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

"Help...help me!!"

"Khan, save me!!"

"General! There's an ambush!!"

They fled like madmen, but where could they escape?

Han Ye swooped down like a hawk, piercing the throat with one shot, severing the arm with another, and falling to the ground decapitated after the third shot! Blood rained down, staining the yellow sand red!

On the city wall, a Turkic general roared in fury: "You audacious madman! What kind of monster dares to slaughter my Turkic warriors?!"

"Not only do I dare to kill," Han Ye sneered, turning back with bloodshot eyes, "I also dare to—annihilate your entire clan!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly accelerated!

Behind them, the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry raised their heads in unison, their eyes flashing crimson light beneath their masks, growling like beasts, ready to pounce!

"boom!!"

"boom!!"

"boom!!"

The silence was shattered by the iron hooves, and the entire army poured down like a black torrent!

They remained silent, they did not retreat, they only charged forward!

That posture was just like a tiger that had been lurking in the depths of the jungle for a long time, staring at its prey, silently approaching, and then—deadly!

Two hundred meters!

One hundred meters!

Fifty meters!

Just as they were about to reach the main Turkic formation, Han Ye roared to the sky:

"kill--!!!"

"kill!!!"

"kill!!!"

Three thousand responses tore through the heavens!

The next instant, the entire cavalry charged into the enemy ranks, like a sharp blade slicing through a melon, with blood and flesh flying everywhere!

"Exterminate the enemy leaders—leave no one alive!!"

"Pfft—Die! All of you, die!"

"Barbarians! Get out of the Central Plains! This land is not for you beasts to lay your hands on!"

A roar like thunder, and the flames of war erupted instantly!

Han Ye took the lead, and his three thousand Tiger Leopard Cavalry were like a raging dragon tearing through the night, their iron hooves crushing the earth, their killing intent soaring into the sky.

That elite force did not charge, but penetrated—like a red-hot spear, it stabbed into the enemy's heart, instantly igniting a storm of blood and carnage!

The massacre began.

The Turkic general who had just been roaring and provoking at the front lines suddenly had his pupils shrink and his throat tighten—he hadn't even seen how the other party had approached!

too fast!

It was so fast that heaven and earth seemed to stand still, with only the Azure Dragon Spear piercing through the air, its spear light as fast as lightning, drawing a scarlet arc!

"How dare you—!! My lord, Khagan Jieli, is right behind us. If you kill me, you will be pierced by a thousand arrows!!"

Before the words were finished—

"puff!"

The spear tip pierced his throat, and a jet of blood gushed three feet high!

The Turkic general stared wide-eyed, his hands futilely gripping the spear in front of his chest. His body convulsed as he fell from his horse, crashing heavily into the mud.

Blood flowed down the gun barrel and dripped onto Han Ye's black armor, like some kind of sacrificial talisman.

Han Ye didn't even blink.

He merely tilted his head slightly, his crimson eyes sweeping across the battlefield strewn with corpses, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Jieli Khan?

Oh.

If that scoundrel were standing right here, he would kill him without hesitation! What is there to fear?!

No one could see his expression behind the mask, but his eyes burned with a hatred that seemed to burn the entire world. He showed no mercy to the Turkic barbarians, only a resolute determination to exterminate them!

……

Meanwhile, ten miles outside Dingzhou City, there was a Turkic camp.

Standing atop the high slope, Jieli Khan witnessed all of this. His face was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his nails almost digging into his palms!

"Who...is that?!"

He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.

The advisor beside him trembled, cold sweat pouring down his face: "The...the Khan...he knows nothing! Those cavalrymen all wore demon masks and have never appeared on the border! We...have absolutely no intelligence!"

"Please forgive me, Khan!"

Jieli's gaze darkened, and his murderous intent surged.

This force... appeared out of nowhere, disrupting his carefully planned invasion of the south. It was a complete humiliation in front of everyone!

"Report—!!"

