I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 666 Hulao Pass! The advantage is in my hands!
Hulao Pass, also known as Sishui Pass.

Legend has it that an ancient emperor once kept a peerless demonic tiger here, hence the name.

This pass is bordered by mountains to the south and a great river to the north, with intersecting mountain ranges forming a natural barrier.

It has the imposing presence of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot break through".

Looking down from the heavens, it does indeed resemble a tiger imprisoned and a dragon trapped.

……

"The grandeur of this pass lies in the immense power of nature's creation, which is beyond human capability."

The noble families who led the vanguard to Hulao Pass climbed the pass walls and couldn't help but sigh.

The others echoed this sentiment.

"Indeed, but with this pass in place, no matter how many soldiers the Yan bandits have, they cannot do anything to us!"

To be honest, before they came, they were all filled with trepidation and anxiety because of the terrifying past record of the Yan bandits.

If it weren't for the family elders threatening them with the greater good of the family's survival, who would be willing to give up a life of comfort and wealth to fight that Yan traitor to the death?

But now that I've actually arrived at Hulao Pass, I've witnessed its grandeur and perilousness firsthand.

In an instant, their fear dissipated by more than half, and they were even inspired by the grandeur of the pass, which gave rise to an unprecedented surge of heroic spirit.

"Who says that we, the sons of noble families, only know how to enjoy wealth and luxury and never strive for progress?"

"When the Yan bandit army approaches, I will meet them!"

"I want to see just how much of his reputation for being invincible in the past is true!"

Upon hearing this, a burst of laughter immediately erupted from the walls of Hulao Pass.

"This is so true!"

"A true man should live in this world, and his achievements should be within his grasp!"

"This battle is a perfect opportunity to use the infamous reputation of that Yan traitor to help us become famous throughout the world!"

Aristocratic families, families that have been prominent for generations.

In terms of wealth and status, they were already the most fortunate in the world from the moment they were born.

But when it comes to the word "name," they fall far short.

The thought that after this battle, they would stand on the head of that Yan traitor and become famous throughout the world at Hulao Pass filled all the noble families present with burning desire.

From initial anxiety and fear, I've now even begun to look forward to the arrival of the Yan thief.

In fact, Han Shao and his Zhenliao Army did not keep them waiting for long.

Almost immediately after they arrived at Hulao Pass, the figures of the Zhenliao Black Armored Army appeared in the distance below the pass walls.

This discovery immediately calmed down the group of noble families who had just been filled with enthusiasm.

And he was secretly filled with lingering fear.

Almost!
Just a little!
If it weren't for the constant urging and pressure from their elders at home, which forced them to speed up their march and arrive at Hulao Pass ahead of schedule, they would have been able to achieve their goal.

If the Yan rebels' Zhenliao army were to capture this strategic pass first, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Fortunately, all of this is just hypothetical.

Upon seeing the black-armored cavalrymen of Zhenliao appear beneath the pass walls, and witnessing the countless soldiers on the walls, they sighed in despair and eventually retreated. The noble families and high-ranking officials then burst into laughter with delight.

"Haha, now it's that Yan thief who should be having a headache."

At that moment, they seemed to already see the Zhenliao Army launching a fierce attack on the pass, leaving behind a mountain of corpses at the foot of the pass walls.

"Hulao, Hulao, what a brilliant name for this pass!"

Some people seemed puzzled upon hearing this.

"What's so wonderful about it?"

The general from Hulao Pass laughed heartily as he spoke.

"You may not know this, but the Yan bandits once defeated the Wuhuan in the north and became famous throughout the world in one battle."

"At that time, there was a great Confucian scholar, known as the Fierce Tiger of Liaodong!"

"Now, even a mighty tiger encounters this formidable barrier of Hulao Pass. Is this not fate?"

In this world, there is a lineage of scholars with lofty ideals, and even the Confucian school, which possesses one of the three great sacred sites, has its own study of prophecies and apocryphal texts.

Therefore, the concept of destiny is not entirely unfounded, but rather has real traces to follow.

When Guan said this, all the generals and soldiers from aristocratic families present were invigorated and their faces lit up with joy.

"Haha, I knew it!"

"That Yan bandit is of lowly birth; even if he gains some luck for a time, it's nothing but a fluke!"

"Now it seems that in the end, it was nothing more than a wedding dress made for us noble families!"

Haha!

Born into poverty, do they deserve to enjoy their fate peacefully?

As it turns out, God does have eyes!

Know that people are divided into noble and lowly!

This destiny has finally been bestowed upon them, those born into noble lineages whose fate is unchanging through countless generations!
In these noble families where generations of officials have held high positions!

In an instant, the morale on the walls of Hulao Pass soared.

Especially considering that before his departure, Princess Yin of Xingping had promised that he would not hesitate to bestow a title of kingship upon anyone who could take the head of the traitor Han Shao.

The generals of Hulao Pass were filled with surging emotions.

