Chapter 7: Escape! Mounted Archery

Light cavalry.

Deng Ken saw the seriously injured guard leader through God's eye view, with several arrows inserted in his back, fortunately, the armor on his body blocked most of the damage. Another caravan guard was shot in the shoulder, which clearly affected his riding, and their horses couldn't compare to the grassland horses of the light cavalry, and they were about to be caught up by the enemy.

One dead, two injured.

Those light cavalry chasing behind drew composite bows, and they were exceptionally proficient in drawing bows on horseback. A rain of arrows was thrown, and one of the arrows shot the horse's leg. Under the pain, the caravan guard was thrown off directly.

Falling off a horse in this situation, that caravan guard was basically finished.

Sure enough, the caravan guard who fell off the horse crawled up with difficulty, but one of the light cavalry had already raised a light cavalry spear.

Couching the spear and charging!

The enemy's cavalry spear was made of hardwood, about 2.2 meters long, with a socket on the spearhead, fixed with nails. To prevent it from being unable to be pulled out after piercing the human body, wings were added behind the spearhead.

Pfft.

Blood splashed!

The caravan guard died on the spot. The powerful impact given by the warhorse charge made the inlaid armor on his body no different from paper, and the blue unit marked on the edge of the map only had one left.

"Such strong combat effectiveness."

The enemy's horse archers were still chasing, and the guard leader was already lying on the horse's back, seeming to be unable to support himself because of the injury.

What was the situation of the battle on the Empire's border?

How did it feel like a total defeat?

Deng Ken immediately picked up the northern war bow and got on the horse. The original owner didn't understand any riding skills, and he didn't specialize in it in his previous life. He chose a packhorse, which had a gentle personality and could be ridden by ordinary people, but its combat effectiveness was very low because it couldn't run fast at all, counting as a hybrid of packhorse and mule.

Other caravan guards reacted very quickly, and after seeing Deng Ken move suddenly, they immediately rode up to meet him.

After several battles along the way, others had long regarded him as the backbone of the team.

On the convoy side, the witch also stopped, and her expression gradually became solemn.

Her lips moved slightly.

The next second, a crow on the tree branch by the road not far away took off and flew directly toward the direction where the battle occurred.

But at this time, Deng Ken's attention was all on the battlefield, and he didn't notice the witch's small movements at all.

"Rangers."

"Should be the elite among light cavalry, looking like they are not ordinary horse archers, possessing not-bad melee combat capabilities."

At this time, the figure of the guard leader had already been seen hundreds of meters away. His body was tilted to one side, relying entirely on the stirrups to stabilize his figure, as if he would fall off the horse in the next second.

Other caravan guards immediately rode up to meet him after seeing this, and Deng Ken was thrown behind all at once.

He couldn't run fast riding this thin packhorse, and didn't dare to run wildly, without riding skill blessing, he might fall off the horse and fall half-dead.

The distance closed bit by bit.

Those light cavalry chasing behind also saw the enemy, gradually slowed down the horse speed, waiting for reinforcements behind, and someone drew a bow to aim, a long-distance parabolic shot, but it didn't hit. The hit rate of mounted archery was quite touching. It was very difficult for nations not born on horseback to produce top-notch mounted archers.

Under God's eye view, Deng Ken's aiming crosshair had already shaken like an earthquake. In the case of galloping on horseback, his technique couldn't make up for the correction.

He simply got off the horse, directly drew the bow and arrow, and locked the target in a stationary state.

Whoosh!

A sharp arrow broke through the air, directly hitting the horse's head. The barbarian routed soldiers killed yesterday improved his archery quite a bit. In the case of foot shooting, the aiming crosshair was already very stable.

Shoot the horse first to shoot the man.

The enemy's warhorse neighed after being shot, but didn't fall off the horse. He felt something was wrong, turned the horse's head and prepared to retreat, and at the same time used grassland language to call nearby companions for help.

Deng Ken didn't hesitate, drew his bow and shot the warhorse to death again.

According to his current archery technique, he could maintain a rate of fire of 1.5 seconds per shot, but the stamina bar dropped very fast, and the recovery speed couldn't keep up with the consumption. Shooting twenty or thirty shots in a row, it was estimated that the stamina bar would bottom out.

The enemy fell off the horse.

It would be very difficult for him to run out of Deng Ken's range with his legs, and he was galloping on the open ground, with no space to dodge at all.

Deng Ken looked down from a high position, shot three arrows in a row, and directly shot the target dead.

"Can you still fight?"

Deng Ken looked slightly nervous, abandoned the horse and drilled into the small woods by the road. Without riding skill blessing, if he really had cavalry fighting later, that was basically certain death. He couldn't run faster than the opponent, couldn't shoot better than the opponent, and without any mounted archery foundation, he didn't think he could win against a small team of light-armed horse archers.

