Chapter 642 – Making Dumplings (2)
The Red Lotus Sect was utterly baffled this time.
The guards at the exit anxiously awaited the “Rocket” to make their appearance so they could flank the Liu Thief’s army from both sides.
However, as they charged forward, they discovered the path ahead was blocked by a wall of stones, and arrows were incessantly raining down from above. Some members of the Red Lotus Sect were caught off guard, pierced by arrows, their blood spilling and soaking the brownish ground.
Faint cries of battle came from behind the stone wall, and only then did the Red Lotus Sect realize they had been tricked.
Qi Guanrang remained calm, helping Li Yun hold the front line while directing the archers on the wall to fend off their relentless foes.
Due to the narrow mountain path, Xiao Bai struggled to maneuver, prompting Jiang Pengji to abandon horseback combat, opting instead to fight on foot with a long spear.
The vanguard archers first cleared a wave of enemies, and when the two sides closed in, they drew their blades for close combat.
They needed to eliminate this wave of enemies before the Red Lotus Sect could break through the stone wall defenses; otherwise, the middle army led by Qi Guanrang would be in jeopardy. In the midst of the chaos, Jiang Pengji quickly vanished from sight, though sharp-eyed observers managed to catch glimpses of her.
Amidst the fray, she deftly found openings, either lunging with her spear to pierce vital spots or swiftly crushing enemies’ throats from behind; at times, she would leap off her foes’ shoulders to propel herself deeper into enemy ranks, leaving trails of silver flashes and splatters of blood.
With powerful battle instincts, she evaded both direct attacks and hidden dangers.
Jiang Pengji stole a glance, her long legs kicking one person in the chest, using the momentum to leap onto the rocky cliff beside the path, twisting in mid-air while her spear continued its deadly dance—stab, thrust, ensnare, block, lunge, jab… glimmers of cold starlight, bright silver shining, the white spear leaving blooming sprays of red.
The Red Lotus Sect soon recognized this killing machine, yet Jiang Pengji’s aggressive defense was enough to terrify them.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to take her down; it was simply that they had become too afraid of being slaughtered. It seemed that no matter how many rushed her, they always ended up falling, leaving behind bodies with gaping wounds. Jiang Pengji charged directly towards one direction, leaving Dian Yin amused yet apprehensive, unable to let her rampage unchecked while rallying the soldiers to push against the enemies.
Nong Qin commanded the female archers nearby, providing support and cutting off the Red Lotus Sect’s retreat.
Both sides battled fiercely amidst the echoes of screams, cries of pain, and the dull thuds of flesh being pierced by sharp weapons…
The ground was littered with severed limbs, and nearly every standing figure became a harbinger of death, their faces, clothing, sleeves, weapons, and shoes… every inch stained with blood, a thick and nauseating scent pervading the silent mountain path.
Meanwhile, the Red Lotus Sect on the other side of the stone wall began to lose resolve, overwhelmed by the powerful archers. Not only were their aim accurate, but their arrows reached far. They attempted several waves of attacks but could not hold their ground, leaving behind hundreds of corpses.
In this situation, what more was there to understand?
They had all fallen into the enemy’s trap!
“General… what now?”
“What can we do? What can I do?” The stone wall was not overly tall, but to them, it felt like an insurmountable chasm. They could force their way through with heavy losses, but the leading commander was already having second thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, he glared fiercely at the stone wall, contemplating for quite a while.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, “Retreat!”
Retreat?
Those around him were left dumbfounded.
If they retreated, what would happen to their brothers on the other side of the wall?
“If we don’t retreat, do we march blindly to our deaths? Are your eyes blind? This is just a trap set for us; charging in would be suicidal!” More importantly, substantial losses had already been inflicted, and if they kept up the assault, those losses would multiply. What then if they were held accountable afterward?
To everyone’s astonishment, the Red Lotus Sect, summoned by the “Rocket,” immediately retreated, leaving hundreds of bodies in their wake after a few failed attempts at assault.
Upon hearing the news, Qi Guanrang was astonished, his anxious heart finally settling back into place.
Had they continued their strong offensive, the middle army would have been caught in a two-front battle, severely taxing their defenses.
While he confidently believed they could hold, he was unsure of how many soldiers would survive.
Now that they were retreating, it meant entirely giving up the three thousand Red Lotus members who had come as ambushers; he could finally relax and make dumplings.
Before he could even send a message to demoralize the enemy, cheers erupted from the front lines.
“Enemy general beheaded!”
Jiang Pengji tore through the battlefield, having fought her way to the center of the Red Lotus Sect, leaving countless corpses in her wake.
Her once red attire and silver armor were now soaked in blood, as though she had been soaking in a pool of it all night, her face smeared with clotted gore.
Jiang Pengji was focused on killing the enemy leader.
She hadn’t known who the leader was until he foolishly shouted for others to protect him. Realizing he was the head honcho, she swung her spear to break through his blockages, flicked her wrist, and sent the long spear piercing through his throat.
Even in his final moments, his wide eyes still held remnants of shock and disbelief.
Dian Yin charged in from behind, and with the support of the female archers, unleashed brutal attacks that chopped through enemies like vegetables.
While Jiang Pengji displayed a certain artistry in her kills, Dian Yin’s method was pure brutality.
As the audience in the live stream might say—one swing of this axe, and you might just end up half a corpse!
As for Nong Qin, her tactics remained just as merciless as ever.
Compared to horseback fighting, she was far more adept at the foot combat.
Jiang Pengji’s voice echoed through the mountain path.
The Red Lotus Sect was already collapsing under pressure, their morale wavering, dwindling fight left, and with Jiang Pengji’s shout, they were left disarmed and devoid of will to fight. Once one chose to surrender to save their lives, that mindset spread like a virus.
With one, there naturally came a second and third!
These soldiers of the Red Lotus Sect had no sense of honor, let alone the idea of fighting to the last; with the tide turning against them, they had no intention of futilely struggling anymore. Surrender offered a slim chance at survival, while stubbornly resisting would just lead to death by sword.
Seeing the tide of battle clearly leaning his way, Qi Guanrang exhaled deeply.
Capturing prisoners and cleaning up the battlefield were tasks Jiang Pengji left to others.
After instructing everyone, he tidied himself up a bit before going to meet Jiang Pengji.
“Lord.”
Jiang Pengji glanced at Qi Guanrang and smiled, “Did the scene just now frighten you, Wen Zheng?”
In simple terms, the middle army where Qi Guanrang was stationed was merely bait, intended to delay the trap at Fenghu County.
If something went awry, he could have endangered his life and property.
Qi Guanrang replied, “Such small-scale scenes pose no fear at all.”
Even if his life were on the line, he never revealed any anxious emotions.
His mental fortitude was exceptionally strong.
“Let’s tidy up the battlefield; there’s no time to let the soldiers rest; we must hasten back to Jinmen County.”
After suffering such a massive setback, the Red Lotus Sect would surely begin to realize the problems they had encountered.
