In the Ming Dynasty, I became invincible simply by extracting memories!

"kill!"

"kill!"

Shen Lianchong was at the forefront, his sword already drawn, the blade gleaming coldly, ready to drink blood.

The pent-up hatred for the enemy and the family that had been building up in his heart for so long burst forth in an instant. He could no longer suppress his overwhelming hatred for the Japanese pirates. All around, flames soared into the sky, figures fled, and shouts of killing, screams, and the clash of weapons mingled together like a pot of boiling soup of blood and flesh.

Deng Cheng's twin swords cleaved through the sentry posts at the camp gate. Before the two Japanese soldiers guarding the gate could react, they were hacked to the ground. Three hundred elite troops surged into the camp like a tidal wave, hacking and slashing at anyone they saw and burning any tents they encountered. Gunpowder packets were lit and thrown into the tents, exploding with a deafening roar as flames shot into the sky, turning the night sky crimson.

Liu Dachong was at the forefront, carrying a long spear. He stabbed a shirtless Japanese pirate who rushed out of a tent, then pierced the back of another pirate who was trying to escape. His face was covered in blood, indistinguishable between enemy and his own, but he kept laughing, laughing at the exhilarating battle.

Shen Lian found Yi Dong and Yi Xia amidst the chaos. They had fought their way out of the main tent and were standing back to back guarding the entrance, with more than a dozen corpses lying haphazardly at their feet. Yi Dong's skirt was torn open, revealing a blood-stained blouse underneath; Yi Xia's hair was disheveled, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, and her face was covered in blood and cigarette ash.

"How are you?" Shen Lian rushed to them.

"He won't die." Yi Dong wiped the blood from his face, his voice laced with ruthlessness. "I slit Ono Jiro's throat, and I killed the other lieutenants. One Japanese lieutenant wasn't quite dead; he escaped in the chaos."

"They escaped?" Shen Lian frowned, but didn't have time to think it through. He turned and pointed to the back of the camp, "Burn! Burn all the supplies and equipment!"

The elite Ming army charged through the Japanese pirate camp, setting fires everywhere. Tents in the camp were set ablaze one after another, flames licking at the night sky and turning half the sky a dark red. The Japanese pirates were awakened from their sleep, and before they could even put on their armor, they were hacked down on their bedding. Some tried to resist, but the Ming army was prepared; their swords were swift, their arrows accurate, and their gunpowder powerful. The Japanese pirates were caught off guard and routed.

Fueled by the sea breeze, the fire raged ever larger. The entire camp, from east to west and from south to north, was engulfed in flames. Shen Lian cleaved a flagpole bearing the Japanese pirate flag in two with a single stroke. The black flag crashed to the ground amidst the flames and was instantly consumed by the fire.

Deng Cheng, caught up in the frenzy of the killing, had already chipped the edges of his two long swords. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Burning is good! Burning it to the hell is satisfying!"

Just then, Shen Lian suddenly heard a sound.

The sound came from the sea—a sharp whistling sound pierced the night sky, growing closer and louder. Shen Lian suddenly looked up, his pupils shrinking sharply.

Those are artillery shells.

These weren't cannonballs from the Ming army. They were cannonballs fired from the sea.

The first shell landed on the east side of the camp, blasting a still-burning tent into pieces. The second shell followed closely behind, slamming into the open ground in the center of the camp, creating a crater about three feet square, sending mud and rocks flying, and several Ming soldiers who couldn't dodge in time were thrown to the ground by the blast. The third shell landed even closer—exploding less than twenty paces to Shen Lian's left, making his eardrums ring and the ground beneath his feet tremble.

"Fuck your mother!" Deng Cheng cursed. "Wu Ping came so fast! Has that bastard gone mad? Is he fighting Japanese pirates or us?"

Shen Lian grabbed Deng Cheng's arm and shouted, "He's attacking us! General Deng, quickly order the troops to regroup! Wu Ping doesn't care about the lives of the Japanese pirates, and now he's trying to wipe us all out!"

At sea. Wu Ping's ship.

The black "Wu" flag fluttered slowly in the sea breeze. Wu Ping stood at the foot of the flagpole, short in stature, hands behind his back, gazing at the towering flames on the shore, his face expressionless. Behind him stood several strategists and lieutenants; some were astonished, others whispered among themselves, but none dared to step forward and speak.

"Captain," an advisor cautiously began, "the Japanese camp has been attacked. Should we send a ship to provide support?"

"What support? We can't act rashly. We must first ascertain their strength before making a decision." Wu Ping didn't even lift his eyelids; the firelight on the shore didn't stir any ripples in his heart. "Perhaps these Japanese are desperate and have burned their own camp. What does it have to do with us? They're not of our kind..."

The strategist choked.

Wu Ping's gaze was fixed on the sea of ​​fire on the shore, and he said in a cold tone: "Pass down the order, all warships, aim at the main camp on the shore and fire indiscriminately."

"Captain!" another adjutant cried out, "There are still our men in the camp—"

"Our men are all on the ship," Wu Ping interrupted him, paused, and then added, "As for those Japanese—they were attacked by the Ming army at night, their camp caught fire, and they were all wiped out. As the ship's captain, I am too far away to help them. This report should be sent to Lin Guoxian and the other ship captains and Japanese generals tomorrow. Remember, the wording should be sincere."

