Sharpening Swords in the Wasteland
The biting west wind, like an invisible giant hand, swept wildly across the vast wilderness beyond Hangu Pass. Withered, yellow grass was whipped up at the roots, transforming into a swirling cloud of yellow dust that lashed against the cold, bronze-armored leaves, producing a fine, dense rustling sound, like the wailing of countless tiny ghosts. The world was shrouded in a hazy, yellowish chaos; as far as the eye could see, only undulating, frozen waves of barren hills and blurry, distorted silhouettes on the distant horizon could be seen. The air was as dry as cracked pottery shards; each breath carried the stinging pain of grit rubbing against the throat.
Xiao Yuxuan reined in his restless Qin Chuan horse, his left hand instinctively pressing against the scabbed but still throbbing wound beneath his ribs. The cold, bronze seal of a hundred generals hung heavily from his belt, each jolt a reminder of the weight of his new post, earned through the service of "living people," not "killing." The distraught figure of Gu Yan departing last night, and the chilling report brought by the scout—the annihilation of the Crown Princess's family, the Northern Di's southward counterattack—weighed like two heavy blocks of ice on his heart. The monstrous waves of court intrigue would ultimately be borne by the flesh and blood of this desolate land.
He slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the ranks standing solemnly behind him. His hundred-man squad, currently supported by several makeshift supply wagons, formed a somewhat thin but exceptionally stable circular formation. The infantrymen in the front row, wielding halberds and large shields, knelt like silent reefs, their heavy iron-clad shields deeply embedded in the frozen earth, the sharp tips of their halberds pointing diagonally forward, gleaming with a cold, eerie light in the dim sandstorm. Behind them were two rows of crossbowmen, their feet on crossbow triggers, quivers hanging from their waists, fingers gripping the cold triggers of their crossbows, their eyes fixed intently on the depths of the sandstorm through the swirling grass. Though small in size, the formation exuded a formidable and disciplined air forged in the crucible of blood and fire. Sheng Guo, like a silent, unyielding rock, gripped his halberd tightly, guarding his right flank, his cloudy eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
"General, the scouts report that three groups of Di cavalry, each with about thirty riders, are approaching in a fan shape, less than three li from here!" A junior scout, his face covered in dust, galloped back, his voice hoarse and urgent in the howling wind. "Judging from the hoofprints and whistles, they are elite scouts from the Northern Di's 'Azure Wolf Tribe'!"
Xiao Yuxuan's eyes narrowed. The Canglang Tribe! The wolf riders, renowned for their ferocity, cunning, and swiftness among the Northern Di tribes! Their target was clearly this supply train, far from the main force, and… Xiao Yuxuan's gaze involuntarily drifted to the rear of the circular formation, where dozens of figures shivered in the cold wind and fear, huddled together—they were the Yongqiu refugees who had been abandoned by the vanguard during their arduous journey through Ghost Cry Gorge. After setting up camp last night, Xiao Yuxuan, against all odds, ordered the sheltering of these women, children, and the elderly, who were on the verge of despair. This undoubtedly slowed down the march and drew the dissatisfaction of the escorting captain and the cold skepticism of the legal officers.
"Crossbowmen, prepare! Frame two, wind gauge!" Xiao Yuxuan's voice was steady and powerful, instantly drowning out the wind and clearly reaching every soldier's ears. The crossbowmen quickly adjusted the sights on their crossbow arms, estimating the impact of the annoying westerly wind on the arrow trajectories based on experience. The cold bronze crossbow mechanisms emitted subtle clicking sounds as they adjusted against the dry grass and sand.
"Infantry! Hear my command, form the 'Wagon Formation'! Wagons in front, shields next, halberdiers behind!" The command was concise and clear. The infantry moved swiftly upon hearing the order. Several oxcarts were quickly pushed to the outermost edge, serving as a simple yet sturdy barrier. Shield bearers followed closely behind, their large shields pressed tightly against the wagon shafts or leaning against each other, forming a low but stable sloping shield wall. Halberdiers stood behind them, their sharp halberd blades extending beyond the top edge of the shields or protruding from the gaps, creating a formidable forest of metallic thorns. This was a typical defensive circular formation used against cavalry charges, its core strategy being to slow the enemy cavalry's advance, use crossbows for ranged damage, and finally, have the infantry halberdiers finish off the disorganized cavalry.
