Book 13: Chapter 20: A Woman From Within the Formation
Book 13: Chapter 20: A Woman From Within the Formation
The cultivators of this world could easily throw giant boulders.
They could directly scale city walls with a light tap of their feet.
They could make their bodies as tough as steel.
Cultivators on the level of Wenren Cangyue could even use flying swords to easily kill a cultivator several hundred steps away from them, able to send an extremely heavy city gate flying.
The war of this world was completely different from what Lin Xi thought of this world that only used cold weaponry.
It was precisely because there were all types of powerful cultivators who existed that this world’s city walls were especially tall, especially thick… However, despite this being the case, this world still didn’t have cities that could never be brought down.
…
“East Scenery City’s side won’t be able to receive any reinforcements from us.”
In Jinte Town, Xie Ying’s expression was extremely ugly as he looked at another officer at his side, Huang Tingchi, saying this with an overcast voice.
Huang Tingchi looked at the distant densely packed Great Mang heavy cavalry, nodding his head in a grave manner.
Jinte Town was a Yunqin strategic town to the north of East Scenery City, originally an ordinary small town with a few iron smelting workshops. In the last few months, Yunqin’s military constructed a city wall around this town, turning it into one of the garrisoned forts as well.
Xie Ying and Huang Tingchi were precisely the Commander and Deputy Commander of this station.
Half a day ago, a Yunqin army transporting large scale military equipment already arrived at Jinte Town, but this Great Mang heavy cavalry also appeared in their line of sight quickly afterwards.
Jinte Town originally had two thousand three hundred soldiers stationed, the passing military equipment escort army to East Scenery Town numbered two thousand five hundred, so their forces totaled to close to five thousand. Meanwhile, this Great Mang heavy cavalry numbered around three thousand, so their side definitely had the advantage in numbers. However, the key laid in that their five thousand soldiers were primarily made of ordinary infantry, light cavalry and archers. Pure heavy cavalry was completely the bane of their type of army.
If it was this Great Mang heavy cavalry that took the initiative to attack, they might still be able to exploit the military equipment in the fort to deal with them, but right now, this Great Mang heavy cavalry only wandered outside their military equipment’s firing range. Only watching them, watching this military equipment transport army.
Now that half a day had already passed, East Scenery City’s side should have long noticed that something must have happened to the transport of their batch of military equipment, yet until now, not even a scouting horseman or messenger pigeon arrived, meaning that East Scenery City’s situation was already dire.
“If we are a bit more pessimistic, East Scenery City side’s battle has already begun.” Xie Ying said through clenched teeth. “These Great Mang heavy cavalry can completely wait until a suitable time before leaving, and then head to East Scenery City. Their speed will always be above that of a carriage fleet. At that time, they will have time to join the battle, or perhaps they already don’t need to join the battle, while our transport army’s men will have no chance of entering East Scenery City during the battle… We cannot continue waiting any longer.”
Huang Tingchi’s brows were tightly furrowed as he nodded. “We indeed cannot wait any longer. However, what do you plan to do?”
Xie Ying said with an overcast voice, “Remove a portion of the military equipment, we are going to stake it all against these Great Mang heavy cavalry.”
Huang Tingchi gave Xie Ying a look. “Privately giving the order to unseal military equipment is a serious crime.”
“Great General Gu isn’t someone inflexible.” Xie Ying laughed coldly. “Moreover, even when we fight with everything we have, we don’t know if we will survive. Where do we have the extra room to tend to all of these restrictions.”
Huang Tingchi also laughed, his smile carrying a type of austereness and iron-blooded will that made one’s heart tremble. “What you are saying makes sense as well. Even if this group of military equipment cannot be delivered to East Scenery City in the end, if they are used up to deal with this heavy cavalry, preventing them from joining East Scenery City’s battle, it will still be meaningful in the end. Are we going to have the whole army attack?”
“All out attack.” Xie Ying nodded his head heavily, saying with a sneer. “Apart from the military equipment that we are unwrapping, have the carriages follow as well, force this heavy cavalry to intercept us!”
…
“They finally cannot wait any longer?”
In Great Mang’s heavy cavalry army, a Great Mang middle-aged high ranking military officer removed his helmet, rubbing his chin that was covered in stubble, saying with a cold laugh.
Those Yunqin soldiers within the town in his line of sight gathered quickly without hiding their attitudes at all. Under the shouts of dozens of Yunqin soldiers, that sluice gate made of stone began to gradually rise, opening up the path leading out from within the town.
“Do not underestimate the enemy.”
A man who was similarly dressed in chain armor just like him, yet his face under the helmet was aged reminded with a calm voice.
This Great Mang officer put away his sneer, his expression instead becoming extremely serious. “A thousand seven hundred infantry could even wipe out close to three thousand light cavalry[1]… when facing a Yunqin army, who dares look down on the enemy?”
The aged man at his side lowered his eyelids, nodding, no longer saying anything.
…
The Divine Wooden Flying Crane continued to move through the sky, rapidly advancing to East Scenery City.
Suddenly, the expression on Lin Xi’s face became extremely heavy.
Right now, regardless of whether it was the Yunqin army that rushed out from Jinte Town or the Great Mang heavy cavalry who were in formation, none of them had any ways of seeing high up into the sky, nor could they notice that there was a Divine Wooden Flying Crane that was approaching. However, Lin Xi’s view in the skies above was instead much wider. Moreover, his eyesight far exceeded that of ordinary people, which was why he already noticed that outside Jinte Town, there was a black expanse of Great Mang heavy cavalry numbering in the thousands!
