CHAPTER 330: CHAPTER 327: CAPTURED ALIVE

Ge Kun’s premonition was correct; the Dai State Pass could no longer hold.

An hour ago, the Qi people had run out of arrows and could only use stones to try and block the Great Liao soldiers attempting to climb the city walls. The smile on Ge Kun’s face deepened, even his warhorse neighed softly.

Ge Kun reached out and patted the horse’s head, no need to rush, soon it would be their turn to charge into battle.

"Third Prince," the Deputy General reported, "there’s unusual activity on the Qi people’s city walls."

After just finishing a round of sieging, the Dai State city walls appeared devoid of people, only occasionally a few were seen running back and forth on the walls, clearly trying to hide something.

Ge Kun’s eyes lit up, "They’re trying to flee."

Pretending to prepare for the next siege, they had actually abandoned the pass.

Ge Kun said, "Cunning Qi people."

The Qi people were used to such tactics; if he continued waiting here, after taking the pass, all he’d see was an empty city, as the Song Family Army escaped and set ambushes along the way south.

Now was the best time to capture all of Song Xian’s forces.

Ge Kun decided swiftly, "No more resting for the troops, attack the city immediately."

The Deputy General responded, "Understood."

Ge Kun drew a long blade handed to him by a nearby person, thankful for Xiao Xingzong—even though Xiao Xingzong was useless, he had provided this opportunity.

After years of contesting with the Qi people for the pass, it would ultimately be his victory in this battle.

Once everyone was ready, Ge Kun spurred his horse to the forefront, "The Qi people’s main general is just a servant of the Song Family, only managing to hold on this long with the city walls and fortifications. Now without supplies, they can’t stop our Great Liao warriors. I will lead everyone to attack the city."

The ground shook with the roar of voices from behind him.

Ge Kun nodded in satisfaction, and looking up at the walls again, saw the few defenders there shrink back with fear.

Just as he expected, with no doubts remaining, Ge Kun ordered, "Attack the city."

This assault was different from the previous ones; almost all the troops Ge Kun led pressed forward.

Just as Ge Kun had thought, they encountered little resistance; the attacks from the walls were negligible to the Great Liao forces.

Climbing the walls became simpler; upon reaching the city towers, the Liao people found that the defending soldiers had indeed disappeared.

The Liao people who jumped into the city coordinated with the army outside, quickly opening the city gates of Dai State Pass.

The Liao finally poured into the city.

Watching this scene, Ge Kun felt a surge of ecstasy, contrary to Xiao Xingzong’s claims of its difficulty. Was the Song Family Army really so tough to deal with?

"Enter the city." Ge Kun urged his warhorse forward.

Ge Kun’s horse crossed the city gate, "Go immediately and find out where Song Xian’s troops have fled." He had noticed the signs early; those people couldn’t have gotten far.

The Deputy General responded, leading soldiers to search everywhere.

Ge Kun continued into the city, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after being stuck outside for so long. Next, he would deploy forces throughout Dai State, capture the three nearby cities, and then report back to his father the emperor...

Ge Kun vaguely sensed a brightness above him, something whistling through the air as it came, prompting him to turn his head instinctively to look.

A burning fireball fell among the recently entered Great Liao soldiers.

"There’s people hidden on the walls."

Then another dozen or so fireballs consecutively hit the ground.

The fireballs struck the ground, exploding with a "boