The distance from the Silver Tribe to the Flame Demon Tribe exceeded five hundred li.
An army of one hundred twenty thousand setting out on campaign, for the Silver Alliance’s history, should still be the first time.
Even within this one million square kilometre area of the Black Demon Banner, it was also a rarely seen large-scale war.
The Southern Wilderness fought battles almost every day, but most were conflicts between tribe and tribe. A war like this between different races, within the Black Demon Banner area in the past hundred years, was still the first time.
The process of the one hundred twenty thousand great army’s march, that was truly mighty and ****, its momentum shaking the heavens.
Along the way, even powerful demonic beasts hid in caves one after another, shivering, not daring to appear.
Within several dozen li around the army, almost all birds and beasts did not dare appear, fearing they would encounter annihilation.
One hundred twenty thousand great troops spread across the road, a full ten li or more.
…
Twenty-ninth day. The Silver allied army was two hundred ninety li from the Flame Demon Tribe.
Thirtieth day. The Silver allied army was one hundred fifty li from the Flame Demon Tribe.
Thirty-first day. The Silver allied army was ten li from the Flame Demon Tribe.
On this day, Lanling had still not returned.
On this day, all subjects of the Flame Demon Tribe stopped working. The most elite troops put on armour. The next most elite troops put on leather armour.
The Flame Demon Tribe with a total population of fifty thousand had a full twenty thousand troops.
These twenty thousand troops all mounted the seven-li long city wall.
The remaining thirty thousand people also picked up crude weapons, behind the wall, preparing to fight.
All the giant crossbows were fully installed, wiped clean again and again, and every joint was coated with thick grease.
All the lime bombs, all the arrows, were already placed where they should be.
Countless fish oil bombs were already placed in underground warehouses filled with water.
Everyone was waiting for the battle to begin.
Everyone in the entire Flame Demon Tribe knew that Chieftain Lanling had gone to find reinforcements, and they were an incomparably powerful reinforcement.
But Suo Mo emphasized again and again, do not count on reinforcements. Everything depends on oneself, on the sharp blades in one’s own hands, on the giant crossbows, giant catapults, fish oil bombs, and lime bombs designed by Chieftain Lanling.
Suo Mo constantly emphasized the secret weapons invented and designed by Lanling, precisely to let everyone in the Flame Demon Tribe clearly feel that even though Lanling was not present at this time, he was still influencing the war.
Night fell.
Ten li away, the Silver Alliance’s one hundred twenty thousand great army rested and made camp.
Everyone knew that battle would erupt at dawn tomorrow.
…
Lanling still had not returned.
So, was Lanling truly unable to arrive in time?
No. On the fifteenth day, Lanling had already received the allegiance of the entire Xieli Tribe, and led his army north.
A distance of nearly five thousand li, for a half-horse legion, did not need ten days to reach.
Seven days ago, Lanling had already reached the eastern coast corresponding to the Flame Demon Tribe, and then hidden in that great earth fissure, waiting for the war to occur.
He was not doing this to stage a drama of the king returning at the final moment, but to temper the Flame Demon Tribe’s army.
Not every battle could rely on Lanling alone to fight. Like this, the army would never be able to advance, never be able to become strong.
In the previous great battle, Lanling used the Mirror Demon King’s spiritual trap to bury Constantine’s more than twenty thousand allied troops, completely one person deciding the victory.
That was forced by circumstances, because at that time the Flame Demon Tribe had only a mere one thousand troops, too weak and small.
Now, the Flame Demon Tribe had a full twenty thousand great army, and also a seven-li long wall, completely able to fight.
Only an army tempered by blood and fire would become strong.
There was another point. Lanling wanted to verify, in Southern Wilderness battles, how useful giant crossbows, giant catapults, fish oil bombs, and lime bombs actually were.
…
Thirty-second day. Lanling still had not returned.
The sky had just begun to brighten.
Everyone in the entire Flame Demon Tribe heard horns sounding not far away.
Then, the entire ground began to tremble slightly.
The Silver Alliance’s one hundred twenty thousand great army began to break camp. Their orderly treading shook the ground, and even separated by ten li, it could be heard.
At this time Suo Mo was still holding the little girl, meticulously braiding her small plaits for her.
The little girl curiously looked at the goat milk on the table, trembling rhythmically.
Dina looked up once.
“Do not rush, there is plenty of time.” Suo Mo said.
Then, he continued to braid the little girl’s plaits.
After the braids were done, the family unhurriedly finished breakfast.
Then, Suo Mo put on golden-thread soft armour, and covered it outside with a layer of steel armour.
Next, leaning on his precious sword, he patrolled every barracks behind the wall, every supply storage warehouse, every militia position.
Finally, he mounted the wall, inspecting every part of the city’s defences.
The clothing, armour, and bows of every squad of soldiers.
One hour later, the sun rose.
