Chapter 28: The Fall of the City Gates

Chapter 28: The Fall of the City Gates

TL: Etude

In June, after two months of intense preparations, Paul Grayman officially issued the command to reclaim Fort Fran.

By this time, the Alda Guard had grown to include two full battalions, totaling over 1,100 soldiers. Thanks to the relentless efforts of Herman and others, the force was equipped not only with traditional cold weapons such as swords, spears, and lances but also with 20 matchlock guns and two 4-pounder cannons.

Outside Fort Fran, the Count observed the pirates' fortifications from afar through a monocular telescope, a device crafted by a visiting optician, which was quickly adopted by the military. Officers praised this tool that allowed them to observe the enemy from a distance. Naturally, the optician was persuaded to stay with a generous salary.

The pirates had reinforced the walls of Fort Fran. Though these walls were mere low earthen barriers compared to those of the grand city of Crystal Shine Fortress, they were nonetheless outfitted with defensive implements. From a distance, one could see large cauldrons on the walls, boiling either scalding oil or foul-smelling waste. The pirates, having noticed the assembly of troops outside, had already stoked their fires.

A trench, over a meter deep, had been dug not far from the walls, with a deadly array of iron caltrops and spikes scattered between it and the walls.

Schroeder put down his telescope and suggested, "Let's attack the main gate directly. We have cannons, and a few shots should be enough to breach their wooden gate. Then, using the matchlock guns and cannons for cover, we can fill in the trench in front of the gate and charge in."

Paul agreed with this plan.

In the afternoon, the two cannons were positioned far from the main gate of Fort Fran, marking the commencement of the battle.

"Load… Aim…" the gunners worked methodically under the gun captain's command, a routine perfected over two months of training that had become almost instinctual.

"Fire!" roared the gun captain, as the gunner responsible for firing ignited the gunpowder in the touch hole.

"Boom!"

With a massive roar, the 4-pound solid iron shot, carrying tremendous kinetic energy at a velocity of 416 meters per second, burst out of the cannon and almost instantly struck the walls of Fort Fran.

The pirates on the wall only saw a puff of white smoke from the distance and then felt the walls tremble following two loud bangs. Although the shots missed the gate, their power still sent shockwaves of terror through the pirates, causing panicked shouts to erupt along the wall.

"Ballista cannons, a simpler structure but with immense power," deduced Shark, the pirate leader. He quickly ordered his men to avoid clustering together to minimize casualties from the cannon fire.

"Reset… Adjust the firing angle!"

The gunners slightly adjusted the angle and quickly fired a second volley.

The second round of fire did not hit the gate either but shattered a section of the wall. The cannonball penetrated the battlements and instantly killed a pirate, injuring his nearby comrades with debris.

Painful screams rose from the wall. Shark immediately ordered the wounded to be taken away to avoid demoralizing the others.

However, morale had nearly collapsed by then. Having witnessed the power of the "ballista cannons," the pirates were trembling in fear.

…

With a great crashing sound, the fifth round of cannon fire finally hit the main gate. The wooden gate was shattered, and the pirates hiding on either side were terrified, the thunderous cannon blasts resonating in their hearts like divine thunder.

"Advance, musketeers!"

The Alda army's musketeers, shielded by shield-bearers, began to slowly advance towards the wall.

"Archers ready, the enemy is about to storm the city. Those at the gate, stay alert."

Seeing the musketeers advancing, Shark issued consecutive orders, aware that the assault was about to begin.

The pirates, armed with bows and arrows, began to peek over the wall, searching for targets approaching the trench.

However, what they thought to be the "siege troops" stopped about a hundred meters from the wall. At this distance, their inferior bows and arrows were ineffective, especially against the shield-bearers.

A sound resembling sizzling beans erupted as 20 matchlock guns fired simultaneously. Immediately, four pirates were hit, clutching their wounds and screaming in pain on the wall.

"Get down! Get down!"

"It's the legendary black magic!"

Shouts and cries erupted from the wall.

The pirates were facing the legendary ominous weapon capable of shooting from such a distance. Shark, the pirate leader, was secretly alarmed, thinking the enemy's long-range attack was unending. He had expected them to fill the trench and storm the city next.

Indeed, seizing the opportunity while the pirates ducked to avoid gunfire, soldiers carrying bags of earth quickly approached the trench near the main gate and started filling it.

"Stop them now, or it'll be too late!" Shark shouted desperately, "Archers, attack!"

However, no one heeded his command. The archers stayed crouched behind the battlements, unwilling to stand.

Furious, Shark yelled, "Are you all deaf?"

One of his subordinates, with a despairing face, said, "Boss, let's surrender. We can't win."

Shark sneered disdainfully, "Hmm! Finally, someone says it."

He then widened his bloodshot eyes and yelled at his men, "Grayman's father died by our hands. Do you think surrendering will end well? Do you know the consequences of harming nobles for people like us?" His voice was frenzied.

The pirates envisioned a series of terrifying scenarios.

In this harsh era, the fate of commoners harming nobles depended on the nobles' word. While there were tales of noble forgiveness, more often than not, severe punishments were inflicted. Being maimed was considered light; execution was common, and even more horrifying was torture leading to a death worse than life. There was a lord who dealt with his assassin by inserting a sharpened stick into the offender's body and letting him slowly slide down, dying in excruciating pain.

Fearing such fates, the pirates trembled uncontrollably.

"Fight to the death against the noble brat!"

Under the shadow of fear, the pirates' courage was stirred, and they began to shout about resisting Paul Grayman to the end.

But being pinned down on the wall was not a solution. The trench was almost filled, and the enemy was about to breach the walls. Shark ordered his men to descend and engage in close combat.

As the pirates noisily moved down the wall, Shark called a trusted man aside and quietly gave him some instructions.

…

Accompanied by another terrifying roar of cannon fire, a cannonball plunged into the gate, carving a bloody path through the gathered pirates. Panicked, they scattered to the sides of the gate.

The Alda army seized the moment to launch an assault. Four infantry platoons crossed the trench on sandbags and quickly spread out inside the city, engaging in close combat with the pirates hiding on either side of the gate. The area around the city gate became a cacophony of battle cries.

The musketeers followed, taking advantage of the engagement to fire safely from behind. At such close range, it was almost point-blank shooting. Amidst the rising smoke and the sound of gunfire, pirates' lives were continuously claimed by bullets.

"Surrender and you will not be killed!"

A cavalryman rode into the city, conveying the Count's latest command to the surrounded pirates.

"We surrender!"

Hearing the promise of mercy, some of the recently fervent pirates immediately threw down their weapons and knelt to surrender. Once one led the way, others quickly followed, fearing being the last to surrender. Regardless of the potential consequences, they chose to gamble on this chance.

Within minutes, all the pirates in the gate area had surrendered.