EBE Chapter 200 The Flames of War Rekindle
Chapter 200 The Flames of War Rekindle
Nanyang City
At midday, the high-hanging sun radiated its heat, baking the earth until it was scorching hot.
In the farmland outside Nanyang City, Xiao Lie, A Fu, Shi Zi, Xiao Man, and Cheng Peng were bending over, working hard on this scorching land.
Their clothes were already soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to their backs, and large beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads, dripping onto the parched earth and disappearing instantly.
All around was quiet, with only the sound of hoes digging the ground and the occasional weary sigh.
It felt as if the whole world was shrouded in this heat, making it hard to breathe.
Xiaoman stopped hoeing, straightened up, wiped the sweat from her face with her muddy hands, and sighed as she looked up at the sky.
"Sigh... Winter has only just ended, why is the weather so unusually hot?"
Shi Zi also stopped what he was doing, leaning on his hoe, and responded with a furrowed brow.
"Indeed, I have never seen such strange weather before."
It's only early spring, but it's already as hot as midsummer. Don't you think this is some kind of ominous sign?
While fanning himself with his straw hat, Afu said with concern, "In previous years, by this time, it would have been raining continuously, everything would be reviving, and then it would be the best time to sow seeds."
But now it's so hot, the land is cracked, how are the people supposed to farm?
If this season's crops fail, how will everyone survive the year?
Xiao Lie was covered in sweat, which streamed down his face.
He raised his head, gazing at the scorching sky, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"Sigh, if it continues to be this hot, the fields will dry up completely in just a few days."
"At that time, even if the people work from dawn till dusk, it will all be in vain, and life will become even more difficult."
Cheng Peng scooped a ladle of water from the bucket by the field, took a few big gulps, and then said.
"Oh dear, don't be too anxious. Hasn't the Spirit King already ordered the construction of waterwheels in various regions?"
"Once the waterwheel is built, we can pump water from the river for irrigation, and then the crops will be saved!"
Ah Fu frowned and retorted with a worried look, "The waterwheel is a good idea, but if it gets this hot, who knows how long it will last?"
I'm afraid that before the waterwheel can even be used, the crops in the fields will have already died from drought.
Xiaoman nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying, "Yes, Brother Afu is right."
The waterwheel we made before was only completed after Sister Xiaoya made repeated revisions.
And although I was young at the time, I remember it very clearly.
Finally, she put it in the river, and even she herself forgot about many of the ingredients.
Shi Zi also sighed and continued, "King Ling's idea is indeed for the benefit of the people, but there are too many difficulties in implementing it."
I'm worried that if the weather gets hotter and hotter, the river will dry up!
After listening to everyone's words, Xiao Lie remained silent for a moment, then vigorously wiped the sweat from his face, a hint of determination in his eyes.
“It’s not enough for us to just sit here and worry or complain; we need to think of a solution.”
Just then, on the distant horizon, a horse galloped like an arrow towards the direction where Xiao Lie and the others were.
The thunderous sound of hooves and the billowing dust seemed to carry an urgent message.
As soon as the person arrived, he suddenly pulled on the reins, and the horse's front hooves lifted off the ground before landing steadily.
He urgently shouted to Xiao Lie and the others, "Xiao Lie, hurry! Come back with me, the Qin army is coming again!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Peng frowned and angrily cursed, "Damn it, those Qin traitors are always so cunning. They won't really fight when we go, and they just retreat again when we arrive."
Xiao Lie looked at the newcomer with a serious expression and asked, "Brother Song, will this time be like before, where we rush over only to find nothing?"
Brother Song shook his head with a serious expression: "This time is different. They have brought a lot of people, and the situation is critical."
Upon hearing Brother Song's words, Xiao Lie and the others dared not delay. They hurriedly ran to mount their respective warhorses, and the sound of hooves rang out again. They rushed back to Nanyang City like a whirlwind.
When they rushed back, they found that Nanyang City had been surrounded by the Qin army, with war raging and smoke filling the air.
The soldiers on the city wall stood ready, their expressions solemn.
As soon as Xiao Lie, A Fu, Shi Zi, Xiao Man, and Cheng Peng stepped onto the city wall, they heard the deafening shout of the Spirit King.
"Fire arrows!"
At King Ling's command, the archers on the city wall instantly drew their bows, and the sound of arrows whistling through the air rose and fell, with arrows flying like locusts towards the Qin army.
Upon seeing this, the Qin soldiers raised their shields, forming an impenetrable shield wall to block the rain of arrows.
The Qin army's offensive was fierce, with arrows flying in volleys like a tide.
After countless volleys of fire, the Qin army continued to advance relentlessly on Nanyang City.
The Qin army deployed battering rams at the city gate, their massive bodies slamming against the gate like ferocious beasts.
Each impact was accompanied by a deafening sound, so loud that it drowned out the soldiers' shouts, sending chills down everyone's spines.
On the city wall, Xiao Lie and the others gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes fixed firmly on the Qin army below.
