Chapter 1227: The Runaway's Anger (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"Hahaha, Kangguo's bunch of idiots."
As the commotion on the river gradually subsided, some of the allied forces burst into hearty laughter, easing the tense atmosphere. The southwestern states had never engaged in a large-scale direct war with Kangguo; their understanding of Kangguo's military consisted mainly of Kangguo's previous military campaigns and the spies infiltrating Kangguo's territory. Spies came and went, but the intelligence they most desired rarely returned.
Countries are unsure about taking on a team battle without careful planning.
After the two sides actually clashed, they realized they had been tricked—Kang State was not as strong as they had imagined, and it was not even as troublesome as Geng State, which Zheng Qiao had led back then! Zheng Qiao used intrigue and trickery to make the various states fall into internal strife and have no time to deal with other matters. Their true military strength was probably just a case of being strong on the outside but weak on the inside.
Thinking of this, everyone felt deep regret.
They should have tightened their belts back then, enduring hardship and toil to seize their homeland in the Northwest Continent. If they had annexed the Northwest Continent then, where would Shen Youli have had the chance to run rampant? Fortunately, it's not too late to fight now. The Kang Kingdom's army is utterly incompetent; the Southwest Allied Forces will surely crush them!
"No survivors!"
"Execute the prisoners on the spot!"
"Chop up all the corpses and feed them to the river fish!"
As the military order was relayed, the soldiers who went into the water were in high spirits.
They were extremely skilled swimmers, completely unafraid of the thick fog on the river. With a stretch of their arms and a kick of their long legs, they swam effortlessly two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) away like a nimble fish. When submerged, they could hold their breath for more than an hour using the power of water combat. Even the legendary White Streak in the Water Combat Tales would have to admit defeat when they saw this group.
They were certain that Kangguo was not good at naval warfare.
Yes, that's indeed the case.
When Shen Tang was collecting incantations related to naval warfare, she had read about the unique methods of capturing people in the southwest, but this was the first time she had actually seen it. Her eyes lit up as she watched, and she also silenced Qi Cang beside her—if there was an ambush underwater, Zhongli Fu would not be able to sit still after being massacred like this, let alone show such an expression.
She wished she could go into the water herself and capture prisoners!
Either Zhongli Fu's identity is genuine, and all the previous commotion was due to his own overthinking and misunderstanding of the other party; or the commotion on the river is all a ruse, a feint by the Kang Kingdom to lure the enemy away, while the real main force is elsewhere!
Comparing the two—
Qi Cang believed the latter more.
The former is not impossible, but he trusts his intuition!
Just then, Qi Cang heard a noise.
It's the sound of wood hitting wood!
As the soldiers who had gone underwater to capture the man approached the vicinity of the explosion, they saw many shadows floating on the surface of the river. Immediately assuming that the shadows were the wounded enemies, they silently approached from underwater, reaching out to cut off the man's legs, but their knives missed their mark.
It didn't hit anyone, but it struck a piece of wood!
The river was covered with scattered, broken pieces of driftwood!
As for the enemy?
After a period of confusion and misidentification, they discovered that they saw no wounded prisoners or even the shadow of the enemy in the water, only their own men! The best swimmer wiped his face, grabbed a few pieces of driftwood, and used the force of the waves to swim to the riverbank.
The Allied forces on shore also realized that something was wrong.
Before the soldiers could push the driftwood ashore, a military officer noticed something was wrong and eagerly waded into the water. Before he even reached the center of the river, he saw the driftwood drifting aimlessly with the waves.
What are these?
The military officer returned to shore with a grim face.
They brought a torch and finally were able to clearly see the shape of the driftwood.
Although these pieces of wood are crudely made, you can still make out that they are human torsos and limbs! In addition to these, there were also straw figures that the soldiers brought back that hadn't been completely burned! In other words—the dark figures that the archers just pierced were not enemies, but these?
The general who was all smiles just moments ago is no longer smiling.
He crushed the straw figure in one swift motion.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his teeth were grinding fiercely: "I've been tricked!"
He roared at the top of his lungs, "Gather your troops and return to camp!"
Soldiers deployed upstream and downstream acted immediately upon receiving orders, while underwater soldiers received their orders last. One of the soldiers dived quite deep, the riverbed silt reaching above his calves.
Apart from aquatic plants and river fish, there were no other living creatures around.
Just as he was about to swim to another location, the water around him suddenly changed, and a dark shadow appeared out of nowhere. By the time he noticed, it was too late to dodge, so he simply drew his sword and held it in front of him. The next instant, the force of the water, combined with the terrifying power of the shadow, flung his body uncontrollably towards the surface of the river. The immense force shook his internal organs, and a piercing pain, like his head being split open, shot through his brain!
His martial energy circulated on its own, allowing him to barely remain conscious.
As he ascended rapidly, he strained to keep his eyelids open.
He vaguely saw that the dark figure that attacked him wasn't a living person, but a gigantic sea monster. This behemoth didn't give him a chance to identify its species; it surged upstream, violently whipping its tail mid-air directly at his face!
