Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 202 Absolute Advantage
On the afternoon of October 4th, the first year of the Tongzheng calendar, the largest battle of the Southern Expeditionary Army was underway at a place later known as "Wangfeng Mountain".

Returning to the present, counting from the first clash of the bamboo warriors as the start of the formal battle, the two sides have been fiercely fighting for three hours.

The battle had been raging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The officers were in high spirits, for this war was destined to be epic.

The scale of the military force that Xuan Chong mobilized from the core system of the Great Yao civilization in the north exceeded the total human forces encountered in the Thorn Region in the past! Moreover, the quality of the troops and the level of the weapons were unprecedented.

It can be said that the troops that Xuan Chong transferred would have attracted the attention of half the world if placed under Da Yao's command. Now, they have opened the eyes of the old tree spirits.

It is also worth mentioning that the force under Xuan Chong's command was named the "Human Alliance".

This is because more than two-thirds of the army's composition consists of native tribes from southern Xinjiang.

Those who carried muskets and fired them were Horned People; those who carried cannonballs and filled them with red-hot coals were Clawed People.

Those carrying halberds at the front, though all with human-like faces, included lizardmen, snakemen, and steel-maned men; they had all taken human form by consuming "Holy Ash Pills," but were essentially recruited from the frontier under Xuan Chong's rule.

These native people of southern Xinjiang had always viewed the thorny lands of the south with fear. But after following Xuan Chong and clearing away the unprecedented fog of war, this glory would carry with them to all parts of southern Xinjiang upon their return. Even in their old age, they would tell their descendants how, under General Wu's command, they had slain the endless demons in the southern jungles until they were utterly defeated.

Back to the present, after clashing with Liu Ren and Zhu Ren, the two armies began to stand facing each other at a distance.

After two rounds of fire attacks, the Treants, though numerous, dared not charge recklessly. The Humans, too, dared not attack rashly, nor did they need to. Xuan Chong had calculated that the moisture in this war-torn land was insufficient to support the Treants' needs. Furthermore, based on the air pressure, there would be no heavy rain in the short to medium term, and supplies and new recruits were steadily arriving from the rear, allowing them to outlast the enemy.

The ghost cars circled in the sky, trying to find another opportunity; but the tree people, having learned their lesson, snapped off "thorns" and flung them at the ghost cars high in the sky. Even after breaking, these thorns remained alive, like a gecko's tail, twisting into an "S" shape and spinning very steadily in the air.

At first, the ghost cars high in the sky didn't think much of the dozens of kilograms of thorns that were thrown up at them; but when they realized that the thorns were alive and began to wrap around their wings, they had no choice but to land on the ground.

In order to protect these important flying behemoths, the Wu family army had to send cavalry to provide support.

After the ghost chariot returned to the human camp, the Wu family army dismounted with large scissors to remove the thorns that were binding the ghost chariot, and placed them in pottery jars, preparing to send them to the juicer after the war.

Thus, after the intense fighting in the first half, Xuan Chong's army and the Tree Man army are now facing each other across the barrier, like a halftime break after the first half.

As for how to fight in the second half? The three-headed war beast has arrived at the battlefield, and the steam engine has begun to slowly ignite. The wooden ox and flowing horse have brought waterwheels from the rear to add water to it.

…Xuan Chong prepared for another fight that night. …

Unlike the obvious anxiety of the tree people, everyone in the human army was assigned a task. Some began to build fortifications and weave straw ropes into large nets; others began to drill holes in stone projectiles and stuff them with cotton cloth soaked in oil.

The human army was filled with an atmosphere of intense anticipation and readiness for another battle. This was the atmosphere created by Xuan Chong and his group of generals.

Xuan Chong, on the other hand, learned about the situation in detail from the soldiers engaged in combat, inquired about the physical exertion of the frontline soldiers during the battle, and gave the frontline soldiers the high-concentration sugar-salt water prepared and filled their canteens.

As for the wounded soldiers who had narrowly escaped death from the Willow Tree Men, Xuan Chong learned a valuable lesson from the veterans during his visit. He learned that stuffing straw paper between the plate armor and helmet would neutralize the force of the Tree Men's blows, preventing them from inflicting "piercing damage." Xuan Chong immediately ordered the troops to steam rice cakes that could be worn over the back of their armor.

Currently, the Wu family army has suffered 123 combat casualties, 32 of whom were killed in action. Such losses are still acceptable for the entire army, and it could even be said that the Wu family army has a slight advantage.

Xuan Chong routinely poured cold water on the soldiers' spirits: "Don't be fooled by our good exchange ratio of one to ten! We must understand that our physical strength is being depleted too much during the battle. If the Tree People drag this out for even a little longer, our casualty rate will rise sharply."

After Xuan Chong set the tone, the team officers also reflected deeply and expressed that the battle was extremely difficult.

Team Leader 1: "The outcome of the battle has far exceeded everyone's expectations."

Squad Leader 2: "The Treant is tough and sturdy. If we hadn't found a tactic—first having one group cut off the branches that represent the Treant's offensive capabilities, and then having a second group of seven or eight people use crowbars to simultaneously hook the Treant's base and pry it down—the casualties would have been unimaginable."

