Douluo: Steal Tang San's luck and become stronger!

With this force, let alone attacking the city, they could barely form an effective encirclement! What's more, what about the entire Soul Master Corps? What about the main attack direction at the east gate?
Tang Lan didn't explain, but simply pointed heavily at a pre-set marker on the map of the West Gate, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Your mission is not to storm the city. At dawn, when the battle begins at the east, south, and north gates, you will assemble here and await my orders."

At that time, there will naturally be an opportunity to breach the city. The entire Soul Master Corps is under your command; you must protect them and obey the orders of the Tang Clan experts accompanying the army. Understand?

Chen Jue opened his mouth, looked at Tang Lan's deep and calm eyes, and then thought of the sword above. In the end, he forcibly suppressed his doubts and dissatisfaction, gritted his teeth and clasped his hands.

"Your humble servant... obeys!"

At the deepest hour of the night, Chen Jue led his 18,000 soldiers and 2,000 Imperial Soul Masters, each with a different expression but mostly looking puzzled, and silently moved into a dense forest outside the west gate of Dongyang City.

They perfectly concealed themselves using the terrain and darkness. From here, the towering outline of the west gate could be clearly seen not far away, as well as the flickering torches and patrolling soldiers on the city wall.

The wait was agonizing. The air was thick with the oppressive atmosphere and the scent of grass and earth that preceded a major battle. The soldiers held their breath, while the Soul Masters secretly adjusted their Soul Power. Chen Jue crouched behind a bush, his face appearing extremely pale in the dim light.

He simply couldn't understand the meaning of this order.

He couldn't help but lower his voice and speak angrily to his most trusted deputy, who was also his confidant.

"What exactly is the Grand Preceptor... no, the Prime Minister thinking? Even if the defenses of the West Gate are slightly weaker than those of the East Gate, it's still far beyond what our small force can handle! Even with the help of two thousand Soul Master Corps..."

Without heavy siege equipment and enough infantry to fill the moat and set up ladders, how could Soul Masters possibly fly up the city walls for hand-to-hand combat? Isn't this just sending us to our deaths and drawing enemy fire?

His deputy also looked worried.

"General, could it be that the Prime Minister intentionally sent us here as a feint to distract the garrison in the west? But this is too obvious. With such a small force, the enemy might not fall for it."

"A feint?"

Chen Jue snorted coldly, his gaze involuntarily drifting to a small clearing deep in the mountains.

There stood several enormous figures completely covered by thick black cloth, their outlines indistinct but their size astonishing, each nearly ten meters tall, like silent behemoths.

That was "special equipment" transported with the army and specifically assigned to the West Gate troops. It was guarded and operated by a special person sent by the Tang Clan, and even he, the commander, had no right to get close and take a closer look.

"Do you really think these few iron lumps covered in black cloth in front of us can help us break through the city? That's utterly absurd!"

Although he spoke in a low voice, in the quiet night and the tense atmosphere around him, many officers and Soul Master leaders nearby could still hear him.

As Chen Jue spoke, everyone's gaze turned to the mysterious black giants in the center of the open space, their eyes filled with doubt, curiosity, and a hint of unease.

Time ticked by in anxious waiting. Finally, a faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, the darkness began to recede slowly, and the outlines of the mountains and forests gradually became clear.

Chen Jue and his men had been lying prone in the damp, cold woods for nearly two hours. Their limbs were stiff, but their spirits were high due to the upcoming battle.

With the increasing brightness of the daylight, Chen Jue was finally able to see the outlines of the "big guys" covered by black cloth more clearly.

They weren't perfectly regular shapes; there seemed to be...wheels underneath? He squinted to examine them closely, and indeed, each of the giant objects had two enormous metal wheels underneath, which looked exceptionally heavy.

Nearby, a dozen or so Soul Masters sent by the Tang Sect, dressed in special work clothes and looking focused, were conducting a final check. They were exchanging whispers, and their hands occasionally flashed with Soul Power, as if they were adjusting something.

A Tang Sect Soul Master seemed to notice Chen Jue's probing gaze. After hesitating for a moment, he took the initiative to walk over and whispered.

"General Chen, the time is approaching. There are some things about this 'thing' that I need to explain to you and the key operators beforehand, so as to avoid any mistakes at the last minute."

Chen Jue perked up and immediately moved closer, while gesturing for the officers in charge of equipment beside him to come over.

"please say."

The Tang Sect Soul Master pointed to the nearest black giant shadow, speaking quickly but clearly.

