Chapter 981: Chapter 553: Damn, What Happened to Hamlet!

Lance placed the most crucial Honor Guard and a group of heroes at Outpost No. 3, indicating his high regard for this location.

The more troublesome aspect is that this is an isolated troop, without support or logistics.

Therefore, after a brief stop at Outpost No. 2, they rushed over, choosing not to travel above ground but through the underground passage.

Because after a night’s pursuit, the heretics above had been cleared; upon hearing Barton and their battle last night, it was understood that the blood had lured Pigmen from the underground beast lair above.

Everything needed to be cleared anyway, isn’t this faster than finding the heretics one by one?

So they fought their way up from below.

The map left by the Saintess helped him greatly; otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken to get here.

The situation here was more serious than he imagined; he underestimated the Ascension Sect’s strength and the leader’s determination.

Mobilizing both Fishmen and Pigmen, not to mention these heretics.

Fortunately, he arrived, and the depletion of Spiritual Essence finally halted the decline.

With him around, repelling double the number of heretics didn’t seem that unusual.

Previously, he only observed the state, but now, through talking with Geralt, Lance truly understood what had occurred here.

According to Geralt, even he, a master Witcher living countless years, found the situation extremely dire.

However, through this conversation, Geralt also revealed his decision at the time, feeling somewhat ashamed about it.

"Your opinion wasn’t actually wrong; preserving strength when the situation spins out of control is the best choice, defending here didn’t yield high rewards.

Moreover, when coming up from below, I found traces left by battles between Pigmen and heretics, indicating their relationship isn’t good, and conflicts between them are possible."

Lance didn’t blame Geralt for his choice at the time, even saying that if he were in Geralt’s shoes, he might choose to retreat too. If alive, there’s hope, but dead means nothing.

"Yet at the time, we couldn’t escape; our condition was too poor, and retreating just meant being caught and killed by heretics elsewhere."

Geralt understood the situation back then too; who wouldn’t want to survive?

Yet for a retreat, someone had to stay behind to buy time, so Balistan stepping up to hold back heretics clearly understood the situation.

Then Boudica and Dismas expressed their stand, even Tadiff, the bounty hunter—essentially a mercenary—chose to stay and cover, which shocked Geralt.

"Don’t dwell on things that didn’t happen; you stayed and fought with everyone till the end, and that’s enough."

Lance didn’t dwell on past or hypothetical events, what Geralt thought didn’t matter, what mattered was his actions.

Hearing this, Geralt couldn’t calm down for a long time, not knowing what to say, but today’s experience was enough for a lifetime memory.

"Go rest a bit; we won, don’t pressurize yourself too much."

"Mm."

It’s uncertain whether Lance’s deterrence kept Pigmen and heretics from appearing, or if everyone lacked the power to continue attacking after consecutive battles.

Regardless, it was truly like returning to former peace, allowing everyone to rest stably.

Lance stirred the thick soup in the pot, yet his thoughts were on the subsequent actions.

Pigmen, Fishmen, and so on didn’t count; the operation had taken down at least six to seven hundred heretics so far, including prominent figures like Missionaries, Deacons, and Witches.

Two legs, let alone one, had been cut off with a "snap"; though Ascension Sect’s power in the wilds hadn’t been wholly wiped out, it was heavily crippled.

At least, they couldn’t launch attacks again soon.

The situation in the wilds is now under control, just waiting for Barton to come and take over, then construct new defenses.

Then waiting for Luxiu, the road doesn’t have to be perfect, just good enough for the army and supplies to move, at which point the Ascension Sect loses the wilds, locked in the ruins.

That’s the plan, but two issues make Lance uneasy.

One, the beast lair beneath the wilds, however overlapping, those Pigmen are disgusting.

Two, the Deep Divers represented by the Fishmen, their attacks trouble Lance greatly. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

In the underground, you can fight, but what do you do in the water?

Moreover, some discordant voices exist in the town, Lance doesn’t believe the Church will behave.

This operation secured the wilds but also birthed many troubles.

Because of Lance’s hunt last night, the heretics were essentially cleared, so by morning, the advancing main force hardly encountered a fight.

They moved and progressed quickly, with parts of the troops stopping at Objective No. 2 to rest.

Additionally, after receiving the Lord’s orders, Barton prepared, and upon regrouping, he was to lead half of the artillery to Objective No. 3.

The only pity is the old road hasn’t been repaired here yet, forcing a difficult traverse through the wilds.

Fortunately, with no heretic threats, only more nuisance exists.

And with enough manpower, they didn’t fear any problems arising.

By noon, the troops had regrouped at Outpost No. 3.