Chapter 127: The Jing'an Army's Answer

Hooves shattered the stream, sending up icy spray.

Chen Wen led his troops out of the mountains; the view ahead instantly opened up, yet it was all the more shocking.

The plains that should have been full of spring vitality were now shrouded in war and panic.

Dust rose on the distant horizon, and a thunder-like horse hooves sound came faintly—these were the traces of the Khitan Cavalry's rampage.

Closer up, scattered remnants of the Zhou Army soldiers could be seen.

They fled south in panic, and there were also burned villages, with embers still unextinguished.

Among the charred broken walls and ruins, occasional overturned corpses lay, the air mixed with the smell of smoke and a faint stench of blood.

Those barbarians deserve to die!

Shi Dun's eyes were blood-red as he gazed at the horrific scene, his teeth clenched.

Chen Wen's face was calm as water, but the back of his hand gripping the reins showed exposed veins, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

He reined in his warhorse, his sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings.

Qian Gui, take some men forward, intercept the fleeing soldiers, and ask about the specific situation ahead, especially the activity range and pattern of the Khitan Cavalry.

Yes!

Qian Gui received the order and left, soon returning with news.

What the fleeing soldiers said matched the messenger's report: the Khitan cavalry, relying on their mobility advantage, split into units ranging from dozens to a hundred, continually striking the Zhou Army's long supply lines and flanks.

They specifically targeted weak points, burning, killing, and looting, committing every conceivable evil.

The Zhou Army infantry could not catch up or drive them away, suffering immensely.

Where is their main force? Chen Wen asked.

Reporting to the Army Envoy, the Khitan cavalry's main force should be gathered on the front battlefield, facing off against our main force.

Those looting all around are mostly vassal tribe cavalry; though not the elite, they are still very fierce.

Chen Wen nodded, already having a plan in mind.

Dealing with these scattered bandits is exactly the Jing'an Army's forte!

Pass the order! The entire army will turn northeast and advance along the edge of the area where enemy cavalry frequently operates.

Shi Dun, send out scouts five li ahead; if they spot the enemy, they must report immediately and not engage!

Received!

The troops moved again, like a dagger with its blade sheathed, gliding along the edge of the battlefield.

Chen Wen heightened his senses to the extreme; his perception, sixteen times that of an ordinary person, allowed him to detect distant dust and subtle ground vibrations earlier than most.

After an hour, the forward scouts came racing back.

Army Envoy! Five li ahead, we spotted a unit of Khitan Cavalry, about fifty or more horsemen.

They were moving along a dry riverbed toward the southwest; judging by their direction, they seemed headed for a newly established temporary supply depot!

Good! Chen Wen's eyes flashed with a cold light.

Let's use them as our first strike! The whole army will accelerate and seize the slope and woodland on the south side of the riverbed!

The order was given.

With Chen Wen granting them double speed and endurance, the Jing'an Army moved like ghosts through the hills.

They arrived before that Khitan Cavalry unit could reach the spot.

They quietly occupied a gentle slope on the south side of the riverbed, overgrown with shrubs and sparse trees.

Shi Dun, take your men and form a line along the treeline at the hilltop: sword-and-shield soldiers in front, spearmen next, archers and crossbowmen in the rear, using the trees for cover!

Qian Gui, take your men and scatter into the shrubs on both sides; listen to my command and disturb the enemy's flanks and rear with crossbow bolts!

Wang Ru, take the medics and a few auxiliary troops, and prepare behind the formation to receive the wounded!

The orders were clear and distinct; the Jing'an Army soldiers silently and swiftly took their assigned positions.

Soon they blended with the surroundings, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional faint clack of armor plates.

Chen Wen hid behind a large tree, his eyes locked firmly on the bend of the riverbed.

He could hear the horse hooves from afar, growing ever clearer.

They were chaotic and boisterous, accompanied by the Khitan people's characteristic indistinct shouts.

Here they come!

Fifty-plus Khitan cavalry surged out like a whirlwind from the riverbed's bend.

They wore mismatched hide robes, held sabers or bone clubs, were skilled horsemen, and their faces showed the excitement and cruelty of successful looting.

They clearly had not expected to encounter an ambush here; their formation was disordered, and they were loudly chatting and laughing, as if preparing to loot the next target.

Now!

Chen Wen fiercely swung his hand downward!

Release the arrows!

Along the treeline at the hilltop, the archers and crossbowmen who had been poised released their bowstrings in an instant!

Whoom—!

A dense barrage of arrows, like a sudden storm, rained down from above, striking the Khitan cavalry in the riverbed head-on!

Enemy attack!!

Someone among the Khitan cavalry let out a shrill alarm, but it was too late!

The first volley of arrows was extremely effective; in an instant, over ten riders, both man and horse, were turned into hedgehogs and fell to the ground screaming.

The frightened horses neighed and bolted, throwing the already chaotic formation into utter disarray.

Form ranks! Charge forward! Kill these Zhou dogs!

