Chapter 83: Corpses Strewn Across the Land

Animals have an innate fear of fire, and even trained beasts are no exception. When these creatures panic and flee, they no longer care about the scent clinging to anyone; anything that blocks their path will be attacked without mercy. Some soldiers from the Stick Nation were pounced on by tigers, some were knocked down and trampled to death by wild boars. The previously reckless Stick Nation soldiers, faced with such chaos, began to feel fear and fled in confusion.

Zhang Zhong ran to Chen Mu’s side and asked, “Your Highness, should we pursue the fleeing Stick Nation troops?”

Chen Mu thought for a moment. “No need. Pass down my order: kill without mercy any who rush toward us, ignore the rest.”

“Yes!”

Zhang Zhong relayed the order, and the Great Xia army followed it. Before long, there was not a single living Stick Nation soldier or beast left on the battlefield.

At this point, Chen Mu commanded his men to extinguish the fire. If the blaze got out of control, the whole forest could go up in flames—an enormous loss of precious resources. Not only was there timber, but also wildlife and medicinal herbs, all of which would one day be tributes to Great Xia. Of course, Chen Mu was determined to save them.

After putting out the fire, Chen Mu did not immediately launch an assault on the city. Instead, he ordered the army to set up camp and rest. Scouts were sent out to gather intelligence and guard against enemy ambushes. If they rushed into a siege, casualties would surely increase. Fighting so far from their homeland, they had to minimize losses as much as possible.

Though the Stick Nation might use the night to strengthen their defenses, the panic of defeat would also spread among them.

The next day, Chen Mu ordered another ascent up the mountain. The strategy remained unchanged—they would attack the city from above.

The Stick Nation soldiers had indeed built many fortifications overnight: behind the wooden palisade, there were many wooden frames and arrow towers, perhaps even traps.

Chen Mu surveyed the situation, drew his sword from his waist, raised it high, and began his final rally.

“Brothers! Standing before us are the armies of the Stick Nation!”

“It was these men who kidnapped our fellow countrymen from Great Xia! Who carried off our Eastern Hu slaves!”

“Now is the moment for our revenge!”

“Leave not a single Stick Nation warrior alive!”

“Kill!”

At his last word, Chen Mu swung his sword forward, and the Great Xia army surged toward the Stick Nation settlement with a mighty roar.

With officers at every level—cur commanders, centurions, and more—leading them, the soldiers of the Invincible Flying Corps and the Unyielding Flying Corps advanced to firing range, then unleashed their repeating crossbows.

Because the Stick Nation troops had built fortifications and faced the attack head-on, their half-armor provided some protection. Even so, many Stick Nation soldiers were shot in the head and died, or took arrows in the limbs and lost their ability to fight.

After several barrages, the soldiers of Great Xia reached the front lines and engaged the Stick Nation warriors in close combat.

The hasty fortifications the Stick Nation had built overnight only delayed the Great Xia army’s advance a little. In actual combat, the Stick Nation still wielded those same crude clubs, which posed little threat to the fully armored Great Xia soldiers.

Whereas the defenders of Great Xia used bows, spears, and forks to hold their walls, the Stick Nation had none of these, resembling primitive tribes more than a proper army.

Seeing this, Chen Mu personally led his guards into the front lines, cutting down Stick Nation soldiers with his own hand.

His treasured sword was sharper than any other, able to slice clean through the Stick Nation’s clubs. Once disarmed, these warriors were no threat to Chen Mu, who easily beheaded them.

Chen Mu’s valor inspired the Great Xia troops, and the battle soon became one-sided. Even so, not a single Stick Nation soldier surrendered; every last one fought to the death.

Chen Mu felt a certain admiration—what kind of sinister cult had so brainwashed these men? To fight an elite army with mere clubs, and die to the last man.

He ordered the Unyielding Flying Corps to scour the battlefield while the Invincible Flying Corps followed him into the city to take over its defense.

The army spread through the streets, ever watchful for ambushes by any remaining enemy soldiers.

Chen Mu had barely advanced a block when several dozen Stick Nation people burst from a house.

The officers shouted:

“Protect the Crown Prince!”

“Second Company, search to the left!”

“Fifth Company, charge!”

The Great Xia soldiers rushed forward and quickly cut down the Stick Nation attackers.

Chen Mu frowned. “Aren’t these civilians?”

He could see clearly: among them were young and old, even a woman, and they were armed with whatever they could find, not standardized weapons like the Stick Nation’s troops.

Zhang Zhong replied, “Your Highness, even if they are civilians, they rushed us with weapons. You need not pity them.”

Chen Mu shook his head. “You’re right, but these Stick Nation people are truly mad. Are they all so eager to die?”

No sooner had he spoken than the sounds of battle came from another street—more civilians rising up in futile resistance.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Mu said, “Pass my order: if civilians resist, kill all the old and young, capture the able-bodied and take them back as slaves.”

The order was passed, and the Great Xia troops began a methodical sweep, binding the resisting young people with ropes, clothing, or grass stalks. The elders and children deemed useless were all killed.

It was not out of cruelty—Chen Mu had not intended harm to the civilians. But when they took up arms, they became combatants. If all were slaughtered, Great Xia would gain nothing; better to capture the useful as slaves.

Blame, if any, lay with the nameless cult that had bewitched the Stick Nation.

With killing and capturing, the Great Xia army was busy until nightfall. They took over ten thousand Stick Nation slaves, and found over a thousand citizens of Great Xia and Eastern Hu slaves.

Upon questioning, they learned these people had been forced to cut wood and build war wagons on the mountain.

Hearing this, Chen Mu felt even less compunction. After this battle, he did not advance further, as he needed to send the liberated Great Xia and Eastern Hu slaves, along with the Stick Nation captives, back home.

There were also countless corpses to deal with, and the city’s stores and resources to sort.

Five days later, the escorting troops returned, together with a thousand cavalry who had rushed from the northeast to take over the empty city and patrol the surrounding area.

Chen Mu led the Invincible and Unyielding Flying Corps, along with the newly acquired supplies, southeastward once more.

Two days later, Chen Mu discovered another city.

This city, too, was built of stone, but mortar or some binding agent filled the cracks, and its walls were both taller and thicker than those of the first city.