Chapter 431: Attack on Shilipo
When Xiao Nanyan led the army to Shilipo, it was already dusk.
At this moment, the mountains on both sides were like dark green, and the official road was sandwiched in the middle, becoming narrower and narrower as it went forward. However, this was the only way to enter Yandu, a military fortress.
Xiao Nanyue and Fu Yunqing looked at each other and saw vigilance in each other's eyes.
Long before they set out, they had anticipated that Helian Feng and Xiao Beicheng would set an ambush here.
After about another mile, the vanguard had just turned a bend in the mountain when suddenly a loud "boom" was heard.
The intersection ahead was blocked by huge rocks several meters high, with sharpened iron spikes embedded in the cracks between the rocks. It was obviously the first checkpoint that Helian Feng had ordered people to set up by digging through the mountain in advance.
"Your Majesty, the road ahead is blocked!"
When the scouts came galloping back to report, countless fireballs had already rolled down from the hillsides on both sides, carrying thick smoke and hitting the army formation, instantly igniting a raging fire.
The pungent smell of kerosene mixed with sulfur spread. Although the soldiers tried their best to put out the fire, they were forced to retreat again and again.
What's even more troublesome is that there is a hidden crossbow where the fireball fell, and the arrows are tempered with a poison that kills instantly when it comes into contact with blood. Dozens of soldiers have been shot and fallen to the ground, and screams are heard one after another.
"Pass the order down, split into two teams, left and right, and make a detour!"
Xiao Nanyan reined in his horse and stood on a high point, his eyes sweeping across the steep slopes on both sides:
"Fu Yunqing, you lead 500 shield soldiers to provide frontal cover. Han Xiao, you lead 500 infantrymen to climb up the cliff on the left and destroy the enemy camp!"
The soldiers charged under rain of arrows and raging fire, the shield soldiers formed a defensive formation with iron armor, and the light cavalry took advantage of the cover of night and climbed the slippery cliffs using their hands and feet.
The cliff was covered with rope nets and traps set up by Xiao Beicheng. Many soldiers were caught in the nets and dragged into the abyss just when they were halfway up, or they stepped on loose rocks and fell off the cliff, and their blood dyed the rock wall red.
It was not until three o'clock in the morning that Han Xiao led his team to the top of the slope and cut the rope of the fireball thrower, thus breaking through the first barrier.
The army had just taken a short break when it reached the canyon in the middle of Shilipu when the second obstacle arose.
Suddenly, dense rockets were fired from the dense forests on both sides of the canyon, igniting the tarpaulin buried in advance on the ground. The wall of fire quickly spread along the wind direction, trapping the army in the middle.
What's even more terrifying is that Xiao Beicheng actually set up a "poisonous smoke array" here - the thick smoke was mixed with the powder of the soul-loving grass unique to southern Xinjiang, and those who inhaled it would soon feel dizzy and weak all over.
"Cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth!"
Xiao Nanyan made a prompt decision and ordered people to pour the water in the water bag on the cloth and distribute it:
"Fu Yunqing, take the swordsmen and axesmen to cut down the trees on both sides and create a firebreak!"
The axemen struggled to chop down trees in the poisonous smoke. Many of them fell to the ground while chopping and were dragged to the downwind side by the soldiers behind them for emergency treatment.
The breakout lasted for two full hours, until dawn, when a gap was torn in the wall of fire. The army walked through the canyon on the charred land, with nearly 10% of its troops lost.
Unexpectedly, just after leaving the canyon, countless feet high wooden fences suddenly appeared on the flat ground in front, forming a huge square formation. The fences were hung with bells and sharp knives - this was the third checkpoint set up by Helian Feng, and also the most sinister "Dragon Trapping Formation".
The ground inside the square formation was dug into trenches of varying depths, with caltrops covering the bottom. Hundreds of archers were hidden around the formation. As long as someone stepped into the formation, a bell would be triggered, attracting a rain of arrows.
"This is going to trap us here to death!"
Fu Yunqing looked at the tall watchtower in the center of the formation. Someone must be directing the situation there.
"The fence is made of mortise and tenon construction. Breaking in will only trigger more traps!"
Xiao Nanyan pulled the reins and looked at the crisscrossing trenches and the flashing cold light in the square formation, his brows furrowed.
At this time, the army had gone through a series of fierce battles, and was exhausted, with little food and grass left. However, the "Dragon Trapping Formation" was like a huge net that covered them tightly.
A gray figure suddenly flashed out from the watchtower. From a distance, it was Xiao Beicheng. At this moment, a smug sneer was on his face:
"Nan Yan, this Shilipo is where you will be buried! If you surrender, I can leave your body intact!"
Xiao Nanyan looked up and sneered:
"Xiao Beicheng, if you want to trap me to death, it depends on whether you have the ability to do so!"
Xiao Beicheng laughed out loud:
"Nan Yan, most of your formations were taught by me. Could it be that you are so confident that you can break through the encirclement?"
“Let’s wait and see!”
Before Xiao Nanyan finished speaking, there was a sudden movement in the formation. Dozens of poisonous snakes crawled out of the trench and spit at the soldiers - it turned out that this "Dragon Trapping Formation" not only had traps, but also hid poisonous beasts.
The army suddenly fell into chaos. There was a fence blocking the way in front, a canyon blocking the way behind, and poisonous snakes and arrows on both sides. It was truly like a turtle in a jar.
Xiao Nanyue took a deep breath, knowing that if he panicked at this moment, his entire army would be wiped out.
He shouted the order: "Form a circular formation for defense! Archers suppress the two wings! Han Xiao, lead the elite troops to find the center of the formation!"
Then, he glanced at Fu Yunqing:
"As for breaking this poison formation, it's none other than you."
"Yes, sir!"
…
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