Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 200 A Night of Wind and Snow

Inside and outside Juma Fortress, the air seemed to freeze, leaving only the howling wind and snow and the increasingly close and clear sound of eerie horns. On the fortress walls, every soldier of the Star Kingdom gripped his weapon tightly, his eyes wide, fixed on the slowly moving sea of ​​fire to the north. The firelight illuminated their young and taut faces, revealing tension, excitement, but above all, a fierce determination fueled by the approaching enemy.

Murong Mingyue stood motionless behind the battlements in front of the main building, letting the wind and snow lash her face. Her gaze pierced through the night and the swirling snow, trying to discern the details in the firelight. As Pang De had said, the enemy's movement was indeed slow, and their formation seemed loose, not exactly a desperate charge. But the firelight spread over a vast area; a rough estimate suggested at least three or four thousand people, perhaps even more. This was definitely not the small cavalry force they had encountered before.

"Your Majesty, the head has been shot out with a powerful crossbow bolt." Pound strode closer and whispered, "The bolt has a range of about 250 paces and landed on the ground about 100 paces in front of their lines."

Murong Mingyue nodded slightly. This was both a show of force and a test to see how the other party would react.

Sure enough, the movement of the sea of ​​fire seemed to pause for a moment, and the mournful horn call abruptly stopped. Immediately afterward, an even more urgent and piercing whistle rang out from the enemy ranks, and the previously scattered flames began to rapidly converge and shift, vaguely forming several arrow-shaped assault formations!

"They're about to attack!" Pound's pupils contracted, and he gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand.

However, the expected charge did not come immediately. Instead, several streams of fire, each about a hundred men long, broke off from the enemy ranks and charged toward the fortress from different directions like venomous snakes emerging from their holes! The sound of hooves was mostly drowned out by the wind and snow, but the rapidly approaching flames displayed astonishing speed and skillful horsemanship.

"It's light cavalry! They want to test the defenses of my fortress and find weak points!" The experienced commander of the fortress immediately realized.

Murong Mingyue calmly ordered: "All commanders, hold your ground! Archers, listen to my command, fire only when they are within a hundred paces! Shenbi Battalion, assemble, aim at two of them, and await my orders!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Snow Wolf Clan's light cavalry were incredibly fast, quickly closing in on the enemy's arrows. Instead of charging directly at the base of the wall, they began circling rapidly at a distance of 150 to 200 paces outside the fortress walls, while the riders on horseback drew their bows and nocked arrows!

"Raise your shields!" the officer on the wall shouted sternly.

The soldiers of the Star Kingdom raised their shields and placards. The next instant, a dense barrage of arrows pierced the air! These arrows possessed immense force; their arrowheads gleamed with a ghostly blue or black sheen in the firelight, clearly poisoned or specially treated. Clang! Clang! Clang! The arrows struck shields, brick walls, and crenellations with a teeth-grinding sound; some even pierced through wooden shields, wounding soldiers behind them and eliciting muffled groans.

"It's a poisoned arrow! Watch out!" someone exclaimed.

Observing from behind the massive shields raised by her guards, Murong Mingyue saw that the Snow Wolf Clan cavalry were extremely skilled riders, maintaining a high rate and accuracy of archery even at high speed, specifically targeting the faces and arms of the defenders who were vulnerable under the firelight. Her own archers, struggling to aim in the wind, snow, and darkness, found their counterattacks ineffective.

"Divine Arm Battalion!" Murong Mingyue shouted.

The three hundred crossbowmen of the Divine Arm Battalion, who had been poised for action, pulled their triggers under the command of their respective squad leaders. A deep, powerful twang of the crossbow strings echoed as three hundred specially made steel bolts tore through the snow and wind, shooting out at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye! Their target was the two most arrogant and closest Snow Wolf Clan cavalry units.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!* The sound of sharp blades piercing flesh was clearly audible even in the wind and snow! The leather armor of the Snow Wolf Clan light cavalry was like paper before the divine crossbow; dozens of riders charging ahead instantly fell from their horses, screaming in agony, and the flames went out in disarray. The remaining cavalry were clearly stunned by this precise long-range sniping; their momentum faltered, they hastily reined in their horses, turned, and retreated, widening the circle they formed.

"Good!" A suppressed cheer erupted from the top of the wall. The power of the Divine Arm Crossbow was being demonstrated for the first time on the northern frontier battlefield, and the effect was immediate.