"This object is called the 'Giant Soul Cannon,' a large-scale siege soul tool recently developed by the Soul Guidance Hall of the Tang Sect. It is specifically designed to bombard sturdy city walls, gates, and large defensive fortifications. General, you can see that it has two specially made high-quality steel load-bearing wheels at the bottom."

However, the main body of the cannon is cast from a high-density alloy, with a complex array of soul power compression and conduction embedded inside. Combined with its thick protective outer shell, the overall weight is enormous. Even when not in firing mode, stable movement requires the combined effort of at least four to six strong men or low-level strength-type soul masters to move it.

He gestured to a structure behind the gun that resembled a support and a push rod.

"We secretly transported a total of three Giant Soul Cannons to the west gate this time. It took a lot of effort for Supervisor Dingdel to lead the team and secretly transport them to this designated position."

As Chen Jue listened, his doubts lessened slightly, but were soon replaced by another question.

"How powerful is it? Can it really blast open the city gate of Dongyang? I observe that although the west gate is not as thick as the east gate, it is by no means ordinary."

A hint of pride appeared on the face of the Tang Sect Soul Master, but it quickly turned serious.

"Its power is beyond doubt. The core of the Giant Soul Cannon lies in its 'Energy Gathering Soul Chamber,' which contains a high-grade soul stone that has undergone special cutting and stabilization. Through the soul guidance array engraved inside the cannon, the enormous soul power contained in the high-grade soul stone can be extremely compressed in a very short time."

Then it was ejected all at once, forming a beam of soul energy with terrifying penetrating and explosive power. According to design data and preliminary small-scale test range, its single-shot power was enough to severely damage or even penetrate thick city gates or weak points in city walls without strong soul-guided shields at close range.

He paused, lowering his voice.

"However, General, firing a full-power shot will instantly drain all the energy from a high-grade soul stone, rendering it useless. And the value of a high-grade soul stone... even in the auction houses of major cities teeming with soul masters."

They often fetch exorbitant prices, and are extremely rare, with no market available. If it weren't for the recent exceptional luck of our Tang Clan, which resulted in the discovery of a considerable quantity of high-quality soul stones in a new mine controlled in the southwest, we would have been far from fortunate.

Even the sect leader might not have the confidence to launch such a costly and resource-intensive offensive before all forces are fully mobilized.

High-grade soul stones? Each one is worth a fortune? One shot and they're ruined? Chen Jue and the captains around him gasped in shock.

They finally understood why Tang Lan attached so much importance to the West Gate and why he had mobilized the entire Soul Master Corps there—it wasn't just for the purpose of attacking.

It was also to protect these three "money-devouring behemoths" whose consumption was terrifying! It also made it clear why the Tang Sect was able to rise so quickly, even able to mass-produce and test such expensive war weapons.

"Therefore, we don't have many opportunities, so we must strike decisively, or at least create a decisive gap for subsequent attacks."

The Tang Sect Soul Master concluded, “After the shelling, regardless of the outcome, infantry and Soul Masters must immediately follow up to expand the gains. The timing of the shelling will be determined by the signal flares in the sky. General, please be prepared.”

Chen Jue nodded heavily, his dissatisfaction and doubts replaced by a mixture of shock and tension.

He turned around and began to give final preparation orders to his officers and Soul Master leaders in a low voice, asking everyone to check their weapons and armor, and to clarify the order of charge and subsequent objectives.

As dawn broke, the outline of the west gate of Dongyang City became clearly visible, and one could even make out the faint, swaying figures behind the crenellations of the city wall. The air seemed to freeze, and every second felt exceptionally long.

suddenly!

"Whoosh—smack!"

"Whoosh—slap slap!"

Almost simultaneously, several dazzling fireworks burst forth on the eastern horizon! Crimson, indigo, bright yellow... the colors were distinct and particularly striking against the backdrop of the dawn sky, corresponding to the eastern, southern, and northern skies respectively!
Signal for the final assault!

Chen Jue's heart skipped a beat, and without any hesitation, he roared.

"Signal flare! Quickly!"

A soldier next to him, holding a specially made signal soul guide, immediately pulled the trigger.

"Whoosh—Boom!"

A crimson signal flare, trailing a long plume of flame, whistled as it ascended into the sky. Just before reaching its highest point, it exploded into a striking red ball of light, clearly visible even in the gradually brightening daylight.

At the same time, in the center of the open space, the three Tang Sect Soul Masters and their operations team also sprang into action. Together, they ripped off the thick black cloth covering the three giant Soul Cannons!
For the first time, the grotesque steel structure was fully exposed to the dawn.

