Chapter 296: Heroic Tragedy

This battle.

It was absolutely, incomparably heroic.

When those thirty thousand men of the Suicide Squad charged out of Cheshi and doused themselves in Quelehuoduo, they had no intention of returning alive.

Some might ask.

Are there really people who fear death so little?

In the peaceful eras of later generations, naturally, there would not be. But under the unique system of this Longyan Dynasty, slaves and the lowly were originally as insignificant as blades of grass; many times, they were merely existences meant to be abandoned and sacrificed...

But in the Western Regions.

They had gained freedom.

Freedom is something that can bring a person infinite passion, imagination, infinite drive, and infinite creativity.

Having just obtained freedom, were they to be treated as slaves once again?

No!

They could not accept that!

Even if sacrificing themselves could win freedom for their wives and children, they were more than willing!

For the sake of freedom, they shed their hot blood!

Since ancient times, such people have, in fact, not been few in number.

"You sons of bitches, go to hell!"

At this moment.

Under Ling Chen's passionate roar, they were fired up, passionate, and had cast all caution to the wind. For a time, they had already forgotten what death was... In their eyes, the Northern Border Army had become a malignant tumor blocking them from building their own homeland! At this moment, there was no such thing as camaraderie between Longyan people.

In their eyes, there were only enemies!

One by one, the men of the Construction Corps had become human torches, yet they seemed unable to feel their own pain; in their eyes, there were only those terrified Northern Border Army soldiers.

One takes on three!

This was the death order Ling Chen had issued to them!

Ling Chen, with bloodshot eyes at the time, had said it like this.

If one can't kill three, wouldn't we be at a huge loss?

If one kills more than three, wouldn't we be making a profit?

"Ahhhhh!"

Seeing that group of Northern Border Army soldiers wanting to run, how could they give them the chance! They were already traveling light, and now the flames on their bodies seemed to make them tireless; one by one, the human torches instantly lunged toward the Northern Border Army.

"Don't come over!"

"Ah!"

"No!"

The Northern Border Army instantly fell into chaos. Because as long as these human torches reached them, they would immediately grab hold of them, using the flames to ignite these Northern Border Army soldiers...

What is this Quelehuoduo?

It is Petroleum!

It ignites at a touch and is extremely explosive. The bodies of those Northern Border Army soldiers also quickly caught fire; the flames were more terrifying than a plague, and more immediate.

In just an instant, the entire camp of the Northern Border Army had become a sea of fire; the tents, the supplies, and even the weapons and equipment were dripping with the ignited Quelehuoduo...

Even without combustible material, it could still burn!

This was the most terrifying aspect of Quelehuoduo!

Run!

Zheng Yuxing gave the order, and thus this famous general who had galloped across the battlefield for over thirty years issued the second, and final, fatal military error of his life.

This battle was destined to be his Waterloo.

If he had been calm at this moment and stopped the powerful Northern Border Army to begin a counterattack, containing the flames within a certain range, then even if there were losses and some disarray, he could at least have preserved his effective strength; even if he fled back to his Rongshan Pass, he could still have secured his place within the Liangzhou Army.

But alas...

He panicked too.

Because he, too, was witnessing the power of this Quelehuoduo for the first time.

He, too, was seeing so many people with such explosive, bloody spirit for the first time...

The commanding general panicked, and the Northern Border Army panicked even more.

Even the most efficient and strictly disciplined army, when encountering these merciless flames, would still value their lives. At this moment, the more they ran, the more chaotic their formation became; once chaotic, they collapsed, and their combat effectiveness vanished in an instant.

The more chaotic it became...

The more opportunities these human torches of the Western Regions Construction Corps had.

Hell.

A single spark can start a prairie fire, let alone Quelehuoduo?

The soldiers of the Western Regions Construction Corps knew they were dead either way, so they figured they might as well take as many with them as they could. Soon, this place became a living Hell, with raging flames shooting into the sky.

In the entire camp of the Northern Border Army, there was not a single place left that was a pure land.

"This..."

Zheng Yuxing was terrified, trembling all over; he had galloped across the battlefield for over thirty years, when had he ever seen such people who didn't fear death? Why were they like this?

What were they protecting?

He couldn't understand.

He had always prided himself on being able to grasp the thoughts and psychology of the soldiers at all levels in the army, but at this moment, he still couldn't understand these people of the Western Regions Corps...

For what?

For home and country?

For honor?

For military merit?

Or for—freedom?

"General, General, let's run!"

"General, everything is burning, it's all burning!"

"If we don't run now, it will be too late!"

The generals around him advised him one after another.

At a glance, half of the 100,000-strong Northern Border Army had already been set ablaze... Everyone was scurrying about in panic, rolling on the ground; some had already fled into the distance, trying every way to extinguish the fire... Yet, this Quelehuoduo was like a maggot in the bone, impossible to shake off; the more you ran, the larger the fire grew...

In just over ten minutes...

Many people had already been completely burned to ashes.

Screams, sounds of terror, wailing, battle cries, angry curses...

Rising and falling, it was as if ghosts were crying and wolves were howling.

"Retreat, go back and reorganize the army to attack again!"

No matter how unwilling Zheng Yuxing felt, he could only roar this command.

The Third Prince had long been terrified; he rode his horse at a wild gallop, for he was the one who cherished his life most here. This Ling Chen was simply a madman! And this Western Regions Construction Corps were all a bunch of madmen!

As long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood!

