As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 346 The Six Brothers' Bitter Journey

The shadows that lurk in the night will always recede.

When the sun pierces the dark sky and a new day arrives, all the schemes and battles of the night will be realized in the daylight.

The sky was clear and the military formation was impeccable.

Tens of thousands of elite Northern Lie troops arrived at the city gates in a grand procession, besieging the city.

After days of rapid travel, they hadn't had a proper rest upon arrival and had been subjected to two nighttime raids.

Their morale wasn't actually very good; some of the weaker soldiers couldn't hide their exhaustion.

However, there was no time to allow them to rest.

At the very center of the military formation, a powerful veteran general sat astride his steed, gazing sharply at the majestic ancient capital that had stood for hundreds of years.

Exhausted troops are not fit for battle.

This is the most basic principle in military strategy, which Tian Hong, a veteran general who has spent his life on the battlefield, naturally understands.

But time is everything.

He can't wait any longer!

Take a day off. Maybe Mingchen will come to harass us again tonight, or maybe he won't.

If he goes to great lengths to scheme, set up ambushes, and guard against his opponents, he will fall into their rhythm.

Now, he must attack the city.

We must wear down our opponent's strength and seize the opportunity to take this most important strategic location.

"Soldiers, ahead lies Yueyang City, the capital of the Qian Yuan dynasty."

"Our Northern Lie has never reached this place in hundreds of years; only you all here have accomplished it!"

"Qian Yuan was tyrannical, and turmoil was frequent. His fate was sealed. However, the ruler of my Northern Lie Kingdom was favored by the gods and received the will of Heaven to unify the land."

Tian Hong personally raised the commander's flag and waved it vigorously. The flag fluttered in the wind, and the old general's voice carried far and wide: "Now, let us press on and break through the city gates. When the world is unified, our names will be engraved in the history books and recorded for all eternity."

As his voice faded.

Horns were blown and war drums were beaten on both sides.

The soldiers raised their weapons and shouted, "The Northern Army is mighty! The General is mighty!"

"Beilie is mighty! General is mighty!"

"Beilie is mighty! General is mighty!"

The pre-battle mobilization was a thunderous rallies.

Tian Hong raised the flag, pointing it directly at the majestic ancient capital of Qian Yuan ahead, and shouted loudly: "Today we attack the city!!!"

"kill!!!"

"kill!!!"

"kill!!!"

The soldiers stared intently at the towering city wall and the Qian Yuan flag fluttering on the city tower, roaring incessantly with a thunderous roar.

All the accumulated fatigue seemed to be swept away, and their blood was boiling. At this moment, all they could remember was...

They fought, they slaughtered, and they captured Yueyang City; they were the greatest achievers of all time.

Physical fatigue has long been forgotten; adrenaline will solve everything.

"Rush!!!"

Amidst exhilarating roars, the vanguard charged fearlessly toward Yueyang City.

The war started.

……

"Boom boom boom!"

Amidst the roar of cannons and billowing smoke, arrows rained down as warriors charged relentlessly towards the city.

War is like a meat grinder, taking countless lives with it.

"Cough cough cough~"

"Ugh~"

Compared to the Northern Army's high-spirited and relentless charges, this was a stark contrast.

Something seems off with Qian Yuan.

It was clear that the soldiers of Qian Yuan were the ones who could rest better, but at this moment, on the city wall, many soldiers were pale, coughing incessantly, and some even had symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, and were in very poor condition.

Even so, they remained steadfast in their posts, shooting arrows, firing guns, and using cannons to repel the enemy's charge.

"Warriors of Qian Yuan, grip your swords and spears tightly, and look carefully at the land beneath your feet."

Suddenly a clear voice rang out, and people unconsciously looked towards the highest point of the city tower.

An invisible aura gradually spread out. Instead of hiding in the palace and trembling, the emperor came to the city wall in full armor, holding a sword in one hand and a bow in the other.

"Beilie is brutal, massacring entire cities and killing people."

"We have nowhere left to retreat. Behind us are the lights of thousands of homes, and our wives and children are waiting for us to come home."

"If we allow the enemy to cross this pass, our homeland will be reduced to ashes, our fathers and brothers will be enslaved, and our sisters will be humiliated! Today we will not retreat an inch; to retreat even one step means the destruction of our country and the ruin of our home!"

