Cheng Mo was anxious, but outwardly remained composed. He knew that any rash decision could result in even greater casualties. He quietly spoke to General Huo, "We must find a way to stabilize the enemy while simultaneously finding an opportunity to rescue the hostages."
Huo Changlin nodded in agreement and issued orders for the troops to remain vigilant. He also sent scouts to gather intelligence on the enemy's positions, looking for a potential weak spot. Huo Mingcheng led the cavalry to maintain mobility on the outskirts, prepared to respond to any sudden enemy movements.
Cheng Mo secretly devised a rescue plan. They decided to use the cover of night to send a team of elite warriors into the inner city to locate the hostages and rescue them at the right moment. Meanwhile, they would maintain military pressure from the outside to prevent the enemy from harming the captives.
As night fell once again, Qiao Ziqiu personally led a team of elite hidden guards, stealthily infiltrating the city. Using a detailed map drawn by the oldest son of Mr. Du, they quickly made their way to the enemy's stronghold. Qiao Ziqiu knew that time was of the essence and that they had to locate and free the hostages as quickly as possible.
After a thorough search, they finally discovered the hostages in a concealed warehouse. Upon seeing Qiao Ziqiu, the captives were almost overwhelmed with emotion, nearly crying out in relief. Qiao Ziqiu quickly signaled them to remain silent and swiftly cut through their bonds.
Frantically searching through the group, Qiao Ziqiu looked for Mr. Du and his family. The other merchant women suddenly burst into quiet sobs, grabbing Qiao Ziqiu's hand and pleading, "Mr. Du and our husbands were taken away after being severely beaten. Please, you must save them, save them!"
The sudden noise attracted the attention of a nearby enemy sentry, who, upon discovering their presence, turned to raise the alarm. Qiao Ziqiu acted decisively, striking the sentry in the throat with a swift hand chop, silencing him on the spot. He then led his soldiers in a breakout. They swiftly dealt with several enemy guards and escorted the hostages out of the warehouse. As they made their escape, a signal flare shot into the sky, signaling to Huo Changlin that it was time to launch the night assault.
Huo Changlin, receiving the signal, raised his command flag and ordered the full-scale attack to begin.
Breakout and Counterattack
The sounds of battle outside grew closer as Qiao Ziqiu with his team moved swiftly through the darkness, doing their best to avoid the enemy patrols. General Chu's external forces launched a feigned attack to draw the enemy's attention, buying Qiao Ziqiu valuable time for the breakout.
After a fierce struggle, Qiao Ziqiu finally led the hostages to the predetermined rendezvous point where they met up with General Chu's advance troops. From there, they quickly retreated to a safe area.
Seeing most of the hostages return safely, Cheng Mo and Huo Changlin allowed themselves a brief smile of relief. However, they knew that the enemy still held Mr. Du and his group captive, and the real battle was far from over. The fight to retake Haifang City continued, and they had to press on to completely annihilate the enemy and liberate the occupied city.
The Battle Turns
The successful rescue of the hostages not only boosted the morale of the allied forces but also dealt a significant blow to the enemy. Early the next morning, Mr. Du and a few others were dragged to the top of the inner city walls.
"King Mo of Dongbin, do you see this? This is the Haifang City traitor who betrayed us. If you want him to live, you'll hand over the construction plans for your Same City Traveler Lodges and order your navy to clear the sea route. We're going back to the islands!" an enemy pirate shouted, speaking in a strange version of the Yunmeng court dialect toward Cheng Mo's direction.
The Southern Expedition Army found itself in a temporary stalemate once more. Qiao Ziqiu received message from the sea to report on the situation there, relaying that both General Qiao and Lord Cheng of Nanyue had agreed to clear the sea routes to ensure the hostages' safety. Huo Changlin ordered the troops to sheathe their weapons and withdraw, while the Wa pirates advanced cautiously, using the hostages as shields.
However, at that moment, Mr. Du, who was at the front of the group, suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, "King Mo! They've plundered a large Western merchant ship—they have heavy weaponry! You can't let them escape—" Before he could finish, a man dressed in Yunmeng court official robes swung a sword, cutting him down. Cheng Mo watched in horror as Mr. Du fell into a pool of blood, while the enemy, now panicked, quickly retreated back into the city gates.
The Desperation of the Bandit Leader and the Fierce Street Fighting
The bandit leader's threats placed immense pressure on the allied forces, but they decided not to wait any longer. Cheng Mo and Qiao Ziqiu quickly devised a new battle plan. They ordered their troops to approach the city walls under the cover of darkness, quietly placing black powder bombs at several key locations.
At dawn, the enemy once again pushed Mr. Du covered in blood to the front lines, attempting to force the allied forces into submission. Cheng Mo directed the cavalry to launch a feigned attack on the outskirts, drawing the enemy's attention, while Qiao Ziqiu led an elite unit to stealthily infiltrate the inner city.
Street fighting erupted, and both sides engaged in brutal close-quarters combat in the narrow alleys. Cheng Mo fought the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, swords clashing and flashing as the enemy fell one after another. However, the enemy was relentless, even pushing their own civilians onto the battlefield in a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable.
To swiftly end the battle and minimize the loss of innocent lives, Tong Xiang Bei bit her lip tightly, her right hand gripping Cheng Mo's palm with fierce determination. Seeing the pain and resolve in her eyes, Cheng Mo understood her unspoken message and turned to give the order to detonate the black powder bombs.