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Chapter 568: The Tactics Are Incomprehensible

Ma Xianglin's forces, to this point, had done nothing. They hadn't fired a single arrow, nor had they engaged the marauders in close combat. They simply advanced slowly, providing flank protection on both the left and right wings. Yet, the enemy's front lines had already collapsed, and the marauders defending the "city wall" were in constant retreat.

Some scrambled over the wall, ran a few steps, and were cut down. Others hunched over, dashed a few paces, and were dropped by firearms. Still others cowered behind the wall, trembling, then cautiously peeked out, only for half their face to be struck by a shot, sending them tumbling.

Under such circumstances, the marauders simply didn't know how to fight anymore. This was beyond them!

Even Ma Xianglin was at a loss. He couldn't help but ponder: "Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? I, the illustrious White Pole Soldier from Sichuan, renowned for fierce courage and fighting spirit, haven't even exchanged a single blow with the enemy, yet it seems we're about to win?"

A subordinate shouted, "General, we're almost at the city wall! Should we continue advancing slowly?"

Ma Xianglin was momentarily stunned!

For a moment, he didn't know what orders to give.

But then, he heard Cheng Xu's booming voice from behind: "General Ma, please take the wall!"

Ma Xianglin didn't need to think twice; he simply relayed the command: "White Pole Soldiers, charge! Take the wall!" Thousands of White Pole Soldiers from Sichuan felt their spirits surge. Finally, something for them to do.

With a battle cry, they charged forward. The temporary wall, barely waist-high, stood before them. What good was such a wall? The White Pole Soldiers vaulted over it in a single bound. The marauders defending behind it, stunned by the firearms, were still cowering, trying to dodge bullets. They never expected the enemy's White Pole Soldiers to actually scale the wall.

This immediately plunged them into a bloody, close-quarters battle, and who were the White Pole Soldiers of Sichuan afraid of in such a fight?

Their white waxwood spears thrust wildly at the huddle of cowering marauders behind the wall. Those who had dodged the firearms couldn't escape this time. After a very brief engagement, the wall changed hands.

Ma Xianglin let out a booming laugh: "I've never taken a city so easily in my life!"

After his laugh, he was about to order his soldiers deeper into the city when he noticed that Cheng Xu's firearm troops weren't advancing. Instead, they rapidly dropped to their knees, all crouching behind the low wall.

The low wall now served as cover for the firearm soldiers. They propped their firearm barrels on the wall, aiming into the city streets.

Ma Xianglin asked, "Aren't you advancing?"

Cheng Xu swept his gaze forward. Ahead lay a tangle of houses, intricate streets, winding alleys, jumbled homes, and intersections everywhere. How could firearm troops casually enter such an area? If they carelessly pushed forward, seventeen or eighteen grandmothers could spring out from the alleys in an instant and cut them down from all directions.

He waved his hand. "General Ma, our firearm troops excel at long-range combat. However, the winding alleyways of the city are unfavorable for our operations."

Ma Xianglin nodded. "Then what's the plan now?"

Cheng Xu chuckled, but a headache was brewing.

Just then, Gao Chuwu spoke again: "Don't try to win it all in one wave. Advance slowly, layer by layer. First, secure all houses on the first street. Once firm, set up the firearms, then move to the second layer." Gao Chuwu, of course, wasn't the one giving orders; everyone knew this was the Heavenly Lord speaking. In modern warfare, especially after the invention of trenches, battles are fought very slowly. Soldiers advance layer by layer through trenches, street by street, defense line by defense line. There's no need to rush; advancing mere tens of meters in several hours is common. There's no need to charge wildly into the city as in ancient battles; it's simply unnecessary.

Cheng Xu immediately grasped it. "Nibbling tactics! General Ma, your men in front, mine behind. We'll seize the first layer of streets."

Ma Xianglin nodded and waved his hand. The White Pole Soldiers began to advance. Advancing in formation, the White Pole Soldiers were far beyond what the marauders could contend with; even in alley fighting, they feared no one.

When marauders poked their heads out from rooftops, hoping to shoot arrows or throw stones at the White Pole Soldiers, the crack of firearms would instantly sound, and the marauders would tumble from the rooftops. Soon, not a single marauder dared to show themselves on the rooftops.

With no enemy raining down attacks from above, what did the White Pole Soldiers have to fear? With a roaring shout, they rushed into the street. After a short burst of close combat, the first street was taken.

The firearm soldiers followed immediately, bursting into houses, extending their firearms from windows. Some firearm soldiers even climbed onto rooftops, setting up their firearms from elevated positions and aiming at the second layer of streets...

The firearm soldiers on the rooftops had an excellent line of sight and a wide area of attack, bringing large sections of the surrounding streets under their firepower. The marauders operating in the second street suddenly became live targets.

After a flurry of gunshots, the marauders visible to the naked eye were scattered. The White Pole Soldiers immediately advanced into the second street.

At this point, the marauders' defeat was absolute, like a collapsing mountain! Their planned alley warfare proved utterly ineffective; they couldn't get close to the firearm soldiers.

Seeing the situation, Lao Huihui decided: "Alright, I'll conserve my cavalry's strength. I'm not participating in this battle." With a single command, his iron cavalry swiftly vanished to the north. Zijing Liang Wang Ziyong, Chuǎng Wang, the Eight Great Kings of the South Camp, Fan Shan Yao, and others also soon saw their soldiers collapse, unable to fight on.

Marauders, after all, were marauders; they always chose flight over a losing stand. Once they realized there was no hope of victory, they scattered faster than rabbits, bolting out of Daning County and disappearing into the north. Daning County was finally retaken!—

Ma Xianglin walked through the streets, occasionally nudging a bandit's corpse with his foot, checking for feigned death. As he walked, he sighed softly: "Are there no living souls left in Daning County?" His subordinate's expression grim: "The houses are full of civilian corpses."

Ma Xianglin's heart heavy, he changed the subject: "I'm not sure I understand General Xing's way of fighting."

Zhang Fengyi, beside him, murmured: "Yes, we truly don't understand the way this General Xing's army fights. If we were to face them, my husband, what do you think our chances of victory would be?"

"Chances of victory?" Ma Xianglin was torn between laughter and tears. "What chances?"

Zhang Fengyi was speechless.

Ma Xianglin said, "All I can say is, it's fortunate they aren't bandits, but instead accepted amnesty and became government soldiers. If they hadn't, if they'd rebelled with Wang Jiayin's faction, we wouldn't have been able to stop them."

Zhang Fengyi nodded. "In Puxian, I saw them share half their rations with the common folk. They are truly good people, not marauders. That's a great relief."

Just as they were speaking, a White Pole Soldier reported from ahead: "General, there are still residents in the houses ahead."

Ma Xianglin's spirits lifted, overjoyed: "Still residents alive? Excellent! Let's go see!" He and Zhang Fengyi hurried towards that street. Meanwhile, several leaders of the Gao Family Village militia also received the news, and rushed towards the same area.