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

"Little girl, are you tired of living?!" Huyan Zhuo roared in fury, swinging his giant sword to meet the attack.

The two men's weapons clashed, sparks flying everywhere!

At this moment, Han Ye finally couldn't hold on any longer.

He knelt on one knee, using the gun barrel as a support to barely keep his body upright; his fingertips were white, and his lips were ashen.

But he still looked up, his eyes fixed on the battle.

As long as he is alive—

This killing will never end.

He rode on his horse, but his figure was like a candle in the wind, swaying precariously, as if he would fall off the horse's back at any moment!

And at this moment—

Han Ye's eyes flashed like knives as he stared intently ahead, his pupils shrinking sharply: The Turkic army was in chaos!

The Turkic army, which boasted 50,000 iron cavalry, was no longer the menacing force it once was.

After several hours of fierce fighting, the dead and wounded had already exceeded 20,000! Corpses littered the fields, horses neighed mournfully, and the war drums were almost too quiet to beat!

Han Ye's men were all wounded, exhausted, and covered in blood; even their hands holding knives were trembling... But what about the enemy? Were they completely unharmed?

joke!

They had long been worn down by Han Ye and his group's desperate efforts, their will crumbling and their fighting spirit collapsing like a sandcastle, just one last straw away from breaking the camel's back.

And now-

Li Yingge led eight thousand elite troops from the horizon, like a thunderbolt tearing through the night, striking straight into the heart of the Turkic army!

In that instant, it was as if a sharp blade pierced his heart, and blood exploded!

Huyan Zhuo's already crumbling army finally collapsed completely!

"kill--!"

"Slay the barbarians, protect our land!!"

The shouts of battle were deafening, the flashes of blades were intense, and blood splattered like rain. The "splatter" sound was incessant, as if death was whispering in one's ear.

The defeated soldiers scattered and fled, only to be caught up by the Tang army and beheaded. Their heads rolled into the mud and water, their eyes still filled with terror.

"Tick-tock..."

"Tick-tock, tick-tock..."

A light drizzle began to fall from the sky, initially gentle, but quickly turning into a torrential downpour, crashing down and washing away the crimson stains on the ground, turning the soil into a dark brown blood-red mess.

Xiahou Dun collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving violently, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper had been scraped across his skin: "General...we...don't we...have to die?"

Han Ye closed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded slightly.

Yes.

They survived.

It wasn't a fluke; it was a life fought for with one's life!

……

"Splash—!"

The rain poured down harder and harder, turning the world into a vast expanse of gray.

The Battle of Dingzhou was finally coming to an end.

The Turkic army suffered a complete defeat; their flags fell, their warhorses neighed, and the remaining soldiers fled in terror, their former ferocity completely gone.

Huyan Zhuo's eyes were bloodshot when he finally saw the Tang Dynasty female general riding towards him—Li Yingge!

She sent three guards flying with a single spear thrust; her spear, like a dragon, aimed straight for his throat!

"puff--!"

The spear tip pierced through the shoulder blade, and blood spurted out!

Huyan Zhuo roared in pain as his entire arm was instantly crippled, his tiger's mouth split open, and his battle axe crashed to the ground.

He was stunned.

The mighty warrior, the greatest of the Turks, was driven to the brink of despair by a woman?!

What a disgrace! An utter disgrace!!

"Retreat! Retreat now—!"

He roared angrily and turned to flee.

But how could Li Yingge let him leave?

"withdraw?"

She sneered, and with a sudden sweep of her spear, a gust of wind howled, she slammed Huyan Zhuo off his horse and crashed heavily into the mud!

She looked down at him, the gun tip pressed against his throat, her cold eyes like frost:

"You dare to talk about 'withdrawal' in front of me, Li Yingge?"

In that instant, she was like a war goddess descending from the heavens, her silver armor stained with blood, her long hair flying, her imposing presence stunning the entire audience!

"Take it down!"

At a command, several armored soldiers rushed forward, pinned Huyan Zhuo down, and shackled him.

On the battlefield, the outcome is already decided.

But as Li Yingge's gaze swept across the area, she suddenly sensed something was amiss—

"Where is the Ghost-Faced General?!"

Her heart skipped a beat. She looked around, only to find that not only him, but all the soldiers wearing ghost masks had vanished without a trace!

She rode swiftly, searching through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Finally, she found them beside a pile of corpses.

"Splash..."

The torrential rain poured down, drenching the cold armor and sliding down the broken blade.

Han Ye lay in the mud, covered in blood, his armor shattered, his face smeared with blood and rain, making him almost unrecognizable.

He kept his eyes open, but he was too weak to get up.

Beside him were his remaining soldiers, lying one by one on this land that had buried the people of Dingzhou, like a pack of lone wolves who had exhausted their last strength.

They no longer fight.

They were just lying there.

