The Ancestral Legacy Begins in the Wild West

Chapter 113 Slaying and Breaking Through

"Whoosh!" A flash of light.

However, when the sword was drawn from its sheath in the Bingzi year, Zhang Chang'an, empowered by the Eye of Death, decisively stepped back half a step and drew his sword the instant they reacted.

Just as Tachibana turned his head, the blade sliced ​​across his neck. A large amount of blood gushed out, splattering onto the wall.

His eyes widened, his mouth opened but he couldn't say anything, and then his body collapsed.

At the same time, Yagyu Muneyoshi also made a move.

His chains were also loosened, and because of his training, his attack flexibility far surpassed that of Tachibana Muneshige.

Although his hands were still bound, his legs were freed. His martial arts skills were not limited to the knife-free grabbing technique. The moment he broke free, he raised his legs and kicked hard, his whole body like an arrow, and his feet kicked straight at the earthen face.

Hijikata's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could draw his sword, he saw Zhang Chang'an's long sword twist again. He didn't turn around, or even look. Bingzi Jiaolin drew an arc in the air, retracting from Tachibana's neck, and then slashed down, striking Yagyu's legs.

chap!

The legs, which were kicking in mid-air, were severed at the knees.

Liu Sheng immediately lost his balance and fell forward. Zhang Chang'an gripped the knife in a reverse grip, turned around, and stabbed it behind him. The tip of the knife pierced Liu Sheng's chest and went straight through his heart.

Blood slowly flowed from his blade, spreading across the ground. Hijikata stood frozen, his hand still on the hilt of the sword, not yet drawn.

Zhang Chang'an had already sheathed his sword, flicked the blood off it, and glanced at the two corpses. After confirming their deaths, he calmly remarked, "I knew these two would react—but did the Shogunate's actions come so quickly?"

Zhang Chang'an frowned in thought, then turned to look at Tu Fang, who was still standing there in a daze: "Never mind, let's go up first."

As Zhang Chang'an rushed to the ground, another shell landed deep inside the garrison.

"boom--!"

The entire building shook violently, and the beams and pillars creaked under the strain.

Tiles slid off the roof and shattered on the ground. Smoke and dust mingled together, making it hard to open one's eyes.

Zhang Chang'an then realized that the previous explosion had come not only from explosives, but also from artillery shells: "Looks like they're serious now ————————"

"They've even brought in something like this."

He crouched low and rushed forward, hugging the base of the wall.

Suddenly, the window on the left burst open, and three figures leaped in from the outside. They were clearly foot soldiers of the shogunate, swords in hand, who pounced on him as soon as they saw him.

Fortunately, Zhang Chang'an had anticipated this situation, and he was least afraid of surprise attacks.

Just like in the basement before, the Eye of Death froze time around him.

As soon as the first person landed, Zhang Chang'an raised his hand and slashed his throat with a knife.

Before the second man could even raise his knife, he was kicked in the chest, sending him flying backward and crashing into the wall.

The third person was stunned for a moment, then turned to run away. Zhang Chang'an took half a step forward and slashed the third person in the back with his backhand, causing the third person to fall to the ground.

In just two breaths, all three of them collapsed in front of him.

After that, Zhang Chang'an didn't linger in the same spot and walked straight through the corridor, bypassing them.

Pushing open the half-open, crooked door, you'll find yourself in the lobby.

A dozen or so corpses lay scattered haphazardly in the hall. Some wore the light blue haori of Shinsengumi members, while others wore the black tunics of Shogunate foot soldiers. Blood meandered along the cracks in the floor, forming small puddles.

Kondo Isami stood at the very front, while Kotetsu was still dripping blood. His haori was splattered with blood, some of his own and some of others', but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.

Hijikata Toshizo arrived before Zhang Chang'an and was standing beside Kondo, his sword Izumi no Kami Kanesada pointing diagonally at the ground. His breathing was a little rapid, but his hand holding the sword remained steady.

Saito leaned against a pillar, his body bearing several new wounds, his face pale, but he did not fall down.

Okita, protecting the two soldiers behind him, had his bandages, once again soaked with blood, from the knife wounds he had been wearing. He saw Zhang Chang'an, grinned, but his smile was clearly tinged with blood.

Most of the other seriously wounded should have already been moved to the rear. In the courtyard outside the main hall, the first batch of shogunate foot soldiers who rushed in had all fallen.

But outside the courtyard, even more dark figures were clearly gathering. The barrels of muskets were faintly visible in the morning mist, ready to fire the next volley at any moment.

"Waaah————"

In the distance, the whistling sound of shells falling could be heard again.

"Get down!"

Kondo Isami shouted, and everyone instinctively lowered their bodies.

boom-!

The shells landed on the east side of the garrison, in the direction of the stables. The sounds of exploding timber, the neighing of horses, and the screams of men mingled together.

Zhang Chang'an raised his head and shook the dust off his clothes. He glanced at the people around him and asked, "Do you have any other strongholds?"

Hijikata Toshizo stared at him, his brows furrowed: "No, we've always only been active here."

Kondo Isami remained silent. His gaze fell on the dark figures outside, his expression grave: "We can't stay in the barracks any longer. The next shell might land right in the lobby."

"Which way then?" Saito asked helplessly. "We only have one base in Kyoto. Once we step outside this gate, we'll be surrounded by shogunate personnel."

The other Shinsengumi members looked at each other, none of them able to answer the question.

At this point, Zhang Chang'an suggested, "Let's head towards the edge of the city."

Everyone looked at him.

"Those working-class neighborhoods on the outskirts of Kyoto," he said. "You patrol them every day, so you should know them better than I do."

Hijikata Toshizo immediately raised a question: "You're a craftsman, you have a workshop over there, you have a legitimate status. We can't do that."

"You have knives." Zhang Chang'an shook his head helplessly. "At times like these, you always have to resort to some drastic measures. Or, if you believe in your prestige among the people, you can always find someone to help you."

"The key is that so many anti-shogunate patriots were able to hide in Kyoto for so long because they stayed in the suburbs or civilian areas. The alleys were narrow and the terrain was chaotic, so the shogunate's large forces couldn't just enter, and it was also difficult to use guns and cannons. They could only send small teams to search."

"Furthermore, Sakamoto Ryoma left before you. He should be over there by now."

As Chief Kondo listened, he decisively sidestepped and shattered a shrapnel bullet that was about to fly into the room: "Go find Ryoma for help?"

Hijikata Toshizo stared at him, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something. But before he could speak, another whooshing sound came from outside.

"boom--!"

This time it was even closer. The impact cracked the wall of the lobby, and dust fell in a flurry.

Kondo Isami finally stopped hesitating, stood up, and brandished Kotetsu: "Everyone, prepare to break out!"

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

Zhang Chang'an also gripped the Bingzi Jiaolin tightly, his gaze piercing through the smoke and landing on the countless dark figures.

"The era our ancestors lived in was truly remarkable—without a moment's carelessness, they ended up right in the middle of the battlefield."

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