Chapter 805: Ghillie Suit Ambush (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
What is a ghillie suit?
The term was unfamiliar to most people.
Shen Tang gestured with a number: "Sixth Brother's favorite thing is to pretend!"
Everyone hates being messed with by Lao Liu, but everyone wants to be Lao Liu and mess with people. They don't care about anything else, just the thrill of making their enemies die confused and bewildered—that's so satisfying! She explained, "The so-called ghillie suit is actually just a disguised coat..."
"A disguised coat?"
Shen Tang said, "For example, you can wear a coat that is very close to the color of the rocks, hide in the shadows of the mountain wall, and then use a spell array to perfectly deceive people's eyes. Even if a careful person discovers the traces, it will be too late."
The key to ambush warfare in this era was swift action and quick response. Scouts were dispatched to reconnoiter the ambush terrain in advance, and the ambush plan was kept strictly secret to prevent the enemy from discovering it first and turning the ambush into a siege.
What is the best ambush position?
Naturally, the terrain is high mountains and deep valleys. Taking advantage of the geographical location, the ambushed enemies cannot see the ambush. When the enemy enters the ambush area, rolling stones, hot oil, and molten gold are thrown down from above.
As for the archers?
That thing is too expensive and has too short a range.
To achieve an effective strike, a volley of arrows must be fired simultaneously. Only a dense barrage can kill the enemy. By the time the enemy reacts, they will be carrying corpses as targets and retreating, making it impossible to catch up.
However, the world's setting is somewhat different.
The archers' attack range didn't increase much, but their counter-ambush tactics improved steadily. The vanguard scouts' valiant totem circled in the sky, allowing them to see if there were any enemies within their field of vision and what their movements were. To execute a perfect ambush, they all focused on maximizing the range of the Word of Power array.
This was all to deceive the warrior totem of these scouts.
From Shen Tang's perspective, the effort and the reward were disproportionate: "Why are we so fixated on the Word Spirit Array Scroll? Why can't we have the soldiers disguise themselves and blend into the ambush environment? I specifically asked the scouts before, and they said that due to their limited strength, they cannot share vision with their own Martial Spirit Totem. The Martial Spirit Totem hovers in the sky and its reconnaissance is limited to whether there are any living creatures moving."
Scouts will use this information to determine the enemy's whereabouts.
Of course, it doesn't matter if the two can share vision.
At such a height, a camouflaged stationary object below would be difficult to spot, making it easier to deceive scouts than the Martial Spirit Totem. To prove his theory, Shen Tang even had Yun Ce conduct an experiment, sending his Martial Spirit Totem Snow Owl into the air to find a test subject covered in grass below.
Hehe, it's her.
Yun Ce reminded his lord, who was wearing a simple "ghillie suit," that "My lord, the snow owl's eyesight is sharper than a human's."
Because of its exceptional courage, this snow owl is far superior to any ordinary vanguard scout, and our lord will definitely be captured.
Shen Tang said confidently, "Let it find me first."
Yun Ce summoned his martial spirit: "Go!"
As a result, the snowy owl circled Chaoli Pass more than a dozen times without finding Shen Tang. This giant snowy owl was almost shot down by the garrison commander inside the pass, who mistook it for an enemy provocation. Seeing the snowy owl return empty-handed and with a wronged look on its face, Yun Ce had no choice but to admit defeat.
He focused his energy in his dantian and carried his voice throughout Chaoli Pass.
"My lord, you may come out now."
The next second, a stone in the corner of the training ground spoke in human language.
"Hey, I'm here."
Everyone, including Yun Ce, was shocked.
"My lord?"
"Has the lord been here all along?"
Yun Ce stared at the large rock that Chen Tang had kicked aside, the one with the hole dug beneath it, speechless for a long time. The young man's eyes seemed to accuse her of lacking martial ethics. It should be noted that Yun Ce had specifically ordered the Snow Owl to be extra careful in the bushes and trees!
Of course, other details should not be overlooked.
Shen Tang said, "I had Xian Deng hide somewhere else wearing that disguise, and he wasn't found either. As for me? I was just playing a little joke on you guys, to broaden our thinking on ambush in the wild. With a broader perspective, we can even hide in tree trunks!"
Although most trees in the Northwest Continent are small to medium-sized, and very few are as large as a ten-story building with trunks that several people can't wrap their arms around, there are trees like that in other parts of the continent. Perhaps we can try some different kinds of ambush tactics when we go there in the future.
Who would have thought that enemy troops could leap out of a tree?
Hollowing out rocks and hiding inside is also a good idea.
Another use for martial arts masters has been developed.
As they were talking, Jiang Sheng slowly walked back.
He was indeed wearing that simple camouflage, but his dusty and disheveled appearance made him look rather unhappy. As soon as he arrived, he briefly shared his experience: "If the ambushers could also conceal their aura, the camouflage effect might be even better."
