Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

Suddenly, someone spoke, their voice trembling:

"How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes with you!"

The second person took over, their voice hoarse:

"Let us prepare our weapons, and fight together against this common enemy!"

The third note, the fourth note… more and more people joined in, the voices rising from low to high, from weak to strong, finally merging into a desolate and tragic chorus that carried far away on the howling wind—

"The king is raising an army; let us prepare our armor and weapons! We will march together!!"

The wind picked up.

A strong wind swept across the wasteland, stirring up sand and blood mist, and carried the song to the heavens.

It was as if heaven and earth were weeping.

On the battlefield, the flashing of swords and the sounds of battle never ceased.

"kill!!"

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

"General! I'm taking my leave now—hahaha! Remember to brew me a pot of wine!"

One by one, the men fell, smiling, spouting nonsense, and still clutching broken knives.

Zhong Fang's eyes were bloodshot, his battle axe leaving afterimages as he slashed, and his roar was like thunder.

Han Ye carried Liu Chi, his Azure Dragon Spear stained with enemy blood, as he strode forward step by step over the corpses.

They all knew—

The outcome is already decided.

But they know even better—

Some things are more important than life itself.

For example, loyalty.

For example, righteousness.

For example, the phrase: "We are comrades in arms."

But all they could do was watch helplessly as the body of that sixteen-year-old boy, not yet an adult, whose mind was still filled with thoughts of getting married—

It crashed down!

Blood gushed out, like a broken red ribbon, torn apart in the wind.

In that instant, a passing Turkic soldier grinned as he swept past, his blade flashing!

With a "thud," Liu Chi's head flew into the air, blood gushing from the severed neck, and his body crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A true massacre! Not even a complete corpse will be left; they will die without a burial place!

"boom--!!"

A thunderbolt seemed to explode in Han Ye's mind, his blood boiled instantly, his veins felt like they were being burned by fire, and every bone in his body roared!

A violent, almost out-of-control power was surging out from the depths of his body, sweeping through his limbs and bones, and rushing straight to the top of his head!

"kill--!!!"

He roared to the sky, his eyes bloodshot, the Azure Dragon Spear in hand, he moved with the spear, transforming into a black lightning bolt, and fiercely charged into the enemy ranks!

The entire Turkic army became his stepping stone!

Sweep! Crush! Slaughter!

At this moment, Han Ye awakened his exclusive skill – [Berserk Battle]!

Completely losing his reason, his fighting spirit burned to the heavens! He was no longer a general, but a demon who had crawled out of hell!

"die!"

"die!"

"die!"

Each roar was laced with the stench of blood; his mouth split open, and blood dripped down his chin.

But he didn't care at all. Like a mad tiger, he pounced on the crowd, his gun flashing like a dragon, piercing through their chests!

Wherever they went, people and horses fell over, limbs and severed bodies flew everywhere, and the sight of mountains of corpses and seas of blood was horrifying!

"ah--!"

"Help me... General, help me—!"

"This person isn't human! He's a ghost—!"

The Turkic soldiers were terrified, and their cries of agony filled the air.

It was clear to the naked eye that Han Ye was like the Grim Reaper himself, taking away several lives with each strike!

Three thousand iron cavalry followed closely behind, and Zhong Fang and the others had bloodshot eyes, their killing intent soaring to the sky!

They've lost their minds! They're not even trying to escape! They just charge forward, hacking at any enemy they see and stabbing anyone they encounter!

The Han army went berserk! They fought to the death, they washed blood with blood!

The Turkic army was forced to retreat step by step by this desperate force, and their formation began to falter!

Just then, the Turkic general Huyan Zhuo stood on the high slope, looking down coldly, and suddenly grinned.

"It's just a desperate struggle."

"These Han Chinese are nothing but a dying struggle; the more fiercely they live, the more tragically they will die."

His voice was cold and disdainful.

The next instant, he swung his longsword and shouted, "Surround and kill! No retreating a single step! Compress the space and crush them into mincemeat! Leave no one alive!"

"kill--!!!"

The command was like thunder, and the Turkic army once again encircled them, tightening their grip like an iron barrel!

Indeed, the tactics were correct.

In Huyan Zhuo's eyes, Han Ye was just at the end of his rope; no matter how fierce he was, he wouldn't last long!

But ten minutes passed...

Han Ye is still killing! And he's killing more and more ruthlessly! He's becoming more and more insane!

Corpses piled up into small hills, blood stained the yellow sand, and he stood on the remains of his enemies, like a demon god descending to earth!

"General...they...they don't seem to be showing any signs of exhaustion..." the lieutenant said in a trembling voice.

Huyan Zhuo gritted his teeth: "Shut up! Keep killing! Anyone who retreats will be executed!"

Twenty minutes...

Thirty minutes...

Forty minutes...

Fifty minutes!

Time passed slowly, but Han Ye remained standing! His combat power not only didn't decrease but actually increased! His body seemed to never tire!

Huyan Zhuo's face had already turned ashen, and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.

"This masked general... is he made of iron?!"