At Rongshan Pass, there were still nearly 100,000 troops; who was there to fear?

This time, these people from the Western Regions Construction Corps had brought about their own destruction, and their losses were not small either!

Cheshi must be taken!

Zheng Yuxing thought the same.

He had fought this war too stiflingly.

While fleeing in a panic.

He had already sent a message by carrier pigeon to Rongshan Pass, ordering the commanding general to set out immediately. He believed that at this moment, the Cheshi side, having fought using such a method of "inflicting a thousand casualties on the enemy while suffering eight hundred oneself," must also be in a state of utter ruin. By launching a Returning Horse Spear attack on them, they would surely be able to take Cheshi!

War changes in the blink of an eye.

Intelligence is like fire; its value lies in speed.

Stationed at Rongshan Pass at this time was Zheng Yuxing's top general, Nie Feng.

"General Nie, General Zheng is asking for reinforcements, an urgent request for reinforcements!"

"What?"

Nie Feng's expression changed upon hearing this. Asking for reinforcements?

Could it be that General Zheng had been defeated? Impossible! Zheng Yuxing was the Pingdi General, renowned far and wide; even the fierce armies of the Xiongnu did not make him flinch, and he had blocked the Xiongnu army from setting foot in Zhongyuan for over thirty years. How could he be defeated by a mere group of "Militia"?

"How many reinforcements are requested?"

Nie Feng asked.

"All, all of them..."

Hearing this, Nie Feng stood up abruptly, his heart tightening. He quickly issued orders for the 100,000-strong army to rapidly reorganize their equipment and march on Cheshi through the night!

Just at this moment.

Another Scout came crawling in, panicked, and said: "General Nie, Jiang Xuan of Liangzhou has brought 50,000 troops and is clamoring outside the pass!"

"What did you say?"

Nie Feng's eyes were splitting with rage as he roared: "When did they set out? How is it that there wasn't even a whisper of news! Hmm? What about our people in the Liangzhou military?"

The people from the Liangzhou military?

The group looked at each other in dismay.

That's right...

It would take at least seven days for Liangzhou to bring troops to Rongshan Pass. In these seven days, they hadn't received a single piece of news. Nie Feng's heart sank immediately; could it be that their people within the Liangzhou military had also "defected" one by one?

This was definitely not good news for Zheng Yuxing.

"General Nie, what do we do?"

Nie Feng's gaze turned cold: "Never mind who is clamoring, reorganize the army and set out! The General has ordered: if gods block us, kill the gods; if Buddhas block us, kill the Buddhas!"

"Yes!"

"We won!"

"We won!"

At this moment.

All of Cheshi was jubilant, everyone weeping and embracing. Of course, those who had been protected naturally did not forget those who were now nearly burned to ashes... The entire city choked with sobs and tears as they watched them go.

Because of the Quelehuoduo, the burning continued.

Those people from the Construction Corps were in various postures, claws bared; some had embraced Northern Border Army soldiers to perish together, some had their arms hacked off by the Northern Border Army but still bit down on them firmly, some had looked back at Cheshi City before they died, some were dragging two Northern Border Army soldiers with one hand, and others had been burned to death on the road before even reaching the camp...

Among them...

How many were their brothers, how many were their sons, how many were their fathers, or even mothers...

But now, because everything was charred black, it was impossible to tell who was who.

Ling Chen also watched all of this quietly.

Looking at the devastation covering the land, looking at this Hell on earth.

Was this, then, what war was?

This, this is war.

The whole crowd celebrated, then followed with wailing.

The atmosphere was indescribably heroic and tragic.

Ling Chen waved his large hand and shouted: "Everyone, return to the city to reinforce the defensive works! This battle is not over yet; we must prevent a counterattack from the enemy!"

The thirty thousand vanguard troops wiped away their tears and went back to continue reinforcing the works.

Xie Chan was still dumbfounded at this moment.

Her heart was absolutely shaken.

Incomparably shaken!

She had seen the infighting among the civil and military officials in the court of the Dayuan Kingdom, and the deceit and mutual trampling between the various countries of the Western Regions.

Although the Dayuan Kingdom was flourishing under her father's governance, it was never a monolith; the several Governors would start pushing responsibilities onto each other whenever something happened...

When had she ever seen such a passionate, such a united scene?

To protect this homeland in the Western Regions that had yet to be built... for that dream depicted by Governor Liu, for that perfect world of Great Harmony under Heaven...

These people were resolute and fearless, viewing death as a return home.

What kind of people were these?

And what kind of nation would they build?

"Miss..."

Xiao Tao was also covering her mouth at this moment, her eyes brimming with tears.

Xie Chan gave a bitter smile: "I am suddenly very desperate, but... I am also very fortunate."

The group of Night Walkers she had brought with her were also silent at this moment.

Just then.

Someone suddenly came to report.

"It's bad, it's bad, the Qiuci Army is here!"

"The Qiuci Army is here! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

"What?"

The entirety of Cheshi, which had just settled down, once again fell into panic.

A look of extreme conflict also flashed across Xie Chan's stunningly beautiful face.

The Qiuci Army had attacked?

Then she...

How should she conduct herself?

【Author's Note】

Some brothers might say that the timeline of these few chapters doesn't match up. Hahahaha. Actually, there is no problem; there is no such thing as matching or not matching. If it matches, it matches; if it doesn't, let's just ponder it ourselves... Because I have to consider the pacing, some scenes might have time discrepancies. I think brothers who read carefully will still be able to understand.