kingnovel Chapter 2063 Fierce and Valiant!
Chapter 2063 Fierce and Valiant!
Spearmen charged forward, swordsmen and shieldmen provided flank cover, and archers and crossbowmen waited in the center to fire arrows. The entire army formation resembled a giant, spiked iron weight, stubbornly resisting wave after wave of Chu army attacks.
A Tang army captain, his abdomen pierced by a Chu army spear, roared and used his last strength to hold onto the spear shaft, creating an opportunity for his comrade beside him to kill the enemy.
He eventually died from exhaustion, his eyes wide open.
In another location, seven or eight Tang soldiers were surrounded by dozens of Chu soldiers. They stood with their backs against a huge rock, fighting to the death.
Until the last man fell, there were more than ten corpses of Chu soldiers lying at his feet.
The Tang army's ferocity bordered on madness.
They seemed to have completely forgotten about life and death, with only one thought in their minds—to hold off the Chu army and buy time for the marshal!
The battle was exceptionally fierce, and Falling Eagle Gorge became a veritable slaughterhouse.
The blood stained the soil red, gathering into trickles that flowed into the nearby mountain stream.
Although the Chu army had a numerical advantage, it made its advance extremely difficult due to the Tang army's suicidal tactics, and every step forward came at a considerable cost.
Feng Anguo frowned; he hadn't expected this rearguard to be so difficult to deal with.
Time is passing by little by little, and Li Jing is also drifting further and further away.
Anxious, he ordered reinforcements again, attempting to crush this tough nut to crack with overwhelming force.
Amidst the chaos of battle, Su Fang had already sustained several wounds, his battle robe soaked in blood.
But he fought on to the death, wielding his iron spear like a windmill, firmly anchored at the forefront of the battle line.
He knew that every moment he held on would make the commander-in-chief safer.
With his own life and the blood of his three thousand warriors, he built a final, tragic line of defense for the Tang Dynasty's banner at Luoying Gorge.
Night completely enveloped the earth, with only the torchlight illuminating the fierce yet resolute faces.
The sounds of clashing weapons, dying cries, and generals' roars echoed repeatedly and endlessly in this narrow mountain ravine.
This bloody battle of pursuit and interception has entered its most intense phase.
With astonishing courage and a spirit of sacrifice, the Tang army proved their strength and indomitable will to both the enemy and fate.
The night was as dark as ink, with only the flickering torches on the battlefield, the sparks flying from clashing weapons, and the frenzied fighting spirit burning in the eyes of both sides illuminating this narrow strip of land that had been turned into a blood-soaked millstone.
Two hours have passed. From darkness to the dead of night, this bloody battle of pursuit and ambush has lasted for a full two hours.
The air was so thick it was suffocating, and the intense stench of blood was almost solidified; every breath carried the smell of rust and death.
On the ground, corpses were piled up in layers, leaving almost no place to step. Blood soaked the soil, pooling into patches of dark red swamps that reflected an eerie light under the firelight.
Broken spears, tattered flags, and shattered armor were scattered everywhere, silently testifying to the ferocity of the battle.
The Chu army's offensive was like a never-ending tide, wave after wave, constantly attacking, dividing, and nibbling away at the Tang army's already dilapidated positions with its absolute numerical superiority.
However, the tenacity and fighting spirit displayed by the Tang army in this desperate situation shocked all the Chu troops involved in the attack.
Su Fang, this valiant general of the Tang Dynasty, was now covered in blood.
His dark iron armor was covered with marks from sword cuts and spear thrusts, and was torn in many places. Blood kept seeping from the wounds, staining the saddle of his horse dark red.
His left arm had a deep wound that exposed the bone, but it was haphazardly bound tightly with strips of torn battle flag cloth, and blood still splattered out with every movement.
But his eyes, like cold stars in the dark night, burned with an indomitable flame, showing no sign of retreat.
The steel-plated spear in his hand seemed to be one with him, becoming an extension of his will.
Guns flashed, sometimes like nimble snakes emerging from their holes, cunning and ruthless, precisely piercing the throats of the Chu soldiers who tried to approach.
At times, it was like Mount Tai pressing down, with immense force, smashing the shield-wielding Chu soldiers away, shield and all.
He was like a stubborn rock firmly nailed to the front line, remaining unmoved no matter how the Chu army attacked.
They even launched fierce counter-attacks from time to time, using offense as defense, and disrupting the Chu army's offensive rhythm.
"Stop them! Block them all!"
Su Fang's voice was already hoarse, yet it still roared like a wounded lion: "For the Great Tang! For the Marshal!"
His roar inspired every surviving Tang soldier around him.
These young men of the Tang Dynasty were also covered in blood, exhausted to the point of death, many barely able to stand with the support of their spears. But the determination in their eyes was no different from that of their general.
In groups of three or five, even when their formation was broken, they spontaneously huddled together, using their bodies to shield their comrades from swords and blades, and with their last strength, thrusting their weapons at the enemy.
A young Tang soldier, whose legs had been severed, was still lying on the ground, biting a Chu soldier with his teeth.
Another veteran, his intestines spilling out of his body, desperately covered them with one hand while still brandishing his chipped sword with the other, roaring as he charged forward until he collapsed from exhaustion.
The ferocity of the Tang army transcended the boundaries of life and death, reaching a tragic and awe-inspiring state.
They were fulfilling their duty as soldiers with their lives, paving the final path to survival for Tongze with their blood and flesh.
Feng Anguo stood on a slightly higher slope behind him, looking at the battle situation ahead with a solemn expression.
Although the Chu army held an absolute advantage, its casualties continued to rise under the resistance of the frenzied Tang army, and its advance was far slower than expected.
Two hours have passed; Li Jing has probably already fled dozens of miles away.
He felt both heartache for the casualties among his men and a deep respect for the Tang army before him.
Such an enemy deserves respect, but... must be completely eliminated!
"Send the order! Bring up the ballistae!"
Feng Anguo finally issued the most ruthless order: "Cover fire! Don't worry about our small groups of troops still entangled in front. Give me the order, crush them!"
As the order was given, heavy crossbow carts were pushed up from the rear of the Chu army formation, their thick bolts gleaming coldly in the torchlight.
"put!"
The mechanism rattled, and a piercing sound tore through the night.
Huge crossbow bolts, like the scythe of death, rained down on the small, narrow position that the Tang army was holding on to the last.
Whether it's a sturdy shield or a flesh-and-blood body, both appear so fragile in the face of such terrifying power.
Patches of Tang soldiers were pierced and torn apart by crossbow bolts, and clouds of blood mist instantly exploded on the battlefield.