Chapter Ninety-Two: A War That Shattered Both Sides

"Soldiers, check your weapons and secure your gear! Form up!" Xu Wenshan commanded from horseback to all the men.

"Squad One, inspection complete!" "Squad Two, inspection complete!" "Squad Three, inspection complete!" came the reports from Li Dazhuang and the others.

"Leave the supplies behind!"

Clattering sounds filled the air as the soldiers tossed their pots, bedding, and rations onto the ground.

"March!"

The fifty-man escort unit advanced in orderly formation.

As the troops ascended the hillside, they caught sight of what Guo Decai had seen earlier that day: in the valley among the mountains, a heavily guarded stockade was rising thin wisps of smoke from its hearths.

At that moment, Longtou was eating breakfast.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The sentries shouted their alarm from afar. Longtou, with a mouthful of porridge, hastily spat it out upon hearing the warning.

"Who is the enemy? How close are they?"

"Reporting to Longtou, the enemy carries long spears and hoists colorful banners. They are about a mile outside the stockade."

Longtou slammed down his bowl, causing the porridge to spill, and cursed loudly, "How could we only realize this when they're so close? What have the sentries been doing? Aren't these men from Luhe Valley? Why haven't I received any report from that wretch Guo Decai?"

Nearby, Qian Dabin hurried over, wiping sweat from his brow. "Longtou, the men from Luhe Valley have finally arrived!"

"I know! Gather the brothers, damn it, it’s time to fight!"

…

The salt gang thugs gathered by the stockade fence, watching the Luhe Valley escort unit up ahead, which was… forming up.

They watched as the escort troops turned left, then right, collectively changing direction. Longtou wore a puzzled expression.

"What are they doing?"

"Shouldn’t they have taken the initiative to break down the gates?"

Qian Dabin stared blankly at the escort’s inexplicable behavior, speechless for a moment. "Well…"

As an advisor, Qian Dabin was tasked with filling in any gaps his leader might overlook. He knew Longtou was a man with a strong leadership aura but lacking caution. Thus, he had always cautiously overestimated the strength of Luhe Valley. Yet today, seeing the enemy’s actions, even he could not explain their behavior.

Longtou quickly issued orders: "Brothers, follow me out of the stockade to meet them."

Qian Dabin hesitated, "If we hold inside the stockade, the outcome might be more favorable..."

"If I can’t smash such an enemy in one go, how can I continue to lead these men? How will they respect me?" Longtou gestured sharply. "Men, out of the stockade to meet the enemy!"

…

Meanwhile, Xu Wenshan faced a different question: how to inflict the greatest damage on the enemy using Molotov cocktails in the most elegant manner?

Watching the salt gang thugs scramble over the fence one by one, Xu Wenshan felt this battle could end as a barbecue.

Suddenly, the stockade gates burst open, and the thugs poured out recklessly.

Amidst them rang stirring cries: "Decapitation Level One—reward of a hundred coins! Level Two—reward of a woman! Level Three—official rank of Tiger Guard!"

Their formation was nonexistent, and their weapons a motley assortment—knives, spears, clubs, even some exotic arms like cangues, hooked sabers, and crescent-shaped spades.

Xu Wenshan gazed at this ragtag force, a trace of despair creeping onto his face.

"Can battles be fought like this?"

Unbeknownst to him, the enemy leader was wearing the same expression, staring back.

This was a war where both commanders were bewildered by each other.

The root of the confusion lay in cultural divides: on one side was Longtou, hardened by gang fights and village skirmishes; on the other, Xu Wenshan, a modern military forum enthusiast obsessed with indoctrination and firing squads in formation.

Neither understood the other’s playbook.

Or, to put it another way, Xu Wenshan did grasp their tactic: it was just a street brawl!

Though a brawl involving over a hundred men was a first for him.

"Line up in formation, prepare the grenade units to ignite, archers ready your arrows."

Xu Wenshan issued three commands in quick succession, and the escort faithfully obeyed.

The enemy had begun sporadic arrow fire. A few helmets were pierced, but without coordinated volleys, it posed little threat.

"Throw grenades behind enemy lines, ready, throw!"

Dozens of Molotov cocktails spun through the air, whistling as they flew.

The spectacle was magnificent — and what came next was even more so.

Behind the enemy rushing out of the gates, flames suddenly leapt skyward. The wooden gates erupted in blazing infernos. From the firestorm emerged figures engulfed in flames, shouting and running wildly into the crowd.

Even Xu Wenshan’s troops, who had seen such maneuvers in training, were shaken by the sight.

But the Wind Stone Village fighters were not merely shaken—they were overwhelmed. Some collapsed to the ground, others believed the gods had descended and knelt in worship.

Whatever the reason, this was Xu Wenshan’s prime opportunity to strike.

"Spear unit, charge!"

In popular imagination, a charge is a scene brimming with passion and fury, but the spear infantry’s charge was different.

In reality, dozens of nearly five-meter-long spears formed a dense forest of points, pressing forward like an impenetrable wall. The formation only halted upon contact with the enemy.

The halt occurred because the spears pierced the front line of the opposition. Behind, their own ranks pushed forward over fallen comrades, creating openings for their archers or attempts to flank.

At this juncture, endurance was paramount. The spears could not be pulled out once embedded; only by applying full body strength to push forward could the unit prevent the enemy from regrouping or flanking. Blood splattered, bones grinded against spear tips—a brutal testament to war’s cruelty.

Only then would the archers behind the spear line unleash volleys, striking down enemies. At five meters, arrows could penetrate any armor unless the enemy also had archers, rendering the formation nearly unstoppable.

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