The Wind Rises in 1898: Becoming a Warlord Starting in Southeast Asia

Chapter 114 The Rise of the God of War

Meanwhile, Pang Li had already led his men to retreat to another small hill a hundred meters away.

He didn't even look back at the artillery fire behind him; he just gritted his teeth and directed his soldiers to tear apart the stacked logs and pour kerosene on them.

"ignition!"

With a low shout, the flames suddenly leaped up, brighter and stronger than the previous bonfire, like an inextinguishable guiding star in the hazy sky.

The Spanish on the opposite bank were enraged at the sight and immediately turned their cannon fire around, roaring towards the newly lit fire.

On the high seas, on the bridge of the cruiser USS Olympus, Connor stared intently through his binoculars, his face showing no sign of panic.

As the first campfire was engulfed by Spanish artillery fire, he sneered, "These fools have just exposed their firepower deployment!"

"Radarmeter soldier!"

"Locate the flashes of artillery fire on the opposite bank," Connor commanded in a deep voice. "Correct the coordinates!"

"Main gunner, listen up! Target: left flank artillery position of the bunker complex, heavy machine gun nest in the middle of the trench! Free fire!"

The ship trembled slightly, and the twin 203mm main guns roared once more!

This time, the shells were no longer used for saturation bombardment, but were precisely aimed at the exposed firing positions of the Spanish.

The first shell hit the left flank bunker that was constantly spitting fire with a loud bang. The bunker's roof was blown off, and the gun barrel drooped down crookedly, no longer able to make a sound.

Immediately afterwards, two more shells came in quick succession, landing precisely on the location where the Maxim heavy machine guns were hiding in the middle of the trench. Dirt, wood chips, and broken gun barrels were blown into the air, and the originally impenetrable network of fire was instantly torn open.

"Secondary gun crew! Suppress scattered fire on the beachhead!" Connor's orders followed one after another.

Ten 5-inch secondary guns fired simultaneously, and a dense barrage of shells landed on the open area between the riverbank and the trenches, creating plumes of smoke that pinned down the Spanish soldiers who were trying to move their machine guns, preventing them from raising their heads.

The roar of cannons still shook the air as the Olympus's precise strike tore through the Spanish barrage.

Chen Feng suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming, and shouted, "All units, at attention! Destination: riverbank! Charge!"

At a command, more than two thousand soldiers shouted in unison, carrying simple fir boats, and dispersed, rushing towards the Marikina River like a tidal wave.

"Faster! Faster!"

Chen Feng, shirtless, gripped his pistol in one hand and held onto the side of the boat on the shoulder of the soldier beside him with the other. He strode ahead, his muscles taut as he ran, and the old scars on his shoulders were particularly noticeable in the morning light.

Just as the troops were about to reach the riverbank, several sniper shots suddenly rang out from the smoke on the opposite bank.

Those were the remaining Spanish strongholds that hadn't been destroyed!

Several Maxim heavy machine guns emerged from behind the ruins of the bunker, spitting fire and bullets slicing through the air, splashing mud as they hit the ground. Several soldiers charging ahead were caught off guard and fell to the ground with a muffled groan.

"Tian Gang! Suppress fire!" Chen Feng shouted at the top of his lungs.

On the hill behind the riverbank, Tian Gang, his eyes already bloodshot, immediately gave the order: "Artillery! Aim at the remaining enemy bunkers! Machine gun company! Sweep away those scum who dare to show their faces!"

Ten 75mm field guns immediately roared, their shells accurately striking the still-firing bunker ruins.

Twenty Colt M1895 machine guns opened fire simultaneously, their dense bullets forming a barrage that swept fiercely towards the trenches on the opposite bank.

The remaining Spanish firepower was instantly suppressed, and Chen Feng seized the opportunity, raising his arm again: "Ferry them! Push the boats into the water!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than he leaped onto the bow of the boat, gripping his pistol in one hand and wielding a wooden oar in the other, roaring, "Row with all your might! Get past these fifty meters, and we'll win!"

Meanwhile, on the hill, Elizabeth had long since forgotten her promise to stay in a safe zone.

She tiptoed and crouched, climbing up the hill to the best viewpoint by clinging to the bushes. Her brass binoculars dangled around her neck, her camera was pressed tightly against her chest, and her eyes were wide open.

As she watched Chen Feng jump onto the bow of the boat, as the soldiers carried the small boat into the river, their oars splashing up waves, and as stray bullets grazed the surface, Elizabeth was so excited she almost jumped up, exclaiming "Wow!" repeatedly and frantically pressing the camera shutter.

