Three days ago, Zhiwei had suffered a disastrous defeat, vomiting blood and collapsing. Upon waking, he immediately decided to hold his position and continue besieging the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line, tying down Sauron’s main force.
After three days of recuperation, he had already been able to get up and walk.
Tonight, he was once again struck by catastrophic news, and twice at that.
First, all bridges behind him on the Tianshui River had been destroyed, the river guarding army annihilated, and his great army’s retreat cut off.
Then, his great army’s grain and fodder had been burned to nothing by Sauron’s griffin air raids.
Stimulated by these two pieces of bad news, Zhiwei could no longer endure, vomiting another mouthful of blood and collapsing again!
Actually, the burning of the grain and fodder stores was serious if one said it was serious, but not too serious if one said it was not.
Although these past few days Duke Zhiwei’s health had not recovered and his energy was lacking, he still had many elite civil officials and military officers under his command. They had anticipated and war gamed the possibility of grain and fodder being burned, so they had already separated out a portion of the grain and fodder and distributed it to the various army camps.
Moreover, they had dispatched several thousand soldiers to dig underground pits and hide grain and fodder within them.
So, although most of the grain and fodder was burned, after all the army now only had slightly more than sixty thousand remaining. The separated out grain and fodder was also barely enough for about ten days, sufficient to last until Tu Lingtuo’s great army arrived.
These elites had been able to first separate and store the grain and fodder, ensuring the great army would not go hungry. But they could not fathom the human heart, unable to predict how enormously damaging the burning of grain and fodder would be to the great army’s morale.
That night, after learning the news that their retreat was cut and grain and fodder burned, Zhiwei’s great army was in a state of panic, with rumours spreading increasingly wildly.
Even small scale mutinies appeared, with one army of several thousand disregarding their superiors’ orders and forcibly attempting to cross the river to flee.
Of course, this small mutiny was ultimately suppressed by experienced officers. This army had after all been led by Zhiwei for many years, and was still united in heart, not causing serious consequences.
But no matter how the middle and high level officers comforted and refuted rumours saying the grain and fodder was sufficient, the surviving sixty thousand great army was still in complete disarray, their morale fallen to the extreme.
…
The day after Zhiwei’s great army’s grain and fodder was burned.
At this time Duke Tu Lingtuo’s two hundred thousand great army was still one thousand four hundred li from Tianshui City, approximately eleven days from arriving.
Night had deepened, and Zhiwei’s sixty thousand great army was in the midst of sleep.
Several dozen dragon archers stared fixedly at the sky. Several thousand soldiers patrolled everywhere, filled with absolute vigilance.
And just at this moment!
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…”
Sauron’s griffin air raids came once again!
This time it was no longer four or five, but fourteen!
Because several days ago, Sauron had sent a flying kite secret letter to Gao Yin requesting more griffin beasts.
Today, the ten griffin beasts Gao Yin supported had flown to the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line.
The entire Nu Lang Kingdom only had about twenty some griffins, and now he had called for more than half of them.
So, this wave of air raids on Zhiwei’s great camp had fully fourteen griffins.
“Again dropping gunpowder packs from the sky!”
Zhiwei’s great army’s several dozen dragon archers were going mad. They were very formidable, able to hit targets several hundred to a thousand metres away.
But this was night, so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face. And shooting upwards towards the sky, because of gravity, at most four hundred metres the momentum would be exhausted, the arrows shot out completely without power.
These damned griffins were flying at four to five hundred metres height.
At this height conducting dropping air raids, the griffin riders also did not expect to hit anything, just randomly throwing gunpowder packs.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…”
Zhiwei’s sixty thousand great army’s military camp was exploding everywhere, one after another, the heavens shaking and earth moving.
Everywhere was in chaos.
And, most fatally, these griffins specifically chose to bomb the cavalry great camp.
Originally Zhiwei’s one hundred fifty thousand great army had twenty thousand cavalry.
After the great battle several days ago, only slightly more than sixty thousand great army remained, but the twenty thousand cavalry were nearly unscathed, the greatest fighting strength of Zhiwei’s great army.
The twenty thousand cavalry’s great camp spanned several li. Two to three thousand war horses gathered together, completely not requiring aiming, just directly dropping gunpowder packs down.
