The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Chapter 1856 - Giant Beast Traps!

  Chapter 1856: Giant Beast Traps!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Bang!With an order from Zhang Shouzhi, a massive crate next to him exploded, and then with a deafening rumble, a large piece of dark metal howled through the air and struck the legs of an armored giant.Clack! The dark piece of metal swiftly separated into an object akin to a bear trap and clamped around the giant’s legs. Clack! Its clamping strength was so powerful that it even managed to pierce through the legs of the giant, instantly drawing blood.“Ah!” The giant screamed in pain at this sudden attack. He tried to shake off the dark metal on his legs, but it was far heavier and sturdier than he had imagined.Each metal piece weighed several thousand jin, and the armored giants were already rather clumsy. Dragging around this piece of steel that weighed so much immediately made him lose his balance and stagger to the ground.“Release!”“Release!”“Release!”Zhang Shouzhi continued to issue his orders, launching more and more of these dark metal contraptions at the armored giants.Giant Beast Traps!This was a method Wang Chong and Zhang Shouzhi had developed together to deal with the armored giants.From the incomplete Skyquaking Giants in the war of the southwest to the green-armored giants of the Battle of Talas, and finally to these even more powerful giants now, the Arabs had been gradually perfecting this army. Wang Chong and his generals had long ago predicted this.The giants were much more intelligent than the Behemoths, and their tenacious vitality, terrifying strength, and formidable outer defenses made them very difficult for the Great Tang to deal with.The ballistae were effective against them, but one or two bolts was not enough to kill them, and they could be easily dodged!Thus, Zhang Shouzhi thought of the idea of the Giant Beast Traps.From a certain perspective, the armored giants were like massive beasts. If they were held down so that they could not move normally, their threat would be minimized and they could be more easily killed.“Mo Saber Unit, kill!”Li Siye bellowed, using this chance to charge in with his Mo Saber Unit, whose soldiers seethed with killing intent.War cries instantly filled the air.“Kill them all!”Fear appeared in the eyes of the armored giants, and they began to crazily struggle. Massive armored fists punched here and there, and weapons swung down.“Die!”The first to charge was none other than Invincible Great General Li Siye, his expression as cold as ice. With one swing of his giant Wootz Steel sword, he jolted the weapon out of an armored giant’s hand, and he took a flying leap and swung his sword at a crack in the armor of the giant, fiercely slashing at the neck.Plush! Blood gushed out as the giant’s head spun through the air, traveling more than seventy feet with eyes wide open in fear. It was as if even in death, the giant could not believe that he had died so quickly at the hands of a human.“Kiiill!”With resounding cries, the Mo Saber soldiers split into teams of ten and began to attack the armored giants.In the rear, the Confucian Sect experts provided support. Whenever an armored giant rallied, they would send a powerful burst of Psychic Energy into their minds, causing the giants to once more fall into disorder and pain.Plush! Plush! Plush! In just a few moments, several dozen giants were beheaded and the situation rapidly reversed. But at this time, Wang Chong no longer had the leisure to worry about the giants.Rumble!At the front line, the earth was quaking as the Behemoth Army rapidly approached.Boom! A massive palm slammed down, fierce shockwaves spreading out amidst churning clouds of dust and knocking over ten-some steel walls.Roooar!As furious roars resounded over the heavens, the Behemoth Army placed the Tang defense line in grave danger.But the Behemoth Army was only the start. As the Behemoth Army charged forward, piercing shrieks came from above. A dark cloud appeared above the sea of Arab cavalry and began to approach the Tang defense line with astonishing speed.