Oliver Sheng’s expedition had two main objectives: to expand their territory and open up trade routes, and to slay the Hu Jie, thereby accumulating Kill Points.
Currently, Oliver’s Kill Points were nearly depleted.
To continue rapidly advancing his cultivation, he had no choice but to go on expeditions, attack the Foreign Tribes, and harvest Kill Points.
On the grasslands, flags fluttered in the wind, battle banners waved, and the sound of horse hooves thundered.
A massive army of 180,000 soldiers surged across the grasslands, advancing westward.
Zane Wang and the other scouts were already roaming near Zhangye, gathering intelligence on the Hu Jie occupying the highlands.
This Hu Jie force, occupying Zhangye, had established a Hu Kingdom, imitating the Thirty-Six Western Regions.
The leader of the Hu Kingdom, Amo Zhi, had proclaimed himself king.
In the palace, Amo Zhi was currently indulging with palace maids, surrounded by a scene of debauchery and excess, men and women cavorting in a primitive display.
Being a Foreign Tribe, they had adopted a chaotic lifestyle, neglecting governance and the welfare of the people, ruling through fear with their curved blades, and plundering the people’s resources.
The common people of Zhangye suffered immensely.
Zane Wang and his men quickly gathered the necessary information.
The Hu Jie of the highlands, or the Hu Kingdom, had two Great Grandmasters: one at the peak and one at the mid-stage.
They commanded an army of 300,000 armored soldiers, their weapons sharp, and had ravaged Zhangye for over a century.
The former nation of Zhangye had also been destroyed by this Hu Jie force.
“The information is clear. The main army should be on the move by now. Let’s go back and meet them!” Zane Wang led his scouts back.
The Hu Jie, accustomed to arrogance, had lax defenses and no scouts, completely unaware that the Wei army was approaching.
Zane Wang returned with the information just as the massive army arrived.
The vast battle flags fluttered like waves, and the army of thousands charged forward with overwhelming momentum.
On the grasslands, the iron cavalry surged like a terrifying tide, kicking up clouds of dust.
The iron-blooded army, swords aimed at Zhangye.
“Whoa!!”
The army halted upon encountering Zane Wang and his men.
Oliver Sheng, in a red robe and golden armor, exuded unmatched might and heroism.
He looked at Zane Wang and asked, “What have you found?”
“Your Highness, the intelligence is mostly clear. The Hu Jie occupying Zhangye have established a Hu Kingdom. Their strongest, Amo Zhi, is a peak Great Grandmaster and has proclaimed himself king, leading an army of 200,000.”
“The second strongest, Aguda, is a mid-stage Great Grandmaster, self-styled as King Yan, commanding 100,000 troops stationed at the River West grasslands border. There seems to be a split between them,” Zane Wang reported the basic situation.
“How far are we from the Zhangye border?” Oliver inquired.
“Your Highness, it’s over a hundred kilometers. At full speed, the army can reach it in two hours,” Zane Wang immediately replied.
Oliver nodded and then ordered the army to continue their rapid advance. He planned to first annihilate the 100,000 troops of the Hu Jie and then proceed further.
With Oliver’s command, the army continued to gallop across the grasslands.
At that moment, Aguda was drinking with his subordinates in the barracks, the atmosphere lively.
The Hu Jie army, with lax discipline, had many soldiers seeking entertainment, gambling, and drinking, completely unaware of any imminent danger.
To them, the Great Wei would never send troops against them; their enemies were the Huns and the Barbarians.
The Thirty-Six Western Regions to the west were weak individually and no match for them.
Moreover, the western front was guarded by King Amo Zhi with 200,000 troops, posing no significant threat.
Decades of comfort and indulgence had dulled their sense of danger.
“Drink up, everyone!” Aguda, holding a woman in his arms, raised his cup and drank heartily with his subordinates.
“Drink!”
His generals, also holding women, reveled in pleasure.
The women, held against their will, had eyes full of fear, helpless against the Hu Jie’s tyranny.
“Rumble!!”
The ground began to tremble slightly.
A faint rumbling sound, like an earthquake, reached their ears.
“What’s going on?”
“Is it an earthquake?”
The Hu Jie army paused.
“No, it sounds like the thunder of galloping horses,” a general remarked.
