The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Compared to the brutality and frenzy of the Eastern Front, the fighting on the Western Front presented a completely different style.

Cold and efficient, like two sophisticated war machines clashing mercilessly.

Cang Jia stood on a makeshift platform, watching the battle unfold before him with an expressionless face.

Before him stood a dense, dark mass of barbarian infantry.

These barbarians were tall and robust, almost all of them wearing simple leather armor and carrying huge wooden shields and heavy battle axes. They were not like the wolf tribe with their ever-changing formations, nor were they like the wild men who moved like the wind.

They only know how to do one thing—form a square formation and push forward horizontally.

With the purest strength and endurance, crush all enemies before you.

Their siege tactics, like their fighting style, were simple and brutal.

Countless barbarians, carrying massive siege ladders, launched wave after wave of attacks on the western wall of Shuobei City.

The rolling logs and stones on the city walls, and the rain of arrows from the Zhenbei Army below, caused them enormous casualties.

Beneath the city wall, a thick layer of corpses had already piled up.

But they showed no sign of backing down.

"General, after we left the city, the main force of the barbarians immediately abandoned the siege and turned towards us," a lieutenant reported to Cang Jia. "Their numbers are at least twice ours. And it seems they intend to wage a war of attrition against us."

Cang Jia nodded, showing no surprise on his face.

"Barbarians may not be the brightest, but they're experts at fighting. We won't stand a chance in a head-on confrontation."

He led the newly formed First and Second Army Corps, with a total strength of 200,000. However, of these 200,000 men, less than 50,000 were veterans of the original Zhenbei Army. The majority of the rest were selected from the surrendered soldiers.

Although they had undergone reorganization and training and were stronger than Zhang Qinian's new recruits, they were still inferior to the true elite of the Zhenbei Army.

Moreover, they were facing 300,000 barbarian infantrymen known for their ferocity.

"Let the new recruits lead the charge, while the veterans oversee the battle from behind, taking turns providing cover and stabilizing the situation," Cang Jia ordered.

Unlike Zhang Qinian, he didn't start fighting so "crazy" right away.

His task, like Zhang Qinian's, was to "delay".

But there's an art to procrastinating.

"Tell the brothers not to fight the barbarians by force. They are a herd of bulls, stronger than us."

"Use long spears more often, and coordinate more. Three people per group, five people per team. One person is responsible for blocking, two people are responsible for stabbing. After stabbing, run away, and the next group takes over."

"Our strengths are our equipment and our discipline. We must use our strengths to exploit their weaknesses."

Cang Jia's voice was calm, but every command was crystal clear and went straight to the heart of the matter.

His veteran soldiers were all seasoned veterans who had fought alongside him for many years. Upon hearing the order, they immediately understood what to do.

Soon, a peculiar scene appeared on the western front.

The Zhenbei Army's lines, under the relentless onslaught of the barbarian infantry, resembled reefs in a raging storm.

The soldiers in the front ranks fell one after another under the barbarian's giant axes.

But the soldiers behind them would immediately fill in. Their spears, like venomous snakes, would thrust out from the gaps in the shields, aiming precisely at the barbarian's throat, armpits, and abdomen, which were not covered by leather armor.

After a successful strike, immediately retreat.

The entire process was calm and efficient.

Although the barbarians were brave, their attack methods were wide and sweeping, leaving many openings. Under the skillful tactical coordination of the Zhenbei Army, they often couldn't exert their strength and were stabbed to the ground by spears that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

They were like a clumsy giant bear fighting a pack of cunning wolves.

Although each swing of his hand could kill one or two wolves, his own body was constantly being slashed open.

The barbarian commander also quickly realized something was wrong.

"These Southerners are too cunning!" he roared angrily. "Ignore those small groups harassing us! Concentrate your forces and break through their center! Once their formation is disrupted, they're doomed!"

Tens of thousands of elite barbarian troops, under his command, formed a massive wedge formation and launched a fierce attack on the central army banner where Cang Jia was located.

The pressure suddenly increased.

"General, the main force of the barbarians is coming towards us!" The lieutenant's voice was somewhat tense.

Cang Jia's face remained expressionless.

He simply raised his hand and made a simple gesture.

"Veteran, charge!"

The 50,000 veteran soldiers of the Zhenbei Army, who had been serving as reserves and holding the line in the rear, made their move.

They made no shouts of killing, and made no unnecessary movements.

They silently slipped through the gaps in the recruits' lines and moved to the front, forming a new and more solid defensive line.

These veterans, each one a veteran of countless battles, have faces etched with the marks of hardship and the chill of battle.

They looked at the barbarians roaring and charging towards them, their eyes showing no fear, only indifference.

It was as if they were facing not a fierce enemy, but a flock of lambs to the slaughter.

When the barbarian wedge formation crashed into the defensive line composed of veterans, the expected devastating scene did not materialize.

"clang!"

A deafening metallic clang.

The barbarian elite's giant axe slammed into the shield of a veteran of the Northern Garrison.

The veteran swayed, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he didn't take a single step back.

In the instant he parried the attack, his two companions, their spears flashing like lightning, pierced the chest of the elite barbarian.

"Pfft!"

Fresh blood gushed out.

The tall, elite barbarian looked incredulously at the two bloody holes in his chest, then collapsed in despair.

This scene repeated itself repeatedly along the entire defense line.

The 50,000 veterans of the Zhenbei Army were like 50,000 pieces of indestructible steel. They calmly and efficiently reaped the lives of the enemy in the simplest and most effective way.

Their movements were precise and efficient. Parry, draw, pull out their guns.

All in one go.

It was as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times.

The new recruits who had just been watching from the back were all dumbfounded.

So this is the real Zhenbei Army!

So this is what war can be like!

Compared to these veterans, their previous style of fighting with their lives on the line was like children playing house.

Looking at the battle ahead, Cang Jia finally revealed a barely perceptible smile.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

Let's give these new recruits a real-world lesson.

Let them see for themselves what true elites are.

What is true camaraderie, sharing life and death?

Only after this battle will these surviving recruits truly, from the bottom of their hearts, identify with their identity as "Zhenbei Army".

"Tell the brothers, no need to rush," Cang Jia said calmly. "Take it slow and wear them down."

"The key to victory or defeat lies with the Prince."

"All we need to do is hold these 300,000 bulls here, preventing them from having the opportunity to support the wolf clan."

"We are the nails driven into this place."

"A nail that the barbarians could neither remove nor bypass!"