Chapter 599: You Play the Part |
Publish Time: 2026-06-26 14:26:48
A+A-Light Off<!--
«Chapter 598: Embezzled So Much?
None »
Xing Honglang’s forces began preparing to set out.
“Retake Hedong Road!” Xing Honglang shouted to the thousands of soldiers who had just assembled: “Don’t let a single bandit escape.”
The soldiers responded: “Understood!”
That subordinate of the salt tax office watched from the side and thought to himself: Xing Honglang’s forces were indeed formidable; how much had she earned from smuggled salt before? Her soldiers had bright armor, and their firearms were no worse than those of the Divine Machine Camp.
He looked at the thousands of firearm soldiers and couldn’t help but think: with so many firearm soldiers, there was no reason not to recapture Hedong City; only, he didn’t know if the salt tax office director was still alive? Was it still in time for a rescue effort?
The subordinate nodded and quickly whipped his military horse to gallop toward Hedong City.
As soon as he left, the militia soldiers burst out laughing with a “Boom!” sound. The solemn, majestic momentum of murdering every bandit without leaving a trace had vanished completely just then.
Xing Honglang shouted loudly: “Everyone, when loading ammunition into the firearms later, only fill in the gunpowder, don’t load the lead bullets. Got that clearly?”
The firearm soldiers replied in unison: “Got that clearly.”
Xing Honglang shouted loudly: “It’s good that you got that clearly. If anyone forgot this point, and the firearm accidentally killed our brother, don’t blame me for punishing him under martial law.”
Gao Chuwu suddenly popped out from the side: “If Xu Dafu, firearms bureau chief, were here, he definitely would say, ‘Everybody hand over your lead bullets.'”
That foolish remark of his made Xing Honglang freeze for an instant, then she exclaimed joyfully: “Chuwu!”
Gao Chuwu: “Honglang!”
The two hugged each other with a “Thump!” sound.
After hugging, Xing Honglang shouted loudly: “Everybody hand over your small bags of lead bullets to your squad captain; let the squad captain manage them unformly.”
The firearm soldiers were divided into squads of ten men each; the group promptly handed over the lead bullets, managed uniformly by the squad captain. Thus, everyone had only gunpowder and no lead bullets, guaranteeing foolproof safety.
Only then did Xing Honglang wave her hand with a laugh: “Let’s go, move out! We’re off to beat our own people.”
…
At the same time, in Hedong City.
Captain Chen was also inspecting the “equipment” of his subordinates.
Each subordinate had prepared a small water bag filled with chicken blood; when shaken by hand, it made a thudding sound.
Captain Chen laughed heartily: “You all know what to do, right?”
The subordinates laughed heartily: “We know!”
Captain Chen pulled a soldier out of the line: “You, come perform getting shot and dying.”
He gestured with his hand and vocalized a sound effect: “Bang!”
The soldier fell down with a thud, struggled, rolled over, and simultaneously squeezed and burst the water bag filled with chicken blood; writhing in pain, he struggled, then got up and walked two steps…
“Shit!” Captain Chen shouted angrily: “What’s taking you so long to die, you rascal?”
The soldier: “Deep down, I don’t want to die.”
Captain Chen: “Even if you don’t want to die, you have to die.”
The soldier: “Give me a few more seconds, and I’ll really die.”
Iron Bird Flies emerged from the inner room leaning on a cane, limping closer: “Stop playing now. The Deity says Xing Honglang’s forces are almost here.”
At those words, everyone’s spirits visibly lifted.
“Prepare for battle!”
Captain Chen laughed heartily: “After we win this battle, we can go find Brother Nan Feng.”
Everyone cheered: “Whoo!”
Six hundred border soldiers poured toward Xihe City’s western gate.
…
The advance scout had returned earlier and now stood frozen outside the west gate.
He was the one sent to “warn the salt tax office first.” But upon reaching Xihe City, he found it had fallen. The patrolling soldiers atop the walls were no longer guards from the salt tax office, but rebel bandit soldiers.
A large banner flew from the battlements inscribed with the words “Repay Debts,” giving off the menacing aura of violent loan collectors.
Too afraid to enter, the scout sat beneath a tree outside the city, staring blankly at Xihe City—dazed, unblinking, utterly lost…
He had no idea how long he’d sat like that when the sound of many voices snapped him back to reality. He turned his head to see Xing Honglang’s forces arriving.
Perhaps due to haste, Xing Honglang’s forces hadn’t brought any siege equipment—no cannons, catapults, battering rams, nothing of the sort.
She commanded only one thousand firearm soldiers and two thousand ordinary troops carrying cold weapons. They also carried twenty scaling ladders between them.
Instead of launching an immediate assault, Xing Honglang held her forces back. She dispatched her commander, Old Nan Feng, to ride alone before the city walls. He roared loudly: “Listen well, fools inside the city! I am Old Nan Feng, top general serving Puzhou Defender, General Xing! Surrender now! Open your gates! If you resist? We’ll chop you up for dog food! Not a single one spared!”
The rebel border army in Guyuan atop the walls felt tears well up upon seeing their former superior, Brother Nan Feng. What a reunion after prison—here, under these circumstances.
Captain Chen stepped onto the ramparts, shouting back defiantly: “Who even are you? Xihe City belongs to me now! If that emperor wants it back, tell him to come here, kneel down, and call me Daddy a few times!”
Old Nan Feng: “Insolent!”
Captain Chen: “Hahaha!”
Old Nan Feng suddenly jerked a rifle from his back. A sharp Bang! cracked the air. White smoke curled up from the barrel.
Simultaneously, Captain Chen screamed. He toppled backwards as a geyser of blood sprayed high into the air.
After hitting the ground, he struggled once, then went rigid, eyes snapping shut. Unmoving.
The soldier who’d been practicing over-the-top death scenes privately marveled: Captain Chen’s acting leaves mine in the dust. Captain for a reason. I’m just cannon fodder.
Captain Chen cracked one eye open slightly. He hissed under his breath: “Kid… put some effort in!”
Believing he’d “killed the bandit leader” with one shot, Old Nan Feng bellowed triumphantly: “Attack!”
Xing Honglang’s forces surged forward instantly.
Soldiers of the rebel border army in Guyuan swiftly readied their bows, raising them threateningly.
But Xing Honglang’s firearm soldiers fired first. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Hundreds of shots ripped out in a terrifying volley.
Along the battlements, soldiers of the border army in Guyuan were struck. Screams filled the air as they fell.
Men writhed on the ground, grappling with death. Others dropped silently. Some refused to die easily, determined to voice one last inner monologue even as they lay bleeding…
White pigeons scattered in a panic!
Blood spattered the stonework!
Losses mounted horrifically!
Soldiers below heaved massive scaling ladders against the walls with a resonant Thump!
Then began the grueling climb.
These militia soldiers had undergone rigorous training in Gaojia Village: climbing drills, obstacle courses, wall-scaling practice. Scaling a siege ladder? Mere child’s play. Within moments, the militia reached the top.
Firearms spat thunderously—Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The fallen “bandits” shrieked in agony.
In that chaotic instant, over a hundred bandits went down. Those left standing were utterly leaderless. They grabbed fallen comrades, retreated through the north city gate, and fled in terrified disarray.
And so, Xihe City was “recaptured.”
«Chapter 598: Embezzled So Much?
Index
None »