No one dared to speak again. They were all old men who had followed Wu Ping for many years and knew the nature of this master of Meiling well—when he smiled the most kindly, it was often when he stabbed the deepest.

The firelight illuminated Wu Ping's short, wiry face, revealing a barely perceptible smile: the Japanese pirates were being worn down by the Ming army, the Ming army by artillery fire—a battle between two titans, while he, Wu Ping, reaped the benefits. Whoever was hit by this cannon shot would profit.

"Fire." He uttered those two words softly.

The whistling of artillery shells tore through the night sky once again.

On the mudflats, Shen Lian was desperately gathering his troops. Deng Cheng's personal guards sounded the retreat horn, and three hundred elite soldiers quickly withdrew amidst the artillery fire. Some fell in the shelling, some were hit by shrapnel and fell to the ground screaming, and many more ran through the flames and smoke, searching for a way out.

Shen Lian dragged Yi Dong and Yi Xia along as they rushed out of the camp. Shells exploded one after another behind them, the shockwaves knocking them to the ground, and rubble and dirt rained down on them.

"Go! Go now!" Shen Lian roared.

Another round of shells came hurtling in.

This time, the landing point was even closer.

Shen Lian heard the sound of the shell tearing through the air, a piercing whistle that pressed down from above, as if the entire sky were collapsing. He didn't have time to react; his only instinct was to push Yi Dong and Yi Xia aside. But his body couldn't keep up with his mind.

Just at this critical moment, a figure pounced from the side.

It's Gu Cheng.

No one saw how Gu Cheng appeared. This centurion, who had guarded the city for many years, abandoned by his superiors and forgotten by the court, was covered in blood, blood still seeping from the knife wound on his left shoulder, his face blackened by smoke. He used all his strength to ram into Shen Lian, and the two fell to the ground, rolling more than ten feet away.

The shells fell.

When Shen Lian opened his eyes, he was frozen in place by the sight before him—

Gu Cheng lay on top of him, his battle coat torn to shreds, more than a dozen shrapnel fragments embedded in his back. The largest one, about half the size of a palm, was lodged in his shoulder blade, the flesh torn open, exposing bone, and blood gushing out. This man, who had just used all his strength to tackle Shen Lian, now lay silently on the ground like a cleaved log, barely breathing.

"Gu Cheng!" Shen Lian rolled over and lifted Gu Cheng up, his voice hoarse. "Gu Cheng, hold on!"

Gu Cheng's eyes were unfocused, but a slow smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, finally releasing the burden that had weighed on his heart for years. He opened his mouth to speak, but a gush of blood and foam rose in his throat, choking him and causing his whole body to convulse.

"Commander-in-Chief... Lord Wang... Lord Wang..." Gu Cheng's voice was broken and weak. "Lord Wang... he's a good official... he's not afraid of death. The city garrison... has been in disrepair for years, and the soldiers are few... it certainly can't be defended. He went to Chaozhou Prefecture... to defend the city. He didn't expect... he didn't expect Commander Yu to come in person. Mr. Shen... please tell Lord Wang for me that Gu Cheng... did not disgrace him..."

"...Okay." Shen Lian gripped Gu Cheng's hand tightly; the hand was already cold, and the palm had calluses from holding a knife. "I will definitely deliver the message!"

Gu Cheng nodded, a gesture that exhausted his last bit of strength. His gaze passed over Shen Lian's shoulder, looking towards the direction of Dacheng. That was the city he had guarded for many years, a city where his comrades lived, where the people he had failed to protect lived, and where the guilt and regret buried deep in his heart resided. Moonlight shone through the smoke of gunfire onto his face, illuminating two streams of turbid tears.

"I am powerless..." His voice was like an oil lamp extinguished by the wind, the flame flickering and struggling before finally sinking into darkness, "I failed to protect the people of this region... You... you must guard the city... protect the people of this village..."

The words came to an abrupt halt.

Shen Lian held Gu Cheng's body, motionless. The artillery fire continued, the flames flickering on his face, illuminating his bloodshot eyes. His lips trembled; he wanted to say something, but found his throat blocked by something, unable to utter a sound. He lowered his head, his forehead pressed against Gu Cheng's cold forehead, remaining motionless for a long time.

Believing that Dacheng Fortress was indefensible, they could redeploy troops to defend other areas—this was perhaps the choice made by He Tang, the prefect of Chaozhou, and Wang Riqiu, the commander of Dacheng Fortress. However, they did not expect that Yu Dayou would personally lead troops to its rescue. They also did not expect that Gu Cheng, left behind as a "symbolic defender," would risk his life to fill the final gap in this doomed city.

"Fuck your mother! Commander Gu is a good man!" Deng Cheng limped over, tears streaming down his face. "You bastard surnamed Wu, I'll make you pay with your blood!"

