Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

Page 373

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"You've been fighting head-on for so long..." Sun Yuanhua was somewhat surprised. The number of casualties shocked him; in terms of casualties, it was truly a brutal hand-to-hand combat.

They arrived at the camp from a distance, and Sun Yuanhua merely glanced towards the battlefield. Ten li wasn't far, and he could still vaguely see some of the battlefield's situation. The Xiongnu camp had also retreated ten li, and undoubtedly, countless scouts on the opposite side were now closely watching the Luo army's every move. Naturally, the convoy Sun Yuanhua brought couldn't maintain absolute secrecy. Of course, the Luo army also had a large number of patrolling scouts, keeping a close watch. If the Xiongnu wanted to leave the battlefield, that would likely be impossible, given how long they had been searching.

..... .. ...

Sun Yuanhua entered the camp, gazing around absently. The grass on the ground was scattered, and the soil was still damp. Numerous wounded soldiers lay scattered, their sharp knife wounds causing expressions of pain on the faces of these brave men, and the occasional heart-wrenching screams of pain as their wounds were treated echoed through the air. Sun Yuanhua felt goosebumps all over, but the soldiers in the camp seemed used to it. It was common for soldiers to have bruises and cuts on their faces; it was probably due to the severity of last night's hailstorm.

The iron lump was unloaded by the soldiers brought by Sun Yuanhua. It was a cylindrical cannon with a chassis and wheels. There seemed to be five or six smaller cannons as well. Sun Yuanhua waved his hand: "Arrange it." The soldiers immediately directed men to push the iron lump to the edge of the camp and conceal it.

Just then, a middle-aged man strode over. This was General Xu Da. Xu Da had a square face, a slightly long beard, and an imposing yet composed demeanor. He wore fine armor but no helmet, and a simple sword hung at his waist; perhaps because he was resting, he wasn't fully armed. Upon seeing Sun Yuanhua, he quickly stepped forward and grasped Sun Yuanhua's hand: "Sir, we've been waiting for you! You've kept us waiting so long! So long!" He patted Sun Yuanhua's hand as he spoke.

Chapter 170 Powerful Weapons

Chapter 170 Powerful Weapons

Seeing this, Sun Yuanhua couldn't help but sigh, "General, I'm sorry I'm late!" Xu Da didn't explain why he was so eager for Sun Yuanhua's arrival, nor did Sun Yuanhua apologize for being late. But both of them knew that Sun Yuanhua knew he was late as soon as he entered the tent—the casualties were too great! Only when Luo Chen was young and fought a bloody battle against Cao Cao's army at Tong Pass had such casualties been suffered. Since the Battle of Tong Pass, there had never been such heavy losses.

In a letter to Luo Chen and Xu Da, Zhang Heng and Sun Yuanhua excitedly announced that after more than half a year of continuous experimentation, they had finally succeeded in creating a transportable, portable artillery piece. This would significantly reduce the amount of gunpowder used and greatly improve firing accuracy and lethality. Sun Yuanhua brought a total of twenty-five heavy cannons with his "087" gun, each equipped with seven or eight sub-cannon barrels. Continuous firing for half an hour seemed feasible.

If Sun Yuanhua had arrived earlier, the casualties of the fallen army could have been greatly reduced.

"Mr. Sun, where is your weapon? Let me see it," Xu Da asked impatiently. After all, such a thing appearing a thousand years ahead of its time was quite astonishing. Sun Yuanhua led Xu Da to the cannon. Sun Yuanhua had assigned four soldiers to operate this cannon: loading ammunition, aiming, and close-range defense. During transport, a special transport cart and driver were provided, and these four men also accompanied the cannon to ensure its safety. Sun Yuanhua strictly ordered that this cannon must not be captured by the enemy; if necessary, it should be destroyed with gunpowder. In reality, even if it were captured, it wouldn't matter... because it was far ahead of the technological level of the time, and it was impossible to imitate.

Xu Da touched the large iron lump in surprise. He then walked around to the dark muzzle and looked at it. "Then that..." "The shell," Sun Yuanhua reminded him. "Right, the shell, it's launched from this hole?" For the first time on the battlefield, Xu Da showed his ignorance.

