Chapter 299: Moonlit Battle, Life and Death on a Knife's Edge as the Wind Turns!

On the battlefield, blades flashed and swords crossed, arrows flew like rain, and the war drums beat without cease. The army led by Jiang Jiang Mingyu clashed fiercely with the Great Liao warriors under Wang Wang Sichao; the flames of war burned, painting the sky blood-red.

The clash between Wang Wang Sichao and Tu Tu Kesiluo sounded like a symphony of the battlefield, blades meeting blades, sparks flying. Wang Wang Sichao roared, "Tu Tu Kesiluo, do you think you can easily take my life?" Tu Tu Kesiluo sneered, "With such skill, you dare challenge me? Your arrogance will be your end; today you shall witness the might of Great Liao!" Wang Wang Sichao swung his waist sword, his sword moves like a violent storm, attempting to suppress Tu Tu Kesiluo.

Tu Tu Kesiluo responded coldly, "Futile struggle." Holding his long sword, he brought the blade down; the sound of blade meeting blade filled the battlefield.

Nearby, Zhang Zhang Jiani frowned slightly and shouted loudly, "Archers, concentrate your fire!" Arrows poured down like rain, raining upon Jiang Jiang Mingyu's position. Wang Wang Sichao commanded calmly, "Shield-bearers, meet the enemy! Archers, return fire!"

Zhang Zhang Jiani said to Tu Tu Kesiluo, "Help me break through the defenses!" Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded, "Rest assured, I will open a path for you." Wang Wang Sichao's voice rang out, "You are seeking your own day of death!" Zhang Zhang Jiani laughed mockingly, "Do we fear a mere traitor like you?" Wang Wang Sichao ground his teeth, "Watch how I crush your pride!"

Amidst this chaotic melee, words wove through the flashing blades and swords; every sentence carried the warriors' bloodthirsty spirit, further highlighting the tense atmosphere on the battlefield.

Wang Wang Sichao shouted loudly, "Charge! Scatter their formation!" Tu Tu Kesiluo said coldly, "Wang Wang Sichao, do you know your day of death has arrived?" "Day of death?" Wang Wang Sichao sneered, "Seems it is you who are arrogant."

Under the cover of the arrow rain, Wang Wang Sichao shouted loudly, "Do not fear, charge!" Zhang Zhang Jiani said to Tu Tu Kesiluo, "Quickly, let us break through their defenses and create an opportunity for Jiang Jiang Mingyu!" Tu Tu Kesiluo said disdainfully, "These ants who know not the height of the sky or the depth of the earth; I shall let them witness our power."

Soon, the balance of the battle began to tilt toward Jiang Jiang Mingyu. The soldiers under his command were survivors of a hundred battles who had crawled out of piles of corpses; their combat power was extremely formidable. Holding long blades, they waved flags stained with blood, charging into the fray, sweeping all before them.

The vast majority of Wang Wang Sichao's men were newly recruited by Li Li Haoyang and possessed almost no combat capability. Facing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's iron cavalry, they were terrified and panicked, retreating in droves, even turning to flee.

He wanted to organize a counterattack, but his subordinates had already been routed by Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army, unable to form an effective resistance. He could only watch helplessly as his army was gradually annihilated.

The fear in his heart grew stronger and stronger. He knew he had no hope of victory left, only a dead end. He was unwilling to die like this; he wanted to escape, find an opportunity, and plot to rise again.

He looked up at the sky and saw a bright moon hanging high in the night sky, shining upon this blood-stained battlefield. He could not help but recall a poem:

The moon rises bright, the beautiful one is lovely.

The tender grass and trees are all bathed in moonlight.

The moon rises with the wind, the wind blows gently.

Only the sound remains, sorrowful and mournful.

This was a folk song of Great Liao, praising the beauty of the moon and expressing people's sorrow. Wang Wang Sichao felt this song perfectly reflected his state of mind at that moment.

He gritted his teeth fiercely, whipped his horse, and fled into the chaotic army. He hoped to use the moonlight to evade Jiang Jiang Mingyu's pursuit. But his hope was soon shattered.

He had not run far when he heard a loud shout from behind. "Wang Wang Sichao, where do you think you are going?" He turned his head and saw Tu Tu Kesiluo.

Seeing Tu Tu Kesiluo pursuing him, he was startled and quickly drew the short sword at his waist, rushing to meet him. He wanted to fight Tu Tu Kesiluo to the death.

