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“That’s right. The Jurchen cavalry are swift and fast, and dividing our forces could lead to their defeat. Although Shandong has the natural defenses of our waterways, most of the prefectures and counties are plains and open fields, which are advantageous for cavalry warfare but disadvantageous for our infantry defense. Moreover, once the Jurchen cavalry breaks into the heart of Shandong and joins forces with the local gentry, those landlords who were originally unwilling or afraid to surrender may also pledge their loyalty to Wuzhu. At that time, the situation will likely become even worse. This battle must be fought in Licheng; we cannot let the Jurchens in.”
Song Jiang also pointed out the fatal flaw of the Qi Kingdom—Jin Wuzhu's ruthless methods struck directly at the vital point.
“What my brothers and sisters say makes sense. That’s what I think.”
Liu Hong quickly made strategic arrangements.
"The Jurchens' battle strategy was very clear—decapitation, decapitation, and more decapitation."
When they attacked the Liao Dynasty, they used decapitation strikes; when they attacked the Song Dynasty, they used the same tactic. Therefore, I believe that after Wanyan Zonghan's army passed through Licheng and entered Qi territory, their first target would be our capital: Yidu, Qingzhou.
"So I have a plan: let the Jin army in! Then trap them! This time I will annihilate this main force of the Jin army!"
Liu Hong pointed to the map, especially to the two strategic passes to the north and south of Mount Tai.
"Huyan Zhuo! You shall immediately lead the Second Army south and, in the name of the King of Qi, take over Mizhou! Block the southern exit from Shandong."
"Dai Zong, immediately send a secret letter to Chao Gai and Li Jun. Once the Jin army passes through Licheng, enters Shandong, and threatens Qingzhou, have Chao Gai and Li Jun lead all of Liangshan's naval forces into the Yellow River and seize Licheng at all costs, sealing off Shandong's northern exit. We cannot allow a single Jin soldier to escape north!"
"Then Guan Sheng's First Army, Lu Zhisheng's Third Army, Song Jiang's Fourth Army, and all my brothers, will follow me to Qingzhou to fight against the Jin army!"
Liu Hong issued the battle order decisively: "Save Kaifeng for good, protect Shandong first!"
Given the series of questionable actions taken by the Song Dynasty, no one in Liangshan thought there was anything wrong with Liu Hong's order not to save Kaifeng, and no one wanted to save the emperor who had betrayed them. They all unconditionally obeyed Liu Hong's orders.
Chapter 427: Shandong's North-South Blockade
Although the Yellow River is one of the few natural barriers in the Central Plains, it has a fatal weakness: it freezes over in winter. The Jin army would wrap their horses' hooves with non-slip cloth, allowing them to cross the Yellow River as if on flat ground. To defend against this, the only option was to manually break through the ice.
Instead of doing so, Liu Yu, who was guarding the Yellow River, used the thousand Jin soldiers secretly lent to him by Wanyan Wuzhu to carry out a massacre in Qizhou. He beheaded the pro-war pacification commissioner and publicly executed the transport commissioner who refused to surrender. All the officials who refused to surrender were slaughtered by Liu Yu. Under the Jin army's butcher's knife, the separation of powers of the Song Dynasty was finally broken, and he seized complete control of Qizhou.
Finally, Liu Yu, having prepared a large amount of grain and supplies, led the still-living officials of Qi Prefecture who were willing to surrender, bowing and scraping, to welcome Jin Wuzhu's army. Wanyan Zonghan was also pleased, very interested in Jin Wuzhu's corruption and his policy of recruiting Han people. The two conferred and directly reported to Wanyan Aguda, who appointed Liu Yu as the King of Qi of the Great Jin. The remaining officials were each rewarded, and psychological warfare was waged throughout Shandong.
If you surrender, the Great Jin will surely reward you handsomely! If the prefect surrenders, Feng Meng'an will be there; if the county magistrate surrenders, Feng Mouke will be there. We'll give you grain, money, and people. We're different from Liangshan. Liangshan will take away your land and slaves. But if you surrender to the Great Jin, your slaves and land will be ten times more than before.
