Squads of infantry valiantly repelled the first wave, though many were severely overwhelmed and swallowed whole by the hordes. Attempts to regroup and form up were thwarted with the incessant influx of monsters to which there was no lull. The first line of infantry was forced to retreat while Long Shen was the last to turn and run. They made way toward a line of gunners who had loaded up their three-barreled pole cannons. Once the soldiers had made it past the line, the gunners fired the first volley, and sent round iron slugs shredding through the Jiangshi’s wall of decaying flesh. Many of the commoners who had settled by the roads that night scattered in all directions, rushing to the city gates in the midst of the confusion and the chaos. Those unfortunate enough to have been caught in the combat were overrun and slaughtered immediately.
“Fire!” cried the field commanders. Afterward, the second barrels were lit, then the third. A second row formed up and had only one opportunity to fire the first barrel by the time the hordes had closed the distance. Spearmen advanced to keep the Jiangshi at bay as the gunners fell back to reload or unsheathe their swords for close combat.
It became clear that all sides of the capital were under siege. The attack was the same in the northern, western, and eastern sides. The Jiangshi attack was only a few li from the city and closing fast. The men were becoming overwhelmed, and despite their numbers being in the tens of thousands, it was not long until they realized that their enemy numbered even greater still. The Ming soldiers began dropping fast despite their disciplined efforts to repel the invasion of the undead. Little by little, the army was forced to retreat closer and closer to the city. The night was still young and the soldiers had no choice but to stand their ground throughout the night. There were still more soldiers in the city preparing to come to the aid of those fighting outside the walls.
Long Shen continued to fight hard and true, and paused only to bear witness to squads of cavalry forces charging through the Jiangshi at full gallop. Mounted lancers and spearmen plowed through the leaping hordes like they were naught but tall grass. Many of the horsemen, however, were eventually bogged down by the Jiangshi’s numbers and dragged off their horses and consumed in both flesh and vital essence. Others were knocked clean off their saddles as the monsters leaped at them and pinned them to the ground. Only a few managed to ride away to regroup for another charge. Mounted archers galloped around in wide arcs around the hordes, picking away their numbers with heavy bow and crossbow skirmishes. Bolts and arrows not landing in the face and head made little to no effect on the horde.
The oddly reassuring sound of thunderous booms resounded all around Long Shen, who after having his spear broken, resorted to swinging his chipping broadsword. Fiery cannon shells soared over their heads and decimated the incoming Jiangshi in the distance. The impact sent flesh, limbs, and mounds of dirt scattering in many directions. Other cannon rounds flew more straightly, tearing through an entire row of twenty or more Jiangshi before making an explosive, elongated impact on the ground.
“These damned creatures, where are they coming from? What are they?” shouted Long Shen furiously as he cut through a leaper.
“Keep them at bay! They must not get near the capital!” said the captains and battalion commanders present in the field. “Form up! Form up!!”
Long Shen rallied the light infantry to rally around him for a more effective and synchronized fighting method. He was the only heavy infantry soldier standing in their proximity. One leaper landed in their midst and swung a rusted old cleaver at his head. His helmet caught the brunt of the blow as the blade scraped and sparked against the metal. He countered the creature with a heavy straight punch to its face until the light infantry stabbed its whole body with spears. Long Shen spat at the creature and ordered his squad to fall back as they fought.
A dozen cannons in the distance boomed consecutively once again, and the shells slammed into the horde, with each shell obliterating dozens at a time. Nevertheless, their numbers continued to increase despite their best efforts. Casualties increased as many of the Ming soldiers drowned under the creatures’ overwhelming onslaught. Handfuls of them were consumed, and those who were unable to fall back or had waited too long were trampled and torn apart. Several grenadiers lit their grenades’ fuses and tossed them wherever the hordes clustered the most. Explosions shook the ground and momentarily left lulls and small empty spaces in the battlefield. Even this was not enough to give the Ming army momentary respite. Death was all around him. Screams, cries, shouts, and the foul stench of blood engulfed the field. The same chaos reigned over the entire fighting force that surrounded the capital. The fighting drew nearer and nearer to the city. Many companies became completely overrun, and many soldiers retreated behind wooden blockades and cannon batteries.
