Chapter 1296: Do You Really Understand? (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

A sharp whistle pierced through the hazy clouds.

The mountains and forests trembled, and birds flew in all directions.

The ground beneath her feet churned, warhorses neighed in fright, and soldiers hurriedly tried to calm them. Shen Tang, who had been meditating on a tree branch halfway up the mountain, opened her eyes, gazing into the valley below, where smoke and dust rose slowly. She slowly rose, flicking away the mist that enveloped her, just as her personal guard rushed in: "My lord, the enemy has made unusual movements."

From this vantage point, Shen Tang could see the movements of the camp below.

Okay, I understand.

Despite the suddenness of the incident, the troops in the camp remained orderly.

The vanguard troops have been assembled.

Shen Tang gracefully landed from the tree branch, sitting perfectly on the back of the motorcycle, gripping the reins tightly with one hand: "Motorcycle, let's go!"

Upon hearing the command, the motorcycle shot down the mountain like an arrow, and Shen Tang also donned his full armor. Although only remnants of the army remained in the valley, they dared to fight even in the face of adversity, and as their opponent, they naturally deserved the utmost respect!

She said, "Everyone, keep up!"

The Kang Kingdom's troops in the valley numbered only 30% of their original strength.

It wasn't that she disregarded the remnants of the Allied forces, but rather that Kang's crushing defeat of the Allies had propelled morale to new heights. Now was the time to strike while the iron was hot, to conquer the Allied rear areas where their forces were weakened, and to maximize the gains! Shen Tang thus gave the opportunity to conquer cities and territories to other generals, such as Wei Shou, Yun Ce, Bai Su, and Xianyu Jian, sending them all out, and even the newly joined Luo Sha wasn't left out. Luo Sha was a newcomer, but his strength was undeniable, and his own navy was a master of naval warfare, so Shen Tang simply gave him a command of one route and allocated him an additional 5,000 troops.

Finally, I gave him a heads-up.

[Shen Lu has just landed and is probably not very clear about the situation on land. For a military general to quickly establish himself, strength alone is far from enough; sufficient military merit is also essential. These five thousand men were transferred from my own forces and are being lent to you. You must return them after this battle.] Seeing Luo Sha's puzzled expression, Shen Tang patiently explained, [But how many people you capture in this battle, how many of them are elite, how many of them you can incorporate… I won't haggle over those interest payments.]

According to the system of Kangguo, generals do not wield much real power. The troops needed for battles are mobilized from various military commands, preventing a single general from maintaining prolonged contact with elite forces in one region. However, to facilitate mobilization and coordination during battles, generals are still allowed to maintain a small personal guard. These guards are loyal to the general, and their salaries are paid by the royal court.

Luo Sha's strength will undoubtedly be among the best of all military generals.

【This humble general thanks Your Majesty!】 Luo Sha may lack experience on land, but that doesn’t mean he’s not smart. He immediately clasped his hands in thanks.

According to the original plan, Shen Tang intended to arrange for Bai Su and Luo Sha to cooperate on this route, but this suggestion was politely declined.

It wasn't Bai Su who had a problem, but Luo Sha.

As a newcomer, he knew he couldn't afford to clash with the veterans, but Bai Su was truly unacceptable; just seeing her triggered a physical aversion. Shen Tang even suspected the two had a grudge: [Why not?]

Bai Su also looked at Luo Sha with surprise.

She had no idea how she had offended him.

Luo Sha said: "[It's because of... the Martial Spirit Totem.]"

Bai Su was a native of Northwest China who had never seen the sea in her life and knew little about marine life. Naturally, she was unaware of the feud between orcas and bowback whales, and even less aware that Luo Sha had been frequently invited by bowback whales to beat up orcas since he was a teenager...

He's developed a habit from fighting orcas so many times.

I feel like fighting orcas when I see them; I feel uncomfortable if I don't.

It's fine if Bai Su is on the same battlefield as him, but if Wu Dan Tu Teng goes into the water with her, Luo Sha might beat her up too, which would offend his colleagues even more. Rather than making a big mistake, it's better not to give himself any room to make a mistake in the first place.

Bai Su: [...]

She had thought her discomfort that day was due to the oppressive aura of the other party as an eighteenth-rank Grand Master, but she never expected it was because of the totem.

Shen Tang: [? ? ?]

Many of her generals had martial prowess totems, and some of these totems were even adversaries. However, they cooperated in battle as required, and there were no instances where the adversarial relationship between the totems was brought into reality.

Luo Sha's skin was extremely pale; even the slightest blush was clearly visible. He said awkwardly, "I've been fighting too much lately."

There is a lack of entertainment options on the island.

Luo Sha is most enthusiastic about Cuju (ancient Chinese football).

Out of boredom, he taught his group of bowback whale friends how to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football). Hmm, by now you should know what the ball in Cuju is. Just randomly grab an orca, and you have the ball, right?

