Chapter 1281: One Battle Secures the Southwest (18) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
To some extent, the more potent and harmful the Kangshi literati's ways were, the more his colleagues trusted him. Ah, those who survived his relentless, albeit persistent, treatment for over a decade—weren't they destined for greatness? Kangshi, a walking test of destiny.
If it weren't for this, Kang Shi would have been eliminated by his colleagues long ago.
After all, when he becomes ruthless, he doesn't distinguish between friend and foe.
Almost every colleague who works with Kangshi will sensibly lower their expectations to the lowest possible level while anticipating the worst possible outcome.
Furthermore, after Kang Shi's literati path was perfected, he also implemented a system of phased fortune, which seemed to have reduced the destructive power and made it less terrifying than before. As long as they were mentally prepared, they would not be able to break through his defenses.
Ning Yan thought so too before this battle.
But reality gave her a big surprise.
Oh no, I mean, I was terrified!
With a single incantation, the marked "water ghosts" had nowhere to hide. Besides those who were speared into the water by soldiers and those who were ambushed while clinging to the hull of the boat, she also saw blurry lights and shadows underwater.
A rough scan reveals a scale of six or seven hundred.
The "water ghosts" on the surface and those underwater couldn't communicate in real time. Several breaths passed before the surface group finally launched their attack. By then, it was too late; the arcs of light emanating from them made them easy targets in the darkness!
On the other hand, the Kang Kingdom side was dressed entirely in black, close-fitting attire.
Under the cover of darkness, their presence is barely noticeable.
The Southwestern Allied forces' sneak attack failed to achieve its intended effect, instead backfiring. Ning Yan smoothly pulled her sword from the "water ghost's" chest, kicked him off the deck, followed by the sound of a heavy object hitting the water. As the sounds of the clash of weapons gradually subsided, corpses floated on the dark water. Most were abandoned by the enemy, with a few remaining from their own side.
Taking advantage of the respite, the soldiers retrieved the items from nearby locations.
Those still breathing might be saved, while the lifeless ones should be kept in the ship's hold. This would facilitate identification after the war for the distribution of compensation, and also prevent the corpses of our own people from becoming food for river fish. Even in death, they should return to their roots.
"It is impolite not to reciprocate!"
Taking advantage of the chaotic and unclear situation on the battlefield, the Southwest Allied Forces launched a surprise attack and assassination, suggesting that their elite reinforcements are likely not far away.
Ning Yan wanted to lead her men in pursuit, but as night fell, a sudden gale arose on the river, and thick fog blanketed the area. Just a quarter of an hour ago, the flag patterns on the hull of the neighboring Mengchong ship were clearly visible; now even the masts were indistinct. Kang Shi tried using his incantation to dispel the fog, which initially had some effect, but as soon as the fog thinned slightly, it returned to its original state: "Incantation?"
What caused the change in the weather caused by the duel between the lords?
"It's not a word of magic."
It was caused by natural wind and fog.
Scouts reported that not only the river surface but also the surrounding area for miles was shrouded in thick fog, and the wind direction was very unfavorable to Kangguo. If the navy were to sail against the current to meet the enemy, the warships would encounter too much resistance, which would not only limit their speed but also reduce their maneuverability.
Although the warships were the main force of the navy, they also had fatal flaws.
The boat is propelled entirely by manpower, using oars, poles, and rudders.
The Southwestern Allied forces were sailing downwind, while their own forces had to fight against the wind, resulting in considerable power consumption. It wasn't that Shen Tang didn't want to use a uniform group of martial artists as propulsion, but rather that the cost was too high. The number of sailors required for a single warship was enormous. If the elite martial artists in the army were transferred to serve as sailors to propel the warships, who would fill the gaps in offense and defense? They had no choice but to abandon this plan.
Abandon the warships and adopt the slender Mengchong warships?
To put it bluntly, when a large warship turns a corner on the river, the waves it creates can cause small warships to rock and sway, or even capsize. The large warship is like a mobile high ground fortress, attacking the enemy from above. It can see the enemy's position and weaknesses, and can ram and fire at will.
A warship is indispensable, but a martial artist cannot be the one providing the power.
However, this does not mean there is no way.
"Send the order: Break the wind!"
Ning Yan immediately came up with a solution.
In the current state of unclear intelligence, ordering military scribes to use their magical powers to disperse the fog and change the wind direction would be too costly. If they ran out of energy, they might not be able to stop the enemy's attack. Ning Yan chose the most cost-effective method: sending a vanguard to break the wind.
To minimize the pressure on the ship's navigation.
"Strategist, we have news!"
Scouts brought intelligence on the location and deployment of the Allied naval forces in the southwest.
Ning Yan had one, and Kang Shi had one too.
The ink on both maps was still wet, clearly hastily drawn without even time to dry the ink. Kang Shi immediately recognized where the intelligence came from and sighed again, "Wu Zhaode has suffered a huge loss..."
Ning Yan strongly agreed with this.
The biggest windfall Wu Zhaode ever got in his life was acquiring Qin Gongsu after being rejected three times by Xingning; the biggest loss he ever made was mistreating Qin Gongsu in the name of so-called balance, handing over an unparalleled gift to his own lord...