“The giant birds!”The Tang soldiers cried out in alarm. The Arabian Empire had shown no hesitation this time and had immediately sent their giant bird army, mixed together with their hunting falcons.But moving even faster was the Arab cavalry on the ground, surging forward in a steel torrent under the cover of the Behemoths to rapidly close the distance with the Tang defense line.Ten thousand feet, five thousand feet, two thousand feet…Although the two sides had yet to collide, the massive cloud of dust stirred up by the army had already engulfed the Tang army like a great wave.“Kiiill!”“For the Caliphate!”“Exterminate these infidels!”The millions of Arab cavalry were getting faster and faster.All of the Arab riders were at peak morale, their faces turning fiercer and fiercer and their horses neighing in response.On the other side, the six hundred thousand Tang elites focused their minds and prepared for battle.Behind them was Longxi and the entire empire!Every person understood that this battle would decide the fate of the Central Plains and the Great Tang. The empire had sent forth all its elites, and defeat was no longer an option.“Ready!”“Ready!”“Ready!”Cries resounded over the entire army, and the air grew tenser and tenser. Wang Chong, Zhangchou Jianqiong, An Sishun, and Gao Xianzhi all had solemn expressions, but all the soldiers of the army had only determination, not fear.Silence!Absolute silence!All the Great Generals turned to Wang Chong.As the Nine Provinces Protector-General, Wang Chong wielded absolute control over the army.“Move out!”A cold flash in his eyes, Wang Chong swung his arm and ordered the army to mobilize.In a flash, the wooden crates burst open, allowing tens of thousands of birds of all types to take to the air to face the giant bird army.Bang!At almost the same time, the Behemoth Slayers stepped forward, raising their giant swords.Farther off, bolts were loaded onto their ballistae. With the Mo Saber Unit, the Confucian Sect experts, and Zhang Shouzhi’s craftsman team holding down the armored giants, the giant ballistae were able to focus their aim back onto the Behemoths.Clack! Clack!Su Hanshan’s tens of thousands of ballistae also began to take aim at the Arab cavalry.Compared to those giants that needed several ballista bolts each to take down, the ballistae would be far more effective on the Arab cavalry.With a great howl, the several dozen giant ballistae fired first.The massive bolts shot forward like furious dragons, their power causing space to tremble and gales to rip across the land.Right after the giant ballistae were the tens of thousands of regular ballistae, the shrieking of their bolts sounding like the dirge of death.The moment when the Arab cavalry arrived at the Tang defense line was when they were at their fastest and most powerful, but it was also when they were at their most concentrated and most brittle.Bangbangbang!The ballista bolts cut through the Arab cavalry, and screams of the dying filled the air.Even though the Arab cavalry had already seen the power of the Tang ballistae and mentally prepared themselves, with many of the Arab cavalry pushing out as much energy as possible to defend themselves, they were still not able to escape the fate of death.Even the strongest cavalry in the world were remarkably fragile in the face of ballistae.No matter how much they struggled, they were still pierced through by the ballista bolts, bloody holes punched in their armor as they were blown off their horses.Plush! Plush! Plush!From the very start of the battle, the tens of thousands of ballistae displayed overwhelming power.From a distance, one could see those charging Arab cavalry being blasted away, dead without even having a chance to grunt.It was as if all of this had been practiced countless times. The first row fell, then the second and the third.In this brief time, at least one hundred and fifty thousand Arab cavalry had been slain, inertia continuing to roll their bodies forward.“Careful!”“It’s the ballistae!”“Dodge it!”Panicked cries rang out.At the same time, several giant ballistae concentrated their fire and worked together with a single Behemoth Slayer.Awoooo!With a deafening screech, a rhino Behemoth that was wreaking havoc in the Tang defense line trembled and collapsed to the ground.

  This was only the first, and in short order, five or six Behemoths had fallen.The giant ballistae were under Chen Bin’s command, and their targets had been carefully selected. When these Behemoths fell, their massive bodies served as a barrier that slowed the advance of the Behemoths behind them.

  Chapter 1857 - God's Ordained Cavalry!


  Chapter 1857: God’s Ordained Cavalry!