Might as well hide in the small woods and shoot cold arrows.

As long as the caravan guards could contain them, with Deng Ken's current archery level, he might be able to counter-kill a wave.

At this time, the caravan guards had already met the seriously injured guard leader.

A bearded guard took a short crossbow from his waist, quickly filled the crossbow bolt and aimed, but didn't pull the trigger. The range of the short crossbow was not far enough, and other guards raised their shields. The small round shield couldn't block much area and could only protect vital parts.

Their combat skills were about the same as the Empire's light cavalry, and the only difference from infantry was that they could ride horses.

The enemy opened the distance and shot a round of arrows.

A very typical light cavalry 'flying kite' tactic, but their archery was quite brilliant, using a technique similar to 'Parthian shot'. They could shoot in situations facing and backing away from the enemy, which made their riding skills not affected at all, and controlling the mount was still like an arm.

"If this is calculated according to Mount & Blade skills, the riding skills of these horse archers are at least 150!"

Such a tricky enemy.

Deng Ken entered the small woods and began to look for opportunities. The effective range of the northern war bow was not as good as the longbow, and he didn't have the confidence to kill with one hit, so the first step to achieve results was definitely to shoot the horse first.

As long as the enemy falls off the horse, he has a chance to point-kill.

Whoosh!

In the short confrontation, Deng Ken finally found an opportunity. He didn't have the energy to pay attention to the caravan guards' battle situation. After an enemy light cavalry entered his range, he immediately aimed at the warhorse and shot. The target of the horse was larger, and it was not difficult to hit 100% with his current archery.

Amidst a neighing sound.

The light cavalry's warhorse neighed after being shot, but didn't fall off the horse. He felt something was wrong, turned the horse's head and prepared to retreat, and at the same time used grassland language to call nearby companions for help.

Deng Ken didn't hesitate, drew his bow and shot the warhorse to death again.

According to his current archery technique, he could maintain a rate of fire of 1.5 seconds per shot, but the stamina bar dropped very fast, and the recovery speed couldn't keep up with the consumption. Shooting twenty or thirty shots in a row, it was estimated that the stamina bar would bottom out.

The enemy fell off the horse.

It would be very difficult for him to run out of Deng Ken's range with his legs, and he was galloping on the open ground, with no space to dodge at all.

Deng Ken looked down from a high position, shot three arrows in a row, and directly shot the target dead.

But he had to run away immediately.

Because the light cavalry who were entangled with the caravan guards heard the call for help and immediately split into two riders, one carrying a bow, one carrying a spear, bypassing from both sides to the small woods by the road. If there was no God's eye view, Deng Ken would have been flanked by the enemy.

"Hoo!"

Deng Ken took a deep breath, looked slightly nervous, retreated deeper into the small woods, and at the same time took down the Frankish throwing axe at his waist.

Hit!

Thump.

Aiming with a throwing axe was more difficult, but Deng Ken still headshot the enemy with one blow, directly knocking him off the horse.

Whoosh!

Bowstring vibrated.

Another enemy had already found Deng Ken's position, quickly drew his bow and shot an arrow. The arrow broke through the air, attacking Deng Ken's back. It was impossible to die on the spot wearing the inner short robe with studded leather armor, but it was absolutely a serious injury.

You only wear heavy armor to continue fighting with ten or more arrows stuck in your body.

A breeze blew.

As if a cicada was trembling, the arrow shooting at Deng Ken suddenly deviated a little, directly shooting into the tree trunk beside him.

Under God's eye view, the mark representing the witch had entered the small woods.

Deng Ken didn't hesitate at all, drew his bow at a distance of sixty meters, aimed at the enemy's head, and directly shot the enemy's head.

Strange shouts came from afar.

Those light cavalry who were entangled with the caravan guards retreated immediately. By the time Deng Ken walked out of the small woods, the enemy had gradually withdrawn from the battlefield.

The opponent's combat will was not high either, and they retreated immediately after suffering a loss.

If they really fought to the death, the caravan guards would probably be wiped out, and Deng Ken himself could only escape alone, relying on dense mountain wild woods to avoid the enemy's pursuit.

Of course, if the enemy really dared to chase into the forest, he wouldn't be panicked at all.

"The witch is gone!"

Just when Deng Ken observed the battlefield again, the unit mark representing the witch had disappeared. It was about a few minutes later that it appeared on the edge of God's eye view, and then silently returned to the convoy from the side.

At the same time.

The retreating light cavalry gathered again, and they communicated in slang close to Persian.

"Why retreat?"

"We could definitely eat them!" One of the riders complained indignantly.

