Chapter 945: The Descent of a Myth!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Everything has changed! The Behemoth Army never appeared at Talas before… Did things change because of me again?
w.a.n.g Chong’s mind was in disarray.
He once more began to recall the legend that he used to joke and jeer about. It was said that the Emperor of the Arabian Empire, the Caliph, had two powerful armies under his command at the peak of the empire’s power. One of these was the Behemoth Army. These soldiers were under the Arabian Caliph’s direct command, and the governors had no authority over them.
That these Behemoths had appeared in the distant Talas meant only one thing: the Caliph of Arabia had his sights set on this land. This war was now impossible to predict.
Bong!
Drums soon began to thunder from the Arabian camp. The dense waves of Arab cavalry parted, leaving a clear path fifty-some zhang wide between the Tang defense line and that ma.s.sive beast. The air was instantly br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tension. Behind the first defense line, countless warhorses widened their eyes and neighed in panic.
Even these well-trained warhorses lost their nerve as they sensed the dreadful air rising from these beasts. Their instinctive fear drove them to struggle against the control of their riders so that they could flee the battlefield.
“How incredible! The Arabs still had this sort of move in reserve! If they had unleashed these enormous beasts earlier, Talas might have already fallen. They wouldn’t have even needed our help!”
On the eastern edge of the battlefield, Duwu Sili, Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, and the other generals were watching from the hills. Although they sat at the upper level of individuals of the continent, they were still stunned by the moves the Arabs had kept in reserve.
After a few moments of silence, Dalun Ruozan spoke. “It can’t be that simple. The Arabs must have a reason for not using these ma.s.sive beasts. However, regardless of what that reason is, now that the Arabs have brought them, they will be a ma.s.sive threat to the Great Tang!”
Although it had been his plan to take a rest from battling the Tang so that he could see the full strength of the Arabs, he was still astonished by this display. He was somewhat unwilling, but he was forced to admit that the Arabian Empire was stronger than the Ü-Tsang Empire. In the continent, Arabia and the Great Tang undoubtedly stood above all other empires.
Only Arabia could deal with the Great Tang, and only the Great Tang could deal with Arabia!
The hills fell silent as everyone turned their focus to the Arab camp to the west of Talas and that enormous beast rising from it.
Crack! A long whip flew through the air. At the feet of the Behemoth stood a thin and hunchbacked figure dressed in robes of dark red, who was constantly hollering something at this Behemoth. Although he had an unsightly appearance, this hunchbacked Arab seemed to have an extremely high status. Behind him were countless manservants and maids, apparently his, who were trembling in fear.
Not far from them, a black-clothed Arab guard was blowing a strange tune out on a bone flute, one that lacked any sort of rhythm or tempo. Commanded by the whip and bone flute, the mountainous Behemoth slowly advanced.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With boom after boom, the monster advanced toward the battlefield, its weighty footsteps ringing over the battlefield. Under the golden-red sun, the Behemoth seemed even more savage and dreadful. Whoos.h.!.+ At that moment, let alone the Tang soldiers, even the vast sea of Arabs recoiled in fear from that giant beast.
“Too, too… big!”
A brave and muscular Arab warrior looked up at that golden horn that seemed like the peak of a mountain, and that fortress of a body, and those scarlet eyes. Unconsciously, he began to step back.
The line between myth and reality grew fuzzy. This Behemoth arisen from ancient myths had transcended time and s.p.a.ce to descend on the mortal realm.
Roooar!
The Behemoth roared, the sound waves carrying endless pressure and intimidation as they stirred up gales and gusts. Even the clouds in the sky were swept away toward the sun in the east. The sky over the heads of the Arabs was now clear.
Boom! The already fearful Arab warriors panicked, their warhorses fled in fright, and their neat ranks fell into disorder.
The Behemoth Army!
This was one of the legendary armies under the Caliph’s control and a symbol of his divine authority. Even the pugnacious Arab warriors regarded them as nightmarish existences.
“They’re finally here!” exclaimed an excited and joyful voice.
It could only belong to the supreme existence of the Arabian east, whose authority was second only to the Caliph’s: Governor of the East, Abu Muslim. He placed his hands on the armrests of his throne and slowly rose, a powerful energy bursting from his body.