War horses had the smallest courage. After waves of bombing, several thousand to tens of thousands of war horses were frightened and ran madly.
Tens of thousands of war horses frightened, what a shocking momentum. Like surging tides and crashing waves, madly charging and colliding.
The entire Zhiwei great camp was smashed into a complete mess.
Who knew how many soldiers died beneath the war horses’ hooves.
The sixty thousand great army was sleepless through the night, desperately avoiding the frightened, randomly running war horses. And moreover having to be constantly on tenterhooks, fearing that if their luck was bad, a gunpowder pack would explode beside them and they would die instantly.
This bombing lasted a full four hours, only stopping around dawn.
And several tens of thousands of cavalry spent several hours before they could suppress the frightened war horses back into camp and pacify them.
…
Early the next morning, the awakened Zhiwei held discussions on how to deal with Sauron’s night time air raid harassment.
The great army’s deputy commander said, “Your Grace, last night Sauron’s air raids caused direct casualties of about six hundred plus people. But, soldiers trampled to death by war horses exceeded three thousand, and nearly two thousand war horses were lost!”
Hearing these losses, Duke Zhiwei’s heart ached with convulsions.
Zhiwei furrowed his brow and said, “Tonight, Sauron will certainly launch air raids again. How should we deal with this situation? If tens of thousands of war horses are frightened again, the entire great camp will be destroyed once more.”
The officers below were silent for a moment.
Then, Zhi You said, “Father, could we do as with the grain and fodder, and disperse the cavalry to various camps? Our entire great camp spans several dozen li. If Sauron raids again, even if war horses are frightened the scale will be much smaller.”
Instantly a commander of ten thousand cavalry said, “Absolutely not, cavalry must be in scale to exert power. If the cavalry are dispersed to various camps, in case Sauron comes out of the city to open battle, our twenty thousand cavalry simply cannot assemble in time, the consequences would be unthinkable!”
Zhi You said, “If we do not do this, after successive nights of air raids with war horses frightened, by then how many cavalry will we still have, how much fighting strength will remain?”
At these words, the commander of ten thousand cavalry was speechless.
War horses were a very delicate thing. Successive frights, several days and nights without eating or sleeping well, basically their fighting strength would be ruined.
And last night tens of thousands of war horses were frightened, charging and trampling, trampling several thousand soldiers to death and losing two thousand war horses.
A few more such war horse camp panics, at most four to five days later, these more than twenty thousand war horses would all be ruined.
Zhiwei hated so much his teeth itched. Because griffins were too few in number, they were completely flashy but impractical things, no one would truly use them on the battlefield, so they were more just the king’s honour guard.
But he had not expected that Sauron’s Heaven Shaking Thunder combined with griffins would exert such enormous power.
And even more damned was that the Nu Lang Kingdom’s twenty some griffins were completely controlled by King Zhibian, Zhi Li did not have a single one.
At this time, if Zhiwei even had four to five griffins, Sauron would not dare be so arrogant, each air raid entering like no man’s land.
He had the intention to send a message to Zhi Li, to have him think of a way to get several griffins, but thinking about it he gave up, destroying the Sauron clan. Because Zhi Li would either borrow from the Hidden Continent or from the Yan Empire. By the time Zhi Li got griffins, Tu Lingtuo’s great army would have long since arrived at Tianshui City.
Of course, he could also borrow from the Dragon God Temple. But the entire Zhidu Dragon God Temple only had two to three griffins. If they were lost by Zhiwei on the battlefield, the consequences would be severe!
Taking a deep breath, Duke Zhiwei ordered, “Do as Zhi You suggested, disperse the more than twenty thousand cavalry to six or seven camps. This way even if war horses panic, it will not cause such great consequences. And every night, cavalry must guard their war horses while they sleep, covering the war horses’ ears, constantly pacifying them.”
“By your command!” the two commanders of ten thousand cavalry said.
Although dispersing twenty thousand cavalry to various camps was a harmful method, there was no other way, choosing the lesser of two harms.
For the rest of the day, Zhiwei’s great camp was again in turmoil, with twenty thousand cavalry and nearly thirty thousand war horses beginning to disperse to various camps.
