Chapter 202: Absolute Superiority
On the afternoon of October 4th in the first year of the Tong Zheng Calendar, at this place later called “Wang Feng Mountain,” the largest campaign of the southern expedition army was underway.
Returning to the present, from the first clash with the Bamboo People counted as the official start of combat, both sides had already fiercely engaged for three shichen.
The war had raged from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon. Many non-commissioned officers were in high spirits, as this war was destined to be epic.
The scale of the military strength mobilized by Xuan Chong from the core system of Da Yao civilization in the north exceeded the total human forces previously encountered in the Thorn Region! Moreover, the quality of the soldier types and the level of war machines were unprecedented.
It could be said that this troop mobilized by Xuan Chong, if placed in Da Yao at this time, could make half the under heaven take notice. Now it had opened the eyes of the old Tree Spirits.
Additionally worth mentioning, this troop under Xuan Chong’s command was named the “Human Alliance Army.”
This was because in terms of army composition, more than two-thirds were native tribes from the southern border.
Those carrying firearms and shooting were Horned People; those transporting cannonballs and filling cannonballs with red charcoal were Clawed People.
Up front carrying halberds, though their faces were humanized, there were Lizard People, Snake People, Steel Mane people; they had all consumed “Holy Ash Pills” to transform into human form, but essentially they were all recruited from the border under Xuan Chong’s governance.
These native southern border people had always feared the southern Thorn Region in the past. After following Xuan Chong here and dispelling the unprecedented war fog; this glory would be carried back by them to all corners of the southern border. Even when they were old and decrepit, they would tell their descendants how, under General Wu’s command, they made the endless demons in the southern border jungle submit utterly.
Returning to the present, after one clash with the Willow People and Bamboo People, both army corps began to standoff at a distance.
After two rounds of fire killing, though the Tree People were numerous, they dared not charge recklessly. The human side also dared not attack rashly, of course there was no need to attack. Xuan Chong had calculated that the moisture in this combat land could not sustain the Tree People’s needs. And based on atmospheric pressure, there would be no heavy rain in the mid-to-short term. Rear-line food and grass and new soldiers were arriving continuously, so they could outlast the enemy.
Guiche circled in the sky, trying to find further opportunities; but the Tree People, having suffered once, snapped “thorn branches” and flung them at the high-altitude Guiche. These thorn branches, even after breaking, were alive like gecko tails, twisting into an “S” shape and flying very stably in the air.
The high-altitude Guiche at first didn’t notice the flung dozens-of-kilograms thorn branches; but when the Guiche discovered these thorn branches were alive and starting to wrap around their wings, they had no choice but to land on the ground.
To protect these important flying giant beasts, the Wu Family Army had to dispatch cavalry to provide support.
After the Guiche landed back at the human main formation, the Wu Family Army dismounted with large shears to remove the thorn branches wrapped around the Guiche, then placed them in pottery jars, preparing to send them to the juicer after the war.
Thus, after the intense first-half slaughter, the corps led by Xuan Chong and the Tree People corps were now in a standoff separated by a barrier, like halftime rest after the first half.
As for how to fight the second half? Three War Kui had already arrived at the battlefield, slow fires igniting inside the steam engines, Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse transporting water wheels from the rear line to add water to them.
…Xuan Chong prepared to fight another battle at night.…
In stark contrast to the Tree People’s obvious anxiety, in the human army formation, everyone was assigned work: some began building barriers, weaving straw rope into large nets; others began drilling holes in stone projectiles and stuffing them with oil-soaked cotton cloth.
The human army was filled with an atmosphere of gearing up to continue the fight. This was created by Xuan Chong’s command group.
Xuan Chong, on his side, was learning the situation in detail from the combat soldiers, inquiring about the frontline soldiers’ physical energy consumption during the battle, and giving the frontline warriors high-concentration sugar saltwater prepared in advance, filled into water canteens.
As for those wounded soldiers who picked up their lives from the Willow People. During the consolation process, Xuan Chong learned an experience from the veteran soldiers: stuffing rough paper between plate armor and helmets would dissipate the force when Tree People whipped, as Tree People had no “piercing damage”; Xuan Chong immediately had the troops steam rice cakes that could be fitted behind the armor.
Currently, the Wu Family Army’s combat casualties were one hundred twenty-three, of which thirty-two were killed in action. Such losses the whole army could still accept, even said to have a slight upper hand.
Yet Xuan Chong routinely poured cold water on the military officers: “Don’t think our exchange ratio is good, one to ten! But we must know that during combat our physical energy was consumed too much. If the Tree People dragged it out a bit longer, our casualty ratio would skyrocket.”
After Xuan Chong set the tone, the squad leaders also engaged in deep reflection, all expressing that the battle was extremely difficult.
Squad Leader 1: “The battle reaching this result has greatly exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
Squad Leader 2: “Tree People are tough and sturdy. If not for finding the battle tactic, first having one group cut off the branches representing the Tree People’s offensive ability, second group of seven or eight people using crowbars to simultaneously hook the Tree People’s base and pry it down, the soldiers’ damage would be unimaginable.”