“That’s right.” This cannon has a range of about three li. Sun Yuanhua was very proud. Through his persistent improvements, the range of the cannon was greatly increased.

"It can blow up things three miles away?" Xu Da looked surprised, as if he were glad he had chosen to retreat ten miles. —For a commander, whether such a weapon belongs to himself or someone else, its existence means that such destructive power exists in the world. And the commander's task is to always be mindful of keeping his soldiers out of the world's potential sources of destruction. This is an instinct of a veteran general, requiring no thought.

Danger likes to turn around. It might come at you at any moment, so you have to be extra careful.

"Is it powerful? Or is it just burning?" Xu Da asked. "The Xiongnu soldiers are more mobile, making them harder to burn than infantry."

“It’s not burning, it’s exploding,” Sun Yuanhua said. “Burning is a thing of the past. Now it’s gunpowder exploding, and there are copper and iron fragments. As long as you get on the fragments, you will either die or be seriously injured.”

"So powerful?" Xu Da looked at Sun Yuanhua in disbelief.

"Report, the movements of the Xiongnu camp," a scout reported.

"Speak!" Xu Da immediately turned around alertly. "Are they going to run away?"

"The camp is stockpiling rations, loading supplies onto wagons, and organizing horses; it looks like they're planning to leave," the scout said. "However, there haven't been any major troop movements yet."

Xu Da hesitated for a moment, then went inside to look at the map. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry, sir, I completely forgot to invite you inside to rest..." He gestured for Sun Yuanhua to enter. "Sir, you've come a long way and must be tired. Let's go to the main tent," Sun Yuanhua said, bowing slightly and also gesturing for him to enter before striding into the tent.

“The Xiongnu want to run away.” Before Xu Da could speak, Sun Yuanhua said, “That’s for sure. If it were me, I would have run away too.”

"Oh?" Since Xu Shu and Fa Zheng left one by one, Xu Da needed someone to make decisions. If Ma Chao and Xiahou Yuan were around, he could discuss things, but most of the time, both of them were leading their own troops and not in the central army. So, having someone to discuss things with made Xu Da feel particularly happy. "Please continue, sir," Xu Da said.

“I suggest we strike immediately tonight,” Sun Yuanhua said without hesitation.

"night?"

“Good.” Sun Yuanhua was quite certain. “Tell the soldiers to hold on a little longer and not miss the opportunity. Once it gets dark, the Xiongnu will probably make a move, either running away or lying in ambush to prevent us from raiding our camp. Then we can launch our attack.”

"Attack tonight..." Xu Da seemed hesitant. "Our routes are unknown at night, and the Xiongnu might be lying in ambush..." Xu Da paced back and forth in the tent. "But if we don't attack, the Xiongnu might flee overnight. Should we pursue them? Or are we afraid of an ambush..."

"My cannons are formidable," Sun Yuanhua said confidently. "Please trust me, General. No matter what tricks the Xiongnu play, I guarantee I will blast them out."

Xu Da looked at Sun Yuanhua and pondered for a moment. "Now prepare to go down! We're going to raid the Xiongnu camp tonight! Get the horses and armor ready, and disperse and hide the supplies!"

The messenger was somewhat surprised. Although his task was simply to relay the message, he couldn't help but overstep his authority and ask, "General, this is too obvious. Won't the Xiongnu discover it soon...?"

Xu Da didn't answer, but simply waved his hand, signaling him to do as he was told. Sun Yuanhua understood somewhat; Xu Da wanted the Xiongnu to lie in ambush so he could use their scheme against them. After all, knowing what the enemy was doing wasn't scary; not knowing what the enemy was doing was the greatest danger.

The sun slowly cast its last rays upon the grassland. The haphazardly laid-out grasses, having rested, seemed to possess a special power, rising again. The orange-yellow afterglow inch by inch bathed the white tents, the calm coats of the bowed warhorses, and the faces of the wounded soldiers. Then it slowly faded. Darkness fell, and the camp bustled with activity as people prepared their meals. Large patrols moved about vigilantly.

Night finally fell.

