Destroy Zhao! If not in one year, then two. If not in two years, then three. This war isn't just a contest between armies, but a contest of national power. This time, Zhao must be destroyed.

「Wei City!」

"Kill!"

"Break through Wei City!"

"Kill..."

Outside the city, the Wei Army roared as they attacked with frenzied abandon. Under the fierce assault of the Wei Wu Troops, the city gates had already been smashed open by siege hammers. The area before the gates had descended into a crazed bloodbath.

Inside the city, atop the walls, bodies were piled high like mountains.

It was now the seventh day since Wei Wuji had deployed his main force. Considering the ferocity of the Wei Wu Troops, the fact that Wei City remained uncaptured was a testament to the staunch resistance of the defending Qin Army.

"Brothers!"

"Kill!"

"As long as we hold Wei City, we will all have performed a great service!"

"Kill them!"

Tu Sui, Wei Quan, and Liu Wang roared alongside the countless soldiers of Qin. The melee raged on. With every soldier resisting to the last, they managed to hold the formidable Wei Wu Troops at the first line of defense on the ramparts, forging a defensive line through a sea of blood.

Outside the city, Wei Wuji's brows remained tightly furrowed. Perhaps to him, the pressure exerted by this tiny city was simply too great.

The siege had been ongoing for nearly twenty days. His side had suffered tens of thousands of casualties without breaching the city. Now, despite having deployed the elite Wei Wu Troops for seven continuous days of fierce attacks, they were still being held back outside the walls as the battle on the ramparts raged on. In other words, even after all this time, the Wei Wu Troops were still locked in a bloody struggle on the ramparts. Although the city gates had been breached and large numbers of them had poured in, the battle there continued unabated.

Qin... to think its national power has reached such a state. A mere fifty thousand Qin soldiers, augmented by fifty thousand surrendered troops, are able to contend with my fifty thousand elite Wei Wu Troops. The might of Qin has truly become unstoppable. Is the world truly fated to be unified by them?

Witnessing this twenty-day siege, Wei Wuji, who had arrived with a grand army of one hundred and fifty thousand, including his vaunted Wei Wu Troops, found the city still unbroken. The reality weighed heavily on him, filling his heart with pessimism.

But in that fleeting moment of melancholy, he steeled himself.

I refuse to believe it! Great Wei will never be destroyed by Qin. I will stake our National Fortune on this battle. If we cannot annex the Han Land, we will inevitably be destroyed by Qin in the future. But as long as we succeed, the future remains unknown.

With his resolve hardened, confidence returned to Wei Wuji's eyes.

"Your Majesty," a Wei general reported with a wry smile, "today will soon be the eighth day. At this point, every unit except for your trusted aides has been thrown into the attack. But these People of Qin are just too tenacious. I'm afraid it will still take some time to capture Wei City."

This grueling campaign had shocked and disheartened even a battle-hardened veteran like Wei Wuji, let alone the ordinary Wei generals.

"No matter the cost," Wei Wuji said gravely, his voice filled with determination, "the Han Land must be taken. Only then can we ensure the National Fortune of our great Wei does not perish."

Just as his voice fell, the hurried sound of hooves thundered from the rear.

"Report!" a voice cried out. "A major incident has occurred! Your Majesty, a major incident has occurred!"

A cavalry messenger burst through the ranks, leaped from his horse, and fell to his knees directly before Wei Wuji's war chariot.

"What's wrong?" Wei Wuji asked, surprised by the man's state.

"Qin… The Qin Army has captured Shangwei City! Our army's supply route has been cut off! The Qin Army has already reached our main camp! I broke through at the risk of my life to deliver this report, Your Majesty!" the messenger stammered, his face a mask of terror.

At these words, Wei Wuji's eyes widened in stunned disbelief. The ever-composed commander jumped down from his chariot, rushed to the messenger, and demanded with a trembling voice, "What did you say?"

"Sh-Shangwei City has been taken by the Qin Army!" the messenger replied, his voice quivering. "Our... our army's supply route has been cut by the Qin Army! They have already attacked our main camp and are engaged in battle with the garrison troops!"

"Where did this Qin Army come from?" Wei Wuji's voice trembled uncontrollably.

The Qin Army had captured Shangwei City and severed his supply line, but Wei Wuji simply could not fathom where they could have come from. He had stationed a large force to defend the Wei River, making a crossing impossible. Furthermore, he had deployed ten thousand troops to guard the land route connecting to the border. How could they possibly have assaulted his city?

"Reporting to Your Majesty," the messenger said, his voice shaking, "the Qin Army crossed the river at Hongze Crossing, with a force of no less than ten thousand!"

"Hongze Crossing!"

Wei Wuji's expression changed, his face turning deathly pale. He had garrisoned all the critical crossings along the Wei River specifically to prevent a surprise attack from Qin. The one place with the lightest defenses was Hongze Crossing. This wasn't an oversight; it was because crossing the river there was considered impossible. The current was so swift that even large boats risked capsizing, let alone smaller craft.

But he had never imagined that this very Hongze Crossing would become the point of his undoing.

"Your Majesty left twenty thousand troops to defend Shangwei City, with another ten thousand stationed along the road!" a Wei general exclaimed in terror. "Even if the Qin Army is strong, how could they take the city so easily? This is impossible!"

Wei Wuji's face was ashen, his voice suddenly weak. Even I didn't expect the Qin Army to cross the Wei River for a surprise attack, so how could the defenders of Shangwei City have anticipated it? By using the cover of night and dressing in our army's battle armor, they could have easily deceived the gate guards. That's the only way they could have conquered Shangwei City so easily, and it's the only way they could have fought their way back in such a short amount of time.

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