, making him frown.
Ten days have pa.s.sed since Cain joined forces with the soldiers, and the number of Wave Beasts they killed had already reached six thousand. Yet, the size of the hordes marching kept increasing, and that was not only in the southwest position but in all others as well.
.....
‘It won’t be long before the empire warriors finish their hunt for the Dark Races’ powerhouses hiding in the Collapsing Lightning Sector. Once that happens, they will be able to rejoin the main forces and butcher the Wave Beasts. I a.s.sume the one behind the stampedes knows that and is going all out at this last stretch.’
Lurin’s eyes narrowed as he saw Cain’s eyes glowing with enlightenment from time to time as if this one could a.n.a.lyze those hundreds of moving pieces and give them order.
He had seen that before, but never in a cadet. It was the light that would glow in his father’s eyes when this one a.n.a.lyzed information about the battlefield before marching to war.
Cain did not notice the look in Lurin’s eyes. As long as there was no resentment or other negative emotions, he had no time to worry about the thoughts of the scion.
The expression on Cain’s face grew somber as he understood that the danger they would face in these last few days would exponentially rise.
“Our current fighting force?” Just asking that question made Cain’s expression grow even more severe.
To make things worse, while their enemy’s number increased, theirs diminished. Like a miracle, they have yet to suffer a single casualty, but many soldiers endured life-threatening wounds and had to leave the battlefield.
“We have 79 soldiers left.” Lurin made a slight pause at this point before continuing. “Regarding the wounded, some...”
Lurin could not finish his sentence as he saw two red eyes focusing on him, which directly pressured his willpower.
“Were you saying something?” Cain’s voice was eerily cold as he uttered those words.
Despite him being a Level 3 Astral Wave Warrior and Cain only at Level 2, Lurin felt immense danger. Just like the other cadets, he remembered the tactics Cain used against Wink, and there was no doubt in his mind that he would not have survived.
“Nothing.” Lurin took a deep breath and spoke.
Cain nodded and made the intent behind his actions clear. He had used the [Pseudo Cellular a.n.a.lysis] tool on the wounded soldiers before they left and knew some would not survive, but he did not share that information as it could affect morale.
“Do you have the things I asked?”
That question drew Lurin back to reality, and his gaze grew sharp as he handed a s.p.a.ce ring to Cain. Since he was technically the southwest leader, it was his job to take care of supplies or acquire battle equipment.
As Lurin saw Cain a.n.a.lyze the content of the s.p.a.ce ring, a troubled expression appeared on his face.
“Are you sure you have to do this? The dangers are too great, and a single wrong step could mean your death.” Although Lurin’s words might sound like that of a close friend worried, they were those of a commander who a.n.a.lyzed everything objectively.
A true military commander should have the strength of character to ask a soldier to do a mission that he knows would result in this one’s death.
Lurin worried about Cain’s life because of the role this one had in the hearts and minds of the others. Seeing Cain march into battle and butcher powerful Wave Beasts raised the morale of all the soldiers, allowing them to fight beyond their limits, but if he were to die, their spirits would crumble.
Those were the pros and cons of having your leader take the lead on the battlefield.
“If I don’t do it, who else?” Cain spoke calmly, and his eyes did not leave the s.p.a.ce ring.
Those words shook Lurin. His eyes went to Cain’s ribs and shoulder, and he saw their deep wounds.
In the last battles, two Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars always marched into the battlefield, and it was Cain’s job to handle them before they could achieve a momentum that could shatter the cadet formation or, even worse, reach the soldiers.
Although Levi was the strongest in the group in terms of offensive power, only Cain had the speed and reflexes that would allow him to march out of the battle formation into a sea of Wave Beast.
Although Cain had suffered severe wounds, everybody else would have perished, so no one else could do the job.
Lurin gave one last glance at Cain before nodding and going back to the soldiers.
Cain put the new s.p.a.ce ring on his right hand before closing his eyes and using the [A.I. Chip Module] to perform simulation after simulation.
“AHHHHHHH!” Deep into the night, a feral roar made Cain open his eyes. He turned to the forest and saw Wave Beasts marching toward them.
Cain joined the cadet formation, and the clash between humans and Wave Beasts continued.
The cadet formation went deeper into the horde while the soldiers rained fire on them, gradually diminishing their numbers.
“Ahhhh!”
Less than two hours after the initial clash, Cain heard the Horn-Flame Boar Leader roar and sent two of the Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars into the battlefield.
Cain’s eyes narrowed, and red light burst from his eyes as he pushed his Ego Wave to its limit before dashing forward.
Although it might seem dumb on the Horn-Flame Boar Leader not to send all its strongest warriors together, it was not willing to risk them. If the four Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars were to enter the battlefield, there was a chance the humans could activate some trump card that could take them all down.
The Horn-Flame Boar Leader reached that conclusion based on past experiences.
Korin City had those trump cards, but the a.s.sault of the Dark Races’ powerhouses destroyed most of them, and the ones left were positioned in the northeast position.
Cain had already figured out the Horn-Flame Boar Leader’s apprehensions and thoroughly used them. However, he also knew that they would not work for much longer since the moment the one behind the stampedes gave the order, the Horn-Flame Boar Leader and the four Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars would march together with all their power.
That day could come very soon, which is why Cain was ready to attempt something dangerous.
Cain advanced faster and faster, not allowing any of the weak Wave Beasts on his path to interrupt his momentum.
When the two Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars were one hundred meters away from Cain, they lowered their bodies, preventing this one from dashing beneath them. Even if Wave Beast were not smart, that did not mean they were stupid, and they could learn.
However, what happened next filled the two Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars with utter confusion. They saw the human close his eyes.
They were about to clash, and the enemy chose to shut off one of his more important senses. It made no sense for the Level 4 Horn-Flame Boars.
The next instant, they saw the human throw a rectangular device into the air, and before they could do anything, it exploded, unleashing a blinding light that burned their eyes!