Chapter 372: Unexpected (Part Two) [Two-in-One]
The heavy shield warrior seemed unaware of this.
They maintained their original formation and pressed forward aggressively.
Chu Yao indicated to Xianyu Jian that he could give the order for the martial arts soldiers to launch a third powerful attack, without worrying about losses!
He's here!
Xianyu Jian did as he was told.
This time, the literary aura surrounding the martial soldiers was much denser and clearer than the first time, and that silvery-gray literary aura was inconspicuous in the melee. But it was precisely this aura that corroded most of the one-finger-thick heavy shield in the hands of the heavy shield warrior in just two battles.
Chu Yao seemed very dissatisfied with the result.
"In battle, courage is paramount—strike while the iron is hot!"
This is one of the military formation's spiritual incantations, namely, "One Drumbeat of Spirit," used to forcibly boost the morale of soldiers and suppress the enemy's troops with sheer force. However, this incantation is given to Xianyu Jian's martial arts soldiers, who are puppets formed from martial energy and do not possess the concepts of "morale" or "will."
The effect of 【One Breath at a Time】 is to boost their martial energy in a short period of time, causing their strength to increase by several levels.
The third time, the martial arts soldiers clashed with the heavy shield warriors.
The foul-smelling white smoke was much stronger and more noticeable than the previous two times!
Click—
A barely perceptible cracking sound rang out, and over three hundred martial arts soldiers, enveloped in silver-gray aura, roared as they broke through the heavy shields held by the shield-bearers, crashing straight into the flesh and blood bodies hidden behind them! They broke through the battle line!
Chu Yao summoned his Wenxin Huaban (a type of calligraphy) and activated it.
His scholar's robe and wide gown fluttered even without wind.
His gray hair seemed to be imbued with a ruthless killing intent.
"Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots!"
This was yet another Word of Power that forcibly boosted the morale/military spirit of the troops, giving the already unstoppable soldiers a divine boost.
With a push of his feet, relying on the extremely corrosive spiritual energy, he burst forward and charged straight through the body of the heavy shield warrior.
He pierced through the first three layers of enemy ranks before being intercepted by enemy weapons. The clash of weapons produced a piercing, teeth-grinding hiss, and sparks flew everywhere. In a sudden flash of light, the ferocious, blood-soaked faces of the martial arts soldiers were revealed.
Xianyu Jian: "..."
Although he didn't like reading and hadn't read many books, he was still aware of the power of words like "collapse and disintegration"—most literary scholars liked to use it to demoralize the enemy or disrupt their formations, while warriors preferred to use it to create trenches to block enemy cavalry or elite troops from attacking...
While the same incantation can have different effects depending on who wields it, Chu Yao's "Collapse" as the military advisor was simply too, too terrifying. This incantation could even corrode weapons formed from enemy martial energy; what about a living person...?
How many bone fragments are left?
Chu Yao's unconventional style left a great shock and shadow on Xianyu Jian's immature mind!
Kang Shi was just as speechless as Xianyu Jian.
Has his colleague been possessed by something?
In the blink of an eye, two or three-tenths of the heavy shield warriors had been killed, and the ground beneath their feet was littered with severely corroded remains, barely enough to make a complete corpse. A normal person would have been terrified by this sight, either turning tail and running away or too weak to run, but these heavy shield warriors did not follow the usual path.
It seemed that in their eyes, this was nothing.
They continued to charge forward relentlessly.
They seemed determined not to stop until they had killed them all.
Kang Shi timely reminded Chu Yao: "Your 'one-shot kill' is about to run out. Can you really kill all these people?"
[Strive with all your might at the first attempt, then weaken with the second, and exhaust with the third.]
This incantation is extremely powerful, but it should not be used lightly.
Because once the initial burst of energy is exhausted, it will enter a state of decline, with morale/martial spirit dropping significantly. If the enemy is not defeated and a small-scale victory is not achieved within this time, morale/martial spirit will drop significantly again.