Chapter 171 Night Raid and Tragic Scene

Patrols scattered throughout the camp still held torches high, and horses neighed softly. The central command tent still glowed faintly. Everything seemed as before. However, soldiers from Xu Da's three camps had already moved out from different directions. Rows of cavalrymen wielding sabers flashed past in the firelight at the gate, then quickly disappeared into the night.

The large wagons in the central column were quite eye-catching, but they quickly disappeared into the night. I heard these lumps of iron would be the stars of the night.

Xu Da now had Sun Yuanhua by his side. Xu Da was already wearing heavy armor and an iron helmet. Sun Yuanhua remained the same, so Xu Da had to assign him two guard cavalrymen.

"The Xiongnu are lying in ambush about a mile in front of the camp?" Xu Da asked again.

"Yes, according to our scouts from all directions, that's definitely the case," the scout replied with considerable certainty.

"Check it again!" Xu Da said sternly.

"Yes, sir!" The scout immediately went. Xu Da was always cautious, but this time Sun Yuanhua had truly witnessed his cautiousness.

The army advanced more than ten miles, and many soldiers recognized the site of the bloody battle from the previous two days. The bodies of their fallen comrades hadn't yet been recovered, and a faint stench of decay lingered. Sure enough, the soldiers' morale soared. The Xiongnu soldiers probably wouldn't dare venture into that area either; they believed the Xiongnu gods were angry.

Further ahead, the firelight of the Xiongnu camp could be faintly seen.

"Believe it or not, the Xiongnu now know exactly where we are, but they just don't dare to come and attack us..." Xu Da said to Sun Yuanhua with a smile.

In the darkness, he couldn't see Sun Yuanhua's expression, but from his voice, Sun Yuanhua seemed relaxed: "They're waiting for you to take the bait; they're too lazy to come and fight you themselves." As he spoke, Sun Yuanhua's voice rose slightly, even showing some excitement and anticipation. "Now that our artillery's range can reach the Xiongnu camp, I suggest we bombard the Xiongnu camp now."

“Let’s bombard them.” Xu Da nodded in agreement. “Will this expose our position?… But it doesn’t matter, it’s the same whether it’s exposed or not… Send more troops to protect the artillery positions.”

"Pass the order! Artillery positions, targets, enemy camps. Begin bombardment in ten minutes, cease after thirty minutes," Sun Yuanhua barked at a messenger beside him. This messenger was one he had brought with him; he must also be a member of his mysterious artillery army...

The messenger quickly disappeared into the darkness. Ten minutes later, on the small slope to Xu Da's left, a flash of light appeared, followed by a loud "boom," and a bright cluster of flames illuminated the Xiongnu camp. It quickly dimmed, but the tents were clearly on fire, and the flames gradually grew larger.

Xu Da was stunned: "Indeed impressive. Such a long distance... truly remarkable."

"The General hasn't shown any signs of close-range shell explosions yet..." Sun Yuanhua said with great pride, "Otherwise, it would have been even more shocking for the General. The actual combat effect is quite good, and it can withstand the test of actual combat." Sun Yuanhua spoke as if he were talking about his own child, commenting on his work.

Then, flames flickered incessantly on the small hill, accompanied by a continuous booming sound, indicating that the cannon's firing rate was quite fast. Before long, the Xiongnu camp was engulfed in flames, illuminating a portion of the distant sky.

Xu Da could sense that with each loud explosion from the Xiongnu camp, the soldiers cried out in alarm, initially in hushed tones, but gradually growing louder. "Silence!" Xu Da shouted sternly, though he was also surprised. "How could they forget even the most basic military discipline!" The order was given, and the soldiers fell silent, but their astonishment and excitement were clearly visible, the gloomy atmosphere from before vanishing completely.

"Report!" The scout galloped up to Xu Da, panting, and said, "The enemy is indeed lying in ambush on both sides of the road. I'm not mistaken, they're about a mile from their camp, very close..." The soldier took a deep breath, "But that... that cannonball was terrifying. I just saw it. The sound was like thunder in the sky, and it blew a tent and its inhabitants away. Now the Xiongnu soldiers lying in ambush over there are getting restless... I don't know if they'll run away."

Sun Yuanhua's smile deepened, knowing that his artillery shells were incredibly powerful.

