"What kind of bow and arrow is this?" the middle-aged general defending the city shouted, witnessing the devastation below. "Shoot! Shoot quickly! We can't let them suppress us!"
Despite the fear gripping the five or six hundred archers on the city wall, they had no choice but to return fire. Unfortunately, the soldiers below had already retreated to a safe distance, rendering their shots ineffective.
To make matters worse, the soldiers attacking wore thick layers of fine steel chain mail beneath their thin leather armor, making it nearly impossible for the arrows to penetrate.
In contrast, the Royal Guard Battalion wielded ordinary middle-grade bows and arrows, which had a much greater range and power. Even when fired from a distance, they inflicted significant casualties, and the soldiers in the Royal Guard Battalion were all elite troops, far stronger than the average soldier.
What ensued was a one-sided massacre.
Within moments, numerous defenders fell from the city wall, and if this continued, soon no one would dare stand on the battlements.
The city guard general, realizing the dire situation, yelled, "Close the city gate! All troops attack! We must move to eliminate the rebels!"
The heavy city gate began to close again, amidst a cacophony of shouts and chaos erupting from all sides.
Li Mufan was momentarily startled as he saw countless soldiers and cavalry rushing toward him from both the city walls and the streets behind. In an instant, they were surrounded!
"What should we do, Your Majesty?" Liu Long asked anxiously, eyeing the advancing enemies.
Veins bulged on Li Mufan's forehead as his temper flared. "What else can we do? Kill them!"
"Kill!!" Liu Long shouted fiercely, charging into the fray!
In an instant, blood and gore filled the air.
The guards, armed with ordinary fine steel long swords and clad in protective chain mail, gained the upper hand in this initial confrontation.
From his mount, Li Mufan, surrounded by his protectors, observed the battle unfolding before him. The gruesome scene did not faze him; instead, he barked commands. "Zhang Tie! You take your men to secure the left flank!"
"Yes!" a voice boomed from the battlefield.
"Liu Long, you protect the right flank!"
"Yes!" Liu Long replied, dispatching enemies left and right.
"Cuihua! You hold the rear!"
"Yes!" a crisp female voice responded. Cuihua, at the second level of the body refining realm, was slightly stronger than Liu Long.
"Aqiang! Engage the enemies in front of me!"
"Yes! Master!" Aqiang, the strongest among Li Mufan's ranks, stood at the third level of the body refining realm, more than capable of dispatching foes in front of him.
Under Li Mufan's strategic direction, the once-chaotic crowd reformed, no longer fighting as individuals but as a cohesive unit.
As the battle intensified, bodies piled up on the ground. A closer inspection revealed that the fallen were predominantly city defenders, while the Royal Guard Battalion suffered no injuries.
The disparity in equipment was glaring. The fine steel long swords claimed one life after another, while the ordinary weapons of the defenders failed to breach the fine steel chain mail.
Moreover, the personal strength of the two sides was vastly unequal.
This conflict resembled an ordinary person armed only with a wooden stick facing off against a well-armored, muscular warrior wielding a massive blade—the outcome was all too predictable.
On the left flank, the burly Zhang Tie wielded two swords with reckless abandon. Although he had not yet reached the physical training level, his sharp long swords and sturdy armor allowed him to cut down foes like a god of war, firmly holding his position.
To the right, Liu Long, skilled in martial arts as an orthodox general of the kingdom, fought with precision, his blade dispatching countless enemies.
In the rear, Cuihua, donned in a red military uniform, displayed prowess equal to any man. Having received gene enhancers, she was among the strongest in her realm, effortlessly dispatching ordinary soldiers. Her moves were swift and decisive, ensuring that each strike found its mark without hesitation.
In the front lines, Aqiang's strength was unmatched. Armed with the Guan Gong sword specially crafted for him by Li Mufan, he cut through foes like a whirlwind, inspiring fear in those who dared to approach.
Meanwhile, atop a tall building near the city gate, Li Haotian observed Li Mufan commanding the battlefield with his personal guard battalion, a monstrous force in action. His expression darkened.
Beside him, Wang Mengyu, usually poised and elegant, was visibly taken aback. She marveled not only at the combat effectiveness of the personal guard battalion but also at Li Mufan's commanding presence.
"Has he been pretending all along?" a thought flashed through Wang Mengyu's mind before she dismissed it. "If he truly possesses such cunning, how could he have appeared so vulnerable on his wedding night?"
While she pondered these thoughts, Li Haotian's voice broke the silence. "Sister Wang, I didn't expect this individual to be so formidable. What do you make of the current situation?"
Wang Mengyu exhaled, refocusing her attention on the battlefield. After a moment of contemplation, she replied calmly, "Your Majesty, there's no need for concern. The rebels may appear fierce, but their numbers are limited."
"If this drags on, they will surely exhaust themselves. At that point, we can simply have General Zhao An lead our elite troops to charge and capture the rebels alive."
Li Haotian sighed, echoing her thoughts. "That's what I believe as well. The rebels are relying on superior weaponry, but I'm curious where they acquired so many ordinary arms. I'll look into it later."
After a pause, he instructed the guards behind him, "Go inform Zhao An to arrive as quickly as possible to deal with the Barbarian Bull Tribe. If he doesn't show up within the time it takes to burn an incense stick, let him go home."
The guards replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, we've received word that General Zhao has dealt with the Barbarian Bull Tribe and is currently hurrying here with his personal guard battalion."
"Good," Li Haotian nodded, falling silent as he continued to observe the battlefield with a grim expression.