Jiang Sheng also extended this idea to other situations, believing that camouflage shouldn't be limited to grass, leaves, or vines. For example, if the ambush location is a swamp, one can use readily available materials, staining cloth with mud to cover oneself, easily deceiving scouts. If one focuses on blending into the environment, one can even fool the naked eye that gets close. By the time the enemy discovers the camouflage, they won't have time to retaliate.
"...Of course, the drawbacks are also obvious. The number of disguised ambushes in the same location cannot be too large. The more there are, the easier it is to expose a flaw. This method is more suitable for small-scale elite ambushes." As he spoke, Jiang Sheng's eyes brightened considerably.
If used properly, this surprise force can be incredibly effective!
The terrain of the ambush site had already been thoroughly investigated, and finally, five hundred soldiers were chosen, led by Shen Tang. Jiang Sheng had used his scholarly methods to estimate the enemy's numbers to be no more than two thousand. With the initiative, five hundred men were more than enough!
Thus, the scene of Shen Tang sneezing occurred at the ambush site, a day after he had led his troops to set up the ambush.
They didn't even see a ghost of the enemy.
Shen Tang crouched down furtively, whispering to herself.
"Xian Deng, is your divination accurate?"
She thought that once Jiang Sheng's path as a scholar was complete, she could finally find liberation, but little did she know that this guy would relentlessly torment her. From his basic state of "observing qi," he demanded a literary brick every day, evolving into a charlatan who could calculate anything and even borrow her literary qi.
She ended up becoming his backup power bank.
Speaking of power banks, Shen Tang inexplicably recalled her previous experience—she misused her incantations → her literary energy was depleted → her subordinates replenished it → Jiang Sheng then borrowed more literary energy. Good heavens, this guy is truly at the top of the food chain. Jiang Sheng indirectly possesses a lot of power banks.
Jiang Sheng said, "It's still unfamiliar and needs practice."
The implication is that we should come more often.
Shen Tang: "..."
For a moment, her face looked even worse than the mud on her feet.
Family, who understands the agony of having your limbs feel like they're turning to mush after a night like this? She vaguely thought that it wasn't her body that was weak, but her kidneys. She felt that even having ten or eight male lovers to do something interesting wouldn't compare to the exhaustion of this one night.
Just as I was thinking this, a clump of grass chuckled.
Shen Tang shot her a sharp look: "They're lying in ambush!"
They have absolutely no professional ethics!
Gu Chi suppressed a laugh and said, "Chi has already tried his best."
Before meeting his lord, he always thought he was a professional at controlling his emotions, but little did he know there was always someone better, and his lord was his nemesis. Jiang Sheng glared at him unfriendly, and Gu Chi directly used a high-pitched, sarcastic tone.
"Oh dear, how terrifying the vanguard is."
Didn't our lord admit it?
Ten or eight male concubines wouldn't be a problem, but one Jiang Sheng would kill her.
Yes, a modern-day Daji!
Jiang Sheng: "..."
His colleagues are all somewhat mentally ill!
Another quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and Gu Chi couldn't help but ask, "Xian Deng, is your scholar's way really reliable?"
They were there to ambush the enemy, so naturally they couldn't cook their own meals; they just ate a little dry rations to maintain their strength. Of course, the ideal situation was to consume as little food as possible to minimize physiological problems. How could they possibly hide the traces of hundreds of people eating, drinking, and relieving themselves?
Some soldiers digested the stench well, leaving their trousers to bear the brunt of the smell. Fortunately, there weren't many like that, otherwise the stench would have been unbearable. The enemy could tell there was an ambush just by smelling it!
Gu Chi: "One day is okay, but I can't handle two days."
Even if they manage to withstand the attack, their combat readiness will be affected.
Jiang Sheng's lackluster performance completely shattered Gu Chi's obsession with achieving the perfect scholar's path; all his efforts had been in vain.
Faced with doubts, Jiang Sheng simply remained calm.
"I'm still getting used to it."
Isn't a two-day margin of error normal?
He's a strategist and advisor, not a street charlatan!
At that moment, Shen Tang suddenly pressed his ear to the ground and made a gesture to Jiang Sheng and the other person, who immediately stopped breathing.
Shen Tang whispered, "Someone's coming."
He added, "But the distance is still very far..."
Gu Chi and his companion exchanged a glance: "Are they enemies?"
The spell array they had set up in their concealed location received no response, meaning the enemy was still some distance away.
The distance between the two places —
Even a 16th-rank Grand Master wouldn't be this perceptive, would they?
Shen Tang himself couldn't explain it clearly.
The only thing she was certain of was that her perception hadn't improved much, yet she could inexplicably sense movements beyond her perceptual limits. For this reason, she specifically sought out Gong Xichou, who had entered the sixteenth-level Grand Master realm earlier and was more experienced.
Gong Xiqiu's answer was not very helpful.
