Chief Armaments Master of the Ming Dynasty

Over the next few days, preparations began in earnest both inside and outside Xizhou City.

Most of Zhang Xianzhong's troops quietly withdrew from the city and hid in the mountains and forests on both sides of Qingshigou.

Only a small number of troops were left inside the city, with a large number of flags erected as a show of force.

Li Zicheng's troops were stationed on a high ground near the entrance of Qingshigou Valley, where they built simple fortifications in preparation for an ambush.

Lin Fan's team of craftsmen was assigned a special mission—

To manufacture "Thunderbolt".

"The more the better," Li Zicheng said. "The government troops have never seen this thing before, and it will give them a real shock."

Lin Fan nodded and led the craftsmen to work day and night.

Sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal... these materials can be found in Xizhou City.

Zhang Xianzhong's men also gathered a batch from the surrounding area and sent them to Lin Fan.

The quality varies, but it's better than nothing.

Lin Fan used the most primitive method—crushing, mixing, filling bamboo tubes, and inserting fuses.

Each "Thunderclap Bomb" is crude and rudimentary, full of uncertainty.

But in this era, uncertainty itself is a weapon.

The most terrifying thing is that the enemy doesn't know if it will make a sound or how powerful it is.

In three days, Lin Fan created more than fifty "Thunderbolts", in addition to a batch of improved rockets and gunpowder packs.

Han Jinhu led his men to rush out a batch of arrowheads and spearheads, using the last remaining good iron materials, and carefully quenched them, resulting in a further improvement in quality compared to before.

"Is that enough?" Han Jinhu asked, wiping his sweat.

"It's never enough," Lin Fan said, "but this is all we can do."

---

The government troops have arrived.

Scouts reported that Hong Chengchou's vanguard—about a thousand cavalrymen—had reached a point thirty li south of Xizhou.

The main force will follow closely behind and is expected to arrive within a day.

The atmosphere inside and outside Xizhou City suddenly became tense.

Zhang Xianzhong stood atop the city wall, gazing southwards where smoke and dust were rising, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Li Zicheng led his men into the pre-arranged position at the entrance of Qingshigou Valley.

Lin Fan, along with the team of craftsmen, was placed in a relatively safe location at the rear of the position.

His task was not to charge into battle, but to ensure that the "Thunderbolt" could be delivered to the front lines in time.

"Master Lin, do you think... we can win?" Tian Ergou leaned closer, his face pale.

Lin Fan patted him on the shoulder: "Yes."

He wasn't telling the truth.

He didn't know if he could win.

Historically, Hong Chengchou's campaigns against bandits in Shanxi were almost unstoppable, with the peasant army suffering repeated defeats.

Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng both suffered great losses at his hands.

Will history repeat itself now?

he does not know.

But he knew he couldn't show weakness at this moment.

Everyone around him was watching him; he had to remain calm.

---

The government troops arrived faster than expected.

The next day, before dawn.

From the forests on both sides of Qingshigou came a series of urgent bird calls—that was the signal Zhang Xianzhong had agreed upon.

The government troops have entered the ambush zone.

Lin Fan lay prone on a rock behind the position, holding his breath and looking towards the valley entrance.

A pale white dawn appeared on the horizon, and morning mist swirled in the valleys.

In the dim light, he saw a breathtaking scene—

A dark mass of cavalry, lined up in neat rows, slowly entered Qing Shi Gou.

The armor reflected a cold, icy light in the morning light, the horses puffed out white breath, and the sound of their hooves echoed like muffled thunder through the valley.

Behind the cavalry were densely packed infantrymen, carrying spears and muskets, and pushing wheelbarrows loaded with supplies and ammunition.

The ranks were orderly and the flags were bright; they were clearly well-trained elite troops.

Lin Fan's heart pounded wildly.

Are these Hong Chengchou's soldiers?

These people are true professional soldiers who have been on the battlefield, killed people, and seen blood.

Could Zhang Xianzhong's men stop them?

"God help us..." someone whispered a prayer nearby.

Lin Fan remained silent.

He doesn't believe in fate or destiny.

He only believed in the knife in his hand, in those crude "thunderclap bombs," and in the people around him who, like him, were struggling to survive in the chaotic world.

---

The vanguard of the government troops had completely entered the ambush zone.

The main force followed closely behind, stretching the team out so long that the front and rear could not support each other.

The time has come.

"Ugh—!"

A mournful bugle call shattered the silence of the morning.

Immediately afterwards, earth-shattering shouts of battle erupted from the forests on both sides of Qing Shi Gully!

"kill--!"

Countless figures emerged from the woods, pushing huge boulders and logs, crashing them into the valley with a thunderous roar!

The rolling stone, carrying immense force, crashed into the ranks of the government troops.

Screams, neighing horses, and the sound of bones breaking mingled together.

Some cavalrymen and their horses were smashed into a bloody pulp, with blood and brains splattering everywhere.

The infantrymen panicked, and their ranks fell into disarray.