Those were three massive, dark silver cannons with a rugged design and sharp lines. The cannon barrels were thick and long, with an astonishing caliber. The cannon bodies were engraved with dense, shimmering soul-guiding patterns.

It exuded a cold, metallic feel and faint fluctuations of soul power. The cannon muzzle was pointed directly at the west gate of Dongyang City, hundreds of meters away, a gate covered with thick iron plates that looked indestructible!

"Target locked! Center of the West Gate!"

"The Soul Gathering Chamber has been inspected! The high-level Soul Stone is in stable condition!"

"Soul Power Conduction Array fully activated!"

"Cannon number one is ready!"

"Cannon number two is ready!"

"Cannon number three is ready!"

The Tang Sect Soul Masters' brief, urgent reports rang out one after another. Behind each cannon position, four strong soldiers or low-level Soul Masters held firmly to the levers, stabilizing the cannon. The main Soul Master responsible for activating the cannon placed his hand on a recessed crystal panel behind the cannon.

He began frantically pouring in soul power, and the patterns on the panel lit up rapidly. A deep hum came from inside the cannon, as if a giant beast was awakening, and a chilling pale golden light began to condense at the muzzle.

"put!"

At a command, the three main soul masters simultaneously pushed their soul power to the limit!

boom--!!!
The first loud bang did not come from the muzzle of the cannon, but seemed to come from the depths of the earth, accompanied by a violent tremor of the three giant soul cannons! Three incredibly thick, pale golden beams of soul power shot out.

Like three furious golden dragons, they burst forth from the cannon muzzles, tearing through the air with ear-piercing shrieks and terrifying heat, crashing into the very center of the West Gate at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow!

Bang--!!!!

A deafening explosion, ten times more powerful than before, shook the heavens and the earth!

The entire west gate and even the walls on both sides shook violently, dust falling in a flurry. A burst of golden light flashed at the gate, blinding everyone, and a powerful shockwave of soul energy spread outwards, sweeping away all the dust and rubble in front of the gate.

As the light faded, Chen Jue hurriedly looked over and saw a shocking, enormous dent, over ten feet in diameter, in the center of the heavy iron city gate! The iron sheeting was twisted and rolled up, and the internal hardwood structure was shattered.

The city gate revealed a gruesome cross-section and charred marks. Although it was not completely breached, its structure had clearly suffered devastating damage, with obvious cracks appearing at the hinges connecting the gate to the city wall, groaning under the strain.

"it is good!"

Chen Jue couldn't help but let out a low roar; the power far exceeded his expectations!
"Quick! Load the second round! Target unchanged!"

The Tang Sect Soul Master's roar was urgent. The operations team acted swiftly; someone quickly opened a latch on the rear of the cannon and took out a piece that had become dull and lifeless.

The other person immediately inserted a new, high-grade soul stone, gleaming with a lustrous sheen, into the soul chamber, replacing the cracked, broken stone. The entire process, though well-trained, still took about ten seconds.

Chaos had broken out on the city walls. Clearly, this sudden and terrifying attack had completely caught the defenders off guard. Panic-stricken shouts and frantic whistles filled the air.

The shouts of officers mingled with the sounds of battle cries. Many soldiers peered out from behind the crenellations, staring in horror at the three menacing cannons and the badly damaged city gate below.

"put!"

After the second wave of soul power infusion was completed, the main soul masters' faces turned pale, clearly indicating that driving this giant cannon had also taken a huge toll on them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three pale golden beams roared out once more, striking precisely the huge depression in the center of the city gate!

This time, the results were immediate!

With an even more violent, earth-shattering roar, the already ravaged city gate could no longer hold on, and its central section completely collapsed! Countless huge pieces of wood, burning or emitting blue smoke, twisted iron sheets, and broken bolts littered the ground.

Like an explosion, it shot inward and outward! A huge, jagged gap appeared in the west city wall! Through the gap, one could even see a blurry view of the city streets!
The city gate has been breached!
Chen Jue's mouth gaped open instantly, his eyes widened, and his face was filled with disbelief and shock.

All the officers, soldiers, and soul masters around him were completely dumbfounded. The incredibly sturdy city gate... it really was that simple, blasted open by just three cannon shots? The power of that giant soul cannon was simply terrifying!
"General! The city gates have been breached!"

His deputy's exclamation pulled him back to reality from his shock. (End of Chapter)