Chapter 116: The Power of the Explosive Bundle

A Qiang warrior vaulted over the battlement, crouched beneath the wall, and watched for a while. After confirming that none of the other county soldiers had noticed him, he gave the rope attached to the “Flying Tiger Claw” a gentle tug.

The other Qiang warriors beneath the wall received the signal from above. With nimble movements, they seized the rope and climbed swiftly up the sheer face of the wall. Before long, they had all ascended one after another beneath the cover of darkness.

A patrolling county soldier seemed to notice a faint disturbance in the darkness. He slowed his pace, drew his saber, and cautiously approached the source of the sound.

Yet just as his figure faded into the shadows, a black shape flashed behind him. A strong hand clamped over his mouth and nose, while a cold curved blade pressed against his neck.

The county soldier immediately realized that he had fallen into enemy hands. His whole body trembled, and the knife in his hand clattered to the ground.

“What happened, Old Zhou? Are you all right?” another county soldier called with concern after hearing the noise.

The shadow behind him leaned close to his ear and whispered stiffly, “Don’t make a move!”

The county soldier understood and hurriedly nodded.

The Qiang warrior slowly removed the hand covering his mouth and nose, but tightened the blade against his neck.

“I… I’m fine! My hand slipped…” the captive soldier stammered.

“Be more careful. County Lieutenant Qi specifically warned us to guard against a Qiang night attack. Stay alert!” The other county soldier seemed to notice nothing amiss. After speaking, he walked toward the opposite side of the wall.

Once the patrol had gone some distance away, the infiltrating Qiang warriors secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Where are the people you captured?” the Qiang warrior demanded in the soldier’s ear.

“Don’t… don’t kill me… I don’t know where the people you’re looking for are, but I can take you to the officer in charge here!” Feeling the sharp pain biting into his neck, the county soldier tremulously patted the hand holding the blade.

After a moment’s thought, the leading Qiang warrior nodded and decided to split his men into two groups. One would force the county soldier to lead them to the city officials, whom they would seize in order to rescue Fannuo. The other would ambush the county soldiers guarding the walls and seize control of the city gate.

The defenders of Anqiang City still seemed unaware that two poisonous snakes had slipped inside. They remained oblivious to the danger concealed within the night.

Just as Qi Jun finished making another explosive charge, he suddenly heard light footsteps outside the door.

“County Lieutenant Qi, Captain Sun sent me to ask which unit is taking over the guard post,” a county soldier called from outside.

Qi Jun froze for a moment. All the county soldiers knew that Sun Jiu was gravely wounded, so why would anyone inexplicably ask such a question?

He immediately sensed something strange in the soldier’s words.

“Have him switch with Xiao Ming. I’m going to rest.” Qi Jun blew out the lamp on the table, then quietly moved to the doorway and stood with his back against the wall.

The Qiang warriors outside had no idea that the exchange between the county soldier and Qi Jun already concealed a warning.

They also realized that the people inside the tower were probably officers of the garrison. After exchanging glances, they decided to sneak into the tower and take them hostage.

With a soft creak, a hand gently pushed open the tower door. A moment later, a shadow wielding a curved blade slipped silently inside.

Qi Jun waited until the shadow had fully entered the room. He struck swiftly, smashing a fist into the man’s temple. At the same time, he seized the wrist holding the blade, twisted it lightly, snatched away the weapon, and drew it firmly across the man’s throat.

The Qiang warrior had not anticipated any danger from behind. His eyes flew wide as he clutched his throat and collapsed to the floor, convulsing in agony.

Qi Jun knew there was another enemy behind him. The instant the man fell, he gripped the curved blade and charged out, driving it into the chest of the second Qiang warrior. Using the momentum of his rush, he forced the man backward several steps.

“Enemy attack!” Qi Jun shouted. He immediately knocked aside a curved blade slashing in from his flank and kicked his opponent to the ground.

The captive county soldier seized the opportunity to drive an elbow into the ribs of the Qiang warrior behind him. When the man loosened his grip from the pain, the soldier broke free.

The county soldiers on the wall were drawn by the warning cry. They immediately rallied and rushed toward the tower to provide support.

The Qiang warriors’ carefully planned ambush had been thrown into chaos by the sudden counterattack. County soldiers arrived from both sides and rapidly surrounded them, whereupon a fierce skirmish erupted along the wall.