If you surrender now, you will be a founding hero of the Jin Dynasty's southward expansion!
Upon learning that the main force of the Jin army was about to arrive, the powerful families in Shandong and some county officials who had long been in secret contact with Wanyan Wuzhu and had even received a secret letter from Liu Yu promising them a seat of support, took action one after another.
They were no longer resentful, dormant figures who had been sold off of their land and freed from their slaves by Liangshan, their power greatly diminished. Instead, they were newly minted heroes eager to curry favor with their new masters. Soon, groups of soldiers came to offer their congratulations to the troops along the official roads of Shandong.
The leading local gentry and officials changed into their finest silk robes. Their faces were plastered with the most humble and obsequious smiles. They led their servants and servants, carrying whole pigs and sheep, fine wine and copper coins, and even carefully selected courtesans, who knelt down early on both sides of the road.
As Wanyan Zonghan and Jin Wuzhu's banners appeared on the horizon, and their massive, barbaric army slowly approached, the surrendering men kowtowed deeply, almost burying their heads in the cold earth.
"Welcome the Jin army!"
"Lord Liu Yu has led the royal army to relieve our suffering!"
"The Liangshan bandits are rampaging! They've seized our land! The powerful clans of Shandong are longing for the Jin army like they've longed for rain!"
These landlords used the most sycophantic language to praise the invaders, desperately trying to distance themselves from Liangshan and denouncing Liangshan's "tyranny," as if they had always been the most loyal subjects of the Jin Dynasty. Their timid and groveling behavior was a stark contrast to their usual domineering ways in their hometown.
They licked their lips, gazing up at the Jin generals high on their horses, their eyes filled with a thirst for power and a fear of violence, hoping to use this "loyalty" to gain the Jin people's approval and restore or even expand their former privileges.
Wanyan Zonghan and Jin Wuzhu's faces were cold and stern. Their gazes swept over the kneeling crowd like hawks scrutinizing their prey, devoid of any emotion, only cold assessment and contempt. Jin Wuzhu, on the other hand, wore a cruel, playful smile. He seemed to enjoy the thrill of being a conqueror, relishing the ugliness of these so-called "respectable figures" groveling on the ground.
The army behind them is the real source of terror.
The Jurchen cavalry, impeccably disciplined and clad in cold-forged armor, stood silent as mountains, their only sound the occasional snort of their horses. The giants, trolls, and other inhuman warriors from the harsh north brought a double impact, both visually and psychologically! Their faces were so primal and ferocious, yet their equipment was so modern and sophisticated.
Their heavy footsteps made the earth tremble slightly, and their ferocious faces and primitive weapons exuded a pure aura of destruction. The entire procession was filled with a chilling, murderous aura, making the surrendering powerful figures almost unable to breathe, and even their obsequious smiles became stiff.
At this moment, the strength of the Jin army had expanded to a terrifying degree. Jin Wuzhu had also conscripted 100,000 soldiers in the newly surrendered territories of Hebei and Shandong, bringing the main force of the Eastern Route Army to nearly 300,000. This number would frighten any Shandong official so much that he would wet his pants and have no will to resist.
However, Liangshan didn't care. So what if they had 100,000 more local troops? What fighting power did the local troops have?
Guided by a traitor and greeted with groveling local tyrants, the Jin army's iron hooves easily trampled into the heart of Shandong. Their strategic objective, as Liu Hong clearly guessed, was to march straight for Yidu, the capital of the Qi state!
Liu Hong was not in a hurry and began to assemble a large army. The more incompetent and corrupt the local tyrants and officials of Qi were, the more enthusiastic and excited the people of Qi were. Large numbers of government troops set off from various villages at top speed, began to assemble in various county towns, and then united in the five states of Qi, finally arriving in Yidu together.
