books44 Chapter 260 The attack begins
Chapter 260 The attack begins
The enormous explosion was even felt by the main force of the light cavalry, which was fifty miles away.
"What's going on?! Why was there such a huge explosion?"
The cavalry leader asked in surprise.
"I don't know. The explosion ahead should be on the post road leading to Wangxiang Town, not towards Jingzhou City. Commander Qiu's light cavalry has not sent back any news."
"Send scouts to investigate quickly!"
The vanguard of the light cavalry regiment was nearing Xiajing Post Station. Having been more cautious after the previous attack, the cavalry slowed their pace and advanced in battle formation as they approached the post station.
"Report! Commander Qiu's two thousand cavalrymen have been completely wiped out, with no survivors! The enemy has vanished without a trace... that explosion came from there."
The scout who went to investigate reported in alarm.
"What? All dead? How is that possible!"
The light cavalry leader could hardly believe his ears.
Even if surrounded by ten thousand men, it would be impossible to kill all two thousand light cavalry in such a short time! What weapons did the enemy use there? How could they possibly cause the deaths of all two thousand men?
"It appears that he was killed by the explosion of a powerful magic crystal, and the atmosphere of the explosion still lingers at the scene."
"What kind of magic crystal has such power! Even a high-level magic crystal cannon doesn't have this much power!"
"Quickly send a message to Commander Dong! Tell him what happened!"
The light cavalry commander felt a sense of dread. In decades of military campaigns, he had never witnessed anything so bizarre!
If there were a few more explosions like this along the way, their light cavalry would be finished.
While on the march, Dong Wei received another message from the light cavalry at the front, and he was startled. The explosion was indeed unexpected; it was enough to annihilate two thousand cavalrymen. Even bombarding them with high-level magic crystal cannons might not have been able to do that. Even if a whole ring of magic crystal cannons were deployed, there would always be survivors.
However, it's practically impossible to set up a row of magic crystal cannons in the middle of nowhere. Apart from the traces left by the magic crystal explosion, nothing else could be found at the scene.
Even seasoned generals with years of military experience struggled to deduce the situation. Dong Wei had no choice but to order the light cavalry to slow their advance and proceed cautiously alongside the heavy cavalry. He also dispatched two Heavenly Rank Guest Elders who accompanied the army to the front lines for protection.
After noon, the last supply train finally entered Jingzhou territory, and the 300,000-strong army stretched across the land like a hundred-mile-long dragon.
As the supply train at the tail end of the dragon's lair, it carried heavy crossbows, magic crystal cannons, and provisions. These vital supplies were guarded by 20,000 elite infantrymen.
Just as the wagons laden with heavy loads were passing through the rocky forest, a volley of incredibly fast arrows suddenly shot out from the woods. Each arrow seemed to have eyes, accurately striking the mounted generals, each hitting a vital spot, killing them instantly. In an instant, hundreds of soldiers were silently killed.
The group ahead continued walking forward, completely unaware that they were being attacked from behind.
The arrows continued to fly until more than two hundred soldiers were killed. Only then did the soldiers at the front realize what was happening and hurriedly shouted for warning. But the archers hiding in the bushes did not stop firing and continued to shoot. The infantry escorting the supplies also returned fire with arrows, but the enemy was a hundred feet away and using arrows that could not reach them at all.
"Charge! Surround them and kill them!"
The infantry commander was furious at the one-sided battle and ordered his soldiers to surround and charge forward.
As the escorting army surged into the thicket, the Crimson Shadow Guards, who were hiding behind the rocks and shooting arrows, retreated in an orderly fashion, firing as they went. After the 20,000 elite infantrymen had all entered the maze-like thicket of rocks, the supply wagons parked on the post road suddenly exploded.
When the commander looked back, he discovered that the unprotected supply wagons were being used as targets by demon-slaying arrows. One arrow struck the wagon, and with a loud 'boom,' the wagon and its horses were blown to pieces.
'Boom, boom...'
A series of explosions rang out, and the supply wagons were blown to pieces.
"Quickly, protect the carriage! We've fallen into a trap!"
The general then realized that the enemy had been targeting his supplies and provisions. The surprise attack was merely a diversionary tactic.
As tens of thousands of soldiers retreated from the rubble, dozens of Crimson Shadow Guards from the firing vehicles simultaneously fired anti-magic bullets at the soldiers who were out of formation and had just emerged from the pile of rocks.
Upon seeing the strange projectile flying towards them, the soldiers quickly activated their internal energy to protect themselves and swung their weapons to block it. But just as they were channeling their energy, the demon-dispelling projectile was drawn by spiritual power and activated its explosive mode.
'Boom! '
Dozens of anti-magic bullets exploded almost simultaneously. A massive mushroom cloud rose from the ground. The area within a hundred feet was a scene of utter devastation.
