As soon as Zhao Feng's voice fell
Boom!
A monstrous aura of killing intent instantly filled the sky and earth.
It was the battle-hardened pressure exuding from the elite soldiers of Great Qin.
"Feng! Feng! Feng!"
The resounding war chant of the Qin elites echoed across the heavens.
An overwhelming sense of oppression spread under the force of this battle cry.
"Kill!"
Zhao Feng's voice rang cold and resolute.
The messengers immediately scattered, swiftly relaying the orders.
The siege engines and ballista formations, already prepared and standing by, unleashed their might.
Under the deafening chants
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunderous roars shook the battlefield.
Countless boulders and massive ballista bolts rained down upon Yanggao City.
"Feng! Feng! Feng!"
Tens of thousands of Qin archers drew their bows to the fullest and loosed their arrows with all their might.
A torrential storm of arrows, sharp as death itself, engulfed the skies above Yanggao City.
In an instant!
The entire city was shrouded in an overwhelming downpour of arrows, crushing boulders, and devastating ballista bolts.
Each carrying lethal intent came crashing down.
"Defend!"
The Wei general atop the city walls bellowed an order.
The Wei soldiers near the walls quickly took cover, ducking behind the battlements, while others raised their shields in defense.
However, under the onslaught of rolling boulders and ballista bolts that could punch gaping holes through the very walls
Countless Wei soldiers were crushed to death or skewered on the spot.
As for the dense arrow rain falling from above
There was no way to defend against it.
The lethality of Qin arrows
The other states knew of it, but their only option was to try to shield against it as best they could. Countermeasures simply didn't exist.
This was the terrifying advantage of Qin's military weaponry.
The relentless rain of arrows continued
Blanketing nearly half of Yanggao City.
Countless Wei soldiers were slain by the arrows, their bodies strewn across the blood-soaked ground.
Some fresh recruits among them even broke down in painful wails, the city drowning in scenes of carnage.
"Anyone who shakes the troops' morale execute them on the spot!"
"Wounded soldiers, send them to the medical camp immediately!"
"For every fallen soldier, another must take their place our defenses cannot falter!"
"The Qin army can launch an assault at any moment under the cover of this arrow barrage!"
Inside the city, General Long Zhang barked out his orders coldly.
Even though the Qin arrows were terrifying, under his command, the Wei army within the city remained steady.
Wave after wave of arrows were fired into Yanggao City without pause.
Standing atop his war chariot, Zhao Feng remained calm and indifferent, watching the battlefield carnage unfold.
After so many years of war, scenes of slaughter like these no longer fazed him.
On the battlefield
It was either kill or be killed.
For nearly an hour, the rain of arrows continued.
Hundreds of thousands of arrows had been unleashed upon the city, and the Wei army inside had suffered immense casualties.
If only they had access to incendiary oil in this era if the arrows were turned into flaming projectiles, the siege could have played out differently, possibly setting the entire city ablaze.
Zhao Feng raised his gaze, scanning the city that had been relentlessly bombarded.
From the outside, it was impossible to determine the full extent of casualties within.
But under such a ferocious offensive, the losses on the Wei side were undoubtedly significant.
Then
Zhao Feng stepped down from his war chariot.
With the Dragon Spring Sword in hand, his sharp gaze locked onto Yanggao City.
With a commanding voice, he declared
"I am Zhao Feng, Grand General of the Wu'an Army!"
"All elite warriors of Wu'an Army, all convicts serving in the army"
"Whoever breaks through this city and slaughters the enemy within shall be rewarded!"
"Those who kill for the nation elite warriors will receive noble ranks, convict soldiers will have their slave status pardoned!"
"Those who fall in battle, whether elite warriors or convict soldiers, will be honored and compensated by the imperial court!"
"This is my solemn promise to all of you!"
The next moment
Zhao Feng raised the Dragon Spring Sword high into the air.
"Where are my guards?"
"Here!"
Zhang Ming led 1,500 elite personal guards, responding in unison.
"You must enforce discipline!"
"Any who retreat execute them!" Zhao Feng commanded with unwavering authority.
"Understood!" the personal guards roared.
In that instant
All 1,500 personal guards unsheathed their swords, gripping them tightly.
A chilling, invisible wave of killing intent swept across the battlefield.
These 1,500 men were Zhao Feng's most trusted warriors battle-hardened veterans who had followed him through countless wars.
