Volume One, Chapter Six: A Resounding Victory and Abundant Spoils!
"What if the Emperor abandons me?" Meng Jun stood tall, his voice resolute and clear. "We protect this land and its people; our spine bows only to these mountains and rivers, never to invaders!"
With that, Meng Jun gripped his great blade tightly, his eyes burning with fierce determination.
Behind him, the soldiers of the Northern Border Army shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the fields, embodying their unyielding spirit and resolve.
Qin Feng’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed as he murmured, "Who told you that the supplies and reinforcements to Suiye City have been cut off? Speak, and perhaps I may spare your life!"
"Hahaha!" Bata’er Chuan laughed heartily, raising his voice. "We Huns would rather die than submit. Compromise? Never!"
Before his words faded, he suddenly twisted his body and charged at the cold blade in Meng Jun’s hand.
In an instant, blood gushed like a fountain, staining the earth crimson.
Though his body slowly collapsed, he maintained his defiant posture, eyes wide open, as if proclaiming the dignity and pride of the Hun warriors to the heavens and earth.
The morning breeze gently blew.
Qin Feng looked up at the rising sun, just about to speak when a mechanical voice sounded in his ear.
[Beep]
[Detected: Host has successfully annihilated the Hun right-wing army. New mission issued!]
[Eliminate the Hun left-wing army to intimidate the Central Royal Court, preventing the Huns from invading the Emperor’s territories!]
[Mission reward: The Butcher Legion!]
...
Qin Feng was momentarily stunned.
The Butcher Legion?
The terrifying force once led by the God of War, Bai Qi, who annihilated the combined 240,000 troops of Han and Wei with only 120,000 soldiers?
At its peak, the Butcher Legion fielded over 400,000 troops during the Battle of Changping!
A 400,000-strong army was a dream that made Qin Feng smile even in his sleep.
He never imagined that besides unlocking a points system and resource marketplace, completing missions could directly reward him with elite military units!
He only wondered if the commander Bai Qi would also be granted alongside.
If Qin Feng commanded such a general as Bai Qi, leading 400,000 troops to capture the imperial capital and reclaim what rightfully belonged to him, it would seem within reach.
"Your Highness," Meng Jun wiped the blood from his blade and sheathed it, asking, "What shall we do with Bata’er Chuan’s body?"
Qin Feng gathered his thoughts, gazing at the broad figure lying in a pool of blood, and said thoughtfully, "He was a man. Bury him with honor. Quickly clean the battlefield to avoid complications."
---
"Understood," Meng Jun nodded.
The Northern Border soldiers moved orderly across the battlefield, carefully collecting the bodies of their fallen comrades to bring back to Suiye City for a proper burial, honoring their spirits.
Under Meng Jun’s orders, two squads of a thousand men each escorted the wounded back to the city for urgent treatment, ensuring their survival.
The spoils of war were considerable.
The Hun right-wing army had brought abundant supplies on this campaign, all now seized by the Northern Border Army.
From the tents and supply wagons, piles of dry provisions were discovered, amounting to hundreds of thousands of catties, sufficient to feed Suiye City for over half a month.
The quantity of weapons and armor captured was even more astonishing.
Nearly 30,000 various weapons were taken, including sharp sabers, piercing spears, and even many spiked clubs.
Though the craftsmanship of Hun weapons was unique and not as refined as those granted by the system, the iron could be melted down for constructing houses and machinery with ease.
Most importantly!
The Huns excelled in mounted archery and possessed many fine steeds—over 3,000 spirited horses, which would greatly expand the Northern Border cavalry’s size, enhancing their mobility and striking power.
Of course!
The Imperial Army paid a price in this campaign.
They lost 356 cavalrymen and 390 horses, over a thousand infantrymen, and several lightly wounded.
Compared to the number of enemies defeated and the spoils gained, the victory was overwhelming.
After Meng Jun’s report, Qin Feng nodded with satisfaction.
The night raid on the enemy camp, launching a cavalry charge while the Huns were asleep and off guard, was the key to victory.
It would not be so easy to win such a grand triumph at such a low cost again.
Qin Feng mounted his horse, glanced back at the horses and numerous supply wagons, and waved his hand. "Return to the city!"
---
At midday, the Northern Border Army triumphantly returned to the city.
Qin Feng reined in his horse and observed the bustling scene of repairs underway.
He nodded slightly and beckoned a hundred-officer commander responsible for city defense to approach. "How much longer until the houses inside the city are fully repaired?"
The officer thought briefly, then bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, it will take at most three days to repair and reinforce all the houses, but the damaged defensive machinery is difficult to restore."
The catapults on the city walls had all sustained varying degrees of damage, and full restoration would be very challenging.
With the current materials available in Suiye City, it was impossible.
Qin Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment and said, "Remove all the catapults from the walls and disassemble them. See if their materials can be repurposed to reinforce the houses."
Hearing this, Meng Jun was alarmed. "Your Highness, if we dismantle all the catapults, what if the Huns attack the city again? The right-wing army may be destroyed, but the left-wing has yet to move."
With the Huns’ intelligence and marching speed, they would likely strike again within three days.
Without catapults guarding the walls, the less than 20,000 Northern Border troops could not hold Suiye City.
Even taking the initiative with cavalry charges would make defense difficult.
---
The complete annihilation of the right-wing army was due to their carelessness, assuming Suiye City’s supplies were cut off and that it posed no real threat, allowing the Northern Border forces to exploit the opportunity and wipe them out.
The left-wing army was far stronger.
If the Northern Border Army suffered heavy casualties, Suiye City would become an undefended empty city.
The consequences would be dire.
"General Meng, rest assured, I have a plan!" Qin Feng said confidently.
His gaze shifted toward the south side of the city as he instructed the hundred-officer commander before him, "Lead several squads to expand and reinforce the granaries on the southern side."
Suiye City’s granaries were not large.
The provisions previously exchanged through the system barely fit, but the supplies captured from the Hun right-wing army could not be stored there.
If left carelessly inside the city, a sudden heavy rain would ruin everything.
The officer respectfully acknowledged the order, "Yes, Your Highness!"
Qin Feng then said to Meng Jun, "General Meng, keep the captured horses outside the south gate and assign guards. Any horses in poor condition or weak should be culled immediately."
Over 3,000 spirited horses required a substantial daily feed supply.
Survival of the fittest—culling weaker horses would also increase food reserves for Suiye City.
"Understood," Meng Jun nodded and turned to leave.
Qin Feng exhaled slowly, then summoned the resource marketplace with a thought.
In the equipment section, he saw that 100 points could exchange for one catapult.
Although he had nearly exhausted his million points, with a steady gain of one point per second, 100 points was a mere trifle.
Without hesitation, he exchanged for ten catapults.
[Beep]
[Resource exchange successful. Delivery will arrive at the south gate of Suiye City in three hours. Please be prepared to receive.]
"Three hours?" Qin Feng murmured but paid it little mind.
Transporting catapults was relatively slow; three hours was not too late.
Just then, as Qin Feng was about to close the marketplace, he noticed a special piece of defensive equipment in the corner of the equipment section, costing a full 1,000 points.
"Cloud-Breaking Divine Crossbow? What’s this?" Qin Feng wondered aloud.