"Fight my ass! Even Master Kongzheng can't beat that guy surnamed Wu, are you going to deal with him?"
"..."
While the cavalrymen were arguing, the fleeing monks surged towards the cavalry like a flood bursting its banks.
The cavalry formation was quickly thrown into disarray!
"Don't run around! Hold the formation!"
Someone shouted loudly, trying to reorganize the group.
But nobody listened to him.
"Withdraw--"
The bandit leaders in the group were the first to give the order.
The cavalry leaders who still wanted to fight were completely helpless and had no choice but to turn their horses around and order a retreat.
However, affected by the fleeing monks, the cavalry's retreat speed was slowed down for a while.
"Chase!"
Wu Shuangren did not order a halt.
He knew this was the best opportunity to expand the gains, and given the current situation, there was no need to worry about the enemy launching a counterattack.
He chased after the fleeing crowd, charged at a cavalryman who couldn't pick up speed, and with one stroke, cut the man off his horse!
Xu Yu followed beside him, each swing of his Mo Dao accompanied by screams, clearing a path for Wu Shuangren.
Bai Jinhuan saw through Wu Shuangren's intentions, called out to Luo Heng, and charged towards the cavalry who hadn't picked up their speed.
Luo Heng gave orders to the warriors of the Flying Feather Gang: kill the cavalry first, but don't hurt the horses.
"I surrender—"
"Don't kill me!"
"Amitabha Buddha, please spare this poor monk!"
"..."
Some of the monks who were caught up chose to surrender.
And so, the fleeing Mist Hidden Temple forces were relentlessly pursued, their corpses littering the ground along the way!
Blood stained the dirt road, the grass by the river, and the water of this section of the canal.
The chase lasted for nearly two miles!
Only after the enemy had completely collapsed and fled into the mountains in small groups, and all the cavalry had long since disappeared, did Wu Shuangren order a halt to the pursuit.
The line slowly came to a stop.
The militiamen were panting heavily; their formation had long since fallen apart, and almost every one of their spears was stained with blood.
Although exhausted, everyone had a smile on their face.
They won this battle again!
"Hahahaha, that's great!"
That's how you should play!
Bai Jinhuan, who had been stationed there with his Guan Dao, was already exhausted.
But he looked pleased, his eyes filled with excitement, wishing he could chase them for another two miles!
Luo Heng and the martial artists of the Flying Feather Gang all looked at Wu Shuangren with awe.
The militiamen, who knew nothing of martial arts, didn't understand what Wu Shuangren's killing of Kongzheng meant, but they knew!
For the past decade or so, Kongzheng has been almost universally recognized as the number one expert in Yi Province, and his reputation has even spread to Xi Province.
Today, Wu Shuangren defeated Kongzheng!
"From this day forward, the martial arts world of Yi Province is about to change!"
Luo Heng looked radiant.
I've chosen the right person to follow!
Requesting monthly votes
? The master of West River Market 99!
Wu Shuangren looked around. Corpses lay scattered everywhere, limbs were strewn all over the ground, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.
"Clean up the battlefield and take stock of casualties."
He issued the order.
The militiamen quickly sprang into action, treating the wounded and bandaging their injured comrades; some led the kneeling monks to one side, took away their weapons, removed their leather armor, and forced everyone to kneel...
The militiamen on the cliff also came down the mountain path, taking a long detour before finally reaching the front line of the battlefield. They were exhausted and panting heavily. They quickly joined the cleanup team, carrying corpses and picking up scattered weapons.
Wu Shuangren then ordered, "Send a few good swimmers to go into the river and retrieve the corpses! Strip them of all their leather armor, don't waste a single piece!"
Luo Heng immediately said, "Militia Commander Wu, I'll send some boatmen; they're good swimmers."
Wu Shuangren nodded.
Soon, men on the cargo ship tied ropes to themselves, jumped into the water, and began retrieving the bodies.
More than an hour later, Bai Jinhuan came to Wu Shuangren and reported in a deep voice:
"Commander, the headcount is done. We have seventeen dead and eleven seriously wounded."
Wu Shuangren pursed his lips. Nearly half of the casualties here were caused by Kongzheng alone!
Individual physical strength sometimes seems insignificant compared to that of a group.
If it were just Wu Shuangren alone, he wouldn't be able to win this battle, nor would he be able to defend the foundation of West River Market!
However, individual combat skills can sometimes play a decisive role in the course of a battle.
If Wu Shuangren hadn't been there today, Kongzheng might have been able to lead the monks out of the encirclement, or even turn the tide of battle!
Therefore, we must grasp both aspects firmly.
Wu Shuangren thought to himself.
"Militia Commander Wu."
Luo Heng also came over and took the initiative to report to Wu Shuangren, "Nine members of the Flying Feather Gang are dead, five are seriously injured, and the rest are slightly injured."
Wu Shuangren nodded to Luo Heng: "Gang Leader Luo and the brothers of the Flying Feather Gang, thank you for your hard work. We owe you a lot today."
