Chapter 410: Chapter 345: We Are Willing to Die With the General
「Beneath the North City Gate of Yanmen Pass.」
Ever since the great war began, all the houses had been cleared out. Xiao Mo had temporarily relocated the citizens to other areas, and the soldiers of the Northern Wilderness Army moved into the empty residences, allowing for more efficient deployment.
That night, before the sky began to lighten, the Northern Wilderness Army issued an order: all soldiers, aside from those guarding the walls, were to assemble at the North City Gate.
A soldier by the name of Chen Dong was, of course, among them, obeying the order and assembling early beneath the North City Gate.
Chen Dong sat on the ground, resting and taking occasional sips of water.
This was now the thirtieth day of the siege.
But there was still no word from the main force of the Northern Wilderness Army.
Chen Dong didn’t know if the main army would arrive to reinforce them, even if he managed to survive today.
Besides...
’Can I really make it through today?’
’I haven’t eaten in two or three days. And most importantly, I heard the City Defense Array is about to shatter...’
Even a common soldier like Chen Dong knew that the City Defense Array was a city’s very lifeblood.
"General!"
"General!"
"Greetings, General!"
Just as despair began to consume Chen Dong, the voices of other soldiers rang out from nearby.
Chen Dong looked up to see a man in silver-white armor walking slowly in his direction.
Chen Dong subconsciously stood up, his eyes fixed on the approaching general.
His thoughts couldn’t help but drift, recalling the events of a few months ago.
When Chen Dong and his tens of thousands of comrades were first assigned to General Xiao, he had heard many of the veterans complaining.
They complained that this so-called "Frost King," the "third son of Prince Zhenbei," was far too young.
These veterans felt that Xiao Mo’s victory over a weak nation like the Wei Kingdom was nothing special. They figured he had probably just tagged along to earn his accolades.
In their eyes, Xiao Mo was fit to be a Vice General at best, or maybe lead troops on simple missions. How could he possibly be qualified to lead an assault on a city by himself?
They believed this young general would lead them all to their doom.
Some veterans even muttered behind his back, "’That third son from the Xiao Mansion is just a hairless whelp; how could he possibly fight a war?’"
If not for General Li and General Zhao serving as his deputies, those veterans would have trusted Xiao Mo even less.
However, after the first major battle at Mati City, Chen Dong could clearly sense that more and more of the veterans were starting to see General Xiao in a new light.
The old soldiers started saying things like, "This Frost King actually has some skill," or "The third young master isn’t a pampered fop like the second one," and even, "This kid’s not half bad."
Later, when General Xiao led the army and broke through Mati City’s defenses, Chen Dong found that those same veterans had been left completely speechless.
This young general, the "hairless whelp" they had called him, had won over these old soldiers with one great victory after another.
And the few times Chen Dong saw General Xiao in the camp, he felt a sense of vicarious pride. He knew he hadn’t followed the wrong man. He was proud to be one of General Xiao’s soldiers.
Especially since they began defending Yanmen Pass, Chen Dong often saw General Xiao on the battlements, personally fending off the enemy.
The moment he left the battlements, he would almost immediately lead the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry in a charge against the enemy ranks.
Seeing General Xiao’s heroic figure on the battlefield, charging in and out of the enemy lines again and again, made Chen Dong’s blood boil with excitement!
’Even though I’m just an infantryman now,’ he couldn’t help but fantasize, ’if only I could one day be promoted to the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry and charge into battle beside the general...’
In the days that followed, Chen Dong heard that General Xiao hadn’t slept a wink since the siege began. He hadn’t even eaten a single piece of Spirit Beast meat. Even when wounded, the general refused to use any Spirit Grass or Spirit Medicine, opting for a simple bandage and leaving all the precious supplies for his soldiers.
Chen Dong didn’t know how to describe the feeling.
All he knew was that it gave him an immense sense of security. He felt that no matter what happened, the general would never abandon them. He knew the general would stand with his soldiers, through thick and thin!
Chen Dong realized he wasn’t the only one who felt this way.
All the soldiers defending Yanmen Pass had come to trust General Xiao unconditionally, from the very bottom of their hearts.
Especially after these days of life-and-death battles, in the hearts of the young soldiers who had only recently joined the Northern Wilderness Army, General Xiao’s prestige had already surpassed that of the Prince himself!
"Gen... General!"
Chen Dong called out nervously as Xiao Mo walked up to him.
"Yes. You’ve all endured much these past days," Xiao Mo said with a nod, then continued walking forward.
Standing on a high platform at the front, Xiao Mo swept his gaze over the assembled soldiers of the Northern Wilderness Army.
And the soldiers of the Northern Wilderness gazed back at him, hanging on his every word.
Before long, carts were wheeled out, laden with jar after jar of wine.
The men passed around simple clay bowls, and each soldier was poured a full measure of wine.
"It has been twenty-nine days since we began our defense of Yanmen Pass. Today is the thirtieth day!"
Xiao Mo’s voice rang out. Below the platform, tens of thousands of soldiers held their wine bowls, their gazes sharp as daggers, fixed upon the general who had shared in all their hardships.
"To be honest, I do not know if the main force of the Northern Wilderness Army will be able to reinforce us tomorrow.
But I do know this: since the army commanded us to hold for thirty days, then we must do it!
If we do it, we will have no regrets in our hearts!
If we do it, we will have served the Qin Kingdom honorably!
If we do it, we will not have failed the people of the Northern Wilderness!
The Wei Army boasted before that they would surely take this pass within half a month.
Today is the twenty-ninth day.
Facts have proven otherwise!
Each and every one of you is a warrior! There are no cowards here!
You have all done exceedingly well...
Now, our city’s food supplies have been gone for two days, and the City Defense Array is about to shatter.
If we continue to defend Yanmen Pass to the death, we will be nothing more than fish in a barrel.
So, should we surrender? Do we have nothing left?
No!
We still have our lives!
Today, we, the Northern Wilderness Army, will fight one final battle against the Wei Kingdom! We will use our very flesh and blood to hold this pass for one last day!
This battle will be one of near-certain death.
If there are any who wish to leave, I will not blame them, for in these twenty-nine days, they have already done everything that was asked of them.
This is especially true for the thousands of local men from Yanmen Pass who joined our ranks, men who have wives and children.
Those who wish to go, you may leave. We will still be comrades-in-arms, still be brothers!
But!
For those who wish to die! Take one step forward!"
THUD!
As Xiao Mo’s words landed, the entire Northern Wilderness Army—all five thousand two hundred twenty-three of the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry and all twenty-five thousand four hundred twenty soldiers—took a single step forward. Not one man faltered.
Gazing at the thirty thousand soldiers standing in solemn silence, Xiao Mo raised his wine bowl. "I, Xiao Mo, ask you all to face death with me!"
Thirty thousand men roared as one, their voices shaking the heavens:
"We would gladly die with our General!"
