Volume 12 Chapter 5: Lucky's Sinister Attack
Only soldiers with the most unyielding fighting spirits and most powerful desires to survive could survive for so long after their armies were destroyed, in this kind of dangerous situation where they didn't have enough food or even drinking water, without enough rest.
That was why even though Mo Xunhua and all of these black-armored Yunqin soldiers didn't want to die, they definitely didn't fear death, they long completed their mental preparations to sacrifice their lives for their country.
However, for them, Lin Xi and Gao Yanan were people who were even more important than themselves. So they would rather die themselves than let these two die here.
That was why in that instant, Mo Xunhua and these black-armored Yunqin soldiers were all quiet, inwardly somewhat against Lin Xi's plan that didn't seem to have too high of a success rate.
"There isn't much to hesitate over. Even though I am not in the army, not your superior in rank, likewise, you all aren't my superiors, so you all cannot order me either." Lin Xi understood clearly what these Yunqin soldiers who were worthy of his respect were thinking. His words sounded extremely arrogant, but his tone was full of respect and pleading. "That is why even if there wasn't the help of you all, I would still try to assassinate this Great Mang important figure... As such, I hope that you all do not argue with me over this. Even if the chances of success aren't high, we should still give it a try."
...
In this world, there weren't many things more true than life and death.
In moments where life and death were being decided, one's emotions would be the most sincere, the least likely for there to be any fakeness.
Mo Xunhua and all of these Yunqin soldiers who struggled to survive remained silent, all of them knowing that they couldn't change Lin Xi's mind. It was unknown who initiated it, but all of these extremely sturdy willed Yunqin soldiers began to show Lin Xi a sincere military salute one after another.
"If we succeed this time, we can live..."
Mo Xunhua gave Lin Xi a military salute, at the same time saying quietly with a resolute voice, "In the future, in Yunqin, regardless of when it is, your respected self will always be our superior."
Lin Xi gave them a deep bow and then began to carefully instruct Lucky on what to do.
...
A curved moon hung in the sky.
Standing in the surroundings of the continuous tents was a simple but practical wooden tower.
Well-trained soldiers, after their eyes adjusted to the darkness, could at least see the movements of grass under the wind a hundred meters out. That was why this type of nighttime with a bit of moonlight wasn't actually the best time to launch a night attack.
Mo Xunhua and all of those injured black-armored Yunqin soldiers were all lying behind Lin Xi, perfectly around a hundred meters away from the nearest watchtower.
Previously, they already avoided two hidden sentries under Lin Xi's lead. However, under this type of visibility, even if there weren't any light towers, crossing these hundred meters of distance without being noticed was still impossible.
Even if Lin Xi could accurately shoot down the Great Mang soldiers on the watchtowers, this would still easily result in being discovered.
That was why right now, even though they were lying on the ground, their heads were all raised slightly, watching the sky.
High up in the dark sky were several dark clouds.
They were all praying for these dark clouds to cover the moonlight, thus granting them a chance to infiltrate the horse ring.
Only, could these slowly drifting dark clouds cover the moonlight? After blocking the moonlight, they would quickly scatter again while they secretly advanced... they had no way of controlling these clouds movements, no one knew how they would behave.
That was why these Yunqin soldiers were all so worried their foreheads and backs were covered in fine sweat.
The dark clouds still didn't cover the moon, still quite far from the fine crescent moon. However, right at this time, all of these Yunqin soldiers who had already lied here for a long time, becoming more and more nervous, instead saw Lin Xi slowly reach out a hand, forcefully clenching it into a fist.
This was precisely a signal they had already decided on before they got here.
As long as Lin Xi made this movement, they would use the fastest speed to advance into the horse ring without making any sounds.
However, making this signal at this type of time... wouldn't the sentries on the watchtowers notice them?
Mo Xunhua and all of these black-armored Yunqin soldiers found this inconceivable, but they saw that Lin Xi's signal was exceptionally resolute. They also understood extremely clearly that if they were discovered, there was no way Lin Xi and Gao Yanan would get away either. On top of all of this, for them, when they decided to listen to Lin Xi, they already placed their lives and deaths completely in his hands.
That was why after only an instant of sluggishness, Mo Xunhua clenched his teeth and then made a signal, forcefully gripping the black long blade in his hands. He began to lean forward, starting to quickly advance towards the horse field.
All of these black-armored Yunqin soldiers were like leopards, quickly following behind him.
After rushing without any regard for anything else for close to a few dozen meters, when they could already see the natural patterns of the wooden pillars clearly, Mo Xunhua and these black-armored Yunqin soldiers all discovered with inconceivable shock that they still weren't discovered by the sentries on the watchtowers.
Meanwhile, even at this time, the dark clouds in the sky still hadn't covered the moonlight.
As they got closer and closer, they saw that both of the sentries' heads were slightly hung, their eyes closed.
