Chapter 446: The Wolf Bandits Go To War!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The pack was incredibly fast, its speed exceeding that of Yutang's Steel Cavalry and Dongxuan's Shadow Cavalry. When the throng came near and Fu Baoguo could see them, he was even more shocked.
The pack did not wear helmets, donning only leathers of odd shapes and sizes; some of the people were not even clothed properly, wearing only tattered scraps. Such was the squad that had unexpectedly joined the battle uninvited, shrieking and shouting like madmen.
Their target was Dongxuan's Shadow Cavalry.
"What the f*ck is going on?" Marshal Fu was bewildered at the sudden development.
The ultimate showdown of the world's top two cavalry units was being interrupted by a thousand scavengers who looked no different from a bunch of bandits. Where did the courage of these men come from?
This was a suicide mission.
"The newcomers are Wolf Bandits!" The assistant general beside Fu Baoguo looked equally shocked.
"Wolf Bandits have never cared for the vagaries of right and wrong, background and origin; they rob whoever they want without exception and have even been the targets of both Dongxuan and us… Why are they helping us this now? They are charging right into Shadow Cavalry's formation – why are they charging to their own deaths?"
"Wolf Bandits? Are they Wolf Bandits?" Fu Baoguo's mouth was wide open.
He was at a loss for words.
He had heard of this gang of raiders that only existed in legend, but it was only a petty problem to Fu Baoguo. They were not worthy of the army's efforts, so he had only done the part of a passive listener. It was only a small group of men – no matter how much ruckus they caused, it would not be of great import.
When the war ended, they could send any military troop to wipe them out.
However, their current actions, all out to help Yutang's Steel Cavalry, was simply bizarre. What was going on? Would anyone care to explain?
"Even if they're from Yutang and it's understandable that they want to requite the nation, aren't these actions too impulsive? Clearly, those fools have not put much thought into it."
Fu Baoguo mumbled, "Is the head of this Wolf Bandits only a brute of a man without a reasonable mind?"
His guess was spot-on. He Dachui was indeed a brute of a man without a reasonable mind!
He was barely literate and what he had done most of his life was brawling. In the past, he would still consult Wolf Bandits' adviser, but this time, he believed what he saw, he believed that his gang's strength was enough to seal the fate of the battle. That was why he joined in the war, uninvited.
If one had to nitpick about what was strange, it was the fact that the Wolf Bandits' adviser did not stop his 'suicide' rush. Instead, he had followed right into the battleground. That was also why He Dachui was certain that his decision was undoubtedly wise and smart!
In spite of this, He Dachui, who had just joined the battle, regretted it almost immediately. He was quickly filled with remorse!
It was entirely different to watch from afar and to personally participate on the battleground – they were two completely different things.
Each of his brother's cultivation base was indeed higher than any given man from the Shadow Cavalry or Steel Cavalry. The Wolf Bandits' individual speed and even their horses' explosive power were far superior.
All these assumptions were correct. He Dachui was right and his judgment was accurate as well. The only error he had made was after he had joined the war and abruptly realized that their assumptions were indeed their made-up guesses. Nothing was substantial, even their stronger cultivation base was utter bullsh*t!
One by one, the Wolf Bandits could be paramount to the Shadow and Steel Cavalry – there was no doubt about it; three to three, Wolf Bandits could still triumph while the cavalries could try their luck in targeting a single person and maybe killing one of the trio; ten to ten, the Wolf Bandits would still have the advantage and they would most probably end with half the casualties for the bandits while the cavalrymen were wiped out entirely.
When it came to hundreds of people though, the one who would be defeated was none other than the Wolf Bandits. Their only hope of survival was to flee with their superior speed.
As for the thousand-men war that He Dachui had imagined prior to this, there would be a decisive victory indeed, but it would belong to one of the two cavalries. The Wolf Bandits would hardly be able to escape the fate of being annihilated.
Therefore, when such large armies were going against each other right now, the Wolf Bandits had no room for defense. They had leaped right in only to be chopped into pieces.
Yes, they could only be slaughtered!
What He Dachui had imagined being a landslide victory in the battle once they lay their ambush, and thus contributing to merits, had not happened! What he could witness was only one-third of his eight hundred brothers falling the moment they charged into the battle.
He blinked in disbelief. When he looked again, there were only less than two hundred people left!
It was too fast.
They did not even have time to attack. Once they had entered the battleground, the enemy's weapons came from every direction, showering upon them like a storm.
The Wolf Bandits fell off their horses and the moment they did, they were stampeded into mush almost immediately.
