Oliver Sheng was rigorously training his troops, preparing for the upcoming battle on the grasslands against the Foreign Tribe, aiming to accumulate Kill Points.
Facing the pressure of a formidable enemy, Oliver felt a heightened sense of urgency.
After Felix Wu organized five thousand light cavalry, Oliver was ready to head to the grasslands.
He called Wesley Hu over.
“General!”
Oliver looked at Wesley, who had reached the Great Perfection of the Postnatal Realm through relentless pill consumption and intense training.
“Not bad. Keep pushing yourself and strive to break through to the Prenatal Realm as soon as possible,” Oliver said.
“Yes, General. I swear on my life, I will break through to the Prenatal Realm within the next month,” Wesley replied solemnly.
“That’s the spirit. I plan to lead the troops to the grasslands tomorrow. You’ll be in charge of the barracks. Train the soldiers well, and if anything comes up, consult with Cameron Guo in the city,” Oliver instructed.
Wesley felt a pang of regret, realizing he wouldn’t be able to accompany the General on this expedition.
If only he had broken through to the Prenatal Realm sooner and organized the five thousand light cavalry, he would definitely be part of this campaign.
“Yes, General. I will train the troops diligently and ensure they are battle-ready as soon as possible,” Wesley promised.
Cameron Guo had already formed his unit, leading five thousand Wei Wu Troops with great prestige. Wesley looked forward to the day he could lead his own five thousand cavalry into battle.
Leaving the barracks under Wesley’s watch, Oliver assembled two thousand heavy cavalry, five thousand light cavalry, and three thousand auxiliary troops—a total of ten thousand soldiers and thirteen thousand warhorses. The next day, they set out for the grasslands.
“General Sheng, I wish you a swift victory and a safe return,” Magistrate Chen said, watching Oliver, who was clad in silver armor and a red cloak, holding a silver spear.
Oliver was determined to conquer the Foreign Tribe on the grasslands, and Magistrate Chen had no authority over military matters.
“Thank you for your kind words, Magistrate Chen!”
Oliver, riding a white horse, looked majestic and imposing.
“Victory to the General!”
“Victory to the General!”
Cameron Guo, Wesley Hu, and others shouted as they watched Oliver.
“Thank you all for your blessings!”
“Move out!” Oliver commanded, leading the army forward.
The grand army followed Oliver, their banners fluttering as they marched towards the grasslands.
Magistrate Chen, Cameron Guo, Wesley Hu, and Xiao Chuyi watched the departing troops, their eyes filled with hope for Oliver’s triumphant return.
After marching twenty miles, the army left the borders of River West County and stepped onto the grasslands.
In April, the grasslands were lush and green.
Apart from the occasional wild rabbit or wolf, there were no signs of human habitation.
These animals, sensing the military presence, fled in fear.
The border areas between the Barbarian, Huns, and Great Wei had few residents. The Barbarian and Huns lived deep within the grasslands, herding their livestock.
Fifty miles into the grasslands, Zane Wang received a secret message from Oliver and came with scouts to meet him.
Zane Wang and his scouts had been sent by Oliver to gather intelligence on the Barbarian and Xianyou Tribes.
“General!” Zane Wang rode up and saluted quickly.
“No need for formalities. Report the intelligence and maps you’ve gathered,” Oliver asked directly.
Since the Barbarian Tribe’s defeat, Oliver had sent Zane Wang and others deep into the grasslands to gather information.
“General, the Xianyou Tribe’s royal court is near the former River West County’s capital. We’ve mapped out the various Xianyou Tribe settlements, though we lost forty to fifty brothers,” Zane Wang reported.
“Good. We’ll start with the nearest settlement and avenge our fallen brothers.”
“The nearest settlement is seventy miles from here, with a population of over ten thousand. It’s a medium-sized tribe,” Zane Wang quickly informed.
“Lead the way!”
“All soldiers, prepare for a forced march. Move out!” Oliver’s voice reached every soldier.
Under Zane Wang’s lead, the army quickly advanced towards a Xianyou Tribe settlement.