Our own soldiers might even feel cowardly and want to flee, trampling on their own troops and completely disrupting the formation.
It is extremely easy for the enemy to seize an opportunity and defeat them in one fell swoop.
Chu Yao, however, remained completely calm.
He said, "I have a brilliant plan."
In order to cope with the complex situation, Kang Shi could only half-heartedly create two incarnations of literary energy.
There were also scholars and intellectuals in the enemy army.
For some reason, the other party wasn't very enthusiastic. Even so, Kang Shi didn't dare to let his guard down, fearing that the other party might suddenly launch an attack and catch him off guard.
"You still have a backup plan?"
Kang Shi recalled the incantations Chu Yao used after the war began.
Estimating the amount of literary energy required for each incantation's power, he was astonished—the second-rank superior literary mind was indeed extraordinary.
They can write whatever they want without feeling bad.
Chu Yao said, "Substituting a plum for a peach will lead to their exhaustion while ours remains abundant."
Kang Shi: "???"
Let him sort things out first!
Now that we're at our peak, shouldn't we be exhausted while the enemy is at their peak? He suddenly thought of a possibility, and his lips twitched.
He said, "Aren't you and Yuan Liang cousins?"
The reason why the "One-Shot Kill" technique cannot be used lightly is that once used, it cannot be withstood a second time in a short period of time. However, there are always exceptions, especially since the records of the Thief Star contain a vast array of techniques, there are also ways to deal with them.
For example, 【李代桃僵】.
A peach tree grows above the well, a plum tree grows beside the peach tree. Insects come and gnaw at the peach's roots, the plum tree dies in place of the peach.
At first glance, the effect of this "word of power" should be similar to "transferring flowers and grafting trees," but in reality, they are two different things.
【Transplanting Flowers and Grafting Trees】is mostly used for spatial position exchange. Some brave martial artists can use it to change the direction of the enemy's attack in a small area, causing the enemy's attack to deflect and fall to the side.
Literary scholars like to use it to transfer certain objects.
For example, one's own lord being transferred multiple times.
The phrase 【李代桃僵】 is different.
This incantation can make someone "take the blame for you," and the amount of spiritual energy consumed varies depending on the degree to which the blame is taken.
It is also known for its high consumption and low efficiency.
After using the "Substituting a Plum for a Peach" tactic, Chu Yao prepared another one, "When They Are Exhausted, We Are Full," which was even more insidious.
In layman's terms, it means making the enemy's heavy shield warriors suffer the weakening effect of "Three Exhaustions". At the same time, the enemy's weakened state meets the activation conditions of "When They Are Exhausted, We Are Full" - stealing morale/martial energy from the enemy and adding it to your own side.
After uttering several incantations in succession, Chu Yao was also a little out of breath.
But her complexion is still good.
"In terms of seniority, Qi Yuanliang should be the nephew of the old master."
What cousins!
If he had such a cousin, he would have turned against his own family long ago.
Kang Shi: "..."
He could sense considerable anger in Chu Yao's words—most likely related to Qi Shan's cat-dominant family ganging up on Chu Wu Hui's short-legged dog again—these two argued, five times out of ten it was for their lord, and the other five times it was for their own cats and dogs.
As for management opinions... I've never seen the two of them argue, and even if they do, they can quickly reach an agreement.
Kang Shi changed the subject.
"Can your dantian still withstand this?" Even a second-grade upper-level dantian shouldn't be squandered like this.
If you can't hold on any longer, you can ask him for help.
"The Wen Palace was completed on the day the army set off!"
Kang Shi: "..."
etc--
He remembered Qi Shan saying that Chu Yao regained Wenxin's favor last year when he robbed tax silver, shortly before Xiaocheng was captured by the rebel army of the Prince of Zhi. From then until now, it has been exactly one year.
Has this guy finished building the Wen Palace?
The difference in endurance between a scholar with a literary palace and one without is like heaven and earth.