Thud—
Even though the river water was still enveloping his body, he heard a soul-shaking roar as he flicked his tail at his face. Then, darkness and silence enveloped him, and he lost consciousness.
Splash—
A jet of black water shot out of the river.
At the top of the water column was a headless corpse, its head flung higher, farther, and more shattered. Judging from the wound on the corpse's neck, it looked as if its head had been ripped off by some immense force!
Several more screams followed.
The dark figure darted across the river in the thick fog, moving faster and more agile than any soldier in the water; a flick of its tail could send someone back to shore. Its job was only to get people ashore, not to guarantee their survival.
"What kind of wicked beast are you!"
The shadowy figure's arrogance was short-lived; Allied military officers intervened to stop it.
Walking on the waves as if on flat ground, a long weapon instantly unleashed dozens of sharp bursts of energy. The energy shone brightly, expanding visibility and revealing the true form of the dark figure. It was a monstrous black and white fish, four zhang long, with a cone-shaped head, a high and broad dorsal fin, and more than ten pairs of sharp, long teeth exposed in its open mouth. A large patch of snow-white extended from its belly to its tail, and a pair of conspicuous white spots were also visible diagonally behind its eyes. Seeing the warrior charging towards it, a fleeting, almost human-like, mockery flashed in its eyes…
It's inexplicably infuriating to watch.
The general, relying on his intuition, used his internal energy to block the monster fish's escape route.
This strange fish must be the martial spirit totem of the Kang Kingdom general; the enemy should be nearby. Needless to say, those strange cries, the floating logs, and the straw figures were all related to this fish. The general wished he could pierce it with his spear!
It's impossible to puncture it.
The strange fish, instead of dodging him, leaped out of the water, spinning 360 degrees in mid-air, its powerful dorsal fin colliding squarely with the fish's weapon. The impact of the weapon against the dorsal fin produced a piercing sound and sparks flew, nearly leaving him dumbfounded!
no--
Is this still a fish?
His own long weapon, infused with martial energy, couldn't even break through the opponent's defense; instead, sparks flew everywhere. This was unbelievable to the general, who usually ate abalone, sea cucumber, and shark fin every day. A moment later, a bone-chilling cold swept through his body.
He thought of one possibility.
The master of the Martial Courage Totem is far stronger than him!
It's important to know that the strength of the Martial Spirit Totem is also linked to its master. It evolves as its master grows, and once a certain threshold is crossed, both its defensive and offensive capabilities undergo tremendous changes. Ordinary iron weapons simply cannot harm it in the slightest.
The weapon in his hand was no ordinary iron.
But the strange fish in front of us has a dorsal fin that is no ordinary creature either!
Whose orca has a metal armor covering its dorsal fin?
Damn, even orcas are wearing armor these days!
In a flash, the general withdrew his martial energy, preparing to get ashore first. A fish is still a fish, and no matter how much the Martial Spirit Totem evolves, it can't escape its dependence on water. But if he wanted to leave, he'd have to see if this orca, armed to the teeth, would be willing to let go... no, let go of its tail! It twisted its body in mid-air, making a super-large turn that didn't match its size, and spewed a jet of black water straight at the general's face, simultaneously using the momentum to deliver a crushing blow, emitting a strange, croaking cry.
The general severed the water column with a single blow.
The aftershocks reached the orca, but failed to scare it away.
"What's wrong with this water—"
The general skillfully deflected the orca's frontal impact, using the reverse force to accelerate his descent towards the shore. With a resounding crash, he created two sizable craters, cracks spreading in all directions. He barely managed to regain his footing as a thick, foul-smelling liquid rained down from above. This liquid was the orca's spit—it reeked!
The general was covered in confetti.
The soldiers who were near him were also affected.
One of the soldiers subconsciously raised his hand and brought it close to his nose to smell. The strong stench mixed with the earthy smell rushed straight to the top of his head through his nasal cavity.
"Damn, it's shit!"
The answer is not entirely correct.
Besides the excrement that has settled and accumulated on the riverbed, there is also silt that has been fermenting for who knows how long. The killer whale is merely a symbol of bravery; after all, it is not a real killer whale. Its belly has a huge space that is completely disproportionate to its body size. Normally, it carries nothing, but in times of war, it cannot disobey its master's orders and will carry some food and fodder to evade enemy scouts and secretly transport them to the front lines, but that is all.
Today's task is special.
The cruel master ordered it to be an orca, to lie in wait at the bottom of the river, and to work with his soldiers, who were skilled in swimming, to arrange the wooden and straw figures. This was nothing unusual; orcas had little to do and had to adapt to local customs. But no one told the orca how dirty and smelly the river was! Even as a totem of martial prowess, it couldn't stand it, and its temperament mirrored that of its master, Bai Su.
A killer whale won't leave a grudge unavenged!
And so, tonight's scene unfolded.
