Chapter 136: As If Entering Unoccupied Territory

Once a shield is pierced by several javelins, it becomes too heavy to carry and must be discarded. The Aigu people would then easily strike down their shieldless foes with long spears. Therefore, the fact that the Aigu now possess javelins and bows indicates that their military has reached a certain level of development—and is likely quite bellicose.

Chen Mu immediately decided to dispatch two vehicles back to request reinforcements, ordering ten thousand troops to be sent over to establish a stronghold. His current force was sufficient for skirmishes, but not for occupation; they still needed to continue their exploration. He decided to press forward, reasoning that the Aigu chariots could not outrun their electric tracked vehicles, and they could always retreat if the situation turned sour.

As the main force advanced, they soon encountered a town consisting of crude stone buildings, devoid of any defensive walls. Before Chen Mu could decide how to enter, a large force of about five hundred men emerged. They were equipped similarly to those previously encountered and, surprisingly, charged straight toward them.

Chen Mu frowned. "A group of them survived and returned, so why haven't they learned their lesson?"

Lewis replied, "Perhaps they assume the Daxia army only knows how to shoot arrows, so they want to engage in close-quarters combat."

"Heh," Chen Mu chuckled, "they have to be able to reach us first."

"All troops, assume defensive formation!"

At Chen Mu's command, the Daxia army adjusted their formation, waiting for the Aigu forces. The Aigu charged headlong, but before they could even enter the range of bows and javelins, the Daxia army opened fire. Barrages of bullets tore through the ranks, leaving the Aigu soldiers falling in heaps. Every wave that charged was mowed down, and finally, the remaining few dozen fled in terror.

Watching the direction of their retreat, Chen Mu knew they were going to report back, but he remained unbothered and ordered his army to enter the town. As they marched, Chen Mu observed the architecture. Most structures were built of stacked stone and appeared very rough, suggesting a severe scarcity of timber in the region. The vessels used by the residents were ceramic, likely fashioned from riverbank clay, and their clothing appeared to be made of linen, implying the presence of hemp cultivation or large fields of wild hemp nearby.

A few glances were enough for Chen Mu to grasp the general situation. He noticed that the residents looked on in panic as the Daxia army marched through. Chen Mu ordered the troops to halt and said to Lewis, "See if you can communicate with them. Tell them the Daxia army does not kill civilians without cause."

Lewis nodded. "I will give it a try."

He walked to the front and spoke to the residents in the local dialect, using gestures to convey Chen Mu's message. Whether the local language shared roots with the Aigu tongue, or the residents simply understood his gestures and sensed their non-hostile attitude, they gradually calmed down. They retreated into their homes, peeking through their doorways to watch the soldiers.

Satisfied, Chen Mu continued forward. Soon, he discovered a larger structure that appeared to be the local governor's residence. Upon entering, he found several officials who immediately bowed and began speaking. Although Chen Mu could not understand them, their demeanor made it clear they were pleading for mercy. He had Lewis soothe them while he led his men further inside to search for anything of value.

Chen Mu smiled when he saw the documents. "Hieroglyphs. Excellent."

Lewis walked over. "Indeed, they look somewhat like your Daxia script."

Chen Mu nodded. "Yes, and much easier to learn than your Western languages." In his past life, English had been his greatest academic headache, but the Aigu Empire's use of hieroglyphs made the documents much more decipherable. He opened a file and found he could already guess the meaning of many characters.

He tasked Zhang Zhong with pacifying the populace and patrolling the area, while he and Lewis stayed behind to study the Aigu script, occasionally communicating with the local officials. Their progress was rapid.

To Chen Mu's surprise, the Aigu army returned just a few days later. Scouts reported over two thousand troops with similar equipment, pulled by horse-drawn chariots.

"Tsk, these Aigu are certainly belligerent," Lewis remarked.

Chen Mu shook his head. "Not necessarily. It is likely their leaders didn't witness the might of the Daxia army firsthand and simply think their subordinates were incompetent."

Stepping outside, Chen Mu saw the Aigu army charging while Zhang Zhong led his soldiers to establish a perimeter. Chen Mu immediately shouted, "Drive the vehicles to the intersection! Don't let them in!"

The instruction was timely. Soldiers maneuvered the electric tracked vehicles to the intersection, turning their armored fronts outward. By lining them up bumper-to-bumper, they created an impassable barrier. As the Aigu army arrived and began firing arrows and throwing javelins, the Daxia army countered with gunfire. Because this was a defensive battle, the Aigu were able to get within range, but the tracked vehicles provided excellent cover. Furthermore, the Daxia soldiers were equipped with iron armor that deflected many projectiles, while the lightly armored Aigu soldiers were cut down instantly by gunfire.

Before long, over two thousand Aigu soldiers lay on the ground. Chen Mu ordered the battlefield cleared, directing his men to provide medical aid to survivors before taking them into custody. The Daxia army suffered minor losses—a few dead and several hundred wounded. Chen Mu decided to hold his ground and wait for reinforcements.

During the ensuing period of calm, Chen Mu walked through the city, using the script to communicate with residents and deepening his understanding of the Aigu language. He repeatedly assured the locals that they were not invaders, but merely passing through, and that the hostilities had been instigated by the Aigu military. Since the Daxia army refrained from harassing civilians, the residents gradually lowered their guard, and many began to trust him.

Whether the Aigu Empire had been frightened into defensive posturing or was suffering from a lack of manpower and needing to conscript new soldiers, the days remained quiet. About a month later, reinforcements arrived. Led by Zhang Chong, three thousand Invincible Flying Army musketeers arrived, all equipped with firearms, accompanied by two thousand elite Daxia infantrymen, all transported by electric tracked vehicles. Following behind were five thousand cavalrymen carrying supplies.