Kang Shi muttered to himself.
He remained wary of the enemy's literary scholars—although they were slacking off, he couldn't afford to be idle on the battlefield—these were all part of Heyin County's assets, and he would be heartbroken to lose even one of them.
Fortunately, apart from the five hundred heavy shield warriors, the ambush and sneak attacking refugees and bandits were generally not very skilled, and our side also had Zhao Feng and Gong Shuwu suppressing the enemy's brave warriors in front.
Seeing that the crisis with the heavy shield warriors had been resolved, Kang Shi, Chu Yao, and Shen Tang tacitly slowed down their pace.
Kang Shi also ordered Xianyu Jian to lead several hundred elite troops to flank the enemy from both sides and cut off their retreat.
Apart from those recruited from the bandit stronghold, most of the newly recruited soldiers in our own army had never seen blood.
This is a rare opportunity, so let's take this chance to hone their skills, gain experience, and develop a fighting mentality.
Shen Tang toyed with the scarred, burly man like a cat playing with a mouse, successively killing his left and right deputy officers and guards. Even Shen Tang himself was stabbed all over by the longsword. Blood gushed from the numerous wounds, but none of them were fatal.
Scarface had long since lost his morale after being beaten by Shen Tang.
All he wanted to do right now was escape, but he kept getting caught.
Shen Tang said, "Hey, why are you running away, my good son?"
The scarred, burly man was so angry that his face turned ashen, veins bulging, and he roared, "I'm your big brother!"
Apart from a small number of fierce bandits, the majority of the enemy troops were thin, weak commoners carrying carrying poles, hoes, and sickles. They were always arrogant and ruthless when things were going well, rushing forward in droves; but once the tide turned against them, their morale was as fragile as bubbles, and they would flee at the first sign of trouble.
The three families of Tianhai, Shangnan, and Yiru showed no mercy.
They quickly dealt with the enemies on their respective fronts, and since they were all about to call a retreat, He Yin's side naturally couldn't delay any longer. Shen Tang even beheaded the enemy general Scarface with a single sword stroke, grabbing his hair bun with one hand.
He raised his hand high, letting those enormous, copper-bell-like eyes stare at him with unblinking glares: "Die, leader!"
Xianyu Jian and others also loosened their encirclement and defenses.
They allowed the remaining troops to retreat like a receding tide.
"Let's clean up the battlefield and dispose of the bodies."
Shen Tang tossed the head aside and took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood splattered on her hands and face.
"Ask the other three companies about their losses."
Most of the corpses on the ground belonged to the enemy.
However, in the midst of the chaos, it is inevitable that some of our own soldiers will suffer losses.
If the body can be taken back, it should be taken back for burial.
Before Kang Shi could even receive the order, a deputy general from Shangnan rushed over, looking anxious: "Lord Shen!"
Shen Tang's heart skipped a beat.
I remembered that there was still a ticking time bomb in Shangnan.
She asked, "Has something happened to General Shao Chong?"
The lieutenant said, "Yes, please come over."
This lieutenant had witnessed Shen Tang and Shao Chong fighting.
In the midst of the chaotic battle, Shao Chong went berserk. As soon as the battle ended, his lieutenant thought of Shen Jun and rushed over to ask for help.
Shen Tang didn't dare to delay and immediately followed.
The reality was much, much better than she had imagined.
Shao Chong was not completely out of control, but his whole body was covered in foul-smelling blood, along with fragments of organs and bones of unknown origin. His eyes were stained crimson, and an aura of bloodlust and madness emanated from him. At first glance, he looked like a demon crawling out of hell.
Shen Tang is no longer the naive girl she used to be.
Under her gentle guidance, the surging, violent energy in Shao Chong's chest was forcefully suppressed, and the restless mother Gu fell into a drowsy state once more. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, calmed himself, and said, "It's alright now."
He stood up and thanked Shen Tang, saying, "Thank you."
