10: Live and die together

Wang Xing said with a bitter smile, "Captain Lu, our results are already very fruitful. Fengming Kingdom's casualties are at least two thousand, which is four times ours. The brothers have done their best."

Lu Xingchen: "Don't tell me such useless nonsense. What I want is not fruitful results, but to defend Zigui City and let the people in the city survive!"

Lu Xingchen pondered for a moment, then suddenly raised his head.

"Tear down civilian houses. Move all the stones and wood from the houses onto the city wall. One stone thrown down can injure and kill a large number of enemy soldiers, which is much more effective than arrows."

Hearing this, Wang Xing was greatly shocked.

"Captain Lu, no! The Great General has issued a death order: no matter the battle situation, the property of the common people must not be damaged. Otherwise, regardless of identity or position, it's an immediate execution!"

Lu Xingchen waved his hand abruptly: "I don't care about that. I only know that once the city is breached, no one in Zigui City, old or young, will be spared! Tell those common people that after we repel the enemy, I, Lu Dazhuang, will be responsible for building them new houses!"

Lu Xingchen paused, then continued, "Distribute food to the common people. Let them take as much as they want. But there's one condition: after they've eaten their fill, they must go to the city wall to assist in the battle."

"Bring me every man, and even every dog in the city, to help in the battle!"

"Understood!"

Wang Xing didn't say much more, turning around to prepare.

Lin Wanqing stared intently at Lu Xingchen, saying in a daze, "Lu Dazhuang, you truly make me look at you in a new light."

"Facing a formidable enemy, yet still so calm and decisive. I, Lin Wanqing, have only admired two people in my life: one is General Lu, and the other is you."

Lu Xingchen chuckled, "To receive such high praise from the Dayan Kingdom's number one Martial Dao Genius, I am truly flattered. Alright, hurry back to your room to rest. When the enemy attacks next time, I'll still need your help."

Lin Wanqing smiled slightly: "You are the true Martial Dao Genius. I remember the first time I saw you, you were only a Three-Star Martial Artist. But now, you are already a Martial Master expert. Why can you improve so quickly?"

Lu Xingchen chuckled, "Everyone has secrets. Please forgive me for not elaborating."

"Alright, if you don't want to say, I won't ask further. At least for now, we are still comrades in arms."

With that, Lin Wanqing turned and left, returning to her room to recover from her injuries.

Lu Xingchen, on the other hand, slept directly on the city wall, ready to respond to the enemy's attack at any time.

At dawn, the enemy launched its second attack.

Thanks to Lu Xingchen's measures, the casualties of the soldiers were far less than on the first day, and not a single enemy managed to breach the city wall.

Half an hour later, the enemy commander noticed something was amiss and revealed his trump card early.

An extremely large battering ram appeared from the enemy's position and Advanced towards the city gate.

"Damn, how did they get that battering ram?"

Lu Xingchen was greatly alarmed.

Lin Wanqing was also somewhat surprised: "Our defenders are already insufficient. If this battering ram breaks open the city gate, we're all finished!"

Lu Xingchen immediately shouted, "Horse Bow Squadron, concentrate fire! Force that battering ram to stop!"

Hundreds of Archers immediately shot in unison at the battering ram, and a large number of soldiers next to the battering ram fell.

But the battering ram continued to advance.

Lu Xingchen hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Miss Wanqing, I'm handing over command of the battlefield to you. I'm going to deal with that battering ram."

Hearing this, Lin Wanqing was extremely shocked.

"Lu Xingchen, are you crazy? The area below the city tower is full of enemy soldiers. How will you destroy the battering ram? Even if you succeed, how will you get back?"

"Are you really not afraid of death?"

Lu Xingchen said softly, "A man travels far and wide; everywhere is home. Where one dies, where one is buried, the green mountains of the world are all the same."

With that, he grasped the Yellow Rank Advanced spirit sword, leaped, and jumped off the city wall, leaving Lin Wanqing with only a solitary back.

Lin Wanqing's small mouth was slightly agape, and she stared blankly at Lu Xingchen, her heart full of admiration.

Lu Xingchen rushed down the city via a scaling ladder, heading straight for the battering ram.

With the personal inner armor given by his father, soldiers of the Martial Artist Realm could not break his defense at all.

He cut his way through, and by the time he reached the battering ram, he was covered in blood.

Lu Xingchen leaped onto the battering ram, just about to make his move.

Suddenly, four Martial Master experts rushed up.

One Five-Star, two Three-Star, and one Two-Star.

The Five-Star Martial Master leading them shouted, "You've charged into the enemy camp alone, young man. I admire your courage. And my greatest respect for an enemy is to utterly annihilate them!"

That Two-Star Martial Master was precisely Wu Gang.

He stared intently at Lu Xingchen, his face filled with disbelief.

"Lu Dazhuang? You were still a Three-Star Martial Artist just over ten days ago. How did you become a Martial Master so quickly?"

Lu Xingchen snorted coldly, "Wu Gang, do you remember the Archer squadron leader you killed? He was my friend. I once swore to use your head to honor him!"

With that, Lu Xingchen stopped wasting words and Advanced with his sword.

Four against one, and the enemy even had a Five-Star Martial Master, so Lu Xingchen was under immense pressure.

He held his sword in his right hand, performing the 'Li Huo Sword Art', and a dagger in his left, battling the four.

Lu Xingchen deeply understood the principle that it's better to break one finger than injure five, so he focused most of his output on Wu Gang.

Wu Gang was already the weakest among the four, and he had been shot by Lu Xingchen yesterday, his injury not yet healed.

For a time, he felt immense pressure, with life and death hanging by a thread.

After hundreds of exchanges, Lu Xingchen finally found an opportunity and killed Wu Gang with a single sword strike.

However, he also took three Dou Qi Hand Seals and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

The long sword in Lu Xingchen's hand was even knocked away by that Five-Star Martial Master.

The three attacked Lu Xingchen simultaneously.

Just then, a clear shout suddenly came from not far away: "Lu Xingchen, catch!"

Lu Xingchen looked towards Zigui City and saw that Lin Wanqing had also leaped off the city wall, throwing a crimson long sword towards him.

Lu Xingchen immediately leaped up, caught the long sword, and blocked the attacks of the three.

As soon as he held the long sword, Lu Xingchen felt its extraordinary nature.

A Xuan-rank Spiritual Artifact!

Although it was only profound rank low grade, it was still much more powerful than his previous sword.

Lin Wanqing broke through the encirclement and stood beside Lu Xingchen.

The situation changed; the three Martial Master experts retreated in unison, looking at the two with wary expressions.

Lu Xingchen said with a bitter smile, "Why are you here?"

Lin Wanqing raised an eyebrow: "Who says women are inferior to men? You're allowed to step forward, but I'm not allowed to fight?"

"Good, good, good! In that case, we shall live and die together today!"

"Live and die together!"

Four more Martial Master experts rushed up from under the battering ram, surrounding Lu Xingchen and Lin Wanqing.

Two Martial Master experts faced Lin Wanqing, and two faced Lu Xingchen.

It seemed the enemy intended to concentrate their strength to defeat Lu Xingchen first.

Lin Wanqing frowned and said, "One against five, Lu Dazhuang, do you have confidence?"