Soldiers and wagons that had just emerged from the pile of rubble were blown into the air, and thousands of soldiers were torn to pieces and shattered to pieces.
Soldiers a hundred feet away were blown apart, their ears and noses bleeding, dizzy and disoriented, collapsing to the ground howling in pain.
In less than fifteen minutes, nearly half of the 20,000 elite infantrymen were killed or wounded, and the rest were terrified by the explosion. The infantry commanders had been blown to bits. The soldiers, now without command, were left bewildered and helpless amidst the rubble.
The Crimson Shadow Guards who fired the anti-magic bullets hadn't expected the explosion of dozens of bullets to be so powerful. Even standing a hundred feet away, they were almost knocked off their feet by the shockwave.
Taking advantage of the situation, the Crimson Shadow Guard captain issued orders to guide each group back to their positions, and then withdrew before the reinforcements arrived. Before leaving, he also destroyed the remaining supply wagons.
When the reinforcements arrived, more than a hundred red-clouded horses had already galloped away, heading towards the depths of the mountains and fields of Xin County.
When the news reached Dong Wei in the central part of the army, he finally couldn't sit still any longer. Now he even felt a trace of fear.
The border of Xin County was within the inner territory of their Zhenglan Kingdom. Enemies could come and go freely here, as if it were an empty land. He felt as if an invisible giant hand, wielding a heaven-reaching sword, was slashing at him from thousands of miles away; the enormous sword was utterly impossible to withstand.
"Another loud explosion, and tens of thousands of soldiers died, while the enemy only had a few dozen men. What kind of army is this?"
Sitting in the chariot, a chill ran down Dong Wei's spine as he muttered to himself. Even with a thousand troops, what use was it? The enemy only needed to send a few dozen men to attack twice, and he had already lost over ten thousand soldiers, with nearly half of his supply train destroyed.
Dong Wei felt like he was swatting mosquitoes with a long gun, but before he could even raise the gun, he was already covered in mosquito bites.
How can we fight this battle? We've been ambushed on our own turf before we even reached the battlefield!
Dong Wei was at a loss, so he quickly sent a message to Wu Yi, telling him in detail that he had been ambushed twice on his way to Jingzhou and had lost more than 10,000 men.
Upon hearing this, Wu Yi flew into a rage and immediately sent a talisman to Dong Wei, berating him and telling him that Jingzhou was likely already under the control of the Su family, and that Wu Yan had already betrayed them.
It's quite normal to be attacked within Jingzhou's borders! Order him to immediately launch an attack on Jingzhou and capture the city. Arrest Wu Yan.
After receiving the order, Dong Wei thought about it and felt that Wu Yi's judgment was very reasonable. If Jingzhou had already been controlled by the enemy, then it was normal for him to be ambushed.
So he immediately issued an order to divide the army into two groups. One group of 100,000 men attacked the main gate of Jingzhou directly, while the other group of 50,000 men went out to the northern suburbs of Jingzhou, detoured around to the north of Jingzhou, and attacked from the north gate, hoping to take Jingzhou in one fell swoop.
Just as Dong Wei's army arrived outside Jingzhou City and set up their formation to attack, a group of brightly dressed men, women, and children came out of the city, followed by a ceremonial guard carrying musical instruments.
The group stopped a few dozen feet away from the army and then presented a welcoming gesture. Upon seeing this formation, Dong Wei realized it was not a battle at all and immediately ordered his soldiers to halt their advance, completely bewildered.
"We eagerly await the arrival of the Commander-in-Chief in Jingzhou! Your humble servant, Wu Yan, has been waiting here for quite some time!"
Wu Yan, the city lord of Liangzhou, bowed to Dong Wei and then spoke.
"You're Wu Yan?"
Dong Wei looked at the young man bowing to him and asked.
"This humble official is Wu Yan, the lord of Jingzhou City."
Wu Yan replied.
"Catch me!"
Dong Wei waved his hand and gave the order to his subordinates.
"Why did you arrest me, General? I am the hereditary lord of this city. What right do you have?"
Wu Yan, seeing himself inexplicably arrested, quickly shouted.
"For colluding with foreign enemies and attacking the Marquis's army!"
Dong Wei said.
"Words are meaningless. What evidence do you have to prove that I have colluded with the enemy?"
Wu Yan resisted.
"You colluded with the enemy, ambushed Hou Jun's supply train on the border of Xin County, causing the destruction of supplies and more than 10,000 soldiers to be killed or wounded. This morning, you ambushed our light cavalry regiment at the post station, resulting in the deaths of 2,000 soldiers! This is the evidence."
Dong Wei said loudly.
"That's impossible! I've been ordering the soldiers guarding the city to keep a close watch on all the passes and intersections, and not let a single enemy soldier in!"
Wu Yan shouted.