Huyan Zhuo's second army was fully assembled, totaling 30,000 men, and quickly marched south to take over Mizhou. Jin Wuzhu set an example for Liu Hong: to hell with the separation of powers in the Song Dynasty, as long as you have an army and a sword, you can naturally take back political and financial power.
Moreover, Huyan Zhuo has two imperial edicts in his hands: one from the Zhao Emperor of Kaifeng, ordering Qi to return to Kaifeng at all costs, with Mizhou being the first casualty! Qizhou, the northern gateway, has already fallen, and I need Mizhou, the southern gateway, to provide land, money, grain, and people, and to take control of this only gateway, otherwise I cannot return to Kaifeng! I cannot guarantee the connection between the Song Dynasty and Qi.
There was another document from the Prince of Qi: The Jin dynasty is now advancing south on three fronts, and the entire Song dynasty is in a state of emergency. You officials of Mizhou, remain silent! If the sky falls, the Prince of Qi will bear it! Quickly cooperate with my work! The entire Shandong province will unite under my leadership to resist the Jin!
The Emperor Zhao has given an order, and the King of Qi has given an order, to take over Mizhou. So tell me, will you give it or not!
Under the threat of Huyan Zhuo's double whips and the overwhelming intimidation of 30,000 troops, the officials of Mizhou were terrified and obediently surrendered, allowing Huyan Zhuo to seize the seal of the prefect of Mizhou. The first part of the plan was thus completed.
Subsequently, Liu Hong's 3,000 Imperial Guard cavalry and 7,000 Imperial Guard infantry, totaling 10,000 men, along with Guan Sheng's First Army Corps of 50,000, Lu Zhisheng's Third Army Corps of 30,000, Song Jiang's Fourth Army Corps of 30,000, and Yelü Dashi's Fifth Army Corps of 20,000, a total of 140,000 troops, assembled in Yidu, preparing for a decisive battle against Jin Wuzhu!
At this moment, the Jin army also realized the importance of Qizhou. It was the northern gateway to Shandong and a central hub for the transportation of grain and supplies. Therefore, the Jin army began to divide its forces. Wanyan Zonghan personally led 250,000 main troops south, while Jin Wuzhu led 10,000 main Jin troops to cooperate with 40,000 puppet troops to guard the Qizhou fortress.
Just as Wanyan Zonghan arrived in Qingzhou, Chao Gai led 30,000 Liangshan naval troops from the inland rivers and Li Jun led 20,000 Bohai naval troops, according to plan, and they all marched towards Qizhou! They wanted to seize the northern gateway of Shandong, fight a decisive battle in Shandong, and wipe out one-third of the main force of the Jin Dynasty.
Chapter 428: Liangshan Army's Cannons Across the River
Shandong is trembling.
From the north came a dark, overwhelming tide that blotted out the sky. It was the iron cavalry and infantry under the command of Wanyan Zonghan, commander of the Western Route Army of the Great Jin Dynasty. This massive army of 250,000 men, like a primordial beast, unfurled its terrifying, dark scales and continued its southward advance, its advance shaking the very land of Qi and Lu!
The neighing of warhorses blended into a continuous rumble of thunder, the clash of weapons against armor being the most jarring rhythm within this thunder. They swept in from Hebei, their military might enough to change the very fabric of the land! Beneath the fluttering black banners stood Wanyan Zonghan himself.
What collided head-on from the south was another silent, yet resolute, red tide.
King Liu Hong of Qi, leading all of Liangshan's elite infantry and cavalry except for Huyan Zhuo, charged forward, commanding 120,000 Qi troops and establishing a foothold on this plain destined to be stained with blood. Dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, with muskets like a forest, they formed a dam built of flesh and blood and will, standing against the torrent of invaders.
Two extremely powerful armies finally clashed head-on on the vast Shandong plain—not immediately engaging in combat, but first staring at each other and pressing against one another in a suffocating manner.
As far as the eye could see, the sea of soldiers stretched endlessly. From the low hills in the east to the winding river in the west, the entire field of vision was filled with nothing but soldiers. The cold gleam of metal replaced the color of the earth, and the air was thick with dust raised by hundreds of thousands of men, mixed with leather, sweat, and a sharp aura known as "killing intent," heavy as iron when inhaled.
