Chapter 33: Choktu

The armor-piercing spikes tore through the heavy infantry’s armor with a piercing, grating screech of metal. Chaoketu watched in horror as the majority of his pride—the heavy infantry—lay dead or wounded; he could not fathom what weapon was capable of piercing such heavy plating.

Despite the initial devastation, over a dozen heavy infantrymen surged forward. A massive long saber swept across the line, cleaving a Great Qi soldier in two. For a brief moment, these dozen soldiers unleashed a whirlwind of blood and carnage. One Great Qi soldier was kicked to the ground by a heavy cavalryman, and as he looked up, he saw the long saber descending upon him.

"Ah!"

Lin Shize roared, lunging forward to shield the soldier. He caught the massive blade on his shoulder, bracing himself against its crushing weight. The fallen soldier scrambled to his feet and plunged his blade repeatedly into the gaps of the heavy armor.

*Thud!*

The heavy infantryman collapsed, blood pouring from his armor onto the earth as his life faded away.

"Hold the line! Don't panic, tighten the formation!" Lin Shize darted across the battlefield, steadying his men. After the initial chaos, the Great Qi soldiers stabilized, swarming the remaining heavy infantry in groups of seven or eight. Though the armored warriors were fierce, their numbers were few, and they began to fall under the weight of the coordinated attacks.

Zhao Dahu rushed behind one of the armored men and thrust his blade through the gap at the neck. No sooner had that foe fallen than another swung a saber at his face. Zhao Dahu leaned back, narrowly dodging the blow. Before the soldier could follow up, Gou Dan and Zhao Tai lunged from left and right, pinning him to the ground.

Once the formation was secure, Zhou Kai and Zheng Yi led dozens of men to entangle the remaining heavy infantry. Wang Li, displaying quick wit, recovered the armor-piercing spikes from the fallen enemies and launched them back at their owners for a lethal finish. Meanwhile, Chen Xin intercepted the reinforcements attempting to reach Chaoketu. By the time the last heavy infantryman fell, Chaoketu had failed to break through Chen Xin’s defensive line.

With a roar, Chaoketu carved a path through the throng and charged straight at Lin Shize. Behind him, an armored figure bellowed, "I am Hasuer, the Third Prince of Mengla! Soldiers, kill them all! Attack!"

The two charged in tandem. Hearing that the Third Prince was fighting on the front lines, the morale of the Mengla soldiers surged; they steadied their footing and began a counterattack. Chen Xin swiftly snatched a tri-edged arrow from the ground and fired. It struck Hasuer’s shoulder, drawing blood, but the Prince ignored the wound and pressed forward. Chen Xin roared, drawing his sword to meet him, but Hasuer proved remarkably strong, relentlessly suppressing him. Lin Shize, too, was locked in combat with Chaoketu and could not break away.

As more Mengla soldiers gathered, the sound of battle erupted from their rear. Liu Wu had finally finished clearing the enemies at the back gate and arrived to support them. Caught in a pincer, the Mengla forces buckled, their space shrinking by the second. Liu Wu surged forward, joining Chen Xin to force Hasuer back. A dozen soldiers swarmed in, and despite Hasuer’s desperate defense, their blades carved wound after wound into him.

Seeing the tides turn, Chaoketu struck a heavy blow against Lin Shize and retreated into the ranks of his men. Hasuer, however, was hacked down by a flurry of blades, his tattered corpse collapsing to the ground. With fewer than a hundred Mengla soldiers left, they were completely surrounded by the Great Qi troops. Even as the foremost warrior of Mengla, Chaoketu knew he was powerless to turn the tide.

Staring at the banner of the Sky Wolf Battalion, Chaoketu was filled with confusion. He had never heard of such a unit. Could they be the elite guards of the Great Qi commander? He could think of no other force capable of defeating him in a fair fight.

Lin Shize surveyed the remnants of his company, his heart aching. The time had been too short, and their supply of armor-piercing spikes insufficient; the heavy infantry had cost them dearly.

Chaoketu stepped forward and shouted, "I am the Mengla General Chaoketu. Which general of Great Qi faces me?"

"Lin Shize, Commander of the Great Qi Sky Wolf Battalion."

Chaoketu looked at him with disbelief. He could hardly credit that this youth, who had fought him to a standstill, was the commander of this force. He bowed politely and said, "General Lin is truly a prodigious talent. I admire you. Did you lie in wait for me today?"

Lin Shize shook his head. "Your head isn't worth that much. To be precise, I came for the gold and grain in your storehouse."

Stunned by this bluntness, Chaoketu was at a loss for words. Many had sought his head for glory and renown; that Lin Shize cared nothing for it left him speechless.

"In that case, General Lin, how about a deal? I will surrender the wealth and grain to you, and you let us go," Chaoketu proposed. "The Third Prince has already died at your hands; that is a great enough achievement. There is no need for us to fight to the bitter end."

Lin Shize bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Chaoketu, I have heard of your atrocities. You tortured dozens of Great Qi women to death, buried hundreds of civilians alive, and allowed your men to burn, kill, and plunder without restraint. I crave your head as an offering to those lost souls. I only listened to your nonsense so we could gather enough armor-piercing spikes to send you on your way."

Chaoketu was a monster, and his claims were nothing but lies. Lin Shize did not believe for a moment that the Third Prince would charge into battle with him; this was clearly a ruse to facilitate an escape, and the real Prince was likely hidden among the troops.

The armor-piercing spikes flew into the crowd once more, and the brutal melee resumed. Lin Shize would not risk his brothers' lives for the sake of captives; he had issued a strict order before departing: strike to kill, and never show mercy.

Zhao Dahu had undergone a total transformation; his blade danced with the rotation of his body, striking directly at the enemies before him. Lin Shize charged straight for Chaoketu, ordering Chen Xin to loose arrows. Every second was precious, and he had no intention of playing the game of dueling generals; he sought a swift end.

But Chaoketu’s reputation as the greatest warrior of Mengla was well-earned. His long saber whirled like falling snow, batting away every incoming tri-edged arrow. Not a single one could touch him—a feat Lin Shize admitted he could not replicate.

As he charged, Lin Shize threw two armor-piercing spikes with both hands. They flew like meteors, too fast for Chaoketu to deflect entirely, forcing a momentary gap in his defensive web of steel. Lin Shize lunged through that opening, delivering two strikes that buried themselves in Chaoketu’s shoulders. As Chaoketu attempted to counter, Lin Shize parried his blade and followed through with a vicious slash to his abdomen, sending a spray of blood into the air.

Chaoketu’s expression darkened. He clutched his wound with his left hand while keeping his blade raised in his right, watching Lin Shize with wary, predatory eyes.