Chapter 26: The World's Focus (Part VIII)

The deafening battle cries were enough to rupture one's eardrums!

Li Xiao had just hacked down a rushing Jin soldier, his long spear still wedged in the man's shattered ribs, when a thunderous roar pierced through the cacophony of roaring flames and wails, crashing down upon the chaotic battlefield:

"Wang Bin, Deputy Commander of the He-dong Route Horse and Foot Army, is here! You Jurchen barbarians, you slaughtered our cities and butchered our people; today, you shall pay in blood! Prepare to die!"

"It's Commander Wang! It's reinforcements!" Yuan Zhenhai wiped the blood from his face and roared hoarsely.

Arrows as dense as a swarm of locusts whistled through the air, raining down into the camp!

*Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!*

The muffled thuds of arrowheads piercing flesh, the shrill screech of iron armor being punctured, and the screams of the dying merged into a single sound. Many Jin soldiers had several arrows sticking out of them, though the plunging shots were not always fatal against their iron armor.

"Charge! Charge out!" Li Xiao yanked out his bloodied spear and pointed toward the direction of the arrow storm.

Wanyan Xieli brandished his scimitar and bellowed, "Steady! Warriors of the Great Jin! Raise your shields! Archers, fire back! *Moukes*, get up there and plug the gaps! Kill them all!" His voice stood like a rock amidst the chaos, carrying unquestionable authority.

The terrifying organization of the Jin people was displayed to the fullest at that moment!

The chaos lasted for only a few breaths.

Those Jurchen soldiers who had been scorched by oil or stunned by the arrow rain were quickly whipped back into a frenzy by the harsh scoldings and blade-back lashings of their *Moukes* and *Punians* (squad leaders), much like a pack of wolves being driven by a whip.

"Ha!" came a dull, unified roar.

"Archers retreat! Heavy infantry forward!" The command rang out amidst the melee, steady and clear.

The front-row archers withdrew quickly as the heavy infantry stepped up. Clad in iron armor and armed with long spears and maces, they formed tight square formations. The Jin soldiers near the perimeter, regardless of their wounds, quickly gathered together.

The shield-bearers in the front row slammed their heavy, rectangular standing shields—thick wood reinforced with iron edges—into the ground with a dull thud, instantly forming a jagged but highly imposing shield wall!

Between the gaps of the shields, sharp spearheads darted out like venomous snakes, glinting with cold light.

The surviving archers in the rear drew their bows in a frenzy, firing blindly toward the direction of the incoming rain of arrows without even aiming.

At the camp gate, a sea of fire raged, flames soaring into the sky. Dozens of Jin soldiers, engulfed in fire, wailed and rolled on the ground, spreading the chaos. Yet, behind the shield wall, the core of the Jin army stood like a cold iron anvil, beginning to gather the strength for a counterattack.

Outside the camp, the battle cries were like waves crashing against the shore!

"Shenbi crossbows! Advance three paces! Fire!" Zhang Zhiyuan’s cold voice cut through the battlefield.

*Whir!*

Another wave of heavier, more lethal crossbow bolts tore through the air! They struck the hastily formed shield wall with the unique penetrating power of heavy crossbows! Wood splinters, iron fragments, and even arms behind the shields were torn away by the immense force! The shield wall swayed violently, revealing even larger gaps.

Only such powerful crossbows could pierce the heavy armor of the Jin!

"Vanguard Army! Push forward with me! Chop these dog Tatars into pieces!" Yang Keshi’s signature roar erupted.

Heavy footsteps sounded like muffled drums; the ground was trembling! A group of Song heavy infantry, appearing like steel fortresses, stepped forward under the personal leadership of Yang Keshi. Shoulder to shoulder, they trampled over the corpses of their comrades and the burning debris, crashing into the gaps of the shield wall like a moving wall of iron!

They wore the *Burenjia*—the "walking man armor." Infantry clad in this full-body heavy armor (weighing about 30 kilograms) were known as "Buren Jia-shi." This required strict standards for a soldier's physique and stamina; the weak could not even bear the weight of the suit.

Kill!

The flash of blades and axes exploded under the flickering firelight!

The deafening clang of iron, the dull thud of bones shattering, and the wails of the dying blended together to compose the most brutal of symphonies.

Yang Keshi swung his heavy iron mace, each strike carrying the power to break metal and jade. A Jin soldier raised his spiked club to block, but with a sharp *crack*, the head of the club was smashed off, and the mace, its momentum unabated, crushed the man's shoulder and armor into a pulp!