Wanyan Zonghan waved his banner, causing the Jin army's formation to constantly adjust and unfold. His elite cavalry roamed the flanks like the outstretched claws of a giant beast, carrying both mockery and threat. The central infantry phalanx was layered upon layered, its heavy shields forming an endless, mobile wall, behind which lay countless crossbows poised to fire. A sense of oppressive, methodical, professional killing machine permeated the air.
King Liu Hong of Qi also waved his banner. Knowing his forces were outnumbered, he focused his formation on defense. Huge shields were driven deep into the ground, and muskets and spears emerged from the gaps, like a porcupine suddenly curling up and baring its quills. Chariots and cannons interspersed within the formation adjusted their firing parameters, and the howling wind seemed to be sucked away by this massive array.
Wanyan Zonghan gazed at the Qi army's formation from afar, a cold smile perhaps playing on his lips—a look of scrutiny and contempt for his prey. Meanwhile, within the Qi army ranks, Liu Hong's palms were already damp with cold sweat from the reins, but his eyes burned with intensity as he stared intently at the dark, light-devouring tide. He knew that when the first war drum sounded, this land would be transformed into a furnace of blood.
At that moment, under the vast sky, the fate of nearly 400,000 lives was compressed into this battlefield. Humanity's most extreme violence and organization were transformed into two colossal walls about to collide, a spectacle that was both breathtaking and terrifying!
Just as Wanyan Zonghan was pondering how to break through the Qi army, a sudden urgent report came from the rear.
The Liangshan army of 50,000 has outflanked them, once again blocking the Yellow River and the Ji River, and is now launching a fierce attack on Licheng in Qizhou! Jin Wuzhu is pleading for reinforcements!
For a time, Wanyan Zonghan was stuck here.
Let's fight! What if Jin Wuzhu's 50,000 men really can't withstand the Liangshan navy, and Qizhou and Licheng fall, cutting off our retreat and our supply lines once again? Meanwhile, Liu Hong's army is fierce, turning the war into a war of attrition and a protracted struggle. What if our logistics can't keep up?!
Go back to reinforce! Liu Hong's army of over 100,000 is right in front of me! The two camps are less than five kilometers apart—too close! What if I retreat to reinforce, and Liu Hong attacks again, achieving another great victory like the Yellow River retreat? What will I do then?
Left with no other option, Wanyan Zonghan had to postpone his decisive battle with Liu Hong and send more scouts back to gather intelligence so he could make a more accurate assessment. The news he received, however, shocked him deeply—Binzhou had already fallen.
There was no way around it. The capital of Binzhou was called Bohai City, which was built directly on the coast of the Bohai Sea. The cannons of ten galleons could even reach the gates of the central government office in Bohai City! Under such terrifying naval fire, there was simply no way to defend it!
The Qi navy was top-notch, and its offshore fleet was exceptionally powerful, making it impossible for the Jin army to fight the Qi army on the coast.
The only problem with the Bohai Fleet was that it was too big to sail into the Yellow River and could only fight along the coastline, giving the Jurchens a chance to catch their breath.
However, the Jurchens were not having an easy time in the inland river battles either. Chao Gai's Liangshan inland river navy was equally powerful, and troops were continuously being sent from Liangshan Marsh, across the Yellow River and the Ji River, towards Qizhou! These 30,000 Liangshan naval troops were not well-equipped. Being a naval force, they only had 3,000 sets of armor, a mere one-tenth of their force being armored. Moreover, due to the risk of falling into the water, generally only one-tenth of the elite troops were temporarily equipped with armor for the landing assault, while the other nine-tenths, once on land, were light infantry and skirmishers. They had high land combat strength but very poor defensive capabilities.
Therefore, when Jin Wuzhu discovered that Licheng was surrounded, he did not panic. He only had tens of thousands of light infantrymen. What was there to be afraid of? He estimated that they would not be enough to defeat his Jin cavalry in one charge.
