Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts. There's nothing more to say between the wolf clan and the human clan. Once prepared, they immediately launched an attack.
On the grasslands, it's impossible for scouts from both sides to meet without a life-or-death outcome, unless it's just one or two people who run away as soon as they see each other from afar.
The wolf clan mistook Qin Mu and his group for a large scout team. This is a common occurrence near large legions, since each scout team sent out during a million-strong army operation usually has a significant number of members.
Without shouts or bugle calls, both sides began their charge, gradually increasing in speed. These were the scouts, a group of elite soldiers at the forefront of the battlefield, and also the type of soldier who suffered the heaviest casualties. Apart from the vanguard, the scouts were among the most meritorious. Those scouts who survived two or three major battles almost always managed to obtain a decent official position, leave the army with honor, or serve as mid- to low-ranking officers.
As the wolf riders galloped across the lush grasslands, Qin Mu could see pairs of scarlet wolf eyes, a trait unique to the Silver Wolf Clan. The white fur on their foreheads was clearly visible, as were the markings on their faces. Combined with the wolf smoke emanating from their blood, they appeared extremely ferocious.
However, the wolf clan was even more surprised, because they realized that they had not encountered the light cavalry scouts riding warhorses and carrying crossbows as they usually did, but rather heavy cavalry from a large-scale war. Crucially, their imposing mounts looked exceptionally terrifying.
Amidst the thunderous roar like a stampede of ten thousand horses, a knight much taller than himself charged forward, wielding a long, large sword that gleamed in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The lead wolf rider's expression changed instantly. He realized that the presence of such heavy cavalry meant the main force was nearby. Their main force was not far away, and if they were attacked by humans without preparation, the losses would be devastating. Therefore, he loudly ordered his personal guards to take action.
Initially, the wolf clan, seeing that Qin Mu and his group only numbered one or two hundred, didn't even consider reporting immediately, as the matter seemed insignificant. In the past, they would simply kill first and ask questions later. Now, having already charged halfway, they realized the danger and hurriedly sent people away to report. They dared not order everyone to retreat. At their current speed, a retreat would surely lead to pursuit, and it was uncertain how many would escape. Besides, with a thousand men, the outcome was uncertain; sending people away was merely a precaution.
The knee-high grass was nothing new to the wolf riders; they chose the most suitable path and charged forward, barely feeling the grass brush against their fur. As for the triangular oxen, needless to say, the grasslands were no different from flat ground to them.
The closer they got, the more surprised the wolf clan became. The massive cavalrymen exerted immense pressure, and their thick iron armor made them unsure if they could break through their defenses.
Fortunately, they were all elite members of the wolf clan, having experienced countless life-and-death battles. They were surprised, but not to the point of losing their will to fight.
The two sides quickly clashed and engaged in a fierce battle. The wolves, with their rich combat experience and agile mounts, generally avoided direct confrontations.
However, after they engaged in combat, they discovered that the enemy's mount did not carry a single person; while they were attacking from the side, another person was also facing them. Some were pointing crossbow bolts at them, while others were slashing with their swords.
The wolf clan had no idea who they had encountered. Although they were elites, Qin Mu's subordinates were all experts, including Xin Liao'er, Baili Rou, and the Bu brothers, who were four top experts.
Nourished by the elixirs, Baili Rou instantly rose to the ranks of top-tier experts. Qin Mu guessed that besides her astonishing talent, Han Chen had also played a significant role. He had helped her using medical techniques; otherwise, many people wouldn't have been stuck at the top-tier level for their entire lives.
Xin Liao'er, wielding a horse spear, charged forward fearlessly, his men unmatched. With a single swing, he and his mount were slain. The Bu brothers, riding a triangular ox, had been following behind Qin Mu. When the battle began, the two brothers rushed to the front, wielding their curved blades and claiming lives one after another.
Xin Liao'er fought with sweeping, powerful attacks, leaving blood splattering everywhere. The Bu brothers used their curved blades to kill with swift and unpredictable movements. It seemed to be Baili Rou's first time fighting against the wolf clan, as she was initially somewhat hesitant. However, she soon unleashed her full power, wielding her broadsword and severing heads one by one.