Originally twenty thousand cavalry formed a single fist, now like sprinkling pepper, a bit here, a bit there. Dispersed across several dozen square kilometres of camp.
Only after with great difficulty completing the dispersal of cavalry to various camps was it already dark!
…
After night fell!
The Zhiwei great army that had been in turmoil for a day and night entered dreamland.
As expected, Sauron’s air raids came again!
However, this time only five griffins came!
“Boom boom boom…”
Endless bombing.
Sometimes what was dropped were gunpowder packs, sometimes what was dropped were fire oil barrels.
Dispersing cavalry to various camps was indeed effective, no longer appearing large scale war horse fright and camp panic situations.
At most several hundred to a thousand war horses were frightened and ran randomly, also relatively easy to control.
But, Zhiwei’s great army wanting to sleep was impossible, the explosions rising one after another, completely impossible to fall asleep.
Of course, if it was merely noisy that would still be manageable, just directly stuffing cotton in the ears. The key was the explosions shaking heaven and earth, no one knew whether the next second Heaven Shaking Thunder would explode above their heads.
Falling asleep and then being annihilated, pulverised into pieces.
Under this fear, even the most heartless person could not sleep.
And moreover, Sauron became even more despicable!
This air raid bombing, once it started, never ended.
Fourteen griffins, divided into three batches, each batch bombing for four hours.
Twenty four hours a day, without cease bombing!
Of course, this also had a great impact on his own soldiers within the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line. So, Sauron’s great army’s twenty five thousand cavalry had already withdrawn more than several dozen li away.
And the defending soldiers within the castle stuffed cotton in their ears to sleep every night.
Fortunately the explosions were several li from the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line, and there was no worry that Heaven Shaking Thunder would fall on their heads. Although they would have insomnia, it was not to the point of being unable to sleep.
But Zhiwei’s sixty thousand great army was miserable, twenty four hours a day, fundamentally without time to sleep.
Sauron’s fourteen griffins, in batches, bombing and harassing without cease twenty four hours a day.
This made Zhiwei’s great army completely live like years, as if in hell.
Duke Zhiwei could no longer easily rise from his **, his entire person having lost a large circle of weight. His originally black hair had already turned white in clumps.
…
Three days and three nights!
Sauron’s air raid bombing lasted a full three days and three nights. The fourteen griffins, even though fed with the finest beef every day, had also lost a large circle of weight!
And Duke Zhiwei’s sixty thousand great army was truly completely as if in hell.
Three days and three nights without peaceful sleep, nearly every person had dark circles under their eyes and was emaciated.
At this time there was no longer need to worry about lacking grain and fodder, because several thousand war horses had died, there was more meat than they could eat.
But several days and nights without sleep, they fundamentally could not eat anything. Soldiers on patrol and guard duty felt their heads constantly dizzy, their legs constantly weak and trembling, constantly breaking out in cold sweats all over, unable to grip their weapons.
Not only this, but many soldiers began to flee!
They could no longer endure such torture, either directly jumping into the Tianshui River intending to swim across to flee.
But on the other bank of the river was Yan Yan’s eight thousand great army.
These soldiers either drowned in the river, or before even reaching the shore were shot dead by random arrows.
Since they could not flee across the river, they fled towards the mountains on both sides.
At first it was several dozen to several hundred fleeing, later more and more people fled.
Duke Zhiwei’s hair had turned white by a small half, in a state between semi coma and semi wakefulness, often suddenly sitting up and saying, “How much time has passed? How much longer until Tu Lingtuo arrives?”
Sometimes, clearly less than half a hour had passed, yet he felt a day should have already gone by.
Regarding the matter of soldiers beginning to flee, he was ruthless in his killing intent, dispatching trusted warriors to guard the various mountain passes, immediately beheading any deserter discovered.
And his mouth constantly muttered, endure a few more days, endure a few more days, Tu Lingtuo’s great army is about to arrive!
In the middle, Duke Zhiwei sent a flying kite transmission to Baiyun County, having the county city dispatch troops to attack Yan Yan’s army on the opposite bank of the river.
