He cursed, "Direct Thief!"
The Wolf Land Soldiers naturally didn’t feel Meng Geng’s fury, but they certainly felt... a little tired.
The Wolf Land Soldiers were resilient and skilled runners. However, they had chased their quarry for a great distance, so far that Mianzhou City behind them had become a blur. They were human, after all, trying to pursue mounted prey on foot.
It could be said that if the distance between them hadn’t been slowly closing, and if their quarry hadn’t been constantly fleeing without a hint of retaliation, the Wolf Land Soldiers wouldn’t have chased them this far.
Lady Daxi might not have understood the true terror of cavalry. However, as a widow commanding a mountain stronghold, she wasn’t incompetent. She noticed her men were tiring.
At that moment, her military instinct urged her to order a retreat. If we truly can’t catch up, perhaps it’s best to abandon the chase. Or should we grit our teeth and continue for just a little bit longer? Just a little longer?
What Lady Daxi didn’t know was that during this bizarre chase—infantry pursuing cavalry—Liang Cheng had already ordered his foremost riders to wheel around in batches, beginning to outflank them.
Zheng Fan also noticed the change in their formation. By this point, the barbarian soldier who had been carrying him had leaped onto another unburdened horse, allowing Zheng Fan to ride on his own.
It’s time to make a move, Zheng Fan knew.
It’s time to stop, Lady Daxi thought. She had suddenly, keenly, realized that the number of prey they were chasing seemed to have significantly diminished.
The Wolf Land Soldiers began to slow. Some were gasping for breath, others cursed. Those Yan people were so fast; this chase had cost them a potential fortune.
However, at that precise moment, Liang Cheng, at the head of his men, also slowed to a halt. He led the cavalry with him in turning their horses around. His gaze fell calmly on the Wolf Land Soldiers not far ahead, and on the lone woman on horseback among them.
Liang Cheng had to admit this was a remarkably brave army. Their raw courage and mettle far surpassed that of the Qian State troops he had previously encountered.
War often demands raw courage and mettle, but at times, some disparities cannot be bridged by bravery alone.
No armor, no superior weapons, no disciplined formation... And you dare face my 1,400 cavalry ?
Liang Cheng pointed his saber forward and spurred his warhorse into motion.
The enemy is far enough from the city now. Next... It’s time to let them taste the true terror of cavalry! ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩•𝗳𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝕟𝕖𝕥
A sudden sense of dread washed over Lady Daxi. She didn’t know what was happening, but this ominous feeling grew ever stronger.
THUMP THUMP THUMP! THUMP THUMP THUMP!
Suddenly, two cavalry units appeared on both flanks of the Wolf Land Soldiers. Mounted and galloping, they simultaneously drew their crossbows and bows.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Arrows flew, and Wolf Land Soldiers fell one after another.
The Wolf Land Soldiers were stunned. They hadn’t expected the prey they had chased so frantically to actually turn and bare its fangs at them. Infuriated, they began to retaliate.
Every Wolf Land Soldier was an excellent hunter in the mountains, meaning their aim was typically very accurate.
However, the Green Willow Fortress cavalry were not the difficult-to-maneuver, immobile targets they had been within the city walls. They were galloping now, carefully maintaining their distance. After loosing a volley of arrows, they would pull back to increase the distance, evading the Wolf Land Soldiers’ return fire. Then, the next wave would press in from another direction, loosing another volley.
Forced to endure the arrow attacks while aiming at fast-moving targets, the Wolf Land Soldiers found their archery less effective than when hunting in the forests. Even when their arrows found their mark, the distance often reduced their lethality, causing them to glance off the Green Willow Fortress cavalry’s armor.
Zheng Fan was also among the riders, bow in hand. Thanks to A Ming’s coaching, his archery had improved considerably during this period. Though not as skilled as the barbarian soldiers, he could infuse his arrows with his vital energy, making them fly farther and hit harder.
A Wolf Land Soldier was struck by Zheng Fan’s arrow. The impact sent him tumbling, but Zheng Fan didn’t cheer ecstatically, "I hit him! I hit him!"
It seemed that most characters on screen who celebrated hitting their target were merely setting themselves up for a subsequent headshot or gruesome demise.
At this moment, Chief Zheng was like a gambler who had just lost a round, fiercely determined to win back his losses.
Lady Daxi quickly realized the direness of their situation. She hastily ordered her troops to retreat, but how could human legs outpace four-legged warhorses?
Meanwhile, the Wolf Land Soldiers were also exhausted.
Liang Cheng didn’t order a full charge. Instead, he continued to direct his cavalry to harass and provoke them, like a dull knife slowly slicing away at their flesh.
Perhaps due to the influence of film and television, most people imagined cavalry as a force that thundered in, trampled and shattered enemy lines, and then, as if seated on high stools, began hacking at the surrounding foes.