Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

"Baturu—!"

Under the Black Mountain Army's central banner, Han Meng's bloodshot roar drowned out all the clamor of the battlefield. He had watched helplessly as his fiercest general, known as "the one who could split mountains," was slain in a few mere exchanges by the red-clad female general. His body lay sprawled like a tattered sack before the two armies, blood still gushing forth. A humiliating disgrace! A fatal blow to morale!

The deafening cheers from the Starfire Fortress army just moments before still seemed to buzz in his ears, each syllable like a whip lashing his face. He could feel the unease and suspicion spreading from the ranks behind him, and even hear faint, suppressed gasps.

"Useless trash! Useless thing!" Han Meng lashed the air with his whip, his face ashen and his chest heaving violently. His original intention was to have Baturu demoralize the enemy and boost his own morale, but the result was the opposite! Especially since the opponent's fighter seemed to be a woman? This made his face burn with pain.

The scholar-official beside him also paled, urgently saying, "General, please calm down! Baturu underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, dying from the enemy general's treacherous scheme—not a fault of his own! However, the slaying of this villain has indeed shaken the morale of the army; we cannot delay any longer! We should take advantage of the enemy's arrogance and unstable position, quickly send out a large army, and crush their formation in one fell swoop! Only by crushing them with overwhelming force can we reverse the tide of war!"

On the other side, Shi Biao's sinister face also showed a hint of solemnity, but more so a chilling killing intent born of provocation. He stared at the red figure slowly returning to its main formation in the distance, then glanced at the seemingly thin yet unusually calm military formation of Starfire Fortress, and slowly spoke, his voice like the grinding of iron: "Brother Han, this formation... has some tricks up its sleeve. The crossbow bolts are sharp, the generals are valiant, they are no ordinary bandits. We cannot wait any longer, or things will change. My Iron Falcons should be used."

Han Meng took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing the surging anger and a barely perceptible unease within him. His advisors and Shi Biao's words reminded him. Yes, they couldn't give the enemy any more chances to boost morale! They had a tenfold numerical advantage; even if they lost a warrior, even if the enemy's crossbows were powerful, even if they had a capable female general, so what? Before overwhelming numbers, all fancy tricks were futile!

He drew his sword sharply from his waist, the tip pointing directly at the Starfire Fortress army. With all his might, he let out a beast-like roar: "All troops—! Charge! Crush them! Whoever beheads Chen Xing will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and promoted three ranks! Those who retreat will be executed! Kill—!"

"kill--!"

"Kill them all!"

Within the Black Mountain army ranks, officers of all ranks shouted orders at the top of their lungs, whips and the backs of swords lashing mercilessly at the hesitant soldiers. The morale, which had been low due to the death of Baturu, was forcibly stirred up again under Han Meng's strict orders and generous rewards, transforming into a blind, fearful, and greedy frenzy.

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The urgent, heart-pounding drumbeats of the general offensive resounded like a death knell behind the Black Mountain army!

The valley to the north seemed to boil over in an instant!

First to move were the infantry at the front. The vanguard, which had been decimated by crossbow bolts and had just been reorganized, along with the two phalanxes that followed, totaling nearly two thousand infantrymen, surged forward like a raging torrent, emitting chaotic and wild shouts. They brandished their spears and brandished their swords and axes, and began to charge forward! They no longer cared about maintaining a disciplined formation, but relied solely on the momentum of their numbers and their desire for reward, sweeping across the wasteland in a dark mass, rushing towards Starfire Fortress's "Iron Wall Formation"! Dust billowed into the sky, and the sound of their footsteps made the ground tremble slightly.

At the same time, the Black Mountain infantry on the left and right flanks also began to advance, attempting to outflank the Starfire Fortress army. Although their formation was more disorganized, their numbers were still considerable.