The two sentries both dozed off! Regardless of whether this was in Yunqin army or Great Mang's troops, this was extremely rarely seen. This could only mean that this Great Mang fleet might have already fought a great battle or experienced a forced advance. Moreover, this type of temporarily dozing off wouldn't be too long. Once the sentries noticed that they were actually drowsy to the point where they would unconsciously doze off, they would definitely use some severe methods to keep themselves awake. It was because in the military, dozing off was something that would receive the most severe punishment.
However, this type of extremely short and extremely rare moment was seized by them. Or perhaps it should be said that Lin Xi grasped it.
...
The two sentries on the watchtowers were indeed extremely tired.
It was because in the past two weeks, Gu Yunjing carried out a divide and conquer, stirring up disturbances in all directions, making battles happen everywhere. As such, their troop was like a firefighting troop, continuously experiencing several rapid advances and pursuits. In this type of situation where their strength was greatly overdrafted, moreover, where there were precise military reports indicating that there were no Yunqin troops within two hundred li, their minds relaxed, so these two Great Mang soldiers both dozed off.
However, this was indeed an extremely short amount of time.
Right when his body leaned forward slightly, his neck pulled on by a rope he prepared beforehand, so one of the sentries quickly woke up. When he saw that the companion at his side was actually also dozing off, his forehead immediately produced a layer of cold sweat, his drowsiness completely disappearing. After he fiercely struck his own thigh, he released a low cough.
The companion next to him immediately became alert, similarly horrified to the extreme.
Meanwhile, right at this time, those dark clouds already covered the crescent moon, covering the dim moonlight.
These two sentries both heard some slight sounds.
These sounds seemed like those slightly dried tree bark noises, seemingly coming from the horse field behind them.
These two sentries immediately nervously turned around, narrowing their eyes while trying to search through the darkness... since their eyes couldn't immediately adjust, these two sentries didn't discover anything strange. A moment later, a horse neigh suddenly sounded.
These horses wouldn't remain completely quiet throughout the night, of course they would make all types of sounds. However, these Great Mang soldiers had also experienced year-round training, so they could immediately discern between ordinary horse neighs and cries of alarm.
These two Great Mang soldiers' bodies immediately went rigid, realizing that something was wrong. However, they also felt a bit of hesitation, refusing to believe that an enemy could get in, fearing making a mistaken report... In that breath of hesitation, the entire horse field began to erupt with horse neighs, immediately becoming absolutely chaotic. Thunderous horse hooves tore through the peaceful night sky!
"Enemy attack!"
The two rigid Great Mang soldiers seemed to move on a conditioned reflex. They used up all of their strength to release an extremely shrill cry, using all of their strength to strike the alarm gong next to them.
All of the sleeping Great Mang soldiers were instantly roused awake. Countless cries of alarm and metal striking noises sounded.
Flint sparks flickered with astonishing speed in the camp.
When these flames were ignited, Lin Xi and Gao Yanan already moved beneath another watchtower. When the chaos just began, the two of them were already like a gust of wind, rapidly crossing a wooden fence and rushing into the shadows of the nearest tent.
The horse field's surroundings also had many fires lit.
Under the hazy fiery radiance, the Great Mang soldiers near the horse field were horrified, they discovered that all of the horses had already been let out, moreover rushing out of the horse field's entrance with astonishing speed like a flood.
"What are you all standing around stupidly for?!"
"Block the main entrance, use the horse repelling stakes!"
"Archers..."
A Great Mang officer who didn't have enough time to put on his armor continuously roared and cursed with fury, shouting at the dozens of stupefied Great Mang soldiers near the horse field's entrance, issuing military orders with the most severe voice.
Right now, in the darkness, even though this Great Mang officer and the nearby soldiers didn't notice any enemy traces yet, his experience made him extremely sure that without enemies controlling them, these strictly trained war horses definitely wouldn't all rush towards the main entrance.
This meant that there were definitely quite a few Yunqin soldiers who hid in the group of horses, either side riding or stomach riding while controlling them.
These war horses were precious Great Mang resources. However, instead of letting these warhorses to rush out and be brought away by these Yunqin soldiers, it was better to kill a portion of them.
As long as some at the very front could be killed, just these horses' mutual collision would be enough to prevent most of these horses from rushing out!
That was why this Great Mang officer even directly gave the orders for all of the archers and Great Mang soldiers to directly kill the horses charging over.
However, right at this instant, a wave of terrifying ice-cold stream instead surged from the grass not far from this Great Mang officer's feet. This Great Mang officer and the five or six Great Mang soldiers near him instantly turned into white sculptures, dying.
Under cries of horror and alarm, the crazily crying and sprinting war horses were like a dam burst's flood, charging out, smashing the frozen Great Mang officer and Great Mang soldiers flying, crushing them into a bloody paste.