The two of them engaged in a life-and-death struggle amidst the chaotic army. Their swords and blades clashed continuously, emitting a series of metallic sounds. Their horses neighed and stamped incessantly, colliding with each other.

Their battle attracted the attention of the surrounding soldiers. They all stopped their killing, formed a circle, and watched this duel.

Both Wang Wang Sichao and Tu Tu Kesiluo were first-rate experts; their sword techniques were unparalleled. Every move they made was a fatal strike, leaving no room for error.

Their battle lasted half a shichen without a winner. Both were covered in blood, and their breaths had become faint.

Wang Wang Sichao knew he had no strength left; continuing to fight would inevitably lead to his death at Tu Tu Kesiluo's hands. He made a desperate decision to risk everything. Suddenly, he withdrew his short sword and thrust it toward Tu Tu Kesiluo's face.

He intended to use this move to force Tu Tu Kesiluo to retreat, then escape while he had the chance. But he did not expect Tu Tu Kesiluo to neither dodge nor evade, but to block his strike head-on.

He tightly gripped Wang Wang Sichao's wrist with his right hand, preventing him from withdrawing the short sword. With his left hand, he swung his long sword down toward Wang Wang Sichao's neck.

Wang Wang Sichao felt a burst of intense pain; his neck was severed by Tu Tu Kesiluo's long sword. His head, trailing a drop of blood, flew out and landed on the ground.

His eyes remained wide open, his mouth still agape, his expression still filled with terror and unwillingness. His body, still on the horse, convulsed, spouting jets of fresh blood.

Tu Tu Kesiluo was no better off; his left eye had been blinded by Wang Wang Sichao's short sword. His face was also covered in bloodstains, and his breathing had become rapid.

He forcefully pushed Wang Wang Sichao's corpse off the horse, then picked up Wang Wang Sichao's head, held it high, and shouted loudly to all around.

"Everyone stop immediately! Wang Wang Sichao is dead. My Your Majesty is merciful; those who surrender shall be spared death."

The remaining two hundred thousand-plus Great Liao soldiers turned their heads and saw the blood-dripping head in Tu Tu Kesiluo's hand. Their hearts instantly turned ice-cold, and their faces instantly turned deathly pale.

"It is the Grand Commandant! The Grand Commandant is dead!" Someone shouted this, and immediately the Great Liao soldiers, already at a disadvantage, fell into instant chaos.

Some dropped their weapons, some knelt begging for mercy, and some fled in all directions. They had lost all fighting spirit; they only wanted to live.

Amidst this chaotic scene of chickens flying and dogs jumping, Tu Tu Kesiluo swung the sharp blade in his hand, cutting down the lives of three Great Liao soldiers. His piercing gaze swept over the aftermath, his voice cold as ice: "I will say this one last time: lay down your weapons, or you will all die."

The blade in Tu Tu Kesiluo's hand was as bone-chilling as cold light, and his words were sharper than the blade itself. At the same time, Zhang Zhang Jiani cried out sharply, "All troops advance! Archers prepare! Those who do not surrender within three breaths will be executed without exception."

Her voice was like frost cutting through the night sky, making the Great Liao soldiers shiver. Jiang Jiang Mingyu watched this scene from the side and smiled bitterly, "Two hundred thousand men threatening nearly three hundred thousand; truly, strange things happen every year, but this year there are especially many."

After three breaths, the Great Liao soldiers still hesitated, showing no sign of surrender. Zhang Zhang Jiani's willow brows shot up, her cold eyes piercing the hearts of the Great Liao soldiers like sharp arrows: "Release the arrows!"

The sound of bowstrings being drawn grated on the ears; arrows broke the wind and flew like dark clouds pressing against the city. One Great Liao soldier shouted loudly, "No, I surrender! Don't kill me! I surrender!" He trembled, and the weapon in his hand clattered to the ground.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction, turned his gaze to the remaining two hundred thousand-plus people, and asked, "What about you?"

After a brief silence, everyone, without distinction of order, threw down their weapons and shouted in unison, "We are willing to surrender."

This scene made Tu Tu Kesiluo, who should have been happy, frown. He whispered to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, "Brother, is it not too improper that they surrendered so easily?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu responded after deep consideration, "This is a battle situation that needs immediate resolution; avoiding unnecessary bloodshed is the best strategy. We need the Great Liao soldiers' surrender to create more favorable conditions for future marches and the development of the battle."

Thus, Tu Tu Kesiluo and Zhang Zhang Jiani calmly arranged the surrender procedures for the Great Liao soldiers, bringing a temporary end to this chaotic battle.