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墨書 Inktalez
Within just one hour, approximately a thousand teams that had registered for the Lower Martial Arts Tournament gathered at the Ministry of War's Arena One, totaling nearly thousands of participants.
Although this group did not match the number of the Imperial Guards, their combat strength surpassed that of the Imperial Guards by a significant margin. After all, these teams had all passed the trials set by the Imperial Guards, and over four hundred teams had stood on Arena One before.
The strength of these individuals was not to be underestimated; most teams possessed combat capabilities that exceeded those of the elite heavy cavalry of the Tang Dynasty. This meant that their combined fighting power could stand shoulder to shoulder with the twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry stationed far away at Jiayuguan.
This mission did not require any formations or tactics; it only demanded sheer determination. In this regard, they were undoubtedly more valiant than the heavy cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, as they feared not death.
Your Majesty the Emperor, Chen Rui, and various officials from the Ministry of War quickly arrived at the Training Ground, standing atop the First Observation Platform. They observed the densely packed crowd below, where people were chatting happily. The Emperor couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
"Do they not realize this mission is a certain death?"
Chen Rui smiled slightly. "They know, but they fear not death. They wish to enjoy their last moments of life. Your Majesty should announce the rewards quickly; Yongyang City cannot hold out much longer!"
The Emperor nodded and stood at the forefront of the First Observation Platform, addressing the thousands of brave warriors. "Heroes! I thank you all for extending your hands in our time of peril. I will be brief; the residents of Yongyang City are still on the brink of crisis. I need your strength to help them return to Eternal Peace."
No one spoke; thousands listened quietly to the voice of the ruler of the world's greatest empire. Being requested by such a great figure was indeed an honor.
Among the warriors present were not only Tang people; at least over sixty percent were from other countries or even mages. They did not turn their backs on the Tang Kingdom due to what had happened during the finals of the Lower Martial Arts Tournament; instead, they extended their hands in assistance during this critical time, which deeply moved the Emperor.
Due to its status, the Tang Kingdom held certain biases against foreign nations and races, and often these biases were openly expressed. Foreigners would typically endure such treatment due to their own country's weakness. However, at this crucial moment, their willingness to assist was nothing short of miraculous.
The Emperor scanned the crowd once more and said nothing, waving his hand for those from the Ministry of War to come down and prepare a roster.
Due to the overwhelming number of participants, individual rewards were canceled; instead, names on this roster would be permanently recorded in the noble registry of the Tang Dynasty, with land grants to be distributed shortly thereafter—though many might never have a chance to see it.
Of course, considering certain influences, Your Majesty decided to award three representatives on-site, who would be captains from outstanding teams in the Lower Martial Arts Tournament.
The Ministry of War acted swiftly; within less than two quarters of an hour, they had selected nine thousand five hundred eighty brave souls destined for death and chosen three representatives for rewards.
The three representatives stood before the First Observation Platform: two beautiful Half-Elf Mages and one Cavalry Captain.
"Where are that Rune Master and those five others?" The Cavalry Captain asked in surprise as he looked at them, seemingly implying why they were still here.
Yuki Chiba smirked and said, "What's wrong? Are two beautiful women not enough for you? Oh! I see, you're a lolicon. That Rune Master girl looks like she’s not even twenty. What are you planning? Do you want to commit a crime?"
The Cavalry Captain rolled his eyes at Yuki Chiba and teased, "So what if I'm a lolicon? That Rune Master is too young, but you are a legal lolita. Can you give your uncle a discount?"
Since the conclusion of the Lower Martial Arts Tournament, Yuki Chiba's fame had skyrocketed, and it was impossible to mention Li Xue without also mentioning Yuki Chiba. Thus, the Cavalry Captain naturally knew her identity.
"How can you think so beautifully?" Yuki Chiba stuck out her tongue at him, but was pulled back by Li Xue.
"Stop messing around; the emperor is here."
The emperor approached the three of them and stared at Yuki Chiba and Li Xue in silence for a long time before finally uttering a low "Thank you."
Hearing the emperor of the Tang Dynasty say thank you was something few dared to imagine in this world; however, he noticed that the two female mages did not seem particularly moved.
"Indeed, heroes emerge from youth!" The emperor laughed heartily and had someone bring over the prepared robes, personally draping them over the two women. "No matter what barriers we have had in the past, we will now stand on the same front against our enemies."
Two red robes with golden edges were placed on the two beauties. This rank was two levels higher than that of a County Marquis and was exclusively male; it was clear how much favor the emperor bestowed upon them.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yuki Chiba and Li Xue knelt on one knee before the emperor. After he helped them up, he turned to the Cavalry Captain.
"You are already a general of my Tang Dynasty. Normally, you shouldn't be promoted so quickly, but since you are standing here now, I will make an exception! Come, change into your new robe!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The emperor turned back to the two Half-Elves and said, "Although this battle is one where survival is unlikely, given your abilities, I believe surviving won't be too difficult for you. Therefore, I have a request."
