Tudege also noticed the unusual behavior of the Kangguo troops.
Looking at the trampled head on the ground, Tudege suddenly opened his eyes. The head's owner had thick, golden hair, styled in the most common hairstyle in the Northern Desert. Normally, this golden hair would gleam with a captivating golden light under the sun, but today its splendor was obscured by mud mixed with blood, its former luster gone. It was gray and filthy, just like its owner's bloodless face.
The owner of the head was not one of the soldiers in the Northern Desert army.
They were enemies killed by the warriors of the Northern Desert!
The words repeated and magnified in his mind over and over again—
We've fallen for their trap!
"withdraw!"
He shouted a desperate order to turn back, but before the order could be relayed, a formidable wooden wall rose up around the edge of the Kangguo camp, completely encircling the Northern Desert troops. This wooden wall was perfectly sealed, without a single flaw.
The soldiers in the northern desert were initially unaffected.
Ever since the army swept through the enemy ranks, triumphantly entering the Kang Kingdom's camp, those who stubbornly resisted were either beheaded, hacked to pieces, or trampled into mincemeat. The enemy soldiers had become utterly bloodthirsty. Enemy heads meant military merit, military merit meant a bright future, fame, fortune, and even luxury cars and beautiful women were all beckoning them. How could they not be excited and ecstatic?
The blade pierced flesh, and blood spurted out.
These gory images further stimulated their nerves.
All that remained in my mind was kill, kill, kill!
Even though they all saw the "wooden wall," they didn't realize it was an enemy counterattack. They thought it was their own literati trapping and killing the enemy with the "wooden wall," leaving no one alive! This continued until the order to retreat and defend was passed down through the ranks.
The murderous intent that had gripped his mind cooled down a little.
The soldiers in the northern desert belatedly realized what was happening.
This "wooden wall" isn't yours?
It's from the enemy?
This scene was like a sudden, devastating blow to their heads.
Don't be fooled by the fact that few of them are literate; it doesn't mean they're all stupid. The various tribes in the Northern Desert often clash over survival resources, which indirectly hones their sense of crisis. When the enemy surrounds them and orders a retreat from above, it's clear they've fallen into an ambush and been surrounded.
As more and more soldiers in the Northern Desert realized this, the once orderly and tightly-knit military formation inevitably began to show weaknesses. The power of the military formation's incantation relied on the soldiers' morale and formation. Low morale or a disorganized formation would directly affect the effectiveness of the military formation's incantation.
The Mohists seized this opportunity to detonate the traps on a large scale, with the explosions being the most concentrated on the outermost edge of the Kang Kingdom's camp. It was almost like a small explosion every three steps, followed by a series of explosions every five steps. Under normal circumstances, the power of such explosions would not be enough to break through the defenses of the military formation's incantations; at most, they would catch the enemy off guard, disrupt their psychological defenses, and shower them with sand and dust. But this time, things were different.
The traps include not only explosions and fires, but also sinkholes!
However, what really made things worse was yet to come!
Suddenly, a deafening battle cry erupted from the Kang Kingdom's main camp, the shockwave shattering the tents and reducing them to dust, revealing the Kang Kingdom troops who had been lying in ambush for some time. With a command of "Kill!", the soldiers, organized by tent, rallied together, their morale surging, forming a unified force. The leading cavalry charged straight into the Northern Desert vanguard.
The fully armed warhorses charged forward with a death-defying ferocity, the riders wielding two-zhang-long spears. Their martial spirit concentrated at the spear tip, aiming straight for the enemy's throat and face.
puff--
The spear, enhanced by martial energy, was incredibly sharp.
Fueled by the charge of their warhorses, a single thrust pierced through the target, but that wasn't enough; the spear, having pierced the enemy, then thrust at another. Until three or five men lay neatly arranged atop the spears, like worms pierced by bamboo skewers. By then, the warhorses had already charged into the vanguard of the Northern Desert. The spearmen decisively discarded their weapons.
The spear melted in his hand and transformed into a broad-bladed horse-slaying sword.
The blade slashed at the enemy's armor.
The friction between metals produces dazzling sparks.
As the scales were forcefully pierced, revealing the flesh and blood beneath the armor, the Northern Desert soldier only had time to scream before half his head was severed. Brain matter splattered everywhere, trampled underfoot, and mingled with the soil the moment it hit the ground.
"kill--"
There were ambushes ahead and explosions behind.
The dilemma of being caught between a rock and a hard place has halved the morale of the Northern Desert.
Tudege's troops did not completely penetrate the Kangguo camp; a small portion was blocked outside by the "wooden wall." Without hesitation, they charged towards the "wooden wall." Before they could breach it, enemies attacked from both flanks.
The military commander leading the charge was none other than Xu Quan.
"Hey, grandson, why don't you kneel down when you see your grandpa!"
He took the lead and landed with a slash from high above.
The ground was blasted apart by the impact of the air blades.
