Barbarians Attack

Li Xuancang defeated the veteran Five-Man Leader Zhou Mang in a battle at the training grounds.

From then on, no one in Lakeside Station dared look down on this newly appointed Five-Man Leader again.

The days remained briefly peaceful for half a month, yet the tense atmosphere at the border never eased.

Scouts continually brought back intelligence: the Barbarian tribes were gathering their remnants, secretly colluding with border demon beasts, restless and eager to make a large-scale incursion.

After finishing a day's patrol, Li Xuancang returned to camp with Zhou Xing and the others, only to see a group of several hundred people heading toward the military camp.

Most of them were ordinary civilians, their faces sallow and emaciated, their clothes ragged.

"Move faster, all of you!"

Several Battle Soldiers shouted as they ushered the people into the camp.

"These are civilians who have come to serve their military conscription."

Seeing those civilians, thoughts surged through Li Xuancang's mind.

Two years ago, he had been just like them. Unable to pay his taxes, he had been forcibly taken away and brought to Lakeside Station.

"Father, Mother, Eldest Sister, and Little Sister should have an easier time this year."

Li Xuancang couldn't help thinking of his family. He had been away from home for over two years now. When would he be able to return?

He was now a Battle Soldier, and he had also had the ten taels of silver he received last time sent home. His family should be living a little better now.

"Let's go!"

Li Xuancang pushed those thoughts aside and returned to camp with the others.

Over the next period of time, civilians continued arriving for military service, and their numbers soon exceeded a thousand.

To ensure these civilians gained some combat ability as quickly as possible, Wang Xuanshan ordered them to train alongside the Battle Soldiers.

The military camp was so tense that every rustling wind and swaying blade of grass seemed like an enemy. Everyone felt the atmosphere growing especially oppressive.

"Whooo! Whooo!"

Urgent, piercing alarm calls tore through the sky and echoed across all of Lakeside Station.

"Enemy attack! A large-scale enemy attack!"

"The Barbarian army is at the gates, and they've brought a large number of demon soldiers with them!"

"Move out and engage!"

"..."

The camp instantly fell into chaos. Every defender swiftly donned armor, seized their weapons, and rushed to their respective defensive lines.

This invasion was far more dangerous than any before it.

The Barbarians were fierce and valiant, the demon soldiers savage and brutal. Together, their killing power multiplied.

"Follow me!"

Li Xuancang immediately gathered his five soldiers, fully armed themselves, and hurried to reinforce the eastern pass.

The terrain there was relatively flat, making it the easiest place to breach and the enemy's main point of attack.

Looking into the distance, the end of the wilderness was black with enemies.

Over a thousand Barbarians advanced in formation, wielding massive axes and curved blades, their Sha Qi soaring to the heavens.

Mixed among them were dozens of low-level demon soldiers, their bodies covered in fur and their fangs exposed. A gloomy wind swirled around them as they moved, while cold venom glinted from their claws and fangs, their ferocity chilling to the bone.

"So many demon soldiers... we're finished."

"These are demon soldiers in organized ranks. We can't stop them."

"Damn it, the Barbarians and the Demon Race have joined forces."

"..."

Many veteran soldiers went pale, sweat beading in their palms, despair written all over their faces.

Ordinary Battle Soldiers struggled to contend with Barbarians even one-on-one. With so many of them here, and demon soldiers joining the fight, how could they possibly hold them back?

Li Xuancang's gaze turned icy as he watched the enemy army press forward, every nerve in his body drawn taut.

At that moment, Wang Xuanshan climbed onto the wall. His gaze was grave as he shouted loudly.

"The Barbarians want to slaughter our camp, and these demons want to devour us! Only a fight to the death can save our lives. If you don't want to die, then fight with all your might and kill the enemy!"

They had no path of retreat. Once they were defeated, everyone would die—and die horribly.

"Boom, boom, rumble..."

Dust flew into the air as the earth shook. The enemy army quickly charged beneath the pass.

"Kill! Flatten Lakeside Station!"

The Barbarian leader roared. Barbarian soldiers howled as they charged, demon soldiers close behind them, cold light flashing from their claws as they lunged straight for the defensive line.

"Loose arrows!"

Wang Xuanshan swept his longblade, and arrows rained down.

"Whoosh, whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

As the arrows flew, dozens of demon soldiers stepped forward.

They were swift and agile, with thick hides and tough flesh. Even when struck by arrows, they suffered little harm.

The arrows could only slow their advance; they couldn't stop the enemy's charge at all, and they were quickly exhausted.

"Kill!"

In the blink of an eye, the two sides clashed at close quarters, and a savage battle erupted.

"Psh!"

"Aah!"

"Urgh!"

"..."

Screams rose and fell without end. The howls of the demon soldiers made people's hair stand on end, leaving them trembling in terror.

People kept falling, and blood quickly dyed the earth red.

"Don't... don't come closer!"

"Save me! Someone, save me!"

"Run!"

"..."

The civilians who had only recently come for military service had never set foot on a battlefield. The bloody scene before them scared them out of their wits, and they couldn't adapt to it.

Their bodies seemed frozen in place as they watched the enemy charge toward them.

"Hold them back! Don't let them break into the camp!"

Zhao Changlin was in charge of defending the eastern pass, and the pressure on him was immense.

"Psh!"

More than a dozen demon soldiers led the charge. They could slaughter Battle Soldiers with ease, and the defensive line was on the verge of collapse.

"Roar!"

One demon soldier, seven feet tall and covered in gray fur, was especially ferocious.

It forcibly smashed through two lines of soldiers. Its venomous claws swept out, tearing apart everyone in its path. It was about to rip open the defensive line.

Seeing this, no one else dared stand in its way. They could only watch as the demon soldier closed in step by step.

Zhao Changlin was tied down by a powerful Barbarian warrior. Unable to split himself in two, he couldn't stop the demon soldier.

As the demon soldier was about to carve through the defensive line, Zhao Changlin was frantic. Seeing everyone else shrink back in fear, too afraid to stop it, his fury surged.

Zhao Changlin's gaze swept rapidly across the battlefield before settling on Li Xuancang, who was slaughtering enemies left and right. He shouted loudly.

"Li Xuancang, stop that demon soldier! Don't let it break into the camp!"

This demon soldier was at the Mid Body Tempering Stage, only a hair's breadth away from the Late Body Tempering Stage.

Zhao Changlin knew Li Xuancang was no match for it, but right now, he could only hope Li Xuancang could hold the demon soldier off for a while until reinforcements arrived.

"Yes, sir."

Upon receiving the order, Li Xuancang did not hesitate in the slightest. Alone, spear in hand, he charged toward the demon soldier.

"Foolish!"

"He's courting death."

"An egg smashing against a rock."

"..."

Seeing Li Xuancang actually dare to charge at the demon soldier, the Ten-Man Leaders and Five-Man Leaders sneered. What Li Xuancang was doing was no different from seeking his own destruction.

"Hahaha, Li Xuancang, let's see if you die this time!"

Zhou Mang, who was fighting nearby, was overjoyed when he saw Li Xuancang charge at the demon soldier. He could hardly wait to see Li Xuancang torn apart by the demon soldier, leaving not even bones behind.