Everything was ready. Early the next morning, Zhang Chen and Gao Shun led four hundred Halberdiers, exited the West Gate, and headed straight for Black Tiger Fort.
As the Soldiers set off, the common people at the city gate pointed and whispered, their eyes filled with apprehension, doubt, and even fear.
However, Zhang Chen paid no mind to these. Strength had to be proven by oneself. After today, they would know how ridiculous their current thoughts were!
The area outside the city was a flat plain. Zhang Chen had already ordered people to scout it, and there was no place suitable for an ambush.
Zhang Chen marched for several miles. Looking into the distance, he saw a force of cavalry lined up in a single row ahead.
The two armies were several hundred paces apart. Zhang Chen and Gao Shun reined in their horses and stopped, and the four hundred Soldiers also stood still.
Zhang Chen's side was clad in sturdy armor and carried sharp weapons, clearly a well-trained regular army. In contrast, the people on the opposite side wore varied clothing and carried all sorts of weapons, clearly bandits and marauders.
Facing them was a man who was burly and strong, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, and a full beard. The man sat upon his horse, a large ghost-head saber resting on his shoulder, looking at Zhang Chen and the assembled Soldiers with disdain.
The man pointed his saber at Zhang Chen and roared, "Kid, you're not doing your job as an official properly, and today you've come to seek trouble with this old man. Are you tired of living!"
Zhang Chen held his spear in one hand, pointed forward, and shouted, "Bold bandits! You bully the people under my rule. Today, the heavenly army has arrived. Why do you not surrender quickly!"
"Hahahaha!" The bandit leaders on the opposite side immediately burst into laughter. The bearded leader at the front shouted, "A snot-nosed brat who hasn't even grown hair yet dares to yell at your grandfather like this? Do you think recruiting a few displaced people and training them for a few days makes them elites? You still want to fight your grandfather? Today, your grandfather will teach you a lesson!"
Gao Shun, standing nearby, was immediately enraged and tightly gripped the long saber in his hand.
The bearded man looked around and chuckled, "Brothers, whoever captures that brat for me, I'll reward him with a woman!"
"Haha, I'll do it!" A man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks leaped out on his horse, holding a long saber.
"Brat, why aren't you hurrying to your death!"
Gao Shun was furious and was about to urge his horse forward but was stopped by Zhang Chen.
"Xiaofu, for this first battle, let me go first."
"How can the Lord personally risk danger?" Gao Shun quickly said, "If anything were to happen to the Lord, Shun would die a hundred deaths without atonement."
"Haha, Brother Gao worries too much. This person is merely an ordinary fellow. Brother Gao, please hold the line for me here. I'll be back shortly!"
After Zhang Chen finished speaking, without waiting for Gao Shun to object, he immediately urged his horse out of the formation.
He was naturally not acting out of reckless bravery. He had already secretly activated his Insight Eye and carefully observed the opponent.
【Name: Lu Chong】
【Traits: Bandit Leader (Green), Mediocre Martial Arts (Green), Lustful (White)】
Tch, just trash!
As soon as Zhang Chen leaped out, the man thrust his saber forward and shouted, "Brat, take your life!"
As expected, he showed no martial virtue, not even understanding the rule of announcing one's name before battle.
Since that's the case, I won't be polite!
Zhang Chen kicked his horse's belly, twirled his long spear, and thrust it straight out.
The man's saber was still in mid-air, not yet having had time to strike down, when a bloody hole was already pierced through his throat.
Lu Chong's eyes were wide open, his face filled with disbelief.
How could this be? Wasn't he just a snot-nosed brat?
Regret, such deep regret! Why did I have to be the first one out?
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in this world.
As Zhang Chen pulled out the long spear, Lu Chong felt his vision go black and he fell limply from his horse.
Seeing this, several bandit leaders on the opposite side were greatly startled.
"Lord is mighty!"
"Lord is mighty!"
The Halberdiers behind them cheered in unison, their shouts shaking the heavens and scaring the enemy Soldiers on the opposite side so much they nearly dropped their weapons.
"Brat, don't be arrogant! Your grandfather is here to meet you!"
With a shout, another man, holding an iron rod, galloped out on his horse and went straight for Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen narrowed his eyes, looking at the approaching person.
