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

Now is the time to set out!

A sinister smile curved Han Ye's lips, and his figure, clad in a ghost mask, resembled a demon descending to earth.

He slowly raised the Azure Dragon Spear, about to give the order—

Ding Dong!

A system notification suddenly sounded in my mind.

He paused, a thought flashing through his mind, and quickly brought up the message interface:

[Ding dong! Han Soul - Zhao Zilong of Changshan requests reincarnation, awaiting host's approval]

[Ding! Uploading Zhao Zilong's memories from his previous life... Detected ultimate technique [Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear], absorb?]

boom!!!

In that instant, Han Ye's mind and spirit were shaken!

So that's how it is! His system wasn't just a passive reward; he was supposed to personally send these heroic souls of the Han Dynasty back to the mortal realm, round after round?!

Without a second thought, he tapped his finger: "Approved!"

Without hesitation, he immediately ordered, "Absorb!"

Whoosh—!

The heavens and earth fell silent!

Countless images flooded my mind: a young man holding a gun and swearing an oath atop Changshan Mountain; riding a white horse and wielding a silver spear across the chaotic world; charging in and out of Changban Slope seven times; his battle robe stained with blood, yet he did not retreat a single step!

That gleaming silver spear danced amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, casting countless phoenix shadows; wherever its tip pointed, ten thousand armies would flee in terror!

So what if Lü Bu? So what if he's invincible? Zhao Zilong can still fight him for three hundred rounds, making the heavens and earth change color and the wind and clouds turn upside down!

now--

This unparalleled marksmanship, along with that invincible fighting spirit, was completely integrated into the depths of Han Ye's soul!

"Buzz—"

His eyes snapped open, a crimson glint flashing across his pupils, as if a phoenix were taking flight from the blood mist!

He gripped the Azure Dragon Spear tightly, and his internal energy exploded!

"kill--!"

The single word uttered was like a thunderclap!

The next moment, the Ghost-Faced General leaped onto his horse, followed closely by three thousand Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry. Their iron hooves rolled and crushed the earth, like a black torrent rushing towards the enemy formation!

……

Dingzhou City.

The sky was ablaze with the flames of war, and the walls were reduced to ruins.

The sons of Han defended the isolated city to the death, their blood soaking the bricks and stones.

In the distance, the Turkic army pressed in, their banners obscuring the sun.

Jieli Khan stood on the high slope and said in a cold voice:

"Siege".

"Massacre of the city."

As soon as the four words were spoken, 30,000 barbarian soldiers swarmed towards the city walls like locusts.

The slaughter began.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and dark clouds pressed down on the city.

The Turkic iron hooves thundered across the land, and 30,000 troops surged towards Dingzhou like a tidal wave—a torrent burning with murderous intent, their hooves shattering mountains and rivers, their blades staining the setting sun.

They charged forward relentlessly, once, twice, ten times... as if this isolated city were nothing more than fish on a chopping board, waiting for the final blow to completely sever its life!

Dingzhou, though strategically located and easy to defend, was but a flickering candle in the face of such raging waves.

"Ah—Pfft!"

On the city wall, blood flowed down like a stream from the cracks in the bricks, emitting a pungent stench.

"General! The south wall has fallen! The enemy has scaled the city walls!"

"The north gate is half lost! The brothers can't hold on much longer!"

"Kill!! The Khan has decreed—on the day the city falls, slaughter the entire city, leaving no one alive!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

The shouts of battle tore through the sky, like the wailing of thousands of vengeful ghosts, shaking the entire city.

Dingzhou, this isolated city standing on the border, is like a broken boat adrift in a boundless sea of ​​blood, at any moment likely to be swallowed up by the giant waves.

Nobody knows how much longer it can last.

……

On a distant hill, the Great Khan of the Turks, Jieli, sat astride his warhorse, his cloak fluttering in the wind, his eyes as cold as blades.

He gazed at the crumbling city, a mocking smile suddenly playing on his lips. His voice was so soft it was almost a soliloquy: "A bunch of fools, knowing they're doomed, why are they still stubbornly holding on? Forget it, I'm not watching anymore."

He raised his hand and waved it, and the army immediately changed direction and rolled away.

Is a small place like Dingzhou really worth his personal attention? It's just sending 30,000 men to gnaw on bones.

His goal was never some remote border town—

It was the heart of the Central Plains! It was Chang'an! It was the moment when Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, knelt before his horse!

As for Dingzhou?

It's bound to collapse sooner or later, so why bother looking at it again?

"Let's go! We'll head straight for the Wei River. I want to fight Li Shimin to the death!"

The army responded with a thunderous roar, their armored vehicles gleaming like dragons as they swept away.

however--

Just as he turned around, a strange killing sound suddenly rang in his ears!

That was neither the wailing of defeat nor the roar of a siege.

That was... the furious roar of a counterattack! The thunderous sound of iron cavalry shattering the deathly silence!

"Wait!" Jieli suddenly reined in his horse, his pupils shrinking sharply.

He turned around abruptly—

In the distance, billowing dust rose as a troop of cavalry charged out from the horizon like a ghostly army!