Each possessed martial prowess beyond ordinary soldiers, and collectively, they could face off against an entire legion.
Under the awed gazes of the entire army
"Soldiers of Wu'an Army, hear my command!"
"Charge with me!"
With a deafening war cry, Zhao Feng charged straight toward Yanggao City.
Seeing this
The veteran warriors of the Qin army followed without hesitation, leading their units forward.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The vanguard surged forward, madly charging toward Yanggao City.
And at the forefront
Zhao Feng, wielding the Dragon Spring Sword, stood out above all.
For the veteran Qin elites who had followed Zhao Feng through campaigns, this was nothing new.
Watching their general leading the charge, their blood burned with fervor.
"We will follow the Grand General to the death!"
"Kill!"
Thousands of warriors roared, charging forward with unwavering determination.
As for the convict soldiers
They were completely dumbfounded.
"Am I seeing things?"
"The Grand General is leading the charge from the front?"
"How is that possible?"
"That's the Grand General the highest-ranking commander of our Wu'an Army! And yet, he's throwing himself into the most dangerous part of battle?"
"If he is willing to risk his own life like this, then his promises to us must be real!"
"Follow the Grand General to the death!"
"Kill!"
"Follow the Grand General to the death!"
The convict soldiers, shaken to their core by this revelation, were overcome with emotion.
A true commander does not cling to life
And true soldiers do not fear death!
This was the army that Zhao Feng commanded.
By charging at the frontlines himself, he passed this unshakable military spirit down through the ranks.
For common soldiers, even the rank of Company Commander felt out of reach, let alone a Grand General.
Yet now, watching their supreme commander leading the charge
The morale boost was unimaginable.
Even the convict soldiers who had initially doubted Qin's promises were utterly convinced.
One by one, their hesitation vanished, and with a collective war cry, they surged forward
"Kill!"
With Zhao Feng setting an example and the blessing of the Fortune Official Seal, every soldier undoubtedly received a multiple-fold boost.
On the Walls of Yanggao City
Watching the Qin army charge forward, the Wei general defending the city immediately reported to his superior.
"Defend with all your strength!"
"Anyone who retreats will be executed!"
"Recruits to the front, veterans to oversee the battle!"
"All enforcement troops, move up and maintain military discipline!"
Long Zhang issued his orders without hesitation.
His commands were quickly relayed by messengers.
Even as the Qin army launched their attack, Long Zhang remained calm and composed, showing not the slightest trace of fear.
It was as if everything was within his grasp.
Inside the City
The Wei army swiftly reorganized.
Yet, the relentless rain of arrows from above never ceased.
Soldiers fell one after another, struck down by the barrage.
Blood and death painted a grim scene within the city.
On the walls, many Wei soldiers trembled in fear; some of the fresh recruits were so terrified that they wet themselves.
"General Long has given the order!"
"Defend with all your strength!"
"Anyone who retreats will be executed!"
"Archers, ready! The Qin army is within range fire!"
"Catapults and ballistae, unleash your volleys!"
A commanding Wei officer shouted from the city walls.
Orders were given.
Wei soldiers hiding behind the walls hesitantly stepped forward.
Yet, in an instant, many were shot down before they could react.
"The Qin arrows... they're still coming!"
"What do we do? I don't want to die!"
Many of the recruits were too terrified to even lift their weapons.
Seeing this, the Wei officer frowned, drew his sword, and without hesitation, executed a soldier who showed cowardice.
"Enforcement unit, listen up! Any soldier who dares to retreat or show fear will be punished under military law!"
"Fire!"
"Fight back!"
Under his stern command, the soldiers had no choice but to grit their teeth and fire their arrows, though their formation was chaotic and disorganized.
The Brutality of War
The battlefield is merciless.
For those who had never fought in a war, never seen bloodshed, or never killed an enemy with their own hands, the psychological impact was overwhelming.
This was the fundamental difference between recruits and battle-hardened veterans.
A sparse, disorderly rain of arrows descended from the walls.
Along with the heavy stones from the catapults and the powerful bolts from the ballistae
Many Qin soldiers outside the city were crushed or pierced.
Skulls shattered, arrows penetrated bodies, and soldiers were turned into mangled corpses under the falling boulders.
This was inevitable.
Zhao Feng Charges Forward
Amidst the rain of arrows, Zhao Feng wielded his Dragon Spring Sword.