  Using the Behemoth bodies to slow down the other Behemoths was only a delaying tactic that did not actually deal with the Behemoth Army, but it had a significant effect in lessening the immense pressure on the Tang front line.Creee!As a fierce battle played out on the ground, the sky darkened as the Great Tang’s and Arabia’s tens of thousands of birds began to battle in the air. These well-trained and aggressive birds attacked with their claws, beaks, and wings, beating, tearing, and ramming…Feathers showered down from the sky as plaintive screeches rang out. Hunting falcons, giant birds, rock eagles, golden falcons, and gyrfalcons plunged from the sky in a gruesome rain.This aerial battle started off at an incredible level of intensity.Upon seeing this, the distant Khatabah could not help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.But only for a moment.Even though Arabia had sent all of its forces, there was no question that it was facing an unprecedented resistance on this foreign battlefield. The Arabs were suffering losses at a greater rate than in any other battle. However, regardless of how gruesome and brutal the battle was, as long as they could win, this sacrifice was worth it.“Pass on my order! Redouble the offensive!” Khatabah firmly ordered, a cold gleam in his eyes.Rumble!Upon hearing Khatabah’s order, the Arab cavalry seethed with even greater killing intent.Slaughter could sometimes make an opponent fearful, but in certain situations, before the battle was over, it would only increase enemy morale and make them even more willing to fight.Three!Two!One!Boom! Finally, the Arab cavalry slammed into the Tang defense line, both armies finally clashing.Roooar!The Behemoths raised their heads and howled as if they had been infected by the rising morale, and they shifted their bodies toward the defense line. Behind them, the Arab cavalry continued to sweep forward, charging along the gap created by the Behemoths.“Hold!”“Don’t let them charge in!”“Concentrate the formation! Hold!”The rallying cries of the Tang officers could be heard all across the battlefield.Despite their training and mental preparation, the Tang soldiers, particularly those at the front line, still felt an immense pressure from the onslaught of Arab cavalry.A Tang soldier’s muscles tensed and his face went red from exertion. Veins popped out from his forehead and arms.Swish! A saber swept past the edge of his shield and cut into a chink in his armor. Blood immediately gushed out, painting his armor red, but the Tang soldier only showed a flicker of pain on his face before clenching his teeth and continuing to hold.Even when he finally fell, he had not retreated even half a step.“Release!”On the left flank of the battlefield, Su Hanshan ordered his ballistae to fire in volleys. Plush! Plush! Vast swaths of the Arab cavalry were cut down.Su Hanshan’s training had made his ballista soldiers extremely efficient, all of them working in unison with each other like a finely-tuned machine. No matter how intense the battle on the front line was, they continued to load, aim, and fire with peak efficiency.The Great Tang might not have had Behemoths, giant birds, or flammable oil, but their efficient ballistae were even more lethal than the Behemoths.At the front of the steel defense line, tens of thousands of bodies were piling up, rivers of blood forming a terrifying and hellish battlefield, but none of this could stop the Arab cavalry from continuing to charge into the fray.Su Hanshan’s ballista army had already killed at least one hundred thousand Arab cavalry, but this was a meager loss for the two-million-strong Arab army.“Hmph! Time for us to move out!”In the back of the army, a stalwart figure with ambitious eyes had been watching the battle. Now, Saleh firmly swung his arm down and led his horse forward.