Looking at the ever-growing black-armored soldiers of Zhenliao in the distance, each of them had a burning desire in their eyes.

"A true man should seize this opportunity to make a name for himself!"

……

The Zhenliao Army arrived very quickly.

A group of noble families who led troops to reinforce the area arrived at Hulao Pass on August 19th.

On the 20th, a large number of Zhenliao Iron Cavalry from the vanguard appeared at Hulao Pass.

On that day, those black-armored tigers and wolves who guarded Liaodong did not even have a moment to rest before their generals led their troops to the foot of the pass, pointing their spears directly at the pass walls.

"You lowly rats on the city wall, who dares to fight me?"

Seeing that no one inside the pass responded, he then unleashed a torrent of vulgarities.

As he got carried away with his insults, the group of black-armored tigers and wolves behind him burst into laughter, unleashing their full power of humiliation and mockery.

The original generals of Hulao Pass didn't seem to mind.

It's just a matter of saying a few words, it won't hurt you.

But those military officers from aristocratic families couldn't stand it.

They were born into nobility; how could they have imagined that one day someone would dare to insult them like this?

So even though the guards of Hulao Pass tried their best to stop them, some people, filled with rage, chose to lead their troops out of the city, determined to cut down that foul-mouthed scoundrel who was in charge of suppressing filth.

Unfortunately, although he was brave and his cultivation was not weak, he was even slightly stronger than the general of the Zhenliao Army on the other side.

However, the result was that the two sides only clashed briefly before the other side pierced through the chest cavity with a single spear thrust.

He was then suspended in mid-air by the long pole.

Not quite dead yet, he screamed in agony under the intense stimulation of pain.

The general of Zhenliao Army was extremely skilled, and no matter how much he struggled to escape, it was to no avail.

When his troops who had come out of the pass to meet the enemy were swiftly slaughtered by the Zhenliao Black Armorers as if cutting melons and vegetables, the Zhenliao general carried him all the way back and forth around Hulao Pass, laughing loudly.

"The world is so rich and fertile, yet it's used to support useless people like you! What a waste!"

In my opinion, you should surrender!

"If my king is pleased, perhaps he might spare your lives! Haha—"

The mocking words, along with the general's miserable screams, spread throughout Hulao Pass under the influence of magic.

This caused everyone who witnessed the battle from the wall to turn pale.

Only at this moment did they wake up in horror.

A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

The rumors about the formidable strength of the Zhenliao Tiger and Wolf are true.

In an instant, the wall that had been filled with angry curses and disdain fell silent.

Many scions of noble families who had never experienced battle before had their faces drained of color, their eyes filled with fear and terror.

At this moment, the swallow general made a move once again.

Without any apparent movement, the thick lance in his hand shot through the air towards Hulao Pass.

Along with the spear, the gatekeeper, who was hanging on the spearhead, was also shot towards the gate wall.

hum-

puff-

The sharp spearhead pierced through the stone wall in an instant, and the general was pinned to the character "Tiger" in the name of "Hulao Pass".

Blood meandered down the spear shaft, smearing and staining the unhidden characters red. In this way, the original "Hulao Pass" was transformed into "Lock Pass".

In an instant, its former imposing presence vanished, leaving only a ridiculous and laughable appearance.

"Haha! Prison! A circle drawn on the ground, a prison!"

"What a great name! What a wonderful name!"

Having said that, he led his fierce and ruthless subordinates and rode off on his magnificent Liaodong horse.

But at that very moment, the general who had been nailed to the lintel of Hulao Pass by a spear was still alive and screaming in agony.

Only after the swallow had gone far away did Guan Jiang on the gate wall finally seem to realize what was happening and hurriedly flew to save it.

After all, letting him continue to wail in agony would really affect the morale of the troops.

However, just as he was about to free the man, another spear shot through the air without warning, pinning him to the wall as well.

"Do not move, or you will die!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it exuded an extremely domineering aura.

The generals on the gate tower all turned ashen-faced, their anger reaching its peak.

But after exchanging a glance, no one actually moved.

After all, they came to this pass to become famous. If they die now, what does any glory have to do with a dead man?
"Ahem, let these Yan thieves be arrogant for a while."

"Once the great war begins, we will surely avenge this great humiliation!"

The rest of the people nodded in agreement.

That's very true.

As for the colleague still nailed to the lintel of the closed wall, although they couldn't save him, they could at least shut him up and stop making such a fuss.

The next moment, someone drew a bow and shot an arrow.

In an instant, everyone's ears were quiet.

……

To everyone's surprise, in the following days, the ever-growing number of Yan bandits on the other side did not choose to continue challenging the city.

Instead, they actually set up a camp right in front of them, on the opposite side of the wall.

It seems they intend to besiege them and maintain a long-term standoff.

This discovery immediately brought a sigh of relief to everyone at Hulao Pass.

After all, if the other side keeps taunting and insulting them, even if they can swallow their anger and choose to turn a blind eye, the blow to morale will be real.

As for a siege?
joke!

