bayedsolid Chapter 2093 Desperate situation!
Chapter 2093 Desperate situation!
The Tang cavalry retreated a distance like a tide, regrouped, and a brief, breathless silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by the agonizing cries of the wounded and the mournful neighing of their warhorses.
Ma Dai stopped in front of the battle formation, panting heavily, sweat mixed with blood sliding down his cheeks.
He looked at the Tang army that had temporarily retreated, and then at the soldiers behind him who were equally exhausted but still gripped their weapons tightly with stubborn eyes. A complex emotion welled up in his heart.
There was the sorrow after a fierce battle, the relief of withstanding a strong attack, and a deep expectation for unknown reinforcements.
He held on for an hour.
But what about the next hour?
When will reinforcements arrive?
Li Jing's main infantry force has not yet been truly engaged in battle.
The real test may have only just begun.
The brief and precious 35-minute rest seemed so luxurious on the bloody battlefield, yet it was fleeting.
Both sides used this rare opportunity to lick their wounds and regroup.
The Chu cavalry seized the time to gather the wounded, replenish their arrows, and water their horses. The soldiers leaned against their horses or sat on the ground, making the most of every second to recover their strength. The bandages on many of their bodies were soaked through with blood again.
The Tang army was also reorganizing its ranks and evacuating the wounded. Yuchi Bo listened to the casualty reports with a grim face and tried to reorganize the somewhat disordered cavalry.
However, everyone knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
At the central command post, Li Jing's expression was even more grave than before.
The passage of time meant enormous risks for him.
Ma Dai's tenacity far exceeded expectations; an hour-long cavalry assault failed to break him, which intensified Ma Dai's unease.
Chu reinforcements could appear at any moment from any direction, and once they were encircled, his exhausted army would be doomed.
Can't wait any longer!
We must eliminate this stumbling block at all costs!
Li Jing's gaze swept over his own massive army formation, and he finally made a decision.
He summoned Yuchi Bo, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable killing intent:
"General Yuchi, the rest is over. Although the Chu army is exhausted, they will fight like cornered beasts. If we delay any longer, something unexpected may happen."
He pointed to the Chu army's defensive formation ahead, which, though dilapidated, still stood: "My mind is made up. Launch a general offensive."
"You will lead all the cavalry and launch a frontal assault, sparing no expense, to break through their defenses and disrupt their formation!"
Then, he turned to the infantry commander waiting beside him, his gaze sharp:
"I will personally lead 5,000 elite infantrymen from the central army to launch an attack from the right flank of the Chu army's defensive formation!"
"The infantry advance in formation, their spears like a forest, their crossbows covering the battlefield, and together with the cavalry's frontal pressure, they crush them in one fell swoop!"
This is a typical tactic combining infantry and cavalry coordination, frontal suppression, and flanking attacks, which fully utilizes the advantage of the team's superior strength.
What Li Jing wanted was a thunderous strike, to completely destroy Ma Dai's stubborn enemy's fighting will and defense system!
"I will obey your orders!"
Yuchi Bo and the infantry generals accepted the order in unison, their eyes rekindling with fighting spirit.
"W-W-W-W-!"
The deep and powerful bugle call to attack, once again like the sigh of death, resounded across the entire wilderness, longer and more chilling than ever before!
This bugle call heralded the start of the final offensive!
"Soldiers of the Tang Dynasty! Follow me and kill—!"
Yuchi Bo mounted his horse, raised his spear high, and let out a desperate roar.
More than four thousand Tang cavalrymen regrouped, like a long-awaited black storm, carrying an even more ferocious momentum than before.
They launched a massive, overwhelming charge against the Chu army's already riddled, arc-shaped defensive formation!
This time, they held nothing back, pushing their engines to the limit, and the soldiers roared like wild beasts, determined to crush the enemy lines in one fell swoop!
Almost at the same time, Li Jingshuai moved the flag!
He personally donned his armor and, surrounded by his personal guards, stood before the infantry formation.
Five thousand elite Tang infantrymen, in neat and imposing formations, with spears pointing skyward like a forest and large shields stacked upon each other like a moving steel wall, began to press towards the right flank of the Chu army's defensive formation!
Their steps were heavy and uniform, the sound of their footsteps like muffled thunder, each step bringing immense psychological pressure to the Chu army.
A cavalry frenzy on the front, and an iron wall of infantry on the flanks!
A true dead end has arrived!
When Ma Dai saw the Tang army's all-out offensive from the center of the formation, his heart sank to the bottom.
His worst fears came true!
Li Jing held nothing back and used all his strength to swallow his five thousand men whole!
"All troops, listen to my command! Shrink your formation! Change to a circular formation!"
Ma Dai roared angrily; this was the standard formation for defending against cavalry charges and dealing with pressure from multiple directions.
While it sacrifices mobility, it maximizes the protection of the core.
The Chu soldiers fought valiantly to obey orders, but after continuous fierce fighting, their strength and reflexes were greatly diminished, making formation changes slow and difficult. Before they could even fully form a stable circular formation—
"Boom——!"
Yuchi Bo's cavalry torrent has already crashed into us!
This impact is more intense than any before!
The Chu army's front-line lancers were thrown to the ground by the enormous impact, and several gaps were torn in the defensive line!
The Tang cavalry surged in like a flood bursting its banks, engaging in fierce battles with the Chu archers and cavalry and reserves in the inner circle!
On the flank, Li Jing's infantry phalanx also closed in to within range of the arrows.
"Release the arrows!" Li Jing ordered coldly.
In an instant, thousands of arrows rose into the air from the Tang army's infantry formation, like a dark cloud, covering the right side of the Chu army's circular formation!
The Chu soldiers hurriedly raised their shields to block, but with such a dense barrage of arrows, many were still hit and fell to the ground, and the right side of the circular formation was thrown into chaos.
"Pikemen, advance! Shieldbearers, cover!" Li Jing ordered again.
The Tang infantry began to accelerate, like steel hedgehogs, crushing towards the chaotic right flank of the Chu army!
Spears peeked out from the gaps in the shields, gleaming with a deathly cold light.
The front was filled with the frenzied hacking and slashing of cavalry, while the flanks were filled with the relentless advance of infantry squares and a barrage of arrows!
The Chu army was immediately caught in a desperate situation, besieged on two fronts and unable to attend to both!
Ma Dai's eyes were bloodshot as he brandished his long sword, charging left and right through the chaotic army, rushing to wherever danger lurked.
He cut down several Tang cavalrymen who had charged in, shouting loudly to boost morale:
"Hold on! Don't panic! Form ranks! Back to back!"
However, under the overwhelming numerical advantage and multi-dimensional offensive, individual bravery seems so pale.
The Chu army's circular formation was constantly compressed, and casualties increased sharply.
With the defensive line breached in several places, Tang cavalry and infantry began to infiltrate the enemy ranks, dividing the Chu army into small groups that fought independently.