Willing to Be the Vanguard

Shi Meng nodded in satisfaction. He turned and faced the high platform again.

"High General! This subordinate requests permission!"

He knelt on one knee, his voice echoing across the land.

"This campaign against Han, our army's declared objective is to attack Zhao, but in reality, it's a surprise raid. This is a matter of national importance! This subordinate is willing to lead the newly formed ten-thousand-man unit from Yong City as the vanguard for the entire army, to carve open the gates of Han State for our King and for Great Qin!"

Behind him, the three thousand new recruits also knelt on one knee in unison.

"Willing to be the vanguard!"

"Willing to be the vanguard!"

The roar of their battle cries, like a tidal wave, made the air in the entire camp burn with fervor!

Meng Tian looked at the dark forest below, at Shi Meng kneeling on the ground like a stubborn stone, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

He knew that Shi Meng was paving the way for the future of these three thousand new recruits with his own life.

Being the vanguard meant the first merit, but it also meant the highest casualties.

"Good!" Meng Tian's decision was final. "You are appointed as the vanguard commander. Lead the ten-thousand-man unit and depart first! Remember, I want you to capture the important border town of Yiyang within three days!"

"This subordinate obeys the order!" Shi Meng heavily kowtowed.

With the order given, the entire camp, like a precise war machine, instantly began to operate at high speed.

The main army, two hundred thousand strong, marched out of the camp gates in a mighty procession, banners flying, dust billowing, making a grand show of attacking towards the border of Zhao State in the northeast, in the direction of Jingxing.

On the other side, Shi Meng's ten-thousand-man vanguard unit quietly detached from the main force. Under the cover of night, they turned southeast, like a black arrow, piercing directly towards the Qin-Han border.

Within this ten-thousand-man unit, Wei Zhe and his hundred Elite Warriors clad in Fish Scale Armor seemed out of place.

They were not excited or nervous like the other new recruits about the impending battle. They simply followed silently on the flank of the formation, each step steady and powerful, as if they were on an ordinary armed march, not going to war.

"Boss, we're just following along like this?" Qian Hu sidled up to Wei Zhe and asked in a low voice, "The King's order to us was to make decisions as we see fit, without restriction."

Wei Zhe's gaze pierced through the jostling crowd, looking towards the dark night sky in the distance.

"Let Shi Meng be the sledgehammer to smash the door," his voice was calm, without a ripple. "After the sledgehammer opens the door, there will always be some stray fat sheep. We are hunters, not butchers."

He paused, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Tell the brothers to rest well. Our first battle is not Yiyang City, but the tent of Yiyang's commander, Bao Yuan!"

Qian Hu's heart leaped, and he instantly understood Wei Zhe's intention.

To catch the thief, first catch the king!

Shi Meng's target was to attack the city, while Wei Zhe's target was to decapitate directly!

The night grew deeper.

The Qin Army's vanguard moved like ghosts through the rugged mountain paths. All the soldiers held wooden strips in their mouths, and their horses' hooves were wrapped in thick cloth. Apart from the faint clinking of armor plates, the entire ten-thousand-man army made no extraneous sound.

Two hours later, the formation stopped behind a mountain ridge.

Ahead, a faint stretch of firelight could be seen, like a bizarre sea of stars in the dark night.

That was the largest military camp on the Han border, the Yiyang Great Camp.

"Scouts!" Shi Meng lowered his voice and gave the order.

Dozens of dark figures, like civets, silently darted out, disappearing into the night.

Wei Zhe did not move.

He simply raised his head, closed his eyes, as if sniffing the air with his nose.

"There's the smell of wine, and the aroma of roasted meat," he said lightly.

Sun He and Hu Lei exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other's eyes. They were at least five li away from the Han army camp, and yet they could smell it through the mountain wind?

Was this still human?

"Their scouts are all within three li, and most of them are dozing," Wei Zhe opened his eyes, his pupils flashing with beast-like light. "There are no patrol teams in the camp, and most of the soldiers are already asleep."

He didn't need scouts; his senses, strengthened by the System, were the best scouts!

A moment later, the Qin Army's scouts also returned, bringing back intelligence that was almost identical to what Wei Zhe had said!

Shi Meng's gaze towards Wei Zhe completely changed.

He had initially thought this kid was just good at fighting, but he never expected him to be a born war beast!

"All troops, prepare!"

Shi Meng drew the bronze longsword at his waist, its edge reflecting bloodlust in the faint starlight.

"In one incense stick's time, we will launch the general assault!"

The order was silently passed down.

Ten thousand Qin soldiers slowly removed the wooden strips from their mouths and unwrapped the cloth from their horses' hooves. They gripped their glaives and spears, adjusted their breathing, and gradually condensed their killing intent.

On the other side of the mountain ridge.

On the watchtower of the Han army camp, a Han scout yawned, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

He tightened the thin leather armor on his body, grumbling about the weather. It was his turn to stand guard tonight; he was truly unlucky.

Just as he was about to lean against the wall for a brief nap, a flicker in the corner of his eye seemed to catch something moving on the distant mountain ridge.

"An illusion?"

He muttered to himself, but out of duty, he picked up the horn hanging beside him, squinted, and stared intently in that direction.

He wouldn't have looked if he knew, but the moment he did, his blood ran cold!

It wasn't an illusion!

On the dark mountain ridge, a black tide was emerging silently!

What was that?

It was dense figures! It was glaives and spears standing like a forest! It was thousands upon thousands of helmets reflecting the starlight!

"Ene... Enemy attack!!!"

A heart-wrenching, distorted roar shattered the quiet night sky.

"Woo-- woo-- woo--"

The shrill sound of the horn finally echoed through the Han army's camp.

But it was all too late.

"Kill!!!"

The instant the Han scout discovered them, Shi Meng let out a thunderous roar!

"Rumble!"

Ten thousand Qin Elite Warriors, like a released black torrent, charged down from the mountain ridge!

The earth trembled!

The sound of shouting and killing, like a mountain and sea, instantly swallowed everything!

Inside the Han army camp, a deathly silence fell, immediately followed by apocalyptic chaos.

Countless Han soldiers, still asleep, were awakened by the sudden shouts. They rushed out of their tents in disarray, their faces filled with confusion and fear.

"What's happening?"

"The Qin army! The Qin army is attacking!"

"Quick! Get your weapons! Form ranks!"

"Where are the ranks? Where is the general?"

However, the Qin army's iron hooves gave them no time to react.

The army of ten thousand was like a red-hot iron brand, fiercely searing into butter!

The crude antlers and fences at the entrance of the camp were easily torn apart like rotten wood under the Qin army's charge!

The front-row Qin soldiers, holding large shields, formed a wall of steel and fiercely crashed into the panicked crowd!

"Puchi!"

Sharp glaives easily pierced the chests of Han soldiers who hadn't even had time to put on their armor. Blood instantly stained the ground.

A slaughter with no suspense had begun!