When they were five miles from the settlement, Oliver ordered the heavy cavalry to change horses and armor.
“Heavy cavalry, change horses and armor, prepare for the charge!”
Two thousand heavy cavalry swiftly dismounted, donned their armor, and remounted, their movements practiced and efficient.
“Felix, split your unit into two, flank the heavy cavalry, and charge in a wedge formation,” Oliver commanded.
“Yes, General!”
Felix quickly divided his troops into two units, positioning them on either side of the heavy cavalry, ready to support the charge.
Once the heavy cavalry was ready, Chi Tiansheng held a heavy mace in one hand and the military flag in the other, while Wang Zhan followed Oliver, holding a sword in one hand and Oliver’s command flag in the other.
The command flag, with a black and gold border and the character “Sheng,” fluttered in the wind.
With the troops in formation, Oliver gave the order: “Charge!”
At his command, all the cavalry surged forward like arrows from a bow, raising clouds of dust and displaying an unstoppable momentum.
Three thousand auxiliary troops stayed behind to guard the horses and supplies.
The thunderous sound of hooves was like the beating of war drums, as the massive cavalry charge created an overwhelming presence.
The seasoned riders of the Dan Zhu Tribe immediately sensed something was wrong and rode forward to investigate, only to see the terrifying charge of the Wei cavalry.
“Not good, it’s the Wei cavalry!” The veteran rider of the Dan Zhu Tribe was shocked upon seeing the Wei military flag.
He quickly turned his horse and rushed back to the tribe.
With the enemy charging, he had to warn his people to prepare for defense.
“Enemy attack!”
“Enemy attack!”
The cry of enemy attack echoed through the Dan Zhu Tribe, as their warriors mounted their horses to face the threat.
But in their haste, the Dan Zhu Tribe couldn’t organize a large-scale cavalry defense.
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
The heavy cavalry, like an unstoppable steel torrent, crashed into the Dan Zhu Tribe’s riders with overwhelming force.
Wherever the heavy cavalry went, nothing could stand in their way, destroying everything in their path.
Oliver led the charge, with Chi Tiansheng and Wang Zhan following, their flags guiding the soldiers forward.
The thunderous charge of thousands of horses struck fear into the hearts of the Dan Zhu Tribe’s women, children, and elderly.
“Damn it, how dare they invade the grasslands! Those Wei Dogs have guts,” cursed Dan He, the leader of the Dan Zhu Tribe, as he led his warriors to confront Oliver.
They had no choice but to fight, as their families were there, and they had nowhere to run.
“Boom!”
Oliver’s spear cleaved through an incoming Prenatal expert, splitting him in two.
The leader of the Dan Zhu Tribe fell like an ordinary soldier, killed by Oliver.
The heavy cavalry charged through, destroying everything, while the light cavalry either shot down enemies or hunted down fleeing Dan Zhu Tribe riders.
It was a massacre. The Dan Zhu Tribe’s morale was shattered by the heavy cavalry, and Felix’s light cavalry continued to slaughter the fleeing enemies.
In less than half an hour, the Dan Zhu Tribe, with over ten thousand people, was annihilated.
All able-bodied men were killed, leaving only women, children, and the elderly. Even boys taller than a cartwheel were slaughtered.
The entire Dan Zhu Tribe was filled with blood and cries of despair.
Oliver ordered his men to take the best horses and livestock. The cattle and sheep were used as food for the march, and the warhorses carried supplies or served as mounts for the soldiers.
All grain and tents were burned on Oliver’s orders.
The surviving women, children, and elderly of the Dan Zhu Tribe would either starve or seek refuge with other tribes, adding to their burden.
If not for the need for a swift campaign, Oliver would have captured the Dan Zhu Tribe’s women and sold them as slaves to the bachelors of River West County, contributing to the population growth.
After ravaging the Dan Zhu Tribe, Oliver’s forces didn’t linger and disappeared into the vast grasslands.
His goals for this campaign were to train his troops, seize the Barbarian’s fine warhorses, and accumulate Kill Points to quickly enhance his cultivation.
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