A scout galloped in, his voice trembling: "Reporting to the Khan! General Shi Keming...is dead! Youzhou has fallen! The vanguard has been completely wiped out, with only a few riders escaping!"

"And then there's another... a man who ambushed us halfway, and was invincible! They call him—the Ghost-Faced General!"

boom!!!

These words struck me like a thunderbolt from the blue!

Jieli suddenly looked up, staring intently in the direction of Dingzhou—

The Ghost-Faced General?!

The man wearing a mask that obscured his true feelings was leading three thousand iron cavalry across the battlefield right under his nose?!

It was him... who beheaded Shi Keming? Who seized Youzhou? Who ruined our army's advance?!

A surge of boundless rage erupted from the depths of his heart, burning his eyes until they turned bloodshot!

He originally plotted to capture Youzhou and Dingzhou in order to cut off the Tang Dynasty's reinforcements and force Li Shimin to be attacked from both sides when facing a decisive battle! But now, a "ghost face" that suddenly appeared has disrupted the entire situation!

"Well... well, what a ghost-faced general!" Jieli whispered, his voice hoarse like a wolf's howl. "You didn't come here to fight... you came here to die!"

The murderous intent soared to the heavens, and the wind and clouds changed color.

At this moment, the gates of Dingzhou slowly opened, and amidst the billowing dust, Han Ye stood on his horse below the city, his Azure Dragon Spear pointing diagonally to the sky, with three thousand iron cavalry standing solemnly behind him, like a Shura army returning from hell.

The wind blew his cloak, making it flutter loudly.

He didn't speak.

But the entire battlefield was trembling.

outside the city.

Yellow sand churned with blood mist, and the neighing of warhorses tore through the sky.

The Turkic cavalry continued their frenzied assault on the city, their iron hooves shaking the earth, but their spirits had already been breached—from behind, an unstoppable iron army had emerged!

Where the blade flashed, heads rolled!

That was a ghostly army that had returned from hell, piercing through the heart of the Turkic army like a sharp blade!

"kill!!"

A roar echoed across the battlefield as Han Ye, atop his warhorse, unleashed a furious strike with his Azure Dragon Spear. The spear tip tore through the air, sending a trail of exploding blood droplets through the air!

He took the lead, his spear flashing like a dragon, each strike precisely piercing the enemy general's throat!

One shot through the throat, two shots severed the arm, and three shots killed seven riders in succession—blood blossoms exploded in the air, turning into a red rain!

Not just him.

The moment he activated his group skill [Heroic and Skilled in Battle], the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry behind him instantly went into a berserk state!

His eyes were bloodshot, his muscles were bulging, and his killing intent was overwhelming!

They are no longer human, but Asuras clad in iron armor! They are the Grim Reaper legion that marches through mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"The general has given the order—slaughter all the Turkic barbarians!"

"Whoever beheads the Khan will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and granted the title of Marquis with ten thousand households!"

"Kill them all!!"

If the knife gets dull, smash it with a hammer; if the horse falls, charge on foot!

Blood splattered on the scorched earth, staining a crimson path.

Screams rose and fell, and the piercing "splatter" sounds continued one after another, like the Grim Reaper whispering as he harvested the dead.

"Ah... General, save me..." The last wail was cut short as his neck was severed and his head flew three zhang away!

In a short while, the city wall that was originally surrounded by a dense crowd suddenly collapsed!

The Turkic army was thrown into chaos, horses trampled horses, men trampled men, cries of agony filled the air, and they were utterly routed!

Han Ye led his iron cavalry, like a red-hot dagger, and fiercely stabbed into the enemy's heartland!

The spear flashed again—

"puff!"

A blow pierced through the heart and body! A bowl-sized hole exploded in the enemy general's chest, and before he could even scream, he crashed to the ground and fell from his horse!

On the city wall, Zhong Fang stared wide-eyed, his whole body frozen like a stone statue.