They were clad in black armor, their faces covered with hideous demon masks, and rode their horses like the wind, leaving a trail of destruction wherever they went.

Ahead of them was a group of Turkic cavalrymen, fleeing for their lives, looking like madmen!

Those were his soldiers! The elite cavalry he sent to besiege Dingzhou!

But now, like lambs being hunted, they are being pursued by the masked army, retreating in defeat and screaming in agony!

"Who...who is this?!" Jieli's face instantly turned ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they almost crushed the reins.

……

Inside the city, the fighting has not yet ceased.

Dingzhou was surrounded by enemies on all sides. The city walls were breached everywhere. Arrows rained down like locusts, and oil was poured out. Every battle was a fight to the death.

Zhong Fang, the governor of Dingzhou, was covered in blood, his battle robe already soaked black with blood.

He stood atop the highest point of the city wall, roaring hoarsely:

"Hold on tight!! Anyone who dares to retreat a single step, I'll personally behead them!!"

"What stands behind us? Your parents! Your wives and children! Once the city falls, the Turks will spare no one! They will slaughter and eat our loved ones like sheep!!"

"Therefore—it's better to die standing than to live on your knees!!"

His voice was hoarse as if tearing silk, yet it resonated like thunder in the hearts of every soldier.

No one responded.

Because they were no longer able to speak.

Some used their last breath to plunge their spears into the enemy's chest; some simply grabbed the enemy soldiers and jumped off the city wall together; some, with only half their bodies left, still clung tightly to the enemy, biting them as they went!

One by one, young faces fell, at Zhongfang's feet, in the blood and mud.

"Your Excellency... no... no surrendering..."

"My lord... Dingzhou... is entrusted to you..."

Before he could finish speaking, his head lolled to the side, and he fell silent.

Loyal souls are everywhere.

Zhong Fang watched all this with bloodshot eyes and a slight tremor in his body.

It's not fear.

It hurts.

It is hatred.

It is a heart-wrenching sorrow!

He looked up at the sky and roared like a beast: "Gods—are you really going to wipe out all the loyal and virtuous people of Dingzhou?!"

Heaven remained silent.

Only the flames of war raged across the land.

A crimson smile tugged at the corners of Zhong Fang's lips, but the next instant he roared to the sky, "Madam! Bring me the pen—!"

On the city wall, the wind whips up tattered flags, and blood stains the blue bricks.

The defenders of Dingzhou had already suffered heavy losses, but the city walls could not be lost! So, men carried swords, women held hoes, the elderly leaned on canes, and the young held sickles—all those who could walk climbed to the top to fight!

This is not a battlefield, it's a graveyard.

But they did not back down.

"Whoosh!"

Zhong Fang pierced the enemy's head with a single stroke, and blood gushed out like a waterfall.

A hoarse roar rose from his throat: "I'll read, you write!"

Behind him, his wife staggered forward, her fingertips trembling as she grabbed the pen and paper, her eyes already red-rimmed.

Zhong Fang stood amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his long sword planted firmly on the ground, each word spoken with a thunderous force:

"This is Zhong Fang's final letter, the Prefect of Dingzhou!"

……

The wind howled, and the war drums were about to fall silent.

Zhong Fang, clad in crimson armor, struck with his blade, and the Turkic soldiers fell one after another.

With each person he killed, he roared a phrase, each word dripping with blood:

"At the end of July, bandits pressed in, vowing to capture Dingzhou and slaughter our people!"

"Your subject Zhong Fang, leading two thousand soldiers and the entire city's inhabitants..."

"Defend the city walls to the death! Not an inch will be yielded! We will fight to the death!"

"The knife is broken! The sword is snapped!"

"With food and reinforcements exhausted, the isolated city is trapped and desperate; there is no one to escape, and no one is willing to surrender!"

Before he could finish reading this, the lady behind him had already knelt down on the ground, ink dripping from the tip of her pen like tears.

Meanwhile, the shouts of battle on the city walls continued unabated!

One by one, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty fell before the enemy lines, their blood flowing like a river.

The gap is widening, and death is drawing ever closer.

What to do?!

What else can we do!

"Erlang, come down, let this old man take over!"

The white-haired old soldier patted his chest and laughed, donned his armor, grabbed his spear, and leaped onto the rampart.

"Hahaha, who can escape death? I'll still chop down a few of your savage dogs even when I'm eighty!"

"Born a native of Dingzhou, I will die a soul of Dingzhou!"

"Want to massacre the city? Bah! I'll blow up the powder keg and drag you all down to hell with me!"

"My son... I will fight for you one more time..."

Before the crying had subsided, a roar had already begun.

The people! They all rushed forward!

Men, women, the elderly, children... wielding machetes, pitchforks, carrying poles, kitchen knives—anything that could hurt people became a weapon.

They are not soldiers, but they are the toughest backbone!

Blood debts can only be repaid with blood!

"Pfft—!"

"Killing one is enough, killing two is a bonus!"

"You bastard, Grandpa's here!"

"Father, I've avenged you!"

"Remember! You are a son of Han, you would rather die than kneel!"

Corpses piled up, and blood mist filled the air.

