I, transformed into a vampire girl, sparked the Industrial Revolution.

Chapter 40 Coordinated Attack

In an era lacking effective communication methods, conducting large-scale warfare is an extremely difficult problem, especially when it comes to the strategic level. Pre-planned operations often cannot be carried out at all, which is the norm.

Grant was a warrior first and a soldier second, and he soon received an alert from the Great Mill region in the northwest, two days after Alice took it.

"How is that possible? We have the Trembling Mountains as a natural barrier! I've deployed a large number of scouts and cavalry units on the front! Keep in mind they only have one light cavalry regiment! The rest are infantry!"

"My lord... the Trembling Mountains... could it be that it's not... at all...?"

"You mean there are traitors? Impossible! The entire northwest region of the Great Mill has no resources other than farmland! Their iron mines are strictly controlled, and besides, I don't collect military taxes there!"

"I mean, sir, could it be that the enemy commander took this into account and sent their troops there...you know?"

Grant stepped out of the tent and looked northwest. From there, the Trembling Mountains stretched across the horizon, so low yet so incredibly tall.

"A decisive decision... I think that princess is probably not an easy young lady to deal with..."

Grant's scouts discovered that the opposing army was directly commanded by Alice, but he didn't know that the princess dared to send her army over the mountains to attack their rear.

He had to face a question: was the force that had crossed over a lone army or an ironclad force? He knew that such operations were usually very difficult. To cross the Trembling Mountains, one had to have strong willpower and could not carry heavy weapons. Grant knew that the town of Great Mill did not have high stone walls, but it did have log walls.

He couldn't possibly breach the city in just one morning. Even with wooden walls, the defenders could still inflict casualties on the attackers from their superior positions. Lacking siege weapons, the only option was to rely on manpower to break through the city—which would take at least several days.

Of course, he didn't know what "engineer" or "explosive pack" meant, otherwise he could have immediately revised these schedules.

"My lord, the enemy has launched an attack, and the knights are fighting desperately..."

"My lord, urgent report from the Rhine front: enemy ships and cavalry are attacking, and the Saxon mercenaries are putting up a desperate resistance!"

"Wait? Attack?"

Grant immediately realized that the enemy had begun their attack! An attack from two directions!

No, that's not right. With attacks from three directions, the enemy forces that have crossed the Trembling Mountains will definitely not just wait foolishly in the city. Even he wouldn't do that. He doesn't think that a ruthless character like Alice, who attacks his logistics base right away, would do that. The Great Mill is a natural horse farm. It has been a source of horse supplies since he took over the territory, which is why he has been able to send out a large number of troops.

"If we wipe out the enemy forces at the big mill, then the enemy forces ahead will launch a major offensive and break through the defenses. If we ignore it, we will run out of food. It's a well-intentioned strategy."

He calculated that if logistics could not be restored, it would only be a matter of time before the enemy broke through the frontal defenses. However, if troops were transferred to the Great Mill area, the enemy would inevitably launch a major offensive.

Either way, you win.

"Send the Third Army Corps to the Great Mill and tell the corps commander that the enemy must be completely annihilated within three days!"

On the Rhine River, a large black ship was slowly sailing on its wide surface. The entire Saxon theater command was aboard the newly launched Type 90 gunboat "Invasion," its hull still reeking of asphalt paint. In the ship's conference room, officers were looking at theater situation maps and discussing everything.

"His Highness has captured the Great Mill region, and our scouts have discovered that the enemy is transferring a legion to the northwest."

"Currently, the enemy only has three mercenary legions and two knightly orders capable of fighting along the Trembling Mountains-Rhine River line, while we have three infantry divisions, two militia divisions, and one cavalry division, all of which are capable of fighting tough battles."

"According to the plan, the cavalry division will take the lead and advance in coordination with the Rhine Task Force. This river will carry the Rhine Task Force all the way to the Russen Valley, which is Essen, the central city of Grant."

"The troops advancing from the north are responsible for flanking the enemy forces sent to attack the 1st Infantry Division from the Mill Plain, coordinating their operations and advancing rapidly."

"Yes!"

Alice rode on her horse, with the commander of the First Division following behind her. They looked at the plains in the distance, a place undoubtedly suitable for cavalry to outflank and harass. In fact, that's exactly what they did. Every morning, they would send out several squads of cavalry to harass enemy supply convoys, destroy key transportation facilities, and eliminate scattered enemy troops—and incidentally, eliminate local bandits.

"Grant still chose to remove us, this thorn in his side. Hmph, just as I thought?"

Alice looked at the scouts' intelligence report and, as expected, Grant chose to retake the supply area. A legion of about 10,000 to 20,000 men was just easy prey for Alice.

"They're getting closer; they should arrive here around this afternoon."

"We can't let them get here so easily."

Alice glanced around; she was on a gentle slope, and there was another one behind her. There were no trees to block the view. She had trenches and breastworks dug on both slopes, especially the one behind her.

"Get the lads ready: ammunition, weapons, and morale."

Alice swung her command sword, which cut through the air with a whooshing sound.

"I'm a little hungry. Mmm~ Dark elf blood must taste delicious. Hmm, I'll have to try it when I get back!"

On the hillside, soldiers in gray uniforms raised the tricolor flag, and the breastwork was shaped by entrenching tools.

Alice took a look and decided to set up the first defensive position on the hillside. Here, she set up a two-platoon battle line, not many people but enough, and the tricolor flag fluttered on the hillside.

In the afternoon, when the sun was at its highest, but the spring weather shielded it from the infrared rays, Alice wore a cowboy hat with a wide brim and held a revolver.

The scouts on horseback circled around the hillside, where two rows of infantry were already waiting. Alice saw the army approaching from the front—a force of tens of thousands.

"The Third Mercenary Group..."

Alice recognized the inscriptions on the enemy's ceremonial guards, and of course, she also saw the enemy commander riding towards the front of the lines—at this time, the war between the two sides was still civilized, the nobles were recognized, and they were not easily killed.

The Third Mercenary Group's commander, Lavent, curiously observed the enemy troops on the hillside. Two thin gray-blue lines—how could such a formation withstand their heavily armored long spear formation?

But then he realized they had new weapons. Grant had warned him that the enemy had a range advantage, and their weapons were capable of penetrating plate armor from a hundred paces away.

Is it a crossbow?

Their position was well-organized, with low walls and ditches in front of them, covered with sharpened wooden spikes, but their numbers were still small, seemingly only a hundred.

You only know the truth once you hit the target.