A long and broad trench surrounded the perimeter of the army’s encampment, and in the trenches were mounds of hay filled with oil. When the surviving infantry had retreated past the line, the trench was ignited, and fires created a large superheated wall of flames that not even the Jiangshi could tolerate. Behind the fiery wall, the Ming soldiers took a brief moment to gather themselves, catch their breaths, and regroup. The tall, giant firewall lit up the night sky and casted a golden light upon the rest of the Ming’s fighting forces. As gunners loaded up the barrels and cannoneers reloaded the artillery, the traumatized soldiers looked wide-eyed into the fire with some relief that the intense heat was keeping their mysterious and accursed attackers at bay… for the time being. Long Shen stared hard into the fire and his eyes focused on the silhouettes that moved behind the flames.
The Jiangshi leaped down into the trenches by the handfuls, committing their bodies to the flames as if to self-destruct. The fire consumed them all but they continued to pour down into the deep trench too quickly for the fire to feed upon. Their bodies piled up by the hundreds. Those that did not turn into ashes had all but extinguished the fires, allowing the rest of the horde to dash and leap over the smoldering trench unharmed. Long Shen cursed and swore both under his breath as he readied himself alongside his fellow infantrymen for a second round of hyper-intense fighting. As the new line of Jiangshi charged at them howling and screaming, gunners and archers opened fire and let loose their projectiles in unison. Cannons placed on platforms were fired as well, continuing to obliterate the creatures in the distance. Fire carts full of rocket arrows launched free, flying at twice the velocity of bow-drawn arrows, and tearing through the incoming wave of Jiangshi. A vast army that was already dead felt no pain, no emotion, and no exhaustion, and the hordes continued to pour en masse without hesitation.
To the West, General He Jin and couple of hundred of his personal detachment of mounted heavy commandos wielding polearms and long sabers joined the fray. Their armored horses plowed through the Jiangshi while the commandos’ outstretched and extended sabers sliced through the undead, decapitating and slicing through them like they were overripe fruit. The Jiangshi that attempted to knock them off their horses were largely unsuccessful and instead were crushed, chopped, and slammed away by the commandos’ expert maneuvering and horsemanship. Their haunting war masks and silent attack made the commandos’ mystique and fearsomeness demand greater awe and respect from the rest of the Ming troops. General He Jin shouted a series of orders and commands as the Ming once again had been given time to form up accordingly. The Sword and Shield division lined up in the front to create a multi-level layered defense. The new formation controlled the incoming numbers of Jiangshi and made their attack more manageable. The shields blocked the charge and those who managed to leap over the formation were immediately cut down by troops standing in the rear.
The Jiangshi were unnaturally strong, with some managing to toss aside and manhandle soldiers like they were little children. General He Jin had already been dismounted, and was using his heavy longsword to chop, hack, and slash his way through them. The sight of his martial ferocity inspired the men who saw to continue to fight even harde
r even as their ranks were slowly being broken and torn apart. Before long, the Jiangshi had broken through the ranks, with many jumping deep into the rear where many other soldiers were waiting to cut it down. The two forces became more and more diffused. The creatures were scattering within the Ming ranks.
The fighting continued throughout the night. Blood had completely soaked the ground as it turned into red, watery mud. Thousands of Ming soldiers perished against the tireless onslaught of the Jiangshi. Reinforcements from the rear and from within the city had already joined the battle and were becoming overwhelmed. Before dawn arrived, the battle had already moved close enough to the city’s walls where the screams and shouts of soldiers could be heard echoing from the distance. Four li was much too close for the Jiangshi to be near Beijing.
The shouts and sounds of battle could even be heard from the cells of Zuo Shilong, Buff Baby, and Meiling who were awakened by it.
