Chapter 206: The Blood‑Wolf Girl of Slaughter

The small infantry formation had no banners, with two layers inside and out, about 150 soldiers in total, each holding a spear and shields of various designs. They cautiously watched the surrounding cavalry, at times boldly stepping forward in unison to drive off cavalry that came too close, at times advancing to cover and kill reckless cavalry.

They kept a fixed distance from the large formation beside them, seemingly having no intention of merging into the large formation.

Mei Yi rode her horse around two circuits, delivering two rounds of persuasion and inducement, but only managed to capture two spears thrown at her. One of those spears killed a proud white horse, prompting Sir Cui Bei Ke to curse loudly.

To deal with this infantry formation, the best method is naturally to wear them down, constantly maintaining offensive pressure until time causes them to collapse.

She didn't have much time; Brandon Roosevelt was completely correct.

This is Graveyard Village, enemy territory, and the enemy could at any moment send large reinforcements to rescue these infantrymen; by then she might lose both time and the battle. It really wasn't worth it.

Besides wearing them down with time, another method is to use a catapult or a corpse‑launcher. She felt that after just two rounds of projectile fire, the formation's collapse would be inevitable.

Building a catapult also takes time; moreover, she had no manpower or tools, completely unlike the thorough preparations and meticulous planning she had for the Battle of Yunhe City.

She picked up the spear thrown by the enemy soldier, tucked it under her arm, feeling as if she were taking part in a martial contest. After briefly gauging its weight, she shifted it to her right hand.

"Your Highness?" Sir Cui Bei Ke shouted, "A cavalry charge against a spear wall is truly dangerous! Just retreat; otherwise, even if these cavalrymen die, they still couldn't break this small formation. Why persist? Even if you want to storm them, you could wait a bit longer—they'll keep standing guard with spears and shields, soon growing hungry, thirsty, and weary…"

Another incoming spear almost grazed Sir Cui Bei Ke's face; his face turned crimson with shame and rage, rendering him unable to finish his sentence.

"Sir, I am confident I can break through their battle array."

"We haven't brought heavy cavalry—alas, by the gods, at least put on a helmet and wear armor!"

"I need to be sufficiently agile." Mei Yi ignored him, turning instead to the cavalry behind her: "After I charge into the formation, you must swiftly tear outward from the breach on both sides, denying them a chance to regroup—I don't believe a rabble could block my blade."

The less they feared death, the sadder Mei Yi felt; the soldiers before her were all from the North, each embodying the North's strength.

Unfortunately, she couldn't tell which of the soldiers Lady Dustin had brought out leaned toward Stark and which toward Bolton or Ryswell; but since they followed Lady Dustin together and still resisted now, it could only mean that these soldiers were her supporting force rather than a potential opposition, and judging purely by combat power and will, they might even be her core force.

Since they are her core force, they must be shattered and crippled to strike at Lady Dustin's prestige, weaken her ability to rule Graveyard Village, and facilitate the later execution of the plan to split Graveyard Village.

Having finished explaining the tactics before the formation and confirming that the White Harbor soldiers had fully understood, she grasped her spear and stepped forward to the sound of the horn's "wu."

The White Harbor cavalry, having no choice, followed behind her, taking positions on her left and right to form a spear unit two riders wide. They first assembled five riders, with Mei Yi in the center and the other four behind her, split to the sides. These men were temporarily conscripted from the White Harbor cavalry.

She gave a wry smile; she had no choice but to rely on her own strength to break the formation again.

The warhorse's hooves flew as it continually approached the infantry formation; when they were about ten paces away, Mei Yi exerted all her strength to hurl a spear into the formation, instantly piercing an outermost infantryman. After completing that motion, she threw herself fully into the horse, urging it to speed up toward the deadly ground.

She felt the maneuver was now sufficiently practiced and familiar: the warhorse recklessly charged into the spear wall, several spears instantly skewering the horse, yet the animal's tremendous momentum still could, as expected, blast a hole in a corner of the formation.

Mei Yi, using her speed, leapt from the horse and fiercely swept sideways, cleaving the incoming spear, helmet, and neck together; for a moment, blood sprayed everywhere.

She glanced slightly sideways and saw Xi'aomo Mandele already behind her, slipping into the gap on the left; his warhorse charged an infantryman, knocking him down and trampling him, the soldier emitting only a meaningless cry of pain before dying.

Xi'aomo drew his longsword and slew another nearby infantryman, then continued to cover the left flank.

At this moment, Daisimontitos entered from the right‑hand gap; his speed was so great that after knocking down the two infantrymen before him, his own warhorse collapsed, flinging him far away… then came Wolik Bennard and Dailen Walda, who rode their brown warhorses in large strides to smash into the gap, where the infantry on both sides were thrown into disarray.

Mei Yi swiftly approached through the intact gap on the right, and with fervent swings, each strike aimed to take away a soldier.

When a subsequent ten‑man cavalry squad charged into the widened breach, Sir Cui Bei Ke had already begun shouting triumphantly, spurring his horse and leading the remaining cavalry in a reckless rush forward.

At that moment the small infantry formation collapsed completely, and the soldiers fled in disarray.

They could only flee toward the large formation.

Sir Luo Fu led the guard cavalry to begin driving and slaughtering from the left flank, while Viscount Pa Yin Lei De did the same from the right wing…

Mei Yi's face was again smeared with blood; she lowered her weapon and planted her feet to watch the harassing southern cavalry detachment, while Sir Bo Long had already ceased his harassment of the large formation and was eagerly observing the battle here.

