Real Mount and Blade Game

Deep within the ancestral tomb, the pulsation of the filthy black core and the roar of the false god's abomination intertwined to create a symphony of destruction, causing rubble to fall from the passageway.

The human alliance, this isolated force trapped in a desperate situation, under Shen Mu's cold and unwavering will, became like a sophisticated war machine, bursting forth with the final and most dazzling light of order amidst the double noose of death.

Shen Mu stood on the slightly higher, broken stone platform, the light of the [Tallinn] network flowing deep into his pupils, calmly and almost cruelly cutting through the battlefield.

Directly ahead, the ultimate creation of the abyss—a swarm of gnoll pseudo-gods and abominations with twisted forms and an aura of blasphemy—rushed towards them like a raging torrent of filth bursting its banks, with an attitude of utter destruction.

Their massive, muscular claws tore through the air, their sharp teeth gleaming with black light. Each stomp caused the earth, polluted by the abyss, to tremble, and the stench of blood, flesh, and decaying earth was almost suffocating.

However, what awaited them was the most resilient bulwark of the human alliance—the "Iron Thorns" phalanx composed of Swadian heavy infantry and Rhodok veteran spearmen!
"Hold on! For our homeland, for order!" The hoarse roars of the Swadian centurions pierced the clamor. The front-line soldiers slammed their heavy tower shields, inlaid with dwarven runes and bathed in the morning light, into the ground with a dull thud, instantly creating a continuous "Wall of Sighs." Through the gaps in the shields, Rhodok spearmen steadily raised their steel spears, taller than themselves, their densely packed tips gleaming coldly, pointing diagonally forward, forming a forest of deathly spears that would terrify any flesh and blood.

"Iron and thorns! Immovable as a mountain!" The order was imprinted in the minds of every infantryman through the [Tallinn] network.

boom--!
The first wave of pseudo-divine abominations crashed hard into the shield wall!
The dull thud was like a giant hammer striking a drum. The tower shield trembled violently under the immense impact, and the soldiers supporting the shields behind them suffered splits in their hands, blood gushing from their mouths and noses, yet they remained as steadfast as steel nails driven into the ground, not retreating an inch! The ground beneath their feet shattered and caved in under the tremendous force, but they failed to breach this steel defense!
Then came the roar of the spear!

puff!puff!puff!

The sounds of sharp weapons tearing through rotting flesh and piercing tough outer skin were incessant. The powerful vitality of the False God Abominations allowed them to continue swinging their claws, trying to tear apart the obstacles in their path even when pierced by several spears at the same time.

The stench of blood, shattered entrails, and broken bone spurs splattered everywhere, splashing onto the soldiers' gleaming armor and resolute faces. The soldiers gritted their teeth, ignoring the splattering filth and the stench that assaulted their senses, mechanically and precisely executing their commands: Shield up! Thrust! Sheathe! Thrust again!

The spear formation was like the most stubborn reef. No matter how the flesh and blood of the false gods surged and roared, the formation, though constantly suffering from deformation and compression, remained unmoved!

As the front-line soldiers fell, the rear immediately filled the gaps, using their flesh and blood and iron will to desperately hold back the torrent of the abyss. This was a battle of pure will and absolute power; every step back meant the collapse of the defensive line and the annihilation of the entire army!

Just as the main battlefield was locked in a brutal stalemate, Shen Mu's cold gaze had already shifted to the rear of the allied forces.

At the entrance to the passageway, the undead legion's formation, which had been disrupted by the "Harp Throne" pulse and crushed by the heavy cavalry, Swadian knights, sacred tree knights, and Swadian heavy cavalry with overwhelming force, was now in complete chaos and collapse.

The knights' charge never ceased! They were like red-hot irons, piercing fiercely into the cold tide of bones.

"Holy Light! Purify!"

The Holy Tree Knight, Kalanzo, raised his longsword, which was burning with the flames of purification, and charged ahead on horseback.

The holy flames extended along the knight's charge, and wherever they passed, the thick fog of ash churned and melted violently, like snow meeting the blazing sun.

The skeletal warriors were swept by the light, and the soul fire in their eye sockets was instantly extinguished. Their bones were rapidly carbonized, shattered, and scattered as if thrown into a furnace! The gray arrows fired by the skeletal archers struck the knights' heavy plate armor and holy light shields, making only a clanging sound, or were directly annihilated by the holy light.

The Swadian knights, on the other hand, displayed a purer form of physical destruction. Their heavy, metal-clad lances, like battering rams, effortlessly smashed rows of skeletal soldiers to pieces!

The knight's sword was swung with a heavy whooshing sound, each strike accompanied by the breaking and collapse of large pieces of bone.

The horses' hooves crushed the dry bones, producing a sickening cracking sound.

The heavy cavalry formation was like a surging torrent of steel, carving wide open spaces through the skeletal formation, with bone fragments flying everywhere like withered leaves swept up by a hurricane.

There were no wails, only the cracking sounds of bones shattering and the hissing of the ash mist being purified.

