Chapter 410: The Five-Army Battle
Following Chaoyu Base and Yangsheng Base, the members of Bai Xue Jiao arrived near the battlefield. Unlike the others, their strength lay in sheer numbers.
Although the cultists were not particularly skilled in combat, they were fearless and fanatical, thanks to Bai Xue Jiao's brainwashing. Many firmly believed that dying in the holy war would send their souls to a paradise filled with flowers and feasts.
This time, Bai Xue Jiao’s High Priest, Zheng Yixian, led over a thousand followers. Despite being closest to Yuelu Manor, their lack of vehicles delayed their arrival.
Zhang Yi refrained from attacking them immediately. For one, killing ordinary cultists was pointless. For another, there was a tenuous agreement that they might assist him if necessary.
Through the comms channel, Zhang Yi notified everyone:
“Bai Xue Jiao has arrived. Now, all three factions are here except for Qingfu Base.”
Liang Yue’s eyes burned with eagerness, her killing intent almost palpable. Ever since learning that Yangsheng Base was nearby, she had been itching to avenge her fallen students. Only their blood could assuage her guilt and sorrow.
Uncle You, however, remained rational and asked, “Weren’t Bai Xue Jiao and Qingfu Base supposed to be our allies? What if they charge the lines? Do we kill them?”
Allies or not, they were wolves in sheep's clothing. The moment Zhang Yi’s side showed weakness, they’d undoubtedly join the assault on the Shelter.
“Understood. That simplifies things,” Uncle You said, visibly relieved.
He lifted a tarp to reveal a stash of ammunition and two Gatling guns. These heavy-caliber cannons could tear through armored vehicles, let alone human targets.
After arriving at the battlefield, Bai Xue Jiao found no sign of the other factions, which struck them as odd. They immediately tried to contact the other groups.
Xiao Honglian and Wei Dinghai, eager to see more of Bai Xue Jiao's forces expended, pretended they hadn’t arrived yet and advised Zheng Yixian to wait near Cloud Manor.
Although Zheng Yixian sensed something amiss, he didn’t press further. After all, they were only here to exploit opportunities, not to risk their lives against Zhang Yi.
“If Zhang Yi can fend off a few waves and deplete the other factions’ forces, we’ll strike them from behind,” Zheng Yixian said with a smile. “If Zhang Yi fails, we’ll just break our agreement and join the looting.”
“There are no eternal friends or enemies, only eternal interests,” he added.
Not long after Bai Xue Jiao settled near the Shelter, Qingfu Base also arrived. Their transportation was primitive, relying on a pack of sturdy sled dogs.
Their leader, Xing Tian, and his adopted daughter, Zhou Lingling, rode massive mutant hounds, followed by over 500 men in white combat gear, their presence intimidating.
The sleds carried not only firearms and ammunition but also specialized melee weapons—giant axes, war hammers, cleavers, and steel-forged shields—evoking a sense of returning to an era of cold weapons.
From a distance, Xing Tian used binoculars to observe the Shelter. He instructed his men, “No one is to attack Zhang Yi’s Shelter without my order. We’re here to enjoy the show.”
The factions of the Western Alliance finally assembled, marking the time for their coordinated attack. As the instigator of this operation, Xiao Honglian initiated a group call with the other leaders.
“Everyone’s in position, right? As per our plan, we’ll attack the Shelter from multiple directions,” she said.
Xing Tian replied, “We’ll approach from behind for a surprise assault!”
Wei Dinghai sounded puzzled. “The Shelter is backed by low hills. Are you planning to climb over them?”
The hills, though only about a hundred meters high, were difficult to scale in the snowstorm, let alone serve as a vantage point for an attack.
Xing Tian smirked inwardly. He had no intention of fighting and chose the rear to avoid being noticed slacking off. “Precisely. It’s the element of surprise! You handle the front; we’ll deal with the back.”
The others had no objections, even if they had doubts. Each faction in the Western Alliance operated independently, and no one could command another.
Unbeknownst to Xiao Honglian and Wei Dinghai, Xing Tian had already made a secret deal with Zhang Yi. From their perspective, this was a surefire operation destined for victory.
“Fine, then. The frontal assault is up to the three of us,” Wei Dinghai agreed.
Xiao Honglian added, “By the way, there’s a very strong sniper among them. Be cautious.”
“Additionally, one of them has the ability to reflect artillery attacks. So think twice before using heavy weaponry; it might backfire and harm us instead.”
Wei Dinghai chimed in, “Yes, I wanted to mention that. We’ve already suffered some losses because of it.”
Both assumed Bai Xue Jiao and Qingfu Base had also encountered Zhang Yi’s attacks and shared this information to avoid friendly fire.
“Got it,” Xing Tian and Zheng Yixian replied indifferently.
Neither had any real intention of fighting, preferring to watch from the sidelines. However, learning about Zhang Yi’s rare spatial abilities and his capability to counter heavy weapons still surprised them. After all, this rendered their heavy firepower useless.
Using artillery in such circumstances was akin to signing their own death warrants.
“Alright, let’s synchronize. At 2:30, we’ll launch the attack from all directions,” Xiao Honglian concluded.
Yangsheng Base and Chaoyu Base opted to approach Cloud Manor via Xu Family Town, one of the few areas offering some cover.
To counter Zhang Yi’s sniping, they fortified their formation. Heavily armored vehicles with thick steel plating led the charge, while lighter ones followed behind. They also used snow or smoke bombs to obscure Zhang Yi’s vision.
Concerned about Zhang Yi’s spatial reflection ability, they abandoned long-range artillery tactics, opting for close-range breakthroughs instead.
Zhang Yi observed these developments calmly. This was all within his expectations. His enemies weren’t fools who would charge recklessly into his crosshairs. But if they wanted to break through, they’d eventually have to disembark from their vehicles, exposing themselves.
There was no rush. A good hunter always has patience.
Just then, Yang Xinxin’s voice came through his earpiece.
“Brother Zhang Yi, enemies spotted at the rear hills!”
Zhang Yi’s eyes sharpened.
Yang Xinxin, stationed in the control room, relayed information quickly via surveillance. Moving deftly in a mechanized wheelchair crafted by Lu Keran, she transmitted the visuals to Zhang Yi.
Upon seeing the figures in the rear hills, Zhang Yi’s expression relaxed.
“So, it’s them! No need to worry; they’re just here to slack off,” Zhang Yi said.
The terrain in the rear hills was too poor for any effective assault. The slopes were steep, between 70 and 80 degrees, making a charge down them practically suicidal. Without Zhang Yi even firing a shot, they’d injure themselves.
Xing Tian’s motives were crystal clear. He was here to spectate, nothing more.