Chapter 89

Zhao Dezhu and Li Yuncong moved swiftly, charging into the military camp. They happened to meet soldiers who had rushed from all directions upon hearing the alarm. The two sides engaged in battle.

Zhao Dezhu's thick-backed saber was ferocious and terrifying. He swung it with both hands, and anyone who received a blow from his saber either lost their head, an arm, or had their chest split open, blood and flesh flying everywhere. After killing five or six people, he was drenched in blood, making him look like a blood-soaked man, which instilled fear in the hearts of the soldiers, causing them to involuntarily avoid him.

Li Yuncong specifically targeted areas with a large number of people, swinging his twin halberds in a seemingly chaotic manner, without any discernible pattern. However, each strike was accompanied by screams and wails, and nothing could match the sharpness of his halberds. He truly split people apart, and anyone who encountered him was doomed to die.

The Goguryeo soldiers who rushed to the scene numbered only a hundred or so. With the two of them charging in, the formation was thrown into chaos, and in a short time, they were overwhelmed by the three thousand Sui soldiers.

"You lead the men to attack the Goguryeo dog's den. I will take the remaining men to get some weapons and then come to assist you!" Zhao Dezhu shouted to Li Yuncong.

Li Yuncong responded and raised his arm, and immediately a thousand strong men followed him toward the most crowded area.

Zhao Dezhu also waved his hand, and over two thousand men moved forward. However, these two thousand men looked rather shabby: although they were tall and strong, the tools they held were hoes, rakes, sharpened wooden sticks, and even brooms.

When Luo Shixin first saw them, he was also taken aback. The promised three thousand combatants were actually only a thousand or so who were armed.

This was an inevitable situation, as Goguryeo could not compare to the Central Plains in terms of abundant resources and advanced smelting techniques, where weapons could be bought from any blacksmith shop.

In Goguryeo, weapons were controlled by the state's generals, and any weapons that occasionally appeared on the market were extremely expensive.

Due to the harsh living conditions, Zhao Dezhu, Li Yuncong, and others could only勉强 maintain an armed force of a thousand or so.

As Zhao Dezhu gradually approached the armory, he heard the sounds of battle ahead and secretly worried. Once the alarm sounded, the soldiers in the camp would rush to the armory, and Luo Shixin was alone, so he hoped nothing would go wrong.

He involuntarily quickened his pace and unexpectedly saw forty or fifty people crawling and running toward him, constantly looking back. One person, in a panic, tripped over his own feet and, without looking forward, crawled backward toward the armory.

Zhao Dezhu charged forward, swinging his large saber and cutting down three people before the group was startled. They screamed in terror and fled in all directions, but none retreated.

At this moment, the sounds of battle ahead unexpectedly stopped, causing unease.

Some of the fleeing soldiers, Zhao Dezhu, who was concerned about Luo Shixin's safety, did not bother to chase them and rushed forward. When he reached the armory and looked around, he could not help but draw a sharp breath and stand there in shock. The scene before him was unforgettable: the ground in front of the armory was soaked in blood, with weapons and bodies scattered everywhere, turning the ground into a terrifying rose color.

In front of the armory, a single man and horse stood alone.

A small, thin horse, a blood-stained iron spear, and a tall, slender man...

He stood at the center of the bodies, and the light from dozens of torches around him could not match his brilliance, as if all the light in the world was concentrated on that one man, one horse, and one spear.

"War God!"

The words "War God" actually appeared in Zhao Dezhu's mind. He found it laughable that he, an old man, would have such a feeling. But besides "War God," he could not think of any other words to describe Luo Shixin's performance: he had single-handedly killed all the over a hundred guards at the armory and the two hundred reinforcements. No wonder the Goguryeo soldiers fled as if they had seen a ghost.

How could Luo Shixin's bravery be compared to that of a god?

Recalling the past, he had felt uncomfortable with Li Yuncong's "excessive" praise of Luo Shixin's martial skills and had wanted to challenge him. Now, it seemed that even Li Yuncong's praise was an understatement. Challenging him would be like comparing a child's arm to an adult's thigh!

Luo Shixin stepped forward and said, "You came just in time. Go inside and get the equipment. There are all kinds of weapons, and they are quite complete."

Only then did Zhao Dezhu react, wishing he could slap himself. There was no time for reflection.

He focused and divided the soldiers into two teams, entering the armory in an orderly manner to get suitable equipment.

In a short time, the Sui soldiers were all equipped with proper weapons, finally looking like a regular army.

Zhao Dezhu was very satisfied. He left a hundred men under Luo Shixin's command and called out to the remaining soldiers to go and reinforce Li Yuncong.

As for the agreement, Zhao Dezhu did not even dare to think about it.

Li Yuncong and Zhao Dezhu were rare and fierce generals, and their charges were unstoppable. Luo Shixin led a hundred men to guard the armory, effectively preventing any Goguryeo counterattacks and ensuring that the Goguryeo soldiers never received any weapons.

Thus, the battle in the camp was almost one-sided. The Goguryeo soldiers, already at a disadvantage due to the surprise attack and the lack of a commanding general, lost two key positions and were in a weak position. Due to the system, the soldiers who were awakened by the alarm had no weapons to resist the fierce Sui soldiers. They could only fight with brooms, wooden sticks, and other household items, which were no match for the well-equipped Sui soldiers.

The Sui soldiers quickly and decisively took control of the camp. Because Zhao Dezhu had sealed the camp gates, the four thousand Goguryeo soldiers inside were completely annihilated, with no survivors.

Their numerical disadvantage and the need to maximize enemy casualties were part of the strategy.

Luo Shixin, Li Yuncong, and Zhao Dezhu joined forces.

Li Yuncong and Zhao Dezhu were almost covered in blood.

The former looked calm and composed, while the latter shouted repeatedly, "What a relief! Finally, I can vent my anger! The Goguryeo dogs have finally learned the power of their grandpa!"

"Can you still fight after a long charge to the four gates?" Capturing the camp was just the first step; the key was to launch surprise attacks on the gates. Only by controlling the city gates could they truly take control of the city. Time was of the essence, and Luo Shixin was a bit worried that the Sui soldiers, who lacked training, might not be able to sustain a long charge.

Li Yuncong and Zhao Dezhu both slapped their chests and shouted, "No problem!"

Luo Shixin said, "I will lead a hundred men to guard here in case of any emergencies. You start from the nearest north gate and circle the city. You must control the city by tonight. If the battle does not go well, report back immediately."

Li Yuncong was the designated next leader, and Zuo Tiancheng had been grooming him but had not given him the chance to lead independently. Zhao Dezhu, brave but lacking in strategy, always followed Zuo Tiancheng's commands.

Both lacked the ability to lead independently. Now that Zuo Tiancheng was gone, Luo Shixin, an outsider, had become the leader, continuously issuing commands.

Li Yuncong and Zhao Dezhu respected Luo Shixin and readily agreed.

Watching the army leave, Luo Shixin thought, "As long as nothing goes wrong, the mission should be a success."

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