It wasn't until the stench of blood hit him that he snapped back to his senses, his whole body trembled, and his eyes burst forth with wild joy!

Reinforcements!

It's really reinforcements!

Dingzhou is not dead! The flame of the Tang Dynasty is still burning!

His eyes reddened, and his voice trembled but was firm and resolute: "Open the city gates! Everyone, listen to my command—follow me and charge out! Reinforcements will be there, and the enemy will be wiped out!"

"BOOM—!!"

The heavy city gates slowly opened, the sound of chains grinding together like a giant beast awakening.

Zhong Fang led his remaining force of over a thousand men out, all wounded and their armor stained with blood, yet not one of them retreated!

They joined forces with Han Ye's army, and their blades pointed in the direction of the retreating Turks!

Zhong Fang gazed at the figure clad in silver armor and masked by a ghost, his heart pounding with turmoil.

Although his face was not visible, his imposing and domineering aura that surpassed that of ten thousand soldiers was enough to make any soldier submit!

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply, his voice solemn: "Many thanks to the general for his great kindness in coming to the aid of Dingzhou! May I ask your name and which army you belong to?"

In the wind, Han Ye spoke calmly, his voice as cold as a frozen pool: "Nameless."

Zhong Fang was taken aback.

What?! An anonymous title?!

absurd!

Such a figure, commanding three thousand elite cavalry, whose mere presence stirs up a storm, yet he claims to be nameless?!

Which general of the Tang Dynasty wasn't renowned? Dingyuan, Zhengxi, the Divine Warrior... who wasn't famous on the frontier?

This person claims to be nameless?!

unless……

He was not officially appointed by the imperial court at all.

But without an imperial decree, who could mobilize such a large force of Tiger and Leopard Cavalry?!

Suspicion swirled around him, but he had no time to ponder it deeply.

The war drums have not yet ceased, and the enemy has not yet been defeated!

Since it has no name... then let its shape serve as its symbol!

Zhong Fang suddenly looked up and declared loudly, "All soldiers, listen to my command—from this day forward, this general shall be hailed as the 'Ghost-Faced General'! Follow him to kill the enemy and restore our homeland!"

"kill!!"

His response was a deafening roar!

At the same time, Han Ye spurred his horse forward, raising his Green Dragon Spear high into the sky: "All troops, charge! Leave no way out!"

The iron hooves thundered once more, and the earth trembled!

The Turks had already exhausted their strength in the siege, and now they were attacked from both sides, causing their morale to completely collapse!

Some threw down their scimitars and turned to flee, while others knelt down and begged for mercy. The entire army, like snow meeting the scorching sun, retreated in disarray!

On the city wall, the people clung to the crenellations and watched as the once invincible Turkic cavalry retreated in panic like a tide!

"Ugh—!"

A mournful bugle call sounded in the distance; it was the order from Khagan Jieli to withdraw his troops!

"Withdraw! Withdraw! The Khan has ordered a full retreat!!"

The tide of battle turned.

The Turkic army began a full-scale withdrawal, like a turbid wave receding from the tide, leaving them in a sorry state.

Han Ye reined in his horse and stood amidst the mountain of corpses, without giving chase.

He knew that there were still 100,000 troops pressing in from the opposite side, and that venturing too far would only be suicide.

But this battle—

They won!

The first wave of attacking forces has been defeated!

Dingzhou has been defended!

The crisis has been temporarily resolved.

"Splash..."

The wind blows across the blood-stained banners, as if softly humming a victory song.

On the city walls, countless people embraced and wept, laughing as they cried, and crying as they laughed.

Some knelt on the ground, kowtowing to the heavens; others held their children's corpses, murmuring, "We held on...we survived..."

at last……

Those ferocious Turkic cavalrymen retreated.

With their broken bodies and lingering fear, they slunk away.

As night fell, a campfire was lit.

Dingzhou City is still alive.

