Thirty-nine, Invasion from afar (Chinese)

Thirty-nine, Invasion from afar (Chinese)

Accompanied by a dull explosion, the remaining fighting sounds in the Salt Lake Fort gradually became low.

After a while, the Dragon Witch Cult special envoy, Mage Ecklinn, who was following the army, held the rough outer wall of the castle with one hand, and walked out of the salt lake fortress with a slightly staggering step. His originally neat mage robe was now full of smoke and blood stains, and his face was ugly. He also coughed a few times from time to time, and even lowered his head to vomit.

This is not because he is not used to the terrifying battlefield with blood flying everywhere - like this level of bloody scene, Mage Akelinn had experienced many times when he went to the Japanese Islands, and was no longer surprised - but because he had to enter this dead magic zone.

For ordinary people in this era, except that they cannot use spells, the dead magic zone seems to be no different from other places - the sun rises as usual, the crops grow, and people's food, clothing, housing and transportation are still the same as before. Moreover, various monsters and undead are usually difficult to appear in the dead magic zone. In terms of the safety factor of ordinary mortals, it is even higher than the outside world where the magic network is operating normally.

But for the spell casters like mages and priests, the sudden collapse of the magic network is really more uncomfortable than cutting off their life roots. Because these people have long been accustomed to the existence and convenience of magic networks, and regard them as an indispensable part of their lives, just like a fish cannot leave the water. For example, if you want a mage to stay in the dead magic zone for a long time, it is like a otakus who has been suffering from deep Internet addiction and feels uncomfortable for three hours a day without going online for three hours, suddenly thrown into the wilderness to be a forest guard. Not to mention the Internet and phone, there is not even the radio or newspaper... Look at the friends who are still outside and rushing online every night as usual, how "envious, jealous, and lonely and cold" it is.

If you really get to that state of emptiness and loneliness, it would be strange if this poor guy didn't have the whole body to be scratched by the wall.

Similarly, for the mages and priests who have been relying on the Magic Net for many years, the severance of the Magic Net is really a very fatal blow - no wonder those mages, priests and druids who have settled in Lixuan City for generations have been unable to bear the empty and lonely life of the Internet for more than a year. They abandoned their honors and responsibilities, and rushed to escape from the broken hometown of the Magic Net and went to the beautiful new world with the Internet.

What's even more serious is that the otakus' network is connected to the computer after all, while the mage's network is directly connected to the body. Therefore, if the Internet is suddenly cut off, the degree of damage to health will naturally be further improved - some of the weak mages will often suffer from a terrible disease called "magic plague" after entering the dead magic zone. At the very least, they cannot lie down, and at the worst, they will die, and it is difficult to treat and recover.

Even those mages with good physical fitness and have taken precautions in advance will most likely be uncomfortable after venturing into the magic zone of death, including headaches, tinnitus, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms are very similar to altitude sickness, and the conventional solutions are also very similar - those who vomit and vomit slowly get through it. If you really can't get through it, then wait for your braids...

The poor Mage Acklinn not only has to endure the unbearable pain of the "Internet addiction" attack at this time, but also caused a long-distance raid on horseback, hurting her butt, and her skin under her crotch was covered with blood bubbles... It is not easy to limp and walk alone with a wall and hold the wall for such a long distance.

"...Oh Ecklinn, what's wrong with you? It's like a little girl who just now, but it's still the same as the front and back..."

Seeing that Ecklin, who was always graceful and meticulous, was walking towards him step by step in an extremely awkward and strange posture. Prince Heda Huli couldn't help but throw his bag into his water bag and laughed and teased.

In fact, after a night of fighting, Prince Heda Huli was not in good condition: a broken arrow was stuck on his iog armor, the armor piece on his shoulder was cut to pieces, and the blood clots and clothes were condensed together, which looked terrifying... But all the injuries did not seem to affect his vigorous fighting spirit at all, and his every move was still as clean as an agile leopard.

Seeing His Highness's jingle-powerful look, the mage with a listless expression couldn't help but sigh, and then stood up straight and reported with a stern look, "...The remaining enemies in the castle have been swept away. We used a fierce explosion to explode the basement they had to defend, and drove them out like mice with smoke... The defenders of the Salt Lake Fort, from commander General Has, have all been killed. Can you check the heads to verify the merits of the warriors?"

"............If someone does this kind of trivial matter, I will not do it anymore."

Prince Heda Huli waved his hand generously and said disapprovingly, "...How is your body like? Can you hold on? Do you need to take a few days off? Like you are now, you can't participate in the siege."