Are they afraid of this?
It should be noted that in order to prevent the Yan bandits from invading the capital, every family and sect has spared no expense, and all kinds of military supplies and materials have been piled up like mountains, if not exhausted.

If this drags on, they could hold out against the Zhenliao Army for eight or ten years, let alone one or two!
However, if the Zhenliao Army doesn't choose to launch a full-scale attack, they won't be able to make a name for themselves with the mighty Hulao Pass!

"Alas, the formidable pass is here, yet those Yan thieves are as cowardly as mice, which is truly disappointing."

After a few days of quiet, some people seemed to have gradually forgotten about the corpse on the lintel of the gate and even began to complain.

And it seems that it was to avoid disappointing these people.

August 23rd.

Suddenly, the Zhenliao Army camp opposite them made a move.

boom--

A deafening thunderclap, like the wrath of the heavens, resounded.

The next moment, the ground shook violently beneath their feet.

Everyone in Hulao Pass turned pale.

Some people reacted the fastest, exclaiming the moment the loud noise came.

"It's the Zhenliao Army's Mountain-Shaking Cannon!"

There are cannons in Zhenliao.

They conquered cities and fortresses without ever failing to achieve their goals.

The reputation of this battlefield weapon has even surpassed that of the Zhenliao Iron Cavalry, which the Zhenliao Army originally relied on to dominate the world.

And as their adversaries, how could they possibly not take countermeasures?

The moment they arrived at Hulao Pass, they immediately strengthened the city's defenses.

Urban reinforcement is just the basics.

What they truly relied on was the city-protecting formation that they had hastily set up using countless resources and powerful cultivators from various families!

This is also why no truly great cultivators have appeared at the closed wall in recent days.

It can be said that as long as the great formation remains intact, Hulao Pass is unbreakable.

"Don't panic, the great formation is complete. No matter how many tricks that Yan traitor has, he can't do anything to us!"

With the confident assurances of powerful cultivators from various sects, the people inside Hulao Pass indeed managed to remain calm despite the alarm.

However, as time went on, everyone inevitably became anxious.

Because the giant cannons in the Zhenliao Army camp opposite were roaring, and from the moment they started, they never stopped.

A moment or two, a day or two...

Gradually, many people in Hulao Pass could no longer bear it.

The enormous noises that kept crashing down on one's head, even with the protection of a powerful array, were enough to shake one's soul and cause a mental breakdown.

"This goes on day after day, hour after hour, when will it ever end!"

"Or, let's go out and fight those Yan thieves!"

Those who used to be so concerned with the honor and dignity of their aristocratic families now had bloodshot eyes and looked extremely haggard after a few days.

While the powerful figures who truly control everything are no longer as glorious as before, they have ultimately gained a certain stability.

Faced with these younger men's requests to join the fight, they simply said one thing.

"No hurries?"

"The more the Yan thief acts this way, the more it shows that he is afraid to act against us and can't do anything to us!"

"To lose our composure at this moment and hastily leave the city to challenge the enemy would be playing right into the hands of the Yan rebels."

Upon hearing this, the younger generation from each family remained anxious.

"We can't keep passively taking hits like this!"

"If word gets out, won't people laugh at us for being cowards?"

Seeing how impetuous these younger generations were, the powerful cultivators present sighed inwardly with some disappointment.

These descendants were born into wealth and never experienced any major hardships.

Despite their reputation as outstanding talents, only their own family knows the truth; it's all just mutual flattery.

When faced with a truly significant event, their true colors are revealed.

However, now was not the time for them to discipline the younger generation, so they could only suppress their temper and speak in a deep voice.

"Please be patient."

"The one in a hurry right now isn't us, it's that Yan traitor!"

As he spoke, the powerful cultivator waved his sleeve and snorted coldly.

"In a few more days, once our million-strong army arrives from the rear, the formidable Hulao Pass will firmly hold back the Yan bandits!"

"At that time, no matter how many supernatural powers the Yan traitor possesses, he will be nothing more than a tiger in a prison!"

He won't be able to escape even if he grows wings!

His words exuded the unparalleled charisma of the Chairman, who declared, "In this battle, we have 600,000 troops against 800,000; the advantage lies with us!"

……

The upper reaches of the Ji River are the Yellow River.

If we compare it to Han Shao's previous life, it would be the 'river' of peace and tranquility.

At this moment, the river was shrouded in mist.

If you get closer and look carefully, you can vaguely see the shadowy silhouette of a warship appearing and disappearing within it.

This thick fog was not formed naturally, but rather by an array.

Gongsun Xinyi's beautiful brows furrowed slightly as she looked at the Tian Shu treasure ship, which served as the flagship.

When do you plan to attack Hulao Pass?

Looking into those beautiful eyes that had once captivated him at first sight, Han Shao smiled.

"The perilous and majestic Hulao Pass is unparalleled in the world."

"To break through it, I don't know how many lives will be sacrificed."

"So why should I attack it?"

……

(End of this chapter)