Settle the North . . .
The echoes of the detonations gradually faded away, but the canyon continued to tremble, and rocks still tumbled from the towering mountains flanking the hundred-mile-long gorge. Some boulders were dislodged by the force of the explosions, while others were intentionally set into motion.
In the chaos that ensued, many soldiers had been careless while shoving the rocks, and they too fell from the mountainsides, joining the tumultuous descent.
Down in the valley, people rolled and lay in despair. The grassland warriors gazed upon a scene of desperation. This series of traps had been expertly layered, leaving them with no chance of escape. It was as if they had entered a massive snare – a rattrap.
The canyon, stretching a hundred miles, had turned into a gruesome tableau of blood and flesh. The lifeless bodies and crimson pools layered the ground.
"Quicken the pace! Push off all the rocks in seven minutes!" Cha Nantian's thunderous command resonated through the hundred-mile expanse.
- Boom... -
"Ignite it!"
In truth, there was no need to issue that command. Flames had already enveloped the entire canyon, casting a vivid, colorful tapestry within the gorge. The initial explosion had ignited all the strategically placed combustibles. Adding more fuel to the fire was simply a formality. But there was an abundance of fuel – endless stacks of dry firewood were heaved into the inferno, and the fire connected across the valley.
Smoke billowed into the sky, rising up to the clouds. Many grassland warriors were aflame, their agonized cries filling the air as they frantically attempted to extinguish the flames. But as they rolled on the ground in agony, others unwittingly trampled over them, turning the canyon into a nightmarish spectacle of chaos. Panic reigned as they fled in all directions, their eyes reflecting despair.
"Archers, prepare!"
"Release!"
"Do not spare a single one down there!"
Hundreds of thousands of archers emerged on both sides of the canyon, their arrows descending like a deluge, pelting the panicking multitude below. Poisoned arrows rained down relentlessly. Fire and venom worked in cruel harmony, annihilating all living beings.
"Reserve team, ready! Follow me!"
Cha Nantian galloped out, brandishing his sword, and shouted, "Kill!"
He raced down the mountainside, through the crumbling rockslide, arriving at the valley's entrance. His longsword cleaved through the fortunate one-fourth of grassland troops who had yet to cross the line. Under his blade, hundreds fell with blood splattering in all directions.
The soldiers within the valley were beyond saving. Chaos reigned, and thirty percent of them had perished. Flames, explosives, and arrows struck repeatedly. Inside the valley, it was a nightmarish vision of hell. Survival was impossible.
Outside the valley, Cha Nantian smashed into the remaining troops.
He was like a tiger among sheep.
No, that wasn't quite it. He was more like a colossal tiger among a pack of rabbits.
Sheep would defend themselves with their horns, but rabbits only waited to be killed!
Cha Nantian was invincible at this moment. Wherever he passed, the grassland people met their end.
"Cha Nantian!"
"Oh Lord! He is Cha Nantian!"
"No wonder they could set up such an ambush… Cha Nantian was in command!"
"Heavens want us to die!"
"We are done. We are done now. This godlike killer is leading them!"
"We must run…"
Cha Nantian's name could evoke the deepest fear in the hearts of the grassland folks!
In this vast grassland, whether Northern Army or Grassland Wolf, no one dared to challenge Cha Nantian. No one dared to claim they could defeat him.
Such was the prestige of the military god, Cha Nantian of the Kingdom of Chen!
Just his appearance alone was enough to send shockwaves through the grassland folks. They had lost all resolve to fight and could only flee for their lives. In their desperation, they were trampling over each other.
Cha Nantian was hot on their heels, his longsword gleaming brilliantly. It was a one-sided massacre, a single man chasing and killing hundreds of thousands of people in a relentless pursuit.
He was likely the only figure in history to achieve such a feat – truly unique!
Following him, the thundering sound of cavalry hooves grew louder. The cavalry, which had been concealed for a long time, surged forth like an unstoppable tide.
It was done!
The battle took three full days to conclude.
A million grassland troops perished within the confines of this unnamed canyon.
After this battle, the canyon was christened Extinction Canyon.
This fight marked the vanishing of the grassland tribes from the region. They became nothing more than names in history books.
The Northern Army didn't leave immediately. Seven hundred thousand men meticulously combed the area repeatedly, ensuring that no grassland people had survived. All the corpses were segregated and set ablaze as Cha Nantian issued the orders.
The army held a rally to reaffirm their commitment before embarking on their incursion into the grassland.
This battle haunted Cha Nantian like no other. It was the most brutal and blood-soaked engagement in the history of the Land of Han-Yang.
The massacre continued as Cha Nantian's army advanced into the grassland.
Within three months, the young men of the grassland had all been wiped out. Only a handful of elderly people survived.
This period was forever etched in history as the "Hundred Massacre Days."
Cha Nantian had subjugated the north with unrelenting brutality.
His actions earned him infamy. He was labeled a butcher, a slayer, and inhuman.
But after this battle, the Land of Han-Yang knew only internal strife, with no further foreign invasions. There were no more massacres or ruthless invaders.
The judgment of Cha Nantian remained a contentious issue.
After the battle, Cha Nantian discovered that the Wolf King had once composed a poem. He found it amusing and chuckled.
"Splash-ink in the sky while fierce wind blows; million waves marching to the middle land! Mountains and rivers come true from dreams; enmity from ancient days ends tonight! Ha… I never knew this old man was actually good at this..." Cha Nantian read it and smiled. "Splash-ink in the sky while fierce wind blows; million wolves marching to the middle land! Victory brings peace to the kingdom; enmity from ancient days ends tonight! … Hmm. The last line is not bad. That tells the truth!"