Distant Mountain Battle Song

Chapter 189 This is a heartless and ruthless world
When we arrived at Qingshuihe Backwater Bay, it was already a well-established campsite.

Those resting in the shade of the trees are spearmen, the kind who can wield spears three zhang long. These men are usually burly and strong, and were originally intended to deal with the Guifang cavalry. Now, there are eighty of them here.

On a hillside, two dragon crossbows were being set up. These things were also called dragon rage on the battlefield. It is said that Huo Qubing personally improved the Great Yellow Crossbow, which was mounted on a platform with three Great Yellow Crossbows mounted in opposite directions to fire a single crossbow. It is said that the power was amazing. Even the Mad Bull Knights of the Ghost Fang could not withstand a single shot from the dragon crossbow.

On a hillside further away, six albatrosses crouched, each accompanied by a knight carrying an iron spear over three zhang long. This spear was specifically designed for throwing from the air, and even the enormous albatrosses could only carry one at a time.

A hundred or so thunder-smoke beasts lay quietly on the sunny slope, munching on dry grass intermittently, while the cavalrymen took off their armor and lazily lay on the grass basking in the sun.

Yun Ce also saw Liang Kun leading the people of Yun Clan Manor to set up ropes on the gentle slope...

After Cao Kun arrived, all the generals came to report. After listening to their reports, Cao Kun looked at the sun and ordered: "Half an hour later, Xintianyou will be the first to attack, using iron spears to kill the elephant-boars. The Thunder Smoke Beast Cavalry will enter the backwater bay to lure the elephant-boars away from the depths of the bay and into our pre-arranged battlefield. Traps will hinder the elephant-boars' progress, and Longnu will be responsible for sniping them. At this time, the scout team must quickly cross the Clear Water River and search the backwater bay."

After Cao Kun issued the order, he did not ask for anyone's opinion, even though the team was composed of everyone.

Yun Ce felt that Cao Kun's approach was not problematic. Since Cao Kun had been confirmed as the leader, he should obey orders to avoid giving conflicting orders and ruining things.

Each team has a leader, and Yun Ce undoubtedly became the leader of the Thunder Smoke Beast Cavalry Team. His responsibility was to enter the backwater bay to provoke the elephant boars after the Xintianyou Brigade attacked them, thus attracting the elephant boars to chase after them.

This is almost the most dangerous task, after all, the Xintianyou flies in the sky, and as long as it doesn't fly too low, the elephant pig can't do anything to it.

As for equipment like the dragon crossbow, they were all behind numerous traps and tripwires. Even if the elephant-boars came out and the dragon crossbows couldn't kill them, they would have enough time to escape on horseback.

The first month of spring has finally arrived. Under the sunlight, the earth's energy is rising in wisps. The Qingshui River in the distance is also flowing slowly, but the water volume is a bit more than in winter. In a few more days, after the snow and ice on the high mountains melt, the river will be full. It is said that some fish that originally lived at the mouth of the Qingshui River will swim upstream along the Qingshui River and eventually come to the lake at the source of the Qingshui River to spawn.

After these fish have finished spawning, they will all die, becoming a feast for the wild animals of the wasteland.

"Screech—" The cry of the Xintianyou high in the sky was somewhat shrill. Then, Yun Ce saw more than a dozen stones suddenly fly up from the ground and smash into the Xintianyou high in the sky.

The stones were incredibly powerful, but shortly after they flew into the air, as the force applied to them disappeared, the stones fell to the ground.

The folk song continued to rise and fall, with stones constantly flying into the sky. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, fewer and fewer stones flew into the sky, and the stones flew lower and lower. It seemed that the elephant pig was running out of energy.

Cao Kun, who was waiting for Yun Ce and the others to set off, suddenly said to Yun Ce, "Is the elephant pig out of strength?"

Yun Ce shook his head and said, "I think this is a strategy."

Cao Kun nodded and said, "Damn it, since when did pigs start knowing how to use tricks?"

Yun Ce cautiously said, "I think it's related to the things in Huishui Bay."

Cao Kun frowned and said, "Do you think the things in Huishui Bay can make elephant pigs smarter?"

Yun Ce sighed and said, "The description of elephant boars in the 'Compendium of Beasts' is very different from the description of these elephant boars in front of us."

The Book of Beasts says that this creature is huge, bloated and slow, likes to eat aquatic plants, makes a "dudu" sound, is stupid and does not know how to defend itself. The young beasts have fresh and succulent meat, but once they become adults, their meat becomes as hard as iron and is no longer useful.

The elephants and pigs here not only know how to throw stones at birds, but they also know how to use tricks.

Cao Kun turned to Cao Ling and said, "Give the order to have Xintianyou descend to a lower altitude to lure the elephant-boar into continuing to throw stones. After three times, have the iron spears attack the cubs!"

As Cao Ling waved various flags, the six albatrosses circling in the sky cried out a few times and began to descend. When the albatrosses reached a height that the rocks could touch, they suddenly pulled up and soared straight into the sky.

