The shrill sound of a horn tore through the tranquility of the night, like a death knell, instantly igniting the Wood Elf Village.
This sound became the most direct signal for the attack.
Almost simultaneously with the horn's blast, the ground at the village's boundary violently heaved and deformed!
As if kneaded by an invisible giant hand, two towering earthen mounds—or rather, temporary earthen ramparts—were rising out of nowhere, reaching directly to the tree-formed walls of the Wood Elf Village.
Then they directly merged!
Completely pressing the walls beneath them, they formed a gentle ramp, allowing cavalry to charge directly from the outside into the inside!
This instantly changed the nature of the place; it was no longer a Wood Elf defensive structure, but a deadly offensive springboard for Mount & Blade Soldiers!
"For Respected Lord Shen Mu! For the Kingdom of Swadia! For Deherim, charge—!!!"
Lezalit's characteristic, oppressive roar instantly drowned out the horn's lingering sound, even overriding the sporadic cries of alarm that had just erupted within the village.
The next moment, the thunderous sound of hooves, heavy as a drumbeat, roared from behind the earthen mounds!
Lezalit, leading the Swadian Heavy Cavalry cluster, utilized the slope formed by the earthen mounds to maximize the impact of their charge.
Boom—!!!
Like a flood, they surged over the earthen mounds, over the tree-formed walls squeezed beneath the mounds, the heavy warhorses and knights, clad in thick triple-layered armor, instantly trampled them under their hooves, directly charging into the Wood Elf Village from the earthen mounds in an overwhelming manner!
"Kill!"
Accompanied by excited shouts, these mount & blade Cavalrymen straightened their lances, and with immense inertia, instantly impaled and sent flying several terrified Wood Elf guards and Blue Star Humans warriors who stood in their path, the sound of bone shattering clearly audible.
Almost at the same moment, "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" a dense rain-like sound of arrows cutting through the air came from another direction.
Bestour, leading the Khergit Mounted Archer unit, appeared like a ghost near another earthen mound, also charging into the Wood Elf Village.
They skillfully galloped their horses, not needing to dismount to assault obstacles, but instead using their mobility to quickly sweep over the side or even the top of the earthen ramp, their iconic Khergit Nomadic Bows drawn to full tension.
Like a downpour, arrows accurately rained down upon the chaotic central area of the village!
Wood Elf patrols, Human guards rushing out of their tents upon hearing the commotion, and small groups attempting to organize resistance were instantly engulfed by this volley of arrows.
The precise shooting caused resistors to fall, pierced by arrows, their screams echoing.
Two of Respected Lord Shen Mu's most powerful cavalry units, in an unstoppable manner, breached the village core from two directions!
The entire Wood Elf Village instantly transformed into a slaughterhouse!
Swadia's heavy cavalry charge cluster brutally carved out several bloody paths through the narrow roads of the village.
The heavy iron hooves of armored warhorses mercilessly trampled fleeing lives, while powerful lances impaled or skewered targets; some knights even wielded longswords or morning stars in the confined spaces.
The attacks of Wood Elves and Humans attempting to resist with spears or swords simply could not penetrate the knights' heavy plate and chainmail, while the knights' counterattacks were fatally overwhelming.
House pillars shattered under the impact of the charging horses, parts of structures directly collapsed, and sparks flew.
The Khergit Mounted Archers, meanwhile, moved at high speed in the relatively outer areas, their arrows like flying locusts.
They used their high mobility to segment the battlefield, precisely shooting down any targets attempting to gather or showing signs of resistance.
Upon encountering small groups of enemies, they would not hesitate to put away their bows, draw their gleaming Nomadic Scimitars, and, like a whirlwind, plunge into the enemy ranks, relying on their superb horsemanship and fierce hacking to escalate the chaos to its extreme.
They even deliberately used their torches to ignite dry thatched roofs, wooden fences, and piled supplies.
Setting the Wood Elf Village ablaze!
The Kujit people were natural bandits, and they were particularly adept at these lawless means of creating chaos!
Houses ignited by torches quickly spread, the flames illuminating the scene of slaughter, thick smoke billowing and mixing with the smell of blood.
Panic-stricken Wood Elves and Blue Star Humans ran around like headless chickens, desperate cries, dying groans, angry yet futile roars, the neighing of warhorses, and the clashing of weapons echoed throughout the night.
Chaos, extreme chaos, overwhelmed everything!