Shen Tang asked, "Your... you haven't suppressed it yet?"
What was Gu Ren thinking?
Why would they send out such a dangerous young soldier?
There were too many people around, so it wasn't appropriate to ask too many questions.
Shao Chong scratched his head in confusion, then chuckled sheepishly, "Hmm, I don't know either. Sixth Brother clearly said I was slightly stronger than that thing. As long as my martial energy isn't completely depleted, giving it an opening, there shouldn't be any major problems..."
After saying that, he remembered a detail: "Oh, right, there was a really unpleasant sound coming from your battlefield just now. That's what made me... this thing get restless too..."
Shao Chong pointed to his chest.
Although he still didn't seem very bright, with the Gu Mother suppressed, he appeared to have become much smarter. Things he couldn't understand before, he suddenly began to comprehend. He also knew that it wasn't convenient to talk about his body in public.
"A sound? What sound?"
Shao Chong said disdainfully, "A bunch of fat guys are making a racket."
Under his explanation, Shen Tang quickly understood that the so-called "randomly calling him fat man" referred to the Heavy Shield Warrior.
Speaking of these heavy shield warriors...
Both Chu Yao and Chu Yao believed that they were puppets.
They only know how to kill, but not how to feel fear or pain.
Could it be related to Gu poison?
Shen Tang suppressed her emotions.
The corpses on the battlefield were quickly cleared away.
Stack them all together and burn them all in one fire—to prevent these bones from being taken away by starving refugees to make jerky, and also to reduce the possibility of the corpses rotting and causing a plague.
The four companies achieved fruitful results.
only--
Although the losses in this battle were minor, the physical exertion was considerable, making it unwise to immediately depart for the capital city of Luxia Commandery. They needed to find a place to recover their strength and martial energy, and adjust their condition to face the upcoming battle. Everyone agreed.
Xianyu Jian leaned against a rock, holding his weapon, and rested.
Bai Su wiped her twin swords, her face cold but her eyes burning, as if she was still savoring the exhilarating experience on the battlefield.
Lu Jue (Li Li) was conscripted by Gong Shu Wu, and Zhao Feng led troops to take turns patrolling and protecting the temporary camp.
Shen Tang and Chu Yao had a small meeting around the campfire.
Kang Shi looked worried, as if he had something on his mind.
Upon inquiry, it was discovered that the enemy had a scholar of considerable talent, but for some reason, the enemy had been consistently slacking off.
Kang Shi made several attempts.
Shen Tang: "How strong are you?"
"I'm not sure, but it shouldn't be weak."
Chu Yao chewed on his dry rations and then added some water.
"Suspecting something is amiss?"
Kang Shi said, "Yes..."
Chu Yao seemed to be deep in thought.
Shen Tang, on the other hand, was quite optimistic.
"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it." All schemes and tricks are paper tigers in the face of absolute strength, Shen Tang said. "However, Ji Shou's concerns are not unfounded. We were ambushed halfway, and the round trip was an hour or two later than planned... The enemy is already prepared, and it's hard to guarantee that they won't take advantage of this time to launch a strong attack on the capital of Luxia County..."
If it falls...
The rescue operation can be considered largely a failure.
Taking advantage of the city's defenses, while our side is lightly armed and has not brought any siege weapons, how can we fight back?
In the blink of an eye, everyone had recovered.
In the darkest hour before dawn, the dew is heavy.
The four families hurried and finally arrived at the seat of Luxia County.
The city walls of the administrative center were towering, riddled with pits and charred marks. The ground beneath the walls reeked of blood, littered with corpses that had not yet been disposed of, and the city gates were patched in countless places.
Only the flag that stood tall and fluttered in the wind on the city wall proudly proved to the world that the capital had not yet fallen.
(_)
The missing 500 words were made up yesterday, but the extra chapter I promised to add yesterday was not completed.
_(:з」∠)_
I need to find a way to improve my hand speed and efficiency.
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