Chapter 826 - 430: Token of Allegiance
Between a river, across a path, just a step away, it can be like hell on earth.
Yes, once Tie Dan crossed the river, he saw the chaotic soldiers massacring the city.
Of course, perhaps they shouldn’t be called chaotic soldiers, because their massacre was quite organized.
When the army arrived, the main force first stationed outside the city, occupying the critical areas like city gates and the treasury, then ordered the refugees to return home individually, beheading those who gathered without permission and killing those who left on their own. Once the streets were cleared, they went door to door, distributing white arrow feathers, instructing them to be placed at the door; any house found without an arrow during night patrols was exterminated.
Then, on the first day, the elite who made the first assault, selected warriors, and trusted house servants entered the city successively, taking no lives, only seizing gold, silver, pearls, gemstones, beautiful jade, and monetary wealth. Everything that could be taken was seized, and these were given as rewards for their achievements.
The next day, the elite cavalry followed in sequence, entering the city exclusively targeting wealthy families, confiscating armor, weapons, provisions, and salary, as well as poultry and livestock.
On the third day, the border tribal Hu and the old soldiers of Kan and Gen entered the city in order, going from house to house conducting searches and seizures, not leaving even a single grain of rice. The soldiers swept through like a comb, scouring for three days until every resource in the city was gathered, then exchanged black arrows for the white ones.
On the fourth day, they again entered the city in previous order, each banner and battalion selected craftsmen and skilled workers, strong young men, marking each face with a knife, calling them Ding. They were used to replenish battle losses and serve as cannon fodder and laborers for the army. Thus for another three days, they grabbed young men, exchanging red arrows for their black ones.
After depleting the wealth and strong men, the old and weak starved for six days, leaving the city with no power to resist.
On the seventh day, the units entered the city in the same sequence as before, revealing their true nature, indulging in lust and violence, doing as they wished. This violent debauchery continued for three days until they were finally satisfied.
On the tenth day, they brought back the captured prisoners of war from the previous siege, entering the city to clean houses and kill, slaughtering until not a single soul was left alive. Each person had to behead one enemy, exchanging red arrows in return for verification, which was called a pledge of allegiance.
Tie Dan watched on the side, as he had grown accustomed to such scenes and didn’t feel much emotion, nor did he bother to intervene.
After all, in such times, when heavens and earth are easily overturned, saving people is in vain. Moreover, this scene of corpses and blood, this scenery like a hellish demon cave, is everyday life for the north.
Back when the Great General swept across the Northern Plain, it wasn’t much different as he slaughtered along Yin Mountain, except those Tatar Tribes, Demon Nest and Demon Cave up north were not as prosperous as the Central Plains, their population sparse, and resources scarce, unable to withstand such ten-day cycles of massacres. Most problems were resolved in a day and a night.
Not to mention, though the Heavenly King Army appears unbothered, burning, killing, looting, and enjoying themselves, currently with the Earth Sinking Array in effect, a thousand miles are within the barrier. Catastrophe looms inevitably, the land could unleash hidden dangers, dragons and snakes could rise, heaven and earth could overturn at any time, and by then, no matter the refugees or rebel army, they are all insects on the same string, bones in a chaotic grave pit, their fate already sealed, better to seek one’s own fortune.
At this moment, the distant city gates opened wide, and one could see an army driving carts of grain out of the city, indicating the massacre had only just begun a few days ago.
Amidst the calamity, with the celestial mechanisms interrupted, Tie Dan couldn’t calculate the location of the Stone Dragon, so he simply followed the caravan, carrying a Nine-Ring Saber, striding towards the Heavenly King Army Camp.
Tie Dan, having been part of the rebel army, naturally knew well the military system of the Northern Army; just a glance at the size and configuration of the camp gave him an idea. Knowing that a horse riding unit is a Hundred-Man Guard per banner, nine banners make up a camp, plus some laborers and slaves, each military camp had to station around a thousand horse riding personnel, governed by a Military Marquis, assisted by two Marquis Qu.
The Military Marquis was already a mid-level military officer within the system, ranking equivalent to a thousand stones, possessing a Copper Seal and Green Ribbon, capable of overseeing a camp’s supplies and logistics, awarding military merits, receiving the Tiger Talisman and Command Arrow, independently commanding battle arrays, and according to the rules of the Immortal Palace, it must at least be granted the Divine Gang Pill, with their names registered and reported to the court.
Of course, Boss Shi had wealth, with a wave of his hand, directly distributing a Divine Infant Pill to every Tenglong Middle Lang General to win hearts. Moreover, the Northern Army’s fierce generals had always survived life and death, cutting through mountains of knives and seas of fire, and those Military Marquises who could fight from Yin Mountain to the Central Plains were mostly genuine Nascent Soul Generals, not comparable to those second-generation military officers of the Immortal Palace.
So when Tie Dan unleashed his murderous aura, he immediately drew the opponent’s attention, followed by three long howls! Demon Qi swept in! Divine energy soared to the sky! Suddenly, three Nascent Soul Generals blasted out from the camp!
Good heavens, one main two deputies for every thousand people, each with three Nascent Souls? Isn’t that to say at least for every nine centurions, all should have Divine Gang Bodies, every thousand horse riders must have an External Pill Foundation Establishment at minimum?
No wonder mere Immortal Soldiers are utterly unable to contend, even displaying an Earth Sinking Array; such strong soldiers being able to tough it out for ten years is understandable. No wonder the boss broke his defenses, this indeed is an army hard-earned by real gemstones and wealth...
Tie Dan didn’t rush to hack them immediately, first planted his Big Chopper in the ground, stood in front of the camp, calculating dark intentions while observing the means of those approaching.
Then suddenly the air resounded with a cannon shot, the camp gate burst open, and out strode a general, with a red face and bristly beard, wearing a golden helmet and iron armor, riding a Three-legged Fire Lion Beast, wielding a Divine Spear Heaven-opening Halberd in hand, echoing a lion’s roar.
"Iron armor reflecting the sun, golden halberd tearing the heavens! Charging alone over mountains, plucking your head!"
The lion roared, "Roar——!"
Then with drums and gongs clamoring, a general rode out from the left, with a jade face and long beard, clad in white armor and a silver helmet, holding in reverse a Steel-Pointed Lotus Spear, shaking the spear flowers like silver snow, beneath him a Five-Colored Long-tailed Tiger, precisely the Divine Beast Zouwu!