Destruction

On the morning the general offensive began, a thick fog enveloped the area, forcing the Imperial Army to postpone their attack.

However, the thick fog was not without its benefits. Under the cover of the dense mist, the Imperial Army's heavy artillery was able to move closer to the Prague city walls under relatively safe conditions.

Emperor Laszlo led his guard, raising the royal banner as he departed the Vitkov Hill camp, heading to various units besieging the eastern district to deliver pre-battle speeches and boost morale.

Field Marshal Adolf, the overall commander of the siege, was currently waiting for the weather to change. He was somewhat concerned that if the battle for Prague dragged into the night, unexpected situations might arise.

Although the probability of an accident seemed very low at the moment, the cautious Imperial Field Marshal still hoped to launch the attack earlier.

At this time, inside the city walls, Hussite priests were distributing the final Holy Communion to the defenders who were about to ascend the walls.

The Holy Wafer was made from the pressed meat and leather of some unknown animal, and the Holy Wine was simply Vltava River water.

Even though their stomachs were rumbling and their eyes glowed green, these Hussite soldiers still orderly received the Holy Communion one by one. After a collective ritual, the warriors gnawed on the Holy Communion like hungry wolves; their faith in God would help them combat hunger.

These people had not completely lost their combat capability; in fact, their situation was much better than that of their predecessors.

During a series of Prague sieges in 1420, at their most extreme, the defenders fought for 22 days without supplies and ultimately succeeded in repelling the Crusade.

In this process, the warriors maintained extremely high morale and considerable combat effectiveness by relying on a daily Holy Communion ritual (don't ask where the Holy Communion came from) and an innate religious fanaticism.

Only this time, was their faith still as firm as before? Were their hearts still full of hope?

No one knew.

A cold wind blew, and the thick fog gradually dispersed. With a command from their officer, the heavy artillery immediately opened fire.

Twelve bronze heavy cannons roared in unison, and heavy stone projectiles slammed into Prague's battered city walls.

After one round of bombardment, the Prague city district, which had been repeatedly shelled during the siege, collapsed with a roar. Gunter let out a furious shout,

and the Independent Army elites immediately launched an attack on the breach in the city wall.

Subsequent units used siege towers, scaling ladders, and many other siege engines to attack the city walls from all directions.

The Bohemian reinforcements and the Austro-Hungarian Army, lacking artillery support, also launched their attacks simultaneously with the main attacking Independent Army, aided by siege engines.

On the city walls, Hussite rebels fired muskets, crossbows, and light artillery at the Imperial Army outside the city, but this negligible resistance had no effect whatsoever on an attacking army of tens of thousands.

Soon, a large number of Imperial Army soldiers scaled the city walls and engaged in a desperate struggle with the Hussite rebels on the walls.

Kalixtein personally led the rebels' last elite to the breach in the city wall, using Hussite War Wagon to form a temporary Wagenburg defense line.

Many gun barrels extended from the firing ports of the Wagenburg, and various types of light artillery were mounted on the Hussite War Wagon.

Independent Army warriors, clad in plate armor and wielding sharp blades, charged into the city, only to be astonished to find that Hussite War Wagon awaited them here.

"Fire!"

Kalixtein roared, and the rebels inside the Wagenburg immediately lit their artillery. A large number of small projectiles poured out like rain, and the unprepared Imperial Army warriors fell in droves.

The Imperial Army warriors behind them followed closely, charging towards the Wagenburg. Although they could not climb over the Wagenburg, some agile warriors, under the cover of their comrades, passed through the gaps in the Wagenburg.

The Imperial Army warriors who reached the rear of the Wagenburg immediately turned and entered an adjacent Wagenburg, easily slaughtering all the rebels who were unable to resist.

In this way, the Wagenburg was torn open with gaps and was soon completely breached.

Kalixtein parried a greatsword swung by a mercenary, but the next second, a heavy hammer struck him on the head.

The last leader of the Cup faction died then and there.

After dealing with this troublesome rebel force, the Independent Army broke into the city, advancing deep inside as if entering an uninhabited land.

Many small teams, led by their commanders, entered the houses along the streets to check for unrevealed Hussites hiding inside.

