NOVEL WEB Chapter 122: Overwhelming Power
BOOM! BOOM!
One troop of Wolf Fang Cavalry after another trampled the earth, kicking up dust as they advanced toward Dongyu District.
The Wolf Fang Cavalry were tall and imposing, the atmosphere solemn. Clad in black armor, they marched forward in silence.
The Wolf Fang Camp was a cavalry unit, their mounts uniformly the ferocious Black Evil Wolves.
Furthermore, every Martial Artist among them had reached at least the intermediate stage of the First Rank. Under the command of the Flag Officer, they could even form military formations, manifesting the spectral image of the Black Evil Wolves.
Hong Yuan rode his carefully chosen Dragon Scale Horse, standing beside Mo Shan near General Zhao Biao, at the center of the Wolf Fang Camp's formation.
"Black clouds bear down on the city, threatening to overwhelm it." Such terrifying power. Is this the true might of an army? Hong Yuan marveled internally.
He had always believed that the various military units were primarily for holding territory, not for waging war. Warfare, he thought, mainly relied on high-ranking Martial Artists.
But now, it seemed a swarm of ants truly could kill an elephant.
After all, everyone here was a Martial Artist; they weren't like Martial Saints who could mobilize Immortal Nuance.
"Officer Hong, is the strategy to capture them alive or to annihilate them?" General Zhao Biao asked softly.
His demeanor was calm and composed. Though still cautious, his confidence was evident.
"Try to capture them alive. If that's not possible, then annihilate them," Hong Yuan nodded in reply.
General Zhao Biao acknowledged with a sound, then waved his flag to issue commands.
Several troops of Wolf Fang Cavalry broke away from the main formation to secure key positions and prevent any escape.
Under these circumstances, the Wolf Fang Camp swept into the inner city with the force of a gathering storm.
The sheer force of their arrival startled Hong Yuan. He was somewhat concerned it might alert Wei Tusu and the others. Fortunately, the scenes transmitted by the Rapid Bee Worm indicated that the arena battles were still ongoing.
Lu Sheng's intervention had prolonged a battle that had previously seemed to have a foregone conclusion.
Within the inner city, the Wolf Fang Camp's mobilization sent civilians scrambling. They hurriedly dropped whatever they were holding; the quicker ones fled into their homes, while the slower ones ducked to the sides of the grand avenue. All did their utmost to avoid the approaching army.
The rumbling even reached Dongyu District.
Upon arriving at Dongyu District, General Zhao Biao issued orders, deploying troop after troop of Wolf Fang Cavalry to encircle the district, sealing it off completely.
"The Wolf Fang Camp! That's General Black Wolf's most ferocious unit! What's happening?"
"Not sure, but I reckon someone must have provoked Officer Hong. Look, he's right there with them."
"Hiss! As expected of the Wolf Fang Camp, their aura is terrifyingly fierce."
"..."
Cries of terror, whispers of speculation, and gasps of admiration rose from the onlookers in Dongyu District.
Hong Yuan paid no attention to these spectators. Once preparations were complete, he immediately nodded to General Zhao Biao, his gaze fixed on the distant arena where the duels were taking place.
At the Dongyu District arena, Lu Sheng and Wei Tusu simultaneously ceased fighting. They each returned to their respective groups, their expressions grave as they watched the ominous arrival of the Wolf Fang Camp.
Among them, Wei Tusu was the most panicked.
Damn it, they can't be here for me... Has the secret been exposed? That's impossible, right? I've been hiding so well, for almost a month now. Wei Tusu thought to himself.
His thoughts raced, and he quickly pinpointed the likely reason, his gaze settling unkindly on Li Ziran.
If the secret got out, it must have been because this guy was too conspicuous!
Li Ziran and the other two disciples from Qinglu Taoist Temple exchanged glances. They drew their weapons, prepared to break out of Dongyu District at any moment.
If they could just escape the inner city, they could rendezvous with True Disciple Zhang Baicun and find a path to safety.
CLOP! CLOP!