"I stand with you! The mountains and rivers of Qianyuan will live on forever, and the spirit of our army will live on forever!"

Xiao Xinyue possesses a special power that allows her to hear the voices of the land and its people, and also to transmit her inspiring voice to the ears of every soldier.

"Not an inch will be yielded!!!"

"Not an inch will be yielded!!!"

"Not an inch will be yielded!!!"

Yes, now Qian Yuan has nowhere left to retreat but to fight to the death.

Even though some soldiers weren't in the best condition, they couldn't help but shout loudly, united in purpose and with unstoppable momentum.

However, it was precisely when he shouted it out that...

"roar~"

They seemed to hear the soft roar of a dragon, and felt as if they were emanating a magnificent power from that venerable emperor.

In an instant, the dull pain and discomfort in my body, the feeling of vomiting and diarrhea... all seemed to have disappeared.

At this moment, all they wanted was to fight to the death, to stand with His Majesty and defend their homeland.

"kill!!!"

Many people are destined to die today.

However, Xiao Xinyue did not believe that her city would be so easily conquered by others.

She had just led her troops in a failed night raid, and Mingchen had even reprimanded her for being reckless.

However, today she still stands at the highest point of the city wall, standing with the soldiers and civilians, boosting morale, and sharing life and death.

Fortunately, one setback did not make her shrink back or lose her courage.

This is a defense of the city, completely different from the previous night raid.

She had to stand up at a time like this.

Go and lead her army and people to defend her homeland.

If we don't fight now, are we going to wait until the Northern Fierce army breaches the city gates, then cower in the back like Dong Zhenghong and hang ourselves on the throne?

The siege has begun, and both sides have reasons why they cannot afford to lose.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Similarly, a renowned duke, who was also a pillar of the Qian Yuan dynasty, did not appear on the front lines.

"That's the situation right now. Does anyone have a way to resolve this?"

"If it succeeds, your credit will be well-deserved."

While the war had already broken out outside, Mingchen was in the city, holding a meeting with a group of people with different personalities.

Mingchen sold his worthless soul in exchange for some information from the little fox.

There were some unusual circumstances in the military camp today, which confirmed the little fox's guess.

Now he needs to resolve this matter.

It is known that there is a cultivator in the enemy camp who controls insects, which can gather intelligence and spread diseases to reduce our army's combat effectiveness.

In the past, he always relied on unconventional methods to attack his enemies, but now the situation has reversed, and the one setting the challenges has become the opponent.

Cultivators' abilities are ineffective in direct combat, but they are truly disgusting when it comes to tripping people up from the side.

In a direct confrontation, Mingchen is not to be underestimated.

Even without the little fox's help, he could probably take care of the enemy on his own.

However, the fact that the enemy is currently hiding within their ranks and secretly controlling the insects makes things a bit more complicated.

Mingchen's approach was clear and organized. Military formations were military formations, and cultivators' supernatural abilities were cultivators' supernatural abilities; he could handle both on his own.

But while you might think of soldiers fighting soldiers, generals fighting generals, or strategists fighting strategists, others might not.

If the military formations and the supernatural beings are mixed together, it will be difficult for him to handle the situation.

Although it wasn't unsolvable, Mingchen was unwilling to resort to any desperate or extreme measures, as that might have a negative impact on himself and the little bird.

They were already at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength, and continuing to wear each other down like this would obviously benefit Bei Lie. Since they wouldn't make any changes, it was up to Ming Chen and his team to solve the problem and change the situation.

The group of people standing in front of Mingchen were a group of extraordinary cultivators recruited by Xiao Xinyue since she ascended the throne.

Some people stayed in Jiqu, while others came with them to Yueyang to be responsible for Xiao Xinyue's guard.

Industry specializing in surgery.

The cultivators should handle their own affairs; Mingchen will ask these people first.

The imperial court recruited these people precisely to resolve such matters.

Mingchen is not omniscient or omnipotent; it is impossible for Mingchen to solve everything.

Ji Wen frowned slightly and asked Ming Chen, "Lord Ming, do you... know the enemy's true strength?"

"All we know is that it can control mosquitoes. The insects are so small that they are hard to see with the naked eye. If you are bitten, you will feel weak all over, vomit and have diarrhea."

Upon hearing this, Ji Wen pondered for a while before turning to Ming Chen and saying, "Lord Ming, I have heard that there is a method of controlling insects in the southwest, which involves feeding insects with blood and nourishing them with brains. It is extremely strange."