He could also see that the Yunqin army was currently escorting a fleet, currently heading towards this Great Mang heavy cavalry.
He could vaguely make out the composition of Yunqin’s troop, not seeing the reflection of large amounts of heavy cavalry, this making his brows lock tightly together. He didn’t believe that a Yunqin troop of this composition could take down this type of great Mang heavy cavalry.
“Teacher Li Wu, is it possible to go a bit faster?”
That was why even though he knew that continuously pouring out soul force was an extremely dull, spirit consuming and tiring task, he still couldn’t help but ask Li Wu.
…
The entirely black-armored Xie Ying remained a bit behind the dozen or so Yunqin soldiers at the very front. His hand reached out in a hidden manner, preparing to issue a military order.
After another twenty or so meters of distance, the Great Mang heavy cavalry formation would completely enter the Moon Piercing Crossbow Carts’ firing range. Many crossbow arrows that just had their seals undone, still releasing the unique smell of oil and metal, would bring down a first wave of attack on these Great Mang heavy cavalry.
However, in this instant, the surface suddenly shook. The orderly metal rumbling noises in front of them began to stop.
Great Mang’s heavy cavalry moved.
The five hundred Great Mang heavy cavalry that was originally in a rectangular formation began to crazily run, scattering apart.
A wave of metal bowstring vibrating noises also sounded at the same time.
Xie Ying’s pupils rapidly contracted.
All of the five hundred heavy cavalry drew their bows. Arrows released shrill wind noises, flying through the sky, and then raining down.
In that instant, Xie Ying who had enough experience deduced with extreme certainty that these arrows’ range was enough to land in their formation!
“Defense!”
“Release!”
Right at this instant, Xie Ying’s clenched fist moved downwards. Two entirely different military orders rapidly sounded from his mouth.
Dang…
Sounds of crossbow carriages being opened sounded one after another.
At the same time, arrows carrying extremely cold auras and streams of air pierced into the enemy formation, releasing all types of striking sounds, producing extremely fierce roars and muffled shouts, as well as causing streaks of blood to gush out.
Even more intense air shattering noises sounded.
Immediately afterwards, the miserable cries of warhorses and the heavy impacts of their bodies falling sounded.
Powerful giant crossbow arrows directly penetrated the bodies of many riders and horses, making these horsemen and horses collapse, grass fragments and earth flying out clump after clump.
However, during this extremely short amount of time, Xie Ying, Huang Tingchi and many other officers’ expressions all already became a bit pale.
Those heavy cavalry who already fired an arrow didn’t continue to charge, only lingering about the two sides, always maintaining a set distance with them. Moreover, all of these remaining four hundred or so heavy cavalry hung their bows around their horses’ necks, the bowstring facing downwards. Then, their legs pulled back, fiercely stepping on these bowstrings.
The bow body had grooves.
Fine collapsible rods that were originally folded, following the bending of the bow, slid out from the grooves on the sides of the bow, supporting the bowstring.
This was an elaborate design.
When these Great Mang cavalry’s feet separated from the bows that were already pulled to a certain degree, these rods would support the bowstring, preventing the bowstring from loosening.
This already couldn’t be considered a bow… for the military’s concept, it was just like a feet crossbow, a large scale feet crossbow!
However, the previous standard feet crossbows needed soldiers to lie on the ground, to continuously fire with their legs. Moreoverr, firing while in a half reclined stance completely couldn’t be like this type of Great Mang feet crossbow, to be fired like an ordinary bow and arrow.
The key laid in the fact that these feet crossbows’ firing range already approached that of these crossbow carts.
Even though Yunqin’s side already undid the seals of the military equipment that was to be delivered to East Scenery City, moreover having over a hundred Moon Piercing Crossbow Carts, as well as several hundred large scale arm crossbows, in this type of state where most of the enemy had heavy weaponry feet crossbows, their side already didn’t seem to have too great of an advantage in terms of military equipment!
At this moment, Xie Ying’s teeth were clenched to the point where there was blood oozing out, but he instead hesitated a bit.
If they went all out in this type of situation, they wouldn’t be able to get rid of these Great Mang heavy cavalry. If in the end, the ones who survived wouldn’t only be a few Yunqin soldiers, but rather also quite a few Great Mang heavy cavalry, this would no longer be just the issue of these extremely important military equipment not arriving in East Scenery City, but rather that this military equipment would instead enter Great Mang’s hands.
In this brief instant, cries of alarm suddenly sounded within Yunqin’s formation .
Xie Ying’s pupils once again first rapidly contracted, and then enlarged.
A high ranking Yunqin officer already broke away from the formation, rapidly heading towards the four hundred or so heavy cavalry.
This black-armored Yunqin officer drew out a long streak of afterimages behind her. The sod and dirt that rushed out from under her feet were like waves, faster than even the fastest warhorse.
This was clearly a cultivator.
Moreover, a woman.
This was a woman who, despite wearing black armor, still had a fair and graceful figure, a Yunqin female officer whose rear figure was still extremely wonderful.
Right now, it was this type of woman who charged into the enemy formation without any regard for her own personal safety, thus making this scene even more shocking.
“Who is she?”
Xie Ying was shocked, a bit moved beyond words. He was a cultivator himself, so he could tell that this young lady’s cultivation should be even higher than his own… a cultivator who already reached State Knight level.
“I do not know, she came with Sir Liu Kun’s military equipment escort army.” Huang Tingchi was also shocked as he looked at this woman. He also only knew that this woman was one of the officers who escorted the military equipment, not knowing too much.
1. B13C19