But the next second, he really panicked—Liangshan's inland river fleet was also equipped with cannons.
Liangshan's river warships were not large and could travel on most navigable waterways, so they couldn't be as terrifying as galleons, which could directly ram forty-eight cannons from one side of their hull, but they could still install five cannons without any problem.
For example, Chao Gai's flagship and the river warships both had ten cannons, with five cannons installed on each side.
Some particularly small boats would also have a mortar mounted in the center of the boat: this was a new weapon invented by Ling Zhen of Thunderclap following Liu Hong's ideas. The entire barrel was very short, like a water tank, with the muzzle pointing to the sky. As long as the angle was adjusted, the cannon could be launched at any angle with a parabolic trajectory.
Therefore, Chao Gai's 30,000 troops also received extremely powerful artillery support along the banks of the Yellow River and the Ji River, which terrified Jin Wuzhu. Several of his cavalry charges were blasted back by the naval cannons, unable to advance at all. Only then did he hurriedly request reinforcements from Wanyan Zonghan!
What's more troublesome is that Jin Wuzhu discovered that his demonic whispers were not very effective against Liangshan.
They were not without fighting spirit, unaware of why they were fighting, or easily defeated; firing two arrows at the start of the battle would have been enough for the Song army under the emperor.
That kind of army, after saying a few words, starts to become passive and give up, even abandoning the fight. Even the most victorious army only holds out for a short while; once it shows signs of defeat, it surrenders.
Qi Jun, under the leadership of Liu Hong, was a force that genuinely believed they were acting on behalf of Heaven, robbing the rich to help the poor.
They are materially well-fed, have families, land, and property.
In social relationships, they were raised by six families—parents, relatives, uncles, and aunts—to become strong soldiers who protect their home and country.
The reason Jin Wuzhu was able to seduce Zhang Qing's cavalry was because the sum of 70 million taels of silver was so enormous—it was truly dazzling. However, even the Song emperor might not be able to come up with 70 million taels of silver a second time. Where did Jin Wuzhu get so much money to tempt Liangshan a second time?!
Chapter 429: The Eastern Route Army's Battle of Qingzhou
After learning the whole story, Wanyan Zonghan cursed inwardly. He finally realized that Liu Hong had dared to go out of the city to fight despite being outnumbered, which was to force him not to go back to rescue Jin Wuzhu! He was now in a precarious position.
Let's split up the forces. If fewer people go back, we might not be able to defeat Chao Gai's Qi navy.
With more people returning, the main battlefield might be defeated by Liu Hong's Qi infantry and cavalry—the Jin dynasty didn't even have a cavalry advantage on the Shandong battlefield, with Yelü Dashi's 20,000 steppe cavalry positioned on the right flank.
Everyone went back, and in their hasty retreat, they were pursued and killed by cavalry, and there was even a possibility that they would be defeated by Liu Hong in one battle!
Faced with this extremely unfavorable situation, Wanyan Zonghan pondered for several hours, then suddenly slapped his thigh and burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears almost streamed down his face. His generals were puzzled and asked him why the marshal was laughing.
"I laugh at Liu Hong for his lack of wisdom and Wu Yong for his lack of strategy. Their actions have indeed prevented us from returning to provide reinforcements."
Wanyan Zonghan wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.
"But so what? What if my army doesn't come to our aid? What if we directly crush Liu Hong's army in a frontal assault? No matter what, the battlefield strength is 250,000 to 140,000, the advantage is on my side!!!"
In an instant, the Jin generals realized their mistake and praised the marshal's brilliant idea. Then, under Wanyan Zonghan's command, they began to prepare for the attack—defend for hell! Attack Liu Hong's main force first! If Liu Hong's main force cannot withstand the Jin army's onslaught at the front, all his plans will be useless!