“Pass on my order! God’s Ordained, prepare to attack! Follow me and wipe out these eastern infidels! Let us prepare a grand tribute for the Hierophant and His Majesty the Caliph!”Saleh’s voice was brimming with savagery and a lust for slaughter.Bang!An immense energy instantly erupted from Saleh’s body, shooting toward the heavens.With this energy, Saleh had already surpassed the vast majority of peak Saint Martial experts. Even some renowned Great Generals could not compare to him.The Blood Lion of Arabia!This was another one of Saleh’s infamous titles in the empire. On the battlefield, Saleh was like an enraged lion. It was a title Saleh had created on a foundation of blood and bones. There were many times when he attacked all by himself and ended up destroying an empire.Moreover, Saleh had another particular habit. Amongst all of Arabia’s Governors and Deputy Governors, he delighted the most in slaughtering entire cities. When he encountered strong resistance, he was certain to turn that city into a blood offering!Following Saleh’s order, streams of energy that seemed to be drawn from mountains of corpses and seas of blood began to gather around him. Clang! A golden-armored rider, the golden light around him tinged with blood, slowly trotted out of the army and stood behind Saleh.This Arab rider was moving very slowly, but his every action seemed to carry the weight of ten thousand jun. In his hand was a golden spear, its slender form bursting with savage and explosive power that seemed capable of punching a hole through the heavens.The most unique trait was the golden mask on his face. It was noble, cold, and aloof, like the face of a god looking down upon mortals.God’s Ordained Cavalry!This was Khatabah’s most elite cavalry force, the strongest of his armies during his years of conquest. It was even rumored that they were not mortal soldiers, but soldiers of the divine army sent by God to assist Khatabah.In Arabia, no other army could compare to the terrifying legends of this army, not even the Mamelukes.Everyone knew that the now-deceased Arab War God Qutaybah’s Revelation Army had been an attempt to imitate Khatabah’s God’s Ordained Cavalry!In just a few short moments, a large army of God’s Ordained Cavalry had gathered behind Saleh. Unlike the Revelation Army, Saleh had twenty thousand God’s Ordained Cavalry under his command, representing the strongest force in the empire.In normal circumstances, this army would only move out near the end of the battle, at the most pivotal moment. But Saleh had no patience for this. Since they needed to exterminate the enemy, it was best to do it as quickly as possible, with overwhelming force. Only the strongest of power could strike fear into the enemy’s hearts, making it so that they would not dare to resist the rule of Arabia in the conquest of the eastern world.As these twenty thousand God’s Ordained Cavalry gathered together, their energies fused into a single whole, and they became like an erupting volcano, brimming with extreme danger.Buzz!As the God’s Ordained Cavalry gathered together, Wang Chong, Wang Zhongsi, Li Siye, and the others instantly noticed the shift in the air.“It’s the God’s Ordained Cavalry!”An Sishun’s heart turned heavy as he spoke.While the region he presided over did not have many interactions with Arabia, each of the leaders had received an intelligence report about Arabia before the battle. The report on the God’s Ordained Cavalry had been extremely detailed, so he recognized them at a glance.“Be careful! The Arabs are about to begin a focused offensive!”“So strong! Ordinary soldiers can’t stop them!”Crown Prince’s Junior Guardian Wang Zhongsi squinted as he spoke. Though he had been retired for many years, he had still almost instantly recognized the threat posed by the God’s Ordained Cavalry.In the distance, Saleh flourished his scimitar and gave the order to attack.“Everyone, follow me! Charge!”Boom!The horses neighed in unison, and Blood Lion Saleh set off with his twenty thousand God’s Ordained Cavalry, rushing forward like a tsunami.Behind them were numerous Governors and Deputy Governors, all of them seething with killing intent.The Blood Lion’s terrifying power was recognized throughout the western world. There was no doubt that his God’s Ordained Cavalry could pierce through the Tang defense line, and together with the Governors and Deputy Governors behind, victory was certain!In the future conquest of the east, they were certain that they could leave behind their own deep marks in the annals of history, becoming heroes of Arabia.Rumble! Saleh’s twenty thousand God’s Ordained Cavalry charged forward, the noise of their approach even drowning out the other sounds of fighting on the battlefield.Even the Arab cavalry at the front line paled upon sensing this enormous momentum, and they swiftly retreated to the sides.The Tang soldiers at the front line also grimaced at this sight.“From their energy, these ca
valry are clearly stronger than the others. This isn’t something our soldiers can hold out against. General Li, it’s your turn!” Wang Chong calmly said.