Accompanied by General Zhao Biao and the numerous soldiers of the Wolf Fang Camp, Hong Yuan made his entrance on his Dragon Scale Horse.
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Wei Tusu's mind raced, and an idea struck him.
His face wreathed in smiles, he walked towards Hong Yuan. "Officer Hong—"
"Arrest them," Hong Yuan ordered resolutely.
WHOOSH!
Wei Tusu and the three disciples from Qinglu Taoist Temple's expressions changed drastically. They instantly drew their weapons, preparing for a standoff.
But in the next instant, like a black torrent, the Wolf Fang Cavalry surged into the area, attacking them in an orderly fashion.
Wei Tusu swung his broadsword, parrying the spears of the Wolf Fang Cavalry, all the while shouting, "It's a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!" attempting to draw other Martial Artists into the conflict.
But which Martial Artist dared to resist the Wolf Fang Cavalry? They had all experienced the night of the massacre a year ago!
Under the watchful eyes of two troops of Wolf Fang Cavalry, these Martial Artists tacitly retreated to the corners, waiting for the dust to settle.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Li Ziran cursed angrily, his previous smugness completely gone.
The Wolf Fang Cavalry coordinated flawlessly, their battle formation moving as a single entity. Though composed of only First and Second Rank Martial Artists, the pressure they exerted on him was like relentless waves, making it difficult for him to escape.
The other two disciples from Qinglu Taoist Temple were faring no better.
Even disciples from Holy Lands find it difficult to withstand a military formation when they are low-ranking Martial Artists. If one of them possessed a killing move like the Flying Oriole, they could easily escape this predicament. Regrettably, they don't. Hong Yuan realized.
A faint, mocking smile touched Hong Yuan's lips.
Trapped in the relentless assault, Li Ziran, adhering to the principle of "to defeat the enemy, capture their leader first," twisted and maneuvered with great difficulty, trying to close the distance to Hong Yuan.
When he saw the smile on Hong Yuan's face, he was seized with sudden rage and bellowed, "Hong Yuan, you're also a disciple of an Overlord Sect! Do you dare fight me one-on-one?"
His loud voice drew everyone's attention to Hong Yuan.
General Zhao Biao looked at Hong Yuan with concern, afraid Hong Yuan would fall for this crude taunt.
"Officer Hong—"
As General Zhao Biao was about to advise Hong Yuan, he heard Hong Yuan tell him not to worry.
Hong Yuan said, "General Zhao, you need not worry about me acting rashly. Just proceed with your plans."
At this moment, Hong Yuan was thoroughly convinced that these individuals were indeed from Qinglu Taoist Temple.
General Zhao Biao nodded upon hearing this, and a flash of admiration crossed Mo Shan's eyes.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!!"
Seeing Hong Yuan unfazed by the taunt, Li Ziran's fury intensified. His Sword Qi grew more ferocious with each strike, heavily wounding several Black Wolf Cavalrymen and forcing them to fall back.
But the Black Wolf Cavalrymen were too numerous, and their formation was clearly well-prepared.
About seven minutes later, Wei Tusu's True Essence was depleted. His limbs were pierced by the Black Wolf Cavalrymen, and blood pooled on the ground. They had even shattered his teeth to prevent him from committing suicide.
Fifteen minutes later, the three disciples of Qinglu Taoist Temple were captured one after another.
「Outside Pengcheng.」
Zhang Baicun, having received news of the Wolf Fang Camp's mobilization, waited with an expressionless face for his junior martial brothers to escape. An unsettling feeling gnawed at his heart.
He had repeatedly entertained the thought of charging into the inner city to rescue his junior martial brothers, but ultimately, his fear of Mo Jiuyou and the Phoenix Creek Sect Elders held him back.
Even as dusk fell, there was no sign of his three junior martial brothers.
"Heh heh, interesting. Truly interesting."
Zhang Baicun suddenly chuckled lightly and left the outskirts of Pengcheng without looking back.
Using overwhelming power to crush others—a tactic known to all, is it not?