"...Your Highness, don't worry. After all, this body has been trained. As long as you endure it for a while, you will naturally recover slowly."

Acklinn shook his head and said, although his voice was tired, he was full of confidence. "...Anyway, in the next three or five days, we also need to stay here, waiting for the subsequent infantry and cannon fodder, and it is impossible to attack the city immediately... So, there is still time for rest."

Regarding Prince Heda Huli's guide to Lixuan City, the combat plan formulated by Ecklin, a part-time staff member, has a very simple dominant idea. First, use light cavalry to raid for a long distance, clear out the outer strongholds, and isolate the connection between the city and the outside world; then gather all the troops under the prince's tent and pull them all to Lixuan City; finally, launch repeated attacks, and before the supply is exhausted, use the sea of ​​corpses to build a way out.

In Ecklinn's view, only logical thinking is simple and clear. A combat plan that allows everyone to understand at a glance is a real good plan. And those combat plans that are so complex that it is difficult to understand are repeatedly proven to be the worst combat plan by history.

——If you don’t even understand the specific implementation, how can this plan be successful?

Many so-called strange tricks in history are often used when they are forced to do so. If you have an absolute advantage in your hands, you can defeat your opponent without any tricks. Will that stupid fool like to play this kind of heartbeat game?

Well, maybe only stupid and fools can believe in some tricks...

The only regrettable thing is that since the battlefield is located in the dead magic area where all spells cannot take effect, all the Dragon Witch Priests on the grassland refused to join the army, and the reason was very good - they were useless when they went there, and they might get infected with magic plague...

In this way, the army's magic support on the battlefield was gone, and the post-war medical rescue could only rely entirely on unreliable earth-based recipes, but this was not an insurmountable problem. The Tukan people in the past did not even have grass, so they also cut and slaughtered each other and survived?

He lowered his head and coughed a few times, narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked at Lixuan City in the distance. Then he raised his eyebrows with interest and saw the lonely messenger rushing out of the city and running towards him. There seemed to be a cart pulled by several donkeys behind him, full of goods.

"...Yo hehe, it seems that the guy who begged for mercy is here." Acklinn whistled, "...I wonder what Your Highness is going to deal with it?"

"... Let's first hear what interesting words these cowards came up with before they died, just treat it as a relief."

Prince Heda Huli grinned, but his big hand covered with calluses pressed on the hilt, "Ah, but to be honest, the heaven of immortality is above me. I really don't want to see these vulgar and humble guys coming to wag their tails and beg for mercy, and offer some pitiful things like a miser, or send their most ugly concubines to sleep with me - would you like to go to these wretched wives?"

"...Why...I would rather cut off the heads of these miser people first, and then sleep with their most beautiful nv."

Acklinn also snorted coldly and echoed casually, "...huhhh, is it really superficial that they thought that as long as they took out this little thing, they could send us away like a call to uāzi? I am almost sad for them."

Divide-Separation-Line

In Lixuan City on the other end of the horizon, after a night of panic and even several stampede accidents, when the sunrise was dawn, I gradually calmed down and basically returned to normal order.

Widths of smoke from cooking cooking for breakfast rose again as usual in the city.

——The fall of Salt Lake Fort seems to be a foregone conclusion. Since the situation is already like this, what's the use of being afraid of it?

Through the high observation of the telescope and the inquiry of a few brave scouts, Lixuan City quickly confirmed the identity and strength of the attacker - Prince Heda Huli, who returned from a defeated city last fall, has made a comeback again.

However, although there were erected in the camp outside the Salt Lake Fort, the black silk and gold-edged flags representing Prince Heda Huli's visit, the number of soldiers he brought this time was estimated to be very limited, with a total of two thousand light cavalry. There were no heavy equipment to attack the city, and there were no convoys to transport food and fodder. It seemed that it was just an ordinary "grass-drawing valley" for grassland nomads, that is, routine burning, killing, robbing and looting things.

Of course, if you catch yourself off guard and let the fields, crops and barns in the suburbs be looted by them like locusts, then it will not take many times that Lixuan City will be in trouble due to famine.

Therefore, if it is under normal circumstances, in order to avoid greater losses, Lixuan City should take the initiative to expel these robbers.

But now that these Lixuan citizens have decided to give up the city-state and move their clans to the Feren continent, they will naturally no longer have the extra thought of fighting to the death and sacrificing blood to defend their homeland. Marshal Fili Taylor, who came to rescue them, was even more unwilling to inexplicably destroy his direct soldiers here and fight a stupid war without any profit or meaning.