The roar of artillery fire pulled Shen Lian back to reality. He abruptly raised his head, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. Now was not the time to fight to the death. On the sea, he vaguely saw several small boats being quietly released from Wu Ping's fleet and rowing towards the shore—Wu Ping's vanguard, preparing to land under cover of chaos. The city's defenses were weak; if Wu Ping noticed, he would surely seize the opportunity to attack.

"General Deng!" Shen Lian shouted sternly, "Gather your troops! Do not linger in battle!"

"But--"

"No buts!" Shen Lian stood up. "Wu Ping's vanguard is already on the shore. He could turn his cannons on Dachengsuo at any moment. Gu Cheng's life is precious, and so are the lives of the more than a thousand men on the fortress. Retreat! Retreat immediately!"

Deng Cheng gritted his teeth, but ultimately held back. He turned and roared at the figures running through the gunfire, "Order! Retreat! The entire army retreats to Dachengsuo!"

The Ming army's elite troops quickly assembled amidst the artillery fire. Shen Lian ordered his men to cut off the heads of over a dozen Japanese pirate leaders, wrap them in cloth, and carry them in their hands. He then ordered all remaining tents, provisions, and siege equipment in the camp to be burned, leaving Wu Ping with nothing of use. In the firelight, three hundred elite troops, along with the wounded and excluding the dozen or so who had been killed, swiftly retreated from the now-burning Japanese pirate camp along the route they had come from.

Wu Ping stood at the bow of the boat, gazing silently at the burning camp on the shore. The firelight danced on his face, illuminating his unfathomable eyes. He saw the retreating Ming army, the corpses lying scattered on the shore, and the horrific scene of his cannon fire leveling the entire camp.

"Captain," the strategist cautiously approached, "should we send a ship in pursuit?"

"No need," Wu Ping shook his head. "Let them go."

The strategist was puzzled.

Wu Ping gazed in the direction of Dacheng, a faint smile playing on his lips: "This Yu Dayou has capable men under his command. He dared to sneak into the main camp while the second army was distracted. Not only did he sneak into the main camp, but he also managed to restrain himself, avoid prolonged battles, and escape unscathed amidst the artillery fire. This man is interesting."

He paused, then turned and walked towards the cabin, tossing out a sentence: "Pass down the order, tomorrow morning, the entire army will line up in formation. I want to see for myself who is standing on the city walls of this great city."

As dawn broke, Shen Lian and his group finally returned to the city walls of Dacheng.

When the soldiers guarding the city saw them through the crack in the gate, they were stunned for a long time. These three hundred men were all covered in blood and their faces were blackened by smoke, but their eyes were sharp and their spirits were high. Some were helping each other along, some were carrying their wounded comrades, and some were carrying bulging cloth bags, with blood still dripping from the bottom of the bags.

The soldiers on the city wall surged to the crenellations, watching the column return from the smoke of battle, and remained silent.

When Shen Lian climbed onto the city wall, Yu Dayou was already waiting there. The old general's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his gaze sweeping across Shen Lian's face before settling on the dozen or so bloodied heads behind him.

"Hang it up," Shen Lian instructed his soldiers, enunciating each word clearly. "Let Wu Ping see the Ming soldiers' determination to resist the Japanese pirates."

The heads of more than a dozen Japanese pirate leaders were strung together with ropes and hung one by one in the most conspicuous position on the city wall. When the morning breeze blew, those hideous faces swayed in the wind, like blood-stained flags facing the sea, proclaiming something and warning something.

The soldiers on the city wall, witnessing this scene, erupted from their silence with a deafening roar—a tragic cry, squeezed from the deepest recesses of their chests, a cry that had been suppressed for far too long.

Yu Dayou stood quietly atop the city wall, gazing at the fleet that was regrouping at sea. The morning light shone down, illuminating his tall and imposing figure. He slowly turned to Shen Lian and asked, "Where is Gu Cheng?"

Shen Lian remained silent for a moment before speaking: "General Gu... died for his country."

Yu Dayou swayed slightly, took a deep breath, and suppressed the grief back into his chest. After a moment, his gaze regained its composure. He wanted to say something, but ultimately said nothing. This hatred was etched in his heart and bones; there was no need to speak of it again.

After Shen Lian took his leave, he was supported by Yi Dong and Yi Xia as he walked towards the side courtyard. His hand was split in several places, covered in blood. Yi Dong wanted to bandage him, but he waved her hand and was about to collapse onto the bed—

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from under the corridor.

"Mr. Shen!"

It was Tang Kekuan's voice. Shen Lian forced himself to turn his head and saw the deputy commander stride into the courtyard. His expression was very strange—his brows were furrowed, his gaze was solemn, and he was clutching something in his hand.

"General Tang, what is it?"

Tang Kekuan walked closer and handed it over. It was a letter, sealed with sealing wax, but the seal had been broken. A corner of the letter was sticking out from the seal, and ink stains were faintly visible through it, giving off a fishy smell from the sea.

Tang Kekuan said in a deep voice, then paused and added, "It was just delivered from the sea. Commander Yu's face turned ashen after reading it. Mr. Shen, I have to tell you, something big is about to happen today."

Shen Lian's gaze slowly moved downwards, and he saw only eight characters on the cover, each character as sharp as a knife:

"To Commander Yu personally, Wu Ping of Meiling."