Chapter 806: Chapter 74 Death Ground_4 Chapter 806: Chapter 74 Death Ground_4 The second day’s assault was even more ferocious than the first. If the first day involved only earthen bags and flanking, the second day saw Terdun people starting to use brute force to break the walls.
Winters also held nothing back, committing the reserve troops to defend the Shield Wall steadfastly, while simultaneously making a cavalry charge on the Terdun people’s flank.
As bullets flew and Warhorses dashed, by the afternoon of that day, the Terdun people who had been fiercely attacking just moments before, suddenly retreated like a receding tide.
At dusk, a messenger with a pale face brought Winters some bad news.
“Sir, the barbarians… the barbarians have destroyed the horse-blocking wall on the north bank of the Panto River.” The young messenger could barely stand, and said with a sobbing tone, “They went west along the narrow paths through the valley!”
When the messenger found Winters, Winters was in the medic tent treating his wounds. Representatives from Niutigu Valley, both cavalry members and both wounded, a tall slender one and a short plump one, were also present.
“Damn!” the short plump representative—called “Fatty Nandor”—immediately felt dizzy and grabbed the messenger’s collar, shaking as he asked, “How could the barbarians know about the canyon path? Only locals know it! Who betrayed us?!”
Tears in his eyes, the messenger shook his head desperately.
“That path?” Fatty Nandor’s emotions were nearing uncontrollable, “That path is so narrow! How could a large army pass through?”
The tall slender representative—called Jacob Green—also turned pale, swaying as if he might collapse.
Winters spoke slowly, “When the water recedes, more dry banks are exposed, allowing more troops to pass.”
“It can’t be! That path is not visible in summer at all! Even when the water is shallow in winter, it can only allow passage for one person and one horse! How could a large army pass? Sir!” Fatty Nandor, as if clutching at a lifeline, violently grabbed the corner of Winters’s clothes, “There must not have been many Herd Barbarians who crossed! There’s still time! We can still make it now!”
“I’m afraid it’s too late.” Winters leaned against a tree trunk, gently shaking his head, “If even the Terdun people’s main force couldn’t pass, why would I be building a dam upstream to block the water?”
“Then… was it all in vain?” Fatty Nandor was completely disheartened and cried out in sorrow, “All the fighting we’ve done, all the blood we’ve spilled, was it all for nothing? We still couldn’t stop them…”
Regaining his composure, the tall and slender Jacob Green grabbed the old rival and respectfully asked Winters, “Sir, what did you mean by… the dam?”
“The dam.” Winters, relieved, breathed a sigh of relief and slowly lay down on the pine branches and dry leaves, as if a thousand-pound weight was lifted from his shoulders, “It’s just a dam.”
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Eighty kilometers upstream of the Panto River, within the bounds of Shizhen.
Between the gorges, a rudimentary dam made of wooden stakes, stone cages, and mud had already filled with water, leaving only a small gap to discharge water outward.
Proceeding from the dam, walking ten kilometers downstream along the river, the river would meet another watercourse.
Further downstream, that was called the Panto River.
And the river blocked by the dam was a tributary of the Panto River, the Huiqing River.
Consequently, the water volume of the downstream Panto River originated from the tributary Huiqing River and the main Panto River.
The winter was already a season of low water, and with Winters blocking the Huiqing River, the water volume of the Panto River had reached its lowest point in thirty years.
Niutigu Valley, southwest direction, wilderness.
Everyone in Niutigu Valley, regardless of gender or age, was mobilized. Under the leadership of Captain Thomas, they worked tirelessly throughout the night to build another wall.
Here, this was the death ground Winters had chosen for the Terdun people.