Annihilating the Tatar Cavalry!

To these pursuing Tatars, they hated Zhu Ying to the bone, and hated the Ming Army even more.

After days of marching, even though Zhu Ying had led his soldiers in flight, he had deliberately left the Tatars with the impression that the Ming Army was already fleeing in blind panic, knowing only how to run.

And that was precisely the impression Zhu Ying had deliberately given them, making them pursue without regard for anything else.

At last!

In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn.

At a low-lying stretch between the mountains, the Tatar commander of ten thousand led five or six thousand Tatar cavalry in a rapid pursuit.

When they saw the hollow ahead, they did not pause in the slightest and continued their chase.

"Commander of ten thousand."

"This terrain is extremely low. Could the Ming Army have set an ambush here?"

As he galloped forward, a Tatar commander of a thousand looked ahead with concern.

"The Ming Army has already been chased into a blind panic by our tribe's warriors. This is still our tribe's territory, and not far ahead lies our Red Flag Tribe. I have already sent someone to deliver word to the Red Flag Tribe, ordering them to quickly send out their men and cut off the Ming Army's retreat."

"If I do not tear this band of Ming troops to pieces this time, I, Mainuha, will have no face to meet the clan chief."

"Men, quicken the pursuit! We must slaughter this band of Ming troops to the last!"

"Kill!"

The Tatar commander of ten thousand roared.

More than six thousand Tatar iron cavalry swept forward, rapidly closing in on the mouth of the valley.

The hidden Ming soldiers all gripped their bows tightly, their eyes brimming with killing intent.

At this moment, they were all waiting for Zhu Ying's signal.

The instant Zhu Ying gave the order to fire, a rain of arrows would descend.

However, Zhu Ying was in no hurry. His gaze remained fixed as he quietly watched the Tatars enter the jar.

"It's you."

Zhu Ying's gaze fell upon the Tatar central army's battle banner.

Beneath that banner, a Tatar general clad in iron armor caught Zhu Ying's eye.

It was simple to distinguish Tatar generals from ordinary soldiers, especially from high ground, where everything was clear at a glance.

Zhu Ying drew the Treasure Eagle Bow, setting an arrow against the bowstring.

With a powerful pull from Zhu Ying, the bowstring was drawn with ease.

By the time more than half of the Tatar cavalry had entered the valley, Die! Zhu Ying coldly shouted in his heart.

With a sharp whistle!

The arrow flew from the Treasure Eagle Bow, shooting toward the Tatar commander of ten thousand below.

In the flash of an instant, the Tatar had still been charging forward, but suddenly—

With a wet thud, the sharp arrow instantly pierced through the Tatar commander of ten thousand's chest. Its tremendous force even sent him flying from his horse.

Thud.

He crashed heavily to the ground.

Before the Tatar soldiers could recover their senses, the Tatar commander of ten thousand's corpse was trampled beneath the hooves of his companions' horses.

"Kill a Tatar commander of ten thousand. Collect 100 points to all attributes."

As Zhu Ying's arrow tore through the air, almost instantly, the Ming Dynasty soldiers, who had long been poised and ready, began wildly firing arrows down below.

A storm of arrows burst forth.

In an instant, swath after swath of Tatar cavalry were shot from their horses by the chaotic volley.

Moreover, under Zhu Ying's prior orders, the rain of arrows first struck the Tatars' rear ranks, using their corpses and the carcasses of their warhorses to block their escape.

"The First, Second, and Fourth Thousand-Household Battalions, follow me and kill!"

"The Fifth Thousand-Household Battalion, take the high ground and fire!"

"Kill!"

Zhu Ying let out a thunderous roar.

He spurred his horse into motion.

With his long blade in hand, he charged straight down at the Tatars below.

"We swear to follow the Garrison Commander unto death!"

"Kill!"

Three Thousand-Household Commanders and one acting Thousand-Household Commander immediately led their soldiers after Zhu Ying in the charge, without the slightest hesitation.

Having followed Zhu Ying through many great battles, they had now formed a tacit understanding: all they needed to do was follow their Garrison Commander into the fray.

