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The advancing Zhao Army was not prepared for long-range projection at this moment, as the weapons in hand could not guarantee effectiveness at this distance. Moreover, the thunderous drums of Shanxia's advance stirred up their most impulsive instincts. Just as they were charged with adrenaline, they suddenly heard the sound of Sentry overhead.
The Veteran, contemplating whether to advance a bit further, immediately lunged forward while shouting a warning: "Get down!"
The bewildered young soldiers were still analyzing the deeper meaning of those two words when they saw the soldiers at the front fall backward one after another. The force of the crossbow bolts was overwhelming; some of those struck were sent tumbling several times. If it weren't for the snow providing some resistance, they might have rolled all the way to Shanxia.
As the second and third waves of arrows flew in, the soldiers who had not been hit quickly lay down in the snow to avoid the deadly whistling sound. Those fortunate enough to escape aimed to see what was happening outside, but as soon as they peeked out, they were immediately struck by crossbow bolts.
Could it be that the Qin Army had charged out from the mountaintop?
Hearing the cries of those hit nearby, the momentum that had just built up turned into fear. When someone couldn't help but shout and jumped up in an attempt to flee, their body was instantly targeted and propelled upward by several strong forces.
Under the continuous loud warnings from the Veteran, the chaotic scene was finally brought under control. It was unavoidable since those disobedient soldiers had all been shot down. The remaining ones realized that this venture seemed likely to incur losses and decided to lie in their snowy hideouts to confirm what kind of weapon was outside. As arrows whizzed overhead and were identified, everyone couldn't help but gasp in shock.
From the moment the first Zhao Army soldier was struck until silence fell, it actually happened within a very short time. The drum-beating sergeant responsible for Shanxia noticed something was wrong and stood there with his mouth agape in shock. Everything that had just occurred was crystal clear to Shanxia's troops; the Qin Army had not even left their camp!
Zhao General Dong Cheng, seeing his charge suppressed, was furious. When he heard the drumbeats stop, he bellowed for them to continue drumming. If he heard them stop again, he would have them dragged away and executed!
Since ancient times, there has been a saying about advancing at the sound of drums and retreating at the sound of gongs. When the booming drumbeats echoed behind them once more, the soldiers lying on their backs gazing at the blue sky and white clouds knew they could no longer remain idle. They quickly loaded their crossbows and shouted as they sprang up from their hiding places to charge forward.
One hundred meters! We only need one hundred meters!
However, reality continually proved a harsh truth: how great is the gap between dreams and reality? The Zhao Army soldiers aimed to enter their own weapon's effective range as much as possible but ultimately turned that distance into a line of death.
Occasionally, some would charge to this distance under the threat of crossbow bolts, only to be struck by arrows shot from the Qin Army before they could even aim. At best, they managed to shoot one or two arrows, which merely lodged into the wooden boards of the Qin Army's fortifications.
Until no Zhao Army soldiers appeared on this death line, the snow-covered ground at the foot of the hill had been trampled into a dark red ice surface. The splattered red liquid was soon sealed by blood, revealing an amber-like clarity.
What on earth is going on!? Not a single one of the two hundred managed to get within a hundred meters of the enemy camp!?
Dong Cheng had no intention of calculating the odds; he ordered the prepared soldiers to launch a second charge. If two hundred weren't enough, then five hundred would do! He also instructed everyone not to be so thick-headed; arrows could still be shot from beyond a hundred meters. Continuing to stubbornly cling to textbook rules was just asking for death!
The Zhao soldiers clearly remembered that during their archery training, their officer had issued strict orders regarding this. Shooting recklessly when the enemy was outside effective range would result in punishment! What are arrows? They are your life! They represent your determination to win! Shooting wildly only proves your irresponsibility towards your own life!
Dong Cheng's words instantly awakened those in a daze!
Since it was the general's command, they would increase their distance! The confidence recently lost by the Zhao Army was reignited by this statement. As the booming sound of war drums echoed again, powerful battle cries surged like waves crashing against the hillside...
If there had been fear at the beginning of the confrontation, the results now fully demonstrated a fact to all Qin Army soldiers: advanced weaponry could change the battlefield situation and even turn the tide in seemingly unfavorable circumstances.
The previous exchange of fire had been almost one-sided slaughter; the charging Zhao Army didn't even have a chance to use their crossbows. The occasional arrows shot their way had long lost their targets and were sticking into wooden stakes at the fortifications.
Just as everyone was encouraging each other with high-fives, they heard the war drums booming from the foot of the mountain. The formation of troops surged forward amidst roaring shouts. When they were still one hundred fifty meters away from the Qin Army camp, the dense formation suddenly split apart to form skirmish lines for a charge.
Li Xin, who had not had a chance to show his skills until now, felt a surge of anxiety; such a dispersed charge was difficult to defend against. The best solution would be to set up crossfire and utilize flanking maneuvers to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy. But as it was his first time in battle, he completely forgot!
In fact, the Qin Army's defensive system already followed a fixed pattern, using the concentrated lethality of their arrow formation to block enemy charges. Even if cavalry were charging up from Shanxia at this moment, they could still ignore their presence.
The dense attacking formation of the Qin Army can utilize continuous fire to eliminate the enemies at the forefront, layering their attacks to achieve the goal of blocking the enemy. When the enemy launches their assault formation, the Qin Army's Defensive Formation will maintain its original three rows, only needing to create distance.
With the order to prepare for another round of firing given, arrows shot from the Crossbow once again demonstrate their power. Due to the scattered formation of the Zhao Army's attack, the firing distance has been reasonably extended compared to before. The buzzing sound from the Bowstring intertwines as rows of sharp arrows fly in beautiful arcs toward their respective targets.
Leading by example, an Officer is the first to be struck by an arrow, sent tumbling down the slope by the powerful force of the projectile. The ensuing carnage pushes the attackers to the brink of collapse; they want to retreat but hear the thunderous sound of War Drums behind them.
"For the State of Zhao! Kill!"
As Zhao Army Soldiers watch their comrades continuously fall under arrows, their suppressed courage finally erupts. They stand tall and charge forward despite the whistling arrows. This desperate assault proves effective, pushing forward nearly thirty meters.
This thirty meters is paved with lives inch by inch. As they draw closer to the Qin Army's camp, vengeful arrows from Zhao finally release from their strings. This alleviates some pressure on the Soldiers behind, allowing them to surge upward. The increasingly fortified defensive line of the Zhao Army grows bolder with each battle, and with corrected aiming angles, they no longer shoot aimlessly.
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