Dare to kill my horse

When the burning fuse was ignited, and the sizzling sparks drilled into the cannon's muzzle, amidst the white smoke's diffusion, a deafening roar erupted—

Karaga couldn't help but burst into laughter.

So what if they were Khitans?

So what if they bore the blood-red double-headed eagle?

So what if they boasted of a Sacred King?

So what if they were known as the enemy of ten thousand?

Could their ability to rout my elite troops and utterly defeat them explain anything?

In the end, they would meet their demise—

Body and soul destroyed!

Karaga had calculated the pitfall's location meticulously. Once the cannon fired, the shell would inevitably land there—no matter how valiant the opponent, there was no chance of evasion!

Then, they would be blasted to smithereens!

Karaga could almost envision the scenario that would unfold next—the fall of the Khitan Caesar, the heavy losses suffered by the Khitan iron cavalry under the assault of cannons, arrows, and crossbows.

And himself, achieving a resounding victory over the Khitans who seemed to have never tasted defeat since their appearance!

However...

"Ahahhhh!!!"

A sharp scimitar drew a dazzling white light in the air!

The radiant brilliance pierced every eye daring to meet its gaze.

"Wuu—" Karaga screamed in agony, covering his eyes along with the surrounding soldiers, tears streaming down their faces.

And when they dared to open their eyes again, they were all left dumbfounded, utterly stupefied!

"No!!!"

Karaga let out a cry of despair, sounding like a wounded wild beast.

"This can't be happening!!"

"True God, have you forsaken your people?"

Karaga wept blood.

"Why must you subject us to such a devil!?"

The billowing smoke below obscured the view, and near the pitfall, deep craters were blasted open by the cannons—

However, there were two!

Two craters lay on either side of Shu Yichao, who maintained his stance, sword poised, despite his grimy face and tattered clothes, still standing tall!

As the cannonballs struck, one sword cleaved through them both!

Everyone on the entire city wall, from the high-ranking officials to the lowliest slaves, shivered in awe!

How could this be?

How was this possible!?

"Plop—" Some timid individuals, tears streaming down their faces, eyes rolling back, fainted.

[Huh, Master.]

[Your performance seems to be quite successful.]

System 12345 sighed.

[It seems like everyone has been thoroughly shaken by you.]

[Hehehe, I told you so. As long as we take it slow, we'll definitely succeed.]

[Yeah, a lot of people seem to have fainted.]

[What are you waiting for, Master?]

System 12345 grinned mischievously.

[The Second Consort and her brother, their hearts are pounding—why not seize the opportunity now?]

[Perhaps today, Master, you'll be able to capture the Second Consort—Hehehe.]

"Crack—"

The scimitar shattered inch by inch, finally turning into a pile of fragments.

Shu Yichao expelled a puff of black smoke, his face as calm as water as he shook his slightly numb wrist.

Damn, that was close.

He didn't find slicing cannonballs with his sword particularly awe-inspiring—such feats were basic in the World Ablaze.

Besides, those were just small-scale cannons on the other side. In comparison, players in the World Ablaze often pulled off more outrageous stunts.

What truly pained him was...

"My horse!"

Shu Yichao shouted in sorrow and anger.

His warhorse, after snorting once, collapsed softly to the ground, its life extinguished in the blink of an eye.

A warhorse was a cavalryman's second life, a principle that held true even for players in World Ablaze.

This was not only because players needed good horses to single-handedly take on large armies but also because, in World Ablaze, if a cavalryman was injured, the horse's health would be deducted first, followed by the cavalryman's.

And now, Shu Yichao was lively and spirited, while his warhorse, having saved his life, had breathed its last.

"My 300-speed heavy warhorse!"

Shu Yichao grew angrier the more he thought about it.

"Damn peasants!"

"How dare you kill my horse!?"

Shu Yichao glared furiously at the city wall.

Despite his breathtakingly handsome appearance, everyone felt their guts twist in terror.

"Quick! Fire the cannons again!" Karaga quivered as if afflicted by a stroke, urging the soldiers beside him frantically.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him aaaaall!!"

But the soldiers beside him remained motionless.

Karaga turned around and saw that the soldier was lying on the ground, frothing at the mouth.

Suddenly, it seemed as if Death itself was grinning at him.

In a split second, Karaga turned his head and saw Shu Yichao pulling out a shimmering and elegant gemstone bow.

His limbs went ice-cold, unable to move, his mind blank.

"Swish—"

The sharp arrow pierced through the eye socket, shattered the brain, and penetrated the skull—

"Boom!"

After a loud bang, Karaga was hung on the flagpole, swaying in the wind.

"My horse." Shu Yichao shouted, "I've avenged you!"

At that moment, the elite archers quickly approached and brought a new warhorse for Shu Yichao.

Shu Yichao mounted the horse, galloping along the city wall. With every shot of his bow, it meant the death of an Esman artilleryman or crossbowman.

In this way, all the heavy long-range forces on the city wall were cleared out by one man!

The desperate Esman soldiers soon collapsed.

"Devil!"

"Run, run for your lives!"

"The Khitans are too terrifying!"

After a mournful cry from the city wall, the Esman soldiers fled in panic. Some even jumped directly off the wall, fearing they were too late.

The Esman soldiers on the city wall became deserters, while the Morya Legion outside the wall didn't even have the chance to desert.

Deprived of long-range cover, they could only watch helplessly as the man who sliced cannonballs in half laughed menacingly and charged towards them—

The setting sun cast a bloody glow.

The Morya Legion, who had come from the south hoping to gain some advantage in the Esman civil war, had its main force annihilated by Shu Yichao.

"Attack the city!"

In the twilight of the evening, Shu Yichao gave the order.

Even though there was no one defending the city at this point.

[Master, is it over?]

[It seems like many people have left—although the Second Consort seems to still be here.]

[It looks like she wants to discuss the script with you.]

[Oh—she's crying.]

System 12345 strategized.

[You better hurry up and comfort her.]

[But also be careful with your tone, in case you touch a nerve with the Second Consort and she decides to cut your tongue out.]

"Huh?" A elite archer stepped down from a platform and dragged the Second Consort, who was crying breathlessly, out.

"Leader, there's still one person hiding here."

"Hmm?" Shu Yichao took a spear, "It turns out to be another high-value target."

"Thud—"

The sound of something falling to the ground.

[...]

[No, Master, this...]

[Didn't I just say to be careful and not offend people?]

[Why did you offend someone to death right away?]

[But it seems like the Second Consort didn't move to punish you?]

System 12345 noticed that Shu Yichao was still walking unhurriedly and couldn't help but sink into thought.

[She just let you go like that?]

[Today, why is she so forgiving?]

[Um—Master, I feel like it's still not safe.]

[Once you're out the door, run! So she doesn't change her mind and send someone to kill you!]