"Draw your sabers and attack immediately! Flank behind the enemy!" Xu Da shouted sharply. Torches were waved, signaling the attack. The troops in all directions and in all units had already planned their routes, and immediately responded with torches, rushing towards the ambushing Xiongnu soldiers.

The cannon fire ceased, and a deathly silence descended. Only the flames of the Xiongnu camp, three or four miles away, illuminated the northern sky. If one listened closely, one could hear the thunderous roar of ten thousand horses and the shaking of the earth. In the still night, these Xiongnu soldiers, lying in ambush outside, watched helplessly as lightning and fire from the heavens burned their camp to the ground. The soldiers remaining in the camp ran in panic. Some were blown to pieces, their bodies a bloody mess. Could there be anything more terrifying? Many soldiers began to kneel and pray to the Xiongnu gods. They felt their sins were so grave that the Xiongnu gods first warned them with hail, then took their lives with heavenly fire.

"Order the artillery positions to bombard an area one mile around the camp! Don't stop until we signal with torches!" Sun Yuanhua commanded as he galloped on horseback. The messenger immediately turned and left. Another soldier beside Sun Yuanhua lit a torch and waved it back and forth in the night sky, signaling the artillery positions to prepare.

A moment later, a deafening roar of cannon fire erupted. This time, the shells landed only a kilometer away from Xu Da's cavalry army. The riders could clearly hear the deafening boom, truly like thunder. The explosions instantly illuminated the surroundings as if it were daytime. The riders heard heart-wrenching screams, and even heard fragments of severed bodies being blown into the air. It was a horrifying sight.

The riders continued forward for about a hundred meters before reining in their horses, staring blankly at the scene before them, as if they had forgotten they were supposed to be charging into battle, and were merely bystanders. "Halt!" Xu Da shouted. He too had never witnessed such a horrific sight before, and was momentarily stunned. However, he quickly recovered and loudly commanded his cavalry. In truth, no command was needed; human instinct had already brought them to a halt, and the riders stood there, dumbfounded.

The ambushing Xiongnu soldiers screamed in terror and began to run wildly. Shell fragments flew everywhere, seemingly turning the area into a living hell. Many soldiers ran frantically until they were only a hundred meters from Xu Da's army when they discovered the group of riders hidden in the darkness. One of the riders spurred his horse forward and swiftly brought down his sword. Other riders followed suit, and soon it turned into a massacre. Desperate Xiongnu soldiers scrambled out of the shrapnel-filled area, only to be met with the sharp sabers of the Xiongnu.

"Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who surrender will not be killed!..." Xu Da's voice rose and fell. The soldiers heard this and began to shout along, and many Han Chinese and Xiongnu translators also shouted in the Xiongnu language.

Chapter 172 Dangerous Moment

Meanwhile, Lü Bu was attacked by a large pack of wolves and was in danger of being surrounded and annihilated. Luo Chen dispatched all the troops from Wuwei to rush to his rescue. Upon hearing this news, the veteran general Sha Ha advised Zhao Cheng to send a small force to resist Luo Chen's reinforcements step by step, in order to buy time. This would allow Zhao Cheng's main force to essentially defeat Lü Bu's army.

Luo Chen's reinforcements quickly encountered a portion of the arriving grassland wolf detachment. Luo Chen took the lead, charging straight ahead and using explosives and armor techniques to kill three large wolves in succession.

"Charge!" Yan Qing shouted. Lord Luo Chen had charged forward; what was there to hesitate about? The large contingent of Luo Chen cavalry charged forward, the heavy, chilling chopping sounds and the howls of wounded wolves causing all the large wolves to hesitate for a moment. However, several Luo Chen riders at the front were also dragged off their horses.

Luo Chen charged ahead, quickly engulfed by the wolf pack. He shouted several times for his armor to protect him, and instantly, armored shields appeared, surrounding him completely. The ferocious wolves pounced relentlessly, creating deafening, heavy thuds. At least twenty large wolves had surrounded Luo Chen, desperately leaping and lunging forward to bite. Luo Chen was somewhat surprised; this had never happened before, and he didn't know how long this shield wall could hold.