"My God! This is the real battlefield!"

As she took the photos, she quickly pulled out a small notebook, the pen tip scribbling across the paper.

Chen! Bare-chested, he steered the boat at the very front, not even flinching as stray bullets flew past him!

This scene is more outrageous than a Western novel; even Broadway playwrights would applaud it!

These Chinese soldiers are incredibly dedicated! They carried the boat and jumped into the river in one smooth motion, rowing faster than a steamship with wooden oars. This wasn't just a rescue; it was a race against death!

The Spanish remnants were still firing sniper shots, but they were being suppressed by Colt machine guns and were being swarmed like rats!

I bet five cents and it's safe!

After finishing writing, she simply lay down on the hilltop, set up her camera on the slope, and took several pictures of the ferry crossing the river. In particular, the image of Chen Feng standing at the bow of the boat with his muscles taut was captured very clearly.

The Marines beside her were sweating profusely, clinging to her side and repeatedly shouting, "Miss! It's too dangerous! Get back!"

Elizabeth didn't even look up, just waved her hand, her eyes still glued to the camera viewfinder: "Don't make a sound! I'll regret missing this moment for the rest of my life!"

As he spoke, he looked at the small boat cutting through the waves on the river and exclaimed in sincere admiration: "What an incredible group of Chinese people!"

'

The sound of the wooden oars stirring the river grew more and more urgent, and small boats approached the opposite bank like arrows released from a bow. Thirty meters, twenty meters, ten meters... the shore was already in sight.

Fifty meters beyond the beachhead, a winding trench stretched across the horizon. Spanish soldiers were hiding behind that cover, their guns poised on the edge of the trench, their eyes fixed on the Chinese soldiers crossing the river.

The soldiers gripped wire cutters and explosive charges, their eyes filled with determination, but when faced with a well-trained enemy hiding in the trenches, they inevitably showed some awkwardness.

Most of them were farmers who had just put down their hoes or workers who had just left their workshops. They hadn't practiced bayonet fighting for long and were far inferior to the Spanish soldiers who hid behind trenches and fortifications and coordinated their advances and retreats effectively.

Elizabeth lay prone on the mountaintop, her hands gripping the binoculars tightly, her eyes fixed on the battlefield, muttering to herself, "It's horrible... This fifty-meter-wide open space is practically an open slaughterhouse!"

Just as the soldiers were about to rush onto the beachhead, the counterattack from the trenches on the opposite bank suddenly escalated!

Under the cover of the trench corner, two Spanish machine gunners set up the only remaining Maxim heavy machine gun, spitting fire. Several soldiers who had just emerged were caught off guard and fell to the ground with screams.

More Spanish soldiers hid in the trenches, firing their rifles precisely at the beachhead. The bayonets reflected a cold glint on the trench edges, slowing down the rowing of many young soldiers.

"Don't be afraid! Charge with me!"

Chen Feng roared and jumped onto the shore first, stepping on the slippery mud and charging towards the trench fifty meters away.

He moved swiftly, crouching low to dodge the stray bullets, stepping on the barbed wire that had been knocked down by artillery shells, and in the blink of an eye, he had rushed out more than ten meters, raising his hand to kill the Spanish soldier who had poked his head out to fire.

Elizabeth stared intently through her binoculars at the shirtless figure charging forward, her heart pounding with each step.

But the next second, she saw Chen Feng completely exposed to the sniper's view deep in the trench in order to rescue a comrade who was suppressed by fire in an open area.

"Watch out!" she cried out instinctively, but her voice was swallowed up by the sounds of battle.

"Bang!"

Sniper shots rang out from the concealed firing port in the trench. Elizabeth watched through her binoculars as Chen Feng's right shoulder jolted violently, and he staggered back half a step before crashing heavily onto the open, muddy ground.

She held her breath instantly, her heart feeling as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.

She clearly saw blood gushing from Chen Feng's shoulder, staining his bronze back red. His right hand, which was holding the pistol, began to tremble uncontrollably. He lay motionless in the mud.

"No!"

Elizabeth gasped softly, her eyes instantly reddening.

She had seen countless battlefield scenes before, but never had she felt so heartbroken. The Chinese general who was always calm and collected and always at the forefront was now lying in the middle of the death zone, his fate unknown.

She bit her lip hard, her fingers digging into her palms, her gaze never leaving the fallen figure.

"General!"

