Chapter 50 Battle of Anping – Day Two (2/2)
Then …
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
Giant arrows were launched from both on top of the wall and the mysterious bunkers behind the trenches. These thick arrows flew and penetrated any man that stood in their paths, which caused gory and horror scenes.
Despite getting barraged by ballista arrows and Tong's sniping, the trebuchets teams with the surviving squad leaders continued to move forward and put the planks on top of the trenches.
The trebuchets reached their ideal range and the crews were preparing to launch the stone and fire assaults immediately. Then they saw something was moving within the trenches.
Hua Shi and Tong's soldiers were moving within the trenches in small squads. They sneaked in and got close to the trebuchets without them realizing it.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
A drum signals came from within the fortress. The squadrons within the trenches raised their heads and their repeated crossbows up, then they fired their arrows. The wall of arrows turned the men in front of them into porcupines and fell.
Then a dozen bright arrows were shot to the sky from one of the trenches. The arrows curved in midair and left glowing trails behind. The arrows flew as if they had eyes as they swooped down and piece through the heads of trebuchets crews.
*BOOM*
One of the ballistae giant arrows hit a trebuchets and destroyed it upon the impact. Then more giant arrows hit the rest of the trebuchets.
Similar events also took place in the other edge of the wall. Although they did not have a sniper and the homing arrows, Zhang Liang soldiers in the trenches could still get the job done by destroying all trebuchets and its crews.
…
…
Guo Dian who was observing the battlefield on his watchtower was astonished and shocked. The fortress in front of him was definitely designed by a talent.
'Such complex stratagems. If I attack the gate, then men on the walls will kill me. If I attack the side walls, then I'll be ambushed by the soldiers below.'
Guo Dian face turned ugly. This probing attack was costly and humiliating, but he learnt something from this sacrifices.
”Order the frontline to retreat.”
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Guo Dian Army hit the retreating drums and the remaining troops on the front rushed back from the death traps.
”Is there any updates on the reinforcements from the imperial capital?” Guo Dian asked his officers.
The officers didn't speak. The news hadn't arrived yet or there was no news, so none of them dared to speak up.
Guo Dian clicked his tongue, thinking that his men were all corrupted and incompetence. When the situation required them to be brave or when he needed them to help him, all of them would turtle themselves and never dared to express their opinions.
However, when it was the time to splitting the profits of the taxes, they always competed with each other to speak as if it was the last day of their live.
Guo Dian closed his eyes to calm himself to rethink of a plan.
'The spies said Pan Feng spread their troops to surround the fortress in the east. That means they change their tactics. Are they trying to starve Zhang Tong?'
”Give me a report. What's the last report about Zhang Tong's current grain provisions?”
”My lord, they have less than a hundred tons in the fortress.”
Guo Dian's eyes brightened up. He understood Pan Feng's intention now.
”Send messages to Julu County and ask them to dispatch more provision for us. We will prepare for a prolonged war.”
After sending down his order, Guo Dian looked at the fortress in front of him with determined eyes. He had confident that he could take it down within two months.
…
After Tong heard the retreating drums of Guo Dian Army, he also sounded his retreating drums.
In addition, he ordered his troops to make shifts and rested immediately as they could potentially get raided by night attacks.
Tong clicked his tongue in frustration. He was planning to use the chaos to sneak closer to Guo Dian main troops and snipe Guo Dian down from his watchtower. However, they were almost a kilometer away, which Tong did not have enough confident to kill Guo Dian within 1-2 shots from this distance. He did not want to spook Guo Dian that he could be sniped.
Tong turned around and found that Hua Shi had come back from the frontline. He then told her.
”Zombie, go and rest. I'll need you again tonight!”
”OH!! Are we dual-cultivating again?”
The eyes of Hua Shi sparkled while her drools dripped down from the corner of her mouth.
Black lines appeared on Tong's face. He had thought that this girl had learnt her lessons, but it seemed she was looking forward to it instead.
”No. I will put you on a night raiding team.”
”Aww, what a pity. Today is my safe day.”
”…”