Kays Translations

Chapter 248: Waiting for the opportunity

After Nangong Zhi left, Kong Donglai pondered for a long time and felt that Nangong Zhi’s advice was very good. However, once a person starts doubting others, they become overly suspicious, always feeling that Nangong Zhi’s suggestions contain hidden traps. After thinking for a while but feeling restless, Kong Donglai asked his two sons, Kong Yingzhi and Kong Yingcai, for their opinions.

Kong Yingzhi’s mind was filled with thoughts of revenge. He had gone to Anyang twice—once openly and once secretly—yet both times, he lost someone close to him. One was his uncle, and the other was his trusted guard captain. Now that he had the chance, of course, he wanted revenge. He chose to take the initiative, overwhelm Anyang with a massive army, and capture it in one decisive strike. In other words, Kong Yingzhi agreed with Nangong Zhi’s first suggestion: launching an all-out attack on Anyang.

Kong Yingcai, however, did not have strong opinions of his own. If he were tasked with negotiations or diplomacy, he could handle it, but asking him to make major national decisions was a bit too much. So, after hesitating for a long time, he merely said, “I think both of Marshal Nangong’s suggestions make a lot of sense.”

Kong Donglai frowned and instinctively said, “Someone, go invite Mr. Guo Hongyan over.”

Kong Yingzhi cautiously reminded him, “Father, Mr. Guo Hongyan is stationed in Nanyang Prefecture.”

Only then did Kong Donglai awkwardly smile. Guo Hongyan was the civil minister of Nanyang Prefecture. Though he was a scholar, he also had some knowledge of military strategy. This time, when the army set out, Kong Donglai had assigned Guo Hongyan to remain in Nanyang to handle logistics and administrative matters instead of accompanying the troops.

If they sent someone to consult Guo Hongyan now, it would take a full day for a round trip—there wasn’t enough time. In this situation, Kong Donglai remained silent for a long while before finally deciding to take a gamble. If he was going to bet, he would bet big! That meant going all in—committing the entire army to take Anyang in one swift strike.

However, due to Kong Donglai’s hesitation, by the time Nangong Zhi received the attack order, an hour—two full hours—had already passed. Upon receiving the command, Nangong Zhi sighed toward the sky, lamenting, “The moment of military opportunity has been lost! What can be done now?”

Despite this, he still had to lead the troops into battle. He knew the opportunity had slipped away, but since Kong Donglai insisted on attacking, Nangong Zhi had no choice but to obey. After all, he was just a commander.

With a single order, 150,000 elite soldiers of Nanyang Prefecture, along with nearly 150,000 laborers, surged across the border, marching in a mighty wave toward Anyang.

At the same time, Nanyang Prefecture sent envoys to notify Dongyuan Prefecture and Songzhou Prefecture: “We have launched a full-scale war. You two must assist us; otherwise, if we fail, Anyang will first retaliate against Dongyuan Prefecture, then Songzhou Prefecture, and finally us in Nanyang Prefecture. Because of the geographical situation, you two have no choice but to fight with all your might.”

This message was half a threat, half an appeal, carrying a strong and somewhat condescending tone.

At that moment, neither Nanyang Prefecture nor Kong Donglai knew that Songzhou Prefecture had already fled without a fight. Gao Bin had made a decisive move—he didn’t even bother informing Nanyang Prefecture before retreating on his own. Similarly, Wang Ping of the Wang family in Guangling Prefecture had also fled cleanly, never intending to notify Nanyang Prefecture.

Gao Bin’s thinking was simple: fleeing without fighting would undoubtedly offend Nanyang Prefecture, so he might as well let them battle Anyang first. Once Nanyang was severely weakened, they wouldn’t have the strength to retaliate against him. By then, he might even turn around and attack Nanyang himself!

The consequence of Gao Bin’s actions was that, after Songzhou’s 100,000-strong army retreated without a fight, Anyang’s 30,000 elite soldiers launched a direct flank attack. Meanwhile, Kong Donglai was still sending messengers, who were promptly captured by Anyang’s forces.

As for Dongyuan Prefecture, after seizing Luliang Prefecture, they not only stopped advancing but also began fortifying their positions and setting up defenses along the border. Their intentions were clear—they had the same idea as Songzhou Prefecture: watch the tigers fight from the mountains and reap the benefits once both sides were exhausted.

Moreover, Dongyuan Prefecture had a good excuse: “We are near the coast, and Anyang’s five ironclad warships parade around our doorstep every day. We don’t dare make a move.”

“What do you mean, you don’t dare to act? Then why did you agree so quickly before?!” Upon receiving Dongyuan Prefecture’s letter, Kong Donglai was so furious that his eyes burned with rage. The letter had been sent two days prior, during their last communication with Nanyang Prefecture.

But now, it was too late to say anything. After receiving Dongyuan Prefecture’s letter, Kong Donglai could do nothing but fume with anger. Even retreating was no longer an option.

At the front lines, Nangong Zhi and Kong Yingzhi led an army of 300,000, pressing forward toward Anyang in a mighty wave. The vast force stretched over 40 miles, resembling a tidal wave poised to engulf Anyang.

To be honest, facing an army of 300,000—even with only 150,000 elite troops—defender Wang Jian was sweating in his palms. Although Wang Jian was an experienced general, Anyang had always been a small place, where the largest wars involved only 30,000 to 50,000 soldiers at most.