As soon as the words were spoken, another person among them exclaimed in surprise: "Insect control?!"

“Lord Ming, I already know that.” “I have heard that there is a village called Kuxing in the northwest border region. There are six Kuxing brothers in the village. Each of these six brothers has supernatural powers. Among them is a thousand-eyed demon who can know everything in the world without leaving his house and is skilled in controlling insects.”

"Six brothers?"

There are six people?

Mingchen looked up at him and asked, "Tell me about their background in detail."

"Forehead……"

The man smirked and said, “My lord, matters of supernatural powers are all secrets, and I don’t know much about them. I only know that although the six brothers are not blood-related, they are as close as brothers. The sixth brother is the Thousand-Eyed Demon, and the second brother has a pair of indestructible swift swords that once split a mountain in two. I don’t know anything about the others.”

Upon hearing this, Mingchen narrowed his eyes: "A swift blade? A blade that can cut a mountain in two?"

"However, I have traveled to the frontier and discovered a secret about controlling insects."

Mingchen glared at him, annoyed, and said, "Speak!"

He's always the one being kept in suspense, and yet, no one dares to keep him in suspense.

The man chuckled dryly and said, "As the saying goes, all things in the world are mutually generating and mutually restraining."

"Where there is a practitioner of this technique, there will be no roosters crowing for miles around, and no one will raise chickens."

"Insects fear chickens. If a rooster crows while the insect is performing its magic, the magic will be broken, and the insect will not dare to approach because it fears the chicken."

Whatever supernatural powers you possess, or whatever magical treasures you have, you must carefully conceal them and be careful to prevent information leaks.

If the enemy finds out, even the most powerful magic weapon and supernatural power will become ineffective.

"chicken?"

How about the phoenix's cry?
Mingchen raised an eyebrow, but didn't say the rest.

“I have an old friend who can explain this method.”

"In that case, this matter will be left to you to handle."

Since these people have some understanding of the enemy and know how to defeat them, let them do it.

"His Majesty and I are fighting the enemy at the front. I hope you will guard our rear."

"At this critical juncture for our dynasty, we hope that you will all lend yourselves your support."

"If you encounter a situation that you cannot handle, notify me immediately."

Those in positions of authority should manage their subordinates, not do everything themselves.

Mingchen is suspicious and finds it hard to trust others. He does things on a whim whenever he can, and he's almost forgotten that about himself.

As that person said, all things are interconnected and mutually restraining; there are always things he cannot overcome.

These people always have some abilities that Mingchen cannot match.

The people Xiao Xinyue recruited were not incompetent; each of them had their own expertise and some special skills.

They even have some connections and know some people.

We're not supporting these people for nothing; they need to step up when necessary.

We don't need to kill Tang Sanzang and his disciples, but we should at least do what we can for them.

The leader has issued an order.

The men straightened their expressions, showing no reluctance or attempt to shirk responsibility, and simply bowed, saying, "Yes!"
They weren't idle either; they also helped Xiao Xinyue with some miscellaneous tasks.

For example, when Xiao Xinyue had just ascended the throne, Ji Wen served as her dirty glove, dealing with some powerful figures who had a good attitude but lacked the ability and character to meet the standards.

Now that Mingchen has given them a task, they will try their best to complete it.

The meeting was brief and to the point, and after a few simple details were mentioned, Mingchen dismissed everyone.

"The six brothers of Kuxing?"

"A pair of sharp knives..."

After everyone had left to prepare, Mingchen looked up at the sun in the sky.

On the distant city walls, the roar of cannons continued.

The shouts of battle seemed to travel through space and reach his ears.

He narrowed his eyes and left the spot.

……

As the sun set, corpses littered the fields outside Yueyang City, and rivers of blood flowed. The earth was riddled with craters, a scene reminiscent of an apocalyptic catastrophe.

The number of people involved this time was much smaller than when the Blood-Clad Army besieged the capital, but it was far more devastating.

In just one day, countless lives were lost here.

The setting sun, like blood, illuminated the devastated battlefield, and the wind carried a sense of desolation.

Tian Hong stood in the center of the army formation, his face ashen, gazing at the majestic ancient capital so close at hand. The city gates remained sturdy, and the city walls still stood tall.

Flags fluttered atop the city tower, where a peerless king held a sword, displaying unparalleled bravery.

