The Bodyguard King’s CEO Wife Chapter 1545: Raising the Banner and Fierce Battle

Han Hao found himself utterly surprised that Ye Shikai would actually instigate a rebellion. As the current favorite of Great General Meng Tian, Ye Shikai's future held boundless prospects if he had remained within the military ranks. His open defiance, therefore, caught Han Hao completely off guard.

"Pass down the order: execute all these civilians. Leave no one breathing," Han Hao declared, drawing his sword and shouting with authority.

"Yes, sir." A messenger spurred his swift horse, galloping towards the front of the military formation.

"The Lord commands that all civilians be slaughtered on sight."

"The Lord commands that all civilians be slaughtered on sight."

The messenger's voice carried to the military formation and echoed into the ears of the assembled civilians...

"Grandpa, did you hear that? Those soldiers sounded like they were ordering our deaths."

"Yes, I heard it too."

"I heard it too."

Word of the massacre order spread like wildfire, and soon, a wave of panic washed over the civilians. Any rational person hearing such a decree would not simply stand by and await their demise.

"Villagers, these scoundrels intend to kill us. We cannot simply wait to die; charge with me!" a burly man bellowed, stepping forward.

"Yes, rather than be slaughtered like sheep, we shall fight to the bitter end! We rebel!"

"Charge!"

Tens of thousands of civilians surged towards the military formation. They were but innocent folk, condemned by a so-called meteor's omen, yet in truth, their fate was sealed not by destiny, but by the court's callous indifference. Ye Shikai couldn't comprehend why the court would place faith in a celestial event over the lives of its people. Perhaps, he mused, it was the absence of modern science in that era that led to such folly; Ye Shikai offered no explanation, but the court's blind conviction was undeniable. People, he realized, clung to what they wished to believe, disregarding the truth. His only recourse was to shield these doomed souls.

"Release the arrows!" A general within the military formation roared, but the archers positioned at the front hesitated.

"What are you waiting for? Fire the arrows immediately! Defiance of orders will be met with military law!" The general brandished his sword, his voice sharp with command.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Thousands of arrows rained down from the sky, forming a dark canopy that blotted out the sun. In mere moments, hundreds of villagers in the front ranks fell, struck down. The Qin Army's formidable bows possessed a range that surpassed those of the six states, a weapon that had once swept through them and repelled the Wolf Clan. These unarmed civilians, lacking any cover, were defenseless against this onslaught. Those behind them desperately used fallen bodies as shields against the deadly downpour.

"Advance the formation! Annihilate them all!"

The soldiers at the vanguard raised their shields, while those behind thrust their spears forward, pushing onward step by step. The formation functioned like an unyielding fortress, completely enveloping the civilians and tightening its grip from all four directions simultaneously, slowly constricting their space. The brave souls who attempted to charge were promptly impaled by spears before they could even reach the shields.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians were thus divided into over twenty separate groups. Han Hao had orchestrated this strategy, fearing a unified mob and thus opting for piecemeal elimination through separation.

In the distance.

"Brothers, this engagement may well be a one-way journey to death. Do you harbor any fear?" Ye Shikai, leading five thousand men at the forefront of his own formation, bellowed.

"No fear!"

"No fear!"

"No fear!"

"Excellent! Today, we shall shake the heavens and the earth, and we shall rescue every single one of these civilians!" Ye Shikai mounted his warhorse, drew his sword, gripped a spear in his left hand and the sword in his right, his eyes ablaze with fierce killing intent.

"We are willing to follow our General!"

"We are willing to follow our General!"

"Very well! All soldiers, hear my command: Follow me into battle!"

Ye Shikai charged forth from the formation on his steed, leading by example, with several deputy generals flanking him closely. Han Hao's tactic of dispersing the civilians, while allowing for segmented elimination, simultaneously presented Ye Shikai with a crucial opportunity. Had the ninety thousand troops maintained a single, cohesive formation, Ye Shikai's five thousand men would have faced an insurmountable obstacle, akin to an egg colliding with a boulder. However, the dispersal of the vast army created an opening for Ye Shikai to engage and defeat them in separate engagements.

Ye Shikai plunged into the enemy formation, effortlessly spearing one soldier into the air in a blink, tearing a breach in their flank. His five thousand soldiers followed like a ravenous wolf pack, their assault swift and deadly.

"Look over there! Someone is coming to our aid! Villagers, head in that direction!" The beleaguered civilians, witnessing this beacon of hope, clung to this lifeline and began to stream towards Ye Shikai.

"Villagers, five miles to the east lies a valley where our brethren are gathered. Head there, quickly." Ye Shikai's booming voice urged, spurring some brave villagers to action. They surged forward, joining the ensuing 'melee,' grabbing spears and blades, and charging into the Qin ranks. Fortunately, Ye Shikai had made prior arrangements, having his men tie red scarves around the villagers' necks to prevent friendly fire incidents.

"Hurry, villagers, flee eastward." The insurgent soldiers also amplified the calls, and the villagers, hearing them clearly, bolted towards the east.

"Villagers, the Qin Army is slaughtering our kin! I, Ye Shikai, have resolved to rise against them. Those willing to stand with me, take up arms, and together, we shall rescue the rest."

"Damn these curs! I pledge my allegiance to General Ye." These civilians, having narrowly escaped massacre and burning with indignation, now saw an opportunity for vengeance and chose to fight.

"We're doomed regardless, so I'll fight them."

"Villagers, let us engage them in battle."

"Very well."

A great many strong young civilians seized weapons, swelling Ye Shikai's ranks.

"Women, children, and the elderly go first! The rest follow me!" Ye Shikai roared, charging headlong into the next formation. Meanwhile, civilians in other groups, witnessing the commotion, also began to converge.

"Everyone, follow my lead!"

...........................

"Lord Han, direct your gaze over there! A contingent is assaulting our formation; their objective is to liberate the civilians." Simultaneously, Han Hao recognized the disturbance. Ye Shikai's rebellion was entirely unforeseen. He initially dispatched his elite cavalry to strike the rear formation, intending to sow chaos within Han Hao's army and create a temporary disarray that would impede support for the front lines.

"Dispatch thirty thousand troops immediately to both flanks to encircle and annihilate them. If he wishes to rebel, I shall crush him utterly." Han Hao commanded.

"Understood."

"Furthermore, those cavalry units harassing us are merely a diversion; cease concerning yourselves with them. Assign General Li to lead troops in pursuit of the fleeing civilians." Han Hao had seen through Ye Shikai's gambit. A frontal assault against tens of thousands of soldiers would be akin to an egg striking a rock. Thus, his only viable recourse was to subdue them piecemeal. Moreover, given it was a rescue operation, a retreat path would undoubtedly have been prepared.

"Understood."