Now, with a combined force of 500,000 troops on both sides, the scale of this war was not ten times but a hundred times greater than before! Furthermore, half of Anyang’s land-based military forces were under Wang Jian’s command. If they lost, Anyang might never recover.

“With wolves surrounding us, Anyang can only win—we cannot afford to lose! If Anyang shows even the slightest sign of weakness, we will be torn apart by the pack of wolves!” Wang Jian thought of Xu Ren’s assessment as he gazed at the Nanyang army flooding over the distant hills. His heart was tense, but he also felt a surge of determination.

Yang Yishan approached. “General, 500 cannons are ready, 80 aircraft and 20 airships are in position, and 200 machine guns have been set up.

Additionally, a total of 5,000 elite guerrilla troops, including five squads of Foundation Establishment-level masters, are already in ambush around the area.”

Wang Jian took a deep breath before finally raising his hand. “Very well. Order all artillery to lock onto the enemy. Once they enter a one-kilometer range, commence a full-scale bombardment.”

“Yes, sir!”

The surrounding officers, both high and low in rank, began to busy themselves, especially the soldiers and officers handling artillery and machine guns. The cannons sold by Anyang had an attack range of about three li, approximately 1.5 kilometers. However, the cannons used by Anyang itself had an attack range of over 3 kilometers! The reason for allowing the enemy to advance within one kilometer before attacking was to lull them into a false sense of security.

The artillery was ready, and the dark cannon muzzles were already aimed at the vast army surging in from Nanyang County. Numerous machine guns, and even autocannons, were also prepared. However, unlike the prominent cannons, the machine guns were well concealed.

The soldiers of Nanyang County, upon seeing the row of cannons on the defensive line ahead, felt their scalps tingle. They had witnessed the power of artillery more than once. When they attacked the imperial capital, Wuyang City, the sight of 50 to 60 cannons firing simultaneously left an unforgettable impression on many soldiers. But now, Anyang didn’t just have 50 to 60 cannons—it had a staggering 500 of various sizes!

Yet, since the military orders had been issued, retreat was not an option, and they could only brace themselves and charge forward. Moreover, since they had never been directly hit by cannon fire before, many still harbored a sliver of luck in their hearts.

On the other side, Wang Jian quietly observed. As he saw the soldiers of Nanyang County gradually step into the designated one-kilometer range, his eyes narrowed. His hand swung down fiercely!

At that moment, the Anyang defensive line seemed to shake in unison, and then a deafening roar erupted, like heavenly thunder rolling across the earth. Five hundred cannons fired simultaneously. The smallest were 47mm and 57mm rapid-firing cannons, while the largest were 150mm heavy artillery pieces.

A sharp whistling filled the sky, followed by countless bursts of gunpowder smoke blooming like flowers amidst the Nanyang County army. Though the 500 shells varied in size and speed, they landed in a nearly straight line. Thousands of Nanyang County soldiers were instantly blown to pieces.

The precision bombardment caused hesitation in the advancing Nanyang soldiers. Many at the explosion’s edge were so terrified that they lost control of their bowels. Some who reacted slower found their heads swaying along with the dismembered bodies flying through the air.

However, once the attack began, Anyang’s artillery fire continued relentlessly. The 47mm and 57mm cannons fired repeatedly, with a rate of ten to fifteen rounds per minute. Each shell landed within the Nanyang County army’s ranks, claiming several lives with every explosion.

The 105mm cannons fired at a slower pace, but each shot delivered an immense shock.

The 150mm cannons were the slowest to reload. After the initial salvo, they no longer participated in the general bombardment. Instead, they focused on strategic targets—flags, troop gatherings, and suspected command posts. Every synchronized volley from the ten 150mm cannons was a disaster—a disaster for Nanyang County.

One 150mm shell exploded less than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) from Nangong Zhi, killing his warhorse instantly. Nangong Zhi stared blankly at the devastated camp after the explosion. Ten massive craters billowed with smoke, surrounded by carnage—severed limbs and debris strewn across the ground.

“Ahhh!” Nangong Zhi let out a long howl and pointed at his personal guard captain. “Chen Feihu! Lead 5,000 elite soldiers, break into small units, infiltrate the Anyang defensive line, and destroy their artillery at all costs!”

“Yes!” Chen Feihu responded without hesitation, immediately selecting 5,000 agile personal guards. Each one activated stealth techniques, becoming nearly invisible as they silently advanced toward the front lines.

Above them, artillery shells whistled through the air, and explosions continued all around. The massive Nanyang County army surged forward, while Chen Feihu and his 5,000 elite soldiers rapidly advanced. They soon overtook the vanguard, entering the open battlefield. Once inside, they scattered into small units and used the simplest yet most effective earth-burrowing technique to move forward.

The 5,000 men dispersed completely, following no discernible pattern, cautiously and silently making their way forward with speed.

As they neared 30 zhang (about 100 meters) from the Anyang defensive line, Chen Feihu took a deep breath, knowing the crucial moment had arrived.

Just as he was about to activate the earth-burrowing technique again, he suddenly felt like he had crashed into an iron wall. His head spun, and his vision blurred.

“Not good! It’s the Earth Fiend Vajra Formation or some Earth Fiend Vajra spell!”

He tried changing directions several times, but no matter where he went, he always hit an invisible barrier, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

At that moment, a loud voice echoed from above, tinged with mockery:

“Ha! Rats! Grandpa has been waiting for you for a long time!”

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