The now-flexible Wu Zhantie said, "If it weren't for Commander Wu (Xuan Chong)'s flexible and adaptable tactics during the battle, our army would have been in grave danger."

Xuan Chong was taken aback, feeling that the atmosphere was a bit strange. It wasn't what he wanted when his subordinates all became yes-men.

At this moment, Wu Rui raised his hand and, after receiving permission from Xuan Chong, immediately stood up and said, "Commander, perhaps the enemy's stamina is also insufficient."

Xuan Chong frowned, about to criticize his adopted son for having any illusions, but sensing that everyone around him was ready to teach this arrogant brat a lesson, he cautiously remained silent.

However, this adopted son revealed his investigation report on the Tree Man prisoners, and Xuan Chong's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he looked at the report.

He then beckoned the young man to him and asked him about his interrogation (torture) of the tree spirit. This left the surrounding officers completely bewildered.

Seeing Wu Rui's expectant expression, Xuan Chong did not praise him directly, but said to him seriously: "Your observation is very careful, but whether it can be successful still needs to be tested before we can see the results."

Xuan Chong didn't want this kid to get arrogant, so he wanted to hone him up properly, just like Wu Hanluan had hone himself back then.

As for Wu Zhantie and his fellow officers, although they were generally of middle or upper rank according to Da Yao's standards for subordinate generals, they were already old compared to newcomers like Wu Rui who had received the "New Military Manual" since childhood.

Veterans and newcomers handle problems differently, as seen in this recent operational meeting.

Whenever Xuan Chong speaks, they all build their thinking around Xuan Chong's ideas, but Wu Rui has his own ideas!

From the perspective of "leadership comfort," someone like Wu Rui, who always has his own ideas, is not suitable for the workplace. However, from the perspective of the military's "victory-only" mentality, Wu Rui belongs to the future.

The saying goes, "The student surpasses the teacher." This era belongs to both myself and Zhao Cheng, two great military strategists, but what about the next era?

Xuan Chong: "We may have to rely on rising stars like Wu Rui to compete with generals like Zhao Cheng from other forces."

Note: Xuan Chong believes that other forces in the next era will also produce geniuses no less than Zhao Cheng, and he has made preparations in advance.

…On the other side of the standoff…

Just as the Wu family army was preparing for battle within their fortified walls, the tree people were also forming hedges on the spot. Meanwhile, the Wu family army's dragon-horse cavalry would occasionally launch rockets, keeping the tree people busy and forcing them to spray their precious "tree sap" to extinguish the fires.

Xuan Chong remarked that the sheer number of Tree People still posed a significant threat. Little did he know that in the eyes of the Tree People of Thorn Ridge, the Xiren army was like a horde of infuriating monkeys, possessing inexhaustible energy. At this moment, neither side could discern any remaining advantage in the other, leading to caution and a brief stalemate.

Currently, the main force of the tree people is the cypress group led by Ling Kongzi, the "giant cypress", and the pine tree group led by Shiba Gong.

Originally, these two types of tree people were the most terrifying forces in Thorn Ridge. They had high defense and high health, and their branches could pry open the city's bricks and tiles, making them the attackers who could break open the city gates.

Four hundred years ago, the city built by the fleeing humans was finally breached by these two types of tree people. Originally, these two types of tree people planned to wait until the bamboo people pierced through and the willow people whipped the infantry to defeat the dark army, and then pursue the Xi people to the end and breach the Xi people's city (the fortress of Tingzhutan).

The two tree-people who have now arrived on the battlefield have to hide in the center because they are covered in "sweat"—pine trees are dripping with resin. This stuff, when covered in sand, is like armor and can jam the weapons of human soldiers.

But what about now? The Wu family army has demonstrated "top-tier fire damage" effects. Look at what happened to the bamboo and willow figures in front of them!
These two tree-men, reeking of pine, are about to enter the battlefield; won't that set off a spectacular display of fireworks?
…fear…

The Eighteenth Elder spoke with several other elders and the "Wooden Immortals".

Dan Gui Xian (protecting the tree of the Feather Clan Queen): "We came here with five times the number of troops to overwhelm them; yet the Xi Ren Clan's military strategists are still not afraid of us, and they fight in formation without being at a disadvantage. They are truly outstanding individuals."

The Naked Demon (whose leaves were as red as fire) said, "We were careless in this battle. The autumn air is dry and not conducive to our continued fighting. Let's retreat for now and deal with it another day."

Ling Kongzi: "Retreat? It will be difficult. This army is different from the one eight hundred years ago. They lured us here to fight and have already defeated the forces of Fuyun Sou and Chuipu Jushi. Their morale is greatly boosted. They have begun to walk around us with torches. If our army retreats even slightly, it will inevitably be set on fire."

As the leader of the Cypress People, Ling Kongzi's tribe currently boasts the largest average height among his members. Having just arrived on the battlefield and with their roots firmly planted, they are also the most exhausted. If they were to retreat now, his group would inevitably fall behind, and given their flammable nature, a fall would mean total annihilation. Therefore, he immediately rejected the idea of ​​retreat.

