The Demon Lords

Chapter 490 13 Sword Saint_1

By now, there was no time to spare for the disoriented Emperor Jin; the vanguard of the Jin Army had already begun their assault on the city walls.

After all, this was not a large city, merely a reinforced fort. The Jin soldiers at the forefront used grappling hooks, while those behind them clenched blades in their teeth, freeing their hands to scale the walls.

Those deployed for a night raid were invariably the elite of the elite; each Jin soldier faced death without fear. If their grappling hooks were severed and they fell, those who could still stand would simply begin their climb anew.

Even when faced with arrows raining down from above, they paid it no mind. If struck by an arrow and felled, they would rise and fight again as long as they could still move.

Below, Jin archers, despite their disadvantageous terrain, exchanged fire with the Yan Army on the walls. They provided as much cover as possible for their fellow soldiers scaling the fortifications.

Are these bastards on something? How could they have lost half their nation to two Lords with this kind of fearless ferocity? Zheng Fan couldn't help but curse.

The battlefield's atmosphere made it difficult for anyone to remain composed. This was especially true when, just as Zheng Fan severed a grappling hook on the parapet before him, an arrow struck him squarely in the chest.

Luckily, his son had come through for him, blocking the arrow.

But Zheng Fan was genuinely terrified, and his terror startled A Ming and Siniang beside him. Zheng Fan reached out and touched the coffin lid behind him, which brought him a measure of reassurance.

A Ming immediately stepped in front of Zheng Fan but was pushed firmly aside by Zheng Fan himself. Though his lips were trembling, Zheng Fan still shouted, "Step aside, let your master kill!"

Seeing this, A Ming did not insist further. Instead, he and Siniang flanked their lord, protecting him on either side.

Li Fusheng had once said that Zheng Fan was just one crucial step away from advancing, and the simplest way to take that step was to kill.

Therefore, despite the terror gripping him, Zheng Fan gritted his teeth and forced himself to fight on the front line.

The fort's walls were not particularly high, and soon, a considerable number of Jin soldiers appeared atop them.

Granted, the vast majority were struck down by the waiting Yan Army—who used sabers, arrows, or longspears—as soon as they crested the wall, but the Jin soldiers' goal was merely to cast a wide net.

As long as they could breach the defenses at a single point, secure it, and hold it, they could bring up a continuous stream of reinforcements.

Moreover, they seemed truly prepared.

Before long, dozens of Jin soldiers emanating a faint glow suddenly appeared at a spot to Zheng Fan's west. Dressed in the unremarkable armor of ordinary Jin infantry, they initially drew no attention. But after climbing to a certain height, they unleashed their vital energy, surging upwards. More than ten of them charged forward with suicidal abandon, and with reinforcements following closely, they actually managed to carve out a section of the wall.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

At that moment, a tremendous roar erupted from the city wall. Fanli, encased in full armor like a giant iron can, charged forward, swinging his two large axes like a savage beast.

"Go help Ah Li!"

"My lord, I'm on my way!" Liang Cheng shouted and rushed to join him.

The fort's wall was not wide. A standard large city wall could accommodate several horse-drawn chariots moving abreast, a standard this fort clearly did not meet. However, this narrowness, ironically, gave Fanli, the 'giant iron can,' a significant advantage.

There was no need for fancy techniques or duels of combat experience; a direct charge and a swing of the axe were all it took!

Moreover, with Liang Cheng covering Fanli's flank, their coordination was impeccable. Liang Cheng himself possessed a formidable physique. The two Demon Kings worked with flawless synergy: one charged ahead while the other covered his sides, finishing off enemies and watching for Jin soldiers attempting to get close to Fanli.

At this critical juncture, the blind man issued a direct order: "Loose arrows!"

Archers on both flanks and at the foot of the wall immediately drew their bows. Though puzzled, they nevertheless loosed their arrows.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!!!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!

Arrows struck Fanli's 'iron can' armor. Most glanced off, and the few that managed to penetrate its layers were no threat to Fanli's incredibly tough hide.

Liang Cheng advanced in a crouch, using Fanli's massive frame to shield himself from most of the volley. Although two arrows struck him—one in the left arm and another in the back—they caused no serious harm. His armor absorbed some of the impact, and his Zombie physique was incredibly resilient.

The Jin soldiers, however, were in a dire situation. Focused on speed for their ascent, these elite troops wore lighter leather armor, offering far less protection. Caught in this indiscriminate barrage, their only choices were to leap from the wall or stand and endure the arrow storm.

Any other army defending a city would never resort to such a tactic; their own lines would likely break before the enemy's did. Even deliberately yielding a section of the wall to the enemy would be tantamount to outright surrender.

Only Zheng Fan, with his two formidable Demon Kings, would dare such a gamble: have them pin down the enemy, then unleash a barrage that harmed friend and foe alike.

The effect was, naturally, excellent. By the time the nearby Yan Army surged forward once more, the breach the Jin soldiers had nearly created was sealed again.