Just as a chill ran through him—

"Pfft!"

A long spear pierced through the air and stabbed Han Ye in the left arm!

Blood spurted out, his body swayed, and he finally staggered half a step!

Upon seeing this, Huyan Zhuo erupted in wild joy: "Kill!! He can't hold on any longer! Quick! Surround him! Whoever beheads him will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and ennobled as a marquis with ten thousand households!!"

The entire army was energized and surged forward!

But the next second—

Huyan Zhuo suddenly looked up towards Dingzhou City, his smile vanished, and his expression changed drastically!

"These...these people...are they all crazy?!" he murmured, fear appearing in his eyes for the first time.

……

Outside Dingzhou, the Turkic army advanced layer by layer, forming an impenetrable encirclement.

They wanted to completely annihilate Han Ye and his group, like catching turtles in a jar.

Just as Huyan Zhuo had thought—this was a desperate struggle.

He only needs to wait until they are exhausted, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop!

But he forgot.

Some ferocious beasts, the more they are trapped, the more they will tear apart their cages and offer their blood as a sacrifice to the heavens!

but……

Hu Yanzhuo calculated everything, but he didn't expect that Han Ye's fighting spirit would spread like wildfire, growing stronger and stronger!

After nearly half an hour of bloody fighting, mountains of corpses and seas of blood were piled up, and ordinary fierce generals had long since collapsed from exhaustion.

But what about Han Ye? He still stood firm with his spear, slaughtering the Turkic army and causing them to fall and their horses to crash down. His fighting strength did not decrease but increased!

"kill!!"

A furious roar tore through the sky, Han Ye's eyes were bloodshot and burning, and the Azure Dragon Spear in his hand transformed into a whirlwind of death.

The spear flashed like a dragon, spraying blood in a flurry; wherever its cold gleam pointed, barbarian heads would roll to the dust!

puff!puff!puff!

The sound of blades cutting flesh was continuous, each strike carrying a chilling despair.

Hu Yanzhuo watched helplessly as his army fell in droves under Han Ye's spear, and the anger in his heart almost burst forth!

until--

"puff!"

A long spear pierced Han Ye's left arm, and blood spurted out!

In that instant, a glint of light flashed in Huyan Zhuo's eyes, and he could hardly contain his wild joy as he grinned savagely!

Finally... they couldn't hold on any longer?!

"Surround him! Chop him into mincemeat, even if it kills you!" he roared, and the 50,000-strong army once again closed in, forming an iron wall that pressed in!

"General..."

"The Demon-Faced General!!"

Xiahou Dun, Zhong Fang, and the others screamed, their voices hoarse and trembling.

They were long since exhausted and had only survived this long thanks to Han Ye fighting his way out.

Seeing that war god-like figure finally wounded, everyone's hearts sank into an abyss.

Even the Ghost-Faced General has been driven to the brink of despair... Is there still hope?

But then I thought about it again—

The moment they stepped out of Dingzhou City, they never thought they would return alive.

"Snap!"

The sound of the spear shaft breaking was crisp and clear.

Han Ye gritted his teeth, twisted his body, and with a jerk of his arm, snapped the spear that had pierced through him in two! The next instant, the spear tip spun, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, aiming straight for the enemy general's throat!

puff--

A head shot skyward!

In that instant, the crimson in Han Ye's eyes slowly faded, and his gaze returned to clarity.

He looked around.

Of the original three thousand elite cavalry, less than a thousand remain; of the close followers, only three hundred are left.

And on the other side—

Huyan Zhuo's army was still a vast, dark mass, as boundless as the tide!

They killed three times their number of enemies, but... they still couldn't kill them all!

Han Ye fell silent, his heart sinking into an icy abyss.

He knew the outcome was already decided.

"General, let us fight to the death!"

A Tang Dynasty soldier, his face covered in blood, grinned, his voice hoarse: "It's worth dying here with you!"

"General, let us fight to the death!"

Zhong Fang stood up, leaning on his broken sword, and forced a smile on his pale face: "I'm tired. I should go to the underworld for a nap."

"General, let us fight to the death!"

Xiahou Dun knelt on one knee, his armor shattered, yet he still raised his blood-stained sword high: "This humble general is willing to follow the general, to fight to the death!"

"Fight to the death!!"

"Fight to the death!!"

"Fight to the death!!"

The surviving soldiers roared in unison, their shouts piercing the sky!

They were already trapped beasts, but they were forced to bare their most ferocious fangs!

Even in death, my spine will not bend!

Even if it means being buried alive, I will never bow my head!

"A fight to the death?"

Han Ye murmured to himself, then suddenly looked up and laughed bitterly, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

He fought his way from Youzhou to Dingzhou, slaughtering countless enemies and becoming a fearsome figure in the northern frontier... Could it be that he is going to die here today?

He is not afraid of death.

He was just unwilling to accept it!

He has not yet pacified the grasslands, nor beheaded Huyan Zhuo, nor sought justice for Commander Lou Yuanbo and for the millions of people!