Against the Swadian Heavy Cavalry's iron charge, like moving fortresses, and the Khergit Mounted Archers' ghostly ranged attacks and swift close-quarters combat, the sporadic resistance seemed utterly futile.
Several brave Wood Elf Sword Dancers attempted to slash the heavy cavalry with their elven longswords, but the longswords only sparked off the sturdy armor before being deflected, then quickly crushed by the knights' lances or the hooves that followed.
Similarly, Human warriors attempting to retaliate with bows were quickly suppressed or shot down by the Kujit's denser, more accurate arrow rain.
Organized resistance was completely dismantled the moment the cavalry broke through!
As for the central area where the "harmonious" banquet was originally held, Yang Di's face was ashen, and the knife in his hand hung limply.
Zhang Song next to him was also filled with despair.
Their previous suspicions, doubts, and probes seemed so ridiculous and insignificant in the face of the absolute violence of naked steel and fire before them.
The destruction of the village and the screams of his subordinates confirmed Zhang Bo's earlier desperate premonition, and also declared the complete failure of Yang Di and Zhang Song's meticulously planned "final test"—Respected Lord Shen Mu simply gave them no time or opportunity to play their schemes.
The cold night of slaughter, like a surging angry tide, had completely swallowed them.
The Wood Elf Village was utterly plunged into purgatory.
Lezalit's Swadian Heavy Cavalry cluster, like a cold torrent of steel, completely disregarded any narrow terrain or sporadic resistance.
They maintained a tight wall-like charge formation, their heavy hooves crushing thatched huts, rolling over flowerbeds, the terrifying kinetic energy of armored warhorses combined with the lances and sharp swords in the knights' hands, leaving behind only a bloody, mangled mess and scattered burning debris in their wake.
The hastily assembled Wood Elf Sword Dancer squads or Blue Star Humans guard lines were as fragile as paper before them; a single charge completely disintegrated and engulfed them.
They couldn't even slow them down!
Bestour's Khergit Mounted Archers, meanwhile, transformed into the most deadly shadows and whirlwinds.
They skillfully weaved through the chaotic streets, intertwined with firelight and dust, coldly executing Respected Lord Shen Mu's will.
Precise arrows, like a rain of death, shot from cunning angles into the throats and eye sockets of those attempting to counterattack from rooftops, windowsills, or alleyways.
Upon detecting any even slightly organized resistance point, these mounted archers immediately put away their composite bows, drew their scimitars, and transformed into several fierce cutting blades, mercilessly charging into the crowds to hack and slash.
The Kujit's characteristic whistles rose and fell throughout the village, each accompanied by a new fire being ignited or a section of resistors being cleared out.
The burning houses became their best cover for attack and a weapon for creating chaos; thick smoke billowed, screams erupted everywhere, and the exquisite Wood Elf Village, which prided itself on harmonious coexistence with nature, rapidly collapsed under iron hooves and raging flames.
A little further outside the village, in the darkness against a ruined apartment building, firelight outlined another group of silent and formidable figures.
Respected Lord Shen Mu, mounted on his magnificent Holy Tree Warhorse, was at the center of the entire reserve formation.
He was not clad in heavy battle armor, wearing only a light chainmail over a dark cloak for ease of movement, but this did not diminish the aura he exuded, like a chess master controlling a game of life and death.
His gaze swept over the flickering flames, firmly fixed on the collapsing and burning Wood Elf Village.
Reflected in his pupils were the dancing orange-red flames, the twisted fleeing figures, and the iron-grey torrent that represented the invincible, continuously advancing and tearing through the defenses of his two iron cavalry units.
A smile, devoid of warmth, played on the corner of his lips, as if he were appreciating a painting depicting destruction.
To his left, Fatis, the commander of the Holy Tree Knight Order, was like the most loyal shadow.
His tall figure sat motionless in the saddle, his eyes reflecting a cold gleam under the distant flickering firelight, his knight's lance resting quietly on his shoulder.
The expression on his face, hidden beneath the imposing full-face helmet, could not be seen, only a pair of ice-blue eyes piercing through the visor's slits, also calmly surveying the battlefield, assessing the situation.
Occasionally, scattered Wood Elves or Humans who fled to this area were quickly killed by the lances or longswords of the Holy Tree Cavalry patrolling further out, without even having time to issue a warning.
