bayedsolid Chapter 1974 An unexpected encounter
Chapter 1974 An unexpected encounter
Upon hearing Zhang Xun's words, Helian Wujiu's leopard-like eyes widened, revealing a cruel yet excited smile:
"Brilliant! That scoundrel Xue Huaide, seeing Wang Zhongsi's defeat, will surely think he has an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and will send troops out of the camp to pursue him, hoping to expand his gains!"
"Exactly!"
Zhang Xun slammed his fist on the map: "As long as the Chu army is lured out of their tortoise shell, away from their fortified camps and advantageous terrain, and into this open area..."
Helian Wujiu interjected, his voice filled with bloodlust: "That will be the time for my Golden Scorpion Cavalry to unleash their power!"
"I will personally lead my men to cut off their retreat from the flank! General Zhang, you lead the infantry to press forward from the front!"
"General Wang Zhongsi, lead your troops back to attack! With a three-pronged attack, we will surely be able to completely surround and wipe out this Chu army that has left the camp!"
He seemed to already see the Chu army wailing under their iron hooves, and he licked his lips excitedly.
Zhang Xun nodded: "If we can annihilate their main force that has left the camp, the morale of the Chu army at Luoxia Mountain will surely be greatly damaged and their strength will be drastically reduced."
"At that time, our army will join forces again and launch a strong attack on their main camp, which will surely allow us to take it in one fell swoop!"
With the plan settled, the two no longer hesitated.
A skilled scorpion scout familiar with the routes was chosen.
Carrying secret letters from Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun, he took advantage of the morning mist to leave the camp silently like a ghost, speeding towards Wang Zhongsi's troops.
Inside the camp, the exhausted soldiers, after a hearty meal, drifted off to sleep, seizing the time to recover their strength.
Meanwhile, Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun stood outside the tent, gazing in the direction of Luoxia Mountain, their eyes filled with anticipation for the hunt the next day.
A meticulously planned trap has been laid, waiting for its prey to step into it.
It was the twelfth lunar month, and the north wind was as fierce as a knife, howling across the open fields, stirring up withered grass and dust, making a whistling sound.
The night was as dark as ink, with only a few cold stars on the horizon casting a faint light that barely outlined the shape of the earth.
In a grove of withered trees about five miles from Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun's temporary camp, all was silent except for the sound of the wind.
However, hidden in this seemingly lifeless darkness are more than a dozen pairs of eyes as sharp as eagles.
Dressed in dark night clothes that blended seamlessly with the darkness, their faces painted with greasepaint, they stood motionless like rocks, even their breathing was extremely low. They were the most elite scouts of the Vermilion Bird Legion—"Night Owls".
The team in charge is codenamed "Shadow of the Owls," and possesses hound-like intuition and extensive experience in reconnaissance behind enemy lines.
They were originally ordered to scout ahead for the main force of the army to ensure their safe march, but unexpectedly, in this area far from the main battlefield, they sensed something unusual.
The distinctive smell left behind by a large number of troops stationed there, and the faint sounds and lights in the distance that were deliberately suppressed but still could not be completely concealed.
"Squad leader, look over there!"
A sharp-eyed scout lowered his voice and pointed to a sheltered depression in the distance.
Through the gaps in the sparse trees, one could vaguely see a large number of blurry black shadows, as well as a few faint campfire lights that were strictly controlled and almost completely obscured by the tents.
If they weren't so experienced, they would hardly have noticed.
Xiao Ying felt a chill run down his spine and immediately made a hand gesture. The entire group moved forward silently, like raccoons.
As they drew closer, the outline of a large, heavily guarded temporary camp gradually became clear in the night.
Although the other side also sent out patrols, the "Night Owls," with their superb stealth skills, bypassed the visible sentries and hidden checkpoints like shadows, getting close enough to observe the enemy.
When they saw the general situation inside the camp, they all gasped in shock!
The camp was set up according to the terrain, complete with trenches and fences, and patrol teams came and went.
Even in the extremely dim light, one could discern that there were a great many soldiers in the camp; a rough estimate suggested that there were no fewer than forty thousand!
What alarmed them even more was that they saw two completely different outfits and camp layouts.
Around one of the tents were burly cavalrymen, their leather armor adorned with metal plates, their warhorses tethered to the side. Their distinctive scorpion-shaped totem clearly marked them as the Golden Scorpion Tribe, the most elite of the Scorpion Clan!
The other camp was arranged in a relatively neat manner. Although the flags were not very clear, the standard tents and equipment were clearly those of the Tang Dynasty army!
"The Golden Scorpion Tribe? The Tang Army? What are they doing here? And so many of them?"
A young scout nearly lost his voice, silenced by the stern look in Xiaoying's eyes.
A storm raged within Xiao Ying's heart. According to the intelligence they possessed, the main force of the Golden Scorpion Tribe and the Tang army under Li Jing should be confronting His Majesty outside Zhennan Pass at this moment!
The 40,000-strong army appeared unnoticed fifty miles behind Luoxia Mountain, and their intentions were self-evident—they were definitely heading towards General Xue Huaide's troops at Luoxia Mountain!
This was an extremely insidious flanking maneuver!
"The situation has changed; a tremendous discovery has been made!"
Xiao Ying whispered to his key members, "Group A, you are responsible for finding out the exact number and equipment of the Tang army on the east side."
"Group B, Scorpion Clan cavalry on the west side, estimate the number of horses and troops."
"Group C, follow me, check the location of the central command and the supply and provisions!"
"Remember, observe but do nothing. Do not alert them! Meet here in one hour!"
The order was conveyed silently, and a dozen dark figures, like drops of water merging into the sea, once again disappeared into the darkness.
They peered more closely into the vast, sleeping camp from different angles.
An hour passed slowly in tense and dangerous coverts.
The scouts returned to the rendezvous point one after another, bringing more accurate intelligence: the Tang army numbered about 10,000, mainly infantry, with a small number of siege weapons.
The Golden Scorpion Cavalry of the Scorpion Clan numbered approximately 30,000. Their warhorses appeared somewhat fatigued, but their equipment was excellent.
The camp was heavily guarded, but the soldiers seemed exhausted from the long march, and the sentries were somewhat lax. The flags of the Scorpion Clan and Tang generals could be faintly seen in the center of the camp.
After rapidly integrating all the information in his mind, Xiao Ying no longer hesitated and decisively gave the order:
"Evacuate immediately and report to the Imperial Concubine as quickly as possible!"
Just as they had arrived, more than a dozen figures vanished silently into the night and the cold wind, leaving no trace.
After another hour of all-out running, the scout team finally caught up with a main road ten miles away.
In stark contrast to the previous deathly silence, this place was brightly lit, with a long, winding dragon made up of countless torches surging forward silently and swiftly!
Banners fluttered, and black armor gleamed in the sun—this was the main force of the 100,000-strong Vermilion Bird Legion!
The scouts passed directly through the marching troops, heading straight for the tallest banner in the center, embroidered with a fiery red phoenix.
Beneath the commander's banner, a female general sits regally atop a magnificent warhorse.