The Golden Crown Shines, Dust of the North is Scattered; Pursuing the Barbarians, Raising Banners, Returning Victorious

The fierce, surging fight to the death magnified every tiny flaw and injury without limit. Even a minor cut would continually affect one's movements as strength waned, making an already difficult battle even worse.

Had they clashed head-on, the Blood-Clad Army's formidable combat strength might not have left them in such desperate straits.

But Luandi Guduhou was simply too wily and calculating. He first used a crude feint to lure them in, then employed interlocking schemes to divide and pin down the Blood-Clad Army's main force. Finally, he surrounded the fewer defenders with heavy troops from three sides, pressing forward step by step, every move lethal.

As a result, the Blood-Clad Army on the east, south, and north walls suddenly came under immense pressure. Starting from their initial slight disadvantage, the situation rapidly worsened. The soldiers' condition deteriorated at breakneck speed, and in the blink of an eye, they were in grave danger.

More than half the Blood-Clad Army soldiers had accumulated increasingly severe wounds. Light injuries piled up into grievous ones, and many could no longer hold on. Half-kneeling against the city walls and gasping for breath, they still gripped their weapons and warily watched the enemy troops closing in.

Such widespread grievous injuries had never appeared in the Blood-Clad Army's past campaigns.

Du Ren, pinned down in the distance, watched the flames soaring skyward and heard the cries of battle from the three walls. Veins bulged on his forehead, and beads of sweat as large as beans mingled with blood and dripped from his chin. His face had flushed red as blood with anxiety.

Lord Zhao Cheng had entrusted these five thousand Blood-Clad Army soldiers entirely to him because he trusted Du Ren's ability—not so that he could see this elite force destroyed at Sand Fox Post.

Since