Intelligence on naval warfare is much harder to obtain than intelligence on land warfare.
But in Qin Li's eyes, they were all the same.
Once inside his scholarly territory, the enemy had nowhere to hide, and the thick fog became the most natural cover, allowing Qin Li to obtain detailed intelligence without alerting the enemy. Although it was a simplified diagram, the warships represented by the symbols were easily recognizable.
In addition to these, there are also the enemy's troop movement routes.
Ning Yan immediately spotted an enemy rushing towards her.
Those "water ghosts" from earlier were the vanguard of this group!
Most importantly—
The navy was accompanied by a large warship in the center of the fleet.
"Look, the victory has been delivered right to our door!"
How could I refuse such a generous gift offered for free?
Ning Yan said, "Pass on my military order—"
"I underestimated you!"
Luo Yuan was astonished that Shen Tang had returned unscathed. She wasn't covered in dust and dirt, not even a strand of her hair was disheveled, and her martial energy was still abundant. This was the most absurd part; even with the constant assistance of the literary masters by Shen Tang's side, her recovery speed couldn't possibly keep up with the rapid rate of energy depletion…
Looking back at ourselves?
Upon realizing Shen Tang's reckless actions, he decisively chose to retreat, moving away from the center of the explosion. Even so, he was a step too late; his armor was scorched by the flames, leaving several black marks, and his shirt beneath was also burned, making him look quite disheveled.
"Have you ever heard the proverb?" Shen Tang noticed that both naval forces had already mobilized and knew she couldn't delay any longer. She prepared to unleash a full-blown verbal attack to provoke Luo Yuan into fighting her elsewhere. "Those who act justly find many helpers, while those who act unjustly find few. An old man like you, with no parents, no relatives, and no descendants, if you could be buried in the river today, a few ounces of your flesh could serve as fish feed. That would be one of the few good deeds you've ever done in your life. Don't you think so, Luo..."
Before he could finish speaking, Luo Yuan flew into a rage and started hitting him.
Shen Tang said sarcastically, "Tsk tsk tsk, you're already at your wit's end? Because I said you have no parents, or that you're childless? Or maybe both? No way, no way, you're really childless? That's understandable, since your parents didn't teach you propriety, integrity, loyalty, filial piety, and benevolence. How could a decent person do something like offering a wife for education? Hey, I heard you gave your mentor two children. I mean, is it possible that the two children are actually your teacher's? After all, there are no paternity tests in this era, and blood tests have no scientific basis... Wow, are you already getting angry?"
In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged over a hundred blows on the river. Shen Tang, outmatched in strength, was forced back by the recoil from a single palm strike, sliding more than twenty feet into the river before regaining her footing. Luo Yuan gave her no chance to catch her breath, charging forward with his weapon.
Ji Moqiu activated his divine power to open the formation.
Dense jets of water blocked Luo Yuan's path of attack.
Although unable to completely stop him, the water column was as fragile as a cicada's wing against Luo Yuan's attacks, but it still bought Shen Tang a fleeting opportunity. As Luo Yuan attacked, she twisted her wrist, unleashing dozens of diagonally slashing, forming a net of blade energy. The sounds of metal clashing, explosions, and water columns hitting the water filled the background noise, but none of it could drown out Shen Tang's verbal spiel.
"You're not young anymore, don't let your guard down so easily. I'm afraid you'll die of anger before I kill you." Shen Tang said with a grin, carefully leading Luo Yuan away from the center of the river. Sometimes they clashed with each other with their knives, sometimes with their swords, fighting across the river for miles. Luo Yuan's eyes were so red they were almost spitting fire—the Southwest Allied Army could lose this battle, but this brat in front of him had to die!
"Hey, to tell you the truth, you're still not happy."
"At your age, you shouldn't be so carefree. Why are you still so concerned about whether your family line will end? Actually, if you ask me, it's better if the line ends. If your descendants knew they had an ancestor like you, wouldn't they be pissing and defecating on your grave every few days? Oh no, if you were to die as a fish today, you probably wouldn't even have a grave. If I were your descendant, I'd come here every day to bait my spot and fish..."
"Hehe, let's taste the saltiness of our ancestors."
Luo Yuanqi lost control and cleaved the nearest mountain peak on the riverbank with a single blow.
Rock fragments from the mountain peaks crashed into the river with a loud crash.
Little did they know, this almost implicated Gongyang Yongye.
Gongyang Yongye clutched his arm, panting heavily and cursing under his breath. While cursing Gong Xichou and the other two, he also casually mentioned Shen Tang. Although he was a nineteenth-rank Marquis within the Pass, Gongyang Yongye had lost his indomitable spirit, and his strength was limited. Facing three rascals who occasionally received assistance from Ji Moqiu and whose martial energy remained consistently high, he was starting to tire after a while. If Yun Ce hadn't received news from the rear and rushed back to provide support, Gongyang Yongye's arm would have been more than just numb from the cold.
