Let's rewind to the present.
After counting the sugar and gunpowder stored in the fort's memory over the past few days and confirming there was enough, Dungar and Posadas began to direct the Bosporus defenders to prepare for their departure from the fort, following the 'Final Plan.' Although they couldn't hold out, they could at least cause some intractable trouble for the White Sheep Army before they left.
Before the White Sheep Army attacked, the defenders removed several important pillars and beams supporting the fort. They also intentionally buried a large amount of gunpowder, mixed with some sugar, beneath the remaining few. This activity continued for several hours. Once everything was ready, Dungar and Posadas, as commanders, issued orders for their officers to lead the peasant soldiers in a stealthy withdrawal.
At the same time, the defenders deliberately made a great show of clanging gongs and beating drums outside the fort, creating a huge commotion. This led the vigilant White Sheep Army, who were eyeing them menacingly, to mistakenly believe that the defenders' main force would soon confront them directly.
Mahmoud and Hamza took this very seriously. After reporting to their father, White Sheep Sultan Kara Osman specifically ordered the entire army not to act rashly until the general assault began.
This arrangement by the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty inadvertently bought the Bosporus defenders a significant amount of time. Thanks to the enemy's caution, the defenders secretly withdrew three thousand soldiers within a day and a night. By early the next morning, apart from the two commanders and a few officers, the fort's garrison consisted only of about a thousand conscripted militiamen, who appeared entirely ordinary in every respect.
After assessing the situation, the two commanders maintained their established rhythm, ordering their soldiers to systematically bury gunpowder, construct makeshift shelters, continue evacuating veteran soldiers, and also carry away the medium and large-sized firearms from within the fortifications. Furthermore, although the fort's defenses were significantly weakened due to the reduced garrison, the defenders still tried their best to put on a show of resolute resistance, occasionally firing the small cannons they had kept at the enemy's positions to create necessary misunderstandings.
This continued until the second evening after the defenders began their withdrawal. After confirming that the 'Final Plan' arrangements were finally complete, the soldiers seemed to relax a little, returning to their positions and beginning to chat noisily. Few noticed that their two commanders quietly walked to their private quarters, accompanied by their personal guards.
Upon reaching the commanders' private quarters—though the 'private quarters' were essentially just earth-walled rooms with better soundproofing—Dungar and Posadas first dismissed their subordinates, then exchanged a few knowing words before falling into an inexpressible silence. During this silence, they recalled the end of the previous military council—
At that night's meeting, after appointing them as the commanders of the reinforcements, Manuel had gravely instructed them in front of everyone: 'If the enemy launches a general assault, then prioritize saving our high-quality soldiers. On the battlefield, 'people' are everything.'
The two bowed their heads in compliance. However, their Caesar immediately changed his tone: 'But even so, letting those Turks run rampant towards the Christians is certainly not a good thing. Fortunately, I have a 'final plan' that isn't really a plan: use our accumulated large quantity of gunpowder, combined with the fort's structure, which will likely be on the verge of collapse by then, to give these White Sheep Turks a big bang.'
He then proceeded to explain the steps and key points of this plan in detail to the assembled generals, concluding by asking the two of them to meet him privately afterwards. At that time, he would give them a crucial 'potion' to facilitate the implementation of the plan.
However, before the meeting officially ended, Dungar, greatly puzzled, raised an important question: 'But Caesar, how will we detonate these gunpowder fuses?'
'Have people light them manually.'
'Caesar, which people should we send?'
After a moment of thought, Manuel finally gave only an ambiguous suggestion: 'As you see fit.'
After a long moment of returning from their memories, Posadas pursed his lips and subtly hinted to his colleague,
'There are still so many people.'
Dungar was also somewhat dazed at this moment, 'Yes, yes.'
Another brief and inexpressible silence followed, but then Posadas unexpectedly and unreservedly asked his Catholic colleague directly:
'Lord Dungar, how many and which people have you decided to sacrifice?'
Posadas's direct question completely stumped his counterpart.
'This...'
'According to scout intelligence, the Turks shouldn't delay too long,' Posadas emphasized gravely.
'The amount we've prepared, according to Caesar, should be sufficient. To detonate them, perhaps dozens of people, no, thirty or forty people lighting them simultaneously in different places would suffice.'
'But to detonate them quickly when the Turks attack, at least a hundred to nearly three hundred people would need to hold out in the fort for a period of time.' Dungar, being of noble birth, was much better at calculations than Posadas, who came from a farming background.
'Then let's start preparing now. I already have a rough idea of who can accompany the Holy Father.' Understanding this, Posadas immediately stood up, ready to make the final preparations.
Before leaving the room, Dungar couldn't help but sigh, rubbing his forehead: 'This is a bit... sigh... for those Christians fighting for the Lord.'
Hearing this, Posadas paused. Coming from the lower class, he had a clear understanding of his actions, yet even so, he stood there, his figure like an iron tower, gazing up steadfastly, 'This is a necessary sacrifice.'
Afterwards, the two generals quickly adjusted their mindsets as they left the room. By the time they appeared before the assembled conscripted soldiers that evening, both were as serious as ever.
'Silence, everyone!' At an officer's command, the previously somewhat noisy conscripted soldiers immediately quieted down, looking solemnly at their commanders. Over the past few days, these two well-disciplined reinforcement commanders had earned the soldiers' heartfelt obedience.
After the army quieted down, they first led the soldiers in a brief prayer, and then Dungar made the final arrangements for the evening.
'After careful consideration, we are making our final withdrawal arrangement: the more than eight hundred warriors of the Lord present here will be divided into two groups. Approximately five hundred and fifty of them will withdraw tonight through mountain paths and tunnels; the remaining two hundred and fifty will stay inside, blocking all entrances and exits of the fort, preparing to detonate our army's gunpowder left in the fort when the Turkmen attack tomorrow or later.'
As soon as this was said, there was a considerable stir in the army, but Posadas immediately added, effectively silencing them: 'Those soldiers left behind need not worry too much. Even if the ground exits are blocked, the tunnels will still be passable. Moreover, according to Caesar, what we need to do is actually damage the supports, not detonate on the spot. That means, theoretically, as long as we are fast enough,' he deliberately slowed his speech to emphasize, 'everyone can withdraw to the rear.'
With the double assurance from their respected commanders and Caesar, these conscripted soldiers, who were generally uneducated, all quieted down.
Over the next few hours, these defenders also made relevant preparations, with the last group remaining learning how to simply operate gunpowder and its fuses very quickly.
After confirming everything was completely in order, Dungar and Posadas finally gathered the soldiers one last time, encouraged them to believe in the Lord and be loyal to Caesar, and then, acting as the rearguard, led their personal guards out of the fort through the tunnel as it neared midnight.
After traversing more than seventy percent of the tunnel, they, as expected, encountered the sapper team stationed in that section.
'No one else is coming from behind. Block the tunnel as quickly as possible, lest the White Sheep find their way here and attack the city. That would be counterproductive,' Posadas calmly ordered the sapper captain.
'Yes, General.'