According to the laws of the Kingdom of Long, hereditary marquises have a high degree of autonomy. Apart from the king, no other official or noble can punish them; they can only collect evidence and submit it to the king for trial.
Dong Wei's direct arrest of Wu Yan was an act of insubordination. Although he was Wu Yi's brother-in-law and a general in this army, he was not granted a title and was one rank lower than Wu Yan. He was a retainer of Wu Yi.
"Take him away. I will investigate the matter thoroughly. If you have no collusion with the enemy, I will clear your name!"
Dong Wei had originally intended to lead his troops to attack Jingzhou, but Wu Yan's decision to open the city gates to them thwarted his plans. He had no choice but to suppress his impulse and order all his soldiers to set up camp outside the city and await further orders. Although Dong Wei was bloodthirsty and belligerent, he still possessed some rationality. As long as Wu Yan did not admit to colluding with the enemy, he had no reason to attack the city; otherwise, it wouldn't make sense.
Dong Wei led a group of guards, some senior generals, four guest ministers, and Wu Yan, along with the heads of the military families who had come out of the city to greet him, into Jingzhou City.
In a corner of the city gate tower, Mo Yuming and Ji Xianlin were playing the role of bystanders, watching their performance from afar.
Back at Fuyuan Restaurant, Mo Yuming and Ji Xianlin went to the backyard.
"Wu Yi's army is indeed stronger than Wu Ji's army, but not by much. It's just that they outnumber us this time. A head-on confrontation with them would not benefit us. So, we should try to wear down their morale and weaken their fighting power before they reach the passes of Wangxiang or Linxiang, so as to reduce our losses."
Mo Yuming said.
"We can take this opportunity to attack the Wu Yi Army stationed on the Liangzhou border, creating some chaos and seeing how the Xianghuang and Zhenglan Kingdoms react. Aren't the Yi Ying Guards right in Xin County? Have Sun Min send the Falcon Guards to coordinate a strike from behind Xin County against that force. Regardless of the outcome, it will definitely have an impact on Jingzhou. If we can break the balance between Xianghuang and Zhenglan, that would be even better!"
Ji Xianlin said.
"Master Ji's plan is indeed ingenious. The worst thing in war is for the rear to catch fire. As long as something happens in Xin County, the army in Jingzhou will definitely have something to worry about. Let's do it! We can't let Jingzhou be at peace either. We have to create some commotion inside and outside the city to make it lively."
"The military camps outside the city will certainly be on high alert after being attacked during the day. The Crimson Shadow Guards must be cautious in their actions. The Falcon Guards inside the city can hunt down a few of the guards that Dong Wei brought to create some chaos, but they must ensure that they themselves are not harmed."
“They have four Heavenly Rank guest elders with considerable strength. When the time is right, Lord Dragon and Lord Tiger can provide support.”
Two hundred and fifty thousand troops were encamped outside Jingzhou City, a vast, dark mass that was quite a sight. Jingzhou City was also under strict martial law, with movement prohibited after dusk.
Late at night, a fire suddenly broke out in a corner of the military camp stationed in the northern suburbs of Jingzhou. This was the stable area of the heavy cavalry. Because of the daytime raid, the camp was heavily guarded, but even the best defenses can have a lapse.
For the convenience of watering their horses, the heavy armor legion's horses were moored beside a stream. The stream was surrounded by bushes, and the opposite bank was a dense forest of tall trees. Although there were patrols and guards, the Falcon Guards, each a master of stealth, could easily slip into the camp.
The fire in the stables was set by the Falcon Guards; the hay in dozens of stables was set ablaze.
Soldiers in the legion rushed to put out the fire, while patrolling soldiers intensified their search for any enemy troops who had infiltrated the area.
The members of the Falcon Guard naturally have ways to protect themselves. They are proficient in makeup and disguise. Wearing the uniforms of the Zhenglan Kingdom's army, they blend into the chaotic firefighting team and are undetectable to anyone.
Just as the stables were ablaze, a squad of Crimson Shadow Guards appeared in front of the infantry camp three miles away. They rushed to the camp and fired anti-magic bullets at the tents. Propelled by gunpowder, the anti-magic bullets could fly two hundred feet.
So before the patrolling soldiers even noticed, they had already launched the anti-magic bullets from a distance.
By the time the soldiers caught up, the thirteen Crimson Shadow Guards had already escaped. Because it was night, the soldiers relied on their divine sense to determine direction and stay alert, but most of them were at the low-level Earth Rank or high-level Human Rank, and their divine sense had limited range, at most only a few meters.
After discovering the demon-repelling bullets that had entered the tent, they hurriedly used their internal energy to defend themselves. But how could they know that these demon-repelling bullets required profound internal energy to activate? If you don't use your internal energy to defend yourself, it's fine, but if you do, it's the same as detonating them.