Chapter 154

Jiang Xiaomu slept in a dazed stupor, and when he woke up it was already late.

Aches all over his body reminded him of yesterday's brutal fighting.

He struggled to get up, wanting to find something to eat, but saw Jiang Xiaoyu asleep, slumped against the bedside.

He got out of bed quietly, tucked her in with the blanket, then left the room.

The city inside was a scene of busy activity.

Soldiers came and went, transporting various supplies and repairing the damage on the city walls.

It reeked of blood and medicinal herbs, making people nauseous.

Jiang Xiaomu found a soldier distributing food and received a bowl of thin porridge and a hard piece of cake.

He walked to the city wall and looked at the devastated scene outside.

Luoxia Village had become a ruin, with broken walls and corpses everywhere.

The once vibrant fields had turned into scorched earth.

"Sigh..."

Jiang Xiaomu sighed, his heart filled with sorrow.

"What are you thinking about?"

A rough voice sounded behind him.

Jiang Xiaomu turned his head and saw Xiong Kuohai.

He also had bandages wrapped around him, but his spirits looked fine.

"I'm wondering when this battle will end."

Jiang Xiaomu said.

Xiong Kuohai walked up to him, took a puff of dry tobacco, and said:

"Don't think so much; first survive, then talk."

"Kuohai, the fortifications of Luoxia Village..."

Jiang Xiaomu wanted to speak but stopped.

Xiong Kuohai laughed heartily and said:

"Boss, don't worry; I've already sent people to reinforce and repair it, and the traps have been reset."

"Those barbarians won't find it so easy next time they come."

Xiong Kuohai directed his brothers to quickly reinforce and repair Luoxia Village's defenses; having fought for so many years, he knew the barbarians' next attack would be even more fierce.

He had people dig more traps around the village, set up more anti-cavalry obstacles and deer antlers, and piled up a high earthen wall at the village entrance.

"This time, we must make sure those barbarians never return!"

Xiong Kuohai said viciously.

At the same time, in the barbarian great camp, Commander Tu Huai sat in the large tent, gnawing on a roasted lamb leg while looking at the sand table.

On the sand table, various colored flags marked the deployment of both armies.

Tu Huai's gaze fell on the position of Wangzhou City, his brows furrowed.

"I never expected a dilapidated village to actually block my army's advance."

Tu Huai muttered to himself.

He picked up a wooden stick, pointed at Luoxia Village's position on the sand table, and said to the deputy commander beside him:

"This place isn't even marked on the map; it seems we underestimated the enemy."

The deputy commander nodded and bowed, saying:

"Great Commander is wise; we indeed underestimated these dry people's resistance."

"Hmph!"

Tu Huai gave a cold snort and threw the lamb bone in his hand onto the ground.

"Pass the order: attack Wangzhou City within three days! This time I will level Luoxia Village, leaving not a chicken or dog!"

"Yes, sir!"

The deputy commander promptly took the order and left.

The night in Luoxia Village was unusually quiet.

After Xiong Kuohai had arranged everything, he came to Jiang Xiaomu's side and handed him a wineskin.

"Boss, have a drink to warm yourself."

Xiong Kuohai said.

Jiang Xiaomu took the wineskin, tilted his head back and took a sip; the fiery liquor flowed down his throat into his stomach, giving him a wave of warmth.

The two fell silent for a moment, then Xiong Kuohai suddenly said:

"Boss, have you ever thought about what it would be like if we died one day?"

Jiang Xiaomu startled, then gave a bitter laugh and said:

"What else can it be? Dead is dead."

"I'm afraid of dying."

Xiong Kuohai suddenly said:

"I'm afraid that after I die, I'll never see my wife and children again."

Jiang Xiaomu patted his shoulder and comforted him:

"Don't think too much; we will survive."

Xiong Kuohai shook his head and said:

"I always have a bad feeling that this battle will be extremely dangerous."

Just then, a soldier came running over in a panic, shouting loudly:

"Report! The barbarian army is coming again!"

Jiang Xiaomu and Xiong Kuohai exchanged a glance, both showing a solemn expression in their eyes.

"Looks like tonight is destined to be a sleepless night."

Jiang Xiaomu said.

Xiong Kuohai stood up, drew the saber at his waist, and shouted loudly:

"Brothers, get ready for battle!"

The arrow rain came too suddenly, the sharp whistling sound tearing through the night's tranquility.

Jiang Xiaomu silently cursed, these barbarians really are like dogs, with such a keen nose!

He quickly threw himself to the ground, and Xiong Kuohai beside him also cursed as he dove into a nearby trench.

"Damn it, they come as they please, without even a warning!"

Dust flew up, arrows fell like raindrops, sinking into the mud with a muffled 'thud-thud' sound.

Fortunately, though Xiong Kuohai is a rough fellow useless at other things, his skill at digging pits is top-notch; the fortifications were dug deep enough to barely fend off this surprise attack.

After the arrow rain ceased, Jiang Xiaomu crawled out of the dirt, spat out a mouthful of sandy saliva, and went 'ptui ptui'.

"Damn it, are these barbarians trying to shoot us into hedgehogs with arrows?"

Xiong Kuohai also crawled out of the trench, his face covered in dirt, wiped the mud from his face, and said, "Boss, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Jiang Xiaomu shook his head, though a shadow fell over his heart.

This sudden arrow rain made him feel something was amiss.

He took out a spyglass, trying to observe the enemy's movements, but found the night pitch black, unable to see anything.

"I can't see anything."

Jiang Xiaomu irritably stuffed the spyglass back into his bosom.

Xiong Kuohai spat.

"What damned weather, you can't see your hand in front of your face—what are those barbarians up to?"

The surrounding soldiers also gripped their weapons nervously, held their breath, and waited for the enemy's attack.

However, the anticipated attack never came.

Apart from the occasional beast howl in the distance, all around was dead silence.

Time ticked by second by second, and this eerie silence only made people's hearts pound more.

Jiang Xiaomu felt his heartbeat quickening, pounding like a drum in his chest.

"Boss, what... is going on?"

Xiong Kuohai also sensed something was wrong, and asked anxiously.

Jiang Xiaomu furrowed his brows, he too could not figure it out.

Since the barbarian army has come, why do they delay launching an attack?

Could they be playing mysterious tricks? Or... is there some conspiracy?

The silence lasted about half an hour.

Just as Jiang Xiaomu was almost thinking the barbarian army had retreated, a second wave of arrow rain poured down without warning!

"Get down!"

Jiang Xiaomu roared and threw himself to the ground again.

The density of the arrow rain was greater than the first wave.

Damn it! What the hell do they want?

After the arrow rain, it was still silent.

The soldiers' faces turned pallid, their palms sweaty as they gripped their weapons.

This torment of waiting for death is more terrifying than a direct charge.

Third wave, fourth wave, fifth wave...

Over the next few hours, the arrow rain came intermittently.