"Boom! Boom boom!"
As the distant sound of war drums echoed, the northern Di soldiers, like a dark cloud pressing against the city, began their assault.
The first time Zhao Haiping witnessed such a grand battlefield, he was somewhat terrified. But now, he was completely accustomed to it, even indifferent.
After all, he had seen this scene countless times and died countless times; his mindset was as steady as an old dog.
He nocked an arrow.
At the general's command, he released the arrow!
The arrow accurately struck a Di soldier below the city, piercing deeply into his right chest, even causing him to fall backward. He struggled briefly but ultimately failed to rise.
With a calm expression, Zhao Haiping prepared a second arrow.
Zhao Haiping had already honed his archery through repeated practice. His method was simple: in the early stages, he would choose the "Mounted Archery Proficiency" skill to repeatedly experience the feel of shooting until it became muscle memory.
Whenever the Di soldiers reached the city wall, he would reset by "dying," thus grinding his skill proficiency.
Now, even without the "Mounted Archery Proficiency" skill, his archery skills were quite formidable.
Another arrow, another northern Di soldier fell.
On his third draw, Zhao Haiping aimed at a cavalry leader charging at the front.
This time, the arrow struck the leader's shoulder at an angle. Unfortunately, the leader was wearing armor, so although the arrow pierced through a gap in the armor, it didn't go very deep.
Still, three consecutive hits were his best record, even if some luck was involved.
Someone beside him cheered, "Great shot!"
Zhao Haiping remained expressionless, continuing to draw his bow.
He'd encountered this situation before. When he performed well, such as hitting multiple targets or successfully fighting off several enemies in close combat, other Chu soldiers would cheer.
This, of course, would boost his reputation within the army, which was advantageous for the battles ahead.
Soon, the northern Di soldiers began scaling the walls.
Zhao Haiping immediately set aside his bow, drew his sword from his waist, and charged at the first Di soldier to reach the top!
This soldier looked fierce and muscular. Clearly, those charging at the front in a siege were elite warriors, often called "First-to-Ascend Warriors."
Compared to him, Zhao Haiping was smaller in stature and certainly not considered elite among the Chu soldiers; charging to the front was almost suicidal.
Yet, just when others thought he was throwing his life away, Zhao Haiping deftly sidestepped, barely dodging the Di soldier's curved blade. He struck upward with his long sword, exploiting an opening on the enemy's right side and slicing through his throat!
More Di soldiers soon climbed up. Zhao Haiping continued fighting his way towards the general's position, both to protect him from being overrun and to show his face in front of the general.
The more he showed up, the more likely he'd be promoted to adjutant!
To the other soldiers, Zhao Haiping's actions seemed reckless. He often charged into groups of three or four Di soldiers but always managed to escape at the last moment, sometimes even killing one or two in the process.
Before he even reached General Geng Zhong, he had already caught his attention.
"Do we truly have such a brave warrior in our ranks?" General Geng Zhong's face lit up with surprise.
The first phase of the battle ended quickly as the Di soldiers retreated.
Zhao Haiping, covered in blood, wielded a dulled sword and bore multiple wounds.
But to him, this was nothing. The game's pain sensation was toned down, and after dying so many times, he'd seen it all; these minor injuries barely affected his judgment.
This success was partly due to luck. The "Licking the Blade" talent wasn't invincible; it only helped him perform better in close combat, but he could still die.
Nevertheless, he left a lasting impression on the Chu soldiers, appearing almost superhuman!
Alone on the city wall, he often took on multiple enemies, narrowly escaping death each time, trading small injuries for Di soldiers' lives.
This was the legendary "Bravery of a Hundred Soldiers"!
Zhao Haiping's performance not only occupied many Di soldiers, making the battle easier for the Chu troops, but it also greatly boosted morale, ensuring a decisive victory.
But Zhao Haiping knew that the second phase was the real challenge.
As long as he survived the first phase, he could advance to the second. But the second phase wasn't so simple.
The mist cleared, and the scene changed.
The soldiers around him now appeared in their forties, and the equipment on the walls looked old and worn.
Just as he anticipated, his status had changed!
He was no longer an ordinary soldier; he now wore high-quality armor, clearly different from before.
The soldiers saluted him, indicating that he was now an adjutant—a result of his exceptional performance in the first phase.
Without delay, Zhao Haiping headed towards General Geng Zhong's position.
Two guards saw him but didn't dare stop him, simply saluting and letting him pass.
General Geng Zhong was examining a map. Seeing Zhao Haiping approach, he asked, "What's the situation?"
Zhao Haiping decided to get straight to the point. "General, the soldiers are suffering from thirst, and the Di are about to attack. We can't wait any longer. We must dig the seventh well immediately!"
Surprised, General Geng Zhong looked up at him, then back down.
"With the enemy about to attack, we shouldn't waste manpower on digging another well. Besides, six wells have been dug without finding water. Perhaps Heaven has abandoned us…"
Zhao Haiping stepped forward firmly, "General, don't think that way!
"When the former emperor was trapped by the northern Di, he struck a mountain with his sword, and a spring burst forth. This shows that our kingdom is destined to prevail—how could Heaven abandon us?
"General, with the Di soldiers at our gates, if we don't take extraordinary measures, this battle is as good as lost. In my humble opinion, we must dig the seventh well!"
As Zhao Haiping spoke, his voice was sincere and full of conviction.
Though there was an element of performance, Zhao Haiping had fought alongside these soldiers and died countless times, fully immersing himself in the role.
General Geng Zhong seemed moved by his words.
Zhao Haiping's statement had two key points: invoking the former emperor's legend to boost morale and analyzing the current situation, emphasizing that digging the well was the only way to turn the tide.
General Geng Zhong paced back and forth. "In your opinion, where should we dig this seventh well?"
Zhao Haiping glanced at the map in front of the general, where many spots were marked, likely representing the previous six wells.
Nearly all the marked spots were concentrated in the northwest part of the city.
Having done his homework, Zhao Haiping pointed to a location near the south tower. "General, dig here!"
General Geng Zhong raised an eyebrow. "Oh? But this spot is far from the northwest stream. How can you be certain there's water?"
Zhao Haiping replied, "General, there's no other place left in the city for a well. At this point, we have no choice but to try."
General Geng Zhong considered briefly, then nodded. "Very well, we'll do as you say."
Zhao Haiping seized the opportunity. "One more thing, General. I suggest we slaughter a few warhorses."
General Geng Zhong's expression darkened, his gaze steely. "Slaughter the horses?"
Zhao Haiping nodded. "Yes."
He had anticipated the general's reaction, but he had to insist to clear the stage.
Ancient warriors had deep bonds with their warhorses, and having horses meant there was still hope for a breakout.
Even in their thirst and desperation, they would never consider killing their horses, as the horses symbolized a last line of escape.
With few horses left, slaughtering them meant forsaking any chance of escape, committing everyone to defend the city to the end.
But Zhao Haiping knew that in their dire situation, this was the only solution!