His blade flashed arrows were sliced apart midair, deflected with ease.
"Using recruits to defend the city… baiting us in?"
"Wei Wuji…"
"Your strategy is clever."
Zhao Feng smirked coldly.
As a general who had fought countless battles, he could tell the difference between the recruits and the seasoned veterans defending the walls.
Behind him, the Qin soldiers suffered casualties, but their advance remained unstoppable.
Soon, Zhao Feng arrived at the city gates.
"Slash!"
For Zhao Feng, there was no need for elaborate techniques.
He simply raised Dragon Spring, infused it with his true energy, and slashed.
The blade struck the city gate
Boom!
A surge of sword energy erupted.
The massive iron gates, once thought impenetrable, were instantly split apart, shattering into pieces.
Just as he had done with countless city gates before, Zhao Feng cut through effortlessly.
The Wei soldiers behind the gate stood frozen in shock.
"Whirlwind Slash!"
Without hesitation, Zhao Feng charged forward.
His sword danced, unleashing dozens of strikes in a single instant.
The Wei soldiers in front of him barely had time to react before their throats were cut.
They collapsed simultaneously, clutching their wounds as they bled out.
"Defeated a Wei soldier, collected 1 True Energy point."
"Defeated a Wei soldier, collected 1 day of lifespan."
"Defeated a Wei soldier, collected 1 day of lifespan."
…
It had been a long time since Zhao Feng had been on the battlefield.
The familiar system notifications thrilled him.
"Kill!"
His cold voice echoed.
Zhao Feng's gaze swept across the battlefield, seeing the Wei soldiers as mere prey.
With Dragon Spring in hand, his blade gleamed with a chilling light each slash sending out deadly waves of sword energy, cutting through the enemy ranks.
One man alone was enough to carve through thousands.
Even without using true energy, his sheer physical prowess was overwhelming.
"Follow the Grand General!"
"Kill!"
The elite Qin warriors roared.
Among them were the penal troops men once sentenced to death, now fighting with unmatched ferocity.
Their battle spirit soared.
Even as arrows rained down from above, even as their comrades fell, nothing could halt their charge.
The Qin soldiers surged forward like an unstoppable flood.
Led by their officers and captains, they followed Zhao Feng into the breach.
The broken city gates were like a breached dam.
The Qin army poured in like a raging torrent, sweeping into Yanggao City.
Any Wei soldier in their path was mercilessly slaughtered.
Each Qin soldier wielded a long spear or sword, charging forward with unrelenting aggression.
The city walls and streets were engulfed in bloodshed.
Panic on the City Walls
"Zhao Feng personally led the charge?!"
The Wei generals atop the city walls paled in horror.
No one had expected the city gates to be shattered with a single strike.
The Qin soldiers stormed in, and despite the desperate resistance of the Wei army, they could not stop the ruthless assault.
The battle raged on.
Inside the City
"General Long!"
A panicked Wei officer rushed in.
"The Qin army has breached the gates! They've entered the city!"
"As expected…"
Long Zhang sighed.
"As His Majesty predicted."
"The Qin army must possess some kind of siege weapon… The gates couldn't hold at all."
Despite the dire situation, his expression remained calm.
As if everything was still within his control.
"Relay my command!"
"All 100,000 troops hold the defensive lines as planned!"
"Supervise one another anyone who dares to retreat will be executed on the spot!"
Long Zhang ordered decisively.
"Yes, General!"
The officer swiftly left to deliver the command.
Once the officer departed, Long Zhang's gaze sharpened his thoughts unknown.
Long Zhang turned to a general behind him and said, "Pass down my orders withdraw fifty thousand elite troops from Yanggao City in an orderly manner. Deploy one thousand death warriors throughout the city. Once the Qin army penetrates deep enough and fully breaches our defenses, set the city ablaze immediately."
"Yes, sir."
The Wei general bowed and swiftly retreated to carry out the order.
"Ten thousand recruits."
"The civilians in the city."
"They can blame no one but fate."
"For the sake of Great Wei, all sacrifices are worth it."
"This is also our final gamble."
A look of grim determination appeared on Long Zhang's face.
This strategy had been personally devised by the ruler of Wei, Wei Wuji.
When Long Zhang first received the military command, he attempted to argue against its implementation. However, Wei Wuji had given only one response if sacrificing tens of thousands of lives could secure the survival of Great Wei, then it was worth it. Even if it meant sacrificing himself, it would still be worth it.
