I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

So Qingdeng immediately decided: I also want to be a man who wields a spear!

Even before the bandit army attacked, Qing Deng had already ordered Iwasaki Yataro to find a way to buy a spear.

Buying a spear in 19th-century Japan... this performance art-like act is like buying a matchlock gun in the 21st century—people will give you strange looks.

Qing Deng naturally understood this as well.

Therefore, he did not have high hopes for Iwasaki Yataro's "gun-buying trip".

He had a completely laissez-faire attitude: "If I can buy it, that would be great; if I can't, I'll just find a long spear to make do."

However... to his surprise, Yataro Iwasaki actually managed to find him a spear!

Yataro Iwasaki found a blacksmith who claimed to have a spear.

According to this person, the spear was made by his grandfather.

His grandfather was very fascinated by ancient weapons, so he painstakingly forged a spear based on the records in ancient books.

The recent turmoil in Kyoto has made life increasingly difficult for this blacksmith.

Because his family was becoming increasingly strapped for cash, he immediately decided to sell the spear that his grandfather had personally forged.

Qingdeng had never seen a real spear, so he didn't know whether this thing was actually a spear.

However, according to the theory that "a very long spear is a shuo", this should be a shuo!

Even if it isn't, let's just pretend it is!

This spear is over 3 meters long and weighs around 40 kilograms. The shaft is brown, and the spearhead is about 70 centimeters long. It is sword-shaped with two blades, making it look like a double-edged sword embedded in a wooden shaft.

Compared to the 5- or 6-meter-long spears of the Sui and Tang dynasties, this spear is undoubtedly a "miniature version".

But for Qingdeng, this length is just right!

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the spear did not need to be used for continuous combat; it could be released immediately after a single thrust, so it was naturally made as long as possible.

Qingdeng's goal is to "turn the spear into a gun," to attack and defend on the back of the radish and complete a series of complex actions, using the spear to perform moves that can only be done with a gun.

Therefore, this spear must not be too long, otherwise it will get in the way.

With a total length of around 3 meters, it's just the right length to handle!

As it turned out, Qing Deng's choice of a spear as his cavalry weapon was absolutely correct.

With the added advantage of his exceptional talent in marksmanship, Qing Deng possesses marksmanship skills 62 times greater than those of ordinary people.

However, he never systematically studied marksmanship.

He had only observed Harada Sanosuke practicing his spear a few times, and then, thanks to the bonuses of "Spear Mastery" and "Demon Heart +5", he secretly learned a few moves.

However, when it comes down to it, there is no need for any special skills or techniques when using a spear in mounted combat.

Mounted combat requires even less of those fancy tricks than infantry combat.

All you need is a tall stature, strong muscles, agile speed, and well-developed reflexes. Then just swing the spear around wildly and wildly! Swing it whenever you encounter an enemy! That's all you need!

This is exactly what Qingdeng is like at this moment.

There are no techniques involved; it's just random swinging and flailing!

The long spear thrusts out, pulls back, thrusts straight in, sweeps horizontally, smashes downwards, flicks upwards, and slashes diagonally.

Swift as a whirlwind, powerful as a thunderbolt.

Those who are struck are broken, and those who are in their way are subdued!

Wherever the spears struck, blood splattered and limbs flew everywhere, and the bandits met various tragic ends.

They might lose their heads, their hands or feet, their upper and lower bodies separated, or be completely dismembered.

Radish moved with lightning speed, its hooves slicing through the soil, and in an instant, it had broken through layers of enemy lines.

While Qingdeng was fighting bravely, Luobo was not idle either.

As it galloped away, it would occasionally knock away any unfortunate creatures blocking its path.

There are quite a few people who have been killed by this big black bull.

Qingdeng precisely adjusted the speed of the radish according to the changes in the battle situation and terrain.

Sometimes he would lightly tap the cow's belly with his foot to make it run fast.

Sometimes it would use its mouth to pull the reins, making it run slowly.

By precisely adjusting the speed, the pursuers could be better pursued and annihilated, allowing the sweating radish to get a short rest.

Even with only one man and one ox, they still routed the enemy! The enemy ranks retreated in disarray, like waves crashing against the ground!

