That was a stupid decision for him, but for some reason, Captain Cao believed in the empire did not abandon them. That was stupid because he did not ask his subordinates to follow him to defend the fort. It was impossible for him alone to fight against the wave of Ogre Horde.
It was a suicidal decision, Lin Duan did not bother to convince Captain Cao to stay with him, "We have to leave now, or it will be too late!" He voiced his plan, "We will take the east gate to leave the fort since the east is the safe route without a monster!"
As soon as he conveyed his thoughts, someone interrupted him, "Captain, wait for me! How can you leave me alone!" It was the voice of Captain Cao's subordinate. Fan Rui, the soldier who had a close relationship with Captain Cao.
Along with Fan Rui, the other soldiers also followed Captain Cao. Lin Duan did not expect the soldiers to be so loyal to Captain Cao, "We are sorry, but we can't leave the fort even if it means I have to lose my life! If we let the monster take the fort, we will fail the objective, and if we fail the objective the monster will come into our world. My family is in the camp, I can't follow you,"
It was a soldier in his early thirties who always followed Lin Duan in this fifth portal. He had witnessed how irresponsibly the people from the Flame Castle were over his comrades' death in the early wave. Added with his family that might be endangered if he did not defend the fort, that was enough reason for him to stay. The man headed to the opposite gate, the south gate.
Soon, the soldiers parted their ways with the Flame Castle. Surprisingly, not even one soldier stayed with the Flame Castle. Of course, the soldiers would not leave the fort when their family could be at risk if they failed to defend the fort. The Flame Castle lost nothing from failing the objective but they could lose their family.
Lin Duan was left flabbergasted, he helped them, using his Survival Points he armed them with weapons and armor. He had done a lot for them but none of them took his side.
What made him even more furious, not a single one of the soldiers tried to persuade him to stay or ask for help from him, "F*ck! These damn ungrateful b*tches!" He stomped the ground furiously, "If you guys want to die, then go die!" Lin Duan turned around to look at his subordinates, "We will leave through the west gate,"
"I thought we were going to leave from the east gate, Captain," one of his subordinates asked in confusion, "That's what I told them if they realize that they can't win against the horde, they will chase after us to the east! After everything, I am not going to help these ungrateful b*stards! We are leaving for the west gate!"
*** ***
Captain Cao was standing next to the alarm bell. He was standing straight, surveying the northern forest, "You can go, Fan Rui! You don't have a family to protect while I do, you are free, and you don't have to follow me!"
Fan Rui was a young soldier under his care. He was twenty-four, unmarried. Cao Yuntai did not want this young man to throw his life for him.
"Oh, c'mon, Captain! You are overthinking, I am staying not because of you, but because I want to join the empire. I told you before, right? Empire allowed polygamy… Kuhuhu…" a perverted smile formed on Fan Rui's lips, "If I leave the fort, the empire will not accept me, the coward who runs away from the monster. So I am doing this for myself, not for you. Maybe I can get close to the girl who has the bear? She's quite cute~."
Cao Yuntai shook his head as he knew the young man was not being honest with him. He was glad though Fan Rui followed, "Actually, it's not just me, everyone seems to decide to join the empire! No one is leaving with those arrogant pricks from the Flame Castle, everyone is staying!"
Captain Cao turned his head away, pretending to check in a different direction. However, Fan Rui could tell that his captain was smiling widely.
Cao Yuntai might be proud and happy, but the fact everyone was staying in the fort made him nervous. He felt responsible for the soldiers' lives. He felt his shoulders were very heavy with many people's lives at stake.
At this moment, Kang Jiayi climbed up to the wall. The old man looked around, with the absence of five archers from Tarriors, the wall was empty. His gaze stopped at Cao Yuntai before he approached the two.
Cao Yuntai and Fan Rui felt the old man's presence and turned toward him, "Sir!" The two gave a respectful salute to the old man. Kang Jiayi nodded and looked toward Fan Rui, "Can I have a word with your captain, Young Soldier?"
"Yes, Sir!" Fan Rui then excused himself as he walked away from the two. He stopped when reached where he could not hear the conversation. He did not know what they were talking about, but they seemed to talk something serious as he could see Captain Cao's pensive expression while speaking to the old man.
Fan Rui shook his head and turned toward the northern forest. He saw an ogre rushed out of the forest, one after another, the ogres came out of the forest. The next attack was coming.
He ran to the other side of the wall and yelled, "Get ready for the attack!!!" While shouting, he ran down off the wall. Captain Cao heard the shout and immediately hit the bell. After he hit the bell, Cao Yuntai bowed his head toward Kang Jiayi and chased after Fan Rui.
As he ran down off the wall, weirdly, he did not hear the bell from the south gate. The fort was not that big and empty of people, so if the other side rang the bell, he could hear the sound but not this time.
His heart tightened, and as soon as he came down, he ordered one of his people to check the south gate. He was afraid that the soldiers in the south gate left their post.
If the soldiers in the south gate left the gate, they should run back to the main building and defend the main building instead.
While waiting for his subordinate to come back, Captain Cao led his soldiers outside the gate. They formed a long line instead of a half-square formation. Cao Yuntai position himself in the middle of his subordinates and Fan Rui was standing on his right side.
With just one look, Cao Yuntai could tell that the number of the ogre increased a lot compares to the beforehand wave.
"You guys can still leave if you want to," Captain Cao spoke up his mind as he saw the number of the ogres. He was not sure if they could last that long until the people from the empire came.
"Haha, you are underestimating us, Captain Cao! We may be weak but we are not a coward!" The soldier to his left spoke loudly.
"We are not coward!" The soldiers yelled together.
"Your command, Captain!" Fan Rui yelled.
"Your command, Captain!" The soldiers followed loudly.
A big smile formed on Captain Cao's face, "Raise your shield! Ready your spear!" The horde was fifty meters away to reach them as he yelled.
Looking at the battlefield, Kang Jiayi could not help but let out a smile. He was proud of his soldiers but he knew that without the people from the empire the soldiers would perish, "Where are you guys!" The old man muttered hopefully.
"We are here, old man!" The old man heard a familiar voice from the side. He turned his head and saw Tang Shaoyang leaped off the wall.
Captain Cao took a deep breath, was about to shout "Thrust!" But then the figure landed three meters ahead of them. He immediately recognized the armored figure, the man who always fought alone in the front.
"Hold your ground, soldiers! The ground will be shaky a little!" Captain Cao did not understand what the man talked about until the man stomped the ground.
The ground shook fiercely and his eyes widened in shock as he saw the ground ahead split open. From the man's toe, the ground cracked open and further. It was like a monster opened its mouth, the ground swallowed the ogres.