It stirs up the wind and rain in the river, tearing apart every living person who hasn't come ashore yet. One bite and it's crunchy. If it doesn't kill you with its bite, it whips you with its tail. If it still doesn't kill you with its tail, it rams you with its body. If it still doesn't die, no problem, its dorsal fin and tail are all armored!
In an instant, blood stained a small patch of the river surface.
The Allied commanders, confirming there were no other ambushes in the river, decided not to waste any more time and hurried back to camp. The orca wanted to intercept them, but it was, after all, just a fearless totem orca whose master was not by its side; its intelligence certainly needed improvement…
Human generals are far more cunning than it!
Leaving behind hundreds of corpses, the Allied forces made a clean getaway.
The enraged orca was stopped from coming ashore by a military commander.
This general wasn't particularly strong, but he possessed astonishing strength. Every time the orca tried to come ashore, he was blocked by his defensive spell, which resembled a turtle's shell. Enraged, the orca kept spewing mud and excrement at him! This directly caused the air along the riverbank to become incredibly foul!
Qi Cang, watching the show from within the thick fog: "..."
Even with his composure, he was disgusted and suppressed the urge to vomit: "Whose martial spirit totem is this?"
That's incredibly inconsiderate!
Shen Tang pinched her nose: "Does that matter?"
Qi Cang retorted, "Isn't it important?"
Cui Mi, who was used to a life of luxury, had a pale face and dared not interrupt, afraid that she would feel nauseous and vomit if she spoke!
The heavy rain continued, and the thick fog persisted.
The orca's already limited patience was exhausted. It slapped its tail against the water, leaped more than ten feet high, and with a flash of light around its body, accelerated towards the general's crown with lightning speed.
"drink!"
The general gathers his strength to meet the attack.
His feet sank into the pit, while the orca was also knocked off course, leaving a drag mark ten feet long on the riverbank. The general tried to escape and rejoin the main force, and he could vaguely hear shouts of battle coming from the southeast of the camp, but the orca refused to let him go.
The strange fish, which should have been stranded, used air as its water.
With a flick of its tail, it swerved, overtook, and blocked his path.
Military general: "..."
His expression was ferocious, twisted, and comical.
Unfortunately, Qi Cang couldn't see this scene.
Shen Tang gloated as she reminded him, "It's not good for us to stay here any longer. I see some movement coming from the direction of the main camp. If it really is the enemy attacking, hehe, it doesn't matter if I'm absent, since I'm not a major fighting force anyway. But it'll be easy for you to be absent. Everyone will know that you skipped work to go fishing at night and delayed military intelligence!"
Qi Cang, unwillingly, transformed into a shooting star and flew southeast.
Shen Tang stretched.
He yelled at Cui Mi, "Get ready!"
Before Cui Mi could even reply with an "okay," she grabbed him by the collar, tossed him over her shoulder, and leaped into the air, transforming into a shooting star as she followed Qi Cang. The howling wind nearly deafened Cui Mi, shattering his voice into a million pieces.
"My lord, is it really in the southeast?"
He saw a captivating smile flash across those bright, sparkling eyes.
"Whether it's true or not, it's good to have some excitement."
Cui Mi quickly understood what Shen Tang meant by "lively atmosphere".
His legs went weak, and he barely managed to stand by using his sword as a crutch: "This is... the signature move of the King of Kang?"
Shen Tang asked in surprise, "What famous skill?"
How come she didn't know she had this thing?
Cui Mi said, "Fire Ox Formation!"
These fire bulls appeared out of nowhere, charging wildly towards the Allied camp under the cover of the thick fog. By the time the watchtowers spotted them, they had already broken through several lines of military defenses. The chevaux-de-frise and barbed wire had little effect against these ferocious creatures, only further fueling their rage. Several formations of shield-bearers and infantry were broken apart, with men and horses falling and screams filling the air. Finally, cavalry charged forward, cutting them down into smaller units and devouring them, preventing even greater losses.
Shen Tang: "..."
If you insist on saying it that way, it seems to make sense.
Qi Cang crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes to sense the surrounding energy.
He suddenly opened his eyes: "This was also a feint."
Regardless of the effectiveness of the sneak attack, the Kangguo people know how to manipulate people's mentality. Others in battle use a feint, the Kangguo people use one or two feints... and I reckon they have a third one.
He gazed wistfully at the culprit whose eyes reflected the firelight.
The culprit whistled at the bull that was charging the fiercest.
Singing a strange tune: "Hey, you cow over there, look over here~"
(ノДＴ)
Today I took my mom to visit relatives. It was a very long and winding mountain road. On the way down, some vegetation growing by the roadside scratched the paint on my car. It was a very thin scratch, only visible to the naked eye from a specific angle, but it still hurt my heart.
My mom was speechless too. She said that when she was a kid, she had to walk a long way to chop firewood and had to steal it, but now there's so much firewood that it can scratch car paint on the road. _(:з」∠)_
P.S.: I plan to collect all the battle damage and scratches so I can get them repaired during the maintenance process later.
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