Luo Chen charged forward on horseback, the heavy thuds and thuds indicating the large wolf had been sent flying by the sturdy shield. Luo Chen quickly reached the center of the wolf pack. Seeing their lord in the distance, the soldiers rushed forward without hesitation. Nearly 150,000 Luo Chen cavalrymen surged into the wolf pack, and the wolf numbers began to seem insufficient. In the front half of the steppe wolf detachment, riders crowded in densely packed together. Often, several riders shared a large wolf, leaping and bounding about. The wolves in the rear couldn't push forward, and similarly, the rear half of the Luo Chen cavalry could only watch, as space was limited.

The gleaming sabers inflicted heavy losses on the wolf pack. This contradicted Zhao Cheng's orders to resist steadily; if the fight continued, the wolf pack would soon be wiped out. But the current situation was—escape was impossible. The wolves and riders were too densely packed together, and the air was filled with shouts and screams. Even commands were inaudible, and the banners were too numerous and difficult to read.

Relying on his armor, Luo Chen pressed forward. The wolves couldn't stop him, and the Xiongnu cavalry's arrows couldn't hit him. Of course, the sturdy armor also prevented Luo Chen from hacking and slashing. Luo Chen looked back; his soldiers had fallen far behind, fiercely fighting the Xiongnu soldiers and the wolves. Luo Chen was extremely anxious—not because he was deep in the wolf pack's encirclement, though he didn't care about the wolves howling and charging around him—but because every extra quarter of an hour he stayed there meant more casualties for Lü Bu's army.

Finally—after all, the armor's duration was limited—suddenly, without warning, the sturdy, towering armor vanished. Luo Chen, alone on horseback, appeared instantly amidst the wolf pack, completely exposed. He had already reached the rear of the wolf pack's position, surrounded by a dense swarm of large wolves, not a single Luo army soldier in sight. Luo Chen paused, and the wolves paused as well. The previously howling wolves suddenly fell eerily silent, a silence that was unsettling. In those two seconds, Luo Chen and the wolves simultaneously roared. Luo Chen shouted, "Armor Protection!" The wolves howled and pounced. The armor reappeared, causing many wolves to be torn and bleeding. But two wolves also charged in. Both wolves simultaneously leaped onto his horse. Luo Chen could clearly see the green light and bloodshot veins in the wolves' eyes—so clear, so close. He felt the hot breath from the wolves' mouths; their sharp teeth were less than ten centimeters from his eyes. A pungent, bloody stench nearly suffocated Luo Chen. All he could see was the wolf's howling, ferocious form, its yellowed, blood-stained teeth. "Explosion!" Without warning, Luo Chen shouted, moving his fingers from the wolf's belly to its throat. In his panic, he even rubbed his fingers against his thigh. A deafening explosion rang in Luo Chen's ears, followed by a series of sharp beeps. The scalding smell of gunpowder made him cough violently.

Fortunately, he recovered within seconds. The ringing in his ears subsided, and he saw the large wolf on the ground, its head and above blown off, its abdomen ripped open. Luo Chen felt a sharp pain in his thigh. Looking down, he saw that his leg armor was burned, and there was a clear burn mark on his leg—the spot where his hand had grazed. It seemed that when Luo Chen shouted the command to detonate, his fingertips instantly became extremely hot. Once the charge was complete, a large amount of heat and gunpowder formed and burst forth from his fingertips, creating a powerful explosion. It was this intense heat that burned Luo Chen's leg and sliced ​​open the wolf's abdomen. Luo Chen then noticed a dull ache in his upper right arm. Looking down, he saw a large wound with torn flesh and blood gushing out. A sudden panic gripped Luo Chen. He realized with horror that there was another large wolf behind him. Those few seconds of hesitation had been enough to kill him. The large wolf had probably grabbed its own right arm, but the huge explosion and blinding flash had startled the wolf behind it; otherwise, its right arm would likely be gone. Why was it still alive? Luo Chen frantically turned its horse around, bringing two fingers together to shout "Explosion!" again. Just as Luo Chen raised its fingers, it saw that the once ferocious wolf was now limp on the ground, head bowed, showing no intention of attacking.

