Chapter 514: The Sahara's Gateway Opens

"Send word: set up camp outside the city and await the follow‑up troops."

Five thousand Longxiang Army troops pitched a series of camps outside the city, raising tents one after another, and cooking smoke curled upward.

On the city wall, the Marlin Dynasty garrison stared anxiously at the army; no one dared to leave the city.

On the fourth day, the second wave of troops arrived.

On the fifth day, the third wave...

On the sixth day, the full eighty‑thousand‑strong army assembled and formed ranks outside Xijiermasa.

Iron‑clad soldiers thick as a forest, Flintlock Guns all pointed toward the sky with a swish, five hundred breech‑loading cannons lined up in a row, their muzzles aimed at the city wall.

On the wall, the garrison's expressions changed.

They had never seen so many iron‑clad soldiers, never seen so many cannons; several generals ran back and forth on the wall, brandishing swords and shouting something, their voices trembling.

"Fire the cannons..."

The five hundred breech‑loading cannons fired simultaneously.

Shrapnel shells ripped through the air, striking Xijiermasa's city wall.

"Boom—boom—boom..."

Explosions rose and fell, earthen bricks shattered, and smoke billowed skyward.

Although the earthen wall was thick, it could not withstand the shrapnel shells; after several volleys, a huge breach was blown open.

"Longxiang Army, charge with me!"

Zhu Qiongjiong gripped his warhorse's belly and the steed surged forward.

The eighty‑thousand troops followed closely, their hooves thundering.

He led the charge, brandishing a Wolf Fang Club as he rushed through the breach, sweeping left and right.

Several Marlin Dynasty soldiers brandishing curved blades charged; his club swung through, sending five or six men flying into the wall, their brains splattering.

Behind him, the eighty‑thousand troops followed his path into the city, firing Flintlock Guns in unison, and hacking with sabers.

Xijiermasa's garrison fought to the death, but before Great Ming's iron hooves, any resistance was futile; in less than two hours the city fell.

The defending commander was dragged down from the city tower by a few Longxiang Army soldiers, tied up in a big knot, and forced to kneel.

He lifted his head to look at Zhu Qiongjiong, his eyes showing both fear and resentment.

Zhu Xiongying spurred his horse forward, stood before the defending commander, his expression calm.

"Send word: round up the captives, take over the city defenses, and dispatch messengers back to Feisi reporting that Xijiermasa has been taken."

At dusk, Zhu Xiongying stood on Xijiermasa's city wall, gazing toward the southern horizon.

There lay the deep Sahara Desert, the direction of the Mali Empire.

"Brother, Xijiermasa is taken, the gateway of the Sahara has opened," Zhu Qiongjiong said as he stepped forward.

"Hmm..."

"Then we push south?"

"No rush; first secure Xijiermasa, establish the supply line, then head south."

Zhu Xiongying turned and looked at the Street inside the city: "The desert isn't like the coast; Grain and Fodder supply is a huge problem. Chier's side is already organizing camel caravans to transport Grain."

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded and rested his Wolf Fang Club against the city parapet.

When the news of Xijiermasa's capture reached Feisi, Zhu Gaochi was tallying Grain and Fodder.

After hearing the scout's report, he wrote a line in the ledger, closed the book, stood up, and walked out of the warehouse.

Feisi's city was piled high with Grain and Fodder brought from the rear, bags stacked like small hills.

He walked to the caravan and patted a camel's head.

The camel snorted loudly, spitting a spray of saliva onto his face; he wiped his face and kept walking.

"Chier, what's on your face..." Zhu Shangbing walked over from the side, unable to suppress a laugh.

"Camel saliva..." Zhu Gaochi pulled a cloth from his sleeve and wiped it.

Zhu Shangbing laughed even harder.

Zhu Gaochi ignored him, walked to the front of the caravan, and said to the officer in charge: "Depart at first light tomorrow, one hundred camels per convoy, each convoy spaced a day apart; upon reaching Xijiermasa hand over the Grain and Fodder to the garrison, then return."

The officer responded with a single assent.

"Also, watch for safety on the road; the desert still harbors Marlin Dynasty remnants who may ambush the supply route, so send more guards."

Zhu Gaochi finished speaking, turned, and walked back to the warehouse to continue inventorying supplies.

Zhu Shangbing followed behind, watching his plump, fair‑skinned cousin hustle about.

Chier may be useless in battle, but he is a master at handling Grain and Fodder.

"Shangbing, why are you staring at me?" Zhu Gaochi said without turning his head.

"Watching you hustle..."

"When you're done, help me move the Grain."

Zhu Shangbing grinned, walked over, and hoisted a sack of Grain.

On the tenth day after Xijiermasa's capture, the supply line was established.

The caravan set out from Feisi, traveling south along the oases, delivering Grain and Fodder to Xijiermasa.

Zhu Gaochi established a supply depot at each oasis along the route, stationing troops to keep the Grain route clear.

Zhu Xiongying convened the generals at Xijiermasa for a council.

"The Marlin Dynasty has fallen, but their sultan fled. Scouts report that Abu Hassan led the remnants south, crossed the Sahara Desert, and reached the Mali Empire."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

"The Mali Empire, the strongest in West Africa, spans an area larger than all of Europe, its army claimed to be one hundred thousand," Zhu Gaochi spread a sea chart, pointing to West Africa.

"One hundred thousand, double the Marlin Dynasty's," Zhu Shangbing frowned.

"Even double wouldn't make much difference; we've been fighting in Europe for two years, we've seen every formation," Zhu Qiong Jiong leaned the Wolf Fang Club against the wall, completely unfazed.

Zhu Xiongying stared at the sea chart in silence for a moment, then said, "The Mali Empire is hard to fight; it's separated by the Sahara Desert, the supply line is too long, Abu Hassan has gone to Mali and will surely persuade the king of the Mali Empire to send troops."

Rather than wait for them to be ready and attack us, we'd better strike first.

"How do we attack?" Zhu Shangbing asked.

"By sea: the fleet departs from Xiuda, sails south along Africa's western coast, skirts the Sahara Desert, and lands on the Mali Empire's western shore," Zhu Xiongying's finger traced an arc on the map.

Zhu Gaochi nodded, "This plan works; sea supply is far easier than desert. The fleet leaves Xiuda, follows the coastline south, and will reach the Mali Empire's western coast in about half a month."

Zhu Qiong Jiong's eyes lit up.

"Big brother, I'll go first."

"Alright, you go first…" Zhu Xiongying's mouth twitched slightly upward.

Zhu Qiong Jiong grinned, hoisted the Wolf Fang Club and strode out.

At dawn the next day, Zhu Xiongying led fifty thousand troops from Xijiermasa, marching northwest along the trade route toward Xiuda.

There a fleet waited, ready to carry them around the Sahara and strike straight at the Mali Empire's western coast.

Zhu Gaochi stayed in Feisi, handling Grain and Fodder logistics.

Zhu Shangbing marched with the main army.

Zhu Ji Xi, Li Jinglong, and Zhu Gao Xu were all present.

The army marched for five days and reached Xiuda.

In Xiuda Harbor, three hundred motor ships were docked, their hulls freshly painted, smokestacks billowing white smoke.

These were the fleet transferred from Great Ming, carrying fifty thousand troops and three months' worth of Grain and Fodder.

Zhu Xiongying stood at the bow of the Dragon Rising, gazing toward the southern horizon.

That direction was the African western coast, the direction of the Mali Empire, and also the new battlefield.