Having lost its formation and command nodes, the undead legion was left only with the fate of being unilaterally "slaughtered" in the face of the heavy cavalry group with overwhelming impact, physical destructive power and rule purification power.

The gray fog receded and thinned under the purifying light of the knights, revealing the entrance to the sealed tunnel behind them.

On the main battlefield, the attacks of the false gods and monsters came wave after wave, and the pressure on the spear formation had reached its limit.

The soldiers' arms were numb and swollen from the constant thrusting, the dents on their shields were increasing, and the casualty figures were coldly climbing in the [Tallinn] network. Shen Mu knew that the infantry's resilience alone could not hold out for long.

The time has come.

"Remote cluster—target the rear of the pseudo-god abomination cluster and its impact nodes! Indiscriminate coverage! Fire!" Shen Mu's command was cold and precise, instantly transcending the battlefield's clamor and reaching the rear-line ranged unit commander via [Tallinn].

The Rhodok Heavy Radiant Burst Crossbows, which had been poised to fire, roared deafeningly!

A giant beam of light, as thick as a bowl, trailed a dazzling trail of purification light at its tail. Like a spear of judgment, it exploded with a deafening roar behind the cluster of pseudo-god abominations and in the relatively dense area!

Boom! Boom!
Blinding white orbs of light exploded one after another, and violent purifying energy mixed with scorching fragments swept in all directions.

The false divine monstrous creature that was directly hit instantly vaporized, leaving not even a trace behind.

Within the impact zone, the pseudo-godly abominations' tough, corrupted skin was scorched and rotted, their muscles carbonized and disintegrated, and their massive bodies were torn apart and blown away like rag dolls in the shockwave! The purifying energy at the center of the explosion corroded the essence of the abyss like strong acid, causing the pseudo-godly abominations to let out agonizing screams that twisted their very souls.

Before the roar of the Radiant Burst Crossbow had subsided, the volley of fire from the Vaegir Icewind Archers had already taken to the air!
"Release!" The commander waved the command flag.

Om-!
The dense, whistling sounds blended into a chilling, deathly cacophony.

Countless arrows, gleaming with magical cold light, fell precisely into the cluster of false god abominations, like a reversed silver waterfall, obscuring the already dim light above the passageway and carrying a bone-chilling cold.

Puff puff puff!
The icy magical arrows easily pierced the relatively weak points of the false god-like creatures, or deeply embedded themselves in their massive bodies. The freezing air carried by the arrows exploded instantly! Visible frost spread rapidly from the arrows, freezing muscles, freezing joints, and slowing blood flow.

The charging pseudo-divine abominations seemed to be slowed down, their movements stiff and sluggish. Thick ice shells formed on their bodies, and each struggle was accompanied by the shattering of ice shards and the tearing of frozen flesh!

Under the rain of arrows, the battlefield presented a cruel yet magnificent scene.

The dense barrage of arrows, like the scythe of death, mercilessly reaped the creations of the abyss.

The fragments of the false god's offspring, shattered by the Radiant Crossbow bolts, were still emitting wisps of smoke when they were frozen in place by subsequent ice arrows, forming a group of death sculptures interwoven with charred black and frosty white.

The false god's offspring, pinned to the ground by ice arrows, struggled in vain, trying to break free of the icy shackles, but was covered by a continuous barrage of arrows, eventually turning into an ice block studded with arrows, and was trampled into ice shards and minced meat in the subsequent charge of the false god's offspring.

The space in front of the spear formation was quickly filled with the corpses of the false gods, frozen remains, and a constantly flowing river of filthy blood, piling up like mountains!
This mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood greatly hindered the subsequent charge of the false gods and monsters, forcing them to climb or detour, thus greatly reducing their impact and giving the struggling infantry phalanx an extremely precious chance to catch their breath!
The soldiers trudged through thick, sticky flesh and ice, breathing in the pungent air mixed with gunpowder smoke, blood, and freezing temperatures, yet their eyes were rekindled with hope by this timely support.

The rain of arrows was not only a physical attack, but also a cold judgment on the will of the abyss!

The heavy cavalry sweep of the undead legion was nearing its end. The skeletal phalanx had been completely scattered and crushed, leaving only scattered, disorganized, and threatening small groups of skeletons wandering aimlessly at the edge of the gray mist, or being casually chopped up by the knights. However, Shen Mu would not leave any hidden dangers. He needed to ensure the absolute safety of his back before he could pour all his power into the black core deep within the ancestral tomb.

"Experienced Khergit horse archers! Steppe scouts!" Shen Mu's voice was clearly transmitted through [Talin] to both flanks of the battlefield. "Target: All remaining skeletons and unstable gray fog nodes in the rear passage! Free hunt! Thoroughly purify! Leave no future trouble!"

"As you command! Sir!"

The Kujit riders, who could no longer contain themselves, let out loud whistles. Like the most agile falcons on the steppe, they quickly split into several groups.