Shen Tang lured Luo Yuan away from the middle of the river, while Gongyang Yongye, having seen Luo Yuan's movements, came to join him. He and Luo Yuan had already joined forces once, killing one of them first; the rest were no longer a threat. Luo Yuan's Martial Courage Totem would be restricted on the shore, indirectly weakening his strength. Then they overheard Shen Tang's comment about testing the waters.
Seriously, this is outrageous!
Honestly, even as an observer, Gongyang Yongye would be furious upon hearing these words, let alone Luo Yuan, the person directly involved. Luo Sha and Gong Xichou, realizing Gongyang Yongye's intentions, had no choice but to follow and stop him.
If Gongyang Yongye and his companion were to reunite, Shen Jun/Mama would be in danger. Therefore, they had to follow despite the risks. Luo Sha naturally heard what Gongyang Yongye said as well.
He wasn't so keen on testing the traditional saltiness of his ancestors; his attention was entirely focused on another sentence: "Isn't fishing something anyone can do with their hands?"
They actually need to specifically prepare a nest?
The python, tightly coiled around the stone pillar on the riverbank, fell into an eerie silence.
Gongxi Chou remained silent not because someone was fishing without needing to bait the spot, but because of some past events—speaking of which, some of the plants on the Gongxi clan's territory bore fruit. When he was a child, his playmates and other members of the clan, being greedy, would taste them.
Some clansmen go out of their way to harvest the fruit just to use it to coax children.
My uncle's expression was always very varied whenever he saw this scene.
Gong Xichou belatedly realized that he had empathized with his uncle.
this--
Does this count as tasting to see if it's salty enough?
No, it's not salty or bland; the fruit is sweet and sour.
Gongxi Chou still remembered how some of his tribesmen deliberately forced the growth of only sour fruits to trick children into eating them… He shook his enormous head, refocusing his attention. His forked tongue flickered, and he transformed into a black shadow, darting out to block Gongyang Yongye's path.
Luo Sha followed with his heel.
The trident in his hand melted into a uniquely shaped white crossbow.
Buzz—
The bowstring was drawn taut, and ten large arrows formed from martial energy were unleashed in fury.
"First of all, your move was powerful, but secondly, your aim was lacking!" Gong Xi Chou had already swum several dozen feet away when Luo Sha made his move, his tail almost getting hit by a large arrow. Gong Xi Chou didn't understand why Luo Sha's archery skills were so poor despite using a crossbow, just as Luo Sha didn't understand why Gong Xi Chou was targeting him from within range. If they had any understanding between them, shouldn't Gong Xi Chou have helped block Gong Yang Yongye, keeping him within the crossbow's range?
Gongyang Yongye couldn't help but sneer.
The next second, he stopped laughing.
The spot where Luo Sha should have been standing was abruptly taken by Shen Tang, who held a silver-white longbow poised to fire, the bow drawn like a full moon, thousands of arrows buzzing as they left the string: "Change opponents in the second half."
Luo Sha's low level of synergy with Gong Xi Chou worried her.
Luo Sha also expressed his wish to kill Luo Yuan himself through Ji Moqiu, and Shen Tang agreed to his request after a little consideration.
However, there is a prerequisite.
"If we are outmatched, we shall retreat as ordered!"
Ji Moqiu would move him away immediately, and Luo Sha would have no chance to resist—since Luo Sha had come to join him, regardless of his purpose or loyalty, he was now considered Shen Tang's man. Luo Sha had good potential; it would be a great pity for him to die here.
Putting everything else aside, if Luo Sha could oversee the warship, wouldn't she be able to possess a warship with peak power at the level of an eighteenth-rank Grand Master?
Luo Yuan did not expect that his opponent would be changed at the last minute.
He looked at that somewhat familiar face and revealed undisguised killing intent. The anger that Shen Tang had provoked him strangely cooled down, and his thoughts became clearer and calmer than ever before. A long-lost feeling surfaced in his heart—he had this feeling every time he was on the verge of death: "Want to kill me, avenge your grandfather, and wipe away the shame? Heh, then come and take it if you can!"
Luo Sha said, "Please enlighten me!"
Starting at zero frames, the gun's momentum is unstoppable.
A massive cloud of dust billowed into the sky from the riverbank cliffs. Shen Tang and his two companions used the mountain peaks as their battlefield, riding the wind and mist. The old man was so impressed by the incredible teamwork between Shen Tang and Gong Xichou that he almost reported them to the authorities. These two shameless young men, working together in a coordinated attack and defense, were suddenly attacked from behind by a stone figure summoned by the battle formation, which punched him on the head. He reasonably suspected that his earlier attack on his teammate was an act.
Thump—
Gongyang Yongye heard a metallic sound.
The blade had developed a chip at some point, and with the combined efforts of Shen Tang and the other man, he was getting further and further away from Luo Yuan, and was forced into the valley.
Gongyang Yongye suddenly sighed.
The mountains are lush and green, and the stars and moon are sparse.
A long-lost weariness washed over him.
(_)
Oh dear, I heard today that another friend in the group has started a new book yet.
My heart aches beyond measure.
P.S.: I'll try to release the second side story in the next couple of days. There have been a lot of unexpected things happening during the National Day holiday that have taken up my energy.
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