However, the Snow Wolf Clan's probing did not cease. Several other light cavalry units continued to patrol the perimeter, firing arrows, while at the same time, the muffled sounds of horns and war drums echoed from the direction of the enemy's main force. Then, illuminated by the firelight, a large number of dismounted infantrymen, carrying makeshift ladders and grappling hooks, began to approach the fortress walls under the cover of a few shields! Meanwhile, more cavalry were dispersed on the flanks to guard against any possible attack from within the fortress.

"Infantrymen carrying ladders? Climbing walls in the snow?" Pound frowned. "Has Uwe gone mad? Or is there another scheme at play?"

Murong Mingyue's mind raced. A siege on a snowy night was inherently more advantageous for defense than offense; climbing the slippery, icy walls was a nightmare for attackers. Unless the opposing general was an idiot, he wouldn't make such a losing proposition. So, what was their objective? To wear down the enemy? To create a distraction? Or…?

Her sharp gaze swept over the approaching infantry. These infantrymen were dressed in rather disheveled clothes, few were armored, and their movements were far less agile than the cavalry before them. Their steps, carrying ladders, appeared clumsy in the snow.

"These... don't seem to be the elite of the Snow Wolf Clan's main force," Murong Mingyue suddenly spoke, her voice icy. "They're more like vassal tribes or slaves driven and coerced by them!"

Upon hearing this, Pound looked closely and indeed discovered something amiss. These men charged without any strategy, their battle cries were chaotic and weak, and their eyes showed more fear than fighting spirit.

"Using these cannon fodder to deplete our arrows and stamina, test the strength of our defenses, and simultaneously conceal their true intentions!" Pound suddenly realized, then angrily exclaimed, "How vicious!"

"Order that crossbows be used sparingly, logs and stones be used first, and hot oil and molten gold be prepared, but not poured out yet." Murong Mingyue quickly adjusted the strategy. "Let them get close to the wall, then strike hard! The Trapped Camp will go up the wall to assist in the defense, focusing on preventing any possible elite troops from sneaking in and launching a surprise attack!"

The order was given, and the defenders on the fortress calmed down. They were no longer in a hurry to kill from a distance, but instead watched coldly as the cannon fodder struggled through the wind and snow.

As the first wave of vassal infantrymen, carrying ladders, finally stumbled and staggered to the base of the wall, frantically setting up the ladders, logs and boulders rained down from the top like hail! Heavy logs and boulders, falling from the several-meter-high wall with deadly force, crushed the crowded people below, breaking bones and eliciting screams of agony. The vassal soldiers, already demoralized, collapsed instantly upon this blow, abandoning their ladders and fleeing in tears, only to be mercilessly shot down and driven back by the Snow Wolf cavalry supervising the battle from the rear.

The battle devolved into a brutal and monotonous war of attrition. The Snow Wolves relentlessly drove their vassal soldiers forward to their deaths, draining the city's resources and the defenders' energy. The defenders, relying on the terrain and rolling logs and boulders, inflicted heavy casualties efficiently, trying to avoid excessive arrow consumption. The Divine Arm Battalion, like lurking vipers, would occasionally fire stray arrows, precisely sniping Snow Wolves officers and elite riders who were directing from the rear or attempting to approach and fire.

Time ticked by in the bloody tug-of-war. The snow seemed to have lessened somewhat, but the chill had intensified. Piles of corpses and wounded lay beneath the fortress walls, blood staining patches of white snow only to be covered by new snowflakes. The vassal troops' offensive grew weaker, their cries and pleas even drowning out the battle cries.

Just as Murong Mingyue judged that the opponent's inefficient consumption was about to become unsustainable, a sudden change occurred!

From the northwest corner of Juma Fortress, outside a section of the fortress wall that was originally a steep stone cliff and considered difficult to climb, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out without warning! Immediately afterwards, dozens of ropes with iron hooks flew up from the darkness like venomous snakes, precisely hooking onto the crenellations! The ropes tightened, and figures, like apes, with short blades in their mouths, used both hands and feet, using the ropes to climb upwards at an astonishing speed, braving the wind and snow! Their movements were swift and silent, a stark contrast to the vassal soldiers attacking the city from the front!

"Enemy attack! Northwest corner! Elite troops!" The lookout's shout instantly echoed throughout the fortress walls.

