Chapter 51: East City Gate

At the same time, outside the castle, Robin kept moving across the rooftops of the civilian district.

Moonlight fell on his tired yet resolute face, and memories of the days he spent with Eric, Lily and the Malizi Knight kept surfacing in his mind.

An unnamed fury surged from his heart.

He was merely living a routine life, yet reality forced him toward a dead end.

Meanwhile in Winston City, Ma Ne Te was anxiously gathering manpower.

His expression was as grim as the sky before a storm, shocked by Robin's formidable power yet frustrated at his failure to complete the mission.

He knew this matter was no small affair; Lord Bloet would not easily spare anyone who knew the secret.

At this moment, Tomson fled desperately with Malizi's family under the cover of night.

The children's cries and women's sobs sounded especially mournful in the silent night.

Tomson was filled with worry; he did not know Robin's safety nor whether they could escape this terrible disaster.

Leimeng was in the shadows, hastily preparing the siege plan.

A wild gleam flashed in his eyes, as if he already envisioned Winston City collapsing beneath his feet, with Lord Bloet trampled underfoot.

He continuously issued orders to his knights and apprentices, and the whole force was suffused with tension and excitement.

In the early hours, the world seemed wrapped in a thick layer of ink; the sky had not yet shown a hint of light, all things slept in darkness, the silence oppressive.

Robin hid in a corner beneath a eave; his breathing steadied while his body remained tense, when suddenly an inexplicable alert jolted him awake.

His sharp gaze instantly locked onto Leimeng standing not far away.

In the moonlight, Leimeng's silhouette stretched long; he stood silently, like a ghost emerging from darkness, exuding a mysterious and dangerous aura.

"If you want to know what Lord Bloet actually did, you must cooperate with me," Leimeng said this time without evading, his words firm and unequivocal, stating the point directly.

"Hmph!" Robin snorted coldly, his eyes full of caution and doubt; Leimeng's sudden appearance and words put him on guard, and he gave no immediate reply.

Leimeng seemed unfazed by Robin's attitude; he took two unhurried steps forward, moonlight outlining his stern features, and said, "You will cooperate with me. When daybreak comes, Tomson and his group won't be able to hide, and the Malizi Knight will be fully exposed to sunlight."

His voice was low and hoarse, as if stating an established fact, each word striking Robin's heart heavily.

Robin's heart tightened; he knew Leimeng's words were no empty threat.

At this moment, Tomson was leading Malizi's family to evade pursuit, while Malizi himself searched in secret for a chance to escape; once daybreak arrived, they would have nowhere to hide.

"What do you want me to do?" Robin asked after a moment of silence, his voice steady yet tinged with helplessness; he knew he had few options left.

Leimeng's mouth twitched upward, revealing a barely perceptible smugness, "We are preparing to attack East City Gate, and we hope you, the archer knight, will cooperate, helping us suppress the archers and knights on the gate."

Robin's pupils narrowed slightly upon hearing this, a surge of emotion rising within him.

Attacking East City Gate was undeniably a perilous undertaking, yet he knew that if they failed to breach the gate, none of them would escape.

After a brief contemplation, Robin slowly nodded, his gaze steady and resolute, "Fine, I accept."

At that moment, a few distant dog barks broke the night's silence, as if heralding the approaching dawn and a thrilling battle about to commence.

Robin and Leimeng stood in the darkness, their silhouettes cloaked by night; their fates would intertwine with Winston City's in this siege.

For this operation, Leimeng knew Robin's bow would be crucial, and he specially prepared two hundred Feather Arrows for him.

Robin filled his quiver, and the remaining arrows were carried by two cautious knight apprentices, whose eyes were full of bloodlust and madness, making Robin even more wary.

He constantly felt that the people here were not truly alive.

"Remember, we have only one chance," Leimeng whispered to Robin, his voice bearing a resolve to burn the boats.

Robin gave a slight nod, his hand gripping the Pulley Composite Bow, feeling its familiar touch, silently preparing for the upcoming battle.

They slipped toward East City Gate, and in the night the gate's outline grew clearer.

The towering watchtowers on either side of the gate stood like silent sentinels, the archers atop them watching the surroundings vigilantly; even the slightest movement could trigger their alarm.

Before the gate, chevaux-de-frise and a moat stretched across, defensive works like an insurmountable chasm blocking their advance.

The massive gate, forged from sturdy wood and metal, with its latch and iron chains tightly bound, exuded a cold, hard aura, as if proclaiming its inviolability.

Robin crouched in a shadow, his eyes fixed on the gate.

Without heavy weapons, breaching the gate required killing all its guards and opening it from within. The current guard force was formidable; although Winston City was not large, it had only two gates, and East City Gate was defended by two hundred militia and fifty archers, with three knights forming its backbone.

Saint Shield Knight Xiaoduo, famed for his impenetrable defense and extensive combat experience, along with two newly commissioned knights, equally youthful and vigorous, were forces not to be underestimated.

What pressured Robin further was that Lord Bloet seemed to have foreseen this day long ago.

He swiftly deployed all the Apprentice Breathing Method Secret Medicine from the lord's manor, instantly adding over twenty Formal Knights to the domain.

Besides the mysterious disappearance of seven who specialized in the Earth Dragon Breathing Method, together with the Lord's Private Guard, the domain still had at least twenty knights.

This meant that if the assault on East City Gate stalled, they would be instantly overwhelmed by knights and troops pouring in from all sides.

"Action!" Leimeng whispered the order, his voice light yet like a lightning bolt slicing the night sky.

Robin sprang to his feet, drew the Pulley Composite Bow, and the first Feather Arrow whooshed with a sharp rush of wind toward the soldier on the watchtower.

"Swoosh," the soldier fell before he could sound the alarm.

(End of Chapter)