The remaining two hundred or so private soldiers crowded together here like a pack of wild wolves driven to the edge of a cliff. Their breaths came rapid and heavy, most of the blades in their hands were already chipped, and some were even trembling.
But Ji Ye stood before them.
He said nothing. He merely tied two jars of Fierce Fire Oil around his waist with hemp rope, then picked up the eighty-pound iron spear.
"Afraid?"
Ji Ye suddenly spoke, his voice echoing through the deep gate passage.
No one answered. Only a few swallowing sounds could be heard.
"Good. You should be."
Ji Ye turned around to face the heavy, iron-bound wooden gate.
"There are thousands outside, with trebuchets and master archers. If we charge out, there's a ninety-nine percent chance we'll die."
He paused, the corner of his mouth curling into a savage grin.
"But if we stay here, we'll either be smashed into pulp by stones or starve to death, then turn into a heap of rotten flesh like that woman."
"Since death awaits us either way, we might as well make it lively."
"Pockmarked, open the gate."
Pockmarked shuddered all over. Looking into Ji Ye's eyes, where the flames of madness burned, he finally gritted his teeth and waved at several burly men beside him.
"Open the gate!!"
The heavy bolts were lifted, letting out a teeth-grinding scrape.
"Creak—"
The city gate, sealed shut for days, slowly opened a crack.
Light from outside streamed in, carrying the cold wind and the thunderous roar of trebuchets.
The Barbarian vanguard clearly had not expected the defenders to dare open the gate. They froze for a moment, then erupted into excited howls.
"They're trying to escape!"
"Charge in! Take the women!!"
Several hundred Barbarian soldiers brandished their curved blades and pounced like flies scenting blood.
"Escape?"
Ji Ye looked at the ferocious faces beyond the crack in the gate, drew a deep breath, and poured Triple Brute Force into his legs.
"I'm here to send you to your graves!"
"Kill!!"
With a furious roar.
The city gates flew open.
Ji Ye charged out first, like a fierce tiger unleashed from its cage, leading more than two hundred doomed, grief-stricken soldiers in a countercharge out of the city!
Boom!
The moment he left the city, Ji Ye viciously hurled one jar of Fierce Fire Oil from his waist into the crowd ahead.
The jar shattered in midair, followed immediately by a torch.
Flames shot into the sky.
The dozen or so Barbarian soldiers at the very front were instantly swallowed by the sea of fire. Screaming, they turned into human torches and scattered in panic, throwing the formations behind them into chaos instead.
"Stay close to me! Don't stop!!"
Ji Ye paid no heed to the enemies on either side. The iron spear in his hand transformed into a black whirlwind.
Sweep the Thousand Armies!
Empowered by Triple Brute Force, that iron spear became the most terrifying blunt weapon. Any Barbarian soldier struck by it, whether leather armor or bone, was smashed to pieces.
The two hundred-plus men were like a sharp knife, viciously stabbing into the Barbarian formation.
Their objective was clear—the dozen or so roaring trebuchets.
"Madmen! These Southerners have gone mad!"
The Barbarian centurions cried out in terror. They had never seen a Great Liang force like this: no formation, no defense, simply trading life for life.
"Stop them!"
Hulei stood atop his war chariot, watching that force charge left and right through the sea of men, his face darkening to a terrifying degree.
Especially that young man at the front—bathed in blood, fire-oil jars hanging from his waist, leaving a prairie fire in his wake. He was practically a moving powder keg.
Hulei raised his iron-backed bow again.
But this time, Ji Ye was prepared.
He plunged into the densest part of the enemy crowd and even deliberately grabbed a Barbarian corpse to shield himself.
Twng!
The massive arrow pierced through the corpse and grazed past Ji Ye's shoulder, tearing away a piece of flesh, but it failed to halt his stride.
One hundred paces.
If you can't find the book by searching its title, try searching for the author. It may simply have been renamed!
Fifty paces.
The trebuchets were right before them.
"Smash them!!"
Ji Ye roared, tore the last jar of Fierce Fire Oil from his waist, and hurled it at the largest trebuchet with all his strength.
Bang!
The jar shattered, black oil splashing across the wooden frame.
Ji Ye thrust his iron spear upward, sending a burning Barbarian soldier flying, then flung him precisely onto the trebuchet.
Boom—!!
Dry timber meeting Fierce Fire Oil instantly turned into an enormous torch.
The fire spread rapidly, igniting several trebuchets nearby.
The trebuchet position that had been wreaking havoc moments ago became a sea of flames in the blink of an eye.
"Ahhh!!"
The Barbarian soldiers operating the trebuchets were swallowed by the blaze, their screams unending.
The mission was complete.
But the price had been grievous as well.
Of the more than two hundred brothers who had charged out with Ji Ye, fewer than fifty could still stand.
They were surrounded by thousands of Barbarian soldiers, like a lone boat upon the vast sea, ready to be swallowed at any moment.
"Hahahaha!"
Leaning on his iron spear, Ji Ye stood before the sea of flames. Looking at the densely packed enemies around him, he suddenly threw back his head and laughed.
His laughter was shrill and wild, carrying a thrill that made hearts go cold.
"Hulei!!"
Ji Ye raised his iron spear and pointed it directly at the giant man atop the war chariot, across the fire and the wall of men.
"Your stones are gone!"
"Now it's your head's turn!"
On the war chariot.
Hulei slowly lowered the bow in his hand.
He looked at the blood-covered youth, who resembled an evil ghost. The fury in his eyes instead subsided, replaced by recognition for a strong opponent, and... an even purer killing intent.
"Good."
Hulei jumped down from the war chariot.
The ground trembled faintly.
He casually drew a gigantic Horse-Chopping Saber from one of the guards beside him. It was a weapon custom-made for him, weighing a hundred pounds, its spine as thick as a brick.
"Everyone, fall back."
Hulei gave the order coldly.
The surrounding Barbarian soldiers retreated like a receding tide, opening up an empty space.
It was not merely because of the order. It was because they knew that, for the battle to come, mortals should keep their distance.
This was a duel between an Organ Tempering expert and a madman.
Hulei dragged the Horse-Chopping Saber as he walked toward Ji Ye step by step. With every step, his imposing aura rose another notch. The blood and qi within him surged like rushing rivers, even forming a faintly distorted heat haze around his body.
"You may die by my hand."
Hulei stopped ten paces away from Ji Ye, his voice ringing like great bells and mighty chimes.
"That is your honor."
Ji Ye wiped the blood and grime from his face, tightening his grip on the spear shaft wrapped in strips of cloth.
His strength had already been drained dry. More than a dozen wounds covered his body, and he could barely even lift his left arm.
Yet the fire in his eyes only burned fiercer.
"An honor?"
Ji Ye bared his teeth in a grin, revealing blood-stained white teeth.
"I came here to eat meat."
"Whether I can bite through your bones, I'll have to taste them to find out."
Before his words had faded.
Both men moved at once.
Like two meteors, they slammed fiercely into each other amid the blazing fire and piled corpses.
Boom!!
It was a collision of pure strength, without a single flourish.
The final battle had begun.
Before you continue