The now more flexible Wu Zhantie: “If not for Marshal Wu (Xuan Chong) flexibly adapting during combat, our army would be in peril.”
Xuan Chong was stunned for a moment, feeling the atmosphere a bit off. When subordinates all became yes-men, that wasn’t what he wanted either.
At this time Wu Rui raised his hand, and after getting Xuan Chong’s permission, immediately stood up and said: “Commander, perhaps the enemy’s stamina can’t keep up either.”
Xuan Chong frowned, just about to criticize this adopted son for not having a fluke mentality, but sensing the crowd around ready to lecture this arrogant kid, he cautiously made no statement.
However, this adopted son presented his investigation report on Tree People captives. Xuan Chong glanced at the report, his eyes growing brighter.
Then he called the kid over, inquiring about his interrogation (torment) of the Tree Spirits. This left the surrounding many non-commissioned officers baffled.
Amid Wu Rui’s expectant expression, Xuan Chong did not directly praise him, but seriously said to him: “Your observation is very careful, but whether it specifically works still needs testing to see results.”
Xuan Chong did not want to let this kid get arrogant, needing to temper him well, just as Wu Hanluan had tempered him back then.
As for Wu Zhantie and these non-commissioned officers, though by Da Yao brigadier general standards they were generally mid-to-upper level; compared to newcomers like Wu Rui who had received the “new military drill manual” from childhood, they were already elders.
Elders and newcomers differ in handling problems, just like in this recent combat meeting.
As long as Xuan Chong spoke, they still centered their thinking mode around Xuan Chong’s ideas, but Wu Rui would have his own train of thought!
From the perspective of “leader comfort,” people like Wu Rui who always had their own ideas were not suited for the workplace, but from the military’s victory-only perspective, Wu Rui belonged to the future.
So-called the student surpasses the master; this era was his and Zhao Cheng’s era as military strategists, but the next era?
Xuan Chong: “It might have to rely on new sharp talents like Wu Rui to compete with ‘Zhao Cheng’-level generals in other forces.”
Note: Xuan Chong believes the next era other forces will also produce geniuses no less than Zhao Cheng, and he has prepared in advance.
…On the other side of the standoff…
While the Wu Family Army was strictly on guard in the barrier, the Tree People also formed a hedge on the spot. Meanwhile, the Wu Family Army Dragon Horse Cavalry occasionally lobbed rockets, forcing the Tree People to cope by spraying precious “tree sap” to extinguish fires.
Xuan Chong marveled at the Tree People’s numbers still having oppressive force. Little did he know that in the eyes of the Thorn Ridge Tree People: the Xi People army corps was like an infuriating monkey group, with endless energy.
At this point both sides could not probe the other’s “remaining capacity” advantage, thus beginning to act cautiously, entering a brief standoff.
Currently the Tree People main force was the Cypress People cluster led by Ling Kong Zi this “giant cypress,” and the Pine Tree People cluster led by the Eighteenth Duke.
Originally these two types of Tree People were the most terrifying forces in Thorn Ridge, with high defense, thick blood; their branches could pry up city bricks and tiles, they were city breakers stabbing open gates.
Four hundred years ago, the cities built by southward fleeing humans were ultimately breached by these two types of Tree People scaling the walls; originally these two types of Tree People planned to wait until Bamboo People piercing and Willow People whipping defeated the dark army infantry, then further pursue the Xi People, and deliver the final blow to break the Xi People cities (Ting Zhu Tan’s barriers).
Now these two lines of Tree People arriving on the battlefield had to hide in the center, because they were covered in “sweat,” — pines and cypresses exuded pine resin. This stuff sticking to sand and soil was equivalent to armor, and could jam human soldiers’ weapons.
But now? The Wu Family Army demonstrated “top-tier fire damage” effect. What had become of the front Bamboo People and Willow People after being burned?
These two lines of Tree People stepping onto the battlefield full of pine fragrance, wouldn’t that be staging a fire tree silver flower spectacle?
…Fear…
The Eighteenth Duke conversed with several other elders and “wood immortals.”
Dan Gui Immortal (the tree protecting the Feather Tribe queen): “We came with five times their numbers to overwhelm them; yet that Xi People military strategist still did not fear us, arrayed in formation and fought without falling behind, truly a hero among men.”
Chi Shen Gui (leaves red like fire) then said: “This battle we were careless. Now with high autumn air and dry weather not favorable for us to continue fighting them, better to withdraw for now and settle accounts another day.”
Ling Kong Zi: “Withdraw? Difficult. This army is different from eight hundred years ago. They lured us here to engage, already defeated Fu Yun Sou and Dripping Waterfall Hermit two detachments, morale greatly boosted, now holding torches circling around us. If our army retreats even slightly, we risk being set ablaze.”
