Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 18 Eliminating the Stubborn Enemies

Once the breach was made, it was like an ant hole bursting a dike. Seventy Wei soldiers, wielding the might of breaking through the wall, split into smaller groups of ten, like several red-hot blades, and fiercely cut into the chaotic and fertile warehouse.

The battle instantly entered its most brutal phase, a stage that tested both individual skill and squad coordination in urban warfare. Inside the warehouse, the buildings were scattered, the alleyways narrow, and shadows flickered in the firelight, filled with shouts and screams. The bandits, already on the verge of collapse, had lost the walls to defend themselves and were further weakened by attacks from the center, Zhao Tiezhu and his men's arson and assaults, the opening of the side gates, and the control of the north gate. Facing these Xuanjia warriors, who had entered in formation, silent as iron, and highly efficient in their killing, they were terrified.

"Form ranks! Three to a group, back to back, clear the alleys, sweep house to house! Anyone who resists with weapons, kill them without mercy! Women, children, the elderly, and the weak, drive them to open areas and guard them!" Chen Wei's voice remained clear amidst the chaos of the battlefield. He led the charge, his longsword flashing like a viper's tongue, each thrust sending a bandit clutching their throat and falling to the ground. His personal guards followed closely behind, forming a small, unstoppable arrowhead.

The Wei soldiers faithfully carried out their orders. They worked in groups of three: one wielding a long halberd for thrusting, another with a shield to protect the flanks, and the third with a ring-pommel sword or short halberd to cover any gaps. In the narrow alleyways, this simple yet effective coordination proved incredibly powerful. Bandits, often charging in groups of three or five, wildly brandishing their weapons, fell one after another to the precise thrusts of the long halberds. Those who managed to get close were blocked by shields and then killed by short weapons.

The stench of blood mingled with the stench of smoke, thick enough to be suffocating. Thick streams of blood quickly flowed across the ground, and fallen corpses blocked the alleyways. The Wei soldiers trudged through the blood, their steps steady, their eyes cold, as if conducting a predetermined harvest. Their black armor, repeatedly soaked in blood, gleamed with a dark, menacing sheen in the firelight.

Occasionally, fierce bandits would entrenched themselves inside, firing arrows or throwing objects through the cracks in the doors and windows. The Wei soldiers would then use their shields for cover, smashing through doors and windows with their long halberds, or simply ramming open the doors with immense force, storming inside to wipe them out. Resistance, in the face of overwhelming strength and discipline, appeared futile and short-lived.

The battle in the central building was nearing its end. Zhao Tiezhu's fight with the bandit leader was exceptionally fierce. Relying on his height and strength, the bandit leader wielded his ghost-head saber with incredible speed, forcing Zhao Tiezhu to retreat repeatedly and sustaining several wounds. However, Zhao Tiezhu prevailed due to his fierce courage in seeking revenge for his clan, and his considerable combat experience. Although he was at a disadvantage, he tenaciously held his opponent.

"Who are you?! Why are you attacking my stronghold?!" The bandit leader was both shocked and furious. He couldn't recall ever offending such elite "government troops."

"Blood for blood!" Zhao Tiezhu roared, his eyes bloodshot, and charged forward again, completely disregarding defense, fighting as if his life depended on it. The bandit leader was intimidated by his ferocity, and his knife skills faltered slightly. At this moment, Li Shu had already dealt with the few bandits who had rushed over from outside. Seeing this, he seized the opportunity, approaching like a ghost, and plunged his poisoned dagger fiercely into the bandit leader's ribs!

Sensing danger, the bandit leader roared and parried with his blade, exposing his back to Zhao Tiezhu. Zhao Tiezhu, of course, wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by. Gathering all his strength, he brought his ring-pommel sword down with a sharp whistling sound!

"Snap!"

The blade embedded itself deeply into the bandit leader's nape where his shoulder blade met, almost cleaving him in two! The bandit leader's massive body stiffened abruptly, life quickly fading from his eyes. He opened his mouth, but only a mouthful of blood gushed out before he collapsed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Zhao Tiezhu, panting heavily, leaned on his knife, staring at his enemy's corpse on the ground. His chest heaved violently, a mixture of the satisfaction of killing his foe and the exhaustion of a fierce battle. Li Shu quickly stepped forward, confirmed the bandit leader was dead, and found a crude iron token and a small money pouch on his waist.

"Brother Zhao, the bandit leader has been killed! The fire outside is getting bigger, we need to meet up with our lord immediately!" Wang Jian rushed in from outside the door and said urgently.

Zhao Tiezhu nodded, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and quickly retreated from the burning wooden house with the others. At this time, several fires had broken out in the central area of ​​the warehouse, billowing thick smoke and adding to the chaos.

