Chapter 901: The Number Three Man, Xi Yuanqing! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Buzz!
Wang Chong's order caused the army to calm down for a moment, and then it began to rumble to life.
Clangclangclang! The first to react were the shieldmen. Their finely-crafted shields heavily thumped against the ground. After them came the pikemen of Greater and Lesser Balur, their forest of pikes all aiming outward. Behind them, the cavalry unsheathed their sabers and swords, and the creaking of gears could be heard as the three thousand ballistae were loaded and readied. In this entire process, all fifteen thousand members of the ballista army seemed to be in sync, the creaking of the ballistae starting and ending together.
When all this was finished, the aura exuded by the more than one hundred thousand Tang soldiers transformed into a dreadful threshing machine that was ready to begin the harvest.
Roooar! A forceful bellow came from the western side of Talas. The first to attack were the Arabs. Whoosh! As the Arab cavalry galloped forward, they parted, allowing a giant of a man to ride out from the center of the army, mounted upon a divine steed.
At the sight of this man, even Wang Chong couldn't help but blink a few times.
Tall! Incredibly tall!
In the Central Plains, and perhaps in all the world, someone of Li Siye's stature was already astonishing. But this person was even taller than Li Siye. Even from several hundred zhang away, his muscular figure still gave off an intense pressure.
His horse was similarly impressive, two heads taller than an average man.
This person was wearing black-red armor, and his hands grasped two large and heavy hammers. As he galloped and roared, he seemed like the Mighty Miracle God stepping out of the legends.
”Gu-de-hai-da, ke-la-he [Die for me]!” this Arab general loudly shouted, his eyes exploding with light. Behind him, thousands of Arab warriors who were just as fierce roared and charged, their bodies surging with killing intent. In comparison to the Arab cavalry led by Umar, these Arab cavalrymen were one or two levels stronger.
At the first defense line, while the Great Tang shieldmen were able to maintain their nerve, the soldiers from the Western Regions appeared afraid and fearful.
”That's Khaled! A fierce Arab general!”
A grave voice came from Wang Chong's side. Cheng Qianli had ridden up, his worried eyes focused on that deific Arab figure.
”In our two months fighting with the Arabs, no small number of our soldiers died at this Khaled's hands, and they all died extremely gruesome deaths. Khaled likes to throw his opponents into the air and then attack them from below, so corpses rarely emerge intact after a battle. General Xi tried to kill him before, but not only did he fail, he was heavily wounded for his efforts!”
'General Xi' referred to Xi Yuanqing, the number three individual in the Anxi Protectorate army and a Saint Martial expert. His strength was beneath only Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli. If even he had been injured, one could easily imagine just how powerful Khaled was!
”Is that so?”
Wang Chong coldly stared at the distant Khaled, his eyes glowing with murderous intent. The Beast of Arabia, Khaled! Wang Chong had not imagined that Abu Muslim would be sending out one of his best generals right at the start of the battle.
”What fierce Arab general? He doesn't seem like much to me!” Wang Chong placed his hands behind him and confidently said, ”General Cheng, there's no need to worry. Call over General Xi. I have a method that will allow him to kill this Khaled!”
”Ah!!”
Cheng Qianli stared at Wang Chong in shock. He had spoken his words to remind Wang Chong to be careful about this formidable opponent, but little had he expected Wang Chong to say that he could turn Xi Yuanqing's defeat into a victory and kill Khaled. Cheng Qianli was stupefied. If anyone else had made this claim, he would have treated it as a joke.
But Wang Chong's earnest expression made those words impossible to discard.
”Protector-General Wang, you really have a way to kill Khaled?”
”If we don't try, how can we know?” Wang Chong indifferently said.
Xi Yuanqing came quickly, riding out through the city gates, his stalwart figure mounted on a pure snow-white steed.
”Protector-General Wang, you were asking for me.”
The stalwart man dismounted in front of Wang Chong. His expression was grim, his face seemingly chiseled from stone. He was apparently one of those sober and serious men who had little time for jokes.