The soldiers' cries of alarm rose and fell. Many wanted to rush over to rescue them, but were forced back by bullets sweeping from the trenches and could only cower behind the earthen slope on the beach.

Some people were filled with fear and even began to back away.

The Spanish soldiers hiding in the trenches were greatly encouraged by this sight. One of them leaned out, waving his rifle and shouting, "Their commander has been shot! Kill them!"

Bullets swept more densely toward the beach and the spot where Chen Feng had fallen, splashing mud and debris onto Chen Feng as if to bury him completely.

Elizabeth's heart sank to the bottom, her eyes welled up with tears, and a thought popped into her mind: Would he fall? Was this battle going to be lost?

Just then, she saw Chen Feng's fingers twitch.

Instead of picking up the pistol from the ground, he gritted his teeth, endured the excruciating pain, used his uninjured left hand to support himself on the ground, quickly bent over, stood up, and jumped into a shell crater.

The next second, Chen Feng's left hand suddenly reached to his waist and drew out the gleaming long knife with a bang!

The moment the blade was drawn, a chilling glint flashed in the morning light.

He lay prone in the shell crater, his left hand gripping the hilt of his sword, raising the long sword high above him.

"No one is allowed to back out!"

The hoarse yet penetrating voice carried a wild, savage quality, and Elizabeth could faintly hear it even from over a hundred meters away.

Through her binoculars, she watched Chen Feng, dragging his injured shoulder and gripping his long sword, charge once again toward the trench thirty meters away.

Although his right arm hung limply at his sides, his long sword and his steps were as steady as a rock.

A Spanish soldier jumped out of the trench and charged at him with his bayonet.

Instead of retreating, Chen Feng advanced, dodging the blade by sidestepping it, and swept the long sword horizontally with his left hand!

"Pfft!"

After the sharp sound of a blade slicing through the air, came the muffled sound of flesh tearing.

The Spanish soldier screamed and flew backward, spraying blood all over Chen Feng.

Chen Feng's shoulder wound was aggravated by the pain, but he only groaned and swung his knife again, splitting the rifle of another enemy who rushed up, and then plunged the tip of the knife into the man's chest!

The scene, imbued with a primal and tragic ferocity, brought tears to Elizabeth's eyes instantly.

She couldn't hold back any longer, quickly pulled out her notebook, and wrote down again in a flash:

Good heavens! Is Chen made of iron?

He was shot through the shoulder by a Spanish sniper hiding in the trench. The moment he fell to the death zone with his pistol out of his hand, I thought it was all over, but he actually stood up!

He drew his sword with his left hand and charged forward! Covered in blood, he was even more ferocious and insane than before!

The flash of that blade sent chills down my spine; this was the true god of war!

The Chinese soldiers were initially panicked, but when they saw him charging forward with his knife, they were instantly bathed in holy light and roared as they followed him!

Is this the power of a leader?

It’s incredible!

Not only is my five-cent bet safe, I'm going to add another five cents!

The victory in this battle absolutely belongs to them!

I am definitely the most famous war correspondent in the United States!

After finishing writing, she looked up and watched through her binoculars as Chen Feng, like a wounded beast, pounced on the trenches on the beach. Blood splattered as he swung his long sword. She watched as the Chinese soldiers followed him across the fifty-meter-long death zone, jumping into the trenches to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Spanish soldiers inside. The shouts of battle were deafening.

The Marines next to her were also stunned, forgetting to urge her to step back, and just instinctively tightened their grip on their guns.

Tian Gang, watching from behind the riverbank, was furious and roared, "All artillery! Bombard that corner of the trench flat!"

Machine gun company! Cover the trench ridges with fire! Provide cover for the general!

Twenty Colt M1895 machine guns fired wildly, bullets raining down on the trench ridges, pinning the Spanish soldiers down; ten 75mm field guns accurately hit the corners of the trenches, smoke and dust billowing into the sky, snipers instantly engulfed in rubble.

As Chen Feng, knife in his left hand, leaped into the trench through the pool of blood, a stench of gunpowder and blood assaulted his senses.

"kill!"

Chen Feng let out a low roar, his left foot slamming against the trench wall, using the recoil to leap into the air. His long sword flashed through the air, cleaving through the bayonets of two soldiers.

The dull thud of the blade slicing into flesh was accompanied by a scream, and scalding blood splattered all over his face, but he didn't even blink. As he landed, he spun around and slammed the back of the blade into the back of the third soldier's head. The man groaned and collapsed to the ground.