Chapter 938: Night Battle III (1/2)
Chapter 938: Night Battle (III)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Gao Xianzhi's appearance had been too timely. From the start of this raid until now, Duwu Sili felt like he was being hemmed in from every direction. Although his opponent had been different every time, he felt like he could faintly make out the same face behind each of them.
The mere thought of that youthful individual left Duwu Sili feeling vexed and irritable.
This was a contest of two different kinds of power, intelligence and strength, and in this contest, Duwu Sili was unquestionably at the disadvantage.
”Duwu Sili, you're still an Irkin of the Western Turks, a Great General of Mount Sanmi. Isn't it a little shameful to chase down a single general?”
Gao Xianzhi stood in the darkness, a hand on his sword and a scornful smile on his lips.
”Gao Xianzhi, I won't mince words with you. Since you've appeared, I can't bother chasing him down. Let's meet again on the battlefield!”
Duwu Sili suppressed his killing intent, gave one last glare, and turned his horse back around.
Battles between Great Generals were often incredibly exhausting and time-consuming. Now that Gao Xianzhi had shown up, Duwu Sili understood that there was no need to continue the fight. Without the slightest delay, he vanished into the darkness.
Gao Xianzhi smiled as he watched Duwu Sili leave, making no attempt to stop him.
Not long after Duwu Sili left, Cheng Qianli emerged from behind Gao Xianzhi, his hand pressed against the hilt of his sword.
”Milord, it really was as Wang Chong predicted. The Great General Dalun Ruozan sent really was Duwu Sili!”
”Huoshu Huicang and Dusong Mangpoje are both Great Generals of Ü-Tsang and have very close relationships to Dalun Ruozan. Their every move would be restricted by Dalun Ruozan, leaving Duwu Sili as the only Great General of the combined Turko-Tibetan army able to pursue our men,” Gao Xianzhi said with a smile.
As a Great General with a mastery of strategy and tactics, Gao Xianzhi was very similar to Wang Chong, and it was precisely because of their similarities that he appreciated Wang Chong and only wished that they had met sooner.
Gao Xianzhi found it difficult to imagine that the Great Tang had such an individual. If he had known beforehand, he would have used his status as Anxi Protector-General to recruit him to the Western Regions. If they had been able to work together, the Western Regions would have never ended up like this.
”Let's go! We've been gone from the camp long enough. The Arabs should have already started their attack.”
Gao Xianzhi slowly turned around and began to walk toward Talas.
To take, one first had to give. He had appeared here not merely to block Duwu Sili. If one wanted to catch a fish, one first had to bait the hook. This was a principle that would never change.
In the darkness, Huoba Sangye and his golden-red Mutri Great Cavalry stared at Gao Xianzhi's back. Though unwilling, they could only suppress their desires.
”Withdraw!”
With this order, they departed as quickly as they came.
……
Swooshswooshswoosh!
Gao Xianzhi's judgment was on the mark. Reversing time to when Gao Xianzhi left to stop Duwu Sili, at the first defense line, arrows poured out of the darkness, each one aimed at a torch or furnace on the steel walls. Bangbangbang! With soft explosions, the Stellar Energy attached to the arrows exploded, and the fires were extinguished, casting the bright first defense line into darkness.
”Careful! Enemy attack!” a Tang guard at the first defense line shouted as he realized what was going on.
Thwish! An arrow shot out of the night like a poisonous snake and pierced through the neck of the vigilant soldier, causing him to fall to the ground with his eyes wide open.
Clangclangclang!
Cold light flashed as the Tang guards began to unsheathe their weapons, their muscles tensing as they looked beyond the walls.
”Shieldmen, on the defense! Use the shields to block the gap!”
A Tang general showed off the fruits of his discipline and training. Even though he had no idea of the number of enemies or the composition of their forces, he had swiftly made the correct decision. In a few moments, the Tang shieldmen began to rush to the gap and plant their tall and heavy shields in the ground, their bodies leaning forward in defensive postures.
No matter how many enemies there were or how they attacked, as long as the Tang forces could block the gaps, they could thwart the enemies' plans.