Chapter 11: The Feat of Slaying Generals and Capturing Banners Shakes the Entire Army!

"Seeking death!"

Watching Zhu Ying charge toward him, Jin Guda spurred his horse into motion, raised his war blade, and swung it down.

The force of the warhorse’s charge combined with the momentum of the blade.

A powerful force struck directly at Zhu Ying.

"Well come."

Zhu Ying let out a cold shout.

He gripped his blade and met the attack head-on.

*Clang!*

The blades collided, and the immense force sparked upon impact.

Zhu Ying held his ground, his body standing firm and unmoving.

Despite Jin Guda’s full-force strike and the momentum of his charging horse, he was unable to shake Zhu Ying in the slightest.

"Fall!"

Zhu Ying gritted his teeth, channeled all his strength, and shoved back violently.

A wave of overwhelming force surged toward Jin Guda.

"Not good."

"What immense strength!"

Jin Guda’s expression changed. He felt as if his hands were bearing the weight of a thousand catties; his entire body, and even the four legs of his warhorse, began to tremble.

*Thud.*

Jin Guda, along with his horse, collapsed directly to the ground.

"How much strength does he have?"

Chen Heng, standing to the side, watched in astonishment.

But Zhu Ying did not hesitate. He immediately stepped forward with his blade, seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strike at the disheveled Jin Guda.

"No..."

Before Jin Guda could scramble to his feet, Zhu Ying’s blade descended. He let out a desperate scream.

*Slash.*

The steel blade severed Jin Guda’s neck instantly. Blood sprayed, and his head and body were parted.

"Killed Jianzhou Tatar Ten-Thousand Commander Jin Guda. Obtained +100 to all attributes."

"First kill of a Ten-Thousand Commander rank. Rewarded with one Common Treasure Chest." A prompt appeared on the panel.

Following this, with the addition of 100 points to all attributes, Zhu Ying felt his entire body undergo a sublimation and transformation.

Zhu Ying did not hesitate; he picked up Jin Guda’s head and hung it from his waist. This was the greatest military merit of the battle.

"Take your battle flag."

"Kill!"

Zhu Ying roared.

He looked at the soldier holding the Tatar battle flag ahead.

He charged toward the Tatar soldiers behind Jin Guda.

With his attributes increased, his strength was even greater.

One strike, one Tatar soldier.

"Killed Tatar infantry, obtained +20 Strength."

"Killed Tatar infantry, obtained +40 days of lifespan."

"Killed Tatar infantry, obtained +20 Speed..."

The panel prompts were constant.

Under Zhu Ying’s fierce onslaught, he quickly reached the soldier holding the Tatar battle flag and swung his blade down.

Along with the man, he struck the flag he held.

*Slash.*

Zhu Ying severed the flagpole of the Tatar banner.

"Your commander has been slain by me."

"Surrender and live!"

Zhu Ying stepped on the broken banner and shouted loudly.

His voice was like thunder.

Seeing this, the Tatar soldiers across the battlefield were thrown into a panic.

On the battlefield, the battle flag comes first.

The army follows the flag to attack; as long as the flag stands, morale is high. If the flag falls, the army loses its backbone and eventually scatters in chaos.

"The Ten-Thousand Commander is dead!"

"The battle flag is broken!"

"We are defeated!"

"Retreat... retreat quickly..."

The many Tatar soldiers caught in the chaotic battle panicked and screamed in terror.

Originally, they had held a numerical advantage and were fighting the Ming army to the death, but at this moment, their defeat was like a collapsing mountain.

"This soldier is truly a fierce warrior."

Chen Heng stared fixedly at Zhu Ying, his face full of shock.

He had witnessed Zhu Ying’s ferocity with his own eyes from start to finish.

And at this moment!

From the flank, two cavalry units and Ming soldiers suddenly charged out, forming a pincer movement around the Tatar force. It was Liu Zhen leading reinforcements, completing the encirclement.

Watching the disheveled Tatars fleeing, Zhu Ying didn't think twice; he raised his blade and gave chase.

Killing one meant a random 20 attribute points; Zhu Ying would not let such an opportunity to strike hard pass by.

Such a good opportunity demanded his full effort.

At this moment!

The battle was drawing to a close.

An hour later.

The fighting subsided.

The infantry rested on the battlefield, clearing corpses and treating the wounded, while the uninjured cavalry headed north to pursue the remnants.

And at this moment!

The army’s Zhenfu (Commander) gathered the subordinates responsible for counting military merits to begin the tally.

Every Hundred-Man Battalion had a merit officer under the direct command of the Zhenfu, known as the Assistant Hundred-Man Commander.

"How many brothers from the 1st Hundred-Man Battalion are still alive?"

"Come over here!"

Liu Lei shouted, gathering his soldiers.

Not just him.

Many other Hundred-Man Commanders were also shouting, gathering their troops.

When the soldiers of Zhu Ying’s battalion were all assembled, the original hundred-plus men were reduced to less than seventy percent; the losses were severe.

Seeing this, Liu Lei’s expression was filled with sorrow, but he didn't dwell on it, immediately saying: "Assistant Hundred-Man Commander, tally the military merits and the fallen soldiers."

"Understood."

The Assistant Hundred-Man Commander stood up and shouted: "Arrows found on enemy corpses will be credited by the Zhenfu camp itself. What we are recording now is the merit of killing enemies in battle, which will be reported directly. Do any brothers have proof of their kills? Heads or enemy ears can be turned in to record merit."

As the Assistant finished speaking, a dozen soldiers stepped forward, producing the ears and heads they had cut from the enemy.

"Anyone else?" the Assistant shouted.

At this moment!

Zhu Ying walked out slowly.

The Assistant and the merit-recording clerk, pen in hand, looked at Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying said nothing.

He reached into his tunic and pulled out a handful.

Dozens of bloody ears fell to the ground.

Along with a head and the Tatar battle flag.

Seeing this, Liu Lei was stunned.

The Assistant was stunned, and the clerk recording the merits was stunned as well.

"Did... did you kill the Tatar commander? And cut down their battle flag?" the Assistant asked in shock.

"The head is right here."

"Assistant, you may verify it." Zhu Ying pointed to Jin Guda’s head on the ground and smiled.

Liu Lei, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

"Reporting to the Assistant."

"There are fifty-eight ears here. He... he killed fifty-eight enemies, and that’s not even counting those killed by archery," the clerk said, his voice trembling as he counted the ears on the ground.

The Assistant took a look, swallowed hard, and then said: "Record it in the register. Report it to the Assistant Thousand-Man Commander immediately—no, report it directly to the Zhenfu."

This merit was too great.

So great that the Assistant couldn't believe it, but the results were there, and the facts were undeniable.

The merit of killing the enemy, the merit of slaying the commander and taking the flag.

This was, without a doubt, the greatest merit of the battle.

"What... what is your name?" the Assistant asked, looking at Zhu Ying.

"Subordinate Zhu Ying, Small Flag Officer of the 1st Hundred-Man Battalion," Zhu Ying replied immediately.

"Good."

"Your merits have been recorded and will be reported truthfully. You did very well in this battle; you have rendered great service to the Great Ming."

"Once the Zhenfu reports this to the Commander-in-Chief and then to Yingtian, there will surely be a great reward," the Assistant said excitedly.

His gaze toward Zhu Ying became much warmer.

Clearly, after this battle, Zhu Ying would certainly be promoted, perhaps even skipping three ranks.

After all, this merit was simply too massive.