Chapter 1086: Revelation Army! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The battle was growing more and more intense. At every moment, large numbers of cavalry were falling, and a bloody mist was seething in the air, only getting larger and larger.
As the battle continued, Wang Chong was waiting, Gao Xianzhi was waiting, and beneath the black war banners, Qutaybah, Abu Muslim, and Dalun Ruozan were all waiting.
No battle could continue forever. Even the most evenly matched opponents would eventually reach an outcome, and when the battle was decided, it would inevitably result in complete victory for one side and complete defeat for the other.
Several hours quickly passed and the losses on both sides continued to rise. Thumpthumpthump! Several Tang soldiers became fatigued, and the Arabs took advantage of this moment of weakness. The sharp Arabian scimitars quickly hacked up their armor and plunged into their organs, causing their lifeless bodies to drop to the ground.
On the other side, ten-some Arab horsemen had their heads cut off and dropped to the ground.
Neither the Tang nor the Arabs were willing to back down. No matter how many men fell, someone would always be there to take the place of the fallen.
Under the distant black war banner, Abu Muslim looked away from the battlefield and to a nearby deputy.
”Pass on my order! Send the Enforcers! Anyone who retreats is to be immediately executed!”
”Yes!”
The stalwart and burly deputy quickly left, and a few moments later, a force of around five thousand Enforcers marched out from the rear in a straight row. Each of them held a bright scimitar in their hand while their eyes viciously looked forward.
The Enforcers!
This was not an unfamiliar name in the Arabian Empire. In the early years of the Arabian expansion, the Enforcers were meant to prevent soldiers from escaping, but this force had been disbanded a very long time ago. It was not because the army had changed its policies, but because the Arabs were such brave and pugnacious people that the Enforcers were completely unnecessary.
As the Arabs conquered empire after empire, they were practically unstoppable. There was no problem of fleeing soldiers.
But now, the intensity of the Battle of Talas had forced Abu Muslim to take an unusual stance and recreate the Enforcers so that the army would redouble its assault.
The ferocity and cruelty of this battle far exceeded everyone's expectations, particularly with regard to the Arabs, who had the overwhelming advantage in numbers. Even the courageous Arabs were beginning to show fear in front of the terrifying lethality of the Tang.
Behind the first defense line, Xu Keyi turned worriedly to Wang Chong. ”Milord, the soldiers can't hold much longer!”
Not even the war of the southwest could compare to the intensity and callousness of this battlefield.
Xu Keyi could see that even the Ultimate Martial Army was showing signs of fatigue; beads of sweat rolled down their faces, seeping into their armor, and flowing into their boots. If even the Ultimate Martial Army was in this state, one could imagine how the rest of the soldiers were faring.
”We have nowhere to retreat. We can only continue. Retreat is death. And the Arabs definitely aren't faring much better!” Wang Chong sternly said, his gaze turning to the right side, where Li Siye and the Mo Saber Unit were located.
The Mo Saber Unit had suffered large casualties. Five thousand of its soldiers had already fallen, their corpses scattered across the field, their armor shattered to pieces.
Though it had only been established a little more than a month ago, the Mo Saber Unit had lost half of its force in one battle.
But Osman's Tiber Army had also suffered severe casualties, with three thousand of its soldiers joining the bodies of the Mo Saber Unit. Even elite soldiers like this couldn't get much advantage in front of the tyrannical fighting style of the Mo Saber Unit. After all, the greatest advantage of the Mo Saber Unit was not in the individual strength of its soldiers, but how it attacked as a single unit.
”Xu Keyi, pass on my order. Beat the drums!”
”This subordinate will deliver this order!”
Xu Keyi bowed and quickly rode off.
Thump thump thump!
A few moments later, the loud banging of war drums began to rise from the back of the army. The sound of these drums caused the Tang soldiers to rally and roar as they once more flung themselves at the Arabs.
The beating of drums was a signal that could raise the morale of the army. After this period of sustained fighting, Wang Chong had chosen once more to raise morale by beating the drums. From this, it was clear that the situation of this battle was extremely precarious.
The Great Tang could not afford to lose, nor could it possibly lose!
Each soldier could sense the resolve carried by these beating drums. The blood rushed through their veins and their bodies exploded with every last bit of potential as they raised their weapons and brought them down on the Arabs.