Every one of the Qiang warriors was fierce and courageous, possessing an unyielding will to fight. Though trapped in a tightening encirclement, they quickly recovered from their brief confusion, reformed their ranks, and resisted the county soldiers.

The county soldiers could not defeat them quickly and could only rely on their numerical advantage to wear them down through repeated clashes.

The fighting on the wall also attracted the county soldiers guarding the city gate. Hearing the cries of battle from the tower, they immediately rushed over to reinforce their comrades.

The second group of Qiang warriors, hiding in the darkness, was delighted by the sight and quickly slipped through the confusion toward the city gate.

One of them removed a horn from his waist, opened the gate, and blew it forcefully in the direction of the Qiang camp.

The horn’s call pierced the damp, chilly air and struck the heart of every Qiang warrior.

Ke Bie knew that the Qiang warriors had succeeded. He stepped out of his tent, glanced toward the wall, and made a gesture signaling the assembled Qiang troops to begin the assault.

In an instant, Qiang cavalry charged at the forefront, with Qiang infantry and archers close behind, shouting as they raced toward Anqiang City, a little over half a mile away.

By then, the fighting on the wall was nearing its end. Just as the county soldiers cut down the last few Qiang warriors, they finally discovered that the Qiang forces from the camp were already almost upon the city gate.

Several county soldiers realized what was happening and immediately ran toward the gate, only to be struck down by a volley of signal arrows suddenly fired from outside.

“The gate is under their control!” a county soldier who witnessed the scene cried out in panic.

Qi Jun hurried to the edge of the wall. Seeing the rapidly approaching Qiang cavalry in the distance, he was consumed by anxiety. Then, in a sudden flash of inspiration, he slapped his forehead, rushed into the tower, and emerged carrying a completed explosive charge.

“Fire!” Qi Jun placed the charge on the battlement, snatched a torch from a nearby county soldier, and lit the fuse. He then hurled the charge down toward the Qiang cavalry, who had already reached the city gate.

The gunpowder had been made by condemned prisoners in the county jail. No one had yet had time to verify whether it would detonate properly, and the power of the explosive was equally unknown.

But the situation was desperate. Qi Jun had no choice but to take the gamble.

To his immense relief, the moment the charge struck the ground, a thunderous explosion erupted. A dazzling burst of fire rose from the Qiang cavalry gathered before the gate, and torn flesh and shattered limbs of men and horses flew in every direction.

A rain of blood and flesh came splattering down upon the top of the wall, staining its stones.

The Qiang warriors controlling the gate were flung to the ground by the blast. Their bodies were covered with fragments of their comrades.

The county soldiers on the wall were utterly stunned. What kind of terrifying weapon was this?

As the blood mist and smoke dispersed, the heap of mangled flesh before the gate gave off a nauseating, charred stench. Qiang warriors who had been grievously wounded but still lived lay amid the remains of their companions, emitting shrill cries that chilled the blood.

The warhorses of the Qiang cavalry that had narrowly escaped the blast were also terrified. They whinnied uncontrollably and bolted in all directions.

Only moments earlier, their riders had watched in horror as the bodies of their comrades burst apart in the flames ahead. They were now consumed by an endless terror born of the weapon’s incomprehensible power.

“The Sky God is enraged!” one Qiang warrior cried in terror.

The surviving cavalry had no will to fight. They wheeled around and fled for their lives. They could not begin to understand what had just happened and could only explain it as the wrath of the Sky God.

Yet they seemed to have forgotten that a vast force of Qiang infantry was following directly behind them.

The Qiang infantry and archers charging behind the cavalry heard only the tremendous roar from ahead. They had no idea what the horsemen had witnessed or endured and continued rushing forward desperately, curved blades raised high.

When the Qiang warriors at the front saw the torrent of cavalry turning and charging straight toward them, they froze in astonishment. Though they did not understand what had happened, instinct drove them to turn and flee, attempting to escape the cavalry racing in from behind.

The instant the fleeing cavalry plunged into the ranks of the Qiang infantry, the warhorses churned up muddy water amid a sky-filling chorus of screams and wails. Wherever they passed, they left behind a trail of mangled Qiang bodies.