“Bang, bang, bang…”
The great sound of several hundred thousand troops stamping on the ground was already clearly audible.
Suddenly, in an instant…
The twenty thousand defenders on the wall suddenly opened their eyes wide, their breath catching.
The enemy’s one hundred twenty thousand allied army appeared.
One hundred twenty thousand great troops, like an incomparably huge monster, gradually revealed their ferocity.
Dark, dense troops appeared from the valley ahead, continuously drawing closer, closer.
Very quickly, they directly entered the Flame Demon Tribe’s territorial range, reaching the foot of Mirror Mountain.
There were no spiritual traps.
At the foot of the mountain, the Silver Alliance’s one hundred twenty thousand great army began to change formation, from columns to rows.
In siege battles, cavalry was useless, especially for a city on this hillside.
All cavalry dismounted.
One hundred twenty thousand great troops divided into twelve square formations, arranged in three rows of four.
Four formations horizontally, three formations vertically.
One hundred twenty thousand great troops formed a fan shape, pressing towards the Flame Demon Tribe’s city.
All the trees on the entire front of the Flame Demon Tribe had almost been completely felled. Added to that, fields were opened here, and earth was taken to build the wall, so the entire hillside had also been largely flattened.
However, like this, it was even more advantageous for the enemy’s march.
Horn sounds continuously rang out.
The Silver Alliance’s one hundred twenty thousand great troops marched following the horns, their ranks orderly, as if a single step.
“Bang, bang, bang…”
Throughout heaven and earth, it seemed as if there was only silence, only the footsteps of the one hundred twenty thousand great army.
All birds and beasts, all insects and ants, all hid in concealment, not daring to make any sound.
Twelve ten-thousand-man formations continuously drew closer, closer.
Distance from the wall: two thousand metres, one thousand metres, eight hundred metres.
“Halt.”
A great shout, and one hundred twenty thousand great troops halted in unison.
…
The twenty thousand Flame Demon Tribe defenders on the wall now completely saw the full array of the enemy’s one hundred twenty thousand troops.
Truly dark and dense, boundless.
Like black tidewater, completely about to submerge the entire Flame Demon Tribe.
How many times before had they imagined this kind of scene, but when it truly appeared, it was still so powerful it made one suffocate.
Of course, this scene aroused many people’s nightmare memories.
Several years ago, in the Northern Wilderness, in their homeland, the Modo Empire’s array was even more shocking, even more terrifying than this.
When the Modo Empire’s army arrived, it meant destruction, it meant death.
Throughout the Northern Wilderness, wherever the Modo Empire passed, not a blade of grass grew.
Today, would they repeat the same mistake? Would nightmare memories appear once again?
Several years ago, they luckily survived, fleeing their homeland.
Yet today, they decided, either victory or death. Having with difficulty once again possessed a homeland, they did not want to wander in exile again, to be homeless again.
This time, they would live and die together with the Flame Demon Tribe.
“At worst it is merely death.”
“Kill one and you break even, kill two and you profit.”
Thinking of this, it seemed all fear disappeared, replaced by incomparable heroism, incomparable solemn tragedy.
…
The Black Demon Banner Lord’s heir, the Rakshasa King’s son-in-law Nai Shu, languidly reclined on a huge throne, surrounded by five beauties.
This battle, of course, would hold no suspense, so he had come to view the scenery.
The scenery of destruction was the most beautiful.
The scenery of flames rushing to the sky was the most beautiful.
The scenery of massacre and ** was beautiful.
The Silver Alliance leader came below the throne, knelt on one knee, and said, “The great army is arrayed, please give the order, Prince-in-law.”
Nai Shu said, “A mere near-human tribe, there is still no need for my command. You handle it as you see fit, I am merely here to observe.”
“Yes.” The Silver Alliance leader said with a ferocious expression.
This group of base near-human mongrels from the Flame Demon Tribe, how dare they kill his son. He wanted revenge, to exterminate the entire Flame Demon Tribe completely.
“First, second, third, fourth formations, attack.” The Silver Alliance leader roared, and the command flag swung down.
Instantly, heaven-shaking war drums sounded.
“Charge, charge, charge.”
Chieftains Alfonso and Constantine led four formations of forty thousand great troops, charging madly towards the Flame Demon Tribe.
The previous charge battle was still vivid before their eyes.
The Flame Demon Tribe’s only lethal force was Lanling’s arrows, and the rolling logs on the wall, which had once brought huge casualties to their army.
But this time was different. This time the charge had a full forty thousand great troops.
No matter how formidable Lanling’s arrows were, how many could he shoot dead?
No matter how dense the rolling logs were, could they cover a seven-li battlefield?
As long as they charged onto the wall, it was victory.
“Charge, charge, charge…”
Forty thousand great troops, roaring and shouting, charged towards the Flame Demon Tribe’s wall like tidewater.