Xu Quan's offensive was forced to halt after he had only managed to kill seven or eight Northern Desert soldiers. A one-eyed general with over a dozen hideous centipede scars on his face charged in. This general wore earthen-yellow armor, with only half-body animal hides covering his shoulders and waist, and wielded a pair of heavy hammers covered in barbs. It was clear at a glance that this man was skilled in brute force. Xu Quan was jolted back by the force of the blow, his hands going numb, and he staggered back half a step.
"Heh, grandson, your surname is Lu?"
Xu Quan smiled broadly and waved his hand dismissively.
There are quite a few generals who pursue extreme strength, but not many either. Of all the generals Xu Quan has fought so far, only Lu Ji possesses immense strength and wields a double hammer. He used to have a clear advantage in sparring with Lu Ji, but as her methods have become increasingly extreme, Xu Quan has grown somewhat wary of her. The reason? Her strength is terrifying!
Taking a hit without warning leaves my hand numb for a long time.
The one-eyed martial artist had a fierce appearance, but his eyes were surprisingly calm. His gaze was focused, with only Xu Quan in his eyes, completely unaffected by Xu Quan's trash talk.
He charged at Xu Quan with overwhelming momentum, like a cannonball.
The two hammers in his hands were two extreme colors, one red and one blue.
One place is as hot as magma, the other as cold as ice.
Where it passed, it left two red and blue trails.
Xu Quan's gaze sharpened slightly, and he shouted, "You've come at the perfect time!"
However, just as the two were about to clash, two jet-black beams of light passed over Xu Quan from behind, heading straight for the one-eyed general. Although the one-eyed general's entire focus was on Xu Quan, the sudden turn of events did not throw him off balance. Instead of avoiding the attack, he roared and charged forward to meet it head-on!
boom--
The shockwaves generated by the collision of different colored martial energies impacted all directions.
The one-eyed general's expression changed instantly.
Because the force carried by these two beams of light exceeded expectations.
Xu Quan recognized the person: "What are you doing?"
The ground was covered with soldiers from the northern desert, and military achievements were everywhere.
Why bother fighting him for a kill?
Lu Jiyang waved his hand to recall the heavy hammer that had been spinning back.
Her voice carried on the wind: "Clean house!"
Wasn't it Xu Quan who first complained about this one-eyed general's surname being Lu, making fun of herself? If that's the case, then she'll accept this grandson as her own, clean up the mess herself, and uphold justice even at the cost of family ties, without needing outsiders to interfere.
Looking back at Lu Ji's record over the years, she's constantly having her kills stolen by one person or another, working herself to the bone for little reward. Now she's figured it out: she'll follow in others' footsteps and leave them with no way to go. As long as she's quick enough, no one can steal a single kill from her! And her opponent is a general skilled in using dual hammers—the only thing missing is Lu Ji's signature mark on his forehead!
Xu Quan: "..."
Lu Ji's intervention also helped lighten his burden.
The wedge formation deployed by the Northern Desert is an offensive formation, with the majority of its forces concentrated in the center, led by the vanguard. Its defensive capabilities are slightly weaker than the fish-scale formation, with its weakness lying at the rear. Xu Quan's task is to lead his troops to eliminate this portion, further dismantling the enemy's formation and expanding his own gains. Now that Lu Ji is intervening to restrain the enemy generals, he can focus his energy on leading his troops to kill the enemy.
The sound of explosions continued to emanate from behind the "wooden wall".
Occasionally, a sound like "whimpering" would be heard.
The strange sound was extremely penetrating.
Occasionally, you can hear the sound of waves crashing.
These commotions seem rather strange on the current battlefield.
"Release the Martial Spirit Totem here?"
After some probing, Lu Ji had a general grasp of the one-eyed general's strength. Hearing the commotion, he was still able to spare a sliver of attention, and thought to himself, "General Bai is still so determined!"
The strength of the Warrior Totem is also limited by the terrain.
In a suitable battlefield, one's strength can be enhanced.
They will also be restricted in unsuitable battlefields.
Bai Su is a typical example.
Her martial spirit totem is a strange, large black and white fish, a veritable overlord in the water. However, the Northwest region lacks abundant water resources, let alone suitable for naval warfare. Forcibly summoning it would require extra martial energy to create a suitable environment for its activity, making it not cost-effective overall.
Why was it summoned again today?
Naturally, it's because the enemy is densely packed.
The Northern Desert troops arrived in two columns, but most of their forces were trapped in a battlefield surrounded by the "wooden wall." The enemy was densely packed; throwing a brick into the wall would kill two people, let alone a fish three or four zhang long (approximately 10-12 meters) in size. The sheer size of the fish pressing down on the enemy ranks, its tail thrashing wildly, created an effect more significant than a charge of dozens of cavalry. Not to mention, this fish could also create sonic booms.
The sound was sometimes shrill, making the eardrums bulge and rupture, and sometimes deep and majestic, as if throwing a person into a bronze bell, with the bell's pestle striking from the outside.
The soldiers in the northern desert were suffering terribly.
However, this torment did not last long.
A snow-white figure would silently appear beside you, swiftly slitting your throat with a sword. Before you could even feel the pain, your consciousness would be gone. This white figure was like a ghost, its movements elusive, and every time the sword was drawn, a splatter of blood would follow.