"Drive them north!" Mei Yi loudly called to Sir Luo Fu and Viscount Pa Yin Lei De.

She grabbed a fleeing warhorse from beside her, mounted it firmly, and then pursued the fleeing soldiers.

The cavalry behind her shouted in unison, driving the disordered infantry toward the large formation.

The soldiers of the large formation showed a little panic, but under the furious roar of Ai Li Ang Pu Lei De they quickly steadied, immediately pointing their spears at the fleeing troops charging into their ranks.

At that point the fleeing soldiers ran outward along the large formation's direction, only to be cut down by pursuing cavalry; the remaining troops then turned about, only to collide head‑on with soldiers fleeing from the opposite side.

At that moment the infantry of the large formation marched south in large strides, swiftly spearing any fleeing infantry still ahead who might charge into the formation.

The wails made Mei Yi feel they were grating to the ear; she hadn't expected Ai Li Ang Pu Lei De to be so resolute.

She patted her warhorse, able only to continue driving the scattered soldiers, herding them toward the large formation; if their steps hesitated or slowed even slightly, they were instantly cut down.

The dispersed soldiers could only charge toward the spears raised by the large formation, hoping their comrades would create a gap.

Unfortunately, what awaited them was the merciless thrust of spears.

The cries of woe never ceased.

Finally, a soldier in the large formation could bear it no longer, threw down his spear, and quickly broke free from the ranks.

Ai Li Ang roared at the fleeing soldier, yet his two neighboring soldiers lost their composure and also chose to run, followed by a third and a fourth.

Ai Li Ang snatched a spear from a nearby soldier and hurled it at a fleeing enemy, instantly piercing him.

Mei Yi felt that she had never been more excited than at this moment.

"Everyone, follow me in the charge!" she shouted to left and right after releasing the disordered troops, and her horse's speed surged upward.

This time she did not rein in her warhorse.

The warhorse leapt into the opened breach; she barely managed to squeeze in beside the spear tip, then charged straight toward the centrally commanding Ai Li Ang.

The cavalry following her charge shouted excitedly.

Anyone could clearly see this rare opportunity.

At that moment the southern cavalry also began to move; in her peripheral vision she already saw the dust kicked up by warhorses galloping in unison.

The battle cries rang out at that moment.

Mei Yi burst into loud laughter, fervently slashing left and right, cutting down each soldier who blocked her path.

At that moment a brave spearman pointed his spearhead at her warhorse; she felt no fear whatsoever, and under the soldier's terror the horse charged straight over him.

The spear sliced a deep wound along the horse's neck; the warhorse cried out in pain, yet as always it surged into the very heart of the troop formation.

At the last moment the warhorse, exhausted, collapsed painfully as it lunged forward; Mei Yi rolled and landed steadily on her feet.

At that moment the cavalry behind her broke through the layers of infantry obstructing the way and fell in behind her.

She had no leisure to look back.

A cavalryman got ahead of Meiyi and cut down an officer, then another person cut off his horse's leg, and he immediately screamed as he tumbled off his horse.

Ailiang Puleide could no longer reorganize his infantry formation at this point, so he drew his greatsword, kicked away its scabbard, and strode toward Meiyi to slash at her.

Meiyi laughed, kicked an incoming infantryman aside, and met him head-on with Passion.

The greatsword and Passion clashed, emitting a sharp ringing.

Meiyi steadily blocked each of Ailiang's heavy blows, occasionally drawing Passion for a fierce counterattack. Passion's blade kept slicing through his heavy armor.

Meiyi watched his excited expression turn to shock and then disbelief.

In an opening, Meiyi kicked him over, then rushed forward and kicked his greatsword away.

Only then did Meiyi have a chance to look around properly.

All cavalry able to join the charge surged forward at this point, most already breaking through the leaderless infantry formation: Southern cavalry drove back the fleeing infantry from the south, Lord Luofu on the right wing was still cutting down the infantry clustered together, and Viscount Payinleide excitedly shouted, slashing at one fleeing infantryman after another.

Ailiang got up at this point, drew the dagger from his belt, Meiyi kicked him again, then took the horn from his waist and threw it to the newly arrived Bulande Xuenuo.

"Blow it!"

"Uh..." Bulande nervously began to blow, his voice like a mute's, "Uh... uh-uh..."

The horn's sound was so close that the cavalry and infantry began to slow their movements.

The sound was like heavenly music.

"Drop your weapons and surrender!" Lord Luofu shouted at this moment.

Then came a clatter of weapons hitting the ground.

"Tie this guy up," Meiyi laughed, "now he has no troops!"

Lord Luofu's face was covered in sweat and dirt, tired but looking quite excited.

"Yes, Your Highness, the turtle shell has been completely smashed!" he said while laughing, "Maybe we can unify the North with just two hundred cavalry!"

"Two hundred? Budun still has tens of thousands!" Meiyi wiped her face with her hand, already covered in blood, but this couldn't dampen her excitement.

Amidst the excitement, there was also a faint unease.

"No matter how many tens of thousands he has, he surely has no troops left west of the river..."

"Uh..." a horn sounded again in the distance, interrupting Lord Luofu's enthusiasm.

He turned his head to look south, his expression freezing and then fading away; all he saw was a large body of soldiers and banners appearing on the distant barren hills.

Meiyi finally understood what the seaweed smell that the fluffy dog had picked up meant.

The soldiers in the distance raised countless banners, but one stood out: on a gray-white-black striped field was printed a stone hand.

This time she didn't need Lord Luofu to introduce her; this was the banner of the Feilingute family, bearing the Feilingute's Finger.

It was the enemy.