Blood mist sprayed, staining Yang Keshi’s grim faceplate.

The *Burenjia* warriors behind him thrust their spears and hacked with their sabers, fearlessly squeezing into the enemy ranks, using their flesh and steel to clash head-on with the Jin armored infantry.

The battlefield was instantly split into two separate purgatories.

Inside the camp, Li Xiao, Lu Feng-hu, Yuan Zhenhai, and others fought like tigers trapped in a cage, desperately tearing at the inner circle of enemies, trying to carve a bloody path to reunite with the reinforcements.

"Don't even think of escaping! Leave your lives behind!" Jiagu Wulibu! This fierce Jin general was covered in blood, acting like a madman. He brandished his heavy spiked club, stained with brains and gore, and smashed through the blocking Jin soldiers, charging straight at Li Xiao!

*Clang!*

Li Xiao’s long spear barely managed to parry the mountain-crushing blow!

An irresistible, immense force traveled down the spear shaft. The wounds on his palms, already torn, burst open again, and blood instantly soaked the wood!

Li Xiao felt his arms ache as if they were about to snap, his blood surged in his chest, and he nearly lost his grip on the spear! He staggered back several steps, leaving blood-stained footprints on the earth with every move.

"Brother Li!" Sun Yi, his eyes bloodshot, roared and threw himself into the fray! He slashed lightning-fast toward Jiagu Wulibu’s neck!

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Sun Yi’s blade was as fast as a gale, but Jiagu Wulibu’s spiked club was heavy and powerful; every parry left Sun Yi’s arms numb and his blood churning! The foul wind kicked up by the club stung his face.

Sun Yi fought with a suicidal ferocity, ignoring his own safety and aiming every strike at the enemy’s vitals. Jiagu Wulibu was driven into a rage by this reckless assault, his club sweeping and smashing with immense force!

*Thwack!*

Sun Yi took a heavy blow head-on and could no longer suppress it; a mouthful of hot, fresh blood sprayed onto Jiagu Wulibu’s face! Yet, instead of retreating, he lunged forward. Ignoring the heavy handle of the club that grazed his ribs—tearing away a plate of armor and a chunk of flesh—he thrust his ring-pommel saber like a viper’s tongue deep into the enemy’s abdomen!

"Ugh!" Jiagu Wulibu grunted, his chainmail pierced, blood gushing out. The excruciating pain ignited his ferocity; he roared and swung his club, vowing to smash the stubborn Song general into meat paste!

Outside the camp, Wang Bin’s heart sank to the bottom.

The Shengjie Army, the last elite force of Taiyuan, was being held back tightly by the Jin! Although Yang Keshi’s *Burenjia* were brave, the Jin’s counterattacks were like an endless tide! The Jin soldiers’ tactical proficiency was chilling.

"Shield-bearers! Raise!" Each *Mouke* issued orders methodically; the shield wall was constantly reorganized under their command.

"Archers! Plunging fire! Suppress the rear!" Arrows crossed the front lines, falling into the subsequent ranks of the Song army.

"Iron Axe troops to the left flank! Pierce them!" Dozens of Jin heavy infantry, clad in thick iron armor like steel monsters, formed a dense wedge formation under the command of their *Mouke*. Holding long-handled heavy axes or maces, they charged like a red-hot iron rod, stabbing ruthlessly into the left flank of Yang Keshi’s *Burenjia* formation!

"Hold the line! No retreating!" Yang Keshi roared, leading his men to meet them head-on.

A brutal close-quarters slaughter erupted instantly!

Iron armor collided with a dull, heavy boom; spears snapped, and battle-axes hacked into the thick *Burenjia*. From time to time, Song heavy infantrymen were knocked down by the immense force, their helmets dented, blood spraying from their noses and mouths.

The Jin soldiers’ throwing axes were like death-dealing scythes, whistling through the air, often bypassing shields to slash deep into the necks or shoulders of the Song soldiers! The screams were incessant!

Though the Shengjie Army was fierce, under such terrifying organization and fearless assault, their lines began to loosen, casualties increased sharply, and their flanks were crumbling!

Wang Bin was covered in blood, his left arm struck by a mace, so numb he could barely lift it.

He looked around the battlefield, his heart bleeding.

