Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

“I don’t want to join either side, nor do I want to get bogged down in the war. But I need something, something to prove my worth… Seawater rice isn’t enough, I need a weapon, a weapon that can prove itself during the war, I need to prove its value.”

He spoke somewhat hastily, and Bronya watched him silently before suddenly asking, "Brother, do you have someone there that you want to protect?"

"Of course not," Shen Liang denied outright.

Then he thought about it for a moment and realized there really wasn't. Coral Palace Heart Sea? Coral Palace Heart Sea doesn't go to the front lines, and he doesn't know anyone else. What would he need to protect?

Then he showed a relieved expression.

Bronya observed him, confirming that what he said was true, and then shook her head: "No, most of the weapons you want are very dangerous, and it is almost impossible to import them into Japan. The highest level of weapons I can give you is an assault rifle, but that probably won't meet your needs, brother."

It's definitely not enough. Guns... even a Gatling gun probably wouldn't be enough on the battlefield.

If a user of the Eye of God were to seal off the Gatling gun's orbit, the entire purpose of this type of weapon would be essentially eliminated.

“But brother, there are some weapons you can make even in Japan, and their power should meet your needs.” Bronya smiled. “It just means you’ll have to make them yourself. Don’t worry, the recipes aren’t anything particularly difficult. Just call Rosalia and the others, and they can all make them.”

What is the recipe?

“Diesel fuel, thickener, white phosphorus, aluminum powder,” Bronya smiled slightly, “and an empty wine bottle.”

--------

It was afternoon when we returned to Haizhi Island.

The courtyard was empty. Shen Liang was not surprised that Coral Palace Xin Hai was not there. He saw Wanglong Village in the distance below the mountain, where a group of people were rushing along the mountain road towards the east of the island.

The force numbered around eight hundred men, fully armed, clearly the regular army of Haiqi Island. The eastern part of the island led to the port of Bayun Island, from which one could directly proceed to the Bayun Island front lines.

Strictly speaking, in this war, the Sangokyu faction's base was Umijima Island and half of Hachiyun Island. The shogunate's base was Narukami Island and Futsuna Island, with a considerable number of guerrillas harassing the Sangokyu faction on Hachiyun Island.

The large, shallow sandy beach between Ba Yun Island and Ta Ba Sa is called "Meizui Beach". This is the only place where a large-scale war can break out, and only here can a large-scale army be deployed. Therefore, the two sides have been fighting a guerrilla war for nearly a year, and no large-scale battle has actually taken place.

If nothing unexpected happens, Shen Liang knows that these eight hundred men are going to reinforce Tengdou Fortress on Bayun Island. Tengdou Fortress is located in the northern part of Bayun Island, where a small number of camps are also stationed.

The reason there are only a few is because the Tengdou Fortress is easy to defend and difficult to attack. This area is almost entirely surrounded by the sea. The southern part is the Musou-no-Rin-no-Kama, which was cut into an insurmountable chasm by the Thunder God. The Musou-no-Rin-no-Kama is a straight cliff rift with an excessively high concentration of lightning element, making it impossible for people to pass through.

The only possible direction of attack is from the east, and the landing force would have to face the Coral Palace army, which is positioned high above the Vine Fortress, in the narrow terrain, which is very disadvantageous.

Normally, the shogunate wouldn't attack Fujito Fortress, as the attrition rate for such a siege would be staggering. However, since the shogunate had issued a challenge, Sango-no-kyo was bound to accept the challenge at Fujito Fortress.

While mentally assessing the war situation on Haiqi Island, Shen Liang greeted the servants at the mansion and headed down the mountain towards Tengdouzhai.

He touched the backpack, his feelings a mix of fear and curiosity.

Having been in Teyvat for so long, he still hadn't witnessed firsthand what war in another world was like. Ruka Sangokami also suggested that he come to the front lines to learn.

He didn't know that by taking this step, he would become trapped on the island, just as Coral Palace Ryuka had predicted, and would never be able to get out.

Chapter Forty-Six: The Art of Fighting with Beast Teeth to Achieve Victory

Ba Yun Island's Tengdou Fortress is a military camp situated on high ground.

Six hundred men guarded the southeastern part of the camp, while another eight hundred men were on rotation inside. These fourteen hundred men constituted the entire fighting force defending Tengdou Fortress. The first six hundred were regular soldiers who had been guarding the fortress for nearly a year. The latter eight hundred were newcomers, receiving guidance from experienced veterans.

"Listen up! Aren't you all in combat teams of twenty? Now, each team leader, come and get a wooden tag. The number on the tag is the guard post number you're responsible for guarding!"

The veterans were fierce and bossy towards the new recruits in the rear.

This has always been the case in the military, even if they are serving on different fronts. Veteran soldiers often suppress new recruits, not only to suppress their self-esteem but also to ensure better obedience. New recruits can maximize their combat effectiveness and even survival rate only when they obey the veterans in everything.

So the new recruits listened obediently, like quails.