This city cannot be taken in a day.

He let out a soft breath and said in a deep voice, "Sound the retreat."

City battles are not a continuous, relentless assault, but rather a strategic, intermittent war of attrition, where both the attackers and defenders seek respite amidst the brutal fighting.

Visibility was obstructed at night, and the soldiers, who had been fighting all day, were exhausted.

It's time to call it a day.

"withdraw!"

"withdraw!"

As the bugle sounded, corpses littered the ground, and the warriors of Beilie retreated in an orderly fashion, like a receding tide.

Meanwhile, echoes were seen on the city walls.

"call……"

Xiao Xinyue couldn't help but sigh when she saw the enemy soldiers retreat.

With a calm expression, he addressed the guards around him: "Take a headcount of casualties and reinforce the fortifications!"

"Yes!"

The city of Yueyang was sparsely defended, and its defenses were stretched thin in the face of the enemy's relentless attacks.

The enemy has probably discovered the city's defenses, because today Tian Hong has been launching fierce attacks on the weakest points in the defenses.

Even with Mingchen's emergency adjustments, the disadvantages persisted, resulting in numerous casualties and chaos.

Yesterday's harassment by Mingchen did not stop Tian Hong's advance. His attitude was also very clear: he wanted to attack the city, regardless of the cost or casualties.

She didn't know how many more days she could hold on like this.

……

Night followed the day's battle.

Both sides entered a rest phase, and Mingchen did not send anyone to launch a night raid to harass Beilie's camp.

"Mr. Liang is truly a remarkable person!"

"Thanks to your help today!"

After Tian Hong surveyed the battlefield and made all the necessary arrangements, night fell again.

Instead of resting, he went to the other side and praised the several extraordinary people.

Tian Hong had anticipated that Yueyang City could not be captured in a single day.

Although the sacrifice of soldiers was inevitable, the warriors fell one after another in battle.

But he was quite satisfied with the outcome of today's war.

The conquest of a fortified city requires patience and a test of willpower.

He can see the limits of Yueyang City.

If we continue our relentless assault, we will surely be able to capture Yueyang City before Qian Yuan's reinforcements arrive.

The unseen role played by this inconspicuous, dirty blind man cannot be ignored.

The six brothers have different personalities; some were overjoyed upon hearing the news, while others remained ashen-faced.

Surrounded by mosquitoes, the blind man seemed to regain his sight, accurately finding Tian Hong and bowing to him: "General, you flatter me. We will do our utmost to fulfill His Majesty's request; it is merely our duty."

Tian Hong didn't mind the other person's slovenly appearance, and simply said, "Thank you for your help today, sir."

The blind man's magic may not seem powerful or remarkable, but it provides significant covert assistance in warfare.

With transparent information and top-notch intelligence gathering, Tian Hong no longer needs to worry about whether Mingchen will send troops to harass him, and at the same time, he can calculate the enemy's strength and weakness on the main battlefield.

Secondly, it spreads disease through mosquito bites, causing the enemy to become weak, vomit, and have diarrhea. Although it won't kill them, it will exhaust the enemy army and leave them mentally confused. Xiao Xinyue possesses some supernatural power that can counteract this technique, but the loss of spirit and strength among the soldiers cannot be compensated.

"General, you are too polite!"

The blind man nodded without saying anything more, then sat cross-legged on the ground, making hand gestures.

The magical power flowed like a gentle stream.

Not long after, a string of tiny, almost invisible insects flew out of his ear. The dense swarm of insects formed a black trail, flew out of the tent, and disappeared into the biting cold wind.

Everyone was also waiting for good news the following night.

But it didn't take long.

"Cuckoo~"

A loud crowing suddenly rang out in Yueyang City, rising and falling in waves, without end.

Apart from Tian Hong and his guards, everyone else present changed their expressions.

Where did you get such a loud rooster crow?
The blind man, who had just been calm, suddenly shuddered and turned pale.

"puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

He opened his dull, lifeless eyes, snot and tears streaming down his face, and cried out in fear, "Big Brother!"

"Big Brother!!!"

He shouted and waved his arms wildly, trying to grab something.

Ignoring the other man's disheveled and dirty appearance, Song Hu quickly stepped forward and hugged him, saying, "Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother... Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."

"Big brother, I can't take it anymore, I can't take it anymore..."

(End of this chapter)