Those bandits who barely mustered the courage to advance fell to the ground like weeds swept by a scythe, and in the blink of an eye, they were trampled into a bloody mess by Sanako and the others who followed closely behind Qingdeng.

One band of bandits after another surged forward, but none of them could stop Qingdeng.

Looking along their route of attack, all that could be seen was blood and death!

Qingdeng ignored these worthless good-for-nothings and continued charging forward, cutting through the vast sea of ​​bandits.

Undeterred, they pressed forward, striking at the enemy's weaknesses, their momentum unstoppable!

Sanako and the Aizu cavalry further tore open the gap in the enemy lines that Aoto had created.

How could a mere bandit who had never received formal military training possibly withstand this group of fierce and valiant soldiers?

As a result, the entire army was thrown into chaos, and order gradually collapsed.

Qingdeng and his men charged straight toward the center of the enemy camp, only a few hundred meters away from the enemy's main camp!

The fierce hoofbeats of horses (and oxen), the whooshing sound of weapons being wielded, the terrified screams of the bandits... even Shibasaki Rentaro in the main camp could hear them from afar!

……

……

The enemy camp, main camp—

"Help!"

"Hey! Don't run away! Don't run away!"

"Ahhh! He's coming! He's coming!"

"Get out of my way! Whoever wants to die can go ahead! Don't block my way!"

……

The incredibly noisy commotion woke up Shibasaki Renjuro, who was taking a nap.

"What's going on?!"

He threw off the thin blanket covering him, grabbed a haori from the bedside, haphazardly put it on, and rushed out of the command tent.

call!

The biting cold wind that came on my face carried needle-like sand and dust.

Renjuro Shibasaki had to raise his hand to protect his face and squint his eyes, using his eyelashes to protect his vision in order to barely see anything.

Of course, squinting is only temporary.

In an instant, he was speechless, his expression dominated by intense shock.

"What's this……?"

The cold winds of early spring blew fiercely, bringing with them tragic wails, the pungent smell of blood, and the stench of death!

A mournful face.

A face contorted with fear.

The fleeing crowd.

Knives and guns were scattered all over the ground.

A tattered banner.

Blood foam scattering in the air.

Over there in the open area, the military camp remained orderly until just now.

But now, it is completely unrecognizable.

The once perfectly flat ground was turned into a swampy mess by the massive amount of blood and countless feet trampling on it.

Broken bamboo spears, torn tents, shattered swords, and all sorts of junk were scattered everywhere, interspersed with the remains of many people.

The battlefield had already attracted many crows, which circled overhead, waiting for the best time to hunt, repeatedly cawing loudly, adding a unique sense of desolation to the battlefield.

These terrifying images, which made him feel as if he were in hell, flashed across Shibasaki Renjuro's field of vision.

The defense line in his mind called "reason," which was specifically responsible for blocking negative emotions such as impulsiveness and irritability, collapsed instantly.

He looked around, his lips trembling slightly.

At this critical moment, he instinctively turned to the person he trusted most.

"Mr. Settsu! Mr. Settsu!"

He raised his head, strained his voice, and called out to Settsu Yorimitsu again and again, craning his neck and searching for him, just like a child looking for milk.

However... no matter how many times he called out, he could never find that tall figure who would appear before him immediately whenever he called out.

In a moment of bewilderment, he rushed out of the command tent, ran to the nearest deserter, grabbed him by the shoulders, and hysterically questioned him:

"Hey! You! Have you seen Mr. Settsu?"

The man shuddered, then replied tremblingly:

"Mr. Setsu? I...I...I didn't see him!"

"Tsk! Get lost!"

Shibasaki Renjuro roughly pushed the man away, then turned to another person and asked the same question—this person had also not seen Settsu Yorimitsu.

The process of searching for someone, asking "Where is Settsu Yorimitsu?", receiving a "I don't know" reply, then searching for the next person, asking the same question, and then receiving another "I don't know" reply... continues endlessly.

Setsu Yorimitsu seemed to have vanished into thin air; there was no sign of him anywhere.

The military camp was in complete chaos. At this critical moment when a strong leader was urgently needed to maintain order, this general was wasting precious time doing things that had nothing to do with reality.