Ling Kong Zi as the Cypress People’s leader currently had the tallest average clansmen height. Also just arriving on the battlefield and putting down roots, he was the most fatigued. If withdrawing now, his part would inevitably lag behind, and with his clansmen now highly flammable, once fallen behind they would surely be annihilated, so he immediately rejected the retreat plan.
After several Tree People elders conversed with each other, they fell silent. All waiting for the Tree People’s eldest, the Eighteenth Duke, to speak.
Eighteenth Duke: At this point, the only plan is to give these Xi People some benefits to extricate ourselves.
Just as the youngest Tree Immortal “February Eighteenth” asked how to give the Xi People benefits and have them honor the promise.
The Eighteenth Duke took out a yellowed jade cong from a pitch-black tree hollow in his trunk. This was Da Yao’s form, unchanged for thousands of years: round inside square outside, vertical hollow in the middle, representing reaching heaven and earth above, netherworld below.
As the oldest Tree Person, he had collected this “contract implement” passed down from humans four hundred years ago.
Tree People knew: once both sides reached a contract, engraving respective promises on bamboo slips, inserting them, burying in thick earth, the contract was affirmed by “earth god” and “heaven saint.”
After taking out this object, several old Tree People shuddered inwardly.
While the young Tree People knew nothing of it.
All along, most trees only believed in the forest lord god, but some ancient Tree People knew of this “black army corps” belief from the north.
Old Tree Person: This Xi People tribe from the north can form contracts with mountains and rivers.
Four hundred years ago after Tree People uprooted human outposts, it was actually mutual defeat; the Eighteenth Duke personally saw elders’ fate after breaking promises and attacking human cities.
Clan elders of thousand-year tree age struck black by falling thunder (heavenly tribulation). And the Yellow Springs Willow clan suffered worst, floods in great river heavy rain nearly sweeping away all shore willows over a century old (flood tribulation). Thus, even though Tree People drove away the southward Xi People back then, their vital energy mysteriously suffered great loss.
The Eighteenth Duke, originally only worshiping the forest god, from then on developed special reverence for the “Qian” and “Kun” in the Xi People’s mouths.
Four hundred years is a long time for humans, but for Tree People, after predecessors were cleared out, it was still insufficient for later generations to grow and fill the vital energy.
Sure enough, now the northern “Xi People” army had come again!
Before the great war, old Tree People vaguely sensed this might again be consequences of “Way of Heaven contract” backlash (human tribulation), hence the Eighteenth Duke prepared such a jade cong passed from predecessors.
Now, with all Tree People at a loss, he took it out.
However, just as the Tree Immortals were night-talking, suddenly east wind blew and war drums beat, the human army raised torches and launched an attack.
Leading were land combat machine War Kui and Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse war chariots they had never encountered, these implements rumbling with cast iron gears turning “creak creak” as they advanced. And these mechanical implements all carried a backpack. Spray nozzles appeared on the vehicle bodies, water mist starting to spray from the nozzles.
Mist began to pervade the Tree People ranks.
…Humid…
In this night’s battle there was no direct killing engagement, Tree People hid behind the hedge, while the human square formation did not charge out, merely the giant fire hose on the War Kui continuously spraying the hedge.
Soldiers licked the liquid dripping from the hose mouth and found it salty. Precisely, it was salt gathered from the alkaline water lake on the dry mountain body forty kilometers away.
After spraying a night of saturated saltwater, the army withdrew. The dozens of tons of water carried by the War Kui, if poured on the ground, would harm at most one or two trees; but sprayed on leaves, it was virtually paraquat.
When large numbers of Tree People sensed the moisture, they all began opening stomata. Some even unfurled tender buds hidden under bark, but soon the trees felt burning pain.
What Wu Rui described to Xuan Chong as the Tree People’s stamina element was whether Tree People had sufficient internal moisture to maintain vitality.
Tree People had special enzymes to break down cellulose; theoretically their stamina was infinite, which was why Xuan Chong thought his corps was at a disadvantage in stamina. But Wu Rui felt it was because they hadn’t found the right method.
As for the method no other human forces had ever managed since ancient times, why could Wu Rui find it? That was because which southward northern human force since ancient times was like Xuan Chong, constantly expanding rear lines, farming diligently, building docks?
A few tons of salt were strategic resources for past forces arriving here; but for the Wu Family Army, it was just like using salt to wipe the body, medicinal materials for treating spore parasitic skin. The richer the logistics, the richer the tactics.
…Humanity has arrived…
The next day, Wu Rui looked through the telescope, then excitedly knocked on Xuan Chong’s doorbell: “Marshal, they’ve yellowed, the leaves have yellowed.”
Xuan Chong, full of morning grumpiness, came out and knocked his forehead: “What’s with the fuss, handle everything calmly. I told you to sleep and you didn’t.”
Helplessly already woken, Xuan Chong walked outside the camp for a look, then nodded: “Our side is already in absolute upper hand.”