"As expected, there was a backup plan!" Murong Mingyue's eyes turned cold, and she said sharply, "Pang De, take your men to the northwest corner! Hold them off at all costs! Shenbi Battalion, suppress any enemy forces that might coordinate with you on the front! The rest of the units, defend them to the death!"

"Yes, sir!" Pound roared, leading his personal guards and a squad of elite soldiers from the Trapped Camp, rushing towards the northwest corner like a whirlwind.

There, the battle instantly intensified. The elite Snow Wolf Clan warriors, scaling the heights, were incredibly fierce. Clad in light leather armor, their faces smeared with antifreeze grease and black-and-white paint, they resembled demons. The moment they emerged, they brandished their scimitars and short spears, engaging the defenders in a fierce melee. These men were all agile, fearless, and seemed particularly adept at close-quarters combat and climbing.

When Pang De arrived, seven or eight elite Snow Wolf Clan soldiers had already scaled the wall and were expanding their foothold. He roared, and his longsword transformed into a streak of lightning, cleaving an enemy who had just jumped onto the ramparts, sword and all, off the wall! Behind him, the elite Trapped Camp soldiers formed a battle line and advanced, using their sturdy shields and sharp spears to force the enemy back against the ramparts.

Under the protection of her personal guards, Murong Mingyue also moved closer to the northwest corner to oversee the battle. She saw that the elite Snow Wolf Clan soldiers were still fighting to the death despite the unfavorable terrain, even trying to throw grappling hooks to snag the defenders' shields and create chaos. Her expression grew increasingly serious. This was definitely the Snow Wolf Clan's elite assault force, with combat power far exceeding that of ordinary Hu cavalry.

"Use fishing nets! Oil!" Murong Mingyue shouted coldly.

The defenders reacted immediately. Several large nets, soaked and half-frozen, were thrown out by several men, covering the climbing enemy. At the same time, small canisters of kerosene were ignited and poured down onto the base of the wall and the ropes!

Flames stubbornly burned in the wind and snow, scorching the ropes and the enemies clinging to them, filling the air with screams and the smell of burning flesh. Fishing nets entangled several enemies, hindering their movement, and they were quickly pierced by the defenders' spears.

Their climbing attack was thwarted, and a sharp whistle sounded from below. The remaining elite Snow Wolf Clan retreated like a tide, disappearing into the darkness below the wall with swift and decisive action.

On the front lines, with the failed surprise attack in the northwest corner, the main force of the Snow Wolf Clan also sounded the retreat horn. The flames that had covered the mountains and plains began to slowly recede, disappearing like the receding tide into the snowy night of the north, leaving only the scattered corpses and dying wounded at the foot of the fortress walls, and the long, mournful horn echoing in the wind and snow, filled with resentment and warning.

The wind and snow once again dominated the world, as if the bloody night raid just now was merely an illusion.

The fortress held, but no one cheered. The soldiers silently tended to the wounded, cleared the battlefield, and reinforced the damaged crenellations; the atmosphere was heavy and somber. Everyone knew this was only the beginning. The Snow Wolf Clan was more difficult to deal with, and more cunning than they had anticipated.

Murong Mingyue descended the fortress wall, her face slightly pale, whether from the cold or exhaustion, it was hard to tell. She glanced at the endless darkness to the north and said to Pang De and the garrison commander following closely behind, "Take stock of the casualties, reinforce the northwest corner defenses, and stockpile plenty of oil, fishing nets, and iron nails. Also, increase patrols inside the fortress to prevent spies from infiltrating. After dawn, send out small teams to search outside the fortress, especially below the northwest corner stone wall, to see what traces they have left."

She paused, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable resolve: "After tonight, Uvi will know that my Juma Fortress is no easy opponent. However, their retreat is by no means an abandonment. Order Dingbei City and all the rear fortresses to be on high alert and strengthen defenses according to the contingency plan. The real battle is yet to come."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

Back in her residence, the warmth of the charcoal fire couldn't dispel the solemnity between Murong Mingyue's brows. She gently stroked her abdomen, feeling the faint yet tenacious pulse of life, and gazed at the still-swirling snow outside the window, whispering, "Child, do you see? This is the empire you will inherit, and the enemies you will face. Your father is expanding his territory in the south, and your mother is here, guarding this first line of defense for you, and for this world."