"General!" a cold voice rang out. The military officer in charge of escorting the supplies—a lean man with eagle-like eyes—riding up on horseback, his hand on his sword, his face filled with undisguised anger. "For these few dozen burdensome refugees, you've delayed the journey and put the entire army in danger! The Di cavalry will arrive in the blink of an eye! According to Qin law, those who hinder the army in wartime can be abandoned! General, make a quick decision, abandon the refugees, and lead your troops in a breakout with light equipment! Otherwise, if there is any failure, military law will be merciless!" His words were like cold iron spikes, each one piercing to the heart, and several of his subordinate officers behind him cast equally cold glances at him.
Xiao Yuxuan abruptly turned his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, staring directly at the military commander: "Does the military law you speak of mean that we should abandon women and children, leaving them to be devoured by wolves? Qin law is strict, and it also says 'each unit and its members are jointly responsible, and should help each other'! Although they are not Qin soldiers, they are still living human beings! Have you forgotten the horrific scene at Ghost Cry Gorge last night? To abandon them today is no different from the slaughter by the Di people yesterday!" His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable power, echoing in the wind and sand. The hundred-general seal at his waist seemed to silently convey the weight of this alternative choice.
The military officer was speechless, his face turning ashen. His lips twitched a few times, but he ultimately gave no further argument. He simply snorted coldly, reined in his horse, and took a step back, staring at the refugees behind the formation with a sinister look, as if he were looking at a group of troublemakers who could explode at any moment.
Just then, from the depths of the sandstorm came the faint sound of hooves, like muffled thunder rolling! The sound was deep and dense, carrying a heart-palpitating sense of oppression, and quickly grew closer from afar!
"They're here!" Sheng Guo roared, his hand gripping the halberd, veins bulging.
The hazy dust was suddenly torn apart! Dozens of dark figures, like demons bursting from hell, surged forward, accompanied by a violent sandstorm and piercing whistles! They were the cavalry of the Northern Di Canglang tribe! Man and horse were one, their muscular upper bodies bare except for rough leather armor covering their vital areas. Their faces were painted with ferocious greasepaint, and they howled like wild beasts. Their scimitars flashed with chilling light in the dim light, their bowstrings drawn, and their wolf-tooth arrows gleamed with deadly glints! They didn't directly charge the seemingly impenetrable circular formation, but instead, relying on their superb horsemanship, they moved like two black, turbid streams, rapidly flanking the flanks of the formation, attempting to tear through the defenses with a dense rain of arrows and find a weak point!
"Feng Xi! Marker 2! Crossbowmen—fire!" Xiao Yuxuan's roar was like a thunderclap!
Buzz—!
A sickening twang of bowstrings suddenly rang out! The crossbows, already poised to fire, instantly unleashed a torrent of deadly bolts! Dozens of triangular crossbow bolts, their tails adorned with striking red plumes, tore through the air, carrying immense force and precise anticipation, and hurtled fiercely towards the two swirling black whirlwinds against the west wind!
*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!*
The screams of men and horses falling instantly drowned out the Di cavalry's whistles! The high-speed Di cavalry seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall! The first few riders fell instantly, their horses and riders trampled over by their unstoppable comrades! Powerful crossbow bolts easily pierced the crude leather armor, kicking up plumes of blood! The Di people's proud mounted archery charge encountered, for the first time on this desolate plain, the Qin army's powerful crossbows met them head-on! Their formation crumbled!
"Infantry! Hold your ground! Halberdiers, prepare!" Xiao Yuxuan's voice was as steady as a mountain. The crossbowmen swiftly cocked their crossbows again, the cold click of the mechanisms ringing out once more after a brief moment of chaos.
The Di people were clearly stunned by the accurate and fierce crossbow bolts. After a brief moment of chaos, the leading Di centurion let out an angry roar and changed tactics. He sharply pulled on the reins, leading the remaining twenty-odd riders no longer to follow the formation, but instead to circle around, abruptly reining in their horses about a hundred paces from the circular formation! The horses reared up, letting out long neighs. The Di riders quickly drew their bows from their backs, skillfully nocking and slinging arrows! They were going to use a dense rain of arrows to cover this small wagon formation!
"Raise your shield—!" Xiao Yuxuan shouted sharply!
