Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Countless figures suddenly stood up on both sides of the hillside!

Five hundred archers, who had been waiting in ambush, pulled the triggers at the same time!

Five hundred sharp arrows, like a swarm of dead bees, with a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air, rained down from above upon the dense cavalry formation in the valley!

These are not ordinary arrows; many of the arrowheads are bound with strips of cloth soaked in kerosene, which, when lit, resemble a shower of meteors!

"Pfft pfft pfft pfft..."

The sounds of arrows piercing flesh, warhorses neighing, and soldiers screaming filled the air in an instant!

Although the Northern Yan cavalry reacted quickly, raising their shields or ducking to avoid the arrows, the shields were severely compromised at such close range under such a dense barrage of arrows, especially those coming from above.

In an instant, men and horses were thrown about, blood splattered everywhere, dozens of riders died instantly, and many more were injured and fell from their horses, causing even greater chaos.

"Ballista! Fire!" Zhang Meng's second command followed immediately.

Twenty small crossbow carts specially made by Hanyuan, hidden on the reverse slope of the hillside, were pushed out. The crossbow bolts, as thick as a child's arm, carried terrifying kinetic energy and shot towards the Northern Yan officers and flags in the valley who were trying to organize a counterattack!

These heavy crossbow bolts can even pierce light armor, pinning both men and horses to the ground!

"Throw!"

The third wave of attacks is a powder keg!

Hundreds of dark, earthenware jars were hurled into the enemy ranks in the valley by soldiers with great strength.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Explosions rang out one after another, and flames, thick smoke, and flying pieces of iron and porcelain caused terrible casualties and great panic among the dense cavalry!

The warhorses were startled and ran wildly out of control, scattering the already chaotic formation into pieces.

"Brothers! Follow me and kill!!!"

Seeing that the enemy troops in the valley were in disarray, Zhang Meng knew that the time had come. He suddenly drew his long sword, leaped up, and charged down the hillside like a tiger descending the mountain!

Behind him, a thousand well-rested infantrymen, half of whom were cavalrymen who had temporarily dismounted, roared with earth-shattering fury, surging down from both sides of the hillside like a flood bursting its banks!

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Meanwhile, the five hundred Cold Abyss cavalry, who had been disguised as "defeated soldiers" to lure the enemy deeper into the valley, turned their horses around and charged back in formation at the same time the ambush was launched! They attacked from both sides!

Helian Tienu was heartbroken.

Only then did he realize what a terrible trap he had fallen into! This was no small-scale harassment; it was clearly an ambush by Han Yuan's main force!

The enemy had calculated their marching route and even their psychology!

He brandished his scimitar, attempting to rally the remaining cavalry around him and break through towards the seemingly weaker pass.

"Helian Tienu! Prepare to die!"

A thunderous roar erupted from the side! Zhang Meng, clad in heavy armor and wielding a specially made, extended lance, charged straight at Helian Tienu's central banner like a human chariot! Wherever he passed, the Northern Yan cavalry fell like straw!

Helian Tienu was both surprised and furious, and spurred his horse forward to meet him.

The two clashed swords and spears, producing a piercing metallic clang! Helian Tienu was exceptionally brave and strong, but Zhang Meng was an even more renowned and fierce general of Hanyuan, possessing immense strength and superb martial arts skills.

In less than ten rounds, Zhang Meng feigned an opening, causing Helian Tienu to miss with his sword strike. Immediately afterward, Zhang Meng's spear, like a poisonous dragon emerging from its lair, pierced deeply into Helian Tienu's chest and abdomen! The spear tip emerged through his back!

"Ha..." Helian Tienu looked down in disbelief at the lance that had pierced through his body. His scimitar clattered to the ground, and his massive body crashed off his horse.

With their commander killed in action, the Northern Yan cavalry completely collapsed.

Under the fierce attack from both sides and from the high ground by the Han Yuan army, the three thousand elite vanguard cavalry suffered heavy casualties and had nowhere to escape.

The battle lasted less than an hour from start to finish.

As the last stubborn Northern Yan cavalryman was hacked to death, Wolf Valley gradually quieted down, leaving only the strong smell of blood and burning flesh, and the painful groans of the wounded.

In the valley, corpses lay strewn everywhere, blood flowed like streams, and tattered flags, weapons, and ownerless warhorses were scattered about.

"Check the battlefield! Finish off the enemies! Collect warhorses, armor, and weapons! Be quick!"

Zhang Meng, carrying a still-dripping blood-stained lance, gave a stern order, his voice filled with the exhaustion and excitement of the battle.

Soon, the battle results were tallied: the vanguard of 3,000 elite cavalry of Northern Yan was annihilated, 17 enemy officers, including the general Helian Tienu, were killed in battle, and more than 200 seriously wounded were captured.

They captured over 800 intact warhorses and countless soldiers, armor, and flags. Their own casualties were less than 300, including 87 killed in action.

"Good! Well done!"

Upon receiving the messenger's message, Wang Dashan burst into laughter atop the walls of Panshi Fortress, slamming his fist against the crenellations. "That bastard Zhang Meng, he really didn't disappoint me! Three thousand elite Northern Yan cavalry, not a single one escaped! That's satisfying!"

He immediately ordered, "Take Helian Tienu's head and the Northern Yan vanguard's banner, hoist them onto a long pole, and hang them in the most conspicuous place at the exit of Wolf Valley! Let the Northern Yan barbarians behind us see the consequences of offending my Hanyuan!"

"Furthermore, send a message by carrier pigeon to the Prince, reporting the great victory in the first battle! Also, tell Zhang Meng to immediately withdraw from the battlefield as planned and retreat to the second pre-arranged position to rest! The main force of Northern Yan is almost here; even tougher battles are yet to come!"

"yes!"

The ambush at Wild Wolf Valley was like a resounding slap in the face to the triumphant Northern Yan army, which was attempting to advance unimpeded.

The severed head and tattered flag of Helian Tienu were displayed in the wind at the valley entrance, serving as a brilliant irony against Murong Chui's strategy of "quick passage," and more like a bloody declaration of war.

When the news reached the Northern Yan central army, Murong Chui's face turned ashen, and he was so angry that he almost vomited blood.

Three thousand elite cavalrymen were wiped out in a single battle, and even their commander's head was displayed! This was not only a military defeat, but also a heavy blow to his prestige!

"Xiao Chen, you brat! How dare you!"

Murong Chui was furious, but he quickly forced himself to calm down.

He finally realized that he was dealing with someone who was not someone who could be easily manipulated.

The so-called "scorched earth" strategy employed by the other side was not a sign of cowardice, but rather a meticulously crafted death trap!

Every step of retreat, every act of sabotage, was to lure them into an even deeper abyss!

"Order the entire army to advance slowly, send out scouts extensively, and search carefully! If you encounter dangerous places, it is better to detour than to advance rashly!" Murong Chui ordered through gritted teeth.

He knew that this southern expedition would likely be far more difficult and bloody than he had anticipated.

The Cold Abyss is not only hard, but also barbed! And the crushing defeat at Wolf Valley was just the beginning.

With the blood and lives of three thousand Northern Yan cavalrymen, Han Yuan officially announced the start of this hunting game revolving around "scorched earth" and "fortified walls," and also ignited the fuse for a full-scale war in the North.

The real bloodshed and carnage has only just begun.