In this chaotic world of vying for power, I can become stronger by marrying a wife.

In the early morning in Jing'an City, there was no crowing of roosters, only a deathly silence.

The air was filled with the smell of burning embers, drifting from the Black Wind Pass granary thirty miles away, a prelude to the fury of the Northern Barbarians.

On the city wall, Jing'an Prefect Wu Yong's legs were shaking so badly that he could barely stand by holding onto the wall.

His once imposing official robes now looked particularly comical, his back soaked with sweat.

"Have they...have they arrived?" Wu Yong asked his adjutant, his teeth chattering.

The lieutenant, his face deathly pale, pointed to the oppressive black line on the distant horizon: "My lord, they're here! All cavalry, probably fifty thousand strong!"

The black lines surged in like a tide, accompanied by the tremors of the earth, and the dull thud of horses' hooves seemed to pound on everyone's hearts.

"It's over! It's all over!"

Wu Yong slumped to the ground, his eyes glazed over. "Fifty thousand iron cavalry, what can Jing'an City do against them? Quick, open the city gates! Let's surrender, maybe we can save our lives!"

"Let's see who dares."

A cold voice pierced through the noise on the city wall.

Su Ming, still wearing his blood-stained leather armor and with the exaggeratedly large Yi bow hanging at his waist, strolled leisurely onto the city wall.

Behind him followed Murong Yan and fifty elite members of the Divine Machine Battalion, each exuding a menacing aura that kept strangers at bay.

"Su Ming!?" Wu Yong reacted as if he'd seen a lifeline, yet also a death knell. "You dare come back! I heard you burned the Northern Barbarians' grain supplies? You've enraged them! Do you want to kill the entire city's inhabitants?!"

Su Ming gave him a cold glance, his eyes looking at him as if he were looking at a buzzing fly.

"Lord Wu, if we don't burn the grain supplies, are we going to let them eat their fill before attacking the city?" Su Ming walked to the battlements and spoke coldly again, "Whether they are wolves or dogs, if they are fed enough, they will only want to eat meat. Only by breaking their legs will they learn their lesson."

"You know nothing!" Wu Yong roared hysterically. "That's an army of fifty thousand! What can your hundred or so men do? They wouldn't even be enough to fill a gap in their teeth!"

Su Ming ignored him and simply reached out and rubbed the mud off the soles of his boots on the stone bricks.

"Wei Lang".

"exist."

"Make sure the brothers eat breakfast. The horse jerky is quite tough, so drink plenty of water."

"yes!"

The soldiers guarding the city wall were dumbfounded. With a large army pressing in, this man was still concerned about breakfast.

Standing behind Su Ming, Murong Yan looked at his not-so-broad back and felt a strange sense of peace in her heart.

Last night's fire was so fierce and devastating.

She had never seen such insane tactics, nor such a calm madman.

As they spoke, the Northern Barbarian army had already reached three miles outside the city.

A vast, dark mass, with banners obscuring the sky.

The leading general, clad in heavy armor, rode a magnificent black horse and carried a large, ornate axe, exuding a murderous aura.

"Listen up, you two-legged sheep of Jing'an City!"

The barbarian general channeled his inner strength, his voice booming like thunder atop the city wall, "I am Tuoba Lie, the vanguard general of the Northern Barbarians! You have half an hour to surrender and hand over the bandits who burned the grain! Otherwise, when the city falls, not a single chicken or dog will be spared!"

With his roar, the barbarian soldiers behind him roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The soldiers guarding the city wall were pale-faced, and many of the new recruits could not hold their spears and dropped them to the ground with a clatter.

Wu Yong was so terrified that tears streamed down his face. He scrambled to his feet and tried to run down the city walls, yelling, "Open the city gates! Open the city gates now! Tie up Su Ming and send him out!"

Clang!

A clear, resonant sound of a blade ringing out.

The Asura Blade was drawn half an inch from its sheath and held horizontally against Wu Yong's neck.