"Please speak, Your Majesty," Yuki Chiba quickly replied with flattery, realizing how fortunate it was for the Tang Emperor to seek their help.
"I want you to rescue all of Yongyang's military and civilians." The emperor looked into Li Xue's eyes and said calmly.
Yuki Chiba widened her eyes in disbelief at the emperor's words. They indeed had the best chance of survival, but if they were to rescue all of Yongyang's army as well, it seemed likely that they would perish on the battlefield of Yongyang themselves.
"But like this..."
"Are you not fearless of death?" The Emperor asked with a smile, a hidden dagger lurking behind his cheerful facade.
Yuki Chiba was left speechless by the Emperor's words. She had initially thought that His Majesty the Emperor was a benevolent ruler, but she did not expect that all monarchs shared a common trait: once the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits die, the hounds are cooked.
The Emperor's actions were merely an attempt to use the Three Races Alliance to eliminate these two powerful mages, preventing them from becoming enemies of the Tang Dynasty in the future.
"Alright!" Li Xue replied calmly, while Yuki Chiba looked at her in disbelief.
"We can face death, even commit suicide, but I need Your Majesty to understand one thing."
"What is it?" The Emperor squinted slightly, unable to fathom what this Half-Elf woman wanted.
"We fear no death, but that does not mean we are willing to die like this." Li Xue decisively turned and walked toward the exit of the Training Ground behind the crowd. "We are willing to go through fire and water for Tang, not because of the royal family, but simply because my father is a Tang person."
Watching the two leave, the Emperor stood before Nine Thousand People with slightly moist eyes and shouted in a deep voice, "At this moment, I am very pleased because I know that Tang is not fighting alone! I am about to issue a decree that from this moment on, all Tang people and children of elves shall have the identity of Tang people! Anyone who discriminates against them will be seen as discriminating against Tang; those who oppose them will be enemies of Tang!"
***
Yongyang City, West City Wall:
"General! The enemy is less than two miles from the city wall; all scout teams have retreated."
The deputy commander approached Wang Wei and whispered.
"The Three Races Alliance has approximately four hundred seventy thousand troops, including about seventy thousand from the Dragon Court Army, around one hundred ten thousand from the Giant Army, and about two hundred ninety thousand from the Orc Army. According to calculations by our deputy commander, our forces cannot organize an effective defense against their breakthrough at North and South Flanks; they will reach East Gate in less than two quarters of an hour!"
Wang Wei stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the smoke and dust rising in the distance. He asked lightly, "Has there been no response from Eternal Peace?"
The expression on the Vice General's face was grim. After some hesitation, he reported truthfully, "Eternal Peace is over sixty miles from Yongyang. Considering the distance within the city, our cavalry scouts will need at least an hour and a half for a round trip, and that doesn't include the time needed to report back to His Majesty."
Wang Wei chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I must be losing my mind; I can't even grasp something so simple. Even if the Emperor knows, how can he quickly summon the army? Order the North and South Flanks to hold off the enemy and bring the soldiers back. Immediately close the East Gate and seal off the entire city." Wang Wei's expression suddenly turned serious, his tone icy. "All troops, prepare to face the enemy!"
The East Gate was forcibly shut, causing panic among the citizens trapped inside the city. They understood that this city could not possibly be defended, yet going outside would surely lead them into the enemy's forces, which was utterly devastating.
Meanwhile, those who had already exited the city dropped all their belongings and ran frantically towards the east.
A moment later, a deafening crash echoed from the West City Wall, reverberating throughout Yongyang City, as if giants were intent on breaking through the city walls.
Wang Wei stood atop the West City Wall, bracing himself against it to steady his dizziness from the violent tremors while calmly directing the defending troops.
"Archers! Ignore the giants; focus on attacking the Dragon Court Army!" "Reinforce the guards at the city gate immediately!"
Under Wang Wei's command, the city's defense forces gradually resumed their normal operations. With Yongyang City's tall and sturdy walls, the Three Races Alliance found themselves at a loss.
However, pressure on the gate guards increased dramatically as more giants began to take turns battering against it. They had no choice but to continuously reinforce the gate. During this time, some soldiers had to use their bodies to help withstand the impacts, with many suffering internal injuries from just one collision.
Fortunately, the Allied Forces worked efficiently, quickly demolishing numerous buildings and using stones, wood, sand, and other materials to completely seal off the West Gate. If they hadn't sealed it off, more soldiers would have sustained internal injuries over time until there were no usable personnel left in the defense forces.
To prevent the Giant Race from sending more troops to attack the other three gates, the defenders systematically blocked off both the North Gate and South Wind Gate, leaving only a partially blocked East Gate.
Yongyang was already surrounded; there was no escape for Yongyang's military and civilians.
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