“It has already begun and there is nothing we can do it about it,” whimpered Zuo Shilong.
“What’s happening out there? It’s not too late, Lieutenant. There is still a chance to stop this,” whispered Meiling.
Buff Baby sat silently in his cell, somewhat satisfied that the Ming were being taught a lesson for not having listened. “This destruction is well-deserved by the court,” he said.
The first trace of dawn appeared over the horizon and cast a dim first light over the battle. Even as the fighting continued in full force, the vast majority of the Ming soldiers were completely exhausted. Countless were injured, some permanently maimed for life. As quickly as they had come, the Jiangshi pulled back and retreated to whence they came. Some stopped mid-attack only to turn around retreat into the safety of the wilderness, trying to outpace the fast arrival of sunlight. All of a sudden, the battlefield fell eerily silent and somewhat empty.
The Ming did not bother to retaliate. Most could hardly stand. Thousands upon thousands of bodies, both Jiangshi and Ming lay strewn about the battlefield. Weapons, pieces of armor, heads and severed limbs lay scattered across the ground. The foul stench of death was strong enough to cause vomiting among the ranks. The soldiers were confused, traumatized and in utter horror of what they had just experienced. There was little doubt that such a battle would be the most harrowing experience they will ever have in the field. The soldiers mustered whatever strength they had left to assess the damages and the situation. They looked to their leaders and generals for orders and answers. But even they were left in speechless shock. General He Jin wiped the stains from his sword before sheathing it. He removed his helmet and swiped away the blood and sweat from his face and beard. He walked over to a soldier who had fallen to his knees in utter exhaustion. He was leaning on his sword, and a dented shield lay on his lap.
The General laid a hand on his soldier. “What’s your name, son?” he asked him.
The soldier looked up weakly, his face expressing only grief and weariness. “I am Long Shen, first battalion, third company, heavy infantry of Mianyang garrison,” he said.
“Long Shen of Mianyang garrison, get on your feet. I have a feeling this fight is not over. This is merely the first stage of their attack. The enemy seeks to wear us down before the real siege begins,” said General Jin. He grabbed him by the arm and helped him to his feet. He handed him spear and the bent shield on the ground. “Rejoin your brothers and prepare for another battle. We need you.”
“Another battle, sir?”
“Yes. It has only just begun,” answered General Jin.
General Jin retrieved his mount and rode around the monumental walls of the capital city. He shouted to them, the weary, injured, and the broken to prepare for yet another battle. An entourage of his mounted heavily-armored commandos followed him closely wielding banners and flags that waved intensely as he circled around the city. Wherever he rode, the men stood to attention and grasped their weapons and looked to him for answers. “It’s not over yet! Get back into formation and get into position! The enemy has only just begun!” he cried.
“Warriors of the mighty Ming Dynasty, together, we stand on the precipice! Behind us lies the great empire, before us is the abyss that descends straight into the gates of Hell! The scourge of the darkness claws at our feet, trying to reach the surface of our world whilst they drag us headfirst into the face of the deep. Here and now is where we prove our worth. Do we succumb to the petty attempts of our enemies or do we fight with blood, nerve, and steel down to tooth and claw even with our dying breath? We fight until we no longer have the strength to open our eyes. We fight until it hurts too much to breathe! We fight until our bodies have run out of blood to drench and soak this land, the home of our ancestors! There is no time to weep, no moment to spare to grieve the loss of our brothers! The fate of the empire rests on our shoulders now! Should we fall and fail on this day, then may we be judged accordingly in the afterlife. Stand now, Stand! Stand!”
The soldiers looked to each other with renewed, intense expressions of determination and boldness as they shouted and roared with the General Jin’s proclamation. They raised their flags, pounded the drums, rang the gongs, and assumed their proper positions, then formed up under their battalion and company commanders. Cannons were reloaded, bows and crossbows primed, as the soldiers turned to face the horizon. Thousands more from within and without the city exited the gates to reinforce and resupply their comrades. Commanders high and low barked their orders to and fro and the entire Ming Army encamped around the capital seemed to have reawakened, unshaken and undeterred by the first wave of the enemy’s attack.
