Rising Stone Town was silent, with only faint firelight flickering.
Blackfish led his troops to quietly approach.
Besides the task of breaking through the northern defenses of Rising Stone Town, he was also responsible for commanding the entire vanguard.
Ser Kevan had given Blackfish two thousand men.
The Riverlands cavalry, mainly from the Piper family of Pinkmaiden and the Vance family of Wayfarer's Rest, were responsible for attacking Rising Stone Town from the west, destroying fortifications and anyone who dared to resist, and capturing enemy generals.
This part of the vanguard only had a thousand men, but Ser Jaime had given them three hundred Holy War Army soldiers.
The Vale cavalry, mainly from the Waynwood family of Ironoaks and the Templeton family of Nine Stars City, had their battlefield to the south.
In addition to their own two thousand cavalry, another two hundred Holy War Army soldiers accompanied them.
Attacks were coming from the west, north, and south, with only the east left open.
But if Rising Stone Town truly dared to escape or even flank from the east, the hundreds of cannons placed on the hills would let them know that the east was the most dangerous dead end.
Tap, tap, tap.
The slow sound of hooves stopped a few hundred paces from the rebel army tents.
The final calm.
Blackfish looked at the operational map on the light screen, still amazed.
The dense blue dots represented their own soldiers, who were now gradually converging, forming three blue bands surrounding Rising Stone Town in the center.
Rising Stone Town had also been completely exposed.
The crowded enemy troops could no longer be represented by red dots, only by patches and circles of red.
Blackfish continued to zoom in on the operational map.
Every house in the town showed a few or dozens of red dots.
The rebuilt Castle in the center of the town could originally accommodate a maximum of one hundred guards, but now it was stained with a deep, bright red. At least five hundred people or more.
Even though it was so crowded, Rising Stone Town was still not enough to house thirty thousand soldiers.
The remaining people were stationed outside the town.
They formed a circle of red light surrounding Rising Stone Town in the center.
East, west, north, and south, each direction had a spot that was the brightest red, like buttons, while the red in other areas connected into one piece, like red silk.
It was almost as much red as inside the town. This meant at least ten thousand people.
With this, the enemy's troop deployment was completely clear.
With this advantage alone, Blackfish was confident he could defeat ten times the enemy with a thousand cavalry.
And the light screen offered more than just this surprise.
The troops were basically in position. Blackfish continuously operated on the light screen, planning and selecting the safest and most efficient attack routes for each unit.
The map not only showed the enemy's activity but also all roads, fortresses, warehouses, strongholds, fortifications, trenches, and traps. Of course, there were also gaps and weaknesses that the rebel army had been lax in defending.
Blackfish couldn't ask for more.
But he actually had more to rely on. The Holy War Army, who could fight one against ten, the violent and fierce cannons, the rear army of over six thousand people responsible for holding the line, and the Divine Grace Creation specifically for night raids...
Blackfish had never fought a battle like this.
It was as if an adult was condescendingly teaching a disobedient child, relaxed and comfortable, with everything under control.
No wonder King Joffrey wanted to "forgive".
Blackfish couldn't help but imagine this. With such power, the complete submission of the Seven Kingdoms was no problem at all. What difference did the Reach, the Riverlands, or Dorne make?
For every person who died, the King's subjects decreased by one.
It must be because of this.
Blackfish no longer dared to look at Joffrey with the same eyes as before. After this willful prince became King, it was as if he was truly inspired by the Gods, abandoning many bad habits, but his actions were often unexpected.
At least he wasn't the worst King in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.
He was undoubtedly the most legendary and mysterious King. Perhaps, he might also be the most revered King.
Lannister, or Baratheon?
Blackfish actually didn't care. To whom did it matter who he knelt to? The Tully family's position in the Riverlands wouldn't change as long as they were loyal to the King.
Blackfish was very confident about this.
Family, Duty, Honor. All of these demanded that the Tully family be loyal to the King, especially since the King would surely win.
The entire vanguard was completely in position.
It was time.
But just before the battle, a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease arose in his heart, as if something terrible was about to happen. But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't grasp the reason or origin.
Thousands of people were waiting for him to speak.
Suppressing his impatience and hesitation, Blackfish's voice was hoarse: "Attack!"
Whoosh—whoosh—
The cannons to the east cooperated perfectly, firing "Candles." The flashing shells made a roaring whistle that echoed across the sky.
The "Candles" drifted in the night sky, making Rising Stone Town as bright as day.
"Long live the King!"
"For Casterly Rock! Hear Me Roar!"
Warhorses carrying armor continuously streamed past Blackfish, letting out roars and shouts as they charged at full speed towards the enemy camp ahead.
Blackfish stood still, quietly observing the Light Screen.
All three cavalry units had begun their charge. The blue light bands gradually turned into sharp wedges, piercing the most vulnerable gaps in Rising Stone Town.
The weakness to the north was an area of empty tents, with no soldiers. Perhaps they were on patrol or night watch, or perhaps the outposts outside the town had already been taken out. In any case, these tents posed almost no threat and could be passed through without casualties.
The gap to the south was the prostitutes' tents. Anyone could enter easily, just like the prostitutes themselves.
As for the west...
"Piper family, follow me and kill the enemy!" The hot-tempered Ser Marq Piper charged at the front.
"Long live Wayfarer's Rest!"
Karyl Vance refused to fall behind Ser Marq Piper. Otherwise, if people mistakenly thought the Piper family was leading this force, it would be terrible.
And that was certainly not the truth.
The Piper family was simply not worthy of comparison to the Vance family.
As everyone knew, the Vance family ruled a larger territory than their liege lord, the Tully family, and could recruit more troops.
Although that was the combined strength of the two branches, Atranta and Wayfarer's Rest.
But this was enough to prove that Wayfarer's Rest's strength was far beyond that of ordinary lords. Even within this single force, Wayfarer's Rest's cavalry was twice that of the Piper family.
"Vance family, charge!"
Karyl Vance spurred his mount repeatedly, accelerating constantly, finally catching up to Ser Marq Piper just before engaging the enemy.
"Let's see who gets there first!"
Ser Marq Piper glanced to his right and only saw the Wayfarer's Rest sigil on the armor. But he knew who it was.
"Karyl, I want your horse this time."
Karyl Vance felt the wine-red birthmark under his helmet burning. "Win first, then talk!"
He squeezed his horse's belly and pulled ahead by half a length.
Ser Marq Piper was unusually calm. "Don't charge too wildly, be careful of explosions."
Karyl Vance immediately sobered up considerably. Looking at the chaos and the sharp cheval de frise ahead, he finally slowed down.
To the west, a river blocked the way. The rebel army tents stretched all the way to the riverbank, and the crossing points and dry riverbeds were heavily fortified with cheval de frise. According to the plan, "Water Drops" were to be used to clear the way here.
Bang bang bang~
"Water Drops" shattered the obstacles in front of them.
"Haha, don't forget my horse!" Before the water mist had even dissipated, Ser Marq Piper had already charged through.
Liar! Karyl Vance gritted his teeth.
At this moment.
The light gradually dimmed. The shadows increased.
Karyl Vance looked up. The "Candles" were falling and extinguishing.
Then.
The light disappeared. Darkness descended once more. It wasn't until a dozen more breaths passed.
Whoosh—
The second round of light rose.
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