It was a clear and obvious fact. The army that Song Zining had forged might lack in individual combat power, but it could be fully compensated with heavy firepower and abundant resources. The fighting strength of this army could no longer be measured by numbers, not to mention that there was an entire fleet hovering above, observing the situation like a hungry tiger, ready to strike at any moment.
To fight against such an army, one would either need to have an overwhelmingly superior number of troops, where fifty thousand would be far from enough. Ji Rui had mentioned fifty thousand because that was the maximum number of troops and mercenaries Zhang Bu Zhou could mobilize. Beyond that, it would be difficult to sustain them.
Another way would be for powerful individuals to overwhelm the enemy, just as Qian Ye once faced the entire Tingchao City alone. However, this approach was also unfeasible. The Empire now harbored many hidden dragons and tigers, no one knew how many formidable warriors were lurking within. Knowing that Luo Bingfeng was in Tingchao City, yet still daring to lay siege, proved that the Empire already had a countermeasure.
Ji Rui sighed heavily and said, “We are getting old!”
Guan Zhongliu shook his head, “What nonsense is the city lord speaking? The Empire will not linger in the neutral territories for long. After this battle, they will eventually withdraw. These neutral territories will ultimately still be ours.”
Ji Rui shook his head and smiled bitterly, “I used to have some ambitions, but seeing Qian Ye’s prowess and the army that Song Zining has built, I can only see that those ambitions are nothing but illusions, fleeting dreams in the mirror.”
But Guan Zhongliu was not convinced, “Qian Ye is indeed remarkable. But what does Song Zining have? This army he built is merely stacked up with money. If we had so much money, we could do the same!”
Ji Rui countered, “If you had that much money, could you really build such an army in this short amount of time?”
Guan Zhongliu opened his mouth but could not answer.
Building an army is an incredibly complex task. It’s not just about assembling, but also equipment, troop coordination, training, and logistics. All these aspects must be effectively integrated to form a combat-ready force. Reflecting on the steps taken by Song Zining since arriving in Nanqing City, every move and action, seemingly scattered and unrelated, was actually preparing for this day. Unconsciously, many mercenary groups, large and small commercial houses, and even the entire Nanqing City, had been tied to the war chariot.
Initially, Ji Rui and Guan Zhongliu, relying on their strength, had the idea of waiting for a better offer. But now, with the Empire brimming with mighty warriors, and Song Zining not even mentioning the possibility of them participating in the battle, they felt both relieved and utterly disheartened.
If the Empire won, it would prove that they were of little use, and they would never be given any important role again. If they lost, whether it was Zhang Bu Zhou or the reinforcements from Evernight, they would not let them off easily. Expulsion would be the best outcome.
On the other hand, the stakes of this battle were high, and Song Zining clearly did not want them to know why this war was being fought. This meant, in the Empire’s system, Ji Rui and Guan Zhongliu were already on the fringes, pushed to the very edge.
Facing Ji Rui, Guan Zhongliu couldn’t say anything false. Within this timeframe, he might be able to form a mercenary group of ten thousand, but building such a well-equipped and finely trained army was impossible. Before today, Guan Zhongliu couldn’t even imagine such a heavily armored force existed, and how could he possibly build one?
Ji Rui didn’t need Guan Zhongliu’s answer and said quietly, “Setting aside everything else, just the fact that he could gather so much money shows his capability.”
After a moment of silence, Guan Zhongliu asked, “City Lord, what should we do next?”
“After this battle, if the Empire wins, then we will take the initiative to join them, willingly serving under their command.”
But Guan Zhongliu was not willing to give in, “City Lord, Nanqing City is your hard-earned foundation!”
Ji Rui smiled bitterly and gestured, “My foundation? Is my foundation really that big?”
Guan Zhongliu tried to persuade him, but Ji Rui raised his hand to stop him, “Old Guan, I’ve thought it through. In terms of natural talent, it is extremely difficult for us to break through to the rank of divine general. But the Empire has accumulated a thousand years’ worth of knowledge, and there must be some secret techniques suitable for us. If we establish merit, perhaps we can be rewarded with one or two top-tier secret techniques, and who knows, we might both have a chance to break through. When that time comes, we can serve for several more decades!”
Breaking through to the divine general realm was the ultimate dream of every warrior, and Guan Zhongliu could not help but be moved.
After a while, Ji Rui said, “It’s about time, let’s pack up.”
“Where are we going?” Guan Zhongliu was confused.
“Of course, to Tingchao City! With such a major battle, things will not go smoothly. Luo Bingfeng is not someone to be trifled with. We’ll wait for the right moment and, if necessary, lend a hand to the Empire. That’s our stance.”
“City Lord, but doing this means we will completely cut ties with Zhang Bu Zhou.”