This is actually the discomfort that comes with a significant increase in strength. Even if one is already familiar with the power, one's mind is not, and one always feels that one is still the same as before. This is not unique to Baili Rou; others also have this problem to some extent. However, most of them have fought against the beastmen before and have drawn blood more than once, so they did not panic.
The more they fought, the more confident they became. Everyone realized that the wolf pack was nothing special, and even the seemingly ferocious wolf mounts were helpless against them.
In the past, when fighting against wolves, one had to be wary of their mounts. Hungry wolves would always attack warhorses, which could cause a lot of unexpected damage. If a warhorse was suddenly startled and the rider was not paying attention, it would be easy for the enemy to take the opportunity to attack.
But these things don't apply to the Triangular Bull. Not only is it covered in scales, but even its softest part, its belly, is protected by iron armor. A single charge from its long horns would send riders flying. And its pillar-thick hooves would mean certain death if they stepped on it.
To the Triangular Bulls, the Hungry Wolf mounts, being so small, were far inferior to the ferocious beasts of the secret realm, especially the massive Sky Warriors with wings spanning tens of meters. They had fought many battles to protect their cubs. Therefore, the Hungry Wolf mounts posed no threat whatsoever; in fact, they were quite annoying, sometimes even provoking the bulls to throw a kick at the charging beasts.
The wolves of the wolf pack love to do two things: bite the heads of warhorses and groin attacks. However, the horns on the heads of triangular bulls are too frightening, so they wisely choose to groin attacks. Little do they know, what's in front of them isn't a warhorse, but a bull! Even though it's a special kind of bull, it still likes to kick people.
A single kick could break bones at best, and shatter a wolf's head at worst. Although wolves are known for their bronze heads, a kick from a creature weighing nearly ten tons still carries immense force. The Tianshui family, unaware of the gravity of their actions, had members killed during their capture attempts. The wolf riders fared no better; a single kick, and their bronze heads were smashed to pieces like iron hammers.
The battle didn't last long before the wolf pack was in despair. This was simply beyond their capabilities, even though there were only three or four hundred people in front of them. However, the wolf pack's inherent ferocity meant they never even considered running away. Killing one was enough, killing two would be a bonus—that was probably their thinking.
A thousand wolves encountered over four hundred skilled warriors. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they all fell on the grassland, their blood staining the grass crimson. Though many places were trampled flat by the hooves of cattle, the blood would surely nourish the grass, making it even more lush next year.
“We don’t need to go any further; the wolves will catch up on their own,” Feng Duan suggested.
The soldiers began clearing the battlefield. Although the wolf tribe was poor, their pelts were quite good, and they also possessed bone knives and wolf-tooth daggers—items the soldiers loved to collect. They could bring them back not only to sell for money but also to boast about their achievements.
In particular, the white fur on the foreheads of wolves is a point of merit equivalent to that of a certain rank and must be cut off; also, the wolf fangs of wolf riders, fresh wolf fangs are also points of merit and can be kept to make wolf fang arrowheads. Wolf fang arrowheads have a unique armor-piercing effect, and ordinary leather armor cannot protect against them, so not only wolves are accustomed to using them, but humans also like them very much.
"Cut off the heads of the wolf clan members, pile them up, and then retreat!" Qin Mu nodded slightly and gave the order.
He knew the wolf scouts had discovered them, and with another force lost, many more wolves would surely be searching for them. The retreat was to regroup with the rest of the group and avoid being picked off one by one.
"Yes, sir!" Feng Duan clasped his hands in a fist salute and responded loudly before leading his men to get to work. He had suffered a lot of humiliation at the hands of the wolf clan under Liang Shidu before, and now was the time for revenge.
Nearly a thousand hungry wolves were killed and placed on the backs of oxen. These ferocious beasts were the soldiers' favorites; not only was their meat believed to increase blood and fighting spirit, and improve physical constitution, but it was also said to enhance certain abilities. Among humans, tiger and wolf meat was the most sought-after.
To deal with ravenous people, one must eat more tiger and wolf meat—this is a rumor, but many people firmly believe it. However, ordinary people simply cannot afford to eat it.
These wolves, used as mounts, are much larger than ordinary wolves, only slightly shorter than warhorses. They have long, sharp teeth, bloodshot eyes, and sharp claws. Generally, a soldier on horseback is no match for a wolf rider. Within the wolf clan, only scouts and the most elite wolf guards possess wolf riders. The rest of the wolf clan rides the wild horses unique to the grasslands.
