Chapter 202: Death Struggle

"Kill!"

The shouts, like a mountain collapsing and a sea roaring, pierced the night and lunged toward the battlements of Yanguan City.

They traveled very, very far through the silent air.

At this moment, the soldiers of Yanguan tensed their nerves, their hands gripping their weapons involuntarily tightening.

Mo Yu stood behind the crenellations of the city wall, commanding the soldiers.

Crushed stones, rolling logs, and Fire Oil had all been moved up.

Although the wall of Nan Cheng was relatively weaker than the northern wall.

Its height and thickness were not much different from the walls of Yan Commandery.

As long as the command was proper, he believed they could hold out until the Prince's Mansion army arrived.

"Fire arrows!"

The sounds of battle grew closer, and Mo Yu gave the order.

Over two thousand archers on the city wall immediately drew their Curved Bows and shot arrows.

Relying on the volume of the Yuan Family soldiers' voices, they judged the distance between the Yuan Family soldiers and themselves.

"Swish, swish..." A burst of sounds of arrows piercing the air rang out on the city wall.

Then they heard shrill screams coming from the darkness.

The Yanguan soldiers were just about to loose their second volley when they suddenly heard a burst of arrow-piercing sounds themselves.

"Shield bearers!" Mo Yu shouted.

At the same time, other commanders relayed orders one after another.

The shield bearers on the city wall immediately held their shields flat, protecting themselves and the archers beneath them.

"Clang, clang, clatter..." A burst of arrows fell like raindrops.

Compared to the number of Yanguan archers, it was clear that the Yuan Family forces had more archers.

The arrows continued for several dozen breaths before stopping.

In the dense rain of arrows, many Yanguan soldiers were struck; they lay on the ground of the city wall, wailing incessantly.

Although there were many casualties, because of repeated drills, the commanders remained methodical.

They continued to give the order, "Fire arrows!"

The shield bearers lowered their shields, and at this moment, the archers unleashed another wave of arrows.

At the same time, Mo Yu was directing soldiers to pour Fire Oil down from the city wall.

The Yuan Family soldiers' battle cries grew closer.

They had just finished when they saw the Yuan Family soldiers arrive at the foot of the wall carrying Scaling Ladders, leaning them against the city wall.

The Yuan Family soldiers began to climb up along the Scaling Ladders.

"Torches!" The commanders shouted one by one, passing the order down.

Torch after torch was thrown down to the base of the city wall.

Immediately, a trench of Flame ignited along the base of the wall.

"Ah..."

The Yuan Family soldiers who rushed to the foot of the wall got Fire Oil on their feet, which ignited instantly, and they kept screaming in the raging fire.

The Scaling Ladders were also set ablaze by Gunpowder, but the Yuan Family soldiers behind continued to climb the ladders, killing their way toward the top of the wall.

"Fire at will."

"Throw stones."

"Aim the Firearms at them."

"..."

Order after order was passed down, and suddenly, crushed stones, arrows, and Stone Bullets poured down like raindrops from the city wall.

"Ah..."

The Yuan Family soldiers kept screaming; under the dense attack, the first wave of the siege suffered heavy casualties instantly.

But just at this moment.

The soldiers suddenly noticed firelight igniting in the darkness.

Then, muffled thuds came; those were the Yuan Family's Firearms.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Stone Bullets fell continuously onto the city wall, smashing into the ground, hitting the crenellations, and striking the Yanguan soldiers.

Because it was night, they could not see the trajectory of the Stone Bullets at all, and thus could not dodge.

"Thud, thud, thud..." Another burst of muffled groans came as the Yuan Family's Firearms continued to fire.

The Stone Bullets continuously brought casualties to the Yanguan soldiers.

Mo Yu felt anxious, but there was no way to help it.

They caused heavy casualties to the Yuan Family soldiers, and the Yuan Family soldiers also brought casualties to the Yanguan soldiers.

War is a bloody battle of flesh and blood.

Outside the city wall.

Yuan Li watched the battle situation on the wall from the darkness.

The second wave of charging Yuan Family soldiers suffered heavy casualties and was soon beaten back.

He immediately organized a second wave of charges; next, such charges would come wave after wave until he took this section of the Yanguan City wall.

"Yuan Xiu, tell the soldiers: whoever is the first to climb the city wall will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver and promoted five ranks," Yuan Li said in a deep voice.

This time, the Yuan Family was staking everything on one throw; there was no way back.

It was the only path he could take to break through Yanguan.

Therefore, no matter the cost, he had to take Yanguan.

"Yes, my lord." Yuan Xiu turned and left, conveying Yuan Li's orders to the commanders, who then passed them on to the soldiers.

Heavy rewards bring brave men; some Yuan Family soldiers immediately began howling, eager to charge onto the city walls at once.

"Where is the Death-Defying Battalion?" After giving the order to Yuan Xiu, Yuan Li shouted loudly.

A commander stepped forward and knelt before Yuan Li, "My lord, this subordinate is here."

"Blow up the city wall," Yuan Li barked.

"Yes." Upon hearing this, the commander turned and left.

Returning to the camp, he immediately led his soldiers to follow behind the third wave of the assault, approaching the city wall.

However, these soldiers were different from the others.

They were not carrying swords or blades, but rather picks, mattocks, and other tools.

Approaching the city wall, they did not climb the Scaling Ladders, but instead shoveled earth to cover the burning Fire Oil.

Paving a path, they used their picks and mattocks to dig into the city wall.

Mo Yu discovered this situation immediately, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his body.

He said to a Colonel, "Have the commanders of your battalion deal with them specifically; you must not let them chisel a large hole in the city wall, as they intend to use Gunpowder Barrels to blow it up."

"Yes, General." The commander left immediately.

At once, some Yanguan soldiers were organized, and they lifted stones to hurl at these soldiers chiseling the wall.

The fierce battle was raging.

At this moment, a commander hurried over from the north.

Arriving at Mo Yu's side, the commander panted, "General, the Northern Di army has arrived at the foot of the city."

Mo Yu closed his eyes in pain, then took a deep breath.

This was Yanguan, which his father had guarded for ten years; no matter what, he could not let Yanguan be destroyed in the hands of the Mo Family.

Pulling himself together, he said to a commander: "Jiang Han, I leave this place to you."

This man was the commander his father had trusted most during his lifetime, and they were as close as brothers.

"Rest assured, unless he, Yuan Li, steps over my corpse, not a single Yuan Family soldier will ever enter Yanguan," Jiang Han said.

Mo Yu nodded, descended the city wall, and headed toward the North Gate.

He arrived at the North Gate.

Mo Yu gasped.

Across the vast open ground on the north side of the city wall, the torches were as countless as the stars in the sky.

According to the estimates made by the Scouts during the day, at least three royal tents of the Northern Di had come this time, perhaps even four.

And this number was basically the same as the decisive battle at Ningjin back then.

With the Yuan Family behind and the Northern Di in front, it seemed they were determined to take Yanguan this time.

Below the North City wall.

Enke listened to the sound of Firearm fire coming from the south and smiled.

The Yuan Family had coordinated well this time, launching an attack on Yanguan before they did.

Riding alongside him were three others, who were the kings of the Night Wolf, Curved Blade, and Copper Bull royal tents, respectively.

For this siege, the Khan had appointed a Great Administrator to command the four royal tents.

This Great Administrator was not him, Enke, but the king of the Night Wolf royal tent, Boketie.