Chapter 272: Annihilation Returns

The brief stalemate was like the false calm in the eye of a storm.

The bloody and burnt smell in the air grew stronger, mixed with the strange ozone odor emanating from the crystal ore monsters' remains, forming a sickly sweet stench.

Chen Wen's soldiers seized the precious moment to catch their breath, bandage wounds, replace damaged armor, and haul more stone rollers to the front line.

Every face smeared with blood and grime showed exhaustion, yet the fire in their eyes never died.

Chen Wen still stood on the watchtower, the Fortune Momentum vortex within him slowly turning, nourishing his spirit, which felt slightly fatigued from frequent use of his abilities.

The Growth Progress Bar hovered around ninety-two percent; that recent high-intensity 'Ability Granting' seemed to have pushed it forward a little more.

His gaze remained locked on the enemy camp's depths, on that icy, mad core of will, and on the fifty 'Nether Bones' standing stiff as black tombstones.

He knew the enemy would not let it rest.

"Your Majesty, look!"

Li Wu's voice carried a hint of surprise as he pointed to the flank of the enemy formation.

Chen Wen focused his gaze.

He saw dozens of figures silently appear behind the remains of the crystal ore monsters and the Northern Han soldiers' corpses.

They were starkly different from ordinary Northern Han soldiers, wearing no standard armor but rather tattered robes almost the same color as the scorched earth.

Their movements were unnaturally agile, darting like ghosts among the corpses, using terrain and friendly dead for cover as they swiftly approached Chen Wen's defensive line.

Even more striking, each clutched tightly in their arms an object roughly the size of a human head, wrapped in black cloth.

That object faintly emitted highly unstable nether energy fluctuations; even from afar, it caused Chen Wen's internal Fortune Momentum vortex to produce a weak but unmistakable sense of repulsion and warning!

An instinctive sense of danger seized him instantly!

"That is..." Chen Wen's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had never seen anything like it, but the pure, violent nether energy aura was unlike any crystal ore construct he had encountered, brimming with destructive intent.

"What a strong nether reaction! Extremely unstable!" Minister of Works Zhao Lao nian also cried out in shock, his face instantly turning pale; thanks to his research on crystal ore, he could sense the horror beneath the black cloth more keenly than ordinary people.

"Your Majesty! The energy structure inside is immensely violent; if it detonates, its power far surpasses that of ordinary crystal weapons! We must not let it approach!"

Chen Wen's heart sank sharply.

Without needing Zhao Lao nian's further explanation, his spirit sense, sharpened by the Fortune Momentum's aid, was already screaming warnings.

These desperate attackers carried within them a destructive energy source capable of tearing through the defenses and causing massive casualties!

Their target was obvious—Chen Wen's fortifications, command nodes, and even... Chen Wen himself!

"Archers! Aim at those holding the black-wrapped bundles! Prioritize killing them! Quick!"

Chen Wen's voice, filled with unprecedented urgency, barked the order.

We must not let them get close!

The order was swiftly passed down.

The surviving archers on the front line, gritting their teeth against fatigue, raised their crossbows again and aimed at the figures darting swiftly among the corpses.

"Swish swish swish!"

The arrows tore through the air, like summons from the Grim Reaper.

Several suicide attackers fell at the sound, their black-wrapped bundles rolling to the ground; occasional gaps in the wrapping revealed an intense, flickering deep-blue light, as if straining to break free—even a leak of that light made the nearby air faintly warp.

Yet many more suicide attackers displayed astonishing agility and tenacity.

They slipped like loaches, using any available cover, even grabbing corpses of comrades or refugees to shield themselves as they charged forward through the arrow storm!

Their eyes were empty yet fanatical, as if they had already cast aside life and death, their sole mission being to bring the destruction in their arms into Chen Wen's ranks.

"Stop them!"

The frontline Colonel roared hoarsely.

Sword-and-shield soldiers and spearmen attempted to step forward to intercept.

But these suicide attackers did not entangle with the soldiers; their movement was extraordinarily strange, often dodging lethal attacks by a hair's breadth and continuing to charge headlong.

The distance was rapidly closing!

Four hundred steps!

Three hundred steps!

Two hundred fifty steps!

They had already entered the effective range of the heavy crossbows, but the enemy was too dispersed and too fast, making interception only minimally effective!

Chen Wen could even clearly see, on the faces of the few suicide attackers leading the charge—filthy, twisted, fanatical grins—and the black-wrapped bundles in their arms, growing ever more unstable, the piercing blue light threatening to burst through the cloth!

We can wait no longer!

"Li Wu! Imperial Guard!"

Chen Wen spun around sharply, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

"Target, the suicide attackers ahead—follow me—charge!"

"Your Majesty! No!"

Li Wu turned pale with shock.

"You are of immeasurable worth; how can you recklessly endanger yourself? Let me lead the men!"

"There's no time!"

Chen Wen snatched up the sword 'Dingye' leaning against the watchtower railing, his tone decisive.

"Their target is me, or at least the core fortifications!"

"We must strangle them before they cause greater destruction!"

"Carry out the order!"

Before his words even finished, Chen Wen leapt down from the watchtower several meters high!

His dark cloak snapped in the air, like a mighty eagle battling wind and rain.

Your Majesty!

Li Wu's heart and gallbladder were torn apart; he dared not hesitate even a bit, and immediately roared.

Imperial Guard! Protect His Majesty! Kill!

Roar!

The five hundred most elite imperial guard cavalry stationed near the watchtower had long been poised and ready.

At this moment, seeing His Majesty himself charge into battle, a mixture of fervor, worry, and resolve instantly ignited their blood!