Baiyun County also obeyed, immediately assembling two to three thousand people.
But, this time Duke Zhiwei had assembled one hundred fifty thousand great army, already completely wrung dry the entire Southeast Province’s battle troops. What remained were all second line troops of inferior quality.
Baiyun County’s these two to three thousand people, in less than half an hour, were completely annihilated by Yan Yan’s one thousand cavalry, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves, fleeing in all directions.
…
Sauron’s shameless bombing had already entered its fourth day!
At this time, Tu Lingtuo’s two hundred thousand great army was still more than eight hundred li from Sky Wolf Pass, about six days from arriving!
Duke Zhiwei constantly thought of the time, six days, six days, six days!
Only endure six more days, and this hellish life would end!
But, as time passed, Duke Zhiwei’s heart grew increasingly cold, that uneasy despair spreading throughout his body.
What he now most regretted was no longer hastily attacking the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line, but rather regretting why after defeat he had not retreated to Baiyun County city.
That way, although he would have been thoroughly defeated, at least he would not have died.
When even his life could not be preserved, what was the point of being enfeoffed as king? Truly blinded by greed, why had he decided at that time to hold his position and continue besieging the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line?
He had completely forced himself into a dead end!
Although he still had more than fifty thousand great army in hand, these more than fifty thousand great army had not slept for several days and nights, even standing still they trembled, where would they find strength to fight?
…
The latter half of the fourth day of bombing!
Suddenly, Sauron dispatched all fourteen griffins, and once again deployed four to five hundred jin giant gunpowder packs.
And, this time no longer penetrating deep into Zhiwei’s great camp, but bombing the outer edges of the great camp.
Bombing the great camp’s wooden walls, fences, trenches, horse barriers and other fortifications in a frenzy!
This bombing lasted three hours. Dropping nearly one hundred thousand jin of gunpowder, then dropping nearly one hundred thousand jin of fire oil.
After dawn, the bombing stopped!
Looking again at Zhiwei’s great camp’s defensive fortifications, completely annihilated, a flat plain.
Everyone knew, the final decisive battle had arrived!
Because, the continuous bombing had stopped.
These four days and four nights, explosions had continuously sounded, and now finally it was completely quiet!
Zhiwei fell into complete unease, he knew Sauron was about to put the final noose around his neck.
This was the final quiet before death!
“Great army assemble, cavalry assemble…” Zhiwei loudly ordered!
Sauron’s final attack was coming, the final strangling was coming!
But…
The entire camp was littered with countless soldiers lying asleep, impossible to wake no matter how they were called!
Having not slept for several days and nights, this rare silence, once asleep, even the Heavenly King himself could not wake them!
Officers punched and kicked, desperately awakening sleeping soldiers.
…
And at the same time!
Within the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line, Sauron’s side’s twenty five thousand cavalry that had rested for nearly ten days were conducting final assembly.
Among them, twenty thousand cavalry from Ranran City, five thousand cavalry from Tianshui City!
These days, these more than twenty thousand cavalry had withdrawn ten to twenty li to the rear, not disturbed by the explosions, recuperating until both men and horses were fat and strong, their battle lust already hungering and thirsting, like starving fierce beasts about to be released from their cage to bite.
Sauron stood at the highest place of the castle, gazing at the boundless, densely packed, fierce cavalry!
“Rumble rumble rumble…”
Several dozen strongmen simultaneously turned the winches.
The never before opened Wind Thunder Fortress defence line gates were slowly opened.
Gates fully more than two chi thick, wrapped in thick iron sheets, weighing ten thousand jin.
Such giant gates, fully two sets, one outside, one inside!
The two giant gates were opened, like a demon opening its mouth!
“Advance, completely annihilate Zhiwei’s great army, behead Zhiwei!” Sauron roared!
Heaven shaking war drums sounded!
Twenty five thousand cavalry, like a tidal wave, charged out from the Wind Thunder Fortress defence line, charging towards Zhiwei’s great camp to kill.
“Boom boom boom boom…”
Twenty five thousand cavalry charging Zhiwei’s fifty thousand great army, yet like surging tides and crashing waves, like tigers released from their cage!
Conducting the final strangling of Zhiwei!