Chapter 314: Guerrilla Warfare Shines Again, The Near-Immortal and Near-Death Dayue Army!
At this moment, the Dayue Army has already entered the land of Wuxi, advancing towards the Phoenix Mountain Range, eight hundred li away.
Leading the Dayue forces is General Gongsun Wudi. Not only is he a congenital powerhouse, but he has also led troops into battle for many years, with remarkable achievements. He’s known as the God of War and is greatly trusted by the Dayue court. With a force of 500,000 soldiers, he marches to conquer Wu.
Walking on the soil of Great Wu, General Gongsun is filled with excitement. He had dreamed of leading an army into Great Wu’s territory, treading on its rivers and mountains, expanding the borders for Dayue!
Unfortunately, in the past, Great Wu was strong while Dayue was weak, and such an opportunity didn’t exist.
Now, he has finally waited for this moment!
Once this is achieved, he will undoubtedly make a name for himself, receiving promotions and titles. Even leaving a mark in the annals of history is possible!
As a result, his steps quicken even more, wishing he could fly to the Phoenix Mountain Range immediately.
At this moment, a general by his side reminds him, “General Gongsun, we have entered the land of Wuxi. We must be vigilant and cautious of that group of guerilla soldiers! They appear and vanish like the wind, experts in ambush.”
This person is a commander sent by the Duke of Wuxi to receive General Gongsun Wudi, named Zhou.
General Gongsun waves his hand dismissively, saying with a hint of disdain, “Those guerilla rebels who only know ambushes? To be honest, it’s not that they’re too strong, but your lord is too useless! Half a year has passed, and he hasn’t wiped them out. Instead, he allowed them to grow and become a laughingstock! If I were in charge, I wouldn’t let them live for a month! Haha…”
Being the Dayue God of War, with his remarkable achievements, he has the confidence to make such statements.
General Zhou suppresses his anger and says, “General Gongsun, be wary. Don’t underestimate those guerilla soldiers. They’re strong and cunning…”
General Gongsun waves his hand, “Forget it. If they truly had that strength, why resort to sneak attacks? Ultimately, it’s because they’re weak, and your lord is even weaker, leading to this situation!”
General Zhou’s face darkens.
“Furthermore, why should I worry?” General Gongsun rides his horse, smiling contentedly, “We, Dayue, have no grievances with them. They’re acting foolishly to provoke us!”
General Zhou is displeased, “I’ve advised you kindly. Since you’re unappreciative, I’ll take my leave!”
Then, controlling his horse, he distances himself from General Gongsun.
General Gongsun remains unconcerned, still immersed in his dream of imperial ambitions.
Just at this moment, on a nearby hilltop, dozens of figures appear.
“The Dayue Army is here, led by the Dayue God of War, Gongsun Wudi! They’re about to enter our ambush point. Stick to the plan, avoid direct combat!”
“Yes, Captain!”
A while later, the Dayue soldiers enter a valley between two mountains.
Suddenly, dozens of figures emerge from the mountains. They shoot arrows and throw huge rocks. Because of their swift action, over a hundred Dayue soldiers fail to evade and bleed in the valley.
After attacking, they disappear without a trace.
General Gongsun remains calm, “It seems this group is fond of ambushes. They’ve actually dared to provoke me. What audacity! Men, kill them all, leave none alive!”
“Understood, General Gongsun!” One of the subordinates acknowledged.
General Zhou of the Wuxi forces approached on horseback, “General Gongsun, please wait. This is not appropriate. By doing this, you might fall into their trap of luring you into a disadvantageous situation.”
General Gongsun calmly looked at him, “General Zhou, what do you suggest we do then?”
General Zhou advised, “Don’t send out troops, don’t engage with them.”
“Ridiculous!” General Gongsun’s voice rose, “They’ve provoked me to this extent, and you want me to ignore them? How could I maintain my dignity? Therefore, I must retaliate, instill fear in them, and make them regret their actions!”
Seeing General Gongsun so confident, General Zhou sighed and stopped advising further.
Though there were only a few dozen ambushers, General Gongsun took them very seriously. He dispatched an elite force of over 2,000 soldiers to pursue them. However, by nightfall, they hadn’t returned.
General Gongsun grew uneasy and sent scouts, but they didn’t return either.
Finally, he had to send a cultivator of innate strength to investigate. When he returned, he brought unsettling news.
“All the Dayue soldiers are dead. The guerilla soldiers are nowhere to be found.”
General Gongsun’s face darkened, “It seems I underestimated them. Very well, good!”
Arriving with great ambitions, ready to achieve success, he had suffered a hidden setback before reaching the Phoenix Mountain Range. His mood soured significantly, and he now bore a grudge against this group of guerilla soldiers.
At night, they made a fire and cooked their meals, preparing to rest in place.
At that moment, dozens of figures appeared from somewhere. They held a bundle wrapped in cloth, resembling a lantern, and hurled it towards the Dayue Army.
“Be on guard!”