Ji Rui chuckled self-mockingly, “Do you think we can still act as before? Even if we don’t assist the Empire, we will still be seen as part of it. Besides, we are cutting ties with Luo Bingfeng, not Zhang Bu Zhou.”
Outside Tingchao City, the first batch of troops had arrived and were setting up defensive positions. The positions were only a few thousand meters away from Tingchao City, directly under the watchful eyes of the defenders, showing utmost arrogance. The soldiers on the city walls gnashed their teeth in anger, but were helpless. The defensive positions were just outside the maximum range of the ballistae. Attempting to attack from the city would be met with the airships hovering in the sky, their dense array of cannons and unparalleled mobility making them a formidable challenge.
Even the most incompetent general would know that charging into the defensive positions under the fire of airships was suicide.
When the first defensive line was being constructed, the defenders were still seething, but as more troops arrived, they quickly became tense.
Experienced veterans soon noticed that only about half of the convoys carried soldiers, the rest were laden with various supplies and large construction machinery. Heavy cargo ships also began to appear in the sky, unloading mountains of supplies, which transformed into steel plates for the outer walls, barracks for the troops, and countless heavy artillery and ammunition.
The airships seemed to arrive in an endless stream, never ceasing.
As the defending general observed, his face paled. He had never seen such a method of preparing for a siege, with the opposing side’s supplies appearing endless. Despite not having seen it before, his experience allowed him to judge the consequences of these supplies.
Just as he was worrying, the adjutant beside him, deeply concerned, said, “General, how can there be so many heavy artillery pieces? At this rate, we can’t hold out. They don’t even need to storm the city; just the bombardment alone is too much for us to bear!”
The city defense general’s face darkened, “Then what do you suggest?”
The adjutant gritted his teeth, “Why don’t I lead a group of men out to launch a surprise attack?”
The general pointed to the area below, his face cold, “You should have said that an hour ago. Now, it’s too late.”
The adjutant looked down and saw the preliminary defensive works, with rows of steel plates being erected, forming an extremely solid defensive line. He couldn’t help but gasp, “Are steel plates free?”
By this time, the defensive positions had already taken shape, and combined with the mercenaries’ unexpectedly fierce firepower, the dual strikes from the sky and the heavy artillery, an attack from the city would be tantamount to suicide.
The adjutant’s face turned increasingly grim. He originally planned to lead a thousand men out, but now, he doubted whether they could even reach the steel wall alive.
“General, there is only one solution.”
The city defense general turned, “What is it, speak quickly!”
The adjutant bit his lip, “Only the city lord can come out and wipe out these bastards.”
A slap echoed, and the city defense general lashed out, striking the adjutant, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. Still angry, he cursed, “How do you know they haven’t set up traps, waiting for the city lord to come out? If the city lord falls into an ambush, can you and these useless scum still defend Tingchao City? What, do you think because they are strong, you have a second heart?”
The adjutant, panicking, “I absolutely have no such intention!”
The general pointed to the defensive positions below, his face grim, “Look carefully, their positions are just outside the range of the holy mountain’s blessing. Do you want the city lord to abandon the advantage of the holy mountain and engage in a bloody battle outside the city?”
The adjutant, even more panicked, hastily denied.
The general snorted, “Considering you’ve served the city lord for over twenty years, I’ll let this slide. Without my orders, no one is to disturb the city lord! Do you think the city lord is unaware of everything happening in Tingchao City? When the city lord decides to fight, he will act on his own, no need for us to worry!”
“Yes, yes! General, you are wise!” The adjutant stammered, quickly retreating. Once he turned around, a fierce light flashed in his eyes.
Below Tingchao City, after the mercenaries completed the three defensive lines, they stopped adding more and began constructing camps in the rear. Large numbers of tents sprouted up like mushrooms after rain. Such tents, supported by steel frames and covered with canvas, were not new to the guards of Tingchao City, who owned dozens of them.
However, when these tents appeared in neat rows, hundreds at a time, the impact was unimaginable.
Looking at the layout below, the city defense general’s face grew even darker, muttering to himself, “They plan to breach the city in one day!”
Beyond the clouds, a floating airship sailed slowly, its sleek lines and luxurious decorations a stark contrast to the rough, heavy style commonly seen in the neutral territories.
On the deck of the airship, Song Zining stood, gazing down at Tingchao City. Behind him stood the elderly members of the Imperial family and the elders of the Li clan.
Seeing the well-organized army below, even those who had seen great battles before were slightly moved. For an elite imperial legion, this was not surprising. But the main force below, which consisted of previously scattered and undisciplined mercenaries, had been reorganized into this formation in just a few months, highlighting the difficulty. Many people’s evaluation of Song Zining improved.
Amidst the praise, Song Zining chuckled, “It’s all just a show, designed to intimidate. The key will be how we deal with Luo Bingfeng.”
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