Zhong Fang's eyes were bloodshot, and his eyes were split open, with tears of blood streaming down his face.

Looking at his fellow villagers who were dying all over the city, he suddenly laughed loudly, then roared hoarsely:

"Tie Niu is dead! Cui Ping is dead! Master Zhu, Er Lang... they're all gone too!"

"But they're all men!"

"Your Majesty, please rest assured—the two thousand soldiers of Dingzhou are like this, and so are the people!"

"Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around abruptly and roared like thunder:

"Your Majesty, I beg for forgiveness!"

"Today, I will lead all the people of this city in a battle to the last man, until we all perish!"

"If one day, Your Majesty returns to Dingzhou, behold the setting sun, red as blood—"

"That's us, we've come back to welcome you..."

boom--!

As the last word fell to the ground, the pen in his wife's hand snapped with a "crack".

Final words, the final chapter.

"Pfft!"

A flash of cold light, and a barbarian blade attacked from behind, piercing Zhongfang's shoulder blade and exiting through it.

But he didn't fall.

Instead, he laughed.

His laughter was maniacal, shattering the remaining clouds.

"Heh... Hahaha—!"

He twisted his body abruptly and swung the knife backhand!

Zhong Fang stood atop the city wall, his body covered in blood, like a demon descending to earth.

He raised his blood-stained longsword high, his roar echoing through the heavens:

"People of Dingzhou—the time for your death has come!"

"Are you ready?!"

"Ready—!!!"

His response was a deafening roar of laughter.

"Fight to the death, until the blood is spilled!"

"Fight to the death, until the blood is spilled!"

"Fight to the death, until the blood is spilled!"

The sound surged like a tide, crashing against the heavens.

Tragic! Devastating! Resolute!

They weren't waiting for a way to live; they were seeking death.

Because everyone knows that the day the city falls is the day the home is destroyed.

It's better to die a glorious death than to live in humiliation!

The wind stopped, and the clouds gathered.

Zhong Fang slowly raised his sword, pointing it at the enemy army filling the sky, and whispered like a ghost:

"Come on... Grandpa's waiting."

kill--!

"kill!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill—!"

"By order of the general, we will relieve Youzhou and slaughter all the barbarians!!"

"Charge! Leave no one alive!"

At Zhong Fang's command, the entire city wall of Dingzhou instantly erupted in cheers.

The glint of swords reflected in the setting sun, and blood mist rose like a curtain. Soldiers and civilians alike held weapons, their eyes burning with the fierce fire of facing death.

This is the final battle!

On the city wall, everyone had only one word in their eyes—kill!

But at this critical moment, a sudden change occurred!

Beneath the city walls, within the tightly packed Turkic army ranks, a deafening battle cry erupted—the sound wasn't directed at Dingzhou City, but rather… it exploded from within their ranks!

"What?!"

Zhong Fang's pupils contracted sharply, and he froze on the spot, as if he had heard the most impossible thing.

"Your Excellency! Look!"

A soldier roared, his finger trembling as he pointed outside the city.

Everyone looked down simultaneously—

In the distance, dust billowed and the earth trembled as three thousand iron cavalrymen surged forth like a legion of Asuras emerging from a chasm of hell, hurtling in from the horizon!

Their faces were covered with strange masks, their expressions a mixture of crying and laughing, like ghosts descending from the underworld.

Clad in heavy, cold iron armor, the warhorse's hooves thundered, each step causing the earth to groan!

The leader, whose white robes were now soaked in blood and turned dark red, held a spear that seemed to soar like a dragon, drawing eerie arcs in the setting sun.

It was Han Ye!

He led three thousand elite cavalrymen, pursuing the remaining enemies all the way from Youzhou to this place without stopping for a moment, and now he has directly penetrated the heart of the Turkic army!

"boom--!!"

With thunderous hooves and unstoppable momentum, three thousand men, like a red-hot steel cone, fiercely pierced into the center of the enemy formation!

"Pfft!"

"Snap!"

"Aaaaaah—!!"

The Turkic soldiers who had been clamoring to attack the city just a moment ago were now being swept down like straw.

The formation collapsed, and cries of agony filled the air!

No one expected that this mysterious cavalry force, numbering only three thousand, would break through an army of tens of thousands!

All of this is because Han Ye has completely integrated the inheritance of the [Changshan Zhao Zilong Spear Technique] bestowed by the system into his mind!

The spirit of the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear flows through my heart, each move imprinted into my bones.

At this moment, with a gun in his hand, he is a deadly weapon!

Without time to say more, he immediately activated his area-of-effect attack skill – [Heroic and Skillful in Battle]!

In an instant, the three thousand Tiger Leopard Iron Cavalry's eyes turned bloodshot, their auras surged, as if they had collectively transformed into bloodthirsty beasts! Their battle intent soared to the heavens, even tearing the wind apart!

"kill!!"

Han Ye roared, his Azure Dragon Spear creating a flurry of afterimages as he darted out like lightning!

The hundreds of Turkic remnants who had fled from Youzhou to this place thought they could survive under the protection of the army, but they saw death descend upon them once again!