He only said that after re-subduing his Martial Courage Totem, his body merged with it again, gaining some of the Totem's traits. This is why he was able to live a normal life after losing his sight. Mama's situation is most likely similar.
Shen Tang felt like she understood, yet also felt like she didn't.
The primary issue is—
What is my Martial Arts Totem?
She still doesn't have that thing!
Unable to solve it, Shen Tang simply put the problem aside. As long as her intuition wasn't just her imagination, that was a good thing!
The order was given, and the elite troops, who had been slightly lax, focused all their attention on preparing for battle. They concealed their presence as much as possible and remained motionless in their respective ambush positions. At this point, even if an animal crawled on them, they could only grit their teeth and bear it.
Several miles away, a group of soldiers quietly approached.
Neither side knew that the commotion was being observed by a pair of emotionless black eyes. Zhao Feng, seeing the two groups approaching, instinctively held his breath, almost suffocating before remembering he could breathe: "Gong Su?"
Inside the camp, smoke and clouds swirled.
Qin Li said, "Shen Jun is quite interesting."
If he hadn't personally witnessed Shen Tang and several hundred men disguised and lying in ambush at the location, even with his scholarly perspective, it would have been difficult to detect the presence of these hidden soldiers. Their methods were somewhat similar to those of the wicked Qi Yuanliang, clever and unexpected.
Zhao Feng stroked his chin: "It's quite interesting!"
He considered whether or not to train such a branch.
Qin Li's eyes betrayed his weariness, and in his hand lay a rarely seen opium pipe. Zhao Feng said, "The ambushed troops were caught off guard, and it was Shen Jun who laid the ambush. The outcome of this battle should be a foregone conclusion. Gong Su, put it away."
Activating the Path of the Scholar will consume literary energy.
The scholar's way in its perfect state consumes more than it consumes.
Normally, it would be quite strenuous to keep it running for half an hour, but Qin Li has been running it for the equivalent of his total running time in the past. To compensate for this shortcoming, Qin Li's literary palace has a special structure that can store excess literary energy each day.
Of course, the amount stored at one time is not large.
Even if providing literary energy wasn't a problem, maintaining the scholar's way required a great deal of mental energy, so Qin Li even took out his opium pipe, which he had long since given up. In all the years they had known each other, Qin Li had relied on this thing to stay alert only a handful of times.
I remember the last time was when my homeland was destroyed.
For reasons unknown, Qin Li quit smoking.
Zhao Feng tried to persuade Qin Li in a gentle voice, but Qin Li refused.
His face was somewhat blurred by the clouds, and his eyes held emotions that Zhao Feng could not fathom. He said, "Let's take another look."
Zhao Feng: "...Shall I get you another pot of wine?"
Qin Li said, "Something stronger."
Zhao Feng muttered to himself as he turned to get the wine.
Although it was the strongest liquor in Zhao Feng's possession, Qin Li drank it as if it were plain water, maintaining an elegant demeanor throughout.
Looking at the unfortunate ambush troops who had already entered the ambush range on the sand table, Zhao Feng, feeling extremely bored, started chatting with Qin Li.
"Speaking of which, these cigarettes are quite old, aren't they?"
Why hasn't it been changed in all these years?
On second thought, these things aren't popular in the Northwest Continent; only a small group of people like them, and a bag of decent tobacco can sell for the price of gold. Given Gong Su's lifestyle, he certainly wouldn't waste money on such things…
Qin Li casually replied, "It's the same bag from back then."
Zhao Feng once helped Qin Li keep things safe when he was working for him.
"Gong Su, I still have a question in my mind."
"Go ahead and ask."
"When did you learn this?" He thought that Qin Li was more suited to light incense than the smell of tobacco.
Qin Li replied, "A friend taught me."
He didn't drink much before.
Zhao Feng was startled: "Friend?"
This was the first time Qin Li had mentioned this friend.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, he asked, "Who?"
Qin Li lowered his eyes and tapped the sand table with his exquisite and ornate pipe. Zhao Feng was still puzzled: "Who was it?"
"Shen Jun's evil schemes, Qi Yuanliang."
Zhao Feng: "..."
Qin Li seemed amused by his comical, large, round eyes.
"Qi Yuanliang roamed around committing crimes all those years, running to all sorts of places, with people everywhere wanting him. He needed a way to relieve stress. And men only have a few ways to relieve stress. But he wasn't interested in women, he even feared them like snakes and scorpions, afraid of leaving behind blood ties, so he was all alone. If that's the case, then what did he like to do besides smoking and drinking? With so many people looking for his life, under so much pressure, he didn't like anything else. Don't you think that's even more terrifying?"
Zhao Feng: "..."
It's not that Qi Yuanliang taught Qin Gongsu to drink and smoke; after all, nobles spend money to enjoy whatever they like. But what horrifies him is why the villain is Qin Li's friend?
|ω`)
Qin Li and Yuan Liang also had a friendly honeymoon period.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