The infantrymen in the front row, shield-bearing, roared and suddenly raised their large, leaning shields high above their heads! The halberdiers in the rear row also quickly raised their halberds horizontally, tightly overlapping the edges of their comrades' shields to form a temporary "canopy," not airtight but enough to cover most of the area. The crossbowmen quickly ducked under the protection of the cart shafts and large shields.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Like a sudden storm, a hail of wolf-tooth arrows rained down! Clang, clang, clang! They fell as densely as hailstones! The sharp arrowheads slammed viciously against the cold bronze shields, the iron-clad chariot shafts, and the rough wooden planks of the carts, producing heart-stopping explosions! Splinters and sparks flew everywhere! Several arrows, piercing through the tiny gaps between the shields at unusual angles, elicited muffled groans and screams from the soldiers. The circular formation, like a small boat in a raging storm, endured the frenzied baptism of arrows!
Just then, something unexpected happened!
A young woman, cradling an infant and trembling in the very center of the formation, completely broke down amidst the deafening crash of arrows and the screams of her companions! She let out a piercing, inhuman scream, leaped to her feet, and fled desperately towards the edge of the formation—towards the seemingly safe, desolate wilderness beyond the reach of the Di people's arrow rain! The infant in her arms cried out in heart-wrenching agony!
"Come back!!" Sheng Guo roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot! But it was too late!
The woman had barely broken free of the circle and taken a dozen or so steps when a cunning wolf-tooth arrow, like a venomous snake, silently pursued her from the flank! *Thud!* The sharp arrowhead pierced her thin shoulder blade! The immense impact sent her staggering forward, crashing heavily to the ground! The infant in her arms flew from her grasp, landing on the cold, withered grass, emitting an even more heart-wrenching cry!
"Ah Xiu—!" A desperate roar rang out from among the refugees, and a man in equally tattered clothes rushed out of the formation to save people without regard for his own safety!
"Stop him!" Xiao Yuxuan shouted! Two halberd-wielding men reacted quickly and firmly held down the nearly crazed man.
The Di people outside the lines had clearly spotted this perfect prey and opening! Several Di cavalrymen howled excitedly, spurred their horses, and pounced on the fallen woman and crying baby like hungry wolves that had smelled blood! Their scimitars were raised high, their cold gleam blinding! They wanted to capture them alive! They would use these living prey to break the Qin army's morale and tear open this pesky turtle shell!
"Crossbowmen! Target—the Di cavalry rescuing people! Rapid fire! Suppression!" Xiao Yuxuan's voice was cold and resolute, without the slightest hesitation! Protecting women and children was the bottom line of his oath to "stop the war," and it was also a silent response to Gu Yan's question about "weighing lives" last night!
The surviving crossbowmen gritted their teeth, braving the still sparse arrows falling, and quickly emerged from behind their cover, their crossbow arms once again aimed at the Di cavalrymen who were rushing towards the women and children! *Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* Several crossbow bolts, whistling with death, shot accurately towards their targets!
The Di cavalry leader at the forefront reacted swiftly, jerking the reins and causing his horse to rear up, narrowly avoiding a crossbow bolt aimed at a vital spot. However, the horse was struck in the hind leg by another crossbow bolt, collapsing to the ground with a mournful cry! The other two Di cavalrymen were also caught off guard by the sudden and accurate shooting, causing their charge to be immediately hampered!
"Infantry! Left flank! Wedge formation! Follow me! Rescue the enemy!" Xiao Yuxuan drew his bronze longsword from his waist, the blade pointing directly out of the formation! He knew that relying solely on crossbow bolts for suppression was unsustainable; he had to take advantage of the Di cavalry's confusion and launch a preemptive strike!
"Yes, sir!" Sheng Guo was the first to roar in response! The twenty-odd halberd-wielding infantrymen on the left flank instantly changed formation! Shield bearers holstered their shields and charged forward, followed closely by halberd bearers, forming a sharp attack arrowhead! Xiao Yuxuan took the lead, enduring the stabbing pain in his ribs, and like an arrow released from a bow, he was the first to break through the protection of the chariot formation, rushing straight towards the fallen woman and the crying baby! Sheng Guo, like an enraged brown bear, brandished her halberd, guarding his side!
The wind and sand of the wasteland seemed to freeze at that moment. The circular formation's defenses were deliberately breached! A small squad of infantry, amidst a hail of arrows and the menacing gaze of dozens of fierce Di cavalry, charged fearlessly toward the lives of two insignificant refugees! This seemingly insane act, however, revealed a heart-stirring, almost tragic, power!
"You're asking for death!" The French military officer in the ranks watched, his eyelids twitching as he cursed under his breath, his hand involuntarily tightening on his sword hilt. The refugees in the ranks stared blankly at the young centurion who charged out and the soldiers silently charging behind him, a faint flame of hope igniting for the first time in their numb and desperate eyes.
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