Lord of the Sky City

As time passed, the flank battlefield had gradually determined a winner.

The Imperial Army, initially surrounding the enemy, had dwindled significantly. In contrast, the Alliance Army, despite suffering substantial losses in the Escort Ship troops, managed to preserve the cruiser fleet relatively intact.

With this development, the flank battle was expected to conclude shortly, and once completed, the relatively unscathed cruiser fleet would quickly reinforce the frontal battlefield.

On the frontal battlefield, the Imperial Army, which should have been advancing unstoppably, faced a less optimistic situation. As much time had passed, and the flank battlefield was nearing its end, they still hadn't finished their battle.

At this moment, Wilton's battleship fleet remained completely surrounded, facing relentless fierce attacks from the enemy. Their formation had long become utterly chaotic. Yet, despite the overwhelming disorder, a considerable number of battleships, roughly two to three hundred, had survived.

The large troop led by Wilton originally consisted of seven hundred battleships. After continuous exchanges of fire, they had lost two-thirds, undoubtedly a heavy blow. However, one must not underestimate the remaining two to three hundred warships. These were battleships, after all, and even with only two to three hundred left, they still possessed substantial battle power. Thus, the Imperial Army couldn't swallow this last piece of bone.

Of course, another reason preventing the Imperial Army from gobbling up the Alliance Army in one bite was the intervention of the Void Magic Corps.

The timely reinforcements from the Void Magic Corps not only significantly relieved Wilton's pressure but also greatly slowed down the Imperial Army's offensive. Consequently, the battle, which should have been swiftly decided, dragged on and remained unresolved as the flank battlefield was almost concluded.

Clearly, the situation on the battlefield hadn't developed as everyone imagined. The arrival of the Alliance's Void Magic Corps had become the biggest variable in this grand war, completely altering the course of the battle.

In such a scenario, the Imperial Army had no choice but to make adjustments again, because, although no one in the Imperial Army wanted to admit it, they had to accept that they were now showing signs of defeat...

The flank battle was about to end, and once a victor was declared, the Alliance's cruiser fleet would support the frontal battlefield. At that point, the two divisions of the Imperial Army would become surrounded and subsequently annihilated.

That was what was going to happen next.
Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

But this outcome was definitely not what the Imperial Army wanted to see. Therefore, to avoid the worst scenario, the Imperial Army's Commander had no choice but to issue a new order.

Retreat...

At this stage of the battle, continuing the fight was pointless. The Imperial Army's defeat was certain, and revealing such a desperate situation at the last stage of the battle meant it was irreversible. The Imperial Army's Commander, having neither the troops nor the time to readjust, decisively issued the order to retreat.

Upon issuing the order, the Imperial Army, which was besieging at the time, immediately reacted. The heavy armored ship troops at the front line showed little reaction, but the surrounding fleets turned their ships around and quickly exited the battlefield, followed by the heavy armored ship troops.

This truly confirmed the old saying, "A defeated army is like a landslide!"

In the face of inevitable defeat, the Imperial Army's fleets also exhibited a rout, exiting the battlefield en masse, which was not only shocking to observers but also profoundly disheartening.

Upon noticing this maneuver by the Imperial Army, Wilton immediately realized what was happening and issued his command, "Order all troops not to pursue. Take this time to adjust the formation."

Even as he watched the enemy evidently retreat in disarray, Wilton, serving as the commander-in-chief, did not order a pursuit. Instead, he had the fleet contract and focus on defense.

This command may have baffled many, as it seemed like a perfect opportunity to press their advantage. How could they let it slip so easily?

Those who harbored such thoughts were likely accustomed to theorizing about war on paper; they did not understand what a real battlefield was like.

The Imperial Army might have been retreating in disarray, seemingly presenting a perfect chance to chase after a victory, but was it really so?

It was the Imperial Army that was collapsing!

Throughout the entire battle, regardless of the final outcome, the performance of the Imperial Army had been impeccable, from the highest commanders down to the common soldiers. Not one individual had tarnished the name of the Imperial Army. Why then, at this final moment, would such a disgraceful scene occur?

The battle on the flanks had not yet genuinely concluded. The Imperial Army still had plenty of time for an orderly withdrawal from the battlefield as they still held an advantage on the frontal battlefield and no one could have stopped them. Why then did they disperse so haphazardly?

Thus, this apparent rout was clearly an illusion!

If Wilton had rashly pursued at this moment, he surely would have suffered. The battleship fleet he commanded was already severely depleted and had lost the capability to continue fighting the enemy. Therefore, if they were ambushed during the pursuit, they might have been completely annihilated! And should that have occurred, the outcome of the entire battle would once again become uncertain.

Therefore, after securing the victory, Wilton, a renowned general, would not risk such danger. He decisively ordered his fleet not to pursue and blatantly allowed the seemingly scattered Imperial Army to escape.

Shortly thereafter, seeing that Wilton did not lead his troops in pursuit, the panicking Imperial Army quickly reorganized their formation and began to retreat in an orderly, tiered manner.

Indeed, just as Wilton had anticipated, the initial display of collapse was merely a ruse to lure him into making a move, but fortunately, Wilton was not deceived.

It must be said that the commanders on both sides had truly battled from the beginning to the end. Even at the final moments when the outcome was already determined, both commanders did not give up the last chance to turn defeat into victory, still competing in secrecy.

However, judging from the ultimate outcome, Wilton clearly had the last laugh.

Meanwhile, as the Imperial Army withdrew from the frontal battlefield, the Imperial Army on the flanks also began their retreat. However, they were not so lucky. The distinctly superior Alliance Army didn't give them a chance to regroup with the main forces. Taking advantage of their victory, they quickly annihilated all the enemies.

Yet just as the cruiser fleet, still capable of fighting, targeted the retreating heavy armored ships, they discovered that the four Sky Cities previously dispatched by the Imperial Army had already flown into the battlefield.