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The autumn wind was filled with a lethal stillness, sweeping in massively, dispersing the smoke of the exploding clay tribulus, bringing with it the pungent smell of gunpowder. The roaring of the "gods" echoed in the wind for a long time, and the rich scent of blood also melded into the wind, as if from the world of the departed!
Xiulote’s face was calm as he surveyed the battlefield before him.
In the second wave of bombardment, the Tarasco spear formation on the ramparts completely scattered, with hundreds of Samurai and Militia blasted to the ground. The Canine Descendants who had thrown the explosives were also panicked, trembling ceaselessly on the battlements. Moments later, the majority of the Militia, who had been knocked down, staggered to their feet, their ears ringing, completely devoid of the courage to fight. They fled in disorderly fear, howling chaotically, with wounds of various sizes, stumbling with terror-stricken faces toward the bottom of the fortress.
Confronted with the fleeing enemy, the Canine Warriors did not pursue. They, too, were devastated by the proximity of the explosions, submerged in the awe of a foreign deity’s might, fearing the thunderbolt beyond their era. The Canine Descendants knelt on the battlements, discarding their shields, and emitted meaningless shouts. Then, the grenadiers, dazed for a moment, suddenly came to their senses and retreated hastily, triggering a collapse among the Canine Warriors.
The intense slaughter was abruptly interrupted, with both the Vanguard and the Defending Army retreating in fear, leaving a vast void between the combatants, creating a rare spectacle above and below the ramparts. In this sudden moment of silence, only the hurried exchange of Feathered Arrows persisted, fulfilling the mission of war, piercing the Defending Army who forgot to take cover, eliciting cries of pain and struggle!
Xiulote’s eyes were sharp, watching the battlements. He saw large numbers of Defending Army being blasted down by the noise, then scrambling in fear to escape. The Young Commander then burst into laughter, thinking to himself.
Perhaps due to some lack of key steps, or because of inadequate purity, the explosive power of the primitive black gunpowder was always limited. The lethal range of the exploded clay tribulus was only a short two or three steps, requiring grenadiers to throw them into the crowd up close, unable to be launched with a stone-throwing machine that varied ten steps in precision. Similarly, this dangerous weapon had no stability to speak of, the burning speed of the Match Cord was hard to control, and the clay tribulus often ignited too soon or too late. Grenadiers thus became a certain kind of expendable, which is also why Xiulote chose the Canine Descendants.
At this moment, the battlements were filled with fleeing soldiers, the Defending Army plunged into disarray and chaos. Among the consecutive explosions, the number of enemies actually killed by the clay shards was not many, but the sound and blast of the two waves of explosions were fatal to the enemy defending the city!
Facing this advantageous opportunity, Xiulote did not hesitate to make a decisive move. He discarded the bright red command flag, suddenly swung the Sun’s yellow flag, and shouted his orders.
"The Chief Divine protects us, we must win this battle! Divine Blessing Legion, storm the walls!"
The low sounds of the war drums picked up fiercely, beating out the steps of a charge. The sonorous gongs sounded, stirring the Samurai’s intent to kill. Three thousand warriors of the Divine Blessing Legion clutched their Sun Amulets around their necks, shouting in unison.
"Fight for the divine, die for the divine!"
Afterward, the fanatically motivated warriors of the Divine Blessing Legion surged forward. Swinging their War Clubs, they mercilessly dispersed the scattered Canine Descendants, driving them to both sides. Then, amidst a temporary pause of arrow rain on the ramparts, the Divine Blessing Legion quickly scaled the walls, directly killing the Canine Descendants who lay in their path, and in moments, hundreds of warriors had reached the ramparts.
Legion Commander Natali, wielding a Great Shield and War Club, did not pause, leading his trusted aides to charge at the front. By his side was his trusted friend Wemak, who had re-embraced the Chief Divine and returned to favor. The two bore a resolute intent to kill, fearlessly plunging into the large group of disarrayed troops, completely routing the retreating Militia of the city’s defense. The large troop of Divine Blessing Legionnaires then followed closely, ferociously pouncing on the enemy. They almost did not use their shields, just desperately swinging their attacking weapons, continuously storming forward.
The sounds of close combat rose again, turning the ramparts of Rivermouth Fortress into a sacred altar. The ferocious War Clubs sliced through frail bodies, slammed against strong heads, seeking to transform everything alive into Sacrifices offered to the Chief Divine!
Natali charged forward, until after a few dozen steps, he encountered real resistance. A dozen still-standing Tarasco Samurai were holding a narrow passage, forming a Spear Formation to block the way. The dense Long Spears poked and jabbed in alternation, striking repeatedly against the young Legion Commander’s shield, making it difficult for him to break through.
Atop the Watchtower of the ramparts, the fortress’s Marshal finally responded. The "Crocodile" standard, with its holes stitched by arrows, waved rapidly. Five hundred elite reserves responded loudly. These loyal and steadfast Samurai backbone, along with three thousand reservist Tarasco Militia, burst out of the fortress, charging up to the ramparts.
With a thousand warriors of the Divine Blessing Legion now atop the ramparts, expanding to the left and right, they were gradually held at bay by Spear Formations of the regrouping enemy. Faced with this situation, a warrior of the Divine Blessing Legion, his eyes red with fury, bellowed loudly.
"Chief Divine Huitzilopochtli above, I, Ikont of Xilotepec, offer myself to you!"
After shouting his last name, Ikont took two rapid steps forward, raising his heavy Great Shield with his left hand, holding onto his Amulet at his neck with his right, and charged headlong into the opposing Spear Formation. With the force of his impact, the front Copper Spears pierced into the Rattan Shield, while those on the sides plunged deep into his body. Ikont’s expression contorted in agony, then he left a dying smile, and thus his head drooped in death.
A sudden, ruthless intent to kill flashed across Natali’s sculpted face. In the moment the enemy Long Spears were restricted by Ikont’s body, he swiftly raised his shield to charge, and then with short swings of his War Club, crushed three skulls! The Spear Formation was broken, the agile Wemak also seized the moment to enter, continuing to kill two men. The warriors behind surged forward, and the dozen or so Spear Formation defenders fell one after another. The last young Tarasco Samurai dropped his Long Spear, lying down in fear to surrender, only to meet the War Club slashing toward his neck.
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