The resilience of the Jin army far exceeded his expectations! He had thought that the surprise attack combined with the fire oil would be enough to crush Yinsuke’s vanguard camp, but he never expected the enemy to organize such a terrifying counter-assault so quickly! The Shengjie Army was the core fighting force defending Taiyuan; if they kept grinding like this, even if they managed to break in, there would be few left!

"Pass the order! Prepare to..." The word "retreat" rolled in Wang Bin’s throat, filled with reluctance and sorrow, and he whispered an apology to his comrades trapped within the enemy camp.

At the most critical moment!

"Move! Get out of the way!"

His son, Wang Xun’s voice, pierced through the clamor from the rear! It was accompanied by the violent trembling of the ground and the terrified bellows of countless cattle!

Wang Bin snapped his head around!

Under the firelight, dust was flying! Wang Xun and a group of ragged but wild-eyed local militiamen were driving a dozen terrified oxen toward them, charging like madmen! Burning strips of cloth were tied to the tails of the cattle! The flames danced, scorching their hide!

"Stab!" At Wang Xun’s command, several makeshift wooden poles tipped with sharp spears were thrust ruthlessly into the rumps of the leading oxen by the militiamen!

*Moooooo!!!*

Stimulated by the double agony of pain and fire, the oxen went completely mad!

With blood-red, saucer-like eyes, thick white steam puffing from their nostrils, and earth-shattering wails, they lost all reason. Hooves flying, they charged wildly into the dense crowd ahead—regardless of friend or foe! Their target was the seemingly solid shield wall of the Jin army!

"Scatter! Get out of the way!" Wang Bin’s pupils contracted, and he roared hoarsely!

Song soldiers scrambled to throw themselves to the sides.

The Jin knife-and-shield soldiers in the front row also saw this nightmarish scene! Well-trained, they instinctively tried to hold the line, jamming their massive shields into the ground, their spears bristling like a forest!

*Moooooo!!!*

How could flesh and blood contend with thousand-pound beasts in a state of ultimate madness?

The first fire-ox crashed into the thickest shield like an out-of-control battering ram!

The massive shield collapsed instantly! The soldier holding it was sent flying into the sky, his chest caved in, blood spraying wildly!

Following that, the second, the third... a dozen burning, wailing beasts, carrying earth-shattering kinetic energy, smashed into the dense ranks of the Jin shield wall!

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The sound of snapping bones and breaking limbs was as dense as popping beans! The cracking of shields, the screams of soldiers being sent flying, and the thud of hooves trampling human bodies wove together!

The rock-solid shield wall was like a sandcastle hit by a giant wave, instantly shattering into pieces! The fire-oxen, their momentum undiminished, carried their immense kinetic energy, plowing blood-soaked paths through the dense mass of Jin soldiers!

Along the way, Jin soldiers were either smashed until their bones broke, sent flying away; disemboweled by the ox horns, their entrails spilling out; or had their legs snapped and chests crushed by the heavy hooves, howling as they were ground into meat paste in the mud by the stampeding herd behind! The entire forward defensive line of the Jin army was turned into a meat grinder by these dozen mad beasts!

The Jin people were elite, after all, and they quickly reacted. The *Moukes* roared, ordering soldiers to hack at the cattle. As axes bit into the oxen's heads and the mad beasts fell, the Jin soldiers behind immediately filled the gaps.

"Good! Good! Good!" Wang Bin watched, his blood boiling, shouting "Good" three times in wild ecstasy! All his hesitation vanished instantly! "Commander Yang! Push forward! The whole army, push forward! Kill your way through them for me!"

"Shengjie Army! Kill the Tatars!" Yang Keshi roared, leading his heavy infantry, trampling over broken shields, mangled corpses, and burning cattle carcasses, pouring into the gap torn open by the mad oxen like a burst dam!

"Kill!"

Just as the Shengjie Army launched their desperate charge, the thunderous battle cries from the rear erupted once more!

A black mass of people surged forward like a tidal wave! These were not regular troops!

They were the garrison troops and local militiamen of Taiyuan! They were the civilian guards and commoners who had spontaneously taken up arms! Their weapons were simple: hoes, pitchforks, sharpened wooden sticks, even kitchen knives and carrying poles! But in their eyes burned the fire of shared hatred!

If Taiyuan fell, everything they had would be plundered! Their lives would be slaughtered, their wealth robbed, their wives and daughters violated; they had no choice but to fight with their lives!