Chapter 183: with translation of chapter title

Flames shot up to the sky, miserable cries came one after another.

Flying stones and falling logs poured down like rain, smashing the soldiers clinging to the cliff into bloody pulp; severed limbs and broken arms mixed with gravel and earth tumbled into the abyss.

Jiang Xiaomu's eyes were about to burst, his ears filled with the deathly wails of the dying, the strong smell of blood almost making him unable to breathe.

The system's icy warning still rang in his ears, yet now it seemed especially ironic.

"Damn it!"

Jiang Xiaomu roared, violently drew the signal flare from his waist, and pulled it hard.

A blinding red light tore through the night sky, exploding in the darkness like a blooming flower of death.

This was the prearranged signal, telling Zhou Wu that the attack could begin!

Almost at the same moment, a deafening shout of killing came from the direction of the city gate.

War drums beat, shouts of killing shook the heavens, and the siege battle began!

The rebels on the cliff clearly panicked; some soldiers turned their heads toward the city gate, their eyes full of doubt.

Jiang Xiaomu seized the opportunity and shouted loudly:

"Brothers, kill!"

The remaining soldiers lunged at the enemy like starving wolves, having long since cast aside life and death, with only one thought in their minds:

"Kill! Avenge our fallen brothers! Avenge the people of Bincheng! Avenge the realm of Great Qian!"

Jiang Xiaomu led from the front, his long blade turning into streaks of cold light, harvesting the enemies' lives.

Like an Asura from hell, each of his strikes was precise and deadly, blood spraying onto his face, making him look even more ferocious and terrifying.

The battle on the cliff was exceptionally brutal, with soldiers on both sides fighting red-eyed, utterly reckless.

Although Jiang Xiaomu's troops suffered heavy losses, Zhou Wu's feint drew most of the rebel forces to the city gate.

The enemies on the cliff were relatively few, giving them a brief respite.

Jiang Xiaomu led the remnants, carving a bloody path up the cliff, and finally reached the summit.

"Kill!" Jiang Xiaomu roared, swinging his blade to cleave a rebel soldier, blood splattering onto his face.

Although the rebels on the summit were few, the terrain was perilous and they held the high ground, imposing great pressure on Jiang Xiaomu and his men.

Both sides engaged in a death struggle on the summit, blades flashing, flesh flying.

Just then, the rebels at the city gate suddenly began to retreat, apparently having learned that the western cliff had been breached.

"Oh no, we've been tricked!" a rebel commander shouted in terror:

"They intend to pincer us from front and rear!"

Jiang Xiaomu gave a cold laugh.

"You only realize now—it's too late!" he raised his sword and shouted sternly:

"Brothers, follow me in killing! Leave none alive!"

The remaining soldiers' morale surged, and they charged at the enemy like tigers descending from the mountain.

The rebels instantly collapsed and fled in all directions.

Jiang Xiaomu raised his sword and pursued a rebel commander; the commander, terrified, turned to flee, but Jiang Xiaomu thrust his blade through his chest.

"You… you…" the rebel commander pointed at Jiang Xiaomu, his eyes full of resentment.

"May you be reborn into a good womb in your next life!"

Jiang Xiaomu said coldly, drew his sword, and blood spurted out.

The rebel commander collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then breathed his last.

Jiang Xiaomu looked around; corpses of rebels lay everywhere, the air thick with a strong smell of blood.

He suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, his body swayed a few times, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

"General!" Zhou Wu beside him quickly moved to support him.

"Are you all right?"

Jiang Xiaomu waved his hand, enduring the discomfort, and said:

"I'm fine, just feeling a bit weak."

He lifted his gaze to the night sky, where stars dotted the heavens and the moon hung high.

"We have won this battle…"

Jiang Xiaomu murmured to himself, though his eyes flickered with a complex expression.

Just then, the system's voice sounded again:

【Congratulations, host! You have completed the mission and received one high-grade healing pill.】

【An unknown toxin has been detected in your body; it is recommended that you immediately take the healing medicine.】

Jiang Xiaomu's heart jolted; he quickly took the medicine from the system space and swallowed it.

The medicine melted upon entry, turning into a warm current that flowed through his entire body.

Jiang Xiaomu instantly felt refreshed and invigorated, his whole body brimming with strength.

"What kind of poison is this?"

Jiang Xiaomu wondered.

【This toxin is called Bone‑Corroding Soul‑Scattering Powder, a chronic poison, colorless and tasteless.】

【In the early stages, the victim shows no symptoms, but the poison gradually erodes the bone marrow, eventually leading to total paralysis and death.】

Jiang Xiaomu's face changed dramatically; he never imagined he had actually been poisoned!

"Who poisoned me? I will find out!"

Zhou Wu was about to order the battlefield cleared when a scout, drenched in blood, stumbled over.

"Report… report, General! The rebel… rebel main force… is marching toward… Bincheng!"

The scout's words were like a bolt from the blue, shocking Jiang Xiaomu until his vision went black.

The weakness after detoxing from Bone-piercing Soul-scattering Powder had not yet fully faded when this new crisis suddenly struck, leaving him feeling powerless.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"How much longer until we arrive?"

"At most... at most two hours!"

The scout replied, panting.

"Two hours!" Jiang Xiaomu silently cursed, these rebels are truly relentless!

The cliff battle had inflicted heavy losses on them, yet they hadn't expected there to be a reserve force.

He had no time to think further, and immediately ordered:

"Pass the order down: collect all usable arrows and weapons."

"Bandage all the wounded at once; have the lightly wounded help move supplies and prepare for battle!"

Under the cover of night, soldiers busily gathered the arrows and swords scattered across the battlefield, stacking together the weapons still usable.

The air reeked of blood, and the wounded soldiers' painful groans rose and fell, adding to the bleak atmosphere.

Jiang Xiaomu summoned Zhou Wu and a few other commanders, and a makeshift council was held on the cliff top.

Torches crackled, casting light on the weary, solemn faces of those present.

"General, our troops are few and we are exhausted—how can we stand against the rebel main force?"

One commander asked anxiously.

"Yes, General, we had better retreat to the city and rely on the walls for defense."

Another commander proposed.

Jiang Xiaomu stayed silent, his fingers lightly tapping the stone before him.

Retreating to the city would be safe, but what about the civilians inside?

They had only just driven the rebels out of the city; letting them back in would be unthinkable.

Zhou Wu also frowned, knowing Jiang Xiaomu's dilemma. He said in a low voice:

"General, I have a plan that might be worth a try."

All eyes turned to Zhou Wu.

"We can use the terrain to set an ambush outside the city and catch them off guard!"

Zhou Wu pointed to a dense forest below the cliff and said:

"This forest's terrain is complex, easy to defend but hard to attack; we can first send a portion of our troops to hide there."

"Then, once the rebels enter the encirclement, we will strike, aiming to inflict maximum losses on their manpower."

Jiang Xiaomu's eyes lit up; Zhou Wu's plan was risky, but not without a chance of success.

Their forces are insufficient; they must win by unconventional means.

"Good!" Jiang Xiaomu declared decisively.

"Then we'll follow Zhou Wu's plan! Zhou Wu, you will lead the ambush party—proceed with caution."

"Yes, General!" Zhou Wu acknowledged and left.