The heavy city gates slowly creaked open, and a torrent of arrows rained down, catching the barbarians outside completely off guard. Vanguard soldiers, wielding heavy shields, led the charge, with archers providing support from behind, instantly felling a considerable number of barbarians.
Just as the barbarians were attempting to counter-attack, a unit of Black Riders swept rapidly from the city gates. With a flash of silver, sword in hand, they descended like a scythe, cutting down the barbarians outside the gates like wheat, in vast swathes. Blood splattered everywhere; heads flew through the air, disappearing into the distance.
Seeing their main general finally arrive, the barbarians, as if injected with adrenaline, charged forward. The man atop the horse at the forefront appeared slender, his skin like smooth jade, with what seemed to be streaks of blood across his face. Despite his frail appearance, his martial prowess was formidable. The bright silver broadsword in his hand danced with fierce power, leaving a trail of blood wherever it struck, a truly tragic sight.
The heavy city gates slammed shut once more. Li Man'er, leading three thousand soldiers, charged towards the barbarians.
A Si closely followed Li Man'er, her long staff moving like a coiling serpent. Wherever it struck, barbarian brains burst forth, a gruesome spectacle.
Li Man'er had her sights set on the barbarian trebuchets. She shouted, "A Si, we split up."
A Si responded with a sound, then turned her horse and galloped towards another trebuchet. When she was still a hundred meters away, A Si suddenly pulled an object from her embrace.
It was a square item, wrapped in coarse burlap and tightly bound with rope. A Si bit down on a rope at the top of the burlap with her teeth and bit hard, causing the square object to emit smoke.
At this point, A Si was only about ten meters from the trebuchet. She swung her arm with all her might, hurling the object towards the barbarian trebuchet. The peculiar item traced an arc through the air and landed squarely on the trebuchet.
Seeing this, A Si immediately reined in her horse and galloped in the opposite direction. She strictly followed Li Man'er's orders, her body pressed low over the horse's back. Her long staff remained busy, striking left and right, felling four or five barbarians.
At that very moment, a thunderous roar erupted from behind. It sounded like the heavens and earth were collapsing. A Si twisted her head back on the horse's back and saw flames soaring into the sky, a strange odor spreading through the air. The barbarians around them screamed incessantly; those closer were engulfed in flames, their entire bodies burning.
Another deafening explosion followed, Li Man'er's position also detonated, destroying both trebuchets and finally alleviating the crisis at the city walls.
Lu Fang could hardly believe his eyes. Flames raged in the distance, and two trebuchets were simply destroyed? What means had Li Man'er employed, did she command the power of the heavens?
Everyone was stunned, not just the barbarians but also the soldiers of the Zun Kingdom were utterly bewildered by the weapon Li Man'er had used.
"My heavens! I knew I couldn't dissuade her, I never imagined she possessed such divine abilities!" Zhang Jingfeng's eyes gleamed. With such a method, not only could they repel the barbarians, but they could even march to their homeland.
"Brothers, defend the city gates, and follow me into battle."
The morale of the Zun Kingdom's soldiers soared. The fatigue in their bodies seemed to vanish as if blown away. Minor injuries and aches were ignored; each man felt as if he had consumed a potent elixir.
Li Man'er seized the moment while the barbarians' morale was shattered and led her men in a fierce fight, making the barbarians wail and flee in disarray.
Primarily, the earlier explosions were too shocking. In this era, they didn't even have gunpowder, and suddenly two explosive packages fell from the sky, leaving the barbarians utterly demoralized, like lost souls.
Witnessing the massive trebuchets turn to ash, their comrades reduced to burning figures, with countless dead and injured, who could possibly remain unfazed?
Once the hearts of the men were scattered, the army became difficult to command. Although the barbarian commander desperately tried to stem the tide and stage a comeback, the momentum was lost, and they could only order a retreat.
The barbarian general, filled with resentment, could only command a withdrawal.
The barbarian soldiers immediately turned and fled, abandoning their weapons and helmets. Some even ran out of their shoes. Those on horseback rode off, while those on foot wished they could transform into horses, sprouting two extra hooves.
The defeated army collapsed like a mountain, the barbarian soldiers retreating like a surging tide.
Li Man'er ordered them not to pursue the defeated enemy too closely and instructed her men to quickly clear the battlefield and gather all usable horses and spoils of war.
Cheers erupted, and the people outside the city and on the city walls were ecstatic!
Lu Liang, who was usually taciturn, couldn't help but exclaim, "Divine weapons and sharp tools, I wonder what treasures those were."
Lu Fang's expression was unreadable. The firelight illuminated him, seemingly concealing everything about the man.
This Li Man'er was truly full of surprises. If this continued, the Iron Blood Camp would be completely under her command.
A great victory!
Li Man'er's first battle leading troops out of the city had ended in such a triumph. Not only had she routed the barbarians, but their own losses were minimal: seventeen dead, three severely wounded, and over twenty lightly injured.
Such casualty figures were unprecedented. In previous minor skirmishes, it was normal to lose hundreds or even thousands of men. Yet, they had only lost seventeen. It was almost unimaginable.
Li Man'er led her troops back to the camp, where she was greeted by the cheers of all the soldiers in the city, and also by Li Nian's scowl.
He hadn't known Li Man'er dared to be so audacious as to lead troops out of the city directly. While they had won, he was still startled. Who could guarantee victory? What if something had gone wrong…
"Third Uncle, why the long face?" Li Man'er wiped the blood from her face. "I'm fine, I'm not injured."
Li Nian truly didn't know what to say. "You..."
The legitimate eldest daughter of a marquis's mansion, a lady of noble birth, was leading troops into battle. Who would believe it if they heard?
"It's good that you're alright. I'll keep an eye on things for you. You go change your clothes and have something to eat."
Li Man'er smiled. Li Nian's silence on the matter of the explosive packages put her in a much better mood. Li Man'er tossed her bloody sword to Zhang Jingfeng. "Third Uncle, they shouldn't be coming back anytime soon. You should eat something too!"
"I'm not hungry," Li Nian stated. "The north gate is surprisingly quiet. You go eat, I'll handle the aftermath." The damaged city walls needed repair, and the fallen brothers needed to be promptly buried. There was much to be done!
"Alright then."
Li Man'er no longer demurred and, with A Si, returned to the camp.
Upon reaching the camp, there was another commotion. Everyone lined up to welcome her, sincerely addressing her as "General."
Li Man'er almost regretted returning to the main camp. If she had known it would be so boisterous, she would have rested in the rear.
Entering the main tent, she first shed her blood-soaked outer robe. A Si brought hot water, and after a simple wipe-down, she could finally catch her breath.
"General."
Zhang Jingfeng's voice came from outside the tent. "Your maid has arrived."
"Liu Ya? Let her in."
A moment later, the tent flap was lifted, and Zhang Jingfeng entered with Liu Ya.
"Young lady, this servant has brought you dumplings."