Volume 1, Chapter 53: You're a Fucking Genius!

"What?! You... what did you say?!"

"How dare you!"

This venomous and extreme provocation was like a searing-hot iron brand, fiercely searing the most sensitive and inviolable dignity of the Rong tribesman!

The tribesman was instantly consumed by blinding rage. His face turned liver-colored, veins bulging violently on his forehead, and he let out a howl like a wild beast.

Now is the time!

A cold gleam flashed in Zhang Muyang's eyes, and he shouted in a low voice, "Release arrows!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Wang Yi and Gou Sheng, who had been long concealed in the shadows, loosed two hidden arrows almost simultaneously!

Gou Sheng was an exceptional archer.

As for Wang Yi, it went without saying; his archery skills surpassed even Gou Sheng's.

The incident happened with such terrifying suddenness that there was simply no time to react.

Being a warrior of the tribe after all, the man unleashed astonishing agility in the face of life and death, throwing himself into a ragged, sideways roll that narrowly avoided an arrow aimed straight for his throat!

Squish!

The other arrow grazed his shoulder viciously, kicking up a spray of blood!

The injury was minor, but... this immense humiliation and sudden attack completely ignited the tribesman's boundless fury!

"Ah!! Kill them! Kill these faithless Northern Yan dogs! Leave none alive!"

The tribesman roared like a wounded beast, driven completely mad.

Kill!

The Rong tribesmen were also thoroughly provoked. Like a breached dike, they surged toward Zhang Muyang, Wu Kexiong, and the others to slaughter them.

Three hundred men released their arrows in a single volley.

Just a single round.

Wu Kexiong shouted, "Run!"

Everyone whirled their horses around and fled frantically back the way they came.

As they neared the region of the pit traps and tripwires, they nimbly vaulted down from their horses. With snowshoes already strapped to their feet, they pushed off hard and glided swiftly across the snow-covered ground!

The pit traps were only wide enough for a horse's hoof, making them entirely useless against snowshoes.

However...

The frantically pursuing Rong tribesmen were not so fortunate. What awaited them was a nightmare!

Thump! Thump!

Horses' hooves kept plunging into the bowl-sized deep pits, instantly losing their balance as they screamed and tumbled to the ground, riders and mounts alike crashing down. Tripwire after tripwire laid low wave after wave of charging horsemen, hurling the cavalry through the air by their immense momentum to smash heavily against the frozen earth.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of riders were flipped head over heels, their formations thrown into utter chaos.

Yet, there were simply too many Rong warriors. Many cavalrymen still managed to skirt around the traps or trample over the bodies of their fallen comrades, continuing their frenzied pursuit.

All of this was taken in by Chen Xiucheng, who lay in ambush upon Black Wind Cliff.

The time had come!

Chen Xiucheng drew his bow and nocked an arrow tipped with blazing flames. He roared, "Release fire arrows! Shoot to kill! Burn them to ashes!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Two hundred ignited arrows tore through the pitch-black night like a vengeance-bent rain of fire, carrying a shrill whistle as they scattered and rained down upon the forward camp of the Northern Yan vanguard!

These men even shouted frantically, mixing broken Rong and Northern Yan phrases they had just learned:

"Helian Chunshui! Pay with your life!"

"The Princess is the woman of our Rong chieftain! We will slaughter the lot of you!"

"Slaughter the Northern Yan dogs!"

As the fire arrows descended, they instantly ignited several tents and piled-up fodder. Aided by the wind, the flames spread rapidly!

The vanguard soldiers who had lain half-frozen in the snow outside the Northern Yan camp for half the night were thoroughly incensed by this sudden raid and the extraordinarily vicious insults!

Helian Chunshui was the first to charge out of his tent. Upon seeing the camp ablaze and hearing the enemy dare to insult both himself and the Princess in such a manner, his eyes turned blood-red with fury. He bellowed, "It's a sneak attack by the Rong beasts! Kill them! Slaughter them all!"

"Wait! Something's wrong! This might be a trap!"

The Princess felt that something was amiss, but unfortunately, her voice was instantly swallowed by the earth-shattering battle cries.

These Northern Yan iron cavalry roared as they charged out of the camp, hurling themselves at the Rong vanguard who had just reached the foot of the cliff!

One side was convinced the other was a cowardly raider who had insulted their commander and deserved a thousand deaths.

One side was convinced the other was a shameless villain who had ambushed and wounded their chieftain.

Both sides were brimming with suppressed fury, each utterly convinced they were the victims.

On this pitch-black, snowy night, beneath Black Wind Cliff, the two armies collided with vicious, unadulterated brutality.

Swords flashed, and flesh and blood flew.

Curses, screams, the clashing of steel, and the whinnying of warhorses instantly soared to the heavens, drowning out the howling wind and snow!

"Move! Let's go!"

Wu Kexiong, Zhang Muyang, and Chen Xiucheng's group, who had withdrawn from the cliff, quickly converged.

Those with horses rode.

Those without horses used snowshoes. Every single one of them was running for their lives, fleeing the battlefield without looking back.