In today's battle, Luo Heng and the dozens of martial artists from the Flying Feather Gang, along with the seven archers on the ship, all played crucial roles.
The warrior monks of Mist Hidden Temple comprise a considerable number of martial artists, each possessing considerable individual strength.
If the Flying Feather Gang hadn't intervened to target and restrain them, the militia's ranks might have been forcibly broken up!
"Militia Commander Wu."
As Luo Heng spoke, he suddenly bowed deeply to Wu Shuangren.
Wu Shuangren's eyes flickered. "What is Chief Luo doing?"
Luo Heng said in a deep voice, "Luo Heng is willing to bring the entire Flying Feather Gang to join your training force. I humbly request Militia Commander Wu to accept us!"
Having personally experienced this battle and witnessed Wu Shuangren kill Kongzheng, the leader of the Flying Feather Gang changed his mind once again.
His initial intention was simply to seek refuge with Wu Shuangren and secure a place for himself in West River Market through this collaboration.
Now, he is going to use the Flying Feather Gang, which he has worked so hard to build, as a bargaining chip, and put it all on the gambling table to gamble for a better future for himself!
Bai Jinhuan glanced at Luo Heng, a sense of impending danger creeping in.
Wu Shuangren stepped forward, helped Luo Heng up, and looked him in the eye. "Have you thought it through?"
He merged into the Fist Academy as the leader of the Flying Feather Gang, and completely disbanded the Flying Feather Gang, with everyone joining the militia.
These are two completely different outcomes!
Luo Heng nodded firmly, his face resolute. "I've made up my mind. I hope Militia Commander Wu will accept us!"
"Good!"
Wu Shuangren patted Luo Heng on the shoulder, "Once we get back, I'll officially incorporate the Flying Feather Gang into the militia."
Luo Heng smiled and said, "Thank you, Commander!"
Wu Shuangren then looked at Bai Jinhuan, signaling him to continue explaining the results of the count.
Bai Jinhuan: "At Mist Hidden Temple, 92 warrior monks died, 31 were seriously wounded, and 45 were captured. Nineteen cavalrymen died, and 19 warhorses were seized."
The Mist Hidden Temple dispatched three hundred elite warrior monks, but suffered heavy casualties in this battle!
After listening, Wu Shuangren turned his gaze to the captured monks. Not far away, dozens of seriously wounded monks were gathered together, their cries of agony rising and falling.
"Finish off all the seriously wounded monks and give them a quick death."
Wu Shuangren remained expressionless. "Comb all the corpses."
Bai Jinhuan turned and glanced at the wounded soldiers in the distance. "Yes!"
With the medical technology available at the time, many seriously injured people were simply waiting to die.
Therefore, Wu Shuangren's order cannot be considered cruel.
Soon, the severely wounded monks were all killed, and their screams abruptly ceased.
The prisoners knelt on the ground, watching their fellow disciples being executed. Some wept bitterly, some trembled all over, and some clasped their hands together, closed their eyes, and chanted scriptures.
"Namo Amitabha Buddha... May you be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and escape the sea of suffering..."
After all the bodies were thrown into the fire, the spoils of war were counted.
A total of over 180 pieces of leather armor were taken off, of which over 120 were barely intact, and the rest could be repaired and used.
There were even more weapons: staffs, daggers, spears, and crossbows, all piled together, enough to equip two large militia battalions.
In addition, there were nineteen warhorses.
The entire training group currently has no more than two hundred sets of leather armor, but today's battle has doubled that number!
'No guns, no cannons, the enemy made them for us...'
Having won the battle, absorbed the Flying Feather Gang, and acquired so many spoils, Wu Shuangren was in high spirits.
After the battlefield was completely cleared, he ordered all the seriously wounded who were temporarily unable to move to be sent onto the Flying Feather Gang's cargo ship, where the Flying Feather Gang would take them to the next dock to find a place to recover before returning.
The rest of the people took food and cooking utensils from the cargo ship and started a fire to cook.
The aroma of food gradually filled the air, masking the original smell of blood and burnt food...
After everyone had eaten and rested for an hour, Wu Shuangren ordered them to set off.
On his return journey, he also chose to travel along the canal.
"Select seven men who can ride horses to scout ahead and report back immediately if they discover anything."
Wu Shuangren gave the order.
Bai Jinhuan agreed and left.
Soon, the team set off.
The militiamen, in rows of five, remained in formation and marched forward. Most of the captured leather armor was already on their bodies, while their weapons were in their hands.
The forty-five captured monks, their hands bound together with rope, walked in the middle of the procession.
The afternoon sun made the river water sparkle, and Wu Shuangren led the team back.
West River Market, a town/fortress.
When Wu Shuangren led his team to a great victory, Mo Zhengxing stood by the window of the council hall, holding a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
Wu Shuangren did not bring Mo Zhengxing with him on this ambush mission, but instead left him to oversee the rear.