Let the rain wash over the wounds, let the chill seep into the bone marrow.

But they laughed.

Han Ye gazed at the gray sky, his voice hoarse like embers in the wind:

"We...we survived after all."

He paused, then whispered:

"What a pity... there's not a single living person left in Dingzhou."

He slowly closed his eyes and murmured:

"Old Lu, I promised you... I would collect your bodies and carry your coffins back to your hometown..."

His breathing became heavy, and his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"I'm so tired... let me sleep for a while..."

"Don't call me... I really... can't take it anymore..."

All around, only the sound of rain remained.

Splash, splash.

Heaven and earth were silent, all sounds were still.

Those who are alive sleep peacefully in the rain.

The dead sleep in the mud.

The battle is over.

The clamor on the battlefield collapsed the moment Huyan Zhuo was captured alive.

The Turkic army collapsed like an avalanche, horses trampling and men fleeing, leaving only broken flags and tattered blades rolling in the mud.

In a short while, the desolate wasteland, littered with corpses, became eerily quiet, with only the rain pouring down, pounding on the armor and the dead bodies with a dull "patter".

The wind and rain were dark and gloomy, and blood mixed with rainwater meandered through the ravines.

Right there in this hellish battlefield—

Han Ye and his group simply lay there and fell asleep.

Not only Li Yingge, but all the Tang soldiers who rushed over were stunned.

Sleep? In a place like this?!

Amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and torrential rain, how could they possibly close their eyes?!

Li Yingge's eyes widened in disbelief, her lips slightly parted. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

Her guards behind her held their breath, one of them swallowed hard and murmured, "...They're not asleep, they're completely exhausted."

A single sentence, like a knife cutting through the silence.

Li Yingge's heart skipped a beat.

Yes.

If one did not witness the arrival of reinforcements with one's own eyes, and if one did not know that there were people supporting the defense behind them—who could close their eyes at such a critical moment?

They dared to sleep because... they believed Li Yingge would come.

This trust is as heavy as a mountain, but it also proves—

They really pushed themselves to the limit.

Exhausted, completely drained, he couldn't even lift the hand that held the knife.

"Tap! Tap! Tap—"

Warhorses pounded through the rain, and Li Yingge rode slowly, approaching the figure covered in black armor step by step.

She dismounted, her boots sinking into the bloody mud, making a soft sucking sound.

Her gaze fell on the hideous ghost mask on the ground, and her breath hitched slightly.

"Ghost-faced General...who exactly are you?"

"What is your relationship with Han Ye?"

She had seen Han Ye once from afar when she was a child, but her memory of him was now hazy.

But the person in front of her stirred up a storm of emotions within her, her curiosity entwining her like vines.

She slowly squatted down, her fair, jade-like hand reaching out to lightly touch the cold metal mask with her fingertips.

"General..." the guard behind him couldn't help but whisper, his voice strained.

Revealing the Ghost-Faced General's true face to everyone? This is a taboo that will cause an uproar!

But Li Yingge didn't care.

All she wanted to know was who this legendary, fearsome "Ghost Face" really was!

Her fingers were already gripping the edge of the mask; with just a gentle lift—

"Buzz!"

The world seemed to fall silent for a moment.

Han Ye suddenly opened his eyes!

Those eyes were like a hawk piercing through the clouds, flashing with a cold light, unfathomable, as if they could pierce through one's soul!

"Snapped!"

A large, iron-like hand suddenly shot up and instantly gripped Li Yingge's wrist. The force was so great that half of her body stiffened!

"you--!"

Her pupils constricted sharply, and she took a half-step back in shock, but was firmly restrained.

She thought he was fast asleep, which is why she dared to test him.

Who knew this guy... hadn't completely lost consciousness at all?!

"General!"

The guards drew their swords in unison, surrounded the area, and charged forward, their killing intent palpable.

They didn't know anything about this masked general, let alone what he would do after waking up.

But in the next instant—

Han Ye's gaze fell on her face, and his eyes suddenly relaxed.

That moment of sharpness receded like a receding tide.

"call……"

His head tilted to the side, and he crashed heavily back onto the muddy ground, losing consciousness again, his breathing weak but steady.

Li Yingge stood frozen in place, her heart still pounding. She muttered under her breath, "Damn it... could she really be dead?"

She didn't bother to remove her mask and hurriedly reached out to check his breath.

But as soon as it moved—

My arm was gripped tightly again!

Even when she was unconscious, Han Ye's hand still held her like an iron clamp, the veins on his fingers bulging, his strength astonishing!

"Can't break free?!"

Her brows were furrowed, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

She was a mighty female general, unmatched on the battlefield, yet now she was being subdued by a comatose man with one hand.

"What terrifying force..."

She gritted her teeth and exerted her strength, finally pulling her arm away, leaving a ring of purplish-red finger marks on her palm.

