Chapter 267 - 70: Invincible

Chapter 267: Chapter 70: Invincible

Liang Qiang was no longer the greenhorn he had been on his first trip to the battlefield. He not only blocked the attack but also threw himself back against his horse, thrusting his long saber out in a counterattack.

The Western Liang Soldier was struck. Though the blow wasn’t fatal, he tumbled from his horse and was trampled nearly to death by hooves.

But this didn’t mean Liang Qiang was invincible. Just as he straightened up in his saddle, a Western Liang Soldier slashed down at him from behind.

This time, his luck wasn’t so good. He could only swing his long saber backward on pure instinct—

The clash of weapons and a bloodcurdling scream rang out simultaneously. Liang Qiang stopped his spinning saber and wheeled his horse around to see the Western Liang Soldier lying dead on the ground. His luck had held, after all—two of his own men were guarding his flanks.

’Is it because I’m their Village Chief?’

Liang Qiang glanced at the two soldiers. Though he was their Village Chief, he had only just been promoted and had been dedicating all his time to martial training. He didn’t know them well; he couldn’t even call them by name.

The Western Liang Soldiers currently held the advantage. Men were constantly being cut down, some taking an enemy with them as they fell. Liang Qiang spared the scene only a glance before charging back into the fray. The battlefield offered no time for contemplation.

The soldiers with him were fierce, but they weren’t gods. They were only human, made of flesh and blood, and soon they were being knocked from their horses in the heat of the charge.

Yet Liang Qiang remained free of any fatal wounds. As soon as one pair of soldiers fell, another would rush to take their place at his side.

One after another they came—two, three, four of them, falling only to be replaced. There were always soldiers protecting Liang Qiang. It seemed they weren’t there to kill the enemy, but rather to act as his support.

They showed no regard for their own lives or for maintaining formation. Their only focus was Liang Qiang—to block attacks for him, to help him slay his enemies.

The bizarre, frenzied slaughter continued until every last Western Liang Soldier was dead. Only five men were left standing on the battlefield.

Liang Qiang was covered in wounds, looking as though he’d been soaked in blood, but he was one of the five. He was still alive.

The ground began to shake. Reinforcements, a great cloud on the horizon, had finally arrived. Knowing the enemy force was large, the Colonel had come to lead the men himself. Upon seeing the scene, he let out an excited shout, "Fine warriors!"

He had expected to find only a field of corpses, assuming the Western Liang Soldiers had already won a decisive victory and departed.

He never imagined that this fifty-man vanguard could have killed a hundred Western Liang Soldiers and still have survivors among them.

"Fine warriors!" the Colonel called out. "State your names."

The five men stated their names. When he heard Liang Qiang’s, the Colonel’s eyes lit up. "Liang Qiang? The one who was recently commended and promoted to Village Chief? Is your father Liang Sima, the renowned strategist of the Left Wing Army?"

Liang Qiang confirmed it was so.

The Colonel grew even more delighted, his eyes shining as he studied Liang Qiang. "Impressive. Truly impressive! Liang Qiang, are you willing to serve under my command? I’ll make you a junhou."

A junhou was a General in command of at least five hundred men.

Becoming a junhou meant attaining a true officer’s rank.

"Liang Qiang, you are a valiant and skilled warrior. This general expects that the troops you lead will be just as invincible."

’I’m a valiant and skilled warrior. I earned this junhou rank myself. I want more military honors. I want to be invincible, my name echoing through the ages.’ Liang Qiang looked down at the blood covering his body, felt the searing pain of his wounds, and tightened his grip on his long saber. He forced himself not to look any lower, to avoid seeing the field of corpses at his feet.

He raised his head and declared loudly, "Liang Qiang will not disappoint you, Sir!"

The Colonel laughed heartily and turned to the other four men. "You four will come under my command as well, and you will all be rewarded."

The other four roared their assent.

.....

.....

Liang Qiang stood in the camp, looking at the bodies that had been brought back from the battlefield.

The bodies were awaiting mass cremation, after which their ashes and personal effects would be sent home.

Their heads and faces were shrouded, hiding their features. Each body was covered by a military cloak and bore an identification tag.

Liang Qiang examined the tags, one by one.

"General Liang," a soldier at his side called out. "You should go get your wounds treated."

From the time the battlefield was cleared until they returned to camp, Liang Qiang had not rested or had his wounds treated. He was still wearing his blood-soaked uniform, staring at the bodies of his comrades, causing the other soldiers and officers to sigh in sympathy.

"This is the nature of the battlefield," a General said, walking over to console him. "Life and death are decided in an instant. One moment you’re sharing a laugh, the next you’re separated forever."

"Don’t grieve," another soldier said. "They fought for the good of the nation and its people. It was a worthy death. This is the day every soldier prepares for. We’ve all made our peace with it. We do not fear death, and to die like this is an honor."

Liang Qiang thanked them. He knew these platitudes, of course. But what they didn’t know was that so many of these soldiers had died specifically for him.