In this world, there was no city that the Arabs could not break, no opponent they could not defeat!
Abu Muslim looked at that Behemoth as if he was looking at his proudest weapon!
This continent had played host to countless formidable civilizations. Just like how the Tibetan Plateau had once produced the powerful Zhangzhung Dynasty, the distant west, along the sh.o.r.es of the sea, had also been home to many powerful cultures. These cultures had vanished long ago, and many of their works had been lost to time.
But there were still remnants of these cultures.
By using a special method found in the ancient texts left by one of these bygone civilizations, the Arabian Empire had interbred fierce and large animals like rhinos, elephants, and lions to create this Behemoth Army. After failing countless times, they had finally succeeded in producing this stalwart guardian of the western border that made their enemies tremble in fear.
There were not many of these Behemoths, but they were the symbol of the Arabian Empire. No fortification existed that could resist the attacks of these beasts.
“Masil!”
Abu Muslim stood in front of his throne, his eyes twinkling as he waved his hand.
After a brief pause, a low and scratchy voice grated at everyone’s ears. “Lord Governor!”
It was an extremely sinister voice, as if its owner was a poisonous snake who had slithered out of the ground and put on human skin. Even Ziyad couldn’t help but frown.
The Arab generals around Abu Muslim couldn’t help but back up, maintaining some distance from that hunchbacked figure in dark red.
Masil was one of the Abbasid Caliph’s close attendants as well as the commander of the Behemoth Army.
This person was shrouded in mystery. n.o.body knew his background, only that he had suddenly appeared in Baghdad before the Caliph, rapidly gaining his trust. Not long after that, the dreadful Behemoth Army began to take shape.
Masil’s background was a mystery, and the Caliph had decreed that all the governors and generals were forbidden from investigating him.
A veteran and renowned general, who had been nominated for a n.o.ble t.i.tle by one of the governors, had once been suspicious of Masil. After sending men to investigate, he was quickly eradicated from the face of the earth. The guards of the Caliph had led the Imperial Guard against his estate, exterminating both him and his entire clan.
This matter had sent ma.s.sive waves through the Arabian Empire.
Although the Caliph had announced that this general had harbored disloyal thoughts and had been thinking about rebellion, everyone knew the true reason for his death.
From that moment, the mere mention of Masil’s name made people pale in fear, and no general dared to approach him.
Abu Muslim silently stared at the red-robed figure slowly approaching him, little emotion in his eyes. Masil had unique status that made many people apprehensive, but Abu Muslim had never had any interest in his ident.i.ty or background. Moreover, as the Governor of Iron and Blood, Abu Muslim was interested in only one thing: conquering his enemies.
Everything else was secondary.
“I presume that you understand the mission?” Abu Muslim said to the slowly approaching Masil.
Masil was truly a grotesque figure. Half of his face was covered by a red scarf, but even the visible part was dry and cracked, like the bark of a withered tree. Those gray-brown eyes of his twinkled with a wicked light that made anyone who looked into them s.h.i.+ver in fear.
The hunchbacked Masil’s lips moved beneath his scarf. “Lord Governor, be at ease. His Majesty gave me the orders when I left. For this Battle of Talas, everything will be done as Lord Governor wishes. Milord will lead the way.”
“Mm. Our opponent this time is extremely powerful. Do you see those steel defenses and that city? I need your Behemoths to knock them all down. Leave what comes after to me.”
Abu Muslim paused for a moment, his face turning grim.
“Masil, this operation is key to our plans to conquer the entire east, so I hope that you can devote all your strength. You cannot be careless!”
“Haha, Milord, be at ease. In this world, there is no opponent that my Behemoth Army cannot defeat. This is not the first opponent they have conquered, and it will not be the last!”
Masil coldly chuckled. After saying this, he gave a nod and turned around.
Bong bong bong!
The war drums began to bang out the signal to attack. Everyone on the western battlefield focused on that man and the beast by him.
Standing before the fortress-like body of the Behemoth, Masil finally gave the order to attack.
“Kill!”