With their superb horsemanship and archery skills, the Khergit veteran horse archers drew their powerful bows while moving at high speed, and their armor-piercing heavy arrows seemed to have eyes, striking the heads or spinal joints of the skeletal soldiers who were still struggling to get up, killing them with pinpoint accuracy.

They focused their attacks on the gray fog nodes that were trying to re-coalesce, and the dense rain of arrows caused the gray fog to continuously dissipate.

The cavalry of the steppes were even wilder. Wielding scimitars, they charged into the scattered skeletons like a whirlwind.

The scimitar flashed a deadly arc, severing leg bones, shattering skulls, and crushing ribs with swift and efficient movements.

Like scavengers sweeping through a battlefield, they utterly crushed and trampled any remaining bones. At the same time, the bandits hurled burning arrows soaked in alchemical grease towards areas where the ash fog was denser.

The flames rose, and although they could not completely purify the ash fog, the light, heat, and energy disturbances from the burning effectively prevented the ash fog from condensing again, further eliminating the possibility of the undead army making a comeback.

The sporadic fighting in the rear quickly subsided.

Apart from the pale bone dust that was rapidly weathered away after being purified and the thin gray mist that was still slowly dissipating but no longer posing a threat, there were no other active undead.

At Caranzo's signal, the heavy cavalry also reined in their horses, regrouped on the spot, and vigilantly watched the entrance to the passage and both sides to ensure that the rear was completely cleared. The freezing air from the icy arrows mixed with the embers of the burning arrows, forming a strange vortex of air behind them.

Prelude to the End
On the main battlefield, with the powerful support of the continuous Radiant Bursts and Frost Arrows from the ranged clusters, the spear formation finally withstood the most frenzied wave of attack from the False God Abomination.

The corpses piled up like mountains, almost as high as the shield wall, which ironically became a natural obstacle to prevent the subsequent false god abominations.

Although the attacks of the false god-like creatures did not stop, the intensity and frequency of their assaults were noticeably reduced.

Under the officers' orders, the soldiers were able to take turns retreating several steps, adjusting their formation, bandaging their wounds, and preparing for the next wave of attacks, while using the piles of corpses in front of them as a new defensive barrier.

Standing on high ground, Shen Mu's gaze swept over the blood-soaked battlefield and past the heavily armed cavalry, now regrouped and exuding a chilling aura, finally settling firmly on the deepest part of the ancestral mausoleum passageway.

There, the pulsating black core seemed to become more violent and unstable due to the massive losses of the false god abominations at the front and the complete severing of their retreat, like an evil heart on the verge of exploding.

The will of the abyss churns and roars within, foreshadowing the imminent arrival of the final counterattack and final judgment.

At the core of the Thorn Barrier, the fragment of divine remains taken from the "Shadow of the End" was resonating more and more strongly with the black core deep within the ancestral tomb, guided by the silver light at Shen Mu's fingertips. A resolute look finally flashed across his cold face.

"Reorganize the ranks! All troops, advance towards the core of the ancestral tomb!"

Shen Mu's voice was not loud, but it was clearly transmitted to the minds of every soldier through the [Talin], carrying an unquestionable will.

After a brief respite, the steel torrent resumed its tracks, crushing the corpses of the abyss, and launched its final assault on the filth that gave birth to all calamities.

At the end of the passageway, the outline of the colossal gate leading to the final resting place of the jackal god Yenogu was faintly visible in the filthy black light. The true final judgment had begun!
On the front lines, the tower shields of the Swadian heavy infantry groaned and twisted under the frenzied tearing of the pseudo-god abominations. Rhodok spearmen gritted their teeth, bracing their spear shafts, blood dripping from the tips of their steel spears. Shen Mu's command pierced through the sounds of battle and into the [Tallinn] network: "Ranged Cluster—Cover-Up Fire!"

In an instant, the roar of Rhodok's heavy Radiant Burst Crossbow tore through the air, and giant light arrows exploded in blinding flames behind the False God Abominations, melting their corrupted bodies into charred remains; the Vaegir Icewind Archers followed up with a volley of arrows, weaving a silver-gray curtain of death with countless icy arrows, freezing and cracking the joints of the charging False God Abominations, and piling up their corpses in front of the spear formation to form a slippery wall of icy blood.

Meanwhile, the dust had not yet settled in the rear passage. Veteran Khergit horse archers had already phantom-like swept through the gap torn open by the heavy cavalry, their poisoned arrows piercing the skulls of the skeletal archers with pinpoint accuracy; the scimitars of the steppe scouts spun like silver wheels, chopping the remaining skeletons into fragments.

The gray mist dissipated completely in the flames of the alchemical burning arrows—the human legion's rear was no longer threatened.

Shen Mu's gaze pierced the mountain of corpses, locking onto the pulsating, filthy black core deep within the ancestral tomb. Fragments of the thorny barrier burned in his palm; the sharp edge of the final judgment was already pressed against the abyss's throat. (End of Chapter)