Years turn into wind

Chapter 143: War (Page 13)

The man's expression shifted unpredictably, his eyes wandering, clearly struggling internally. The surrounding soldiers' gazes were as sharp as torches, the cold gleam of their swords and spears flickering in the flames, adding a touch of solemnity to the night.

"Speak!" Ling Xiaotian's deep voice echoed again, carrying an irresistible majesty. The man was overwhelmed by the oppressive feeling, his lips trembling as he finally spoke in a low voice: "Master Zhong... he plans to attack the South City Arsenal in three days. He holds a secret order that can mobilize the rebels stationed in the south."

Everyone was shocked when these words came out. The arsenal was the lifeblood of Ling Xiaotian's army. If it were lost, the consequences would be disastrous. A trace of anger and coldness flashed in Ling Xiaotian's eyes. He turned to look at Cheng Yuwei. She frowned slightly, obviously realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Xiaotian, we must act immediately, deploy defenses in advance, and cut off their conspiracy." Cheng Yuwei suggested calmly.

Ling Xiaotian nodded and quickly gave Lin Feng an order: "Immediately send people to blockade the area around the South City Arsenal and ensure that every entrance and exit is guarded by our elite troops. At the same time, send scouts to investigate the rebels' movements."

Lin Feng took the order and left. Ling Xiaotian held Cheng Yuwei's hand and whispered, "Weiwei, you helped me a lot this time. But from now on, you must protect yourself. Zhong Ming is insidious and cunning, and he will never let us go easily."

Cheng Yuwei felt the warmth of his palm and nodded, with determination in her eyes: "I won't hold you back, we will face this together."

The night wind blew, swaying the flames into irregular shadows. Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, a sudden blast of a signal arrow pierced the air, its piercing shriek startling the entire mansion. Everyone looked up to see a signal arrow soaring into the sky, exploding into a blood-red firework, like a raging flame, staining half the sky red.

Ling Xiaotian's face darkened: "Not good, there's an insider passing on information!"

Before Ling Xiaotian could finish his words, the sound of horse hooves and the blare of a horn reached him from afar, completely shattering the night's tranquility. The soldiers within the mansion quickly assembled, swords drawn, flashing with a cold light, ready for battle. Cheng Yuwei's heart tightened, and she glanced at Ling Xiaotian, worry evident in her eyes.

"Xiaotian, what should we do?" she asked softly, her tone filled with anxiety.

Ling Xiaotian took a deep breath, his gaze filled with calmness and determination. He gripped the sword at his waist with one hand, and gently placed his other hand on Cheng Yuwei's shoulder, offering her a reassuring gesture. "Don't worry, this mansion isn't easily breached. Lin Feng has already deployed defenses outside. I need to confirm the source of this signal and identify the culprit."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, knowing that her panic at the moment would only drag him down. She tried to calm down and said, "I'll go back to the lab and be on standby. If you need any chemical support, feel free to call me."

"Okay, be careful." Ling Xiaotian warned solemnly, with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

At this time, Lin Feng ran back quickly, his face solemn. "Marshal, we have found several suspicious people lurking in the west courtyard. They are trying to ignite the gunpowder depot. Someone has gone to stop them, but reinforcements are needed."

"Let's go!" Ling Xiaotian led his men towards the west courtyard without hesitation.

Cheng Yuwei stood at the end of the corridor, watching their backs disappear into the night, silently praying in her heart. The air was filled with gunpowder and tension, and the firelight in the mansion made her face look particularly cold.

When Ling Xiaotian and his companions arrived at the west courtyard, they saw several men in black engaged in a fierce battle with the palace's guards. The men were agile, clearly well-trained. One of them had already approached the gunpowder depot, clutching a tinderbox for ignition.

"Stop him!" Ling Xiaotian shouted, and arrows rained down, instantly knocking two men in black to the ground. The man holding the tinderbox saw this, his eyes glared fiercely, and he was about to light the tinderbox.