Time Passed
The slaughter within Yanggao City continued.
Countless Qin soldiers surged in through the gates, fighting with relentless ferocity.
The Wei forces, following Long Zhang's orders, resisted with all their might, but their defeat was inevitable.
Half a day passed.
Then an entire day.
By nightfall, the sounds of battle had somewhat subsided, yet skirmishes still raged on.
Yanggao City had become a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Bodies littered the streets, while wounded soldiers writhed in agony within pools of blood. The stench of blood filled the air, covering the city in an oppressive atmosphere.
The slaughter stretched from night into the early hours of dawn.
The dark sky had begun to brighten with the first light of day.
At that moment
"The time has come! General Long's orders burn the city!"
Throughout Yanggao City, a thousand voices echoed in unison.
At the appointed time, these warriors swiftly pulled out their fire starters and ignited dry grass, alcohol, and oil that had long been prepared.
Instantly
Fierce flames erupted across the city, spreading rapidly in all directions.
But at the same time
Many Qin soldiers who had advanced deep into the city looked up toward the sky.
Then, almost simultaneously
They began retreating in an orderly fashion.
As swiftly as they had come, they withdrew just as quickly.
However
Even in their retreat, many Qin elite soldiers took the time to carry their wounded comrades with them, ensuring they were not left behind.
"Wei Wuji… Long Zhang…"
"You wish to trade a single city for the lives of my entire army? Your plan is clever, but I saw through it long ago."
"Now, you will be the ones to burn your troops alive."
At the forefront of the battlefield, Zhao Feng cast a cold glance at the retreating Wei soldiers, showing no interest in pursuing them further.
Though he was eager to collect the attributes from fallen enemies, Zhao Feng prioritized the survival of his troops above all else.
Wei Wuji had prepared for this moment for a long time, willing to sacrifice an entire city of soldiers to deliver a devastating blow to the Qin army. If Zhao Feng did not retreat before the flames fully erupted, his forces would be trapped within an inferno with no way out.
In the end
Of all the Qin troops who had entered the city, fewer than one in ten failed to escape.
As Supreme General, Zhao Feng's duty was not only to achieve victory but also to preserve as many of his soldiers as possible.
Time Passed
Within half an hour
Yanggao City was engulfed in flames.
The fire spread rapidly, consuming everything in its path.
"How did the fire start?"
"Why is it spreading so fast?"
"No! The fire is coming!"
"Run!"
"Ahh help! Help me!"
"Head for the rear gates! We have to escape!"
"Move!"
Despair and terror spread through the city.
Countless Wei soldiers were consumed by the flames, screaming as they tried to flee.
The agonizing pain of being burned alive was unbearable.
Even at the rear city gate
Thousands of panicked Wei soldiers crowded together, desperately trying to escape.
"Open the gates! Open the gates now!"
"Let us out!"
"The fire is coming! We're all going to die!"
"Please, I beg you! Let us out!"
But the city gates remained firmly sealed.
Packed together with nowhere to go, they were doomed.
Outside the rear city gates
The endless wailing and screams from within the city echoed outward.
Yet Long Zhang remained unmoved.
Even the Wei generals behind him, despite their reluctance, understood there was nothing they could do to change the situation.
Seated on his horse, Long Zhang's face was expressionless as he coldly observed the blazing inferno that was once Yanggao City.
Thick, rolling smoke billowed into the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the heavens.
The acrid scent of burning filled the air, mixed with the sickening stench of charred flesh.
One could only imagine how many lives had been consumed by the flames.
"His Majesty's strategy…"
"Has succeeded."
"The Qin army entered the city completely, even Zhao Feng himself."
"With this fire…"
"At least two hundred thousand Qin soldiers will perish."
"The Qin state's Wuan military camp is finished."
"Great Wei's national fate has been preserved."
"Once this fire dies down…"
"I will lead my fifty thousand elite troops into Qin territory and launch a counteroffensive."
"As soon as the counterattack begins…"
"The Chu state will not stand idly by they will undoubtedly join the war against Qin."
"Once Chu makes a move, the chain reaction will follow Qi and Yan will seize the opportunity as well."
"Qin will no longer be a threat."
"His Majesty's grand scheme…"
"Not only reverses our nation's doomed fate but will also allow Great Wei to rise again!"
At this moment, Long Zhang's heart surged with excitement.
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