Chapter 155: Competitive
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng were both at Pei Qinghe’s side, chattering nonstop.
“In this match, Captain Sun’s battalion took a huge advantage. All the ones he sent out were veteran soldiers who could ride and shoot. Almost every one of them could hit seven or eight arrows.”
“Isn’t that right? Only Cousin Sister Yan and Second Sister-in-law’s battalions can compete with him on equal terms. Feng Chang’s battalion is definitely going to lose.”
“Quick, look. Feng Chang’s face is all black with anger.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and rolled her eyes at them: “Talk less, watch carefully.”
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng obediently shut their mouths, but couldn’t hold out for long before whispering again: “Pei Feng, who do you think the top three will be this time?”
“Hard to say. In the first three matches, no matter how high the points, as long as you win the final one, you can still turn it around.”
The first three martial arts competitions accumulated one point at a time. The final troop formation confrontation gave twenty points to the winner. As long as the point difference wasn’t twenty, it was completely possible to turn things around.
And so, the real highlight was the final match.
The battalion commanders who had waited half the day for a chance to compete were all rubbing their fists eagerly. Some silently prayed in their hearts: don’t match up against the ferocious Pei Yan, don’t match up against the tough and steady Mao Hongling, the shrewd and cunning Feng Chang…
Pei Qinghe shook the lottery tube and randomly called ten leaders to draw lots. There were twenty lots in the lottery tube total; whichever one you drew was your opponent for the upcoming troop formation confrontation.
“How did I draw Second Sister-in-law!” Pei Yan also had an opponent she didn’t want to face. Drawing Mao Hongling’s battalion made Pei Yan’s head spin, and she wailed repeatedly: “It’s over! I’m going to lose!”
Mao Hongling pursed her lips and smiled.
Pei Qinghe found it a bit funny too and reached out to tap Pei Yan: “The match hasn’t even started, and you’re already babbling. Go prepare quickly.”
Pei Yan was just talking big and immediately went back, gathering her seventy people and quietly deploying tactics.
Pei Yan’s battalion were all female soldiers, mostly Pei Clan direct descendants. Mao Hongling’s was the same. These were publicly recognized as the two strongest battalions in combat power.
Who would have thought these two would face off right away. When two tigers meet, who would win?
Feng Chang secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. His two most dreaded battalions facing off meant he had avoided the two strongest opponents. Whoever was left, he wasn’t afraid of.
Feng Chang strode forward confidently and drew a lot from the lottery tube.
Pei Qinghe glanced at it, and the corners of her mouth turned up: “Your opponent is Captain Sun.”
Feng Chang: “…”
Captain Sun: “…”
Such a coincidence?
Feng Chang and Captain Sun exchanged a glance, sparks flying from their eyes as they nearly ignited.
Pei Qinghe understood in her heart and said warmly: “You two, for the second match, go deploy first.”
The two cupped their hands together to acknowledge the order and returned to their battalions at the fastest speed.
“Boss Feng, your luck is terrible.” Wang Erhe had a loose tongue, always poking at sore spots: “Everyone saw how powerful Captain Sun’s battalion is during the shooting arrows. They must be powerful in formation sparring too. Why’d you draw them of all lots.”
Feng Chang raised an eyebrow: “Just what I wanted. What, are you all afraid of them?”
The provocation tactic was old-fashioned but effective. Wang Erhe immediately puffed out his chest and patted it, declaring he wasn’t afraid in the least.
Captain Sun gathered everyone together and carefully deployed. The new recruits had trained for only a short time, some listening with blank faces, but Captain Sun ignored them and just repeatedly emphasized that everyone had to follow behind their own captain. No matter what, the formation must not break.
Those serving as captains were all veteran soldiers under Captain Sun. They had followed him for years, experienced life-and-death melees, and had great tacit understanding with each other.
Pei Qinghe personally beat the drum, and amid the intense drumming, the first troop formation confrontation began.
Pei Yan led the charge, her formation in a wedge shape. Mao Hongling’s side held steady, meeting them with a line formation.
In the first round of charge, some were scattered. Anyone who fell had to exit immediately to avoid accidental injury. The wooden sabers and spears were coated with quicklime; if white lime hit a vital spot on the body, it counted as “killed in action” and they had to leave the field immediately.
After a few rounds, the two battalions began a fierce melee.
Three years ago flashed in Captain Sun’s mind: Pei Qinghe leading the Pei Clan female dependents in a fight to the death against bandits. Back then, it was the Pei Clan women’s first time wielding blades in battle; some couldn’t even hold their knives steady, some were timid, some panicked. Three years later, every Pei Clan woman had honed excellent skills and fought quite ferociously.
Captain Sun silently thought it over: if he were leading men against Pei Yan or Mao Hongling right now, could he win?
It seemed the previous goal was set too high. He needed to adjust it a bit; maintaining a top five overall score would be pretty good.
Pei Yan ultimately lost narrowly to Mao Hongling with one move.
In the martial arts competition, if one side’s leader was defeated, the other side automatically won.
Pei Yan unwillingly conceded: “I lost. Second Sister-in-law won this martial arts competition.”
Mao Hongling smiled and cupped her hands: “I concede.”
Pei Qinghe beat the drum again, and the two battalions for the second match quickly took the field with wooden sabers and spears.
Feng Chang deliberately arranged his best fighters to charge up front. He had practiced martial arts for three years and his skills were decent. But in the master-filled Pei Family Army, he really wasn’t top-tier. His strengths weren’t in this anyway.
In troop formation confrontation, there was a rule that “decapitating the opponent’s leader wins it all.” So Feng Chang didn’t want to face Captain Sun right away.
Unfortunately, once on the field in close combat, Captain Sun came straight for him. Feng Chang was prepared and evaded from afar. Captain Sun immediately turned and attacked again.
You could evade once, but not twice. Once morale scattered, defeat was just a moment away.
Feng Chang called over several masters to lunge forward together and besiege Captain Sun.
“Feng Chang lost.” Pei Qinghe suddenly said.
Shi Yan didn’t understand warfare and watched in a fog: “Captain Sun is surrounded by Feng Chang and his men. Six or seven against one, how could he lose.”
Pei Qinghe patiently explained: “Captain Sun single-handedly tethered all the masters in Feng Chang’s battalion. This let his subordinates clear out the opponent’s formation.”
“Captain Sun is a true master; even Pei Yan and Second Sister-in-law might not be his match. Feng Chang bringing several to besiege him, and Captain Sun handled it with ease.”
With Pei Qinghe’s pointer, the fog before Shi Yan’s eyes instantly cleared.
Right, Feng Chang had already fallen into Captain Sun’s net.
Just as Feng Chang thought he had Captain Sun surrounded airtight, Captain Sun’s side had already cleared the opponent’s formation. The survivors encircled them.
Feng Chang not only lost, he lost miserably. Fighting to the end, his entire side was “killed in action.” Captain Sun’s side had only eight left.
Captain Sun politely cupped his hands to the quicklime-covered Feng Chang: “I concede!”
Feng Chang swallowed his unwillingness and frustration, cupped his hands in concession: “I lost. Next month’s martial arts competition, I hope we meet again, and our two battalions can have another match.”