The East Gate opened, and Gunter personally led a contingent along Prague's main thoroughfare, advancing until they reached the Charles Bridgehead before stopping their advance.

Although the defenders on the city walls resisted stubbornly, Prague's long city walls meant their forces were extremely dispersed, making them unable to withstand the Imperial Army's attacks from all directions.

Soon, the city walls were completely lost. Many Hussites directly lay down on the ground, giving up the struggle, while others retreated into the city to play hide-and-seek with the Imperial Army.

The subsequent battle turned into a cat-and-mouse game, with Imperial Army warriors searching house by house for stragglers.

A few unlucky warriors were ambushed and killed by rebels hiding in the shadows, but more rebels were beheaded before they could even strike.

Those not eligible for food were women unable to fight and men who were injured and weak.

They did not choose to hide themselves, but simply lay straight in their homes or shelters.

Even if the Imperial Army had not attacked, they would soon have died of hunger; the arrival of the Imperial Army was, in fact, a form of release.

The battle in the western district also proceeded very smoothly. The Imperial Army broke through two city gates in less than half an hour, and Hungarian cavalry charged into the city, slaughtering the Hussites.

During the battle to defend the city gate, Iri's eldest son, Heinrich, had his head smashed by a Bohemian knight with a shield.

The western district itself was very small, and its population was pitifully sparse, mainly residing in Prague Castle on the high ground.

The last of the rebels also gathered in Prague Castle. Rosenberg and Hunyadi immediately commanded their troops to besiege the castle.

The warriors, carrying scaling ladders, fearlessly attacked the castle. A few arrows shot from the city walls were unable to cause much obstruction to the besieging forces.

Following this, the rebels on the city walls began to use rolling logs and huge stones. Soldiers who failed to dodge were crushed into a bloody pulp or died in agony amidst wails.

More Imperial Army warriors began to climb the city walls using ladders. The final fierce battle took place within Prague Castle. At sunset, the last rebel inside Prague Castle was killed by a Bohemian soldier, bringing an end to this siege that could not be called truly fierce.

Although there was some stubborn resistance at the beginning of the siege, the Imperial Army did not actually suffer significant casualties.

The rebels participating in the city's defense numbered no more than three thousand, and they had been without food for many days. Even with strong spirits, facing an Imperial Army with a total strength of nearly thirty thousand and high morale, it was ultimately futile, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating their own strength.

As night fell, a large-scale religious inquisition swept through Prague. The trial procedures strictly followed the "Prague Salvation Edict" temporarily issued by Emperor Laszlo.

Countless oil-soaked torches illuminated the city as if it were daytime. Carrol, the newly appointed Archbishop of Prague and Imperial Inquisitor, set up temporary religious courts in major squares.

Those who refused to kiss the holy icon and convert were immediately sentenced to hanging. Hussite priests were directly subjected to burning without trial. Hussite believers who were submissive and willing to convert had the Mark of Paul's Cross branded on their foreheads; they would receive the Lord's forgiveness by serving the Emperor in lifelong servitude.

At one end of the Charles Bridge, twenty gallows, erected overnight, were mass-executing Hussite prisoners of war.

These Hussites who stubbornly refused to abandon their faith would not close their eyes until death, until the Imperial Army used spears to gouge out their eyeballs and crush them to powder.

At the other end of the bridge, Hussite priests who held firm to their faith were subjected to collective immolation. The executioners tied them to a single pillar, with firewood piled beneath. As flames rose, few among them cried out in agony.

The prisoners of war being escorted past could not bear to watch this cruel sight.

The accompanying scribe solemnly recorded on a piece of paper: All those executed have received divine punishment, ensuring their souls will never return to their bodies for eternity.

At dawn, the bells of St. Vitus Cathedral rang again after being silent for dozens of days.

Laszlo held an open-air mass amidst the city's burnt stench. When the host from the monstrance was raised high, the soldiers raised their weapons and let out a thunderous cheer.

The Imperial Army's standard-bearers vigorously waved the Emperor's double-headed eagle banner, while the blood-stained Cup faction banners were tattered and trampled underfoot at will.