Su Ming held the knife in one hand, his eyes indifferent: "Lord Wu, take another step, and I'll use your head as a sacrifice for the flag."

The blade was icy cold, and the killing intent was even colder.

Wu Yong stood frozen in place, his crotch soaked, a foul stench emanating from him.

"You...you dare kill an official appointed by the imperial court!"

"You'll see if I dare." Su Ming sheathed his sword, turned around, and refused to look at the piece of trash in front of him again.

He walked to the wall and took the Great Archer Bow from behind his back.

This bow is entirely black, its body neither made of gold nor wood, and is covered with ancient runes.

It feels heavy in your hand, as if you are holding a sleeping black dragon.

"Lieutenant Murong."

"Yes." Murong Yan straightened her back subconsciously.

"wind direction."

Murong Yan was taken aback, then stretched out her finger to feel the wind speed and quickly reported: "Northwest wind, level three."

"distance."

"One thousand two hundred steps." Murong Yan's voice trembled slightly.

1,200 paces is ten times the range of an ordinary bow and arrow. Even an eighth-rank martial artist would find it difficult to inflict damage at this distance.

Su Ming's lips curled up slightly, revealing a roguish smile.

That's enough.

He held a bow in his left hand and a specially made armor-piercing arrow nocked in his right.

Inhale, draw the string.

The originally incredibly sturdy Great Archer Bow was slowly drawn open like a full moon by Su Ming's terrifying arm strength.

The runes on the bow suddenly lit up, and a chilling wave rippled outwards.

Tuoba Lie, standing below the city walls, was still shouting, "Where is that coward who burned the grain? Does he dare to come out and fight me?!"

Su Ming narrowed his left eye, the system activated, and the world instantly began to shrink in his eyes.

The movement of the wind, the floating of dust, and even the trembling beard on Tuoba Lie's face were clearly visible.

"Noisy."

Su Ming uttered two words and loosened his fingers.

collapse!

A deafening roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The soldiers on the city wall felt a sharp pain in their eardrums, and a black streak of light flashed before their eyes, leaving no afterimage.

The next second, three miles outside the city, Tuoba Lie, who was still brandishing his great axe and shouting, suddenly stopped.

The helmet, along with the entire head, exploded like a rotten watermelon, splattering red and white blood all over the faces of the surrounding soldiers.

The headless corpse swayed on the horse's back for a moment, then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The arrow continued its trajectory, piercing through another lieutenant behind Tuoba Lie, and finally embedding itself deeply into the flagpole of a battle banner. The arrow's fletching trembled wildly, emitting a buzzing sound.

Dead silence.

Whether on or below the city walls, at this moment, the world seemed to have been silenced.

The 50,000 barbarian soldiers stared wide-eyed at their commander's headless corpse, their minds blank.

1200 steps!

One arrow to the head!

Is this something a human can do?

"good!!!"

I don't know who shouted it first.

Immediately afterwards, deafening cheers erupted from the city walls.

The once dejected and fearful defenders were now flushed with anger, brandishing their weapons, and eager to jump down and fight the barbarians to the death.

"A master archer! Captain Su is a master archer!"

"Good for them! To hell with those northern barbarians!"

Wu Yong collapsed to the ground, mouth agape, staring at Su Ming's retreating figure as if he were looking at a demon god.

[Ding! You have defeated Tuoba Lie (peak seventh rank), the vanguard general of the Northern Barbarians, and gained 500 Luck Points!]

[Ding! You have intimidated the Northern Barbarian army and gained 1000 reputation points!]

[Ding! The morale of the entire army has been raised to "High," triggering a special effect: Last Stand (All Attributes +20%)!]

Su Ming put away his bow and shook his slightly sore arm.

He stood atop the city wall, looking down at the chaotic Northern Barbarian army. Gathering his inner energy, he spoke in a clear voice: "Go back and tell your Khan that Su Ming is here in Jing'an City."