Chapter 427: Attack and Defense
Chapter 427: Attack and Defense [V5C134 – A Distance Within Reach]
A number of maids entered with a set of grey black-silver armor and helped Song Zining change into it. Moments later, he had donned a set of heavy armor instead of his usual wide-sleeved ancient apparel. He looked exceptionally handsome although his elegant countenance and mild temperament made him appear somewhat weak.
A maid offered him a brocade case from which Song Zining produced a black silver mask. The sinister demonic face carved upon it was vivid, lifelike, and clearly the work of a master.
Song Zining slowly donned the mask which concealed all of his expressions. At this moment, the kindness and elegance on him had disappeared. It was as though a primordial divine soldier had been unsheathed, one who had drunk the blood of countless enemies. The entire room turned cold from the overflowing murderous intent.
Moments later, Song Zining climbed the city gate tower. There, he had his men arrange a seat and sat upright looking down at the besieging army.
Soon, the dark race army had completed its preparations. A mournful yet vigorous bugle rang out as countless cannon fodder charged toward Blackflow City, raising the curtains on this siege.
Normally, the dark races would start off with a feint to test out the city’s defenses and military strength. However, everyone on the city wall was shocked upon seeing the enemy’s earth-shattering formation and momentum. The so-called fifty-thousand strong army might destroy them in one go even if they were only probing.
Only Song Zining sat without movement, his face hidden beneath that black silver mask. No one could see his expressions clearly. Only when the tide of cannon fodder arrived below the city wall did Song Zining raise his hand and waved it forward through the air. His talented attendants immediately performed a gesture and issued the first command.
On the cannon tower in Blackflow City, the four stronghold cannons had already been checked and tuned. After receiving the order, the dozens of powerful cannoneers waiting in formation rotated one side of the giant turntable amidst loud work chants.
The cannon tower shook violently and emitted a world-shaking rumble. A cannon shell hundreds of kilograms in weight escaped the chamber amidst dazzling flames and shot toward the distance. The entire segment of the city wall seemed to sway for a moment.
Several thunderous roars erupted at the same time on the Blackflow City walls, followed by four giant fireballs rising amidst the dark race tide. All cannon fodder within dozens of meters were sent flying, and even the arachne mixed into the formation weren’t spared as their massive bodies were lifted high into the air! Moreover, the dark race warriors closer to the center of the explosion were completely decimated without even broken arms or limbs remaining.
After the flames died down, four empty patches had appeared in the dark race tide that filled the land. Moreover, they connected together to form a line and almost cut the entire black tide in the middle. But this scene passed by in an instant because the number of the dark race cannon fodder was simply too great. The dark tide behind rushed over and quickly drowned out the black and white dividing lines.
However, another four rumbles followed very quickly and, once again, left four empty areas amidst the enemy ranks.
“Oh? Not bad!” Song Zining was slightly moved.
The firepower of the four defensive stronghold cannons had been raised no less than 100% in Nangong Xiaoniao’s hands. They weren’t inferior at all even when compared against small cannons of the newest model. The four giant cannons might even be more powerful If not for the limited capacity of Blackflow City’s kinetic towers.
Three volleys were fired in the blink of an eye. The men on the cannon tower started to move; three groups of people rotated the turntable continuously as gushing steam covered the entire tower. However, these well-trained men knew what they had to do despite the low visibility.
Dozens of cannoneers tugged on the chains and hoisted a set of three cannon rounds, which they duly loaded into the open chamber. Immediately afterward, the stronghold cannon’s ammunition chamber was shut, and its armor closed up once again. Under the drive of mechanical power, the cannon was restored to its original position, and its muzzle slowly rose up.
Outside of Blackflow City, the army of cannon fodder had crashed violently into the walls like a black tidal wave and kicked up a huge upward splash.
Those little specks forming the sea-spray were actually individual dark race soldiers. They flew straight for the top of the city wall, with some leaping up with inhuman agility, and others being tossed up by their comrades.
The cannon fodder came from every race, but all of them had sharp claws capable of piercing into ordinary stone bricks. Hence, the city wall wasn’t too big of an obstacle for them. However, steel armor plates had been installed along the top segment of Blackflow’s city walls, and those were impervious to sharp claws. As such, most of the cannon fodder could no longer find a foothold after reaching this point and slid back down one after another. The frantic climbing momentum of the black tide was momentarily stemmed.
Meanwhile, the climbing cannon fodder were surrounded and killed by the large force Song Zining had long since set up.
At this time, the stronghold cannons that had completed their reloading started to fire once again, producing more empty spaces within the black tide. Having lost the advantage on both sides, the attacking momentum of the dark race army slowed down quite a bit.
In the dark race army, a young demonkin clad in magnificent armor said furiously, “Didn’t you say the city defenses in Evernight are like a pulp? Does this defense look like a pulp to you? Don’t you dare tell me those stronghold cannons are scrap weapons! Even those in the upper continent human cities only have that much firepower!”
A certain arachne replied, “Sire Luther, our reports show that the stronghold cannons in there are models from over a century ago. Moreover, they’ve been in use for several decades.”
Luther sneered, “You still have the audacity to mention intelligence? Which of us has joined the continental battlefield before? Spiel, is a trash like you questioning my judgment?”
Anger flashed across the arachne’s face, but he suppressed it and lowered his head. “I do not dare.”
