Chapter 9: Zhu Ying’s Frenzied Slaughter! All Attributes Exceed 200 Points!

Every soldier maintained a distance of ten feet from the next, moving with extreme caution. Having just crossed the border, everyone feared the sudden onslaught of a rain of arrows. The new recruits, in particular, were filled with trepidation.

Time slipped away as the great army advanced. They had neared the perimeter of a Tatar tribe, perhaps only a few miles away; the closer they drew, the greater the danger became.

It was at this moment!

"Kill!"
"Slaughter these lowly Han!"

From the north, a series of roars erupted. Following the shouts, the earth began to tremble. A hundred paces away, countless Tatar cavalry, clad in animal-hide armor and wielding long blades, spears, and bows, were spreading out and charging rapidly toward the Ming army. They held their bows ready, having already nocked their arrows.

The art of mounted archery—in the era of the Warring States, perhaps only the Hu-style mounted archery of the Zhao state was truly formidable. But in this current age, the "three treasures of mounted warfare" had been perfected. With the aid of these developments, as long as one could master a warhorse, soldiers could be trained to fire from the saddle. For these nomadic tribes living in the northern frontier, this was second nature.

They closed in rapidly.

In the center of the formation, Chen Heng maintained a steady expression and immediately commanded, "Archers, take your positions! Cavalry and spearmen, hold the rear! Defend!"

As the order was issued, the ten thousand Ming soldiers shifted their formation. Two thousand archers surged forward, fanning out into arrow-barrage formations, arranged in units of small flags, two men abreast, divided into five ranks. They quickly nocked their arrows, eyes fixed on the approaching Tatar cavalry, waiting for them to enter range. To rest while the enemy exhausted themselves—this was the hallmark of infantry tactics.

"Finally," Zhu Ying muttered, gripping his bow. There was no fear in his eyes, only a firm resolve to kill the enemy.

What comes must be faced. On this battlefield, fear was useless, and complaining was even more so. The Shen family wanted his life, but Zhu Ying would not give it to them. Moreover, he intended to use his position as a soldier on the frontier to slay enemies, win glory, and ascend the ranks.

"Loose!" Chen Heng bellowed.

"Hah!" Two thousand archers raised their bows in unison, angling them at forty-five degrees.

Chen Heng gauged the distance of the Tatar cavalry. When the enemy was less than fifty or sixty paces away—less than a hundred meters—he shouted, "Kill!"

Instantly, the carnage began. The two thousand archers unleashed a rain of arrows into the sky. Under the barrage, numerous Tatar cavalrymen were pierced through and tumbled from their horses.

"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Strength attribute +20."

Zhu Ying let fly an arrow, accurately felling a Tatar rider. With his current arm strength, his shots were far more lethal.

After downing one, Zhu Ying quickly grabbed another arrow. His eyes locked onto another target. *Swish.* Another shot.

"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Constitution +20." The system notification appeared.

Each kill and the successful acquisition of attributes spurred Zhu Ying on. He could tangibly feel himself growing stronger. "Kill the Tatars, gain attributes," he thought with excitement, speeding up his rate of fire. With the current attribute bonuses, and given that the Tatar cavalry was not too far away, Zhu Ying found his rhythm; almost every arrow he released found its mark.

"My warriors! Charge!"

Behind the Tatar formation, Jin Guda roared. Suddenly, the cavalry charging forward began to draw their bows, firing as they surged ahead. A rain of arrows descended upon the Ming lines.

"Ah... ah..." Screams echoed through the Ming ranks. Countless soldiers were struck; some died instantly from wounds to vital spots, while others shrieked in agony as arrows pierced their bodies.

"Damn it." Beside Zhu Ying, he saw several comrades struck down, collapsing into pools of blood. He witnessed the cruelty of war firsthand. But as a soldier, there was nothing he could do but fire relentlessly, killing as many as he could.

"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Strength +20."
"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Speed +20."
"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed..."

Zhu Ying fired frantically. The number of Tatars he had killed now exceeded ten.

"Total enemy kills exceeded twenty. Reward: one common treasure chest," the system prompted.

The Tatar cavalry was now less than thirty paces from the Ming formation. Though the Ming archers inflicted heavy casualties, the enemy's charge did not falter. They quickly crossed the thirty-pace mark.

At this moment, Chen Heng drew his blade and roared, "Cavalry, charge! Spearmen, move out!"

As the order fell, Chen Heng spurred his horse, blade in hand, and was the first to charge.

"Follow the General! Kill!"

Suddenly, the five thousand Ming cavalry and three thousand spearmen surged forward. *Thud, thud, thud.* The horses galloped, crashing directly into the oncoming Tatar cavalry. The true battle had begun.

For the Ming army, the key to this battle was to intimidate the Tatars, to rout them in a single engagement so they would not dare to overreach again. For the Tatar tribe, who relied on the Yuan court, since they had already struck at the Ming, they had to press their advantage to crush the Ming army and report their merits to the Yuan.

This battle was the turning point. The two armies collided like crashing comets.

*Boom!*

They were locked in a chaotic melee. Long blades and spears tore through armor and pierced flesh—this was the cruelest, bloodiest form of war. Human life was as cheap as grass.

Zhu Ying remained in the archer formation. As the lines began to blur, he scanned the field, locked onto enemies, and continued to fire.

"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Spirit +20."
"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Lifespan +30 days."
"Enemy Tatar cavalryman killed. Constitution +20."
"Congratulations to the host: All attributes have surpassed 200 points. Reward: one common treasure chest."

A halo of light appeared around Zhu Ying. As his attributes increased, he felt refreshed, as if undergoing a transformation.

"All attributes over 200... exhilarating," he thought, his heart pounding. His strength had far surpassed that of an ordinary man.

"Kill the Tatars!"

Zhu Ying roared in his heart, continuing to fire with blinding speed. The battlefield was a chaotic, bloody mess of cavalry and spearmen.

Seeing this, the Tatar commander, Jin Guda, sneered. "Flanking cavalry, move out! Surround the Ming army!"

At his command, the Tatar reserves moved, splitting into two wings to envelop the Ming forces. Jin Guda himself spurred his horse, charging into the fray.

The true battle had arrived.

"Kill... kill!"
"Slaughter these lowly Han!"
"Kill... kill the barbarians!"
"Kill!"

Across the entire battlefield, the sounds of shouting, screaming, and dying were incessant.