The old soldier operated the aerial cannon, following my orders, specifically targeting the siege engines in the enemy's formation. The distance was close, and I could finally see the effects of the explosions. The blast radius wasn't large, nor was the power immense, but against wooden structures, it was more than enough. Each shell could essentially shatter a frame to pieces, while also causing casualties to about a dozen surrounding soldiers.
The old soldier used ten aerial bombs to destroy all eight siege ladders. Immediately after, I had him aim at the enemy's front-line command post. A large demon on a white horse, with a helmet crest I found incredibly annoying – the kind worn by samurai from the Land of Sakura. Who else would I target but him!
A shell was fired. Although it didn't hit the commander himself, it injured his horse. The startled horse bucked, throwing the commander off and landing him at the very front of their position.
"Concentrate fire, attack the one on the ground!" I shouted.
The sound of gunfire was too loud, and few heard me. Bingbing ran sideways, relaying the order from window to window.
The phantom soldiers' reaction was swift. Despite being new recruits, they were still part of the official army and had received training. They understood the concept of "capturing the leader to capture the rebels." Before the commander's subordinates could shield him, he was riddled with bullets. Whether he was dead or not, I couldn't tell, but he was carried away by his men, beginning a retreat.
With their front-line commander gone and their siege engines destroyed, the enemy's formation began to show clear signs of disarray, though they were still advancing overall.
It wouldn't matter even if they reached the base of the city gate. They still couldn't climb up. Seeing victory within reach, I suddenly felt a throbbing in my head. At first, I thought it was the smoke, but I quickly realized something was wrong. I wasn't even breathing, so how could smoke choke me? Moreover, the pain intensified, making it hard for me to stand. Fortunately, the enemy had timely regrouped and began a orderly retreat.
To conserve ammunition, Bingbing immediately ordered a ceasefire. She was farther away from me, so there wasn't time to ask for instructions, but her command was flawless. Her official rank was the same as mine, so the phantom soldiers obeyed her.
After the gunfire stopped, the pain in my head subsided considerably. Bingbing ran back, saying excitedly, "Brother, the enemy is retreating!"
I swayed, my vision went black, and I collapsed into her arms...
When I woke up, I opened my eyes and saw the Stone City. I looked around. I had already been carried to the top of the gatehouse. This must have been Bingbing's idea. She had learned first aid and knew that in such a situation, one should carry a person to a well-ventilated area – even though we don't need to breathe!
"What happened? How long was I unconscious?" I asked quickly.
"Two minutes. Look, the enemy hasn't fully retreated yet," Bingbing pointed into the distance.
I turned my head to look. Without the crenellations, I could see the distant enemy lying directly on the ground.
"... hurry up and carry me down, it's too dangerous here!" I frowned, struggling to sit up. The headache had lessened, but my body still felt unwell. They helped me stand, and I immediately felt lightheaded and weak.
I was helped back to the sixth floor. As expected, the enemy launched another round of stone attacks.
"Your Excellency is brilliant!" Jiang Jun flattered me.
"Stop flattering... Bingbing, get me a gun."
"Okay." Bingbing went over and took an automatic rifle from a nearby phantom soldier.
I leaned on the window frame, propped the rifle out, and tried to fire, but my fingers didn't even have the strength to pull the trigger. I had to give up and let Bingbing do it.
"Burst fire, empty two magazines."
"Why?" Bingbing asked in confusion. "We can't even reach the enemy anymore!"
"Just do it," I said weakly.
Da da da. Soon, the first magazine was emptied. I couldn't speak anymore, only gestured with my hand to stop.
Bingbing threw the gun aside and ran back, "Brother, how are you?"
I took a moment to recover, pulled the Soul Seizing Token from my waist, and contacted Zhang Xiaomiao: "Xiaomiao, find, find Yaoyao..."