si-mexico Chapter 2268: Beheading
Chapter 2268: Beheading
The Chu army's tactics were simple and efficient: heavy infantry phalanxes steadily advanced to compress space, while archers and crossbowmen continuously provided covering fire.
Especially targeting the high ground of the mounds; cavalry squads would weave through the gaps, exacerbating the chaos and hunting down stragglers.
The scimitars of the Scorpion Clan cavalry were unable to penetrate the heavy shields and dense spears of the Chu army, and their mounted archery was greatly reduced in effectiveness in such close-quarters melee.
Each organized volley of thrusts or arrows by the Chu army could take away several lives.
An hour seemed to stretch out amidst the bloody battle, yet it also felt like a mere instant.
The battlefield surrounding the mound was littered with corpses at an alarming rate, layer upon layer, almost burying the tattered wolf-head banner.
Blood flowed in streams under the scorching sun, turning the parched land into dark red swamps.
The air was thick with the suffocating stench of blood, sweat, ruptured internal organs, and the acrid smell of burning flesh.
The neighing of dying warhorses, the wailing of the dying, the clashing of weapons, and the chilling shouts of the Chu soldiers intertwined to form a lament for the end of life.
The circle of resistance is getting smaller and smaller.
Gongsun Yi's personal guards, the "Blood Wolf Guards," have been almost entirely wiped out, and he himself has also sustained multiple injuries.
His armor was shattered, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in blood and dust.
Only those eyes still burned with the flames of resentment, but beneath those flames lay deep weariness and the desolation of a hero's end.
He brandished the chipped scimitar, mechanically parrying the weapons thrusting from all directions, his steps already faltering.
Feng Mulan and Zhang Shijie arrived at his side almost simultaneously.
"Gongsun Yi! Prepare to die!"
With a roar, Zhang Shijie swung his long sword, which whistled through the air, and slashed horizontally at the waist, determined to cut the scorpion general in two!
Gongsun Yi roared and mustered his remaining strength to slash his scimitar diagonally, barely managing to block the powerful blow. However, the impact left his arm numb, his tiger's mouth split open, and the scimitar almost slipped from his hand.
He lost his footing and staggered backward.
Just as he lost his balance and his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated, a crimson figure cut in like a ghost!
Feng Mulan's nimble and swift sword transformed into a cold light that was almost invisible to the naked eye, swiftly stabbing at the open right rib exposed by Gongsun Yi's blocking of Zhang Shijie from an extremely tricky angle!
This sword strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless!
It embodies Feng Mulan's exquisite swordsmanship and unwavering determination to kill!
"Pfft!"
The sword pierced through the gap in Gongsun Yi's damaged chainmail under his ribs without any resistance and went deep into his body!
Gongsun Yi's body stiffened abruptly, his eyes widened instantly, and he let out a muffled groan.
Feng Mulan twisted her wrist, causing the sword to churn inside her body, before suddenly pulling it out!
A spurt of scalding blood gushed out, drawing a poignant arc in the sunlight.
Almost simultaneously, Zhang Shijie's longsword struck again, this time with a downward slash!
The heavily injured Gongsun Yi was too weak to dodge completely, and only had time to slightly turn to the side.
"Crack!"
The sharp blade slashed into his left shoulder, embedding itself deeply into his collarbone, and the sound of bone cracking could be clearly heard!
Zhang Shijie roared and exerted his strength, actually splitting half of his shoulder and arm bone open!
"what--!!!"
Gongsun Yi let out a heart-wrenching scream; the excruciating pain almost made him faint instantly.
He futilely swung his right hand at the curved sword he could no longer hold, and the sword clattered to the ground.
Its massive body swayed, finally unable to hold on any longer, and like a mountain collapsing and a jade pillar toppling, it crashed backward with a loud thud, slamming heavily onto the blood-stained earth and kicking up a cloud of dust.
This was the Scorpion Clan General who once roamed the grasslands and caused headaches for countless Chu army generals since his invasion of the south.
At this moment, he lay face up to the sky, his eyes wide open, staring at the scorching, merciless sunlight that shone upon the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
He was making hoarse noises as blood gushed from the huge wounds in his mouth, ribs, and shoulders, quickly pooling into a pool of blood beneath him.
The tattoos on his face twisted beneath the blood and grime, and finally, the light in his eyes dimmed rapidly until it was completely extinguished, leaving only an empty, unseeing gaze.
The remaining Scorpion Clan soldiers, seeing their commander fall in battle, completely lost their last shred of will to resist.
Some threw down their weapons and knelt down to beg for surrender; others cried out in despair, turned and fled, only to be stabbed to death by the pursuing Chu army.
A few die-hard loyalists let out their final howls and rushed towards the Chu army, only to be quickly overwhelmed.
Feng Mulan sheathed her sword, slightly out of breath, and looked at Gongsun Yi's corpse on the ground. There was not much joy of victory on her face, only a solemnity and exhaustion after completing the mission.
She looked around and saw that the shouts of battle had quickly subsided, replaced by the clamor of the Chu army clearing the battlefield, gathering prisoners, and finishing off surviving enemy soldiers.
As far as the eye could see, there were only the corpses of Scorpion Clan cavalry and tattered banners. The once noisy battlefield had finally fallen silent.
"Pass on the order,"
Feng Mulan's voice was a little hoarse, but still clear: "Quickly take stock of the casualties and treat our wounded soldiers."
"The prisoners will be placed under separate custody. The remains of our soldiers will be collected and properly disposed of. As for the enemy corpses..."
She glanced at the scorpion corpses scattered all over the mountainside: "Bury them all in one place and bury them deep to prevent the spread of disease."
Zhang Shijie walked over, carrying a blood-dripping longsword, his face showing both the excitement of the fierce battle and a trace of lingering fear:
"Your Majesty, Gongsun Yi's army has been completely annihilated! Our army has won a great victory!"
Feng Mulan nodded, but her gaze turned southeast, towards Changting Slope.
The sky there also seemed to be shrouded in smoke and dust.
"The fighting here is over."
Feng Mulan said in a deep voice, her eyes regaining their sharp light: "General Zhang, General Liu, immediately reorganize the troops, count the soldiers who can fight, and replenish water and arrows."
"The seriously wounded should remain in the city to recuperate. We must rush to His Majesty's aid as quickly as possible!"
Zhang Shijie's expression changed slightly, and he whispered, "Your Majesty, several hours have passed, and it will soon be dark. I wonder how His Majesty is doing."
A hint of worry flashed in Feng Mulan's eyes, but then her resolve hardened, and she said in a deep voice:
"If His Majesty were in danger, a signal arrow would surely have appeared. The fact that no signal arrow has appeared means that His Majesty is safe!"
Zhang Shijie breathed a sigh of relief: "If that's the case, then we need to hurry there!"
"With the Scorpion Clan cavalry no longer threatening Jianghuai City, our army can concentrate its forces to wipe out the Tang army, the Scorpion Clan cavalry, and the Youzhou rebels in one fell swoop!"
Feng Mulan slowly nodded: "Kill them all, and the world will be at peace. This battle may be the last!"
"Issue the order: depart immediately to support His Majesty!"
The dramatic reversal and encirclement battle at Jianghuai City finally ended in a complete victory for the Chu army.
Gongsun Yi was beheaded, and tens of thousands of the Scorpion Clan's main force were wiped out.
Without any delay, Feng Mulan immediately began preparing for the next step of the operation.
They led their troops to join forces with Chu Ning, preparing for the final battle that would determine the fate of the world.