Bai Su's face darkened upon hearing this.

If she weren't so determined, she would have really wanted to back down right now.

Gu Chi, upon hearing Luo Sha's inner thoughts: [...]

He subtly moved closer to Bai Su, attempting to use his physique—far from being described as imposing—to shield her from some kind of bruise. Shen Tang, being a reasonable lord, knew that forcing things wouldn't work, and readily agreed to Luo Sha's request.

Shen Tang rearranged the battle routes of the various troops.

Seventy percent of their main force was deployed to expand their gains and, incidentally, to wipe out the reinforcements that were arriving one after another. Rather than calling them reinforcements, it would be more accurate to say that they were sacrificial lambs, a group of old, weak, sick, and disabled men with no fighting ability whatsoever.

Sending them out was just for show.

Let the world know that other countries weren't unwilling to send troops to help; they did, and quite a few at that, but these reinforcements were no match for the Kang Kingdom's army. As long as it saves face and avoids criticism, that's enough.

The remaining 30% stayed in the valley.

Even though only 30% remained, it was still far superior to the remaining troops in the valley.

Shen Tang, on horseback... no, on mule, led the charge, with the other vanguard quickly following. The mountains here weren't particularly high, nor were they steep, but the mountains were close together and narrow, preventing the troops from advancing in large numbers side-by-side. This terrain was extremely advantageous to Shen Tang, allowing her high-level combatants to concentrate their attacks.

Mei Meng clearly knew where the problem lay.

so--

With a menacing, violent growl echoing through the void, the mountains on either side shook violently. Two shadowy figures slowly rose from the ground, and upon closer inspection, they turned out to be a dozen or so stone figures, each over a hundred feet tall, emerging from the mountains. Once their full forms were revealed, a large clearing suddenly appeared in their place. The stone figures turned their heavy heads, all focusing their "gaze" on the dense swarm of ants at their feet.

The nearest giant moved its arm.

The giant waved and clenched its hands twice in the air, producing a series of explosive sounds. It seemed quite pleased with its current size. Staring intently at the hordes of enemies below, a deep growl escaped its throat, and its meteor-like fist slammed down from above.

Sizzle sizzle—

The boulder collided with the army's barrier.

The impact of the two produced a piercing buzzing sound.

The other stone figures also staggered and crawled over.

Pfft—

One of the rock giants' swinging fists was tightly entangled by the wildly growing vines. The two opposing forces clashed, and pebbles rained down, almost every piece measuring half a meter in size. If someone were hit squarely, their corpse would be instantly turned into a flatbread.

They were shattered by countless arrows before they even hit the ground.

Shen Tang said, "It's a shame not to use this skill for infrastructure development."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark green python swoop past him, charging towards the foremost stone figure. The stone figure also noticed his presence. He spread his arms, steadied himself, and reached out to grab the python with his bare hands.

Gong Xichou's martial spirit totem rose with the wind.

In the blink of an eye, it developed a physique similar to that of a stone man.

A man and a python fight hand-to-hand!

A flash of dark green light appeared, and a figure flew out from between the dragon and python's forehead, wielding a halberd that unleashed a dark green blade of light, aiming for the stone man's neck. *Bang!* How could the stone man possibly dodge a blade of light fired at close range? The immense force sent it staggering backward, crashing into the nearest mountain before finally stopping, with even more rocks falling from its body.

The stone man shook his head and stood up.

The dark green dragon-python caught Gong Xi Chou as he was about to fall, and both of them looked towards the top of the stone figure's head. There stood another figure there, whose aura Gong Xi Chou recognized. This was the same person who had served Zheng Qiao during the campaign against him: [Divine protection, your head is indeed mine.]

Isn't that a coincidence?

After many twists and turns, the owner of the severed head became his opponent once again.

This time, Gong Xichou wanted to see how he would run!

Standing atop the stone figure, Qi Cang arrogantly surveyed Gongxi Chou in the distance, and sneered: "Gongxi Chou, no one told you that arrogance can lead to disaster! You're not worthy to take my head! Show me your true abilities!"

Gong Xichou didn't even bother to snort.

A single gesture can be a deadly attack.

As Gong Xichou channeled his martial energy into his halberd, his entire body transforming into a blazing, dark green sun as he charged towards him, Qi Cang remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was utterly astonished. He had struggled to defeat Gong Xichou back then, and now he had absolutely no chance of winning.

but--

As I always say, having fun is more important than life.

Let Grandpa teach you properly!

Qi Cang laughed heartily and went to greet him.

They used the stone figures beneath their feet as their battlefield, fighting fiercely to a standstill. Gong Xichou tried to lure Qi Cang away from the battlefield to fight elsewhere, but Qi Cang wouldn't take the bait: [Coward.]

He uttered a harsh assessment from behind his mask.

Qi Cang remained unmoved: "That's called a scheme."

