Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

The desolate meadows below Woniugang have become a living hell.

The elite troops of the Starfire Camp, their black-armored phalanx, stood firm like pillars in the middle of a gentle slope. A forest of halberds, each synchronized thrust, accompanied by resounding shouts, was like a steel jungle suddenly crushing forward, knocking down the charging barbarian warriors and their horses. The black armor reflected a cold, hard light in the afternoon sun; most arrows deflected, a few managing to wed between the armor plates, but few inflicting fatal damage. The barbarian's desperate charge crashed against this iron wall like waves crashing against rocks, leaving behind only wreckage and serving no purpose.

The eighty soldiers of the garrison commander spread out on both flanks of the elite troops, forming smaller circular or horizontal formations in units of ten or five. They coordinated with the elite troops' advance to clear out any scattered Hu people attempting to flank or flee. Although their training period was short, the previous ambush and fortress defense had shed much of their naiveté. Now, with the elite troops as their leader, their courage was greatly amplified. They thrust their spears, using swords and shields in combination, to divide and surround the chaotic Hu people, killing them one by one.

On the right flank of the battlefield, Murong Mingyue's twenty-eight riders were like red-hot irons, repeatedly scorching and cutting the chaotic rear of the Hu people's army.

"Avoid the front! Attack their flanks! Scatter the cattle and sheep! Divide their ranks!" Murong Mingyue shouted repeatedly, her spear moving like a venomous dragon emerging from its lair, each strike precise and ruthless. Although her shoulder and arm were injured, making her movements slightly sluggish, her horsemanship was superb, and her spear technique was deeply rooted, making it difficult for ordinary barbarians to get close. Five or six of the most loyal and valiant veterans of the Murong tribe closely followed her, forming a small, sharp arrowhead, fiercely protecting her flanks and back.

The remaining twenty-odd riders split into two groups, guided by Murong Mingyue's banner, like two agile tentacles, avoiding the still organized resistance of the Hu people's central army, and specifically attacking the Hu people's women, children, and elderly who were dragging their families along, crying and screaming, as well as the cattle and sheep that had been driven into chaos.

This tactic was extremely ruthless and effective. The Hu people had come in full force, binding all their tribesmen onto their chariots, with women, children, and the elderly following closely behind, both to bolster their morale and as a desperate last stand. Now, with the Murong cavalry repeatedly attacking their flanks and rear, they were thrown into chaos. The cries and screams of women and children, and the frightened cattle and sheep scattered in all directions, severely impacted the already unstable front line. Many Hu warriors, hearing the cries of their families behind them, lost their composure and couldn't help but look back. They were immediately seized upon by the advancing Xinghuo Camp soldiers and stabbed to the ground.

Bald He, positioned in the middle to front of the column, had originally hoped to break through the Han army's lines with sheer grit, at least disrupting their formation, allowing the elderly and weak in the rear to surge forward and seize victory amidst the chaos. However, he hadn't anticipated the enemy's disciplined formation; he couldn't budge them head-on, and his flanks were repeatedly harassed by that despicable red-clad cavalry, leaving his rear in complete disarray!

"Stop that cavalry! Kill that woman!" Bald He roared furiously, pointing in Murong Mingyue's direction, and sent out his last dozen or so trusted men who were somewhat skilled in horsemanship to intercept them.

The dozen or so Hu riders howled and charged towards Murong Mingyue's troops from the side. Murong Mingyue had just speared down an elderly Hu man who was trying to steal a horse when she suddenly sensed rapid hoofbeats from her side and rear, and the threat of death approaching. She abruptly reined in her horse, spun around, and shouted sharply, "Turn! Engage!"

Without hesitation, the five or six veteran riders beside her immediately turned their horses around to protect her, forming a small circle. The other two groups of scouts, seeing their leader in danger, also hurriedly moved closer to the center.

However, the Hu people arrived extremely quickly, closing in within thirty paces in the blink of an eye. With a twang of their bowstrings, several bone arrows whistled through the air! An old soldier from the Murong tribe, unable to dodge in time, was struck in the shoulder by an arrow, letting out a muffled groan as his sword nearly slipped from his grasp. Another arrow grazed past Murong Mingyue's ear, ruffling a few strands of hair.

