Chapter 348: Second Mission From The Royal Court! (1/2)
Chapter 348: Second Mission From The Royal Court!
In that instant, time seemed to stop.
The highwaymen and bandits who were charging for Wang Chong also halted. As ferocious as they were, they couldn't help but hesitate upon seeing the organized and complete formation the other party had put up. After all that had happened, a deep fear of the cavalrymen had already been instilled deep within them, preventing them from taking a step forward at this very moment.
An overwhelming stench of blood permeated the air. In this short encounter, the troops on Wang Chong's end were still unharmed, while sixty more members of the Iron Cloak Highwaymen had been reduced to lifeless corpses.
Truly, no rumors could compare with witnessing with one's own eyes!
Even though they had heard that a hundred of their peers had died at Wang Chong's hands, and it was common knowledge that official armies possessed might far surpassing ordinary highwaymen and bandits, the impact of this only struck them when they saw the short but powerful charge from Wang Chong's forty cavalrymen.
At that moment, they resembled demons who had crept out of the underworld, bringing with them a fearsome pressure.
Gudong!
The bandits and highwaymen subconsciously swallowed their saliva as fright colored their faces pale. Somehow, the unmoving formation of the cavalrymen seemed to instill more fear than their charge had.
Despite their years on the west road, they had never considered the possibility that seven hundred bandits and highwaymen would be outmatched by forty Great Tang cavalrymen.
These fellows... are too strong!, flashed across the minds of many of them.
Unknowingly, the bandits found themselves taking a step back.
After witnessing the other party's furious cavalry charge, they no longer found security in staying within a group.
”This is great!”
”I didn't expect that fellow to be so formidable!”
”It seems like we have been underestimating him from the start. It is impossible for a peasant-born to possess such a deep understanding of warfare. My eyes have truly failed me this time. He is definitely a member of a general's clan, and an extremely prestigious one at that!”
”White-hoofed Shadow... Bai Siling was right! Who in the world is that fellow?”...
On the slope, Xu Gan, Huang Yongtu, and the other surviving Great Tang cavalrymen found themselves speechless with shock. Had they not witnessed this scene personally, they would have found it difficult to believe that the group of cavalrymen the other party was commanding was similar to theirs.
The power of the charge and the fighting prowess displayed was simply too astonishing!
They actually managed to quell an attack by the five hundred-man strong Iron Cloak Highwaymen, and forced the raiders to turn their attention back to them, instead!
This was inconceivable to them...
And all of this was done under Wang Chong's command. The composure, wits, and decisiveness he had shown had left an even deeper impression on them than the charge itself.
Before, the duo had been taunting and making things difficult for him out of disdain for his lowly standing as a peasant from Kunwu Training Camp. But at this very moment, how could they dare to continue harboring such thoughts in their mind?
There was no one in Longwei and Shenwei who could bring out the strength of forty cavalrymen to the extent he had, no one at all.
This was an unimaginable feat that was far beyond them.
At this moment, the duo had a very strong feeling that Wang Chong was a scion from the capital, and one from a very prestigious clan at that.
But given their connections in the capital, it was bizarre how they didn't know of the latter.
”Who in the world is this fellow?” Xu Gan muttered to himself while standing beneath a crimson maple tree whose trunk was filled with innumerable holes. After witnessing all that had happened, he suddenly found himself deeply curious of Wang Chong's affairs.
”Bastard!”
At this moment, the person who was the most furious was none other than the chief of the Iron Cloak Highwaymen, Iron Cloak Li. Taking into account the highwaymen and bandits who had died earlier, Wang Chong's group of forty had already killed two hundred of his men.
There was no doubt that this was a huge blow to them!
Even though a huge portion of those who had died were those who had just joined his forces, the fact did little to quench his rage.
”Zhou An, are we ready yet?” Iron Cloak Li spoke with a deep voice, seemingly trying to suppress his rage, as he glared furiously at Wang Chong.
”It'll still take a while longer.” Zhou An replied with a grim expression. He also felt very uncomfortable with this turn of events. From a certain point of view, this was a failure of his as well. ”Chief, rest assured. When our preparations are ready, they will be cornered like rats in a trap. By then, you will be able to deal with them as you please. But before that, I have to ask you to be patient for a while longer.”
”Hmph, I'll give you some more time then!” Iron Cloak Li clenched his fists tightly and suppressed his impulses.
Zhou An was a close aide of his, and he had always trusted him deeply. But the losses they had suffered this time were simply too huge. Even if they were to win this battle, this stain on his reputation might pose a threat to the legitimacy of his leadership in the future.