Chapter 487

First Volume, Chapter 487: Blood Battle Against the Xiongying Brigade

This Xuelang Lv Command Scroll was forged by the Brocade Guard; no one knew if it would work, but Qin Feng handed it straight to the Xiongying Brigade Vice Commander, hoping for the best.

The man took the scroll and turned back.

But after only a few steps, Qin Feng noticed the Vice Commander raising the scroll high, his head subtly shaking twice—clearly signaling something to the opposite Commandant.

Qin Feng's heart sank. Was the scroll's format wrong?

That shouldn't be possible!

All camp command scrolls in the Beidi army were written on sheepskin—how could it be wrong? Or was the Xuelang Lv's command scroll uniquely different?

At that moment, a flash of insight struck Qin Feng's mind.

Since the two nations went to war, though both the Xiongying Brigade and the Snow Wolf Brigade had lost cavalry to capture, no command scroll had ever been found. After all, these two elite units were deployed in the most treacherous battlefields, where capture was inevitable—if a command scroll existed, it could easily leak military secrets.

Qin Feng guessed that neither the Xuelang Lv nor the Xiongying Brigade actually carried command scrolls—they relied solely on the Xuelang Lv Command Protocol. The Vice Commander had returned merely to test him—and had succeeded.

Damn it!

Seeing the Vice Commander still not back with his unit, Qin Feng had no time to think—he barked a single order: "Kill!"

The cavalry, already prepared, instantly drew their horsebows and unleashed a storm of arrows at the Xiongying Lü Garrison Commander. Since their tactical advantage was inferior, they struck first!

The Xiongying Lü Garrison Commander already knew Qin Feng's group were no legitimate Xiongying Brigade troops—even if not disguised enemy soldiers, they were surely deserters!

The Commandant was just about to order a surprise attack on these unknown light cavalry when Qin Feng struck first.

The two sides were only thirty steps apart. Even though Qin Feng's light cavalry weren't Beixi County elites, archery training was mandatory for every soldier in Beixi County.

At such close range, with sudden attack and free rapid fire, over ten Xiongying Brigade cavalry were hit at once, tumbling from their horses.

The Commandant and Vice Commander were targeted specifically. The Commandant reacted swiftly, dodging the arrows; the Vice Commander took an arrow straight through the back and died instantly.

The Xiongying Brigade, true to their elite status, did not break and flee under this ambush—they immediately drew their horsebows and launched a counterattack.

The two cavalry forces stood thirty steps apart, exchanging arrows in near-suicidal volleys, neither side turning to flee or executing a strategic retreat.

The distance was too short—anyone who turned would expose their back, suffering even heavier losses.

Qin Feng immediately dismounted, hiding behind his horse's rump, cowering in fear of stray arrows, while shouting: "Hold your ground! Don't panic! Keep exchanging arrows! If you run, they'll chase you down!"

Under Qin Feng's desperate shouts, though all the light cavalry had heard of the Xiongying Brigade's fearsome reputation, not a single one fled.

Beyond trust in Qin Feng, they understood they were deep in enemy territory—running wouldn't save them; the temple would still be caught. Death was inevitable. So they might as well fight to the death—two shoulders, one head, all wearing light armor—none were any harder to kill than the others!

Within just a few breaths, the disparity between the two sides became clear.

Though the Xiongying Brigade was strong and well-mounted, they were outnumbered—originally about a hundred men, now down to ninety after the surprise attack. Facing Qin Feng's two hundred light cavalry, who matched them in morale and archery skill, the Xiongying Brigade's losses far outpaced Qin Feng's.

The more they lost, the wider the gap grew—and the faster they died.

Even if every man was a fierce warrior, they could not reverse the tide. When fewer than fifty remained, the Commandant, slumped over his horse, shouted the order: "Retreat!"

"Retreat!"

Hearing that word "retreat," Qin Feng was the most elated.

Having cowered safely for half the battle, Qin Feng scrambled onto his horse and roared: "Don't let them escape! Chase them to the end!"

As the Xiongying Brigade turned their horses, another ten or so were felled; the remaining thirty or so bent low, fleeing westward with all their might.

Qin Feng and the remaining one hundred seventy light cavalry gave chase without pause.

The Xiongying Brigade Commandant gritted his teeth: "This morale and tactical advantage—these aren't deserters! They're enemy troops who've infiltrated across the border!"

The Commandant had planned to use the Beidi Horse's speed to break free from Qin Feng's pursuit.

But when he turned, he realized they hadn't pulled away—they were getting closer. Only then did he notice: Qin Feng's men weren't riding Liang Kingdom's native horses—they were riding… captured and bred Beidi Horses!

Using Beidi Horses to hunt Beidi Cavalry, the Commandant roared in fury: "Split up! Escape separately! Get word to nearby garrisons to encircle—"

Before he could finish the word "encircle," a cold arrow struck his left shoulder.

The Commandant screamed, crashing heavily from his horse, dazed and spinning, before he could even regain his senses—Qin Feng rode straight over him.

Crack—crack—the sickening sound of bones breaking was crystal clear.

The Commandant was tough—he still wasn't dead. But at this point, death would've been merciful!

The light cavalry behind Qin Feng paid him no mind—they simply rode over him without hesitation.

The Commandant was trampled over a dozen times before he died, his skull crushed, red and white matter splattering far and wide.

The remaining dozen Xiongying Brigade cavalry scattered to flee.

Qin Feng immediately ordered: "Ten per squad—split up and pursue! Even if you chase them to the Di Royal Capital, kill every last one!"

Otherwise, if they alerted the garrisons, a massive encirclement would follow—and even if Qin Feng grew three heads and six arms, he'd still be dead.

As Qin Feng pursued the remnants of the Xiongying Brigade, two Beixi Light Cavalry were chasing a scout who had trailed them from behind.

They chased for over ten miles before closing the distance to fifty steps.

Due to full-speed pursuit, their arrow accuracy was abysmal—they nearly emptied their quivers before finally hitting the scout by sheer luck. But the scout didn't fall—he clung tightly to his horse's neck.

Still, the horse's speed slowed.

The two cavalrymen rejoiced, ready to strike with one final burst—when seven or eight cold arrows flew in from nearby.

One Beixi Light Cavalry was killed instantly; the other spun around, searching for ambushers—only to be struck by a follow-up arrow and thrown from his horse.

As the cavalryman lay dying, a figure in leather armor—a Night Owl—strode forward without hesitation, swinging his step-glaive straight down.