Up on the heights.

Nearly a thousand Ming Dynasty soldiers dismounted at once, drew their bows, and loosed arrows wildly at the Tatar rear ranks. The arrows fell like rain, and they held the advantage of high ground. Especially after Zhu Ying had shot their commander of ten thousand dead with a single arrow, the Tatar army charging forward fell into complete disarray. They could neither advance nor retreat, caught in a most wretched predicament.

At this moment, the Tatars were utterly thrown into chaos.

"The Ming Army has laid an ambush here!"

"We've fallen into a Ming Army ambush!"

"Retreat... retreat quickly!"

"Don't panic! Our way back has been blocked—we can't retreat! We can only charge forward!"

"Men, don't panic! Follow me and charge!"

"The Red Flag Tribe has sent troops to reinforce us! As long as we fight our way out, we'll live! Kill...!"

The Tatar cavalry descended into turmoil. Facing the scattered arrows that constantly rained down from overhead and their comrades who kept falling from their horses, panic spread everywhere. They had not even caught sight of the Ming Army—only dense volleys of arrows hurtling toward them.

At this moment!

Directly before the Tatar rabble.

"Kill!"

Zhu Ying led his troops into the attack.

With a raised hand, he swept his blade across.

Several Tatars before him were cut down, their blood spraying through the air.

"Kill a Tatar cavalryman, pick up 20 Strength."

"Kill a Tatar cavalryman, pick up 20 Constitution."

"Kill a Tatar cavalryman, pick up 50 lifespan."

The system prompts for gaining attributes by killing enemies continued as before.

After every great battle, Zhu Ying's strength grew greater. Now that he had set out again, he was naturally even more ferocious.

Just as before.

Zhu Ying charged and fought at the very front alone.

Even with thousands of Tatars before him, Zhu Ying felt not the slightest fear as he slaughtered his way forward.

Today.

Zhu Ying would bury the Tatar cavalry for good.

Today.

Zhu Ying would break through 1,000 points in every attribute, so that he could move like a fish in water on future battlefields.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The cries of battle rang through the mountains.

On this foreign land, the bearing of Ming Dynasty soldiers was on full display.

Charging.

Slaughter.

This battle of ambush.

The results were naturally different from those of their earlier head-on clashes.

They crushed the enemy far more easily, and having lost their command, the enemy troops were even less able to contend against the Ming Dynasty soldiers.

Time passed.

Zhu Ying charged and slaughtered like a madman, and the several thousand Ming Dynasty soldiers followed him in an unceasing assault, massacring the Tatars.

Meanwhile, the nearly thousand soldiers occupying the high ground raised their bows and loosed arrows at the Tatars below.

Heaven's timing, favorable terrain, and the will of the people.

This time, all three were firmly in the Ming Army's grasp.

Just over an hour later.

The battle had already reached its end.

"Spare me!"

"Don't kill me!"

"Mercy..."

"I surrender! Spare me..."

At this moment.

Fewer than a hundred Tatars remained, surrounded on all sides and begging for mercy in terror.

Quite a few others struggled amid the heaps of corpses, trying to cling to life.

Zhu Ying swept his gaze over them and said coldly, "Leave no survivors."

The moment his words fell.

The Ming Dynasty soldiers did not hesitate in the slightest. They surged forward as one and swiftly finished off the remaining Tatars.

"Garrison Commander."

"Fewer than seven or eight hundred escaped. All the remaining Tatars have been wiped out."

Wei Quan hurried over to report excitedly.

The surrounding soldiers were all greatly stirred, their eyes filled with deep admiration as they looked at Zhu Ying.

They had entered the depths of this northern frontier wilderness more than ten days ago.

Like a blade driven into the Tatars' belly, they had now, after this battle, annihilated the Tatars' last remaining army of ten thousand cavalry.

Such tremendous merit.

Such a result.

They had never imagined it when they first set out.

And Zhu Ying had led them to accomplish all of it.

PS: 2025 has arrived. I hope all my brothers may be reunited with their families and blessed with good health. May every brother rise higher and higher in the new year.