At the critical moment, a figure leaped up and kicked the man to the ground. Ling Xiaotian looked closely and saw it was Cheng Yuwei! She used all her strength to throw the man to the ground. The tinderbox fell in the struggle and went out in the dust.

"Why are you here!" Ling Xiaotian was shocked and angry. He rushed forward and held her in his arms. At the same time, he drew his sword and subdued the last man in black.

"I heard some noise and was worried that you wouldn't be able to make it in time, so..." Cheng Yuwei said breathlessly.

Ling Xiaotian looked at her embarrassed yet determined expression, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart. He hugged her tightly in his arms and whispered, "You took a big risk, but thank you."

At this moment, Lin Feng stepped forward, holding a secret letter he had found on the man in black. His face was serious. "Marshal, this letter contains a detailed plan of attack. It seems their actions will go far beyond tonight."

Ling Xiaotian took the secret letter and quickly scanned its contents, his expression growing increasingly gloomy. The letter contained not only a detailed attack plan for the arsenal, but also mentioned another rebel group's secret operation, targeting the granary north of the city. If the granary was destroyed, they would face a desperate situation of running out of ammunition and food.

"They want to attack two places at the same time, forcing us to run around in a hurry." Ling Xiaotian's voice was as cold as ice.

A trace of worry flashed in Cheng Yuwei's eyes: "If they launch attacks from both sides, we have to divide our forces to defend. Will this be dangerous?"

Ling Xiaotian clenched the secret letter in his hand and looked at Cheng Yuwei deeply, his eyes showing both worry and determination. "You are right. We can't act rashly now. Lin Feng, send a messenger immediately to mobilize our allies and prepare for defense as soon as possible. We can't give the rebels any opportunity to exploit."

"Yes, Marshal!" Lin Feng immediately turned around and left, taking orders to deploy troops.

A temporary calm had returned to the mansion, but both Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian knew that this was only the quiet before the storm. Ling Xiaotian held her hand in his, his eyes filled with mixed emotions.

"Weiwei, I know you want to help, but don't take risks like tonight again. Your safety is more important to me than any battle." His voice trembled slightly, revealing his true feelings.

Cheng Yuwei smiled softly, tears in her eyes: "I know, but you are fighting on the front line, how can I stand by and watch? We are facing this together, aren't we?"

Ling Xiaotian took a deep breath, his Adam's apple rolling up and down. He held her tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to merge her into his own flesh and blood. The two of them embraced in the night, feeling the resonance of each other's heartbeats.

At this tender moment, a soldier hurried over: "General, it's bad! Zhong Ming has led a small force to assemble outside the city, and it seems that they are taking action!"

A cold glint flashed in Ling Xiaotian's eyes, and his warmth faded as he regained his calm and decisive demeanor as a general. He released Cheng Yuwei and said firmly, "Lin Feng has already begun to act, and we must act too. We cannot let them gain the upper hand in this battle."

Cheng Yuwei watched his back, feeling nervous yet full of admiration. She knew that this battle would determine the future, and she would do her best to protect it all.

Ling Xiaotian led his elite troops swiftly toward the assembly point outside the city. Under the night sky, his expression was stern, like a falcon about to strike. The sound of horse hooves shook the earth, and the soldiers followed behind him, tacitly understanding and calm. Cheng Yuwei stood on the high building of the mansion, watching his receding figure from afar, silently praying for his safety.

On the grass outside the city, the moonlight shone like silver, illuminating a large gathering of black figures. Zhong Ming, clad in black armor, gazed into the distance with a sneer. He knew Ling Xiaotian wouldn't sit idly by; he anticipated a head-on confrontation. Tonight, it was either you or me.

"Pass the order, prepare to attack!" Zhong Ming's voice was cold, and with a wave of the command knife in his hand, thousands of troops quickly took action.

Meanwhile, Ling Xiaotian's troops were silently approaching the battlefield. He signaled his soldiers to halt, observing the enemy camp intently. The Zhongming troops ahead were densely distributed and numerous, but their formation was imperfect, clearly a hastily assembled force.