The war had begun. The horizon gradually distorted under the terrifying march of hundreds of thousands of Jin soldiers. Wanyan Zonghan first dispatched the Han and Khitan heavy infantry newly recruited by the Jin in the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. Just as the Jin army's mountain-like heavy infantry phalanx, with its destructive strides, came within two hundred paces of Liangshan, the oppressive feeling of that steel jungle almost suffocated the Qi army's frontline soldiers. Suddenly, a series of intensely bright flashes erupted in front of the Qi army's formation!
That wasn't sporadic firing; it was firing along the entire long line that stretched across the battlefield! Standing in front of the Qi army's large infantry formation were Qi's skirmishers, armed with muskets, scattered like stars in disarray before the Qi army's main force. Thousands upon thousands of muskets, already prepared, had their powder pits ignited by the lit match cords at the same instant.
In an instant, a massive, sky-covering cloud of thick white smoke suddenly exploded and expanded, like a white wall of despair rising out of thin air, followed by a devastating thunderclap and the terrifying sound of thousands of bullets shrieking as they tore through the air!
The Jin army's heavy infantry phalanx, which was advancing headlong, seemed to have crashed head-on into an invisible wall of death made of pure kinetic energy! The giant shields at the front were easily pierced as if they were made of paper, and the thick iron armor made a tooth-grinding cracking sound when hit by lead bullets at close range. It then deformed and tore apart, and the bullets penetrated flesh and blood without any resistance, bringing out bursts of hot blood mist and shattered bone fragments.
The once perfectly aligned and imposing Xuanjia formation was suddenly cleaved in twos and threes, as if sliced by the Grim Reaper's scythe. The soldiers at the very front fell backward like stalks of wheat being cut down. Those struck didn't even have time to scream before their bodies were spun and shattered by the immense impact, their shields and spears flying wildly. Blood stained the battlefield!
The Jin army's advancing steel torrent was almost shattered in that instant, and the front ranks of their formation descended into chaos. Soldiers in the rear were tripped by their fallen comrades or struck by stray bullets that pierced through the ranks, screaming as they collapsed to the ground. The suffocatingly synchronized marching was disrupted for the first time, replaced by the agonizing cries of the wounded, the panicked shouts of officers, and the dull, wet, terrifying sound of lead bullets piercing flesh.
This was only the first round of firing. The Qi musketeers fired while rapidly retreating. They were not bound by any formation, so their movement speed was extremely fast, far surpassing that of dense square formations. They fought guerrilla warfare while firing, constantly weakening the Jin army's vanguard.
Wanyan Zonghan frowned. The Liao Kingdom's use of firearms was already frightening, but he hadn't expected the Qi Kingdom's use of firearms to surpass even that of the Liao. Furthermore, the battlefield with hundreds of thousands of soldiers was far too large, exceeding the reach of his blizzard.
Wanyan Zonghan stood beneath the commander's banner, his face ashen. The relentless, devastating volleys of Liangshan muskets tore his Youyun infantry formation to shreds, their advance halted in a bloodbath and smoke. A cold glint flashed in his eyes; he resolved to no longer fight by conventional means. With a thought, a biting wind materialized out of thin air, howling like a ghost, whipping up large snowflakes and icy rain, pelting down on Liu Hong's central army and the Liangshan musket positions on his flanks! The temperature plummeted, and a slippery layer of ice quickly formed on the ground. This blizzard was bizarre and violent, completely defying the natural order of the season.
The Qi musketeers at the eye of the storm were instantly met with annihilation. The raging wind and snow made it impossible to open their eyes, and icy rain seeped into the muskets and powder wells, causing the newly lit matchlocks to hiss and emit wisps of smoke before quickly going out. Many muskets even froze in the rapid cooling, rendering them unable to fire. The previously dense bursts of fire suddenly became sparse and scattered, as if strangled.
Wanyan Zonghan snorted coldly, seizing the moment to play his first trump card: the earth began to tremble, and a heavier, more savage rhythm, unlike the marching of thousands of infantrymen, came from the rear of the Jin army. Accompanied by the loud clatter of armor rubbing against each other and a chilling low roar, five infantry squares broke through the wind and snow, appearing before the vanguard of the Jin army!