"Raise shields! Charge!" Murong Mingyue was fearless and took the lead in riding forward! She knew that she could not retreat at this moment, otherwise she would lose all her momentum and expose her flanks to the enemy.

Five or six riders followed closely behind, charging head-on at the Hu cavalry! The distance between the two sides closed rapidly, and they were about to collide!

Just then, a deep and rhythmic sound of bowstrings vibrating suddenly rang out from the side and front!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

More than ten powerful crossbow bolts, like a swarm of poisonous bees, shot in from the side, accurately covering the front of the dozen or so Hu cavalry charging forward! It was Chen Wei who, seeing that Murong Mingyue's troops were in danger, promptly mobilized the thirty-man crossbow squad that had been waiting in the main camp to fire a precise volley!

At such close range, the power of the crossbows was terrifying! The four or five Hu cavalrymen at the forefront, along with their horses, were riddled with arrows, screaming and rolling to the ground. The Hu cavalry behind them were terrified; their momentum instantly collapsed, they hurriedly reined in their horses, and their formation fell into chaos.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Murong Mingyue shouted, "Kill!" Her spear transformed into a streak of cold light, heading straight for the panicked Hu cavalry leader! The Hu cavalry leader hurriedly raised his sword to block, but with a loud clang, he felt a tremendous force, his hand split open, and his sword flew out of his grasp! Before he could react, Murong Mingyue's spear swept across him, knocking him off his horse!

The veteran soldiers of the Murong tribe seized the opportunity to attack, slashing and thrusting with their swords and spears, instantly killing three or four more Hu cavalrymen. The remaining Hu cavalrymen were terrified, let out a shout, turned their horses around, and fled.

The crisis was over. Murong Mingyue reined in her horse, slightly out of breath, and looked in the direction from which the crossbow bolts had come. She saw Chen Weizheng nodding slightly to her on the flank of the Starfire Camp's main force, then pointing his longsword forward again, ordering the main force to continue its steady advance.

An indescribable feeling welled up in Murong Mingyue's heart. It was the peace of mind and exhilaration of being supported and coordinated by reliable comrades. Since her father's death in battle and her subsequent southward migration with her troops, she had been isolated and fighting alone, every step she took felt like walking on thin ice. But now, in this unfamiliar fortress, among the army, she felt for the first time the solid sense of security of having a strong backing and fighting alongside her.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and raised her spear high: "Murong tribe! Continue your harassing raids, cooperate with the Starfire Camp brothers, and completely crush the barbarians!"

"Yes, sir!" the Murong tribe responded in unison, their morale soaring. They split back into two groups, like two nimble razors, continuing to cut, drive away, and create even greater chaos from the chaotic flanks and rear of the Hu people's main force.

On the fortress wall, Chen Xing, through his telescopic vision, witnessed the thrilling scene and the subsequent seamless teamwork. He saw Chen Wei's timely crossbow support, Murong Mingyue's decisive counterattack, and the trust and coordination that quickly formed between the two teams based on battlefield intuition.

"Chen Wei is astute, and Miss Murong is courageous and decisive; their cooperation is excellent," Chen Xing said to Wu Xuejiu beside him, putting down his clairvoyance.

Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard and nodded: "Indeed, she has the demeanor of a fine general. Observing this woman's use of troops, she has mastered the essence of cavalry guerrilla warfare, not being bound by protracted fighting, but focusing on attacking the enemy's vulnerable points and weak points. Commander Chen's command is skillful, combining offense and defense, and what is even more commendable is that she can take care of friendly forces. In this battle, victory is already assured."

Li Shu excitedly chimed in, "Lord, our Starfire Camp is getting better and better! Their coordination with Miss Murong's cavalry is truly impressive!"

Chen Xing nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the battlefield. At this moment, the battle had become one-sided. The Hu people couldn't break through the Xinghuo Camp's armored phalanx head-on, and their flanks and rear were being thrown into chaos by the Murong cavalry. The disarray of women, children, cattle, and sheep in the rear continued to spread forward, and the entire Balut tribe's ranks had completely collapsed. Many began to discard their weapons, crying and fleeing in all directions, especially towards the northwest and northeast where there were no Han troops to intercept them. The herded cattle and sheep were also completely out of control, rampaging across the battlefield and further exacerbating the chaos.

