Chapter 184: First Victory

Beside Li Lin stood a dozen government office runners, holding torches to “protect” him.

Thus, the place where Li Lin stood was the “brightest” in illumination.

This created a Tyndall effect, casting him in radiant glory, utterly distinct from the village troops hiding in “darkness,” and from Assistant County Magistrate Jiang Jili.

Everyone else became his backdrop.

Li Lin looked down at the man before the formation and bowed with a smile: “I am Li Lin, the county constable of Yulin. Who are you?”

The night was now silent, save for the crackling of torches.

“Under Emperor Qin’s command, General Qin Donglai,” the man said, eyes filled with hatred: “I’ve seen you. Half a year ago, you nearly took an arrow from me; four months ago, you burned our grain stores! Never thought we’d meet again.”

The surrounding soldiers looked at Li Lin with admiration.

Jiang Jili had not yet descended the wall; he too stared at Li Lin in astonishment.

He had not expected Li Lin to have exchanged words with the enemy’s general.

But upon further thought, it made perfect sense.

After all, Li Lin was a Spirit Hunter—capable of handling any situation, and this was the frontier, where clashes with enemy forces were normal.

Li Lin bowed again and smiled: “General Qin, since we know each other, why not save face and withdraw? You won’t breach this wall anyway!”

Qin Donglai snorted: “Just a county town. By dawn, I’ll take it with ease.”

With that, he turned and left.

Li Lin turned to the several company commanders beside him: “He’ll almost certainly attack tonight. Stay alert. Double the night patrols.”

“Yes, sir!”

The company commanders replied in unison.

In the darkness, Jiang Jili whispered: “I’ll go down then.”

“Fine.”

Jiang Jili stared at Li Lin standing in the light, his eyes filled with envy; after a moment, he turned and walked away.

Li Lin remained on the wall awhile, then entered the gatehouse.

This small structure built atop the wall served as a resting place for the village troops.

Convenient for shift changes.

Li Lin stepped inside, found a corner deep within, and sat down to rest.

A soldier offered him his wool blanket and mat, but Li Lin refused.

He hadn’t slept long when he felt a chill beside him; when he opened his eyes, Li Yanjing stood before him.

She stood gracefully, smiling sweetly: “A county constable sleeping on the floor? How pitiful.”

Li Lin shot her a disgruntled glance: “Why are you here?”

“Your two wives couldn’t sleep, worried about you, insisted I come check on you and report back that you’re safe.”

“Tell them it’s fine. Just wait at home for me to return.”

Li Yanjing smiled lightly: “Need any help?”

Li Lin shook his head: “Stay at home and protect them both.”

“Alright.”

Li Yanjing nodded, about to leave.

“Wait!” Li Lin suddenly called out: “Take a breath.”

Li Yanjing blinked at him, surprised and puzzled.

“If any intruders get into the city, only you can protect them.”

“But your body…”

“Just one breath—it won’t hurt me. But it matters greatly to you.”

Li Yanjing cupped Li Lin’s hand as if holding something sacred, then gently licked it—a small white, transparent bead slipped between her lips.

Immediately, she trembled all over, as usual.

After a long while, she stopped, her face flushed, then vanished.

After Li Yanjing left, the surrounding soldiers finally dared to breathe loudly.

There was no choice—possessed apparitions could be seen, and their chilling aura was unbearable to ordinary people.

Of course, Li Yanjing could suppress her coldness, but she no longer wished to.

After all, she was no longer a courtesan—she was a household True Lord.

No longer needed to please others just to absorb low-quality blood qi.

These soldiers were village troops—they all knew Li Lin.

They feared apparitions, yet revered this county constable all the more.

After all, Li Lin could command an “apparition” to serve him.

The company commanders were directing their men to patrol the wall; around midnight, many soldiers lay down to rest.

Continuous full-strength patrols were impossible; someone had to rest to maintain combat readiness.

But all remembered Li Lin’s order: night patrol strength was more than doubled.

They were repeatedly ordered to remain alert even while sleeping.

Time passed; the county grew quieter, and by the late night, it was eerily silent.

Everyone knew an enemy army waited outside, ready to attack.

Even infants seemed afraid to cry.

And at that moment, Li Lin suddenly opened his eyes.

He shouted: “Ring the bell!”

The soldier beside him snapped awake—he didn’t know what had happened, but his superior spoke, so he obeyed.

Soon, a rapid, clanging sound echoed across the entire county, swelling into a continuous roar.

Li Lin stepped out of the gatehouse; soldiers poured from other gatehouses, torches reignited, bonfires atop the wall flared to life.

One after another, they linked.

Soon, the wall’s firelight banished the darkness for dozens of zhang around.

Before the wall, several squads of enemy troops clad in dark garb emerged.

Li Lin stood beside the wall’s battlements, watching the enemies below, and smiled.

Around the wall, numerous small pink-purple paper figures hid in shadows, peering out.

“Archers, ready!”

Li Lin raised his right hand high.

One hundred archers… nocked arrows, drew bows.

“Fire!”

A volley of arrows rained down; dozens of enemies screamed and fell.

But they did not retreat; instead, they charged forward with crooked ladders.

Their gaunt bodies seemed filled with boundless energy.

“Free fire!”

Li Lin roared, then looked afar.

He saw Qin Donglai—standing motionless before a ritual altar, like a silent statue.

Li Lin stared at him; after a moment, he smiled.

Shouts reached the base of the wall; ladders were propped against it.

Boiling oil poured down; some ladders were knocked away.

Roars and screams continued without end.

The enemy numbers were many; some still climbed up the ladders.

The village defenders began to suffer casualties.

But as one fell, another stepped forward.

The village troops’ fighting spirit was fierce; under normal circumstances, when these southern barbarians scaled the wall, the defenders’ morale would have already collapsed.

After all, these were village troops, not frontier troops.

Village troops and frontier troops were nearly two different species, with vast differences in combat power.

Most importantly, the difference in morale.

Ordinary village troops would break when enemies reached the wall; frontier troops would not.

Now, even the Yulin county frontier troops would not.

Because Li Lin stood atop the wall, occasionally spearing one or two enemies who drew near.

That was why the village troops held firm.

A commander who fought on the front line inspired far more than any banner or reward.

The slaughter continued; soon, the southern barbarian numbers dwindled.

After another incense stick’s time, all enemies who had scaled the wall were dead.

The village troops immediately began tending to their comrades.

Su Beibei walked over, wiped the blood from his face, and said: “Report, County Constable—the enemy has been repelled. Our casualties are about ten percent.”

Five hundred village troops, ten percent casualties—that meant roughly fifty lost combat capability.

But enemy losses were greater—around six hundred.

Storming a city is always like this—you pay several times the cost to gain even a small advantage.

The enemy outside the city should number no more than two thousand; having lost about a third at once, their morale ought to have plummeted.

But… things did not unfold as expected.

The southern barbarian soldiers, watching their comrades die from afar, showed little expression on their faces.

At that moment, Qin Donglai smiled, looking at Li Lin with clear triumph.

Meanwhile, the Lizard-Headed True Lord hovering above the altar moved.

(End of Chapter)