After exchanging words, the elder tree-people fell silent, awaiting the words of the eldest among them, the Eighteenth Elder.

Eighteenth Duke: The only way to escape now is to give these Xi people some benefits.

Just as the youngest tree spirit, on the 18th of the second month, asked how to ensure that the Xi people would keep their promise after receiving benefits.

Eighteen Gong retrieved a yellowish jade cong from a dark hole in the tree trunk. This was the shape of the Great Yao, unchanged for thousands of years: round inside and square outside, vertical with a hollow in the middle, representing reaching heaven and earth above and the deepest hell below.

As the oldest tree person, he possessed this "contract tool" passed down from the human race four hundred years ago.

The Tree Man knew that once the two parties reached a contract, they would inscribe their promises on bamboo slips, insert them into the bamboo slips, and bury them in the thick soil. The contract was determined by the "Earth God" and the "Heavenly Saint".

Upon seeing this item, the old tree-keepers shuddered.

The young tree people knew nothing about this.

For a long time, most trees only worshipped the main god of the forest, but some ancient tree people knew about the faith of this "black legion" in the north.

Old Tree Man: The Xiren clan to the north is able to make a pact with the mountains and rivers.

Four hundred years ago, when the Tree People uprooted the human stronghold, both sides suffered heavy losses; the Eighteenth Prince witnessed firsthand the fate of his elders after they broke their promise and attacked the human city.

The clan elders, some a thousand years old, were charred black by lightning (a celestial calamity). The Yellow Spring Willow clan suffered the worst, as a torrential downpour swept away almost all the willows over a hundred years old along the riverbank (a flood calamity). Therefore, even though the Tree People drove away the Xiren clan that migrated south, their vitality was inexplicably greatly diminished.

Originally, the Eighteenth Prince only worshipped the forest god, but from that time onward, he began to have a different kind of awe for the "Qian" and "Kun" in the mouths of the Xi people.

Four hundred years is a long time for humans, but for treants, after their predecessors were wiped out, it was not enough time for the next generation to grow and replenish their strength.

And just like that, the army of the "Xi Ren Clan" from the north has arrived again!

Before the great battle, the old tree people had a premonition that this might be one of the consequences of the backlash of the "Heavenly Contract" (human calamity), so the Eighteenth Elder prepared such a jade cong passed down from his predecessor.

Right now, when all the tree people are at a loss, it has been taken out.

However, just as the tree spirits were talking at night, suddenly the east wind blew and war drums beat, and the human army launched an attack with torches in hand.

Leading the way were land-based combat mechs they had never encountered before: the Zhan Kui and the wooden ox-and-flowing horse chariots. These machines creaked and groaned as their cast iron gears turned. Each of these machines carried a backpack. Spouts appeared on the chariots, and water mist began to spray from them.

Fog began to permeate the ranks of the tree people.

…damp…

There was no direct combat during the night's battle. The treants hid behind the hedges, and the human formations did not charge out. Instead, a giant fire hose on the battle platform continuously sprayed water onto the hedges.

The soldiers licked the liquid dripping from the pipe and found it to be salty. To be precise, it was salt collected from an alkaline lake on a dried-up mountainside forty kilometers away.

After spraying saturated salt water all night, the army withdrew. The dozen or so tons of water that Zhan Kui carried, if poured on the ground, would not have harmed a tree or two; but if sprayed on the leaves, it would be like paraquat.

When the tree-people sensed the moisture, they began to open their stomata. Some even unfurled the tender buds hidden beneath their bark, but soon the trees felt a burning sensation.

Wu Rui's description of the tree-human's physical strength to Xuan Chong refers to whether the tree-human has enough water in its body to maintain its vitality.

The tree-people possess special enzymes that can break down cellulose, theoretically granting them unlimited stamina. This is why Xuan Chong believes his legion is physically weaker. However, Wu Rui thinks it's because they haven't found the right method.

As for the method that no other human race had ever figured out, how did Wu Rui manage to find it? It's because among all the human races that migrated south from the north throughout history, who else has ever done things like Xuan Chong, constantly expanding their rear routes, farming, and building docks?
A few tons of salt would have been a strategic resource for any force that migrated south to this area in the past; but for the Wu family army, it was simply a medicinal ingredient used to treat spore-infested skin by rubbing salt on their bodies. The richer the logistics, the more diverse the fighting methods.

…Humanity has arrived…

The next day, Wu Rui took a look through his binoculars, then excitedly knocked on Xuan Chong's doorbell: "General, they've turned yellow, the leaves have turned yellow."

Xuan Chong came out looking grumpy after just waking up and tapped him on the forehead: "Why are you making such a fuss? You have to stay calm in everything you do. I told you to go to sleep, but you wouldn't."

Having already been woken up, Xuan Chong went outside the camp, glanced around, and nodded, saying, "Our side is now in a position of absolute dominance."

(End of this chapter)