As for the 300 soldiers who died tragically in Salt Lake Fort the night before, although their deaths made the relatives in the city sigh and cry, they could not just make Lixuan City, which has ended in the end, have to take more lives.

So, after calming down the mind and having breakfast, then gathered in the Senate for some discussion, the general policy of destroying money and eliminating disasters. In order to avoid more blood and sacrifice, the veterans and nobles plundered their family's assets and tried every means to collect a sum of gold, silver, treasures, cloth, silk, and several wine and pastries, put them in a cart together and took them out of the city to "promote the prince Heda Huli".

In addition, the Senate also wrote a humble letter in the name of King Claire Belt, and promised a bunch of conditions that could not be fulfilled, such as surrendering allegiance, regular tribute, taking hostages, allowing the Tukan Khanate to enter tax officials and troops in the city, etc.... In short, it was just to coax the strong man away first and make a way out of the city. Then, naturally, everyone would pack their luggage and run away, leave this place of right and wrong forever, and never take any account again

Unfortunately, the brutal invaders they face this time were not easily sent away with a humble and generous amount...

So, half a day after sending the peace envoy, the elders in the city who were looking for it received a heartbreaking reply.

Divide-Separation-Line

In the afternoon of that day, the city-state powerful people and the reinforcements trapped in the city gathered in the Senate venue of Lixuan City, gathered around a reply letter that had just been received from the camp of Prince Heda Huli outside the city. They looked at each other in a daze.

——A few hours ago, Prince Heda Huli, who was entrenched in the Salt Lake Fort outside the city, was very happy to receive the gold, silver and wealth sent from Lixuan City, and used them directly to reward the soldiers, but he flatly rejected the summoning clause of the Lixuan City authorities.

The unlucky man who was ordered to go on a mission was cut off his ears and nose by Prince Hedahuli, and then brought back such an arrogant reply - the "Prince of Destruction" wrote on a rough parchment with his fingers dipped in the blood flowing from the messenger's face:

"...I have received the gifts from you in the city, but in the near future, your property will be owned by me, and you will become slaves and prisoners of me. Therefore, there is no need for you to do this at the moment to bring the property out of the treasure house and transport it to my military camp. Although I am surprised that the gifts you have sent are so few, please do your duty as a slave and take care of your own treasure house for me. When I want to take them away, I will naturally do it myself.

As for the intention of your king to surrender to me, I already know. But please be sure to tell her that I do not accept the ordinary oath of allegiance now. If she really wants to keep her life and become my servant, take off all her clothes, put handcuffs, shackles and collars on myself, it is best to put a fox tail on it, then wash it off obediently, and kneel down in my tent to wait for me to see the rumored appearance of her. I have been interested in it for more than a day or two. I am trying to leave time to enjoy it tonight..."

After reading this outrageously arrogant ultimatum, everyone was frightened and had to put aside their thoughts of losing money and eliminating disasters, compromising all their hearts, preparing for the army, recruiting strong men, and arranging defenses, preparing to fight against Prince Hedahuli.

But at the same time, many people actually have a bit of luck in their hearts - perhaps this fierce, bloodthirsty and arrogant Tukan prince is just talking big, but he actually has no intention of attacking Lixuan Jiancheng?

After all, now there are only two thousand light cavalry accompanying him, but they do not carry any food, fodder, baggage and siege equipment. Not to mention the attack and defense and the dangerous terrain, Lixuan City, which is not able to do even if it wants to station the besieged city in the suburbs for a long time.

However, after waiting for a few days with fear, this passive and lucky mentality of avoiding war was completely shattered again.

Divide-Separation-Line

Marshal Fili Taylor stood on a watchtower at the top of Lixuan City, quietly overlooking the dusty Gobi wilderness in the distance.

Between the rugged rocks, the flying gravel and the low thorny shrubs, an endless sea of ​​tents has taken shape.

Within a few days after Prince Heda Huli led the light cavalry to attack and occupy the Salt Lake Fort, more and more Tukan troops came from all directions.

Among them, there were a small number of sharp knights riding tall horses and neatly armed Tukhan kings, as well as more vassal tribes with different clothing and weapons, as well as nearby desert tribe cavalry wearing linen robes and riding on camels to replace horses. It can be recognized that there are many neighbors near Lixuan City, who were obviously forced to be brought by Tukhan nomads. Including the group that had arrived at the city with Prince Heda Huli, a total of about four or five thousand horses.
Chapter completed!