CHAPTER 410: CHAPTER 40: DEFEAT AND STEALING CREDIT! _2

After the Qian army’s vanguard collapsed, their eastern flank, which had remained stable despite constantly wavering, completely shattered. Then, the western flank, which had been quite stable and hadn’t faced much pressure, also collapsed.

People possess a herd mentality. On the battlefield, when individuals are extremely agitated and tense, it becomes difficult for them to maintain clear thinking. They are left with only one instinct: to follow the crowd. The thought process becomes: Others are running? Then what should I do? I should run too! A chain reaction had formed; those who didn’t want to run were swept up by the fleeing masses. The Qian army had collapsed entirely!

In fact, from the start of the battle to this point, the Qian army had only suffered a few thousand casualties, yet this had triggered a complete breakdown of their thirty-thousand-strong army.

Once the infantry formations crumbled, they were essentially a flock of lambs to the slaughter.

Liang Cheng once said that in war, casualties on the main battlefield often constitute only a small proportion; the real damage is inflicted when one side collapses and the other pursues and slaughters the routed enemy.

What followed was the Northern Army’s hunt.

This was truly a hunt: first driving the prey, then agitating them, wearing them down, and ultimately crushing their courage.

These were the tactics of the Northern Army, and at the same time, an art of war.

People and animals, while undeniably different, can be quite similar at times.

The Central Army, where Zheng Fan was stationed, also began to move. Initially, Chief Zheng had ignored his personal guard’s lance, but now he couldn’t just remain idle and watch the show; that would be too conspicuous.

Most importantly, it was time for Chief Zheng’s favorite activity: headhunting!

Instead of following their fellow soldiers in another frontal charge, the Central Army’s cavalry chose to swing wide, outflanking the enemy. The Qian people had already broken and were fleeing south in droves.

At this moment, the Central Army launched a direct charge into the midst of the fleeing Qian soldiers, slicing into them diagonally.

Instantly, Qian soldiers were sent sprawling, men and horses toppling from the brutal impact and slaughter.

This move was like striking a snake at its vital seven-inch point, shattering any chance for the Qian army to regroup and completely disrupting their formations.

"DAMN!" Even though Chief Zheng was college-educated, at this moment, he could only vent his emotions with this expletive.

This wasn’t a battle; it was more like elegantly slicing a steak at a fine dining restaurant.

Precision and finesse. When these two elements reached their peak, they became a kind of beauty—a beauty unique to warfare.

However, amidst the beauty and the shock, as the Northern Army knights around him began to furiously cut down any fleeing Qian soldiers they could find,

Zheng Fan deliberately extricated himself from this frenzied excitement.

As a seasoned professional headhunter, Chief Zheng knew that the heads of ordinary Qian soldiers weren’t very valuable. It wasn’t that Chief Zheng had become such a big shot that he looked down on small fry; rather, the Green Willow Fortress cavalry hadn’t been brought along. Relying solely on himself and Liang Cheng, how many heads could they possibly take?

If I’m going to take heads, I’ll go for the big fish!

The head of someone like Prince Fu was worth two thousand Wolf Land Soldiers!

In private conversations with other demonic lords, the blind man once remarked that his lord was the type who grew calmer in critical situations.

And it was true. To be able to detach from the battlefield’s fervor and activate his internal radar for opportunities to claim merit required a truly strong heart.

First, look for those on horseback!

Actually, fleeing foot soldiers were much easier to kill. One could simply chase them down on horseback, deliver a slash to their back, and they would either die or be left writhing on the ground.

But the Qian generals should be on horseback!

So, Chief Zheng focused his gaze on the mounted Qian soldiers around him.

However, after scanning the mounted men, he saw no one wearing armor as flamboyant as Deng Ziliang’s had been.

Damn it! Are all these Qian generals cowards? Not one of them dares to wear conspicuous, eye-catching armor!

However, Chief Zheng had another method: observing their warhorses.

Thanks to his reawakening point in this world being in Beifeng Prefecture, he had been exposed to cavalry from the very beginning. After such long immersion, Chief Zheng had developed a good eye for judging warhorses.

Find the good horses, the superior steeds!

Suddenly, Zheng Fan spotted a chestnut warhorse galloping swiftly past.

That’s a big fish!

Chief Zheng immediately spurred his horse toward it, completely ignoring the fleeing Qian foot soldiers around him.

However, as he drew closer, Zheng Fan hesitated. The physique of this fleeing Qian soldier was overly imposing, especially his arms, which looked as long as a gibbon’s.

Up ahead, a Northern Army knight had just cut down an infantryman and, with a ready swing of his saber, moved to intercept the "big fish."

Unexpectedly, the "big fish" parried the knight’s saber with a single stroke and then kicked the knight’s horse in the belly.

"BANG!"

The warhorse and its rider were kicked clean off the ground, flying sideways.

"GULP."

Zheng Fan instinctively swallowed and immediately reined in his horse.

This big fish is trouble.

Han Laowu seemed to sense something. He glanced back at Chief Zheng, apparently intending to unhorse him if he charged, and then make his escape.