…
The Flame Demon Tribe defenders on the wall, hearing the ear-splitting war drums, clearly felt the entire ground violently trembling.
Suo Mo roared fiercely, “Steady, steady.”
The forty thousand great troops, seven hundred metres away.
“Giant crossbows, ready.”
“Giant catapults, ready.”
“All archers, ready.”
Suo Mo stood at the highest place, drew his great sword, and stared at the forty thousand charging enemy troops.
Drawing closer and closer.
Six hundred metres from the wall.
Five hundred metres from the wall.
“Giant crossbows, shoot.” Suo Mo gave the order.
“Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…”
Nearly two hundred giant crossbows suddenly shot out fierce arrows like a rainstorm.
Every crossbow shot out more than ten arrows.
Every arrow was a full two metres long, half an inch thick.
Three thousand giant arrows, carrying astonishing whistling sounds, shot towards the enemy’s forty thousand great army.
Constantine and Alfonso were startled to see this. Such thick, such large arrows, they could actually shoot this far?
They started shooting at a distance of four or five hundred metres?
After a brief moment, these three thousand giant arrows arrived instantly.
“Raise shields, raise shields.”
Constantine and Alfonso loudly gave the order.
“Pfft, pfft, pfft…”
The forty thousand great troops, spread across a seven-li battlefield, were already rather dense.
Three thousand giant arrows shot from a commanding height, carrying astonishing power, directly piercing through the army formation.
Instantly, blood splattered in all directions, miserable cries unceasing.
This round of giant crossbow attacks took away the lives of three or four hundred enemy troops.
A hit rate of one in ten was already not bad.
“Continue charging…”
After the rain of arrows, Constantine and Alfonso loudly gave the order.
The great army continued charging, leaving behind several hundred corpses.
Distance from the wall: four hundred metres, three hundred fifty metres.
“Giant catapults, fire.” Suo Mo roared.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…” More than fifty giant catapults fired simultaneously.
The first round of projectiles were all lime bombs.
Every lime bomb weighed a full four or five hundred jin.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…”
Several dozen huge lime bombs traced an arc through the air, smashing down towards the enemy’s forty thousand great army.
Constantine and Alfonso were shocked. What… what kind of weapon was this? It could actually hit this far?
“Dodge, dodge…”
“Boom boom boom boom…” Several dozen lime bombs smashed into the ground.
After all, there were only a mere several dozen. The probability of directly hitting the enemy and smashing them dead was very low, only killing a mere hundred or so people.
But…
Every lime bomb weighed a full four or five hundred jin. After smashing into the ground, they suddenly exploded open.
Instantly, countless quicklime powder exploded out several dozen metres.
After every lime bomb landed and exploded, the quicklime powder that splashed up covered a radius of a full twenty or thirty metres.
Instantly, across several hundred thousand square metres of ground, lime powder was everywhere, like a white sandstorm.
The enemy troops enveloped by the quicklime did not know what this thing was, still opening their eyes wide, wanting to find their comrades beside them.
The quicklime directly entered their eyes.
“Ah… ah… ah…”
Instantly, countless miserable howls rang out.
“My eyes cannot see, my eyes are blind…”
“It hurts so much, my eyes are blind…”
Countless Silver Alliance soldiers wailed like ghosts and howled like wolves, desperately rubbing their eyes, yet the more they rubbed the more it hurt, the less they could see.
The Flame Demon Tribe defenders on the wall were completely stunned.
They had not expected that the lime bomb’s power would be so great.
Now the enemy’s forty thousand charging great army was directly thrown into chaos.
Suo Mo hurriedly seized this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, ordering the soldiers to quickly prepare the second wave of catapult attacks.
A full seven minutes later.
The enemy’s forty thousand great troops were still in chaos, even though by now the lime storm had settled.
“Second round of catapults, fire.”
Suo Mo gave the order.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…”
The second round of catapults suddenly fired.
What was directly lobbed out were more than a thousand fish oil bombs.
Twenty fish oil bombs were bundled together, fired by one catapult.
In total, more than one thousand fish oil bombs. Every fish oil bomb contained more than twenty jin of fish oil.
“Bang bang bang bang…”
More than one thousand fish oil bombs suddenly smashed into the forty thousand enemy troops in chaos.
Countless enemy troops were splashed all over with oil, not knowing what this was, slippery and slick, and it actually even carried a fragrance.
At the same time, more than one hundred giant crossbows had already been loaded, and what they were loaded with were all fire arrows.
“Giant crossbow array, fire.”
More than three thousand fire arrows whistled as they shot towards the enemy.
Instantly igniting several tens of thousands of jin of fish oil.
“Boom…”
Fierce flames rose up.
Instantly, devouring countless enemy troops.
“Ah… ah… ah…”
Heaven-shaking, earth-shattering miserable howls rose and fell one after another.