They knew this battle would determine the fate of Nanyang City and would also test their courage and wisdom.
Just as the city gate was about to be smashed open, Xiao Lie suddenly shouted, "Afu, come with me!"
He led Afu and the others towards the catapults on the city wall.
Xiao Lie personally operated the catapult, adjusting the angle and force, and shouted, "Fire!"
Huge stones crashed down on the Qin army's battering chariots like meteors, instantly destroying them and slowing down the Qin army's offensive.
Afu then organized the soldiers to move stones and arrows to ensure the supply of catapults and bows and arrows.
Shi Zi and Xiao Man, armed with spears, stood guard by the battlements, stabbing Qin soldiers who tried to climb the city walls.
Cheng Peng continued to kill the soldiers who were climbing up and boosted everyone's morale.
However, the Qin army did not retreat because of this, but instead launched an even more frenzied attack.
King Ling relentlessly attacked and killed the ever-surging Qin army.
At this moment, a resolute look flashed in Li Zhiyi's eyes: "King Ling, this humble general is willing to lead a troop out of the city to meet the enemy and disrupt their formation."
King Ling's expression was stern, and his eyes widened upon hearing Li Zhiyi's suggestion.
"No! All of you must focus all your strength on defending the enemy and are not allowed to have any other thoughts!"
Li Zhi also looked troubled and said urgently, "But King Ling, the situation is critical now, if we don't..."
King Ling waved his hand impatiently, and with a flick of his longsword, a cold light flashed.
The Qin soldiers who had just climbed up, their faces contorted in rage, fell back down with screams of agony.
At this time, the sun was blazing, and the Qin army attacking the city surged in like a tidal wave, their battle cries shaking the heavens.
Under the scorching sun, the soldiers of the Ling Kingdom were losing their strength at an exceptionally rapid pace.
Their clothes were already soaked with sweat, clinging to their bodies like heavy shackles.
Every swing of their weapons, every step they took, seemed to exhaust all their strength.
Despite their physical and mental exhaustion, their eyes still shone with an indomitable spirit.
As time relentlessly passed, the heavy city gates of Nanyang were also eroded by wave after wave of fierce attacks from the Qin army.
It emitted a heart-stopping creaking sound, and it looked like it was about to give out.
A soldier from the Ling Kingdom, his face covered in dust and blood, rushed up the city wall and reported to the Ling King: "Your Majesty, the city gates may not hold for much longer!"
Xiaoman and Shizi had been guarding not far from King Ling when they heard the soldier's report.
The two exchanged a glance, and before the Spirit King could react, they unhesitatingly used their lightness skills to fly out of the city like swallows skimming the water.
In the blink of an eye, the two were standing on the city wall, their spears twitching, the tips flashing with a cold light.
Xiaoman shouted, "Qin traitor, prepare to die!"
The two men wielded their spears with the ferocity of dragons and snakes, unleashing a furious barrage of attacks on the densely packed Qin soldiers below.
Wherever the spear tip struck, the Qin soldiers cried out in agony, and blood splattered everywhere, momentarily halting their offensive.
King Ling was slightly taken aback when he saw Shi Zi and Xiao Man suddenly rush out.
He then shouted loudly, "All soldiers, follow me to defeat the Qin army and protect the land of my Ling Kingdom!"
Xiao Lie and A Fu closely monitored the changing battle situation from the city wall.
When they saw Shizi and Xiaoman bravely fighting the enemy and leaping off the city wall without hesitation to join the battle below, their hearts were also filled with a burning fighting spirit.
"Let's go too!" Xiao Lie shouted to A Fu.
He then used his lightness skill, his figure floating down from the city wall like a ghost, landing steadily beside Shizi and Xiaoman.
In the blink of an eye, the four were surrounded by the Qin army's overwhelming offensive.
The Qin soldiers brandished their weapons, attempting to annihilate the four of them in one fell swoop.
Facing the Qin army's siege, Xiao Lie, A Fu, Shi Zi, and Xiao Man were not afraid at all.
They stood back to back, their tacit understanding reaching an unprecedented level.
Their weapons drew dazzling trajectories in the air, each swing accompanied by the cries of Qin soldiers and their fall.
At the same time, the four spirit stars—Poetry Spirit Star, Wine Spirit Star, Flower Spirit Star, and Tea Spirit Star—also followed closely in the direction of Xiao Lie and A Fu.
The four of them each wielded a unique weapon, and their bodies emanated a faint spiritual light, making them appear like four fairies descended to earth.
"Xiao Lie, A Fu, we're here to lend you a hand!"
Hua Lingxing shouted loudly, her voice like a spring breeze, bringing endless warmth and strength.
With the addition of the four spirit stars, the situation on the battlefield has once again undergone subtle changes.
The four of them each displayed unique martial arts skills and spiritual power, providing powerful support to the soldiers of the Spirit Kingdom.
With their help, the soldiers of Ling Kingdom gradually regained their footing and began to form a stalemate with the Qin army.
At this moment, Nanyang City is engulfed in flames and filled with the smoke of battle.