-167- Too close

Swain's gaze was cold as he looked at Irelia charging towards him in anger. With a casual wave of his hand, Swain calmly said, "Have the surrounding soldiers tighten their formation. We need to surround them."

"Yes, Grand General."

The officer in front of Swain immediately obeyed, taking out a uniquely shaped horn from his pocket. In the next moment, he blew into it forcefully.

"Woo-woo—"

The sound of the horn echoed on the battlefield, spreading along the coastline and throughout the entire salt field.

The Noxian soldiers, who were previously retreating under the attacks of the Navori Brotherhood, suddenly changed their tactics.

Facing brooms, staffs, kitchen knives, and sickles coming at them, the Noxian soldiers didn't dodge or avoid. They allowed themselves to be attacked, while simultaneously using their well-formed battle formation and better weapons to force the Ionian forces deeper inward.

Their attack pattern was simple.

"Splurt!"

"Sweep!"

Eight people formed a team, with a squad leader giving orders, and the entire team executed the same attack motion.

Stabbing forward side by side, sweeping forward side by side.

Under the steel spears that looked worn but were quite effective, the Ionian people quickly huddled together.

Swain, standing on a higher ground, observed this scene with a calm expression. However, around Swain, a dozen or so officers revealed smiles.

The Grand General's plan was correct. With a strategic approach, combining captured enemies with necessary sacrifices from their own side, this ragtag group of prisoners could be dealt with easily.

They couldn't even produce decent weapons; the steel spears and large knives they held were left behind by the Noxian soldiers when they fled the battlefield.

Because of this, lacking equipment, training, and even morale, how could such a group defeat Swain's forces?

Even though his army had been infiltrated by various factions and become chaotic, as long as Swain was still there, the army wouldn't truly fall apart.

"In war, there is no room for elegance or humanity!"

Swain calmly watched everything happening on the salt field.

Everything was just as he had thought the night before.

Sacrificing over twenty Noxian soldiers to use alchemical gas to kill hundreds of Ionian people was a worthwhile trade.

Soldiers with prepared gas canisters and alchemical bombs were sent forward as planned.

Was this humane?

Certainly not. It was inhumane not only to the enemies but also to their own people.

However, Swain didn't care about that.

Sacrifices were inevitable for victory.

Now, he raised his hand and loudly declared, "Prepare the bombs."

With a wave of his hand, several squads of Noxian soldiers rushed out without hesitation under his command.

"For Noxus!"

Shouting the unified slogan, these Noxian soldiers, holding burning alchemical bombs, charged into the circle formed by the Ionian forces.

Their bodies were cut by sickles, but it couldn't dampen their will.

"For Noxus!"

"Boom!"

Countless explosions erupted, accompanied by a small black cloud rising on the salt field.

Irelia rushed to the front alone. When she turned around at the sound, her eyes widened in agony.

Those were alchemical bombs capable of destroying obstacles on the road; just one could cause massive destruction within a few meters.

Even solid rocks could be shattered, let alone the fragile human body.

Pain was evident on Irelia's face as she shouted, "No!"

But before Irelia could rush back, within a few breaths, before the dust and black smoke had cleared, the Ionian people, who hadn't fully regrouped and reformed their formation, had to face the Noxian soldiers charging at them again.

The Noxian soldiers were already bloodthirsty.

The Ionian people looked at these madmen with fear.

Swain calmly lifted his hand and said, "Continue."

Under Swain's command, the officers below nodded vigorously. "Yes, Grand General."

With a single order, another squad, holding alchemical bombs, rushed out.

The deaths of eight individuals could exchange for the deaths of dozens of Ionian people and break through the Ionian formation, is this a profitable deal or not?

The lives of Imperial soldiers are, of course, more valuable than those of Ionians. But on the battlefield, as long as victory can be ensured, Swain is a man who will use any means necessary.

However, at the moment Swain raised his hand for the third time, a certain officer couldn't bear it.

In his view, their victory was already assured, and there was no need to resort to such inhumane methods to achieve it.

Seeing the hesitating officer, Swain looked at him indifferently and said, "They will resist, and in the resistance, soldiers approaching them will also be injured or killed. Now, we've pre-allocated the deaths to achieve faster and more effective results."

Swain lowered his gaze, "Sacrifice is inevitable, go to your deaths with honor."

"Yes, Grand General."

"Third squad!"

---

Twenty minutes.

Now, it's the twentieth minute since Irelia entered the battlefield.

She is getting closer to Swain.

In her ears, the cries and pleas of the Ionian people resound, reaching Irelia's mind.

She hears their cries for help.

But she cannot lend a hand.

Even though she is powerful.

Fourteen-year-old Irelia knows clearly that there is only one way to truly win now.

The mine plan has been exposed, and many brothers have died because of it. The captured individuals are now being surrounded, used as a pawn against the resistance forces.

Ionian forces are retreating on the battlefield. Faced with the fearless Noxian soldiers, it's only a matter of time before the captured individuals are killed.

The only way to win is one.

---

"She's here."

Swain has already seen Irelia, who is moving through the battlefield as if in a deserted place.

No one in the army can get close to that girl.

That girl is getting too close!

Descending a few steps from the high platform, Swain, accompanied by a dozen or so officers and a bunch of soldiers, rushes towards her.

They are protecting the Grand General.

Protecting Swain.

Although the strategy is powerful, in reality, Swain's combat capabilities are quite low.

"Drive them completely out of the battlefield!"

Swain waves his hand.

By "them," he means the group of resistance forces.

In Swain's eyes, there is only one true enemy for Noxus in Ionia—

This young girl.

Although she is very young, she is the soul of the resistance forces.

Swain goes against imperial orders, dares to offend Darkwill, and is willing to pay the price just to kill the members of the resistance. Swain doesn't want to kill those ordinary people; he wants to kill the hero of Ionia.

"Kill her."

Facing layer after layer of enemies, Irelia, driven by anger, charges straight towards them.

She doesn't see the mockery in Swain's eyes.

"Defiant Dance!"

Amidst the flashes of blades and swords, Irelia effortlessly breaks through the enemy formation.