They sprinted furiously for several miles until the battle cries gradually faded into the distance. Only then did they slow their pace, looking back with lingering fear in their hearts.

Beneath Black Wind Cliff, the scene had dissolved into a complete and utter mess.

Rong and Northern Yan soldiers were thoroughly intermingled, locked in an inextricable and desperate bloodbath.

Did it work?

Did they... actually succeed?

Wu Kexiong, Chen Xiucheng, Liu Yunzhao, and the others looked at each other, their faces pale, breathing heavily, and hearts pounding wildly, hardly daring to believe everything before their eyes was real.

Heh!

Heh heh!

The soldiers wanted to laugh aloud but dared not make a sound, yet their fists were clenched tight, their eyes blazing with an almost unbelievable ecstasy and excitement.

Wu Kexiong slapped Zhang Muyang heavily on the shoulder, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Muyang! You little bastard, you're a bloody genius! This driving tigers to devour wolves strategy was executed brilliantly!"

"All of this is thanks to the Deputy Commander's brilliant leadership and wise decision-making!"

"Get lost! Stop flattering me!"

Wu Kexiong laughed and cursed, asking, "What now? Do we retreat back to our camp, or... stay here and watch the show?"

Zhang Muyang cast his gaze toward the distant, chaotic battlefield, the corners of his mouth curling into a frigid arc. "Deputy Commander, I believe we should pour a little more fuel on the fire and expand our victory."

"How do we expand it?"

"Right now, both sides have murder in their eyes and refuse to stop until one dies. What do you suppose would happen if we secretly slipped into the Northern Yan vanguard camp and burned their rations and forage down to the last stalk?"

"Haha!"

Wu Kexiong laughed heartily. "Then even if they fought to the ends of the earth, this blood feud could never be resolved!"

That wasn't all!

Zhang Muyang lowered his voice. "The two arrows Wang Yi and Gou Sheng shot at the chieftain were coated with poison... They won't prove instantly fatal, but I am the only one with the antidote. If the Rong chieftain wants to live, he'll have to come begging us later."

"You mean..." Wu Kexiong instantly grasped Zhang Muyang's intent and couldn't help drawing a sharp breath.

"Right now, I'm actually looking forward to the Wolf King Helian Bobo personally leading his main army here."

Zhang Muyang said coldly, "This time, I will make the Northern Yan iron cavalry suffer heavy losses and have their vitality severely drained!"

With the plan finalized, Zhang Muyang immediately picked Wang Yi, Su Ying, Wang Dadong, and a few others, stealthily making their way once more toward the chaotic Northern Yan vanguard camp.

Clack-clack-clack!

Riding warhorses and clad in standard Northern Yan cavalry armor, the few of them moved through the vanguard camp as if wandering through empty territory!

Su Ying galloped furiously while shouting at the top of her lungs in fluent Northern Yan language: "Quick! Hurry to the front lines to reinforce Young Master Helian! The Rong barbarians have gone mad! The Young Master is surrounded!"

"Move, go save the Young Master!"

The remaining Northern Yan iron cavalry in the camp were instantly consumed by panic and anxiety, scrambling onto their horses to charge toward the main battlefield.

The defense line instantly emptied out!

Zhang Muyang and his companions encountered virtually no obstruction as they dashed straight for the heavily guarded ration depot deep within the camp!

"Halt! Which camp are you from? The ration depot is off-limits!" A few remaining guards vigilantly blocked their path.

"We are your Rong grandfathers!"

Su Ying snapped, giving them no time to react as a flash of her blade laid the guards flat in the dirt!

Zhang Muyang roared, "Release arrows!"

Wang Yi, Wang Dadong, and the others were already prepared, instantly igniting their fire arrows.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several fire arrows accurately struck the mountain-like stacks of grain and the adjacent fodder yards!

Boom—!

Flames surged upward, spreading rapidly and devouring a vast expanse of the Northern Yan army's provisions in the blink of an eye.

"Move! Set fires everywhere!"

The group scattered, hurling their torches fiercely into the tents and supply piles along their path.

In an instant, thick smoke billowed across the entire Northern Yan camp, flames soaring into the sky amid utter chaos.

Mission accomplished!

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Muyang, Wang Yi, and the others spurred their horses toward the thickest of the melee.

Su Ying rasped hoarsely, "Young Master Helian! Dire emergency! Rong spies have burned our rations!"

"Rations!"

"All our food is gone! Those Rong beasts did this!"

The piercing cries struck like death knells against the heart of every Northern Yan soldier!

Helian Chunshui cast a glance at the burning vanguard camp lighting up the sky, his eyes splitting with rage!

"Rong—tribe—!"

Helian Chunshui let out a heartrending roar, his eyes bloodshot. "To the death! Kill them! Slaughter every last one of these treacherous barbarians!!"

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Every single Northern Yan soldier plunged into absolute madness and fury, launching suicidal charges against the enemy!

Flesh and blood flew as the butchery grew even more harrowing and desperate.