Lin Dahai happily led the Third Regiment, swaggering as the first to march into the pass.
"Damn it, I finally get a sip of the soup."
Lin Dahai spat, grinning as he looked over the battered, ravaged stronghold.
"Brother Yang got his fill of the spectacle up there. This time, it's my turn to have some fun."
Inside the pass, Zhang Yun saw that the terrifying, thunderous roar had stopped and silence had returned. He knew the enemy had understood their intention to surrender and ceased their attack.
Zhang Yun immediately began gathering every surviving officer and soldier, assembling them in the square within the pass to await orders. All weapons were collected and piled up on the other side of the square.
Lin Dahai led his troops into the pass and saw the defending soldiers in the distant square, standing in neat ranks after abandoning all resistance.
"Surround them all!"
Lin Dahai wasted no words. He immediately organized his men, guns raised, to encircle the entire square.
Everyone in the square was intensely curious about the people who had come to accept their surrender. What sort of people were they, to command something like divine thunder?
After taking a closer look, they became even more bewildered.
Because these people were completely different from them.
They did not wear the heavy armor the defenders wore. Instead, they were dressed lightly.
Nor did they carry swords, spears, or weapons like theirs. Instead, they held black tubes shorter than spears and about as long as sabers.
There were no gleaming blades, only dark openings aimed at them.
What were those things?
Weapons without edges?
Could they even be used as weapons?
They looked no different from sticks.
Could these people truly be mages?
Were those sticks magical artifacts used to summon heavenly