【Name: Liu Ergou】
【Traits: Bandit Leader (Green), Strong and Muscular (Green), Beginner Staff Technique (Green)】
This one has some skill.
Liu Ergou's horse reached Zhang Chen, and he swung his rod down.
With a 'clang', Zhang Chen raised his spear to block. The spear and rod struck each other, producing a clear collision sound.
Zhang Chen had the trait Superhuman Strength, far exceeding Liu Ergou's strength. With this single blow, he immediately caused Liu Ergou's tiger mouth to split open, his arms to become sore and numb, and his iron rod to involuntarily fly out of his hand.
"Ah! This..." Liu Ergou's face turned ashen, and he turned his horse to flee.
How could Zhang Chen let him succeed? He immediately urged his horse to catch up, reached out, and captured him alive over his horse.
Zhang Chen galloped back to the formation, threw Liu Ergou onto the ground, and shouted, "Tie him up!"
At his command, two Soldiers immediately stepped forward and tied him up tightly.
With two leaders lost in succession, the morale of the bandits here was greatly reduced. The bearded man's anger flared, and he immediately waved his saber and ordered, "Cavalry team, charge for me! Leave none alive!"
With a command, over a thousand bandit Soldiers charged forward on horseback, like a surging tide.
Zhang Chen looked at Gao Shun and said, "Xiaofu, it's up to you now."
"Lord, rest assured." Gao Shun's expression was as calm as still water. He said, "Trapped Camp, form up! Charge!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The Halberdiers struck their shields with their steel sabers and advanced with steady steps towards the enemy formation.
Zhang Chen and Gao Shun, on two horses, led the charge, plunging into the enemy formation and cutting down enemies on all sides.
These bandit Soldiers were merely a disorganized rabble. Zhang Chen could still fight with ease, let alone Gao Shun. He charged left and right, as if entering an uninhabited land. In just a moment, he had cut down dozens of bandit Soldiers.
Zhang Chen was not to be outdone, picking off one bandit after another with his spear, knocking them off their horses.
And at this moment, the Halberdiers of the Trapped Camp also charged forward.
Those bandits originally thought that the cavalry charge would surely trample these Halberdiers into meat paste. Unexpectedly, the Halberdiers raised their shields to meet the charge, maintaining perfect formation. For a time, they could not break through at all.
Immediately after, steel sabers, appearing from who knows where, chopped at the horses' legs. In an instant, these bandits fell from their horses one after another and were hacked to death by the Halberdiers.
In just one exchange, dozens of cavalry in the front row were wiped out.
And the Halberdiers swarmed forward, and after charging into the enemy formation, they were truly like gods of slaughter possessed, attacking on all sides, becoming more courageous the more they fought!
The bandit Soldiers were rapidly decreasing at a visible speed. In less than fifteen minutes, over a thousand cavalry had lost half their numbers, while the Halberdiers had not suffered a single casualty!
"This... this... what kind of monsters are these!" A bandit leader, seeing this, turned pale and said tremblingly.
"How could this happen? They're infantry, why can they withstand a cavalry charge?"
"Impossible! Impossible!"
Several bandit leaders showed expressions of astonishment and couldn't help but want to retreat.
"Brothers, don't be afraid! There are only a few of them! Everyone follow me and kill!"
Seeing that morale was about to collapse, the bearded man couldn't care less about anything else. He immediately ordered the entire army to charge, vowing to kill Zhang Chen and all these Halberdiers!
"Brothers! Charge into the Trap Camp, advance with indomitable spirit! This is the time to make a name for yourselves! Follow me and kill!" Gao Shun roared, sweeping his long saber and cutting down seven or eight bandits beside him from their horses.
Behind him, a crowd of bandits shouted, swarming forward.
The bearded man led the way and was already close.
【Name: Duan Hei Hu】
【Traits: Xiao Fang Qu Shuai (Blue), Superhuman Strength (Blue), Beginner Saber Technique (Green), Fearless (Blue)】
Duan Hei Hu? Xiao Fang Qu Shuai?
Among the thirty-six Da Fang Qu Shuai of the Yellow Turban, there is no such person, but those thirty-six were all Da Fang Qu Shuai. The Xiao Fang Qu Shuai did not leave their names.
This Duan Hei Hu seems to have slightly more strength than those just now, actually possessing three blue traits!