The leader's expression was expressionless, cold and indifferent: "They are just a group of caravan guards, what's the use of eating them?"

"Don't forget our mission."

Before meeting three riders, they thought it was the Empire's messenger, thinking it would be easy to kill them, but didn't want to bite a hard bone, and instead suffered quite a few casualties.

If they fought hard, they would probably have to pay not small casualties.

Just as they were talking.

Suddenly a crow flew over in mid-air, and the leader's warhorse seemed to be frightened, suddenly starting to neigh wildly. Before he could pull the reins to death, the warhorse ran wildly toward the river channel. It was only one or two breaths of time, the wild warhorse threw the rider off the horse, the stirrup dragged the rider for more than ten meters, the ground was full of blood, and then the warhorse stepped on his head and ran wildly into the river channel.

This sudden scene made the rangers on the scene look at each other, and everyone had a look of astonishment.

Outside the convoy.

The witch's figure stopped, she listened slightly, and in the hoarse cry of the crow, a seductive smile hooked at the corner of her mouth, and soon silently merged into the team.

"Leave combat."

—"Riding Mastery: You possess refined riding skills not inferior to grassland nomads. Nations on horseback are born with this talent."

—"Mounted Archery Mastery: You proficiently master the skills of mounted archery, not inferior to grassland horse archers, significantly improving hit rate during mounted archery."

—"Parthian Shot 【Combat Technique】: You can proficiently perform Parthian shots in battle, completing shooting quickly when facing and backing away from the enemy."

—"Cavalry Spear Charge 【Combat Technique】: You proficiently master the combat technique of cavalry spear charge, and you can quickly launch a cavalry spear charge in battle."

Caravan guards suffered heavy casualties.

Almost most people carried injuries, and the guard leader was seriously injured and couldn't get up, and didn't know if he could survive.

"Throw away all goods, take daily necessities."

"Everyone travel light."

Deng Ken led a grassland horse out of the small woods, his expression solemn, looking at the guard leader who was pulling out arrows for treatment, and said in a deep voice: "Must be fast, otherwise we might not be able to leave."

The guard leader opened his eyes with difficulty, his voice hoarse: "You mean, they are..."

"Scouts!" Deng Ken said decisively: "At most one day, the enemy's cavalry troops will probably kill over."

Small elite light cavalry deep behind enemy lines.

If this is not a scout, what is it?

Maybe soon there will be a large number of Empire routed soldiers retreating here, and the enemy's cavalry intends to intercept them here and then wipe them out in one pot.

Deng Ken couldn't judge the battlefield situation through limited information.

But from his encounters in these two days, the Empire's army should have been defeated, and it was a big defeat. Maybe several provinces on the border would all fall.

The Empire's territory is very vast.

Almost encompassing more than half of the continent's shelf at its peak, but such a vast territory destined the Empire's control over border provinces to decline significantly, especially after the Empire weakened, the administrative agencies were extremely bloated and rigid. It didn't know how long it would take for them to mobilize the army to regain lost territory.

This huge Empire is gradually falling apart.

Barbarian rebellion, barbarian invasion, the Empire's legions have long been rotten, and the glorious eagle flag has become a decoration. The last bit of face on the battlefield is supported by barbarian mercenary armies.

"This Empire is afraid it's going to finish!"

Deng Ken pondered for a moment, and said in a deep voice: "Throw away all goods, everyone sit on the carriage, travel day and night, flee the border as soon as possible, and retreat to the northern city."

After speaking, he lowered his head and stared at the guard leader in front of him.

He is the real person in charge of the caravan.

If the other party doesn't agree, then Deng Ken will travel alone on a single horse, at most asking the mysterious witch if she wants to go with him.

But that would expose him, and the witch would definitely guess something.

But in that situation, he could only open the skylight and speak brightly, and if it really didn't work, just go his own way.

Deng Ken has no relatives or friends with them, and doing this step is already the limit.

In war, individual power is too small.

He doesn't want to be involved in the war right now.

The guard leader pondered for a moment, gritted his teeth and said: "Throw away the goods, everyone travel day and night."

His decision made Deng Ken look at him highly.

War is coming.

Abandon what should be abandoned. As long as people are still there, there will always be a chance to make a comeback. If you die in the chaos, then you really have nothing.

Slaughtering cities and destroying villages in this era is like a common meal.

Since the other party has this decision, Deng Ken will go with them for a while.

It's just that he is now a single person and a single horse. If he encounters any situation, he can retreat at any time. Before his strength is enough, the most important thing for him is to hibernate. At least before he is a hundred-man enemy, he can't be wavey casually.

With the speed of his combat technique improvement, being a hundred-man enemy is not a difficult thing.

If he can master supernatural power, that would be even better!

……………… ===== CHAPTER 8 =====