"Looking at this scene, it's truly cruel," Respected Lord Shen Mu's voice broke the oppressive silence in front of the reserve formation, his tone as relaxed as if discussing the weather: "Mr. Yang Di's meticulously prepared banquet seems to have been thoroughly interrupted. I wonder if he can still maintain his composure as a host at this moment?"
His words were filled with undisguised mockery and ruthlessness.
Bandak was slightly ahead and to the right of Respected Lord Shen Mu. The seasoned Rodok commander did not turn around, his gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept the edge of the battlefield, especially the two large earthen ramps where the walls had been breached, to prevent any big fish from escaping.
Hearing Respected Lord Shen Mu's words, the muscles on his weathered face twitched, revealing an almost bestial, snarling grin, which appeared somewhat ferocious in the firelight: "Composure? Commander, in the face of Deherim's iron hooves, any so-called composure will be crushed to dust the moment the first knight steps through the gate!"
His rough hand gripped his heavy crossbow, the steel bolt on it pointing towards the center of the village: "Listen, those desperate wails and the sound of collapsing buildings are the Green Leaf Group's final swan song! Resistance? Just futile struggles, they'll only make our warriors clean up more efficiently!"
Although Bandak was a tribune, he was not a foolish bleeding heart who would pity the enemy at this time.
He clearly knew that if these guys hadn't launched a sneak attack earlier, almost killing Respected Lord Shen Mu, then such a cruel scene wouldn't be happening now.
But this was also something that had to be experienced.
If all enemies were mercifully let go, then in the future, Deherim, or rather, Respected Lord Shen Mu's mercy, would not truly be cared about by anyone, nor would it genuinely hold any weight!
Only cruel retribution could make others understand that mercy itself was an extremely generous quality of those in power!
"This is very good, Respected Lord Shen Mu!"
Fatis's deep and magnetic voice sounded at the opportune moment, like the friction of cold steel: "Bestour's skirmishers are effectively segmenting the remaining enemies and driving out the routed soldiers. Lezalit's cluster is like a heavy hammer, unstoppable. The resistance points throughout the village are being rapidly destroyed. It seems there's no need for the Holy Tree Knight Order to enter, Lord; this is already a... perfect clear-out operation."
His words were calm, but beneath that calmness lay absolute confidence in his comrades' combat power and the battlefield advantage, as well as a faint regret at not being able to personally destroy the strong enemy.
The curve of Respected Lord Shen Mu's lips deepened, his pleasure almost overflowing.
His own personality was not that of a good person.
He nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the burning village, as if savoring every rising plume of smoke, every transmitted scream, chuckling as he nodded: "Yes, perfect. Yang Di thought he could play mind games and prolong his dying breath, little did he know that in the face of absolute power, any cunning and waiting seem so ridiculous. After today, the name Wood Elf Village, along with the so-called 'Green Leaf Group' it represents, will be completely erased from the map of Bali River Street. On the map of Bali River Street, there will be only one name: the Will of Deherim!"
His words were like a cold pronouncement, declaring the demise of one faction and, even more, announcing the birth of a new era on the ruins of blood and fire.
On the outskirts of the battlefield, in the shadows of the reserve unit, the killing intent remained.
The Holy Tree Knights and Holy Tree Cavalry were like statues, only their sharp gazes sweeping the edge of the battlefield, ensuring no "rat" could escape from this "cleansing" feast tailor-made for them.
Inside the burning Green Leaf Group, desperate resistance was meeting its final, inevitable end.
And the master of Deherim found the ultimate pleasure of a conqueror in this symphony of destruction that he had personally orchestrated.
Under the cold moonlight, only the roar of hooves, the collapse of buildings, the hiss of flames, and the omnipresent desperate wails announcing the complete withering of the Green Leaf echoed.
Victory was already a foregone conclusion.
But for Yang Di, who was still in the large tent, his eyes at this moment were filled with grim determination, despair, and ruthlessness as he looked at Zhang Bo, his angry voice squeezed out as if from between his teeth: "Very well, Zhang Bo, I provided you with a carefree childhood, I gave you top-notch learning opportunities, I even took care of you when the apocalypse came. Very well, very well, this is truly excellent, Zhang Bo, I never expected you to be such an ungrateful wretch. My most valued Green Leaf Group, the foundation I struggled for my entire life, was ultimately destroyed by an ungrateful wretch. I truly never expected it, I truly misjudged you!" (End of Chapter)