This grip was not just a matter of strength, but an instinctive reaction forged on the brink of life and death.

This person... even when asleep, is a ferocious beast ready to pounce at any moment.

at the same time……

A slight blush rose to Li Yingge's cheeks, and her eyes flickered.

As a battle-hardened female general, she had seen countless lives lost under her blade. How could she have ever let someone so easily grab her arm? Especially a man!

The sensation from her fingertips made her heart skip a beat, and her breathing slowed down.

The guards behind him had already quietly checked his breathing, and now they returned to report, their voices low: "General, General Ghost Face is still breathing, he's just unconscious. He'll wake up after a while..."

Li Yingge frowned and asked coldly, "Since you're not dead, why are you sighing?"

The guard's throat bobbed, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "But... the other masked soldiers... once they fell, there was no chance of survival."

boom--!

A single sentence struck her like a thunderbolt, causing Li Yingge's pupils to shrink sharply.

died?

Is he really... dead?

It wasn't defeat, it wasn't a rout, but rather—fighting until the very last drop of fuel was gone, burning themselves to ashes!

She turned around abruptly, her gaze sweeping over the figures lying scattered on the ground.

Some people were still breathing weakly, while others had already become one with the mud, indistinguishable from life and death.

What exactly are these masked men guarding?

She didn't know where they came from, nor did she know their names, but she knew one thing—

If they hadn't formed a wall of flesh and blood, and hadn't risked their lives to hold off Huyan Zhuo's iron cavalry, they would have worn them down to pieces...

Their army could not possibly be defeated so easily!

But now?

Victory belongs to Li Yingge, and to the imperial army.

They fell in the darkest night before dawn, like a group of unknown, lonely souls.

Li Yingge's eyes burned, and her voice was extremely low, yet carried an undeniable solemnity: "Uncle Liu, bring the tent roof over them to shelter them from the rain, so they can... get a good night's sleep."

The order was given, and no one hesitated.

In the blink of an eye, tattered tent cloths were propped up and draped over those utterly exhausted bodies.

The rainwater was kept out, the blood flowed along the gullies, and the earth was still permeated with a pungent, fishy smell.

They lay amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood—

The bodies of the people of Dingzhou, piled on top of the remains of the soldiers of Dingzhou, covered the entire outskirts of the city.

Where are those people who were laughing and joking yesterday?

When Han Ye led three thousand elite cavalrymen to the city, Zhong Fang greeted him with wine, Master Jiang stroked his beard and recited poetry, and Old Lu held his son and laughed heartily...

At that time, the lights reflected on people's faces, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, as if the golden age would last forever.

today--

The city was silent, save for the weeping of the wind and rain.

Of the three thousand iron cavalry, only a few hundred remnants remained, barely clinging to life.

Those who are alive struggle even to raise their hands; those who are dead are already cold.

This isn't a battle.

This is like digging out lives bit by bit and filling them into the trenches of the battlefield!

Han Ye had a dream while he was in a coma.

The sky cleared up.

He opened his eyes and saw that the city gate of Dingzhou was brightly lit, as if it were never dark.

On the city wall, figures moved about—Zhong Fang stood side by side with his wife, Master Jiang was giving a lecture, Old Lu was teasing a child, and children were running and playing in the streets and alleys…

Everyone was there, all smiling, their faces glowing, as if they were home.

"You guys?" Han Ye was stunned, his throat dry.

Zhong Fang turned around, bowed deeply, and smiled warmly: "Thank you, General. We...we're finally home."

Yes.

They went home.

And you're still here, lying in the blood and mud.

……

boom!

His consciousness snapped back to reality, and Han Ye opened his eyes, but there were no lights in front of him.

Only the gray sky and the deathly silence after the torrential rain remained.

Dingzhou is empty.

A city, not a single person remained.

It's all gone.

The rain had stopped, and the blood had been washed away, leaving only the corpses lying stiffly on the ground, silently telling the tragic story of last night.

"General."

A soft call came from the side.

Xiahou Dun sat up, his face pale, but he still forced himself to look at him.

Han Ye slowly sat up and looked around.

More than a hundred tiger and leopard riders woke up one after another, rubbing their shoulders and legs, gritting their teeth and stretching their muscles.

There are still hundreds of people lying there, motionless—whether from exhaustion or... never to wake up again.

In the distance, Li Yingge's army was busy organizing their camp in an orderly manner.

Han Ye watched quietly, without saying a word or immediately stepping forward.

He knew he had won the battle.

But he knew even better—

Some people risked their lives for this victory.

And the world may never remember their names.

He paused for a moment, then raised his hand and pointed to the Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry behind him, his voice low but clear: "Enough, go and wake them up."

I've rested enough; I'll sleep again on the way back to Dingzhou.

The words fell.

Xiahou Dun shuddered, his eyes suddenly reddened, his lips pressed tightly together, and he remained silent.