Bald He stood in the central army, witnessing the utter devastation of his army's defeat, listening to the desperate cries of his own men and the deafening battle cries of the Han army. His last shred of madness transformed into boundless fear and despair. He knew it was over, completely over. The Balut tribe would be buried here today.

"Chief! Hurry! It'll be too late if we don't leave now!" Two blood-covered henchmen desperately pulled on his horse's reins, shouting hoarsely.

A final glint of ferocity flashed in Bald He's triangular eyes. He swiftly swung his sword, severing the arm of a henchman who was trying to climb onto his horse to escape. He shouted, "Go!" With that, he disregarded everything else and, under the desperate cover of his confidants, turned his horse and fled for his life in the northwest towards Yehu Plain. Wherever he went, the scattered Hu people fled in all directions, and no one dared to stop him.

Chen Wei, observing the situation clearly from the front lines, saw that Bald He was about to flee and immediately shouted to a skilled archer squad leader beside him, "Strong bow! Shoot that leader!"

The squad leader drew his bow at the sound of the arrow, the bowstring taut, the arrow like a shooting star, aiming straight for Bald He's back! However, at a slightly greater distance, Bald He was still on his horse's back, and the arrow struck his mount's hindquarters with a "thud"! The warhorse neighed in pain, reared up, and slammed Bald He to the ground!

"Leader!" a trusted aide exclaimed, attempting to dismount and come to his rescue.

Bald He was dazed and confused from the fall, but his will to survive was extremely strong. He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain, snatched a horse from a fleeing Hu man, mounted it again, and galloped away without looking back, quickly disappearing into the dispersing crowd and dust.

Seeing this, Chen Wei stopped insisting on capturing and killing the leader, and ordered: "All troops! Advance steadily, disperse the routed enemy, collect weapons, and guard the prisoners! Do not indiscriminately kill those who have abandoned their weapons, or women and children!"

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers of the Starfire Battalion responded in unison, and the offensive shifted to a campaign of mopping up and capturing. The elite troops maintained their formation, slowly advancing and driving away or annihilating the remaining Hu people who still showed any resistance. The garrison troops began dividing into small teams to capture the Hu people who knelt in surrender and to control the runaway cattle, sheep, and horses.

Murong Mingyue also restrained her troops, stopped the charge, and instead assisted the Xinghuo Battalion in driving away the routed soldiers and the scattered Hu people towards the center for easier centralized management.

The battle quickly shifted from a fierce clash to the cleanup and looting phase. The desolate meadows were littered with fallen corpses, abandoned weapons, stray cattle and sheep, and trembling prisoners kneeling on the ground. The stench of blood mingled with the smell of dust, permeating the air.

As the sun sets, it paints Woniugang and the meadow, which has just experienced a bloody battle, a poignant orange-red.

Seeing that the situation was settled from the fortress wall, Chen Xing said to Wu Xuejiu and Li Shu, "Prepare to accept the prisoners, treat the wounded, and take stock of the spoils. After this battle, the Wild Fox Original Balut tribe will exist in name only."

He paused, his gaze returning to the red figure in the distance helping to gather the spoils of war, and added, "Miss Murong's troops fought bravely and made invaluable contributions. Their wounded are treated the same as the soldiers of the Starfire Camp, given the best medicine. A portion of the captured livestock will be allocated to compensate their losses first."

"Yes!" Li Shu quickly wrote it down.

Chen Xing descended the fortress wall, ready to personally welcome the victorious army. This battle not only completely eliminated the threat from Wild Fox Plains and brought in a large number of people and livestock, but also established initial trust and camaraderie with Murong Mingyue's tribe. The foundation of Starfire Fortress became even more solid in this joint battle.

After this battle, Murong Mingyue's perception of Starfire Fortress and that young fortress lord will undoubtedly undergo a profound change. The door to cooperation has been opened.