Several warriors acted, slicing through these objects with their swords.
Inside, there were beehives emitting a buzzing sound. Countless bees swarmed out.
“Hornets! These are all hornets!”
“Hornets are poisonous. Run!”
“Oh my heavens, they’re catching up!”
After this round, the Dayue Army didn’t suffer casualties, but hundreds of soldiers had been stung, their faces in misery.
The Dayue soldiers were furious and wanted to deal with these provocateurs, but they had vanished.
General Gongsun’s expression grew darker, “These elusive guerilla soldiers enjoy playing such petty tricks. We have irreconcilable differences!”
After dinner, they could finally rest.
In the deep night, some continued to stand guard while others rested. Suddenly, a group of people emerged from one side of the mountain. They lit firecrackers and threw them.
“Bang, crackle.”
The firecracker noises were deafening, awakening the 500,000-strong army.
General Gongsun was awakened too. Disheveled, he came out, extremely irritated, and shouted, “Men, send out troops immediately to hunt them down! Mobilize the whole army, leave no one behind!”
“Yes, General Gongsun!”
A force of 30,000 soldiers was sent out, yet they returned empty-handed.
An hour later, just as everyone was about to sleep again, the thunderous noise echoed outside.
“Bang, crackle.”
The Dayue Army was once again awakened.
After a full day of marching, they just wanted a good rest, but every time they were about to sleep, they were woken up again. This feeling was unbearable, enough to make anyone want to kill.
General Gongsun charged out again, roaring, “Kill them for me!”
The army went out, but still, they found nothing.
At dawn, the firecrackers sounded again.
“Bang, crackle.”
“Ah… again?”
Everyone groaned, really wishing for death.
With the break of dawn, regardless of how they had slept, they had to continue their journey.
Along the way, the Slanted Moon Army conducted surprise attacks, using various tactics – archery, throwing stones, even launching venomous insects and snakes. They would strike and then flee, refusing to engage in direct combat.
General Gongsun learned his lesson and never gave them the chance to ambush again. He also dispatched many scouts to sweep the area and gather intelligence.
However, the results were unsatisfactory.
Because their numbers were small, the scouts often fell victim to ambushes, many of them losing their lives.
If they encountered the main army, these guerilla soldiers would simply disappear, avoiding direct confrontations.
And so, night fell again. While the army was resting and recuperating, the Slanted Moon Army struck with their cunning tactics – setting off firecrackers, beating drums, launching arrows and stones.
If the enemy sent troops, they would flee. If the enemy didn’t pursue, they would continue to create disturbances, ensuring that no one could sleep peacefully.
The Dayue Army was tormented to the point of near-death, feeling utterly miserable.
“Ah~~ Are they ever going to let us have a decent night’s sleep?”
“I didn’t sleep well last night, walked all day today, and now there’s no sleep again!”
“I really wish I could just die!”
“Please, I beg you, don’t come again!”
…
General Gongsun was furious, “You wretched guerilla soldiers! If you have the guts, face us in an open battle. What’s the point of playing these petty tricks?”
His voice carried for dozens of li, but no one paid any attention.
The third day and the fourth day were the same.
Due to continuous marching and lack of proper sleep, the entire Dayue Army became dispirited. Their steps were heavy, they were extremely drowsy, as if sleepwalking.
Many soldiers, as they marched, fell to the ground and fell asleep. Some couldn’t wake up once they fell asleep.
Because of this, the Slanted Moon Army’s success rate in ambushes increased significantly.
General Gongsun finally had to admit that these guerilla soldiers were indeed difficult to deal with. He turned to General Zhou, “General Zhou, you’ve seen the situation. These guerilla soldiers are really troublesome. They’ve left my troops exhausted and sleepy. Since you’ve been at odds with this guerilla force for a long time, do you have any strategies?”
General Zhou felt a sense of schadenfreude. “You’re experiencing it now too! Back then, you mocked us, saying we were incapable. It turns out you’re worse off than we are!”
However, now they were cooperating, and he didn’t want to offend. General Zhou didn’t reveal his inner thoughts and just sighed, shaking his head. “General Gongsun, I sympathize with your situation. But to be honest, we don’t have many options when it comes to this guerilla force. We can only endure it. The only thing to keep in mind is not to divide your forces. Otherwise, you’ll give them a chance to pick you off one by one.”
“General Zhou, I’ve learned my lesson.”
Following this, General Gongsun heeded General Zhou’s advice. They wouldn’t pay too much attention to the guerilla disruptions and wouldn’t split their forces to chase them. They kept the main force moving forward.
If people and horses were tired, they would rest a bit more. If the speed was slower, so be it. It was better than losing lives.
This way, although there were still casualties, they were reduced.
However, the soldiers of the General Gongsun were still angry, gritting their teeth. “These damned guerilla soldiers! When I have the time, I’ll tear you all to pieces, burn you with raging fire!”
After about half a month, the Dayue Army finally arrived at the Phoenix Mountain Range, dusty and weary.