Aguda put down his cup, pushed the woman in his arms aside, and stood up.
His gaze turned eastward, sensing a terrifying momentum approaching from that direction.
The Hu Jie generals also stood up, looking eastward.
“Someone, come here!” Aguda shouted.
“At your command, King Yan!” A soldier hurried over.
“Go and find out what’s happening,” Aguda ordered immediately.
“Yes, sir!”
The soldier mounted his horse and, with a few others, rode eastward.
Oliver Sheng led the charge, and on the horizon, a dirt wall appeared. Beyond that wall lay Zhangye.
The scouts sent by Aguda saw the overwhelming cavalry charge and were filled with terror.
“Quick, return and report! There’s a massive enemy force!”
“We can’t escape.”
In the next moment, the sound of arrows whistling through the air was heard, and several arrows struck, killing them on the spot.
“Charge!!”
After shooting down the scouts, Oliver Sheng raised his spear and shouted.
“Wind!”
“Wind!”
“Great Wind!!”
The army’s roar shook the heavens, their momentum unstoppable.
Aguda, standing on the dirt wall, saw the vast, black mass of charging soldiers.
“Where did these enemies come from?”
“Prepare for battle, quickly prepare for battle, we’re under attack!” the generals behind Aguda shouted.
However, the Hu Jie soldiers couldn’t find their swords or horses, and some were drunk, lying on the ground.
“Defend, quickly defend.”
“Where are the warhorses? Bring the warhorses!”
The Hu Jie army descended into chaos, unable to form an organized defense.
“Swish!”
“Swish, swish!!”
As the River West army charged, they didn’t forget to draw their bows and shoot countless arrows, suppressing the Hu Jie army.
“Thud…”
Arrows rained down inside the dirt walls, on the walls, and within the city, felling Hu Jie soldiers.
The Hu Jie soldiers scrambled to avoid the arrows.
Seeing his army in disarray, veins bulged on Aguda’s forehead.
Was this still his army? Were these still Hu Jie warriors?
“Damn it, organize the troops, the enemy is upon us,” Aguda roared.
His generals hurried to gather the troops.
Oliver Sheng twirled his spear, then threw it, transforming it into a silver light that shot towards Aguda.
Standing on the dirt wall, Aguda saw a dazzling silver light.
Then, he and that section of the wall turned to ashes, disappearing into the air.
A large section of the dirt wall was blasted open by a single spear.
Seeing this, Oliver Sheng’s army charged ferociously into the city, slaughtering the Hu Jie soldiers.
The fierce army, like wolves and tigers, was unstoppable.
The army stormed into the city, and the Hu Jie soldiers had no chance to resist.
Calvin Yang, Qin Lin, and others joined the fray, continuously slaying the Hu Jie army’s Innate generals.
The Grandmasters among the Hu Jie army were quickly killed by Oliver Sheng, leaving them no choice but to retreat.
Soon, the 50,000-strong Hu Jie army was annihilated.
The smoke of war enveloped the dirt city.
After the battle, a trembling local elder blocked Oliver Sheng’s path.
“Are you the Great Wei Heavenly Army?”
Oliver Sheng, hearing the broken Great Wei language and looking at the old man, nodded.
“Greetings, Great Wei Heavenly General.” The man knelt down immediately.
“Rise, elder. What is this about?” Oliver Sheng lifted the old man with True Essence.
“We, the common people of Zhangye, have suffered under the Hu Jie for so long.” The old man burst into tears.
Oliver Sheng and his men exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of the situation.
“Please, Great Wei Heavenly Army, eradicate the Hu Jie and bring peace to Zhangye.” The old man tried to kneel again.
But Oliver Sheng stopped him.
“Heavenly General, there are still 50,000 Hu Jie soldiers in two other cities. We are willing to guide you.”
The oppressed natives of Zhangye saw Oliver Sheng’s army as their saviors.
“Calvin Yang, Qin Lin, each of you take 50,000 troops and eliminate those 50,000 Hu Jie,” Oliver Sheng immediately ordered.
“Yes, sir!”
The two led their troops, guided by the locals, to the other two cities.
“Everyone else, clean up the battlefield and set up camp,” Oliver Sheng ordered.
The army’s first battle in Zhangye was a resounding success, securing the gateway from River West to Zhangye.
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