The denser the battlefield, the more restricted the strength of top martial artists becomes. It's not that they can't unleash their full power, but rather that they are prone to accidentally injuring their own troops, causing unnecessary chaos. The two exchanged dozens of blows in an instant, primarily through weapon combat.

It's a contest of moves and footwork.

"Your Highness, I wish to volunteer for the battle."

Before leaving, Ji Moqiu sought Shen Tang's opinion.

He usually acts as a high priest, active in various parts of the battlefield, and few people notice that he is also a brave warrior.

When His Highness and Anian are not in any danger, he prefers to personally fight the enemy rather than assist others!

Shen Tang said, "Go."

I watched as the autumn of Jimo transformed into a crimson stream of light.

He summoned his full armor in mid-air, and at the same time raised his hand and grabbed, the light flowing and solidifying into a longbow, which was instantly drawn to the full moon.

Shen Tang lowered his eyes and gave an order.

Be prepared for close combat at any time, and be alert to any unusual movements around you!

Mei Meng knew better than anyone the weaknesses of the Allied remnants, and was even more aware of how disadvantageous the valley's terrain was to her. Having lost two 19th-rank Marquis of Guannei to contain Kangguo's elite forces, the Allied forces had very few high-ranking generals left with combat power, making them unable to provide effective containment. Therefore, the Allied forces were likely to suffer the greatest impact, and the denser their distribution, the more vulnerable they were to a devastating blow!

She needs to create the most favorable conditions possible.

First, it opened up a vast battlefield.

As for the second one?

Shen Tang secretly observed the surrounding area but did not find any enemy troops.

Where are the Allied remnants hiding?

In what form will it appear?

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze falling on the stone figures approaching the army. These stone figures were imbued with countless units of morale, which was why they could move freely; the source of this morale could not be too far away. It had to be supplied continuously; once the supply was cut off, the stone figures would revert to their original state.

[Any news from the scouts?]

Shen Tang looked up at the eagles and falcons flying overhead, conducting reconnaissance.

These falcons were the scouts' valiant totem, emitting cries of varying lengths and frequencies from time to time. These cries were the intelligence they were conveying, and their replies were predictable. No trace of Allied remnants was found in the nearby mountains.

So, where did they go?

Shen Tang looked at the stone figure with a knowing gaze.

Before long, Gu Chi arrived in a hurry on his warhorse.

[My lord, there is news!]

Shen Tang also said: "I've noticed it too. Give the order—"

The crossbows were all aimed at the stone figure's body in unison.

She raised her hand and made a gesture of drawing a bowstring. A giant bow shadow appeared around her, and the bowstring was slowly drawn to its full length as she moved. Above the army's heads, the clouds of morale surged in like a whale devouring a tiger, condensing into a long, silver-white arrow with dragon patterns.

call out--

The arrow leaves the bowstring.

A howling wind swept across the battlefield.

The targeted stone figure, with an agility disproportionate to its size, swiftly crouched down. Its reaction speed was undeniably fast, yet it seemed as if an invisible constraint bound its hands and feet. This constraint, however, was not indestructible and still posed a significant obstacle to the stone figure.

The arrow, which should have pierced the chest, only struck the back.

Rumble—

The stone figure's thick body exploded, creating a huge hole, and countless fragments of rock scattered in all directions. Almost simultaneously, other stone figures also self-destructed at extremely close range, with the sky filled with debris that nearly obscured the heavens above.

Shen Tang drew her longsword: [Here I am!]

Many pebbles were scattered mid-air by the dense rain of arrows, but more than half still managed to land safely. The surface of the fallen pebbles writhed twice and transformed into enemy soldiers holding shields. The enemy soldiers formed a circle of five, with one holding a spear in the center.

【kill! 】

The battlefield was covered with rubble.

In other words, enemy and friendly soldiers are now completely mixed.

Unlike Qin Li, Mei Meng couldn't control the overall situation or distinguish friend from foe, so she used a clumsy but practical method. The remnants of the Allied forces had their arms bound with a uniform insignia—a piece of plain cloth.

These plain cloths were originally intended for wrapping corpses.

Even with Shen Tang's boundless imagination, she hadn't expected Mei Meng to break through the formation in this way. She transformed her bow into a sword, cleaving through a nearby enemy soldier with a single strike. In a swift movement, she grabbed a piece of plain cloth, wiped the slippery blood from the sword hilt, and tightly wrapped it around her wrist twice. With Shen Tang's strength, she needed no protection on the battlefield, and effortlessly broke away from her personal guard: [Motorcycle—]

Sensing the hidden danger, the motorcycle beneath him braked suddenly and spun around, its two hind hooves dragging in a perfect arc on the ground.

Shen Tang also took the opportunity to block the attack from both sides.

Why come here to die!

ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

No prize! Guess who said the title?

P.S.: I've realized that you really need to quit JX3 (Swordsman Online 3) to play it properly. I've only been back for less than six months and I've already lost so much money. Today my wallet is bleeding out.