Luo Chen froze for a moment, swallowing back the command to explode. Blood was still gushing from his right arm, soaking half of his armor. Luo Chen used his left hand to tear a piece of cloth from his battle robe and bandage the wound, barely stopping the bleeding.

Chapter 173 Astonishing Changes

The wolf's behavior was strange. It had been baring its teeth and claws, extremely ferocious and utterly fearless. In an instant, it lay down on the ground, head bowed. Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat. On the battlefield, if you hesitated and didn't kill the enemy one second, you could be the one dying the next. But Luo Chen still didn't strike, because this wolf's sudden action reminded him of another wolf.

Last month, Luo Chen captured a wounded wolf alive in the desert. The beam of the explosion grazed the wolf's flank, severely injuring it, but it survived. Luo Chen handed it over to the army medic. The harsh desert environment and the arduous march exhausted many soldiers and horses. Many wounded warhorses lay dead in the sand – even though riders desperately tried to protect their companions, a severely wounded horse was almost certain to die. Infections, exhaustion… many strong warhorses gave up the struggle and collapsed on the march. This wolf also nearly died, but fortunately received meticulous care from the army medic. Despite such severe injuries, the wolf stubbornly survived and marched out of the desert with the army. Later, it rested in oases and Wuwei County, eventually recovering almost completely and able to stand and walk on its own. However, this ordeal had made it very thin, a far cry from its fierce and robust appearance when it first arrived. It was aloof and wary of everyone else, even the army doctor it spent every day with. Yet, it seemed to have an unusual attraction to Luo Chen. Once again, the army doctor took it out of the tent for a walk, and the wolf stumbled and ran into the central command tent. This terrified the doctor, who rushed into the tent in a panic. Just as the guards were about to stop him, the doctor shouted, "Wolf! The wolf's in!" Two guards drew their swords and rushed in. Inside, they found the wolf peacefully lying beside Luo Chen, head down, seemingly quite content. Luo Chen glanced at it only once before continuing his discussion with the generals.

"My lord, this wolf..." the guard asked timidly.

"It's nothing...you can go now," Luo Chen said calmly, though he himself was a little puzzled as to why this wolf was so attached to him. "Medic, let's leave the wolf here. We can take it back after dinner," Luo Chen said to the medic. The medic bowed and said "Yes," before leaving.

From then on, the wolf would often lie down beside Luo Chen, which was both interesting and perplexing. Luo Chen could easily influence and command it. The wolf always liked to circle around Luo Chen. However, if it were with other people, the wolf would be extremely wary, its eyes always showing a vigilant and fierce glint, rather than the submissive demeanor it displayed towards Luo Chen.

Luo Chen knew this action all too well. Lying down, head down, it was exactly the same. "Go out," Luo Chen said calmly. Sure enough, the wolf got up and silently tried to walk out, but the hard armor had already formed a circle around it, preventing the wolf from getting out. So it silently lowered its head again, as if waiting for Luo Chen's command.

Luo Chen looked at his bleeding wound; it was from this wolf's bite. So, it wasn't surprising; it must have gotten some of his blood on it. But what about the previous wolf? That one never got its blood on it! Luo Chen wondered. Suddenly, he felt a profound silence around him, an absolute stillness. Just moments ago, there had been deafening roars and crashing attacks; why was it so quiet now? Luo Chen looked around, and the sight before him astonished him. All the wolves around him had lowered their heads, standing silently, without uttering a sound. Only a few Xiongnu soldiers remained, dumbfounded, exchanging bewildered glances.

The armor vanished once more, and this time no wolf pounced. A Xiongnu soldier raised his crossbow to fire, but before the arrow could explode, the large wolf beside him suddenly howled and pounced on him, swiftly severing his throat, killing him instantly.

Everyone was stunned, including Luo Chen. The Xiongnu soldiers present were all dumbfounded. What was going on? Luo Chen's mind raced. He had heard that Yesuo could command wolves, and the wolf pack trusted him implicitly. Why did he have such an ability? Luo Chen didn't know, but wasn't his current situation the same as Yesuo's? He had an extraordinary influence over the wolf pack, which meant that the wolves completely obeyed his commands.

