allonlinenovel Chapter 1077 Bloody Means to Frighten the Heart
Chapter 1077 Bloody Means to Frighten the Heart
The captives' eyes widened in terror, filled with endless fear and despair, like a dark abyss devouring their last hope. Desperate cries and pleas for mercy rose and fell, like the moans of animals before slaughter, echoing mournfully in the air. However, all this was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, unable to stop the sword that was raised high and then fell mercilessly.
With a flash of cold light, the blade sliced through the air, slashing at the captive with a breath of death. Blood gushed out like a fountain, creating eerie, vibrant blossoms in the air before scattering down, quickly staining the already battle-worn land of Ordo City red. The pungent stench of blood quickly permeated the air, and the atmosphere, which had been gradually calming, was instantly shrouded in a thick, bloody odor, like an inescapable haze, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
Meanwhile, Ma Chao didn't even bother to look at the group. They were the small tribal leaders, the ones Lu Su had instigated to rebel. They huddled to the side, their faces pale, their lips trembling. Behind them, after the bloodbath, lay the tribal warriors, perhaps fewer than twenty thousand remaining. These warriors, too, watched in horror at the infernal scene, their eyes filled with shock and fear. Some subconsciously clenched their fists, their knuckles white from the exertion, as if trying to give themselves courage. However, faced with the brutal and bloody scene before them, their fear ultimately overcame any remaining impulse, and they loosened their fists in vain, helplessly watching the carnage continue, their fear growing in their hearts.
The soldiers, like murderous demons, gazed with cold, merciless eyes upon the captives, women, and children within the city. With a single command, at least forty to fifty thousand men were plunged into a desperate plight. Blades flashed, blood flowed, and the screams and cries of the people mingled in a chorus of despair. The thick smell of blood quickly permeated the air, and the utter cruelty unfolded starkly before the surviving aliens, kneeling on the ground to witness it all.
The bloody scene was like a nightmare from which they could not awaken, sending panic and fear surging through them like a tidal wave. Every scream was like a hammer, hammering down upon their hearts and shaking their very souls. Ma Chao, witnessing all this, held a stern gaze; this was precisely the effect he desired. In his view, these foreigners were not of the same race as his own, and they resided far away on the grasslands. If he failed to instill fear in them, they would inevitably turn against him.
By the time all the captives had been slaughtered, the ground was a river of blood, and corpses were strewn everywhere. Ma Chao, with steady steps, slowly approached the leaders of the smaller tribes. As they saw Ma Chao approaching, the leaders trembled uncontrollably, their heads pressed to the ground, afraid to breathe, as if the slightest movement would bring about catastrophic destruction.
Ma Chao calmly approached them, lowered his head slightly, and looked down at the leaders. A seemingly gentle smile appeared on his face, and he said, "Get up." However, the leaders were so frightened that they dared not move, as if they were nailed to the ground. Seeing this, Ma Chao softened his tone and called out, "Mingtou and Jincuo, get up and talk."
Hearing Ma Chao personally call out their names, the leaders trembled and moved, their legs so weak they could barely support their weight. Supporting each other, they finally stood up. Seeing their leaders rise, some soldiers behind them instinctively tried to follow suit. Then, Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu shouted from behind, "Who told you to stand?" The shout was like thunder, frightening the tribal warriors so much that their faces suddenly changed, and they quickly fell to their knees. The sudden change frightened the leaders who had just stood up, causing them to freeze and begin to kneel again.
Ma Chao looked at the trembling leaders with disgust and shouted, "Stand still and talk!" Those leaders seemed to be under a spell and finally managed to stand still, but they were still so scared that their faces turned pale, their lips trembled, and they could hardly speak.
Ma Chao's expression eased slightly. He glanced at them and said, "You were able to make a decisive decision and choose to abandon the dark and join the light, which has given your tribe a glimmer of hope. I, Ma Chao, always keep my word and will abide by our previous agreement and give your tribe a chance to thrive." He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping towards the city, and continued, "Feel free to take any supplies you can find in this city."
Ma Chao's gaze fell on the dilapidated walls of Ordo, and he spoke coldly, "And I believe this Ordo city no longer needs to exist. Go back and select some strong soldiers to tear it down. Then, transport all the bricks and stones to Wolf Mountain and build a high platform there. How about this? Can you leaders do this?"
Several leaders nodded hurriedly, saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Ma Chao nodded in satisfaction and said, "Alright, then, don't just stand there. Get moving. This fight has exhausted everyone." With that, he ignored the others and strode forward towards the Xianbei Golden Tent. Behind him, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Zhang Xiu, Xu Shu, Lu Su, and other civil and military officials followed in an orderly fashion.
