Great Wilderness Demon Lord

The sounds of fighting within the wind-eroded rock gradually subsided, replaced by heavy breathing, the groans of the wounded, and the clamor of clearing the battlefield.

The stench of blood was so strong it was almost unbearable, mixed with the damp, earthy smell unique to the rocky area, making it nauseating.

Xiao Yunlan did not linger long at the spot where he had killed Wugu.

The wound on the side of his leg had been simply bandaged and the bleeding stopped by the accompanying soldiers. Although it was still stinging, it had not damaged any bones or tendons and did not affect his movement.

He refused the suggestion from others to rest, forced himself to stand up, and glanced at his subordinates who were collecting the bodies of their comrades and binding the wolf-barbarian prisoners, finally landing on the centaur centurion Tal who was counting the battle casualties not far away.

"Centurion Tal," Xiao Yunlan walked over, his voice slightly hoarse from the fierce battle and the surge of demonic thoughts, but his tone was firm, "This place is not safe to stay for long."

Tal turned his horse around, his face still showing the excitement of the battle and a trace of lingering fear from the final blow to Xiao Yunlan. Hearing this, he nodded: "Not bad. Although we annihilated Wugu's main force, it's hard to guarantee that no one escaped back to the north bank camp to report, or that there are other Wolf Rong cavalry nearby. We must leave as soon as possible."

"It's not about leaving." Xiao Yunlan shook his head, his gaze turning southwest, towards the location of the Wolf Rong camp on the north bank of the Shuofeng Plain. "It's about turning around and heading there."

Tal paused for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in his horse's eyes: "You want to take advantage of this and wipe out the Wolf Rong's stronghold?"

"Exactly." Xiao Yunlan said calmly and quickly analyzed, "Wugu took out his two hundred most elite cavalrymen, leaving at most a hundred soldiers to guard the camp, most of whom were weak auxiliary soldiers and jackal servants."

At this moment, they were unaware of the news of Wugu's complete annihilation, which was the time when their defenses were most relaxed and they were most terrified.

If we wait for the deserters to bring back bad news, they will either hold out for reinforcements or burn their supplies and scatter, which will make it more difficult for us to completely resolve this problem.

He paused, then looked at Tal: "Your cavalry are swift as the wind, perfect for long-distance raids. Although my soldiers have fought fiercely, their morale is high, and they are eager to return home and break through the siege. We are also ready for a battle."

We joined forces and set off immediately, traveling day and night, to reach the Wolf Rong camp before dawn, catching them off guard, removing this thorn in our side, and completely lifting the siege of Wangbeibao!

If this battle succeeds, it will not only relieve my immediate crisis, but also make it safer and more convenient for your troops to receive the grain afterwards.

Tal rubbed his thick mane and pondered for a moment.

Raiding the Wolf Rong camp was indeed risky; they had just fought a major battle and their men and horses were exhausted.

But Xiao Yunlan is right; this is indeed a golden opportunity.

There must still be a lot of supplies looted or transported from the grain route in the Wolf Rong camp, and you might even be able to plunder some good stuff.

More importantly, if they win this battle, the centaurs' prestige in this area will be greatly enhanced, and they will be more assertive when dealing with the Shuofeng Plains in the future.

"Alright!" Tal was a decisive man, and immediately made the decision. "Do as Commandant Xiao said! I'll have my men leave the seriously wounded behind, and the lightly wounded will follow. There will be at least 160 cavalrymen who can still fight. What about your side?"

Xiao Yunlan quickly assessed the strength of his own troops.

Eighty elite soldiers went into battle. Seven were killed in action, eleven were seriously wounded and rendered incapable of fighting, and the remaining sixty-odd were all capable of fighting. They also captured a number of intact giant wolves, and some veterans skilled in horsemanship could temporarily serve as cavalry, forming a mobile force of about seventy men.

With the addition of 160 horsemen, the total force is around 230 cavalry, more than enough to deal with an empty Wolf Rong camp.

"I can send out seventy riders," Xiao Yunlan said.

"It's settled then!" Tal grinned. "I'll have my men hurry up and feed the horses and check their equipment. We'll set off in 15 minutes! Send out scouts first to cover the battlefield and intercept any possible messengers."

"Thank you for your trouble!" Xiao Yunlan clasped his hands in a fist salute.

The order was quickly relayed.

Although the soldiers of Bingcheng were exhausted, they were greatly encouraged when they heard that they were going to strike at the heart of the Langrong and end the siege. They acted swiftly.

The seriously wounded and some of the captured important supplies (such as intact armor and weapons) were properly placed in a relatively hidden and safe cave in the wind-eroded rock, with ten lightly wounded soldiers left to guard it.

The remains of our fallen comrades are temporarily kept here, pending burial at a later date.

Two quarters of an hour later, a peculiar cavalry force, a mix of humans and centaurs, led by Tal and Xiao Yunlan, quietly left the still-warm, blood-stained Wind-Eroded Rock and sped towards the Wolf Rong camp in the southwest, like a torrent of death surging in the dark night.

The group was led by light cavalry and flanked by horsemen, who were responsible for reconnaissance and cover.

Xiao Yunlan led the Ice City elite in the center, riding captured giant wolves and some warhorses. Although they were not as powerful as the centaurs, they were disciplined and their formation remained orderly.

In pursuit of speed, everyone traveled light, carrying only the necessary weapons.

The night wind in Shuofeng Plain was icy cold, cutting like a knife on the face, but it could not extinguish the burning fighting spirit in the hearts of the soldiers.

The fatigue from continuous fighting was dispelled by the impending decisive victory.

Horse hooves and wolf claws shattered the ice and snow, leaving trails of speed across the wasteland.

Sure enough, they encountered two small groups of wolf-like cavalry along the way, probably sent by Wugu to expand the reconnaissance area or to deliver messages.

They saw this sizable mixed cavalry force from afar, but were puzzled. They tried to approach to inquire or intercept them, but unsurprisingly, they were swiftly shot down by the centaur scouts with their precise archery skills. None of them managed to escape back to report.

After nearly two hours of running at full speed, the faint light of the campfire of the Wolf Rong camp finally appeared on the distant horizon.

This is the darkest hour before dawn, when people are most tired and least alert.

Tal and Xiao Yunlan reined in their horses and observed from behind a low earthen slope.

The outline of the camp was faintly visible in the night. The fences, tents, and watchtowers seemed no different from usual, but upon closer inspection, one could find something unusual—the camp had far fewer fires than usual, the patrolling sentries were sparse and appeared listless, and even the guards at the camp gate seemed to be dozing off.

Clearly, the wolf-like deputy left behind was unaware that Wugu's main force had been annihilated. Perhaps he was still waiting for news of victory from the front, or perhaps he was simply following Wugu's orders to remain in a defensive position.

"It seems they haven't received the news yet," Tal whispered.

"Perfect." Xiao Yunlan's eyes flashed with cold light. "Centurion Tal, according to the plan, your unit will launch the first wave of attack from the east and north, using rockets to harass and create chaos to attract the attention of the defenders."

I led my troops straight to the south gate, where the defenses were relatively weak. We breached the gate in one fell swoop and marched straight to the central army!

"Understood!" Tal nodded, and with a gentle wave of his hand, the centaur cavalry behind him dispersed silently like mercury spilling onto the ground, splitting into two groups and stealthily heading towards the designated attack positions.