A man who appeared to be a leader brandished his saber, trying to rally his troops and launch a charge.

The remaining thirty-plus Khitan cavalry displayed the reaction speed of a nomadic people.

They quickly brought their startled warhorses under control, drew their sabers, and let out beast-like howls.

Driving their warhorses, they launched an assault up the gentle slope!

In their view, as long as they charged up the slope and closed in on those weak Zhou infantry, victory would still be theirs.

"Sword-and-shield men, hold fast! Spearmen, ready!"

Shi Dun stood before the formation, his voice like a great bell.

Faced with the surging cavalry charge, the front-rank sword-and-shield men, though nervous with sweaty palms, clung tightly to their shields, hiding their bodies behind them.

Yet the immense psychological pressure and impact of the Khitan cavalry charge still caused the line to tremble slightly.

Just then.

A warm, powerful surge instantly flowed through the limbs of every frontline soldier!

Chen Wen acted!

A widespread bestowal of doubled strength and endurance precisely covered the entire forward position!

The strengthened sword-and-shield men felt their bodies brimming with power.

The originally heavy shields now felt as light as nothing, and their feet stood rooted to the ground!

"Boom!"

The Khitan cavalry slammed hard into the shield wall!

The anticipated scene of the Zhou troops being overturned did not occur.

Instead, the charging Khitan cavalry felt as if they had struck a dirt wall sheathed in iron.

The tremendous recoil numb their arms, and their formation stalled!

"Thrust!" Shi Dun roared!

The spearmen, who had long been waiting, received Chen Wen's simultaneous grant of doubled precision and speed.

The spears in their hands thrust out like snakes from their holes, stabbing fiercely through the gaps in the shields!

Fast speed! Tricky angle!

Precisely aimed at the horses' bellies or the cavalrymen's calves and thighs!

"Pluck! Pluck!"

The sound of blades piercing flesh made teeth ache!

The warhorses' cries and the Khitan cavalry's wails instantly rose together!

In just a single encounter, seven or eight riders were speared to the ground!

At the same time, in the thickets on both sides.

Qian Gui's scouts, wielding exquisite hand crossbows, kept firing cold bolts.

They specifically targeted the horses' legs or the cavalry's face, neck, and other weakly protected spots, further worsening the enemy's chaos.

That Khitan leader was both shocked and angry, unable to comprehend.

How could these Zhou infantry be so tenacious, with strength and reactions extraordinarily swift!

He roared wildly, trying to rely on his personal valor to break an opening, urging his horse straight at Shi Dun.

Shi Dun remained calm and unafraid, instantly receiving Chen Wen's focused grant of quadrupled strength and reaction!

He bellowed, not dodging or evading, his giant axe whistling as it tore the air, and he boldly chopped at the incoming saber!

"Clang!"

The piercing clang of metal on metal exploded!

That Khitan leader felt an unstoppable immense force transmitted from the sword hilt.

His tiger's mouth split instantly, the saber flew from his hand, and his whole body was shaken off the saddle.

He spat blood, crashed heavily to the ground, and appeared dead.

The commander fell in battle, the charge was thwarted.

Cold arrows continued to harass the flanks, and the remaining Khitan cavalry finally collapsed.

They let out terrified cries, no longer caring for comrades, turned their horses, and fled desperately back the way they came.

"Archers, free fire! Pursue and rout!"

Chen Wen gave the order.

Another volley of arrows rained down, leaving only a few escapees alive.

The Jing'an Army did not blindly pursue, but quickly consolidated its position and tallied the spoils.

In this battle, they beheaded thirty-seven Khitan cavalry, captured five lightly wounded horsemen who had fallen, seized twenty-one intact warhorses, and took various weapons and armor.

The Jing'an Army itself lost only two killed, one seriously wounded, and over ten lightly wounded—a truly exhilarating great victory!

When the soldiers began to clean the battlefield and gather their comrades' remains, the suppressed cheers finally burst forth.

"We won! We won!"

"Mighty Military Envoy! Ten thousand victories for the Jing'an Army!"

The soldiers gazed at those Khitan cavalry who previously required a huge cost to match.

Now they were crushed like pottery dogs by our side, filling their hearts with unprecedented confidence and pride.

They looked toward Chen Wen, standing calm atop the slope, their eyes filled with fervent admiration.

Shi Dun, holding his blood-dripping great axe, walked to Chen Wen's side, split his wide mouth in a laugh, and said:

"Military Envoy, this pack of wolf pups isn't that scary after all!"

Chen Wen gave a slight nod, but his gaze still turned toward the rising dust in the north.

This minor victory is merely the beginning.

He wants to use these victories to tell everyone!

The Khitan wolf cavalry are not invincible!

He also needs to tell Chai Rong on the front lines that he, Chen Wen, has not let down expectations!

The Fortune Momentum vortex in his sea of consciousness seemed to have slightly grown with this morale-boosting victory and the captured warhorse supplies.