The most chilling sight was on the west side! Shi Biao personally led five hundred elite "Iron Falcons" cavalry, like blades finally unsheathed, slowly accelerating! Unlike the infantry who charged in a chaotic rush, they maintained a neat wedge-shaped charge formation, their speed gradually increasing, their target the junction between the Starfire Fortress infantry and the right-wing cavalry. Clearly, they intended to use the powerful impact of the cavalry to tear apart Starfire Fortress's defenses in one fell swoop, creating an opening for the subsequent infantry massacre!

Four thousand against two thousand! Infantry and cavalry coordinated, attacking from three sides! The Black Mountain Army finally bared its ferocious fangs, attempting to completely overwhelm and crush the "ignorant and arrogant" army of Xinghuo Fort with the force of Mount Tai!

The Starfire Fortress army remained as silent as a mountain. Only the Starfire battle flag beneath the command banner on the hillside fluttered in the gale whipped up by the enemy, as if calmly watching the surging, turbulent waves.

Chen Xing sat upright on his horse, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire battlefield. The enemy's reaction was exactly what he had expected—enraged and pressing forward with all their might. This was exactly what he wanted. The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation was never a purely defensive formation; it was more like a meticulously crafted and deadly trap, waiting for its prey to stumble into it.

"Pass on the order!" Chen Xing's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every messenger behind him. "Infantry formation, change formation—'Strangulation' prototype! Crossbowmen, cover the enemy infantry cluster directly in front, then fire three rapid shots followed by free-range attacks on the enemy cavalry! Defenders, hold your left flank, and move your right flank towards the main formation to fill any gaps! General Murong, cavalry archers, proceed according to plan two, patrol and contain the enemy cavalry, and seize opportunities to flank their infantry!"

"Yes, sir!"

Flags fluttered, drumbeats changed! The Starfire Fortress army, which had been waiting in full battle array, began its complex yet orderly operation in an instant, like a tightly wound machine!

The infantry formation at the front began a dazzling transformation! The outline of the "Iron Wall Formation," originally designed for defense, quickly blurred, and the various "gate" units began to move according to steps practiced countless times. The "Life Gate" and "View Gate" at the front did not retreat, but instead protruded slightly forward, assuming a defensive posture. However, their formation subtly became sparser, with spearmen retreating, swordsmen, axemen, and crossbowmen moving slightly forward. The shields were no longer an impenetrable wall, but rather left passages to lure the enemy in.

The "Injury Gate" and "Block Gate" on both sides slid diagonally forward like a mechanism, making the formation thicker, with spears like a forest and shields like a wall, faintly forming two inward-curving arcs.

The four teams located at the rear and flanks of the formation – “Rest Gate,” “Open Gate,” “Death Gate,” and “Surprise Gate” – quietly moved to the sides and rear, like the wings and bottom of a giant open pocket, poised to strike.

Although the entire formation change was not as swift and smooth as during the drills, and even a little sluggish in some places, the formation change was still largely completed under the overwhelming pressure of the enemy's charge! A "pocket" that appeared weak at the front, solid at the flanks, and heavily fortified at the rear and flanks had been formed!

"Boom boom boom—!"

Just as the vanguard of the Black Mountain Army's charging infantry reached within three hundred paces, the crossbowmen in the Starfire Fortress formation unleashed their power once more! This time, it was no longer a volley, but a more rapid and oppressive continuous barrage! Arrows flew like locusts, wave after wave sweeping across the sky, falling with deathly shrieks into the charging Black Mountain Army infantry!

"Puff puff puff!" "Ah!" "Help!" "Don't push!"

The charging Black Mountain infantry were like soldiers crashing into an invisible wall of arrows; the leading ranks fell like wheat being harvested. The specially crafted armor-piercing arrows were even more terrifying at close range, easily piercing leather armor, tearing flesh, and sending up plumes of blood mist. Screams, howls, and dying groans instantly drowned out the shouts of the charge. The already scattered formation was further thrown into chaos by the relentless barrage of crossbow bolts. Many instinctively slowed their pace, trying to dodge or seek cover, colliding with the still-surging ranks behind them, trampling each other, resulting in heavy casualties.