Those were a full five hundred trolls!
Each troll was a full three meters tall, its muscles bulging like mountains, its bluish-gray skin covered with Liao Dynasty iron armor ripped from the corpses of ogres, the spikes of which still held icicles. They wielded not ordinary weapons, but massive warhammers, comparable to battering rams, that required two hands to swing! Just looking at them was enough to inspire fear.
These terrifying war behemoths were divided into five teams, like five red-hot irons, charging towards the already disorganized Qi army's defenses against the blizzard whose effects on them had weakened! They took long strides, each step shaking the earth, and their speed increased rapidly. Their momentum was like a group of prehistoric monsters breaking free of their restraints, ready to trample everything in their path into mud!
"Master, now is the time."
Liu Hong calmly issued the order. Ru Yunlong wielded a sharp sword in his right hand and twisted talisman paper in his left. A hot wind came from the south, blowing through the dark clouds in the sky and suddenly raising the temperature on the battlefield. Using the same celestial power, it countered Wanyan Zonghan's blizzard. Without the obstruction of the blizzard, the firearms troops opened fire again. Countless lead bullets rained down on the trolls like a storm, shattering their iron armor and piercing their flesh!
However, the regenerative ability of these trolls was terrifying. The five hundred trolls were only slowed down by the volley of gunfire. Their constantly regenerating flesh and blood could even push bullets that had penetrated their internal organs out of their abdominal cavities!
Left with no other option, Liu Hong immediately ordered a retreat. The scattered soldiers, caught off guard, quickly retreated back into their formation and reformed. The Qi soldiers watched in horror as these terrifying enemies, whom they had never imagined, pressed down upon them. The spear formation seemed utterly pathetic before them; the fierce winds generated by the swinging hammers could even knock men to the ground first!
With a deafening roar, the first troll slammed into the Qi army's spear formation! Its massive body and terrifying kinetic energy caused the shafts of the three spears embedded in it to snap in two. With a simple sweep of its giant hammer, the dozen or so soldiers in its path, along with their weapons, were smashed to pieces like scarecrows, their bones broken and thrown backward! Its heavy iron hooves trampled mercilessly, crushing the wounded soldiers and the frozen earth into the ground!
Five troll-formed assault wedges, in the most savage and ferocious manner, brutally shoved their way into the seemingly impenetrable Qi army's battle line! Each swing of the giant hammer cleared a large area, leaving a bloody, mangled gap. Under the onslaught of these inhuman monsters, the Qi army's formation began to twist violently, instantly being torn open with five fatal gaps!
Behind them, the massive Youyun heavy infantry followed the trolls, advancing to within eighty paces of the Qi army. They immediately drew their bows and unleashed a barrage of arrows, soaring into the sky like birds in flight, blotting out the sun like dark clouds, and raining down on the Qi soldiers' shoulders and heads, sending sparks flying and clanging against their armor! Conical armor-piercing arrows pierced the gaps in the armor, spraying out terrifying plumes of blood mist!
Chapter 430: Bloodshed on the Battlefield
Wanyan Zonghan's troll assault force, like five giant hammers, crashed into the Qi army's turbulent battle lines. The trolls' inhuman roars and the terrifying sound of their hammers smashing through human bodies almost instantly shattered human will!
Following the trolls, the countless Youyun infantry charged forward like a tsunami! They quickly broke through the 200-meter range of the muskets, turning the battle into a terrifying and bloody close-quarters fight! If it were the Song army, they might have been wiped out in one fell swoop by Wanyan Zonghan's double assault of infantry and monsters.
However, he was facing the Qi army.
"Spearmen! Charge! Hold on, even if it kills us! If we lose here, our wives, children, parents, and elders will have to face this monster! The surrendered landlords of Qizhou have turned all the people in the entire village into their slaves! If we lose, all the prefectures in Shandong will become like Qizhou!"
The officer's roar was already broken, but it carried a desperate madness.