Too Dangerous

Half a month later, at the end of the official road at the foot of Azure Cloud Stronghold, dust filled the sky as eight thousand Black Armor Guards arrived as scheduled.

This elite Imperial Guard of the Great Qian Dynasty was a true heavy infantry force. Every soldier wore a set of black heavy armor forged entirely from black Mystic Iron, which was difficult to harm with ordinary arrows, and even swords and spears could not penetrate its surface.

During marches, each soldier was equipped with a strong horse, and all their armor and weapons were carried on the horse's back to conserve their strength. When it came to battle, they would take off their armor, put on their gear, and form ranks for foot combat, making them the toughest offensive force in the hands of the royal family.

The commander-in-chief was Wei Zheng, the commander of the Black Armor Guard, Principal Fourth Rank imperial guard officer, who was known for his strict discipline and ability to fight tough battles.

As soon as the army had set up camp at the foot of the mountain, he took over the command of the battle by imperial decree, and all the local Government Army who had been left behind were placed under his command.

Another day passed, and the 10,000 border troops transferred from the northern border also arrived at the foot of the mountain. Leading the troops was Zhou Lie, the deputy general of the border army, who had a dark complexion and a fierce aura honed on the battlefield. The soldiers under his command were elite border troops who had dealt with the Northern Di barbarians for many years, and their combat strength far surpassed that of the inland garrisons.

The day after the border troops arrived, a meeting was held in the commander-in-chief's tent to discuss the attack on the mountain.

Wei Zheng, clad in black armor, sat upright in the main seat, with officers arranged on either side according to rank, creating a somber atmosphere.

On the day Wei Zheng first arrived at the foot of the mountain, he summoned the scouts who had been stationed there for many days for questioning.

These scouts had been stationed there since the local Government Army' initial attack failed, and they had been maneuvering around the foot of the mountain for nearly a month, getting a thorough understanding of the terrain of the entire Azure Cloud Mountain.

The more reports he heard, the darker Wei Zheng's expression became.

He was already holding his breath—a mere bandit stronghold in the mountains was being used to send an entire force of 8,000 Black Armor Guards south. This kind of force would be enough for a small to medium-sized battle on the border; it was really using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

But once he had a clear understanding of the terrain of Azure Cloud Stronghold, his anger subsided, leaving only a heavy sense of unease.

This is no ordinary bandit stronghold; it is clearly a strategic pass blocking the mountain road. To launch a direct assault would be nothing short of suicide.

As soon as the operational meeting began, Wei Zheng gave the order in a deep voice:

"Spread out the topographic map."

The military advisor beside him quickly spread out the drawn mountain map on the table, pointed to the lines, and reported:

"Generals, Azure Cloud Stronghold is built on a cliff at the top of the mountain, and there is only one main road leading up and down the mountain."

The road was a cement road built by the bandits, flat and solid, allowing four-wheeled carriages to pass easily, and even the narrowest part was more than ten feet wide.

Even so, a single head-on engagement could only deploy a few hundred soldiers at most, as heavily armored formations were simply not feasible.

Let alone eight thousand men, even a hundred thousand would have to be added one by one, and their fighting strength wouldn't be able to reach even one-tenth. Scouts have been exploring the mountain for nearly a month, but all they've found are sheer cliffs and steep slopes, with no path to climb.

The tent fell silent for a moment. Wei Zheng glanced at the officers on either side and said calmly:

"Tell me, how do we fight this war?"

The group exchanged bewildered glances. Zhou Lie, the deputy commander of the border army, frowned deeply and spoke first:

"Lord Wei, to be frank, our border troops are used to open field battles on plains and cavalry raids, but we have never fought a siege on a narrow pass before."

If it really comes to a head-on confrontation, this humble general will not hesitate, but the tactics will be entirely at your command.

Since Zhou Lie had said so, no one among the local garrison commanders and guards dared to utter a word.

Everyone can see that this battle is a bloodbath; whoever launches the first strong attack will bear the responsibility for the heavy losses.

Wei Zheng didn't expect them to come up with any good solutions, and immediately stood up:

"Looking at pictures is useless; come with me to the foot of the mountain and see for yourself."

A group of guards quickly escorted the group out of the main tent and led them up the main path leading up the mountain.

They had already traveled this road when their army came. Everyone knew that it was a smooth and solid cement road. At first, they thought it would be convenient to transport grain and weapons, but the higher they went, the more Wei Zheng frowned.

Although the road was wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass, it was flanked by steep mountains and forests, making it impossible for troops to spread out to the sides. If they were to attack the mountains, all the troops would be crammed onto this road, leaving the enemy to stand on the stockade walls and attack from below, leaving them completely on the defensive.

After walking for about half an hour, when they were still more than a mile from the gate of the village, there was a bend in the road. They had to turn that bend to see the village wall.

The Government Army at the forward outpost responsible for blocking the front line rushed forward, bowing and urgently trying to stop them:

"General, stop! We cannot go any further!"

Wei Zheng paused, "What's going on?"

The sergeant's expression was grave:

"General, the bandits on the mountain have long-range weapons with extremely long range. If we turn the corner, we'll be shot at. It's too dangerous."

Wei Zheng frowned. "How far is it from here to the stockade wall?"

The sergeant bowed and replied, "Reporting to the general, it's about a mile or so."

"Absurd!"

Wei Zheng's face immediately darkened, his tone carrying a hint of sternness:

"More than a mile? What kind of bow and crossbow can shoot that far? Do you think it's a ballista from the army?"

"General, everything I said is true."

The sergeant's face was contorted with worry, and his voice was strained:

"That wasn't an ordinary bow, nor a crossbow; none of us knew its name."

The sound of the fighting was like a series of muffled thunderclaps, echoing back and forth in the valley, buzzing incessantly.

Not to mention a mile, we can hit them even from two miles away.

We set up the outpost at this bend because the entire straight road is within its firing range.

Some brothers tried to sneak over and scout ahead, but they were taken down as soon as they turned the corner.

The wound was incredibly gruesome; it pierced right through the leather and lamellar armor he was wearing, leaving a gaping, bloody hole that was beyond saving.

Having fought in countless battles, Wei Zheng had never heard of such a bizarre weapon. His brows furrowed even more, his eyes filled with disbelief. He didn't stop, wanting to take a few more steps forward to see for himself.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers at the nearby sentry post all knelt down with a thud.

"General! You mustn't! It's far too dangerous!"

Wei Zheng stopped in his tracks, glanced at them, and turned to his personal guards behind him, saying:

"Bring five heavy armored shields. The five of you will stand in front, shield in hand, and march forward in a line. I want to see what kind of weapon can make such a show of force."

The five armored guards responded in unison and quickly brought out heavy iron shields. The five men stood side by side in a row, holding the shields upright firmly, and slowly moved up the mountain path.

The sergeant opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him further, but swallowed his words back—he had already said what needed to be said. The Black Armor Army's shields were the thickest in the army; they would believe it after suffering a loss once. As long as the general didn't personally charge in, everything would be fine.

The five of them had only walked forward for less than two minutes when a series of rapid, muffled "bangs" suddenly rang out from the direction of the mountaintop. The sound was dull and urgent, echoing back and forth against the mountain walls on both sides, like a string of thunderclaps rolling across the valley.

Then came several short screams. Wei Zheng's expression changed drastically, and he raised his foot to rush forward.

The sergeant suddenly lunged forward to block him, shouting urgently:

"General, you can't go! Any further and we'll be within that thing's range!"