Chapter 530: Turning Point! Counterattack! (III) (1/2)
Chapter 530: Turning Point! Counterattack! (III)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”Cavalry, get ready!”
Wang Chong had not even noticed what was going on behind him. His mind was in a state of complete calm and rationality. This battle had now reached the critical moment. At present, the Annan Protectorate army had the advantage and initiative, and Wang Chong was using the master archers to control the situation.
But the Tibetans had not given up.
As long as Wang Chong could break this final resistance, the 70,000 Tibetans would be thoroughly routed, the entire army crumbling to pieces.
Neigh!
All the cavalry trotted to Wang Chong's side, all of them looking down the mountain, their bodies exuding a powerful will to fight. This war involved three great empires and almost a million soldiers. For the first time, they were seeing the light of hope.
After many days of fierce battle, this tiny sliver of hope was extremely important to the exhausted army.
The summit was quiet, with no sound except the falling of the rain and the flapping of the banner. This dreadful silence reigned as everyone waited for Wang Chong's order.
No one realized that their initial doubt and unease had already transformed into absolute trust toward Wang Chong.
Come out, come out! I don't believe that you'll do nothing! Wang Chong thought as he looked down the mountain.
The Swordfanged Beast, Jiaosiluo, was one of the Ngari Royal Lineage's Five Tiger Generals, and there was also the Crown Prince of Mengshe Zhao, Fengjiayi. Both of these were brilliant individuals who couldn't be underestimated. They might not have been as dazzling as Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, or Geluofeng, but they still had extremely important roles.
One could say that the bitter defeat of the Annan Protectorate army was directly related to them.
Wang Chong didn't believe that Fengjiayi and Jiaosiluo would just sit back and watch as he pushed the Tibetans in the northeast to the brink of defeat. A general always had to keep their attention on the entire battlefield. If Fengjiayi and Jiaosiluo couldn't even do that, then Wang Chong had overestimated them.
All that's left is to wait and see when the two of you react, Wang Chong thought.
Wang Chong didn't have to wait long. There was a peal of thunder, and the ground to the southeast suddenly began to quake, the thunderous stampede of horses even drowning out the rain. The neighing of the highland steeds managed to travel far despite the rain and thunder.
”Kiiiill!”
Almost deafening cries came from the distance. In the blink of an eye, an army of Tibetan cavalry came galloping over from the distance, their momentum astonishing, their aura and energy far surpassing those of ordinary Tibetan cavalry.
”General has ordered that those who kill Tang soldiers will live and those who retreat will be executed!”
A fierce messenger held aloft his scimitar, charging out of the rain like a white ray of light, his voice ruthless beyond compare.
”Royal Guardsmen, receive this order! Any who retreat are to be executed!”
Roar!
Responding to that messenger was a heaven-shaking roar of brutality. The muscular and imposing Tibetan Royal Guardsmen suddenly dismounted, unsheathed their bright scimitars, and stood in a row, all of their weapons aimed at the summit.
For all these Tibetans who outnumbered their foe to be in such chaos, all of them like aimless houseflies and desperately trying to retreat, was an utter disgrace to the strength-worshiping Tibetans.
While the Royal Guardsmen dismounted, the new wave of thousands of Tibetan reinforcements transformed into a flood that charged at maximum speed toward the summit.
”Not good! It's dangerous!”
On the summit, under the massive banner, Chen Shusun became nervous.
Although his understanding of the art of war was inferior to Wang Chong's, Chen Shusun was still a veteran officer. Although the Tang army held the initiative, this had been the result of the tactics and formations that Wang Chong had utilized.
But even the most powerful of tactics and formations had a limit. There was no doubt that the Tang Square Formations that had gone on the attack had reached their upper limits. If another wave of eight or nine thousand elites arrived, their lines might crumble from the pressure.
”There's no need to worry!”
Wang Chong waved his hand, unconcerned. ”Let them charge.”
”But, Milord, we won't be able to endure!” several of the Tang officers worriedly said. Wang Chong wasn't familiar with any of them, but he knew that they were his big brother's bodyguards.
”There's no need to worry! It will be fine as long as the lines don't immediately collapse,” Wang Chong calmly said.
Wang Chong made no attempts to intercept this wave. As expected, the scene that the officers on the summit had worried the most about occurred.
Rumble! Like a flash flood, the grandiose wave of Tibetan reinforcements smashed into the Tang formation, causing a massive upheaval, screams ringing through the air.
Outside of the pocket that Wang Chong had formed, the two units of the Tang army that had gone on the offensive showed signs of breaking.
Ten!
Nine!
Eight!
……
Wang Chong calmly looked down the mountain as he mentally counted down. From the high ground, Wang Chong could clearly tell that as the battle progressed, the Tibetan reinforcements had completely shifted their focus to the two offensive Tang formations.
They were so focused on pressing forward that they no longer paid much attention to the troops on the summit. Moreover, as the battle grew more intense, this sort of trend only continued.
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
……
When his count reached 'one', there was suddenly a ripple in the Tibetan reinforcements. This ripple was inconspicuous, akin to an eddy of foam in a stream, but for Wang Chong, this was enough.
”To the southeast! All cavalry, charge!”
After so long, Wang Chong finally dispatched his precious cavalry.
There was an earth-shaking rumble. The cavalry had waited on the summit for this order for far too long, and now that it had been given, all of them were vying to be first. Like a mighty waterfall, they galloped down the summit.
Neeeeigh!