Just as Cao Kun had predicted, another pile of stones flew swiftly into the air, only a moment later. By then, Xintianyou had already reached a high place.

"After the third attack by the Xintianyou, you will set off."

Yun Ce nodded, indicating he accepted the order. Then, he and the fifty-two specially selected Thunder Smoke Beast cavalrymen nervously watched the sky. The moment Xin Tianyou started hurling iron spears downwards, it would be time for them to quickly enter Huishui Bay. After Xin Tianyou tested the waters twice, fewer stones were launched into the sky. However, its third descent was exceptionally rapid. When Yun Ce saw an iron spear shoot out from the head of Xin Tianyou, which was falling almost vertically, he urged his chestnut horse forward, shouting "Go!" and led the way into Huishui Bay.

Cao Kun was very satisfied with Yun Ce's resolute execution of his military orders, and said to Cao Ling, "Let's retreat and wait for them to lure out the elephants and boars."

Cao Ling whispered, "There is a bluebird hiding in the woods. If things don't go well, the young master can ride the bluebird away."

Cao Kun angrily said, "How can a general flee without a fight?"

Cao Ling repeatedly apologized, which calmed Cao Kun's anger. However, he still glanced at the direction Cao Ling was pointing a few more times.

Yun Ce rode his horse into Huishui Bay. In just five days, the appearance of Huishui Bay had changed drastically. There was less vegetation, and some tall trees had been uprooted by elephants, their tender branches gnawed clean, leaving only some thick trunks.

"That means the changes in these elephant-pigs haven't been long, and any changes are recent," Gouzi's voice echoed in Yun Ce's mind.

The chestnut horse's hooves trod lightly on the bare sand and gravel. Just as it was about to step into the red mud area near the clear water river, the chestnut horse suddenly stopped. It raised its front hooves high, kicked twice in the air, moved its hind legs twice, and when it landed, its rear end was already facing backward.

At the same time, it wasn't just the chestnut horse that was frightened, but also the other Thunder Smoke Beasts. They behaved even worse, with some even defecating and farting, refusing to take another step forward.

Hearing the continuous screams of pigs ahead, Yun Ce jumped off his chestnut horse, patted its ear before leaving, and then walked forward carrying two javelins.

Before leaving, Cao Kun did not say that the cavalry would be under his command, so he could only do what he needed to do without consulting the cavalrymen or instructing them on how to do it.

The leading cavalryman gritted his teeth, leaving ten cavalrymen to remain seated on their horses, while he led the other forty cavalrymen, like Yun Ce, carrying javelins, and slowly walked into the depths of Huishui Bay.

The terrain of the red mud ground is lower, and Yun Ce can see the elephant-boar herd fleeing in disarray under the attack of the Xintianyou from the edge of the gravel ground.

Two cubs were running towards Yun Ce under the cover of seven adult beasts. Upon seeing this, Yun Ce said to the cavalry leader beside him, "You kill the first one, and I will kill the second one. Remember, after killing the first cub, run quickly and do not linger."

The cavalry leader looked at Yun Ce, this fool, in disbelief. Having served in the army for many years, this was the first time he had met a nobleman like Yun Ce who was willing to be everyone's support. Naturally, he would not refuse and nodded heavily, saying, "General, please be careful as well."

Yun Ce smiled and agreed, then flew forward, and in a short while, he was already more than a hundred meters away.

Upon seeing how fast Yun Ce had fled, the cavalry leader's face twitched. He then said to his companions, "Once the first cub arrives, everyone attack together. Regardless of the outcome, we must leave immediately."

I'm worried that if we run too slowly, we'll become someone else's backup.

This principle that when encountering wild animals, you don't need to run faster than the animals, but only faster than your companions, is not a closely guarded secret in the army; it's something everyone knows.

Yun Ce let the first elephant-boar go, and as he flew through the air, he threw the javelin in his left hand. This time, he really used all his strength.

With a soft thud, the javelin pierced the massive body of the young elephant-boar, the entire javelin disappearing into its flesh. The young elephant-boar's forelegs, which were running, suddenly buckled, rolled twice on the ground, and then weakly raised its head, making two 'dudu' noises towards the adult elephant-boars behind it before drooping its head limply.

Yun Ce's attack pierced the elephant-pig's heart, leaving it no room to struggle.

The first cub that Yun Ce had spared was suddenly struck by forty javelins as it charged wildly. Each javelin penetrated more than half a meter into its flesh. Although it was riddled with thorns, it still staggered forward with difficulty until Yun Ce's second javelin pierced its anus and fell to the ground with a thud.

Seeing their offspring killed by a swarm of ant-sized creatures, the adult elephant-boars no longer cared about the albatrosses that kept harassing them in the sky, and united to charge towards Yun Ce's location.

Yun Ce ran incredibly fast, constantly overtaking the cavalrymen who were ahead of him. By the time he reached his chestnut horse, the second fastest cavalry leader was still more than a hundred meters away from his Thunder Smoke Beast.

Yun Ce breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to wait for the cavalry leader to arrive so they could escape together.

　Chapter 1, two more chapters to go.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)