171: Chapter 171 Breaking Through the Door Brings a Surprise

At this moment, Qian Duoduo was constantly barking out orders.

"Hold! Everyone hold your ground! magic towers at full power! Don't worry about consumption, we must hold on, reinforcements are coming soon!"

Qian Duoduo's voice was hoarse from shouting, and his chubby face was covered in sweat mixed with soot, making him look extremely disheveled.

In his hand, he clutched a gem-encrusted short sword that was more decorative than practical, waving it around in vain.

He was trying to boost his own morale as well as that of the guards standing before him.

What he relied on was a city wall barely five meters high, built from ordinary stone and currently covered in cracks.

Along with nearly a hundred arrow towers and small magic towers on the wall, their lights flashing rapidly as if they were about to overload.

This was his entire net worth.

As a "merchant Lord" who specialized in buying and selling, all his talents and energy were focused on trade and intelligence; his territory's military construction...

Could only be described as barely passable, enough to bully a few stray monsters or something even weaker.

But now, he was facing a thousand Iron-Spine Earth Dragons—Advanced-Rank, thick-skinned, armed to the teeth, and capable of shaking the earth when they charged!

And there was even a 2-star Gold-tier among them!

"Boom!!!"

It was another mass charge led by the Earth Dragon Commander personally, with dozens of Earth Dragons following closely behind, slamming hard into the already overburdened city gate!

The city gate was like glass struck by a heavy hammer, letting out a heart-wrenching "crack" as it was instantly covered in spiderweb-like fissures.

The massive stones at the gate's joints shattered, and the hinges let out a piercing sound of twisting metal.

"It's over... the gate is going to break..."

Qian Duoduo's heart sank to the bottom. His hands and feet went cold, and despair gripped his heart like freezing vines.

He could already envision the next second: the gate bursting open, and the ferocious torrent of Earth Dragons flooding in to trample, shred, and devour him and everything he had painstakingly accumulated...

Right at this critical juncture!

Buzz!

A strange, stable spatial fluctuation, completely different from the chaotic and violent aura of the battlefield, suddenly rippled across an empty patch of land at the rear of his territory!

Immediately after, a massive teleportation array with a huge diameter, flowing with deep azure radiance and complex, mysterious runes, emerged out of thin air without warning!

The light was soft yet firm, instantly illuminating the area as if it were broad daylight!

"This, this is..."

Qian Duoduo and many soldiers on the wall were so startled by this sudden turn of events that they temporarily forgot the crisis before them and stared in shock.

The blue light lasted for only a few seconds before rapidly receding inward like a low tide and dissipating.

As the light vanished, the scene revealed on the empty ground caused Qian Duoduo's eyes to widen and his mouth to hang open, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

On that empty land, at some unknown point, an army had appeared, standing in neat, silent, and solemn formation!

There were about two thousand of them, all clad in heavy dark-gold armor. Restrained yet powerful energy patterns flowed across the armor's surface, and the tips of their spears gleamed with a cold light in the moonlight that made one's skin prickle.

Their presence was as steady as a mountain, and their gazes were as cold as iron.

Just by standing there, an aura of iron-blooded Evil Qi from a hundred battles and the majestic pressure unique to epic troops surged forward, instantly diluting the bloodlust and chaos of the battlefield.

And guarded in the center by these two thousand Golden Armored Spearmans, like stars surrounding the moon...

Was Lin Tian, sitting atop a magnificent Crimson Flame Dragon Horse, his expression calm and even carrying a hint of interest as he surveyed the battlefield!

"Epi-Epic... Advanced? Golden Armored Spearmans!"

Almost subconsciously, Qian Duoduo used a Detection Spell on the Golden Armored soldier closest to him with trembling hands.

The feedback caused his brain to buzz, nearly making him faint on the spot.

Epic Advanced! Golden Armored Spearman!

The lowest Rank among them was Gold-tier 1-star!

Two thousand of them! All of them were epic troops at Gold-tier or higher?!

"My... Oh my sweet ancestor..."

Qian Duoduo sucked in a breath of cold air, feeling his legs go weak. He had to use all his strength just to remain standing.

He knew Lin Tian was a big shot and very strong, but he never imagined he could be this powerful!

The two thousand "guards" he casually brought out to save the day were a top-tier configuration he wouldn't even dare to dream of!

This wasn't just reinforcements; this was like divine soldiers descending from the heavens!

His current shock only stemmed from seeing the tip of the iceberg of Lin Tian's power.

If he knew that Lin Tian had a grand army of over a million fighting elsewhere, he would probably have knelt on the ground in worship.

Wild joy instantly swept away his despair!

The fat on Qian Duoduo's face trembled with excitement as he scrambled down from the back of the city wall.

He practically threw himself before Lin Tian's horse, his voice carrying a sob of lingering fear and fawning delight:

"Big—Big Shot Lin! It's you! It's really you! Qian—Qian Duoduo is here!"

"Thank heavens, you finally arrived! I will never forget your life-saving grace! I will definitely reward you handsomely! Handsomely!"

Lin Tian sat on Chiyan's back, leaning forward slightly to look at the disheveled yet suddenly "revived" fat merchant. A gentle smile appeared on his face.

He waved his hand, his tone as relaxed as if he were handling a trivial matter.

"Boss Qian, you're too polite. We are acquaintances, so helping each other is only natural. It's a small matter, don't take it to heart. Wait a moment while I take care of this little trouble, then we can talk."

"Yes! Good! Good! I'll do whatever you say, Big Shot! Please, after you!"

Qian Duoduo nodded like a chick pecking at grain and hurried to the side, his face beaming.

The slight sting in his heart from the thought of having to pay a "massive" reward had long since vanished, replaced by the joy of survival and the excitement of clinging to a true titan's leg.

Lin Tian said no more. He turned his gaze toward the crumbling city gate, his eyes instantly turning cold.

He gave a faint command to the Golden Armored Spearman captain standing beside him:

"See those big lizards outside? Take the brothers and clear them out. Be efficient."

"As you command, Lord!"

The Golden Armored Commander saluted with his hand over his chest. A flash of gold-red Battle Intent appeared in his eyes as he turned abruptly, drew the sword at his waist, and pointed it straight outside the city. His voice rang across the battlefield like clashing metal:

"Golden Armored unit! Form Ranks! Target: all creatures outside the city! Kill!"

"Kill!!"

Two thousand Golden Armored Spearmans roared in unison, their voices like a tsunami that instantly drowned out the bellows of the Earth Dragons!

Their movements were perfectly synchronized. The entire phalanx transformed from a stationary rock into a steel hedgehog ready to strike.

Then, they began to march toward the city gate with heavy, rhythmic steps that sounded like beating war drums... advancing!

At that moment.

"Boom!!!"

Accompanied by a deafening roar and a cloud of dust, the battered city gate finally gave way and collapsed completely!

Shattered wood and stones flew everywhere, revealing the Iron-Spine Earth Dragons outside with their glinting eyes and dripping saliva, ready to swarm in.

And further back was the sneak-attacking Lord, sitting on the back of an Earth Dragon with a cruel, mocking smile still on his face.