Luther, however, had no intention of suppressing his anger and continued rudely, “Don’t dare? Why did you glare at me just now? It seems your tribe has survived too long!”
The arachne were inherently violent. Spiel, at this moment, could no longer suppress his anger and said with a low growl, “Luther! We’re both first-rank viscounts. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
The corners of Luther’s lips formed a cold smile as he scanned the high-ranking experts around him. “First-rank viscount? Does rank hold any meaning for things with lowly bloodlines? This is the first and last time I’ll put up with this kind of behavior. From now on, whoever dares provoke me the slightest will have their tribes wiped out. Do I make myself clear?”
There were ten odd experts around Luther wearing furious expressions. However, no one stepped out to challenge him. They all knew that Luther not only possessed tremendous influence, but his personal accomplishments on the upper continents were also extremely glorious. Even Spiel had to lower his head unwillingly.
Luther said coldly, “Take your tribe and attack the city. I’ll forgive your offense if you’re still alive after the city is breached.”
In the face of Luther’s terrifying imposingness, Spiel no longer expressed any doubt or provocation, choosing instead to withdraw in silence.
Moments later, numerous arachne appeared on the battlefield. Their leader was five meters tall, clad in heavy armor, and seemingly impervious to the hail of bullets and shells as he charged toward Song Zining’s tower in large strides.
The sprint was extremely violent and fierce—he ran almost in a straight line, ignoring all his own soldiers in the way. The cannon fodder in his wake were either sent flying or mowed down. This arachne arrived below the city tower in the blink of an eye and let out a roar which pierced into the skies. He then used his hammer which weighed several tons to pound at the door.
The earth seemed to tremble for a moment, and the entire tower swayed vigorously. A large dent immediately appeared on the plate-reinforced gate as the steam-operated tracks on each side shot up, completely deformed. Even the city gates reinforced with two meters of armor couldn’t withstand this blow.
The arachne’s appearance sent the Blackflow City defenders into a momentary chaos.
Song Zining finally got up at this point, during which his maids offered him a long spear they had prepared beforehand. He slowly strode forward after receiving it, a hazy glow emerging on his silver armor and veined patterns flashing along his spear. The weapon’s bronze color suddenly faded away to reveal its original appearance—a material akin to gold and jade.
He walked out of the tower in three steps and arrived above the heavy armored arachne. Immediately afterward, he dropped down like a meteor and smashed ruthlessly onto the enemy.
Song Zining was almost negligibly small compared to the arachne’s massive body, but the momentum of his descent seemed to weigh ten thousand tons. The arachne’s limbs gave way as soon as Song Zining’s feet stomped down. The giant spider was actually pressed onto the ground with a loud boom, kicking up a dust cloud several meters tall. The dark race soldiers nearby who didn’t have time to dodge were crushed into meat paste by the falling arachne.
Song Zining raised his spear and pierced it right into the arachnid body all the way to its hilt. Both the arachne’s sturdy body and his heavy armor were as soft as tofu before this one strike. And despite its incomparably powerful vitality, the arachne showed not the slightest sign of movement after it was run through.
Blood gushed out in all directions as Song Zining calmly removed his spear and rose into the air. The air thirty meters around him was permeated with the bleakness of autumn and filled with a rain of fallen leaves. Bloody light flashed across the charging cannon fodder soldiers, turning them into countless pieces of flesh scattered across the ground.
Song Zining produced a square napkin and wiped the blood off of his spear before leaping back into the city wall at a leisurely pace. The place where he had stood before had long since turned into a land of death, and, even among the remains, not many were whole.
After returning to the tower, Song Zining suddenly turned back and shot a glance at the dark race army. In that direction stood the arachne Spiel—his countenance was ashen after seeing the most valiant warrior under his banner slaughtered without even a chance to retaliate.
The sinister-looking black silver mask stirred an ineffable fear in Spiel as their eyes met. That kind of shuddering feeling was even stronger than when he was facing Luther.
A mournful bugle rang out once more, signaling the retreat of the black tide and the end of the first wave of attacks.
During the days that followed, the dark race army kept Blackflow City surrounded on all sides and would launch attacks on the city several times each day. Song Zining finally displayed his leadership abilities—the watertight city defenses sent Luther back in defeat no matter what tactics he employed.
At the same time, the Song clan seventh young master also revealed his iron-blooded nature. All who failed to exert themselves in battle, those harboring evil intentions, or those colluding with the Nangong family were investigated and put to death on the spot. As such, the city fell into a state of unprecedented peace while the fight outside raged on like flames.
After failing to take down the city, Luther’s original rage transformed into calmness. He understood that he had finally met his match. He continuously mobilized and wore-in the fifty-thousand-strong allied army under his command—he attacked the city continuously every day, maintaining pressure on the city and waiting for the opponent to make a mistake. However, Song Zining was like the most precise of machines. There was no opening or mistake, no matter how great the pressure or how long the battle.
The battle grew more and more remarkable as the two parties, one on the offense and the other on defense, employed their respective strategies. The countless demonstrations of classic offensive and defensive tactics between the two forces gradually attracted the attention of numerous parties.
Countless heaven’s proud sons had demonstrated their emerging talents since the onset of the Iron Curtain. The quiet, previously unheard of Song clan seventh young master thus rose to fame like the morning star.
At this moment, in a deserted mountainous forest, Qianye was curled up under the roots of a dead tree and sleeping soundly. A wild wolf walked out of the woods quietly and began to sniff his way over to him.