"There's an ambush!"

"Retreat now!"

"Don't panic! Form formation! Form formation!"

The officers' shouts rose and fell, but under the onslaught of rolling stones and logs, they were unable to mount an effective defense.

Immediately afterwards, a rain of arrows poured down.

Countless arrows flew out from the forests on both sides, a dark mass like locusts sweeping across the land, obscuring the sky.

The quality of these arrows varied, with most having cast iron arrowheads. When they struck the iron armor of the government troops, they clanged and clattered, and most of them bounced off.

However, a few shots hit vital points—the face, throat, thigh, and horse.

People kept screaming and falling down.

"Fire arrows! Fire arrows! Don't stop!" Zhang Xianzhong roared hoarsely, brandishing his broadsword atop the hill.

His archers, ignoring the soreness and numbness in their arms, desperately drew their bows and released their arrows.

Arrows rained down, wave after wave.

Although the government troops suffered heavy losses, they were, after all, elite troops.

After a brief period of chaos, they began to organize a counterattack.

The musketeers set up their muskets and fired into the forests on both sides.

Bang Bang Bang!

Gunshots rang out like popping beans, and smoke filled the air.

Some of Zhang Xianzhong's archers peeked out from their hiding places to shoot arrows, but were hit by muskets and rolled down the hillside screaming in agony.

"Charge! Charge!" The government troops' officers brandished their sabers, urging their infantry to climb the hillside in an attempt to seize the high ground.

The two sides engaged in a fierce battle on the hillside.

Swords flashed and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

---

Lin Fan watched all this from the rear of the position, his palms sweating profusely.

This was the first time he had ever seen a battle of this scale.

In the battle involving thousands, someone died every second.

Blood stained the hillside and the streams in the valley.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of blood and gunpowder, making one want to vomit.

"Master Lin! Thunderclap!" A messenger came running, panting. "The general wants you to take men to the valley entrance! The government troops are about to break out!"

Lin Fan was startled and immediately called to Han Jinhu and the others. They picked up the bamboo basket containing the "Thunderclap" and ran towards the valley entrance.

Gukou was Li Zicheng's defensive line.

After the government troops were ambushed, a portion of the rear guard attempted to retreat, but their retreat route was blocked by rolling stones and logs.

The other group of forwards charged forward desperately, trying to break through the valley entrance.

Li Zicheng, with a few hundred men, held the valley entrance tightly.

They had no muskets or cannons, only spears, swords and shields, bows and arrows, and the "Thunderclap Bomb" made by Lin Fan.

"put!"

A thunderbolt was ignited and thrown towards the densely packed government troops.

boom--!

A flash of light, and black smoke billowed up.

Several government troops were thrown over by the blast wave, with stones and iron filings flying everywhere, and screams of agony filled the air.

"Put it on again!"

The second one, the third one...

Thunderclaps exploded one after another, tearing open gaps in the ranks of the government troops.

The government troops' warhorses had never seen such a weapon before. Startled, they reared up, throwing off their riders and running wildly.

The government troops' offensive stalled.

"Kill—!" Li Zicheng seized the opportunity, brandishing his sword and roaring as he led the charge towards the government troops.

The two sides engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat at the narrow valley entrance.

After throwing the last Thunderclap Bomb, Lin Fan drew his waist knife and charged forward.

He didn't want to kill anyone.

But at this moment, it's either you die or I perish.

A government soldier thrust his spear at him, but Lin Fan dodged to the side and slashed the man's arm with his sword.

Blood spurted out.

The man screamed as the spear slipped from his hand.

Lin Fan delivered the final blow, slashing at his neck.

Blood splattered all over his face.

Warm, with a slightly fishy and sweet taste.

Lin Fan's mind went blank.

He had no time to think, no time to be afraid.

Enemies were all around, amidst the flashing blades, screams, and roars.

He could only mechanically swing his knife, parry, and stab.

I don't know how much time passed—

"Ugh—!"

The bugle call for the retreat of the government troops sounded.

The remaining government troops, as if granted a pardon, turned around and retreated along the route they had come from.

Li Zicheng did not pursue them.

He had too few men, and the casualties were also significant.

"Clean up the battlefield! Treat the wounded!" he ordered sternly, his face and body covered in blood, indistinguishable as to whether it was the enemy's or his own.

Lin Fan slumped to the ground, panting heavily.

My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold the knife.

Han Jinhu limped over, a deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his left arm.

"Brother Lin, are you alright?"

Lin Fan shook his head, looking at the wound on his arm, his voice hoarse: "We need to bandage it quickly, otherwise..."

"I won't die." Han Jinhu grinned, revealing bloodied teeth. "Damn it, I've never killed so many people in my life."

Lin Fan remained silent.

He looked at the corpses scattered on the ground, smelled the strong stench of blood, and felt his stomach churning.

This is war.

This is a chaotic world.

There is no right or wrong, no justice or evil, only killing and being killed.

To live, you have to kill.

That's it.