Luo Chen didn't linger, but silently turned and headed towards the front of the wolf pack. With Luo Chen at the rear, the wolves completely ceased their attack. However, the front lines seemed oblivious to this change in their direction, continuing their fierce fighting. Luo Chen silently turned his horse around and headed towards the battle, unsure of the outcome. But because he could instantly form a solid armor wall for protection, Luo Chen remained calm. He heard several more screams behind him, assuming it was another restless Xiongnu soldier raising their crossbow.

As expected, wherever he went, the wolf pack stopped attacking, stood still, and lowered their heads. The Luo army soldiers were bewildered and greatly surprised by this change. Some wanted to take this opportunity to kill the large wolf in front of them, but Luo Chen stopped them.

"Wolves, line up...!" Luo Chen commanded. But then he felt it was somewhat absurd. He didn't know how many wolves there were, how they were organized, or how they were commanded. Even his voice was so soft; surely Luo Jun's communication system wasn't working on the wolves... How could they possibly receive the order? Thinking this, Luo Chen shook his head and smiled, as if mocking his own absurdity. Unexpectedly, the wolves began to move, and in orderly formation. Each group consisted of a bunch of large wolves, gathered together, forming a coordinated battle formation. Hearing the command... it was as if the wolves had their own communication system. These groups of wolves began to form ranks, led by individual wolves. Before long, the neat wolf ranks were complete. Some wolves still carried bewildered Xiongnu soldiers. Some Xiongnu soldiers had already jumped off, standing there helplessly. Some had drawn their scimitars, preparing to face the fearsome Guanzhong cavalry. Others simply fell to the ground in surrender.

Chapter 174 Zhao Cheng's Surprise and Anger

The soldiers were all dumbfounded. All because of Luo Chen's words, the wolves that had been baring their fangs and claws moments before had now obediently lined up to the side. What was going on? How could Luo Chen command these prairie wolves?

Luo Chen turned around expressionlessly, mounted his horse, and quickly rode to the front of the Xiongnu soldiers. Although the wolf was gone, the more than a thousand Xiongnu soldiers in front were surrounded by cavalry, while the remaining thousand or so Xiongnu riders stood there dumbfounded, watching their steppe wolves become so submissive to Luo Chen.

"Those who surrender will not be killed!" Luo Chen commanded sternly.

Most of the riders chose to kneel in surrender, while some turned and ran. Luo Chen gave a signal, and the charging wolf accurately pounced on the soldier, tearing his throat cleanly. The Xiongnu soldiers all knew the ferocity of the steppe wolves and the consequences of not surrendering; they all knelt and surrendered.

Luo Chen realized that the main task of his powerful cavalry would not be to charge into battle, but rather to receive prisoners.

"Quickly, keep moving forward! Yan Qing, leave 10,000 men here to count the wounded and deal with the prisoners! The rest of you, set off immediately!" Luo Chen didn't want to wait any longer. Every minute of waiting meant more brothers would die or be wounded. He spurred his horse, and it began to gallop. The cavalry behind him followed suit. The wolves stood in neat rows beside them and then began to advance with the army. Yan Qing ordered the weapons of the captured Xiongnu soldiers to be taken away, then ordered them to line up and begin clearing the battlefield, separating their soldiers and wolves and burying them. The Luo army soldiers still had their identification tags. The soldiers or prisoners clearing the battlefield removed the tags from the soldiers' wrists, which clearly showed the soldier's name and place of origin. This tag would be sent to the soldier's hometown as proof that the soldier had died for his country. The soldier would receive high honors and rewards, and his family would naturally receive pensions, tax reductions, or exemptions. Of course, there were also professional soldiers among them. Many of the Guanzhong cavalry were soldiers from generation to generation, professional soldiers, not recruited through the Fubing system. These soldiers would be sent to the appropriate units according to the military rank indicated on their tags. If the tags were lost, burned, or accidentally discarded during the fighting, there was nothing that could be done; the soldier would simply become one of the many nameless martyrs in this brutal war.

The brutality of war had made everyone accustomed to such scenes. The losses of these elite cavalrymen of the Fallen Dust Army in the desert exceeded those of any previous battle. This was true for Xu Da's troops, as well as the forces of Fallen Dust, Chang Yuchun, and Lü Bu.

