Chapter 176: Prince, are you going on a blind date?

The night was dark.

A team of messengers mingled among the deserters, quietly slipped out of the city, and galloped toward Yannan City.

Prefect Guo had sent them to Yannan City to deliver a letter to General Yuan.

This small squad consisted of over a hundred men, attempting to slip past the blockade of the Beijiang Army; they intended to rely on their numbers to gain an advantage, thinking that even if they were killed by the Beijiang Army, one or two would surely slip through the net and escape.

Suddenly!

Hundreds of sharp arrows flew toward them!

"Ah!"

The messengers were struck by arrows one after another, falling to the ground with screams.

A few soldiers reacted quickly, immediately rolling into the grass on the side of the road, then leaping up and sprinting wildly in the directions of southeast, south, west, and north.

They were elites of the Yuan Family Army, strictly trained to quickly conceal their figures!

Splitting up to flee would increase their chances of escape.

Just then!

Several muffled "pop, pop, pop" sounds rang out in the air!

The heads of the escaping soldiers burst into mists of blood, pierced through by bullets.

Xiao Dabao lay on high ground, wearing night-vision goggles, holding a Sniper Rifle in his hands.

He stood up and blew on the Sniper Rifle in his hand, which was equipped with an eight-times scope.

"Run, keep running! My Sniper Rifle is specifically for dealing with you lot!"

The night grew deep.

In the encampment of the Beijiang Army, it was brightly lit.

The beams of Flashlights swayed back and forth in the camp.

At dawn tomorrow, they would attack the city.

The entire army prepared for battle!

In the makeshift military camp, the soldiers were all busy.

Some were sharpening blades, some were feeding horses, some were checking equipment...

Qin Zhan rode his horse, patrolling back and forth in the camp, holding a megaphone and shouting in a rough, booming voice.

"Get moving, everyone, sharpen your blades!"

"Check your armor, saddles, and Bow and Arrow again... repair them immediately if they are broken!"

Xiao Moting's eyes were like stars, scanning sharply.

A messenger officer entered to report.

"Prince, the transport team sent from the main camp has arrived."

"Supervisor Han of the ordnance camp has already purified the Saltpeter, produced one hundred catties of Explosives, and sent them over by fast horse."

"Besides that, the craftsmen have also arrived."

Xiao Moting's sword-like brows relaxed, and a light flashed in his eyes.

"Good! They arrived just in time!"

"Order the craftsmen immediately to work through the night to produce Landmines!"

The fifteen craftsmen had all rushed over from the Beijiang Camp.

Xiao Moting immediately ordered them to make Landmines, preparing for tomorrow's siege!

The one hundred thousand Beijiang Army troops outside the city prepared for battle throughout the night, their morale soaring!

Xiao Moting returned to his tent and told Bai Wei about the siege tomorrow.

"Shennü Daren, tomorrow morning, the Beijiang Army will attack Shiya City."

"Has the siege been decided?" Bai Wei received Xiao Moting's note. "Good, tell me if you need anything then; I will also come to watch the battle and assist from the sidelines!"

Xiao Moting was stunned, holding the note.

Watch the battle?

What did Shennü Daren mean?

Could it be... that she could see him leading the army in battle?

Xiao Moting pondered for a moment, then looked up and called a soldier over.

"Fetch a basin of water and bring a bronze mirror."

Soon, the water basin and bronze mirror were delivered to the simple tent.

There was no water nearby; it was all bottled water sent by Bai Wei, so the Beijiang Army soldiers cherished it greatly. Aside from cooking and drinking, no one could bear to use the fresh water to bathe.

Xiao Moting was no exception.

The basin was filled with water; he untied his hair, washed his head, and wiped his body.

If it weren't for Shennü Daren saying she would come to 'watch the battle,' he would not have been willing to use the water either.

Xiao Moting quickly finished washing, changed into a new battle robe, then took his Long Sword and, facing the bronze mirror, shaved the new stubble on his chin clean.