Bai Su charged towards the Northern Desert Central Army.
Her martial arts totem, the strange black and white fish, also thrashed and hopped on the ground, whimpering as it tried to keep up with Bai Su's pace, occasionally emitting sharp sonic booms to clear obstacles for Bai Su. If it felt thirsty, it would leap into the air—a giant, suspended water tank floated above the battlefield.
Although it's called a water tank, it's actually a manifestation of Bai Suwu's martial energy.
After replenishing its water supply, the strange giant fish will once again cleave through the waves and charge forward.
"You lowly beast, how dare you!"
A cold light shot out from the central army of the Northern Desert.
Before they could even touch the strange giant fish, Bai Su strangled and killed them with her twin swords.
She said calmly, "Who is that old beast cursing?"
The enemy's charge was blocked by the crossed swords, making it difficult for them to advance any further.
The strange, enormous fish behind seemed to understand human speech. It whimpered and opened its mouth towards the approaching general. In an instant, several jets of water shot out from its mouth, slicing through the air and cleaving through the Northern Desert soldiers in their path. The water jets that missed their mark also cut through the ground, leaving leg-deep fissures, while the rest hurtled towards the enemy general. However, the enemy general's armor was thick, and his defenses were astonishing. The four or five water jets that struck him only created sparks and propelled him a few steps away.
The strange giant fish was very unhappy about this.
This time, it uttered a voice that was ethereal and ghostly.
The enemy general was momentarily distracted.
But it was only for a moment.
His weapon transformed into a golden blade of light to block Bai Su's attack.
Bai Su said, "What a pity."
The enemy general was about to sneer.
This person is far from being a threat to him, so what's there to regret?
A fine, persistent pain came from my neck.
A warm, sticky liquid slowly oozed from the painful spot. He was horrified and hurriedly channeled his martial energy to stop the bleeding. Then, a cold wind rushed into his neck and collar, carrying away the heat. Only then did he realize that his helmet and collar had been cut open!
Bai Su underestimated Dun Xiang's defense.
The sword, as thin as a cicada's wing, did not cut to a fatal depth.
Judging by the feel of her touch alone, Bai Su knew she hadn't managed to secure the kill. But it didn't matter; she had many more chances. She could afford to miss once or twice, but the enemy only had one!
Sunlight poured down, falling on Bai Su's twin swords.
The sword's edge resembled the tip of a judge's pen, carrying a deadly aura.
Unlike Tudege's repeated defeats, the troops led by his trusted confidants were in a much better situation. This wasn't because the Kang Kingdom camp was showing favoritism, but purely because Gong Cheng was on this side! As a Grand Commandant of the Eighteenth Rank, he alone was enough to restrain a Kang Kingdom military force several times his size. Gong Cheng was initially somewhat lax, but when a pink light flew from the direction of the Kang Kingdom's main tent, he instantly perked up!
Upon closer inspection—
This isn't some kind of pinkish glow at all.
It was clearly a crystal-clear pink skull!
This pink skull is also wearing full armor.
The armor exuded a majestic and imposing aura, creating a stark contrast with the pink crystal skull beneath the helmet. The skull suddenly entered Gong Cheng's field of vision, nearly startling him, but he quickly realized who it was. He opened his mouth to call out, but then swallowed the words back down.
This is a battlefield; he has no right to call me "Second Uncle."
but--
My second uncle showed no mercy when it came to cleaning up his own household.
Gong Shuwu raised his hand and inhaled towards the Northern Desert, the palm wind forcibly pulling the nearest Northern Desert soldier towards him. His hand formed a claw, firmly gripping the soldier's skull. The Northern Desert soldier was initially stunned, then his face contorted in a ferocious grimace, gathering all his strength in his right hand to swing his sword at Gong Shuwu, but the instant he raised his sword, he was enveloped by a chilling aura—
It was a small cluster of flames carrying an aura of death!
The flame was small and quiet, seemingly harmless and weak.
But even such a small flame could incinerate a living person in an instant!
Only a snow-white skeleton remained.
A sense of foreboding flashed through Gong Cheng's mind.
The next second, my premonition was confirmed!
One after another, skeletons emerged from the ground.
The skeletons were initially bewildered, their flames lazy and transparent, but the moment they saw the Northern Desert soldiers with heterochromatic eyes all around them, the flames suddenly surged—even though they had no flesh and blood, no outsider could fail to see their excitement!
There were even skeletons with their mouths open, laughing wildly.
The flames around the eyes were replaced by a blinding scarlet.
He pulled out a bone and charged out!
"You bastards! All of you, die!"
＿|￣|●
Today, Yunji and I took the high-speed train for three and a half hours to Shanghai. We originally planned to take a Didi (ride-hailing service) to meet at the hotel, but seeing it was 40-50 kilometers away, we opted for the subway. And then… we stood for a full two hours! Ugh, we sat from the second stop to the second-to-last stop, the subway was packed, and there weren't a single seat…
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