As Ma Chao walked, he turned to Xu Shu beside him and said, "Yuanzhi, order the bodies to be buried locally and not left exposed in the wilderness. Also, have a banquet in the city. I want to celebrate this hard-earned victory with the soldiers of the three armies today."
Xu Shu bowed and accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty. I will arrange this matter right away." After that, he left quickly and began to arrange various matters.
Xu Huang followed behind Ma Chao, muttering softly, "Great King, these small tribes are so few in number. Why not just kill them all? What's the point of keeping them alive? And leaving supplies with them? Isn't that just bolstering their power?"
Ma Chao continued walking, explaining, "I've considered the pros and cons of this over and over again. The grasslands are vast, and we can't station troops here constantly to guard against rebellion. I've said before that we should let them graze and multiply in the area north of Wolf Mountain to the North Sea. Slaying so many captives before their eyes today is to strike fear into their hearts. These tribes are already weak, and as they grow larger, the horror they witnessed today will have been deeply etched in their minds, and no one will dare to rebel easily. Furthermore, if this vast grassland is coveted by other forces, they can serve as a barrier."
Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu chimed in, "But if they were free from external enemies and could thrive here peacefully, wouldn't they grow stronger in the future?"
Ma Chao remained calm and said, "Within a hundred years, they won't be able to develop on this vast grassland. By then, peace will have long been restored in the Central Plains. Those vast grasslands will be perfect for us to graze our horses. As for whether they dare to cross Wolf Mountain, that depends on whether they have the courage."
The generals all thought it made perfect sense and burst into laughter. However, Xu Huang remained unwilling to accept the suggestion and continued to mutter, "That being said, there's no need to provide them with supplies."
Ma Chao's lips curled up slightly as he looked at Xu Huang with a smile. He said, "Gongming, I was just saying that. Do you think they have the guts to take the valuable supplies?"
Xu Huang suddenly realized, scratched his head, smiled innocently and said: "Hey, your Majesty, you should have told me earlier." After that, he burst into laughter again.
At this moment, the leaders of the small tribes, though filled with doubts and concerns about Ma Chao's words, dared not disobey him in the slightest because of his authority. They hurriedly followed Ma Chao's instructions, shouting at the top of their voices to urge their tribal warriors to tear down the walls of Ordo City.
The soldiers were divided into several teams. Some of them were armed with heavy wooden bars, working together to hit the wall. Others climbed to higher ground and tried to pry the bricks off. For a moment, dust flew up, accompanied by the muffled sound of loose stones rolling down the wall and the shouts of the soldiers. The whole scene seemed busy and chaotic.
While directing the demolition of the wall, the leaders also did not forget to gather the city's supplies. Knowing Ma Chao's orders were unwavering, they exercised extreme caution, closely monitoring the progress of the supply collection and loudly commanding the soldiers not to take anything without permission. Every bit of supplies had to wait for the distribution of Ma Chao, revered as the Divinely Mighty General.
The leaders secretly wondered whether Ma Chao's actions were sincere or ulterior motives. Regardless, they dared not act rashly. They could only suppress their uneasiness for the time being and diligently followed Ma Chao's instructions, praying that this sudden change would ultimately bring a glimmer of hope to the tribe rather than further disaster.
Night fell quietly, the tents ablaze with lights, and a feast in full swing. Laughter filled the air, the aroma of wine wafted through the air as Ma Chao and his generals gathered around, reminiscing about the day's victory. However, the lesser leaders, like frightened birds, huddled in corners, their eyes filled with fear and unease.
They secretly observed Ma Chao and his fellow generals chatting and laughing, and couldn't help but equate him with the legendary, brutal demon king, Shaga. The bloody slaughter they had witnessed today had filled them with awe and fear of Ma Chao, who seemed out of place in the lively atmosphere of the banquet.
Ma Chao lifted his wine glass, stood up, and surveyed the room. He declared loudly, "Everyone, this battle is of immense significance! Not only did we successfully capture Ordo City and completely destroy Kebi Neng's forces, but we also utterly annihilated Murong Xuepo's elite forces here. Wenhe is currently carrying out a sweeping operation across various tribes, so we doubt we'll encounter any formidable opponents in the future." He paused, a hint of pride in his eyes, before continuing, "Today, let's drink to our heart's content and rest for a few days. Once we reunite with Wenhe, we'll destroy the remaining tribes of Murong Xuepo, and then we can set out to return to the Central Plains!"
Upon hearing this, the generals erupted in jubilation. They rose, raised their glasses, and shouted in unison, "We wish to triumph with the king!" The atmosphere in the tent was incredibly lively, and morale was at its peak. The clinking of glasses and the interweaving of laughter seemed to ignite the night sky over the grasslands. But the petty chiefs in the corner could only force a smile, their hearts filled with worry, a dark cloud that lingered.