At the north gate, the young man Wang Jian had left behind, along with two Wei soldiers who arrived later, firmly controlled the gate and provided cover for Zhao Tiezhu and his group. Zhao Tiezhu ordered his men to quickly lower the makeshift drawbridge at the north gate, completely opening up this escape route and passage.

With the bandit leader executed and the core area ablaze, the will to resist melted away like ice and snow. Many bandits, seeing that all was lost, either knelt down to surrender or threw down their weapons and tried to escape from the areas that were not yet fully under control. The families of the bandits, in particular, huddled in corners, crying and screaming in terror.

"Those who kneel and lay down their weapons will not be killed! Those who resist will die!" Chen Wei issued the order to surrender at the opportune moment, his voice echoing over the warehouse. This order, like a final verdict, hastened the collapse of the bandit army.

Some bandits who fled to the steep cliffs to the east or west either fell off the cliffs in their panic or were shot or captured by the Wei Wu soldiers' reserve force responsible for the outer perimeter. The battle gradually shifted from a fierce confrontation when breaching the wall to the mopping up of the remaining enemy and the capture of prisoners.

From his vantage point, Chen Xing witnessed the entire shift in the battle. He saw the Wei infantry moving with perfect coordination, their street fighting disciplined and methodical; he saw Zhao Tiezhu and others successfully behead their enemies, triggering even greater chaos; and he saw the bandit army crumble and surrender. The heavy weight in his heart finally lifted. Although the battle had been forced into a full-scale assault due to accidental exposure, thanks to their advanced equipment, strict discipline, meticulous planning, and the soldiers' valiant efforts, they had ultimately achieved their strategic objectives at minimal cost.

He took two bodyguards and, without lingering, hurried down the mountain, entering the warehouse through the north gate. Thick smoke, the stench of blood and burnt flesh assaulted his senses. Before him lay ruins, corpses strewn everywhere, kneeling prisoners, and black-armored warriors moving about, solemnly carrying out orders.

"My lord!" Chen Wei, covered in blood, strode forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "The stubborn enemy in the stronghold has been basically wiped out. Forty-one prisoners have been captured, including twenty-seven able-bodied men and fourteen women and children. Our army suffered three dead, five seriously wounded, and eleven lightly wounded. Zhao Tiezhu's troops suffered two lightly wounded." He spoke rapidly, reporting the initial results of the battle.

Three dead, five seriously wounded… Chen Xing felt a pang of pain in his heart. Although these Wei soldiers were produced by the system, each one of them was a living, breathing, loyal, and brave warrior. Their sacrifice was for his cause of “establishing himself.” He silently remembered this blood debt.

"Properly collect the remains of the fallen soldiers, and immediately treat the seriously wounded with the best wound medicine," Chen Xing said in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "The prisoners of war are to be kept under close guard and on high alert. Any unusual activity will be met with death. Organize manpower to extinguish any open fires as quickly as possible, clear the battlefield, and inventory all captured supplies, especially food, armor, and money—no corner should be overlooked!"

"Yes, sir!" Chen Wei accepted the order and immediately turned around to make arrangements.

Zhao Tiezhu, supported by Wang Jian, also walked over. He was wounded, his face streaked with black and red, but he carried the relief and excitement of having avenged his great enemy: "My lord! The bandit leader has been beheaded! We have fulfilled our mission!"

Chen Xing looked at him, reached out and patted his uninjured shoulder, praising, "Tiezhu, you did a great job! Brave and decisive, you deserve the credit! Go and bandage your wounds and rest."

"Thank you, my lord!" Zhao Tiezhu's eyes welled up with tears, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute as he withdrew.

Chen Xing stepped into the center of the warehouse, filled with the smoke and stench of gunpowder, his gaze slowly sweeping over it. Although the earthen and stone walls were broken, the main structure remained; with a little repair, the defenses could be restored. While some houses were burned, most were intact and could accommodate several hundred people. A stream flowed gently in the distance, ensuring a reliable water source. Further away, in the gradually brightening light, traces of cultivated land could be vaguely seen outside the walls—presumably the vegetable gardens once planted by the bandits.

This place is nestled against mountains and beside water, offering defensible terrain, arable land, and habitable houses.

This was his first real foothold in this chaotic world!

As dawn broke in the eastern sky, a pale light appeared, tearing through the deep darkness. The long and bloody night had finally come to an end. In the first light of day, the dilapidated warehouses, wisps of smoke, the standing soldiers, and the kneeling prisoners created a scene that was both cruel and full of new hope.

Chen Xing stood alone on this newly acquired land, the rising sun behind him, and a foundation in ruins before him. He knew that seizing this place was only the beginning; the real challenge lay in how to manage it, how to consolidate it, and how to survive and thrive in this chaotic world surrounded by wolves and tigers.

But at least, he has a starting point.