The general wearing the demon mask stood atop the highest point of the city wall, gazing northward—

The real storm has only just begun.

If this army doesn't retreat, Dingzhou...

It's really all over!

But everyone knew that the reason they were able to hold out until this moment was because Han Ye suddenly appeared!

That night, iron hooves pierced the wind, ghostly faces concealed their features, and three thousand black-armored warriors descended like ghosts from the underworld, tearing open the Turkic battle line from behind.

Caught between a pincer movement, Khagan Jieli was caught off guard and hastily retreated.

otherwise?

Dingzhou has long since turned to scorched earth, with mountains of corpses!

This glimmer of hope wasn't a gift from heaven; it was something Han Ye snatched back from the gates of hell!

At this moment, on the city wall, the cold wind swirled and churned with blood mist.

The setting sun, like ashes, shone on the cold table, casting a chilling glow.

Every living person on the city wall, whether soldier or civilian, had their eyes fixed on that figure standing as tall as a mountain.

"The Ghost-Faced General..."

"The Ghost-Faced General!"

"Ghost-Faced General!!!"

The shouts were like a tidal wave, each one louder and more trembling than the last.

It was as if he was about to shout out the last breath from his chest.

They were on the verge of collapse, their sanity nearly broken.

But the moment they saw Han Ye, everyone seemed to be infused with a steely aura—they held their ground!

Zhongfang is not suitable.

Although he was the garrison commander, he could not suppress the panic that gripped the entire city.

Only Han Ye, only this general with a ghost mask and a mysterious origin, can become the last pillar of Dingzhou!

His presence was more than just the arrival of reinforcements; he was a nail that firmly anchored the crumbling city to the ground!

Zhong Fang straightened his armor, stepped forward solemnly, cupped his hands and said in a low voice, "General Ghost Face, please enter the city and rest for a while."

Dingzhou has just suffered a fierce battle, and morale is low.

"I implore you, General, to stay. If you depart immediately... I fear the army's morale will collapse, and the city will surely fall into chaos!"

His tone was sincere and his words were entirely truthful.

What he didn't know was that Han Ye was facing a problem that wasn't about whether to leave or not.

Rather, it's about whether we can make it out of tomorrow morning alive!

Han Ye didn't turn around, but simply raised his hand and pointed to the enemy camp deep in the grassland in the distance.

His gaze was as cold as a blade scraping against icy iron.

"Leave?" His voice was low, but each word was like a hammer blow. "There's no way to leave now."

Zhong Fang was taken aback: "What do you mean, General?"

"The Turks retreated only because my surprise attack disrupted their rhythm," Han Ye said slowly. "But their main force was unharmed, their troops were well-prepared, and their supplies were plentiful."

"If I am not mistaken—the siege will resume at dawn tomorrow."

"Moreover, it will be even more ruthless, more insane, and more merciless."

"Do you think... I would choose to leave at a time like this?"

boom--

These words struck Zhong Fang like a thunderbolt, instantly making his scalp tingle and his limbs go cold!

So... the retreat was just a respite?

The Turks had no intention of retreating! They were waiting for dawn, waiting to regroup, waiting for the next wave of massacres!

"It's over..." Zhong Fang's throat tightened, his face ashen. "Even with the general's three thousand iron cavalry, we only have less than five thousand men in total... How can we possibly withstand a hundred thousand tigers and wolves?!"

He staggered, as if the city wall beneath his feet was collapsing.

Despair enveloped my eyes like a thick fog.

Trembling, he looked at Han Ye and asked, almost with all his might, "General... what should we do next?!"

Han Ye finally turned around.

Under the moonlight, the ghostly face gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen, but its eyes, unfathomable yet burning with an inextinguishable flame, held a deep, unfathomable depth.

"There is no other way." His voice was as cold as a drawn blade. "Reorganize the army and prepare for war."

"Fight to the death."

Eight words, resounding with power, echoed throughout the entire city wall!