The five hundred iron cavalry, like a flood breaking through a dam, closely followed that dark‑clad figure, thunderously smashing open the camp's side gate and launching a countercharge against those desperate warriors.

His Majesty has charged into battle!

Long live!

Protect His Majesty!

The entire Chen army camp, upon seeing that dark‑clad figure leading the charge, first froze, then erupted in earth‑shaking cheers and roars!

His Majesty himself has come to the front lines, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the troops!

This is more powerful than any morale‑boosting words!

The originally somewhat low morale, like dry tinder thrown into flames, instantly burned to its peak!

Chen Wen led the charge, his internal power surging without cease.

He did not immediately use Ability Granting, but instead focused his power on himself.

His physical abilities surged to thirty‑two times their normal level!

His vision became extraordinarily sharp, able to clearly catch every tiny movement and trajectory of the warriors.

His reaction speed was ghostly swift, and the karmic blade in his hand turned into a flash of icy cold light.

Pfft!

A warrior who had just emerged from behind a corpse, preparing to throw the dangerous object hidden in his bosom, felt a chill at his neck and his vision spun.

He didn't even get a clear look at who had slashed him.

Chen Wen relentlessly pressed on, like a tiger among sheep; in the flashing of his blade, two more warriors clutched their bleeding throats and fell.

He specifically targeted those warriors clutching unstable energy sources who were about to rush into dangerous range.

Precise, efficient, ruthless.

The imperial guard cavalry followed closely, like a red‑hot iron plow, ruthlessly tearing into the warriors' disordered ranks.

Hooves trampled, blades slashed, quickly dividing and annihilating these desperate fighters.

However, the number of these warriors was not small, and they were extraordinarily fearless of death.

Seeing Chen Wen personally charge out, they not only felt no fear, but their eyes blazed with even greater fervor!

For the master!

Eliminate the variable!

Scattered, meaningless howls issued from their mouths.

Some even stopped trying to assault the camp, instead turning around and charging directly at Chen Wen and the imperial guard cavalry!

They actually intended to use themselves as a trigger, detonating that dangerous energy near Chen Wen!

Protect His Majesty!

Li Wu's eyes were about to burst; he led the imperial guard in fierce slaughter, trying to separate His Majesty from these madmen.

The battle instantly became extremely brutal and chaotic.

A warrior broke through the guard's interception, laughing madly as he lunged at Chen Wen's horse; the black cloth in his hand had been flung open, revealing the violently flashing, blinding light of the azure crystal about to explode within.

The surging destructive energy caused Chen Wen's Fortune Momentum vortex to tremble violently!

Your Majesty, be careful!

At the critical moment, Chen Wen's eyes flashed with a cold light!

He sharply pulled the reins, his warhorse rearing up, while his left hand shot out like lightning—not to block, but to press into the void!

Broad Grant—Eightfold!

Invisible waves of power instantly enveloped over ten imperial guards centered on him!

This was not for attack, but for—speed!

The imperial guards who received an eightfold speed boost moved as fast as phantoms!

The imperial guard nearest to Chen Wen, almost instinctively, thrust forward with his iron‑clad shield—originally meant for blocking—at a speed surpassing limits, slamming it forward and hooking it down!

Bang!

The shield, like an iron cap, caught that warrior and the azure crystal about to explode in his bosom, clamping them tightly to the ground in the nick of time!

Almost as the shield clamped down——

Boom!!!

A thunderous, muffled yet ear‑splitting roar erupted from beneath the shield!

The sturdy iron‑clad shield, like a pottery jar struck by a massive hammer, instantly deformed, shattered, and even partially vaporized!

The imperial guard holding the shield, man and horse both, was flung into the air by the tremendous impact; already in mid‑air he spewed blood, his armor shattered, and he was clearly dead.

Violent azure energy, mixed with shattered crystal fragments, burst outward like a rainstorm!

Even the nearby imperial guards wearing armor had their qi and blood churned by the energy shockwave; several were struck by crystal shards, screamed as they fell, and their wounds quickly blackened, rotted, and emitted a burnt stench.

Chen Wen, relying on his extraordinary reflexes and speed, barely avoided the core of the blast, but his mount still neighed in terror from the shockwave, and his dark cloak was scorched at the edges by the radiating energy, tearing several holes.

His face darkened as he beheld the imperial guard who had sacrificed himself to save him, and the wounded soldiers around him; murderous intent boiled in his chest.

These madmen of the Iron Crow Army! They actually crafted such a vicious destructive weapon, utterly opposed to the power of Fortune Momentum!

Wipe them out! Not a single one left!

Chen Wen's voice was ice-cold like a blade; the Karma Stabilizer in his hand swung again, cutting down another assassin who tried to approach, striking him from his horse.

Under the Emperor's inspirational lead-from-the-front and the Imperial Guard Cavalry's desperate fighting, the dozens of assassins carrying dangerous energy bodies were ultimately wiped out outside the camp.

Most dangerous objects were successfully intercepted, or detonated in places far from the defense line.

Only two or three exploded in positions relatively close to the camp, damaging a section of fence and causing casualties among dozens of soldiers, but did not shake the foundation of the defense line.

However, Chen Wen and the Imperial Guard's sudden sortie, together with the continuous explosions of the unknown dangerous objects, seemed to break the battlefield's brief balance.

Just as Chen Wen led his troops back to the camp and had not yet caught their breath—

Deep in the enemy camp, that icy will once again let out a silent roar!

The fifty Netherbone who had remained motionless saw the blue soul fire in their eyes surge like oil poured on flames, leaping up and dancing wildly.