I have failed the trust placed in me by Youzhou and betrayed the expectations of Dingzhou!

But now, there is only one battle left!

"Buzz—!!"

He slowly raised the Azure Dragon Spear, its tip trembling slightly, as if resonating with its master's will.

In an instant, a cold light surged, and a murderous aura soared to the sky!

The gun seemed to come alive, its entire body glowing with an eerie blood-red light, greedily craving more blood!

All around, the Turkic soldiers took a step back in unison, their eyes filled with fear.

This isn't human! It's clearly a demon descended to earth!

"All troops, listen to my command—"

Han Ye roared, his gaze sweeping over the remaining troops with lightning speed, his tone eerily calm.

But just then—

Suddenly, a series of whispers came from a distance behind me, chaotic yet clear.

"Ahem...it's our turn..."

"Old man, have you forgotten? We're only Dingzhou's... third line of defense..."

"Hahaha, let's go, let's go, you won't be alone on the road to the underworld..."

"Wait... wait for me... we're a family, we have to go together..."

"Father, Mother is here... Where are you?"

"My husband... I've come to be with you..."

The voice came from afar, hoarse and weak, yet carrying a calm acceptance of death.

Han Ye suddenly turned around—

Pupils suddenly contracted!

Incredible!

What they saw was neither reinforcements nor the imperial cavalry!

But -

The people!

People from Dingzhou, covering the mountains and plains, surged out from deep within the city gates!

At the very front was still that old scholar with white hair.

He no longer beat the drum, nor did he kneel in worship; he simply stepped out, with the soul of the entire city following behind him!

The elderly, the weak, women, and children all came out, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand!

They put down their hoes, pots and pans, and swaddling clothes, and picked up wooden sticks, kitchen knives, broken chairs and tables...

They didn't come here to escape.

They're here to fight to the death!

Huyan Zhuo's pupils contracted sharply, his face instantly turning ashen, and he gritted his teeth: "These lowly people... are they tired of living?!"

Yes.

They're just asking for it!

Look at what they're holding! Dry branches, rotten wood, rusty blades, broken axes... they don't even have any decent weapons!

But what about their eyes?

Brighter than a blade, hotter than a raging fire!

They came to their deaths!

Ahead, the old master roared as if his throat were being torn apart, his voice hoarse yet shaking heaven and earth:

"Ghost-faced General—"

"All citizens of Dingzhou, come forth and fight!!"

……

"Ghost-faced General—"

"All citizens of Dingzhou, come forth and fight!!"

One sound after another, like waves crashing against the shore, surged towards the center of the battlefield.

That wasn't a shout, it was a farewell.

It was the final roar of the entire city, sworn in blood!

And behind him...

Every single person in the city was present!

Men, women, young and old, unarmed, not retreating an inch!

Dingzhou has become a dead city.

There's no one guarding it anymore.

The city walls were empty, the streets and alleys were empty, even the gates of the ancestral halls were wide open, and the incense had gone out.

Because they know—

Han Ye is dying.

Since generals are destined to die on the battlefield, what's the point of them guarding their homes?

If we can't hold out, then we'll all die together!

They used their flesh and blood to ram into those savage dogs of the grasslands!

"you……"

Surrounded by a large number of soldiers, Han Ye suddenly looked up, his gaze sweeping over the group of figures rushing out, and his heart clenched painfully.

Are you crazy?!

Has everyone gone mad?!

Even these battle-hardened soldiers couldn't break through, so what are these unarmed civilians doing rushing out? Are they just going to their deaths?!

"Go back!!"

Zhong Fang's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared like thunder, almost going mad: "I am the Prefect of Dingzhou! I order you to return to the city immediately! Do you hear me! Go back!!"

But nobody listened.

Because the elderly people standing at the front all had white hair and beards, and were even a generation older than him.

Those were his father's generation, the elders he had to call "uncle" or "great-grandfather" when he was a child!

At this moment, they burst into laughter, a desolate and resolute laugh:

"Hahaha... Young man Zhong, even at a time like this, you're still putting on that official airs?"

"Remember this—we're not dying for you!"

"We are dying for Dingzhou!"

"You can insult me, I'll accept it! But who dares to insult Dingzhou? I'll risk my old bones to bite them!"

"Back when I was young, those Turkic bastards had to kneel and talk to me!"

"Today! You old geezers, follow me—!!"

Before the words were even finished, the crowd roared in unison, their footsteps thunderous, and charged out to meet the thousands of troops!

Han Ye stood there, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He couldn't feel any pain.

There was only a deep-seated sense of powerlessness, like being doused with ice water, making me shiver with cold.

The entire population of the city voluntarily walked out of the city gates and walked towards death.

This is not tragic.

This is a disgrace!

This is a disgrace to the Han people!

But Hu Yanzhuo didn't care.

He had waited too long for this moment—Han Ye was seriously injured and his soldiers had suffered heavy losses; it was the perfect opportunity to execute him!

Now look what's happened! A bunch of ants dare to jump out and cause trouble?!