"Lin Feng, you take a team to attack from the rear and create chaos. I will lead the main force to attack from the front and must disrupt their formation in one fell swoop." Ling Xiaotian gave orders in a low voice, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

"Yes, Marshal!" Lin Feng took the order and led a small group of soldiers to bypass the flank and sneak behind the enemy silently.

In the darkness of the night, the atmosphere on the battlefield was suffocatingly solemn. Ling Xiaotian raised his hand lightly, and with a flash of his sword, he signaled a charge. Instantly, the sound of horse hooves thundered, and the soldiers shouted, "Kill!" as they rushed towards the enemy like a tide. Zhong Ming was stunned, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and then he sneered, "Just in time!"

The two sides engaged fiercely, the flashes of fire and blades intertwining, and screams echoing through the night sky. Zhong Ming led his personal guards in a direct confrontation with Ling Xiaotian. Their gazes met in mid-air, sparks of hatred ignited. Every clash of swords in the battle felt like a fateful struggle between the two.

Lin Feng launched a surprise attack from behind enemy lines, sending the enemy's formation into chaos. Zhong Ming's eyes twitched, realizing they were being divided and surrounded. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Retreat!" However, it was too late. Ling Xiaotian pointed his sword directly at Zhong Ming and said coldly, "Zhong Ming, you won't escape today!"

Zhong Ming sneered, then suddenly pulled a smoke bomb from his sleeve and hurled it to the ground. The smoke filled the air, obscuring vision. The enemy retreated in confusion, and Zhong Ming took the opportunity to disappear into the night.

The battle gradually subsided, and the soldiers cheered their victory, but Ling Xiaotian frowned. He knew this battle was only the beginning. Zhong Ming's retreat must be brewing a greater conspiracy. He looked towards the city, thinking of the person who worried about him.

Cheng Yuwei waited for a long time in the mansion before finally seeing the soldiers return triumphantly. She ran down the stairs and saw Ling Xiaotian, clad in armor, his expression exhausted yet still majestic. Their gazes met for a moment, and without needing a word, Cheng Yuwei understood the enormity of this battle.

"Xiaotian, I'm glad you're back." She said softly, tears in her eyes.

Ling Xiaotian reached out and stroked her cheek, whispering, "I promised you that I would come back safely." But he felt a little uneasy in his heart. Zhong Ming's escape meant that new challenges were coming.

Ling Xiaotian returned to the mansion and changed out of his armor, looking exhausted. Cheng Yuwei brought him a bowl of hot tea and whispered, "Rest for a while. You haven't slept for days." Her tone was filled with heartache and worry.

He took the tea, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and a hint of warmth flashed in his tired eyes: "With you by my side, my heart can finally be at peace." He took a sip of hot tea and felt the warm breath dispel some of the chill.

Yu Wei watched him from the side, her mind racing. She knew that victory in this battle didn't end the crisis, and Zhong Ming's escape made her uneasy. After a moment's reflection, she said, "Xiaotian, Zhong Ming won't give up. He'll definitely come back. We need to be more prepared."

Ling Xiaotian nodded, his eyes darkening. "You're right. Zhong Ming has always been cunning. His retreat this time was too smooth. I'm afraid he has a trick up his sleeve. Tomorrow morning, I'll gather the generals to discuss our next move."

Cheng Yuwei thought for a moment, frowning slightly: "Zhong Ming's plan this time is obviously carefully planned. We need more detailed intelligence, perhaps..." Before she finished her words, a hint of determination appeared in her eyes.

Ling Xiaotian sensed her intention and immediately shook his head: "No, it's too dangerous. I won't let you take the risk of contacting those people."

Cheng Yuwei looked him in the eyes and said firmly, "But this is our only chance. I have special chemical knowledge and can make gadgets that can help us counter the enemy. Let me participate so that we can truly know ourselves and the enemy."

A silent confrontation hung in the air, the emotions in their eyes mingling and colliding. Ling Xiaotian sighed, finally succumbing to her gaze. "Okay, but you have to ensure safety. I'll arrange for several personal soldiers to accompany you."