Chapter 228: First Volume, Chapter 228: Kill!

First Volume, Chapter 228: Kill!

The Beidi Bow Infantry launched an offensive uphill, lacking cover, and suffered heavy casualties. By the time they advanced within fifty steps, they had already lost over ten men.

The casualty ratio reached thirty percent!

If these were ordinary soldiers, they would have already fled.

But these Beidi Raiding Cavalry, deep within Shedynasty's rear area, had no retreat left—they could only press forward to the death. The remaining fifty steps became especially brutal. The closer they got, the more accurate the New Army Soldiers' arrows became, shifting from dozens of arrows to hit one man, to just five or six arrows per hit.

Seeing the Cavalry Archers had already lost forty percent of their numbers, the company commander showed no worry—instead, he coldly smiled as if victory were assured: "Advance another twenty steps, then charge. Though the New Army's rate of fire is astonishing and their accuracy terrifying, they've surely run out of arrows. The battle is about to end."

Though they carried spare Yan Tou, they lacked tree branches or timber, and with the battle raging, there was no time to fashion new arrows on the spot—only to pick up the enemy's arrows for counterattack. Too bad… the enemy's Yan Tou, striking stone, had dulled.

Even with the New Army Soldiers' astonishing accuracy, when they hit their targets, their arrows could not even pierce the light armor.

The Beidi Cavalry Archers lost twenty men advancing from a hundred steps to fifty steps, but only ten men from fifty steps to thirty steps.

One Captain immediately shouted to Qin Feng: "Young Master, we're out of arrows!"

Qin Feng had anticipated this—he immediately barked: "Assemble the Step Spears! Charge!"

At his command, twenty New Army Soldiers dropped their short bows, assembled their modified Step Spears, and under the Captain's lead, sprinted out from their ImprovisedCover, charging down at the Cavalry Archers. With the downhill slope and their physical training, their speed was astonishing—they reached the Cavalry Archers in an instant.

The Cavalry Archers frantically drew their Short Ge to meet them, but still, seven or eight were speared through.

Close Combat erupted immediately, the two sides locked in chaotic melee.

The four or five Tuans, which had been lying in wait on the flanks, rushed out from the Shan Po at once, racing to reinforce. At one hundred steps, they began firing at the Cavalry Archers. Once the Cavalry Archers and New Army Soldiers were fully intermingled, the Tuans abandoned shooting, drew their Step Spears, and launched a Flank Attack from both sides.

Zhong Ling on the opposite Shan Tou instantly frowned: "Qin Feng is truly bold! With barely a few dozen men, he dares split his forces into three directions?! Is he just a greenhorn unafraid of tigers—or overconfident in the New Army's Combat Effectiveness?"

The New Army Soldiers, armed with Step Spears, surpassed the Cavalry Archers in martial skill, physical stamina, and Morale by a full tier. Combined with the ambush force joining the front line, they formed a FlankingAttack. The remaining forty Cavalry Archers were now spent.

Zhong Ling gave a decisive order: "Send reinforcements immediately!"

The Vice Commander slammed his fist onto the cowhide drum. The hundred Cavalry guarding the downhill path mounted their Warhorses and charged straight toward the battle. When the Warhorses grew too exhausted to move or collapsed outright, the cavalry abandoned them and ran on foot—so the reinforcements arrived with astonishing speed.

Seeing the Enemy Army's Reinforcements arrive, Qin Feng leapt onto the ImprovisedCover and roared: "Finish this quickly! Fall back to cover!"

The Captain skewered the Bow Infantry before him and roared: "Kill!"

The Beidi Cavalry Archers were already terrified.

How could these Liang soldiers be so terrifyingly strong? And their Morale—how could it be so horrifying? In Close Combat, they grew fiercer with every strike.

Most terrifying of all…

Close Combat drains stamina fastest. Even seasoned veterans who've fought for years can only last the time of a cup of tea before collapsing, needing comrades to cover their Tactical Withdrawal. Yet now, the Cavalry Archers were too exhausted to lift their Short Ge—even as the New Army Soldiers showed no sign of fatigue, their stamina still effortless.

With this imbalance, the last Bow Infantryman was pierced clean through by a Step Spear. As he neared Death, he mustered his final strength and drove his Short Ge into the New Army Soldier's shoulder.

There came a sharp "clang!"

Beneath the Soldier's clothing, a thick iron plate was hidden!

The Short Ge, famed for its armor-piercing power, shattered against the iron plate.

The last Bow Infantryman collapsed helplessly into a pool of blood.

Thirty-seven New Army Soldiers successfully retreated to the ImprovisedCover. Five were wounded—armor-plated areas had been pierced by Short Ge, bleeding profusely, now out of combat.

Qin Feng tore open a "Simple Medical Kit" from a guard's body and bandaged the wounded Soldiers, then stared at the three fallen comrades in the distance, teeth clenched: "Comrades, your deaths won't be in vain. I swear I'll make the Beidi army pay with their lives. Your wives, children, and parents—I, Qin Feng, will support them."

The remaining Soldiers leaned against the ImprovisedCover, gasping for breath.

Hearing Qin Feng's words, they straightened up instantly, roaring with fierce determination: "For the Young Master! For Liang!"

Before the Soldiers could catch their breath, the hundred Reinforcements of Bow Infantry reached the hundred-step mark. Convinced Qin Feng's arrows were exhausted, they charged up the hill without hesitation.

At this moment, it wasn't just arrows that were spent—it was tactics too.

For now, the only tactic left to Qin Feng was Close Combat.

Meanwhile, the three Tuans guarding the Rear also withdrew.

Protected by modified Armor, aided by terrain and ranged advantage, the three Tuans had not only crushed an enemy force three times their size—they returned fully intact, though their bodies were bristling with arrows, like Hedgehogs.

Thus, Qin Feng now had forty-seven New Army Soldiers left. Subtracting the five wounded, his actual Combat Effectiveness stood at forty-two.

Facing the remaining hundred Beidi Bow Infantry, they had no choice but to fight to the death.

Just as Qin Feng was about to give the order, a roar came from the flank.

"Rescue the Young Master! Kill!"

Looking toward the sound, Ning Hu had arrived with the remaining fifty New Army Soldiers, charging on foot from the flank Shan Tou.

Qin Feng was overjoyed—and stunned.

He had not requested aid from Ning Hu. How did he know he was under attack? And Shan Bei was far away—impossible to arrive in time.

Unless… Ning Hu never left far.

Forget it.

There was no time to dwell on this now.

Qin Feng raised his arm and roared: "Kill!"

The remaining Soldiers, seeing the Little Marquis arrive with reinforcements, surged with renewed vigor. They leapt from the ImprovisedCover, howling like demons as they charged the Beidi Bow Infantry.

Zhong Ling, witnessing this, paled. Though unwilling, he had no choice—he growled: "The tide has turned. Withdraw!"

The Vice Commander frowned deeply and said: "General, our forces are nearly equal—we still have strength to fight!"

Zhong Ling shook his head, eyes resolute: "Numbers are even—but Combat Effectiveness is vastly unequal."