Due to days of campaigning, he hadn't had time to shave, and a shallow layer of dark stubble had grown on his chin.

Soldiers of the Daliang Kingdom didn't pay much attention to their appearance, as long as they could kill and fight, but he didn't want Shennü Daren to see him looking so dirty.

At this moment, Xiao Dabao walked in, and upon seeing Xiao Moting washing and shaving, he was stunned.

"Prince, are you going on a blind date? Or are you going to see a young lady?"

Xiao Moting's handsome face darkened, and a trace of embarrassment flashed across it.

He shouted in a deep voice, "Nonsense, we are attacking the city tomorrow, a great battle is imminent, what blind date would I be going on?"

"Then what are you doing?" Xiao Dabao was puzzled, then suddenly, as if thinking of something, he chuckled, "Could it be that you are going to see Shennü Daren? That's why you've dressed up so handsomely?"

Xiao Moting's expression grew even more awkward as he grabbed his Long Sword.

"Get out!"

Xiao Dabao fled in a panic.

Inside Shiya City.

Guo Gui's face was as dark as water as he supervised from the city wall.

He held a Telescope and looked into the distance, seeing the Beijiang Camp in a flurry of activity, and upon discovering that the Beijiang Army's supply convoy had also arrived, he felt even more panicked and furious!

Guo Gui turned around and roared.

"Have the messengers sent to deliver letters to General Yuan all been dispatched?"

"Hurry and have General Yuan send troops over to annihilate Xiao Moting."

The city guards hurriedly reported.

"Prefect, the Beijiang Army has completely surrounded the city and was prepared long ago; as soon as our messengers left the city, they were all shot dead."

"What?" Guo Gui trembled with rage. "Those one hundred messengers were all the elite of our army, one in a hundred! With the night so deep, how could not a single one of them escape the Beijiang Army's blockade?"

"According to scouts, the Beijiang Army has a type of lamp called a 'Flashlight' that can illuminate the surroundings as bright as day, and they also have strange Helmets that allow for night vision! Furthermore, their Bow and Arrow are extremely powerful; not only is their range long, but they can pierce through cowhide armor."

Guo Gui roared.

"If people can't get out, then use carrier pigeons; hurry and get General Yuan to come."

"I don't believe that no matter how powerful their Helmets are, they can hit birds in the sky!"

He had to send the message quickly.

The Beijiang Army was eating and drinking heartily under the city walls every day, while the Yuan Family Army was already in chaos; if this continued, he feared the opponent wouldn't even need to attack the city before internal strife broke out within.

What was the point of a war of attrition?

The others had food, drink, and snacks; surrounding the city was just like an outing for them.

The military rations in the city were already running low; if trapped for a few more days, the Beijiang Army wouldn't starve to death, but would instead gain a few pounds, and the ones who would end up starving to death would be the Yuan Family Army in the city!

Several carrier pigeons flapped their wings and flew out from the city.

……

"Prince, Shiya City has released carrier pigeons!"

Xiao Moting raised his eyes and looked at the night sky.

He narrowed his dark eyes and picked up the Walkie-talkie.

"Shoot those pigeons down for me!"

The night was dim, and the carrier pigeons flew at extreme speed, flashing across the sky.

The archers fired their Bow and Arrow one after another, yet after a round of arrow rain, only one bird was shot down.

Several snipers also aimed their guns, but the pigeons flew too fast and were hard to hit; they dared not waste any more Bullet, so they had to put down their guns helplessly.

Suddenly!

"Pfft."

A soft sound.

It was the sound of a gunshot with a silencer attached!

The carrier pigeon flying in the lead was shot down.

"Pfft, pfft."

A few more gunshots rang out.

Several carrier pigeons were shot down one after another.

The surrounding archers and snipers all looked up in surprise, searching.

"Who is that? Their marksmanship is so impressive!"

"They are simply a master marksman, one shot for every target."