The Shadow Cavalry had suffered almost no casualties at all.
He Dachui felt like he had been hit by a massive hammer, vertigo greeting him and sending him off-kilter.
A bandit who was dressed like a scholar was charging over, waving his sword while mounted on the horse in his lean form; there were three people who were bolting over with him, acting as his guards.
These were the Wolf Bandits' adviser and the other three heads. They were the people with the highest cultivation base in the gang other than He Dachui and it was only because of that they could still survive.
In spite of this, when they had gotten to He Dachui's side, there were only two men left and one of those two men had his left shoulder hacked off; he probably would not survive the day.
"Boss, leave quickly…" The adviser was waving his sword about with sword light coming off in impressively intimidating rays. The Shadow Cavalry around them could barely handle the attacks for a brief moment, but the adviser's face was abnormally flushed as well. It was obvious that he had executed some sort of soul inducement; despite the formidable vibe, it could barely last and when his energy was exhausted, it would be time for his life to end.
"Boss, go to the fort, quickly!"
The adviser yelled, "With what has happened today, and the Wolf Bandits annihilated, boss can rebuild your family in the near future! Don't forget to offer some incense to us brothers then!"
Hearing him, it was like a lightning had struck him as He Dachui's eyes widened. "You – how did you know?"
His heart was lurching painfully. The plan he had secretly…
The adviser grinned pitifully, "The brothers know about Boss' thinking… but the Wolf Bandits would be wiped out sooner or later with the war erupting… Even if we weren't killed outright, we would eventually starve to death… If our lives can be exchanged for Boss' bright future… we would be more than happy to give them up!"
He Dachui wobbled, almost falling off his horse, as he cried out, "You all knew this, but still, all of you came to your own deaths…" Before he could finish his words, he was so overwhelmed that he could no longer continue.
At the same time, a shower of arrows rained down upon the spot that He Dachui was standing on. He was at a loss now though, hardly able to defend himself and was about to turn into a porcupine.
The dazed He Dachui felt his vision going black – the head who had his shoulder hacked flung himself over him, sacrificing himself to take the rain of arrows in his back. He was stabbed like a porcupine, yet he managed to call out as his dying gaze was cast on He Dachui, "Boss, leave quickly… We brothers have charged the frontline with our lives… for boss' future… We're dying anyway… don't let the brothers down…"
His voice halted. With a quiver, the head fell off his horse, but his eyes remained trained on He Dachui anxiously, slowly losing their glow.
Countless cavalrymen came galloping over, drowning the head's anxious gaze. He Dachui fought with his entire being, retreating and charging in again, just to see his brother once more. However, what he could see after the cavalry squad departed was only mangled flesh…
Innumerable swords, sabers, arrows, and spears were descending upon He Dachui incessantly.
Right now, the Shadow Cavalry loathed these bandits to their core!
He Dachui's assumptions previously had all gone down the drain, but he was right about one thing – their involvement in the battle had influenced the overall picture after all. Despite the Wolf Bandits being wiped out, they had been the last straw just like He Dachui had fantasized. They had successfully disrupted the Shadow Cavalry's attacking formation and the Steel Cavalry had taken the chance to breach the gap, taking this huge advantage to emerge fully victorious.
The stage was set; be it the Steel Cavalry or the Shadow Cavalry, they would see it through. It was only a matter of time before the end came to pass.
The Shadow Cavalry resented these bandits that had come out of nowhere. Before they were defeated, they would kill all of these raiders. Otherwise, how could they ever rest in peace?
They were especially hateful towards this leader of the bandits – if he was not dead, they would never rest!
The bandit adviser was still frantically waving his sword about, inducing the last of his life and charging out to cover He Dachui's escape. The latter was swinging his hammers with tears streaming down his face.
I've planned this, but I didn't expect everyone to die so horribly… for everyone to perish in this one battle… I thought that at least an eighth of our brothers can enter the fort with me, turning from bandits into knights...
Now, there are only two of us left.
With a growl, the despair grew stronger in the advisor's eyes. A black spear impaled his stomach, coming out from his back.
He grabbed the spear, beheading the soldier who attacked him, before stabbing at He Dachui's horse, hoarsely crying out, "Leave quickly!"
"Remember, don't act on your own accord in the future! Listen to instructions in everything you do…" Before the adviser could finish his admonition, a saber chopped his right arm off before three more spears stabbed into him almost simultaneously.
With a swoosh, a saber flashed with a cold brilliance. The bandit adviser did not manage to finish his last words before his head went soaring into the sky.