Meanwhile, Shi Biao's "Iron Falcons" cavalry, accelerating towards the right flank of Xinghuo Fortress, also encountered a head-on attack! Murong Mingyue's mounted archers did not directly confront their charge, but instead, like agile fish, split into several groups. Utilizing their greater familiarity with the terrain and their lighter weight, they constantly harassed the cavalry's flanks and front, their precise arrows aimed specifically at the faces of the horses and cavalry, and at gaps in their armor. Although the direct casualties were limited, they severely disrupted the Iron Falcons' charge rhythm and formation, forcing them to divert their attention and preventing them from reaching their maximum speed.

More importantly, the garrison square formation on the right flank of the Xinghuo Fort infantry formation, under the cover of crossbow bolts and Murong cavalry, successfully moved closer to the main formation and closely combined with the "Dumen" team on the right flank of the main formation, forming a thicker flank defense line with a forest of spears pointing outwards, specifically to deal with cavalry charges.

The Black Mountain Army's all-out charge was halted by the Starfire Fortress's steady and precise response! The infantry on the front were thrown into chaos by the crossbow bolts, the flanking maneuvers were slow, and the cavalry charge was hampered.

At that moment, the main infantry formation of Xinghuo Fortress, which had already completed its formation change, with its slightly protruding and somewhat sparse frontal "Life Gate" and "View Gate" acting as bait, finally collided fiercely with the Black Mountain Army's vanguard, which was charging with the strongest momentum but was also the most chaotic!

The real strangulation has begun!

The Black Mountain soldiers at the forefront, seeing the enemy's formation "loose," thought they had an opportunity and charged forward, roaring and brandishing their weapons. However, what greeted them was not the expected rout, but a sudden burst of dense spears from behind those "sparse" shields, and precise and ruthless slashes from swordsmen and axemen! The Starfire Fortress soldiers, in groups of three, used shields to block, spears to thrust, and swordsmen and axemen to finish off the enemy, their coordination perfect, like miniature killing machines.

Despite their numerical advantage, many members of the Black Mountain Army managed to break through the first line of defenses, howling as they surged into the enemy ranks. However, they soon discovered they had entered a maze! Surrounded by swaying shields and a forest of spears, their vision was obstructed, and their direction difficult to discern. The seemingly weak front now faced increasing resistance the further they advanced, while the pressure from the flanks intensified dramatically! The "Injury Gate" and "Block Gate" squads, which had previously slid diagonally forward, now pressed in from the flanks like two slowly closing gates, spears thrusting from the gaps in the shields, dividing, surrounding, and annihilating the Black Mountain soldiers who had charged into the enemy ranks!

Even more terrifying, the formation seemed to be slowly rotating and changing! Just when you saw fewer enemies in one direction, you rushed there only to run into an even thicker shield wall; when you tried to break through to the flanks, you found yourself isolated and surrounded by enemies several times your size.

The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation, a battle formation simplified by Chen Xing, practiced diligently by Chen Wei and Murong Mingyue, and soaked in the sweat of the soldiers of Starfire Fortress, finally revealed its terrifying "millstone" power for the first time in actual combat! It does not pursue instantaneous destruction, but rather, like a precisely operating machine, it engulfs, divides, consumes, and crushes the surging enemies!

In the center of the battlefield, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens. The Black Mountain Army's numerical advantage seemed to sink into a quagmire before this strange and resilient formation, being swallowed and digested little by little.

Under the command flag on the hillside, Chen Xing kept a close eye on the battle, slightly raising the command flag in his hand, preparing for the next move. Chen Wei, at the heart of the formation, remained calm, constantly adjusting the operation of each "gate" through flags and drums. Murong Mingyue, on the right flank, coldly observed the restless Shi Biao cavalry, who were attempting to reorganize their charge.