“We’re all brothers, so I won’t be too harsh. But once Tengdou Fortress falls, it’s only a matter of time before the entire Bayun Island falls. Mistakes and errors are not allowed here, and disobedience is not permitted! You’re in a high position, so if I tell you to fire arrows, you fire arrows! If I tell you to lie down, you lie down! Don’t worry, you won’t die anytime soon!”

"The veterans will take care of everything for you up front. Don't you fucking mess around. Just stay in your positions and do your jobs. You don't need to go up and fight unless the bugle sounds! Do you understand?"

"When the Shogunate army lands on the beach, you fire arrows; when they try to climb our walls, you push stones down and pour hot oil on them! If they fire arrows, you raise your shields!"

"By the way, when it comes to individual combat strength, the Shogunate army is far inferior to our Coral Palace people! Don't be fooled by the fact that you can't even draw a bow, and those pampered soldiers aren't exactly skilled either! We're farmers, do you think the Shogunate isn't? We sea people sail and fish every day, we're quite strong! If those brats really fought you, our... well, the analysis data shows that, on average, one Shogunate soldier can only take out half of one of ours... What is this?! If I only had half left, wouldn't I still die?"

The new recruits burst into laughter.

Shen Liang shook his head slightly as he watched the veterans who were imparting their experience chasing after the laughing new recruits and laughing along with them.

He knew this was just psychological counseling for the veterans. Although the terrain of Tengdou Fortress was high and easy to defend, the fact that the shogunate army dared to attack meant they had a well-prepared plan... This was bound to be a tough battle, and it was absolutely impossible to win by simply "doing what needs to be done".

The reason why Coral Palace only allocated 1,400 men to Tengdou Fortress was not because they thought 1,400 men would be enough, but because their combat strength was tight and other places were more important, so they could only allocate that many men.

"You! You over there! That young master with the unkempt hair!" An old soldier walked over with a roguish look on his face, squinting and yelling, "Who the hell sent you this greenhorn? Did we tell you to stand here? Which squad are you in! Get back here, you son of a bitch..."

Shen Liang turned his head, pointed at himself, and looked puzzled.

The veteran swallowed his words, stared at Shen Liang for a few seconds, and a blush of embarrassment appeared on his rough face.

"Uh...sorry, I thought you were a man based on your attire...are you an apprentice priestess from the Coral Palace?" The veteran scratched his head. "I'm a roughneck and don't know how to talk properly, please forgive me."

"If you can't speak properly, you don't have to." Shen Liang's face twitched, suppressing the urge to curse.

"A man?" The veteran's expression changed, but before he could speak, a powerful bugle call suddenly rang out!

In an instant, the atmosphere of the military camp changed drastically. The veterans no longer paid any attention to Shen Liang and hurried towards the watchtower. Shen Liang, on the other hand, ran directly to the battlements and looked out into the distance through the gaps in the firing ports of the city wall.

Dust from the marching army could already be seen in the direction of Nashiina. Shogunate soldiers drove their chariots across the mudflats, rushing toward the successive defensive lines set up by Fujito Fortress in the southeast region!

"The Shogunate army is about to attack the castle!"

Announcements and shouts echoed through the military camp, instantly turning the atmosphere grim and even frightening.

Although it wasn't the first time they'd been challenged by the Shogunate army, nor the first time they'd defended a castle, every battle has new recruits and people who tremble with fear! Emotions are contagious; if one person shows fear, others will feel fear too.

There was a slight disturbance in the military camp.

"Attention!" a young general in light armor roared. Goro had already moved to the first line of defense, leading his elite squad to stand directly at the forefront of the battlefield facing the shogunate army!

"Be brave, my brothers! You just need to support us on the city walls. Only when we retreat or die will it be your turn! If you're a man, be brave!" Goro rode a brown warhorse, carrying a longbow on his back and a scimitar at his waist. "I know some of you will be afraid, but don't think too much about it now. Just listen to me! Obey me! And you won't die!"

"Brothers on the walls, grip your bows and arrows! Brothers behind me, grip your spears! This war is a suicide mission for the Shogunate army; it's not the first time they've done so! We will be the victors and we will survive, as long as you obey orders! Trust me, trust Sangoku-no-miya!"

Shen Liang watched from the city wall as Goro rode his horse into the distance, then looked at the shogunate army's mass charge.

Goro's vanguard of over two hundred men were the most dangerous soldiers in the war. His own wall unit was arguably the safest, because if the shogunate were to scale the walls, it would mean that all the veteran soldiers capable of fighting would be wiped out.

When Shen Liang first met Wu Lang, he thought the young general was somewhat unreliable, but Wu Lang's military skills were indeed quite different from his appearance. He seemed to be boosting morale with just a few words, but he was actually very shrewd.

He wouldn't shout things like "I'll die before you" or "Your deaths will have value." Most of the time, he would reiterate, "As long as orders are obeyed, we will win," and "As long as we follow orders, we won't die." This instilled in the army a subconscious sense that victory was assured; as long as they didn't act recklessly, victory would be a piece of cake.