The Red-Eyed Horse is a warhorse unique to the wolf clan. It is fierce, runs swiftly like the wind, and is said to have wolf blood.
On the grasslands, as long as one is not afraid of wolves, night travel is actually very convenient; the vast land allows the mounts to move freely. Even without a guide, Qin Mu himself could find his way by the stars.
The August night breeze was very pleasant. Although the wind was a bit strong on the grassland, it didn't bother the person sitting on the triangular ox. That's the advantage of a heavy chassis.
With the help of others gathered, they began roasting wolf meat and, without restraint, the large rats unique to the grasslands. That's right! The humans call the grassland prairie rats "prairie rats" because of their size.
These creatures are abundant on the grasslands and are one of the most important food sources for wolves, along with wild rabbits! Because of the large wolf population, many wild animals on the grasslands have been killed by them, but the fast-reproducing rats and wild rabbits are inexhaustible! They are also their favorite prey.
While herding, searching for large rats and hares with their mounts is also the most important task of the wolf pack's day.
The grease sizzled on the fire, causing the campfire to burst into flames. The wolf meat on the fire emitted a fragrant aroma. A soldier picked up his dagger, made a cut in the wolf meat, and then carefully added a little salt.
During an expedition, being able to enjoy a delicious meal of meat is a very pleasant thing, and everyone is all smiles, even knowing that a great battle is about to take place.
Killing a thousand wolf riders with zero casualties brought immense confidence. The initial sense of tragic heroism vanished, and they all believed they would return home safely. The constables, especially those trained by Qin Mu, remained steadfast; the resounding victory only strengthened their resolve.
While Qin Mu and his group were eating barbecue, countless torches illuminated the land at the place of Dasheng at dusk.
Looking at the mountain of heads with their silver hair cut off, all the wolves were filled with rage. They knew this was the work of humans, but on the grasslands, it was unheard of for thousands to be killed at once, except during major battles.
The scouts reported that there were only two hundred strange heavy cavalry, but a thousand elite wolf riders had been lost here, which made him suspicious.
Wang Xiong was Yinan's eldest son, a name he changed himself, aspiring to become the heroic Silver Wolf King. His thousand wolf riders were his most elite troops. He had painstakingly secured a vanguard position from Yinan, hoping to bring the smaller tribes under his control first, and then use the opportunity to invade the interior.
The terror of the Central Plains people was a distant memory for these young people, and they looked down on the conservative older generation. Now was their chance to prove themselves, but unexpectedly, someone killed one of their subordinates.
A fierce rage ignited in Wang Xiong's heart. He raised his head and looked into the distance, his silver eyes icy cold.
"Pass down the order! Find those humans. I want to hear from them by tomorrow morning!" Wang Xiong commanded without turning his head.
"Yes, sir!" one of the guards replied with a fist salute, then led his men and disappeared into the night.
For the wolf clan, moonlit nights were not much different from daytime. On the familiar grasslands, he believed that humans could not escape their pursuit.
After waiting for a while, Wang Xiong turned his head and looked at the pile of heads again before waving his hand.
Immediately, many soldiers rushed out and threw a lot of things onto the pile of corpses, and then threw torches on top of it.
Seeing the fire burning, Wang Xiong led his men to continue forward.
The grasslands are vast, but they're not flat. It's just that because they're so vast, from a distance, the hills look like small mounds. Only when you get close do you realize that these hills are actually several hundred meters high.
Standing on the hillside and looking into the distance, all you can see is green. The wind blows and the wild grasses are like waves, one after another.
Black dots appeared on the horizon, like ink flowing into paper. At first, there were few, but they gradually merged into one, becoming more and more numerous and closer together.
Those are wolves! Qin Mu wasn't surprised. After all, the grasslands were their home ground, and they could quickly find his trail. Besides, he hadn't even intended to force them away.
Wang Xiong narrowed his eyes as he looked at the figures on the distant hillside, which resembled golden armor. He waved his hand and shouted fiercely, "I'm going to take those humans to feed our mounts! Leave not a single one alive!"
At Wang Xiong's command, his men scattered with howls, encircling the distant hillside.
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