The sun had risen from the East, and in the distance toward all cardinal directions, birds of many kinds flew away and scattered across the sky. An eerie silence subdued the winds and atmosphere, as if the calm was heralding the arrival of a monster storm. Tens of thousands on all sides of massive capital city stood ready to face an enemy descending from places and paths they did not know. They remained ignorant to the true purpose of such an attack.
The fields and grasslands beyond the distant suburban areas had come to life as the army of the united Underworld made their rapid approach. Countless soldiers of the Shan Gui along with thousands more from the Crimson Moon sect, the Iron Dragon School, and the cult that was the Priesthood of the Serpent’s Eye marched like lines of army ants emerging from the underground colony. They passed the clearings, the farmlands, engulfed tree lines, and conquered the roads of the neighboring province as they made their way to meet the Ming imperial army. They slaughtered all in their path, guards and civilians alike. Not even the livestock was spared. Entire villages and farmlands that stood in their path while en route to the capital were condemned by fire.
Dozens of guards and units of infantry sprang ahead, some being on horseback while the rest retreated on foot, looking to regroup with the rest of the army defending Beijing. The highest-ranking among them galloped to the nearest commanding officer in the army’s encampments within the vicinity of the city’s walls.
“There’s tens of thousands of them!” he cried. “They took us all by storm, and we have no idea where they came from. It was as if they sprang from out of nowhere, from the dirt! All other units from here and two score li to the south are dead, sir!”
Several other men followed close behind him, ready to collapse from the sheer exhaustion. There were some who had even discarded portions of their armor to lighten the load of running.
“Get these men behind the lines! Give them some drink and a spear. We need every man at the ready!” the officer shouted.
It was not long before the army of the Wulin Underworld had reached all sides of the capital some several li away from its walls. From the south, they had spread themselves out, surrounding the city and the army defending it. There would be no hesitation this time, no restraint on their assault. Every fighter in the Underworld’s army would charge without fear of consequence. A battle that would have lasted days or even w
eeks would be settled before the morning sun will set.
General He Jin peered through his spyglass and saw their legions fast approaching. Most were on foot with a light company of mounted forces. “Is this all these fools can muster? I see no field artillery, no munitions, and no supply caravans! What morons! To think that a pathetic band of fanatical loons wielding swords can match a professional army!” He signaled for the “Great General” cannons installed on the high fighting platforms to prepare. “Make ready, men! Prepare to fire!” he shouted. Flags were waved to signal the same for other cannons guarding the other three sides of the city. He frowned and focused his gaze on the incoming forces, eager to decimate their ranks with suppressive fire. The tension was becoming painful. He kept his hand raised, signaling the cannoneers to hold. He peered through his spyglass one more time. The range was crucial and he fought to stay patient.
“Fire all!” he barked. Within moments, dozens of cannons fired explosive shells toward the Underworld’s army. The sound of thunder shook the very atmosphere and reminded General Jin of a powerful thunderstorm. Cannons from other sides of the city fired away in response to his order. The shells soared over the landscape with great velocity and impacted squarely on the front lines of the incoming army. Scores of them flew in every which way, limbs and torsos scattered over the marching horde, but still they continued to march forward, seemingly unfazed by the bombardment.
“Reload!” General Jin ordered. “Reload, reload!” the field commanders echoed. Again, the flags were waved and drums were pounded in response to the order. The explosive black powder, ironically called Fire Medicine, was mixed into proper proportions, packed tightly, and shoved through the muzzles and necks of the large cannons. After the shells were loaded, the fuses were set in place and the cannons were once again ready to fire on command. “Fiyarrr!” shouted General Jin. Once more, the cannon fire resounded all around them, sending devastation raining down upon the Underworld. After the second volley, the first detachment, clad in black scale armor, charged full speed toward the Ming positions.
Clash of Alliances Page 33