Lord Luo Chen is truly amazing; this thought has become even more ingrained in Yan Qing's mind. He can command a wolf pack out of nowhere. Is Yesuo the same? Then, among those with such extraordinary abilities, Yesuo isn't the only one; Luo Chen is too… Fortunately, according to intelligence, Sun Yuanhua has made astonishing progress in weaponry and is said to have urgently entered the grasslands, claiming he can reverse the excessive losses on the northern front.

Luo Chen galloped away on his horse, quickly appearing at the edge of Lü Bu's army. The patrolmen noticed billowing dust and fluttering banners to the south. They rushed to Zhao Cheng, who immediately understood the situation: "Where is Luo Chen's army? There hasn't been a single battle report from the front lines yet," he complained impatiently.

"General!" the patrolman said nervously, "They've arrived! We're the Imperial Guard patrol!"

Zhao Cheng was shocked. He thought this guy was a messenger sent from the front lines, but it turned out to be a guard patrol. What about the men at the front? Didn't anyone come to deliver a message? Were they all wiped out? Even if no one came, at least a wolf should have! Zhao Cheng didn't know that the front lines had indeed been completely wiped out by Luo Chen, and not a single person had had the chance to return with news.

Zhao Cheng rode his horse up the small hill, and sure enough, dust billowed to the south, with what appeared to be bright red flags in the distance.

"How could it be so fast!" Zhao Cheng was both surprised and furious. "What's going on! Given the Wolf Legion's combat strength, this shouldn't be possible! This is unreasonable!" Zhao Cheng seemed to calm down all of a sudden. "That's right, how could this be! You must have seen wrong! How could this be? Did those people retreat?" Zhao Cheng would rather believe that the Grassland Wolf Detachment he sent out had deserted in the face of battle than accept the result of being completely annihilated so quickly.

"General, it is indeed Luo Chen's army!" the patrolman shouted dejectedly. "It's clearly marked on the flags, and it is indeed the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry, all carrying sabers."

Zhao Cheng fell silent. "Could it be that they surrendered? That they deserted in the face of battle?" he asked, his brow furrowing. In his entire command career, this had never happened before. Of course, whenever desertion occurred, and a rout broke out without a fight, Zhao Cheng never spared a life. His strict discipline and ruthless treatment of retreaters were renowned throughout the army; there was no mercy, and no amount of pleading would change anything.

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"I'll kill them!" he suddenly roared in fury. "What kind of grassland wolf army is this! How could they do something so stupid? I'll kill them!"

"The most urgent task is to discuss countermeasures," came Shah's calm voice from behind.

Zhao Cheng turned his head, his anger still burning. But he seemed to have regained control in an instant. "The old general is right," Zhao Cheng said slowly. He could now clearly see the flags and cavalry. They all drew their sabers and began to charge towards his encirclement.

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"The Steppe Wolf Legion, including the Great Wolves and their riders, numbers over a hundred thousand," Shaha said calmly. "In terms of troop strength, it's the same as the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry. But in terms of combat power, the Great Wolves' formidable strength is evident to all. We can fight again, striving to crush a portion of the defeated army, even if it means killing a thousand enemies while suffering eight hundred casualties ourselves." This weathered old man remained fearless in the face of danger.

"What happened to the Steppe Wolf detachment that was sent out!" Ru Chang roared angrily. "Isn't the Steppe Wolf Legion supposed to be strong in combat? How could they have held out for less than a quarter of an hour! The enemy has already charged in... How is this possible! Even ordinary Xiongnu cavalry could hold them off for half an hour."

Shah didn't answer. This was indeed strange. "Perhaps they went the wrong way," he offered a weak explanation, though it was hardly believable.

“Wrong direction…” Zhao Cheng snorted, as if mocking. But he didn't reject Shaha's suggestion. “Enemy reinforcements are here! Order a detachment to hold them off, the rest of you continue, crush Lü Bu's army as quickly as possible!” Zhao Cheng commanded sharply. “If only these guys would surrender willingly…” Zhao Cheng said, glancing at Lü Bu's force still fighting desperately, and muttered a curse under his breath.