Serial Player
Chapter 65: Let’s Begin! (Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks)

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Let’s Begin! (Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks)

In the night, Changan was under curfew, pitch-black and quiet except for some specific festivals. Only the occasional figures of the Military Marquis and watchmen would pass by on the streets.

But tonight was different. The entire city of Changan was filled with the light of flames and the sounds of fighting.

At a nearby manor, all the peasants gazed up at the towering flames in Changan, unable to sleep.

This wasn’t some disease prevention measure; it’s clearly a war!

Who were the enemies? And how did they get into Changan? The peasants wondered.

Among them were nobles, looking solemn.

They knew more and understood that their emperor was now in danger. But they couldn’t act rashly; if the emperor fails, they would carry the burden of restoring the Great Tang!

"For the Great Tang, we must win!" The nobles whispered.

Meanwhile, within Changan City, Longevity Square was surrounded by countless defensive fortifications and encampments, sealing it off completely.

The soldiers of the Great Tang had never been so excited. In foreign campaigns, when had they ever fought with fewer soldiers? When had they not tried to quickly end the battle due to supply pressures?

Yet now, the enemy had entered Changan City? This both infuriated and delighted the Great Tang soldiers.

They were angry because the enemy had the audacity to come to Changan, and happy because supplies were abundant, and troops were plentiful – they had never fought such a luxurious war!

Longevity Square had been bombarded by trebuchets, and countless red-armored, axe-wielding Ratmen emerged, howling as they charged towards the Tang army’s defenses.

"Storm Mouse, as the strategists said? Hmph!"

The generals of the Great Tang sneered, as they were only afraid of the weapons that far exceeded their own in technology.

In a contest of cold weapons? Hehe!

The Tang army had never feared anyone. Rumor had it that the Ratmen had conquered many kingdoms in other worlds, but comparing the Great Tang with those countries was just too demeaning!

Now, the Ratmen were facing the strongest army of this era!

"Throw incendiary bombs! Crossbowmen prepare! Shield soldiers, get ready!" The officers gave their orders.

"If they dare to come, don’t let them leave!"

"Yes!"

...

On the other side, Li Changhe and the others were already at the edge of the defensive fortifications.

Watching the Tang army fighting the Ratmen, Li Changhe felt his heart beating faster. This was war.

The faces of the [Players] were not good. Modern people simply couldn’t handle such a scene. Even the [Players] who had fought their way through [Tasks] felt a chill in their bodies.

The Transcendents of the Tang Dynasty didn’t notice this. In their understanding, the exotic people were all very strong and obviously didn’t care about such things.

One of them said, "General Li, according to His Majesty’s plan, he will appear when the battle is most intense. After attracting a large number of Ratmen, we will seize the opportunity to break through."

Li Changhe nodded slightly, knowing that this was what the handsome man had planned. He must have learned from Father Xia that some [Players] could conceal their presence.

This was actually Mo Mang’s [Skill: Aura Canopy], which hid all the aura within its range. It was used against [Players] or Transcendents with acute senses.

However, the range was small, with a diameter of only three or four meters. It was impossible to cover the entire fifty-person team.

It would be difficult for these Transcendents to enter the Ratmen’s lair anyway. Even with their extraordinary abilities, they would not be able to overcome the advanced weapons if discovered.

Their mission was to eliminate as many elite Ratmen as possible while helping Li Changhe and the others infiltrate.

By the time they died in battle or retreated, the Ratmen might not even realize that Li Changhe and the others had already entered their lair.

"Boom!" Suddenly, there was a deafening explosion. The encirclement around Longevity Square was blown open, dozens of Tang soldiers and even more Ratmen were buried under the collapsed defensive fortifications.

There was no time for the Tang soldiers to mourn. Some of them were bleeding from their ears but still managed to clumsily pick up their broadswords and rush towards the nearest Ratman.

The battlefield was in disarray. Apart from the initial melee, the Tang Dynasty had gained the upper hand and had even once reached Longevity Square.

However, when large numbers of Chaos warriors appeared, the Tang army’s momentum was temporarily suppressed.

Afterward, the appearance of Gatling Ratmen and Fire-Spraying Ratmen caused heavy losses for the Tang army. They could only rely on their defensive fortifications and use long-range weapons to fight back.

At this moment, they could no longer hold on. The explosion was caused by a sub-commander who, enraged after being slashed three times by an Assassination Mouse, ignited all their gunpowder grenades.

More than three hundred Tang soldiers were sacrificed, but they took at least ten times that number of Ratmen with them.

Li Changhe’s [Eagle’s Demon Eye] saw the situation clearly.

The cruelty of the battlefield made everyone silent. Li Changhe took a deep breath, calming the restlessness in his heart.

At that moment, a Tang Dynasty Transcendent whispered, "General Li... I heard Master Yuan say that you come from a thousand years in the future. What is your era like? Are there still people starving? Are there still wars?"

"No..." Li Changhe said softly: "In every era, there are saints. In our time, the saint is called Old Yuan. He made sure that no one in Hua Country went hungry, feeding billions of people. Similarly, he made Hua Country even stronger so that no one dared to challenge it." Li Changhe knew what kind of answer these people wanted to hear.

"Will the Great Tang have such a saint too?" Another Transcendent asked softly.

"It will..." Li Changhe said with a faint smile: "As long as we eliminate the Ratmen, the Great Tang will be the strongest and happiest empire in this world. For the Great Tang."

"For the Great Tang!"

The Transcendents roared softly, gripping their weapons tighter. They had already heard the answer they desired!

At the same time, the sound of thundering hooves came from far away!

The battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

The soldiers of the Tang Dynasty looked serious, knowing that their emperor was on the way.

The Ratmen also stopped advancing, sensing danger.

The sound of hooves grew closer.

Suddenly, a knight wearing Great Bright Armor and wielding a huge axe rode into the fray, leading the charge into the breached defenses.

With a swing of his axe, he cleaved a Chaos warrior in half before it could dodge. More cavalry followed close behind, tearing through the Ratmen’s lines and entering the defensive fortifications of Huai’an Fang.

The leading knight stood on a high platform and let out a owl-like laugh, "Come and fight, you rats! Didn’t you want to take my head?"

He took off his helmet, revealing the handsome man.

The armor on his body, as if to deliberately show others that he was the emperor, radiated flames, making him appear like a deity.

Laughing loudly, he revealed his presence to the Ratmen.

The Ratmen hesitated before, as if receiving a certain command, rushed madly toward the knight. Their numbers swelled like a tidal wave!

"Hahaha! Good, all of you come! Let’s fight!" The handsome man roared with laughter.

In the midst of the laughter, numerous Tang soldiers stood tall before him. Clad in black armor, they appeared like unyielding rocks.

"Wind, strong wind!" Amidst the battle cries of the Tang Dynasty soldiers, the tide hit the rocks! Blood splattered everywhere as the battlefield erupted!

"The plan begins!" Li Changhe growled and raised his bow and arrow.