This kind of confidence, subtly instilled, is very important. Once a fight breaks out, a team that believes it can win easily will always be able to unleash its highest fighting power.

“Goro’s charge may seem small, but it shouldn’t be underestimated.” A familiar voice suddenly came from behind Shen Liang. “He is the holder of the Geo-type Eye of God, but he has not developed the Eye of God for direct combat. Instead, he has turned it into a support formation skill. He calls it ‘Beast Fang Chasing Charge Formation Battle Technique’.”

Shen Liang turned his head and saw Coral Palace Liu Ge standing side by side with him, wearing bright red armor but with her face covered by a coarse cloth hooded overcoat.

Goro.jpg

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Storm Is Brewing

Even the rough cloth hood couldn't conceal Ruka Sango's beauty. She held a pipe in her hand, taking a deep drag. "The first wave of attacks from the other side looks like they outnumber us by a factor of two, but they can't possibly be a match for Goro... unless..."

"Unless what?"

“Unless the Shogunate army also has a God's Eye holder to restrain Goro’s prowess, but as far as I know, due to the Eye Hunting Order, there are almost no people with God's Eyes left in the Shogunate army,” Miss Ryuka said in a low voice. “Although the Kujo family, the Tenryō Magistrate, seems to have a daughter whose God's Eye hasn’t been taken away yet…”

"Why don't you show yourself? You are a living goddess priestess, leading the army in person would boost morale, wouldn't it?"

Coral Palace Ryuka shook her head, her gaze still fixed on Goro. As the supreme leader of Haigi Island, she had many concerns. Even though she pretended to be relaxed, Shen Liang could still see that she was suppressing her emotions. But she still answered, "I am the current human god priestess. Boosting morale will also excite the enemy. The battlefield has no eyes. I cannot let our already strained fighting force be distracted by taking care of me."

"This is so unlike you." Shen Liang remembered her nickname, "War Witch".

"You've only known me for a few days, do you know what kind of person I am?" Coral Palace Ryuka chuckled. "Even though I am also a holder of the Eye of God, I can't solve too many problems if I take action, it would only cause more trouble. Besides, I believe in young children, I believe that children have unlimited potential, like... you."

It was another blatant hint, but Shen Liang didn't respond.

Coral Palace Ryuka chuckled and reached out to stroke Shen Liang's hair. "Ah, if only I hadn't become a shrine maiden when I was young. If I were a general, I'd be married and a mother by now... Liang-chan, let's make a deal. I'll still call you 'Master,' and you can call me 'Mom,' how about that?"

"I'm an orphan." Shen Liang thought she was a really difficult person to deal with.

"Oh, did that offend you? Well, I'd like to apologize first." Ruka Sangoya didn't seem to care at all. "But I really want a child as cute as Ryou-chan, please."

"Please shut up."

As for the distant battlefield, just as Sangomiya Ruka had said, Goro's assault team clearly had the upper hand.

His divine eye shone, proving he was using rock magic. The ground was churning and surging forward, exhibiting a dynamic movement! A rock elemental banner was planted on his back, and the charging troops within a hundred meters of him seemed to be enhanced, moving much faster than ordinary cavalry!

That is Goro's Beast Fang Chasing Strike Formation Battle Strategy.

Shen Liang understood clearly that this was a peculiar way the rock element was operating. Wu Lang stirred up the ground rock layers, allowing them to carry the cavalry forward and creating acceleration. The churning rock layers also exhibited a downward trend, causing the cavalry, which was supposed to be on flat ground, to actually be making a downhill run.

With these two factors combined, Goro's cavalry vanguard was more than twice as fast as the opposing shogunate cavalry!

The immense "potential energy" made the vanguard cavalry's encounter with the shogunate's cavalry utterly overwhelming. The vanguard cavalry's spear thrusts could almost knock the shogunate soldiers off their feet, while the shogunate's ground soldiers had their shields and armor pierced through!

The first salvo almost completely shattered the formation of the Shogunate army's vanguard. Their cavalry quickly retreated to defend, and then the archers in the rear drew their bows in unison! Hundreds of arrows soared into the sky, raining down on Goro and his men like a meteor shower!

"Behold my command! The terrain is in my hands!" Goro roared.

The vanguard was not afraid at all. Their strict military discipline made them line up together and rein in their horses around Wulang!

Then Goro raised dozens of huge rock barriers, each about four meters high, from the ground! The vanguard cavalrymen all hid behind the barriers, and even their horses obeyed orders, managing to avoid the volley of arrows!

Shen Liang finally understood that this was the change that the holder of the Eye of God could bring when actually applied to warfare.

In fact, Goro is definitely not the type of person with exceptional individual combat strength. The reason he was able to do so was because he was advancing in tandem with the army. The position where the rock barrier just rose was based on fixed coordinates with Goro himself as the reference point, not a spell that allowed for improvisation. Therefore, Goro didn't expend too much energy using this kind of spell.