Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 468 The Beginning of War
The sand foxes did not panic and flee. Instead, they leaped a few times on the snowfield before disappearing into the wind and snow.

Above the camp gate, Jia Yu, who was gazing intently into the distance, had a faint golden light swirling in the depths of his eyes as he took in the almost "warning" movements of the sand fox dozens of miles away.

His lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

"coming."

The cold wind howled, and Jia Yu's voice was not loud. Only the guards around him could barely hear it. This guard was named Zhao Da. He was originally a fierce soldier in the army. Jia Yu carried him out of a pile of dead bodies and promoted him.

It can be said that he was extremely loyal to Jia Yu.

His muscles tensed instantly at the sound, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes. He growled, "My lord? Have those barbarians come again..."

Jia Yu didn't turn around, but simply raised his hand to stop him from speaking. He continued to gaze at the seemingly empty wasteland shrouded in wind and snow, his eyes extremely cold.

"Order: Lower the flags and silence the drums. Archers, lie in ambush behind the stockade walls, but do not fire. Splash water again on the horse traps and caltrop areas, and do it quickly."

His orders were clear and concise, without the slightest hesitation, as if he had rehearsed them a thousand times. "Have the cooks start their cooking fires as usual, 30% more than usual."

Zhao Da was slightly taken aback.

When the enemy suddenly arrives, instead of strengthening defenses, they lower their flags and drums, deliberately creating a diversion?
But he already had complete faith in Jia Yu's judgment, and immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, sir!"

He immediately turned around and rushed down the stockade wall, shouting orders in a low voice.

The entire camp was like an anthill that had been gently touched, instantly shifting from a relaxed exterior to a tense interior.

Urged silently and swiftly by their junior officers, the soldiers moved into their battle positions. Icy snow water was splashed onto the designated defensive area, quickly freezing into a thin, slippery layer of ice.

The smoke from the cooking fires wafted and gathered with difficulty in the strong wind, appearing unusually thick, as if a meal far exceeding the usual scale was being prepared in the camp.

Jia Yu stood alone in the wind and snow, his black cloak billowing wildly, like a battle flag.

The border fortress where he was located was not a formidable frontline city, but a small stronghold situated on an important but often overlooked river valley passage, garrisoned by only one battalion of about five hundred men.

Logically speaking, it was by no means the first choice for the main Tatar force to advance south, let alone worth using elite vanguard troops for a surprise attack.

However, Huang Tian's perception of the changes in "order" allowed him to detect the unusual "disorder" in advance.

The Tatars' military campaign this time is unusually treacherous, with a surprise attack from a side force, a risky gamble. Their goal may not be to conquer cities and territories, but rather... to strike at the heart of the enemy, disrupt the rhythm of the entire northern frontier defense line, and may even have a deeper strategic intention.

This vanguard that has come knocking on our door is both a crisis and a tremendous opportunity.

If he could swallow it whole, not only would his prestige in the army rise to new heights, but it would also disrupt the enemy's deployment and even... uncover their true intentions.

The snowstorm intensified, turning the world into a vast expanse of white with extremely low visibility.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves finally pierced through the curtain of wind and snow, approaching from afar with a deep, rumbling sound like thunder.

The dark mass of cavalry figures appeared like ghosts suddenly emerging from the snowy plains, several hundred paces outside the camp. Their formation was slightly scattered, clearly indicating that the long march had exhausted both men and horses, but their fierce and wild spirit was overwhelming.

The leading Tatar centurion reined in his horse and squinted as he surveyed the silent camp ahead.

Thick smoke rose from the chimneys, and the stockade walls stood deserted, seemingly undefended. A flicker of greed and contempt crossed his face.

"You southern pigs, still cooking! Men, charge in, kill them all! Loot everything!" He raised his scimitar and roared hoarsely.

Hundreds of cavalrymen let out wild howls, urging their horses onward in preparation for a charge.

They were used to the cowardice and slow response of the southern border troops and thought this was just another easy massacre and plunder.

However, just as their horses picked up speed, the first few dozen riders suddenly reared up in agony and collapsed! The carefully camouflaged horse traps and caltrops, covered with icy tracks, revealed their menacing fangs. The charging formation instantly crumbled.

At this moment——

"put!"

On the stockade wall, Jia Yu's icy voice sounded like a death knell.

The powerful bows and crossbows, already poised and ready, roared simultaneously! A dense barrage of arrows poured forth from behind the stockade walls like swarms of poisonous bees, precisely targeting the chaotic Tatar cavalry. Although the wind and snow impaired visibility, the distance was too close and the targets too concentrated, making aiming unnecessary.

Shouts from men and neighing from horses echoed across the snowy plains in an instant.

Tatar cavalry fell in droves.

"Ballista! Directly ahead, where the scattered cavalry are gathered!" Jia Yu's voice remained unchanged as he continued to issue the order.

Several more muffled, deafening explosions rang out. The massive crossbow bolts tore through the wind and snow, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, piercing through the cavalry and their horses along the path, tearing large swaths of empty space.

The Tatar centurion was grazed on the cheek by a stray arrow, and blood was everywhere. He was shocked and furious, realizing that he had been tricked, and he shouted wildly, trying to gather his troops and retreat.

But Jia Yu didn't give them a chance.

The gate to the village suddenly opened with a roar.

Jia Yu took the lead, his black cloak casting a deadly shadow in the snow.

He raised his longsword, its gleaming blade reflecting the swirling snow and even emitting a faint golden glow. Behind him, Zhao Da and over a hundred elite cavalry surged forth like a bursting dam!

"Kill!" Jia Yu's roar drowned out the wind and snow.

Instead of choosing to hold his ground, he launched a counter-offensive when the enemy was at its most confused and vulnerable! The brilliance of military strategy lies in the mind!
Jia Yu charged ahead, crashing directly into the enemy ranks. Amidst flashes of blades and splattering blood, men and horses were annihilated; not a single general stood before him.

Every slash, block, and dash was concise and efficient to the extreme, as if the opponent's every move had been calculated in advance, always achieving the greatest results with the least cost.

Subsequently, Jia Yu precisely struck the weak points or command nodes of the enemy formation. Seeing their commander so brave, the cavalry behind him were greatly encouraged and roared as they followed closely behind, fiercely wedging themselves into the enemy ranks.

The Tatar vanguard, already panicked and disorganized from the ambush, was completely overwhelmed by this well-prepared and fresh force and began to scatter and flee.

"Pursue! In units of five, annihilate the remaining enemy! Do not let a single one escape!" Jia Yu reined in his warhorse, his blade pointing diagonally, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

The stench of blood filled the cold air.

Zhao Da led a group of men back, his face splattered with blood, but he was extremely excited: "My lord! We've beheaded over two hundred and captured dozens of warhorses! Our casualties are less than thirty! A great victory!"

Jia Yu nodded slightly, but there was little joy on his face. He dismounted and walked to the body of a Tatar officer, bending down to search his robes and finding a parchment wrapped in oilcloth.

Upon unfolding it, one finds a simple yet crucial marching route drawn on it, along with several strange markings that are not directed at this fort, but rather point to a valley further south.

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

"As expected... his real intention was not what it seemed." He muttered to himself, clutching the parchment tightly in his hand.

He turned and looked south, his gaze seemingly piercing through the heavy snow and wind, landing on the peaceful land of Shenjing, which was about to be ravaged by war.

"Jinghuan...do you know that the foundation of the dynasty upon which your web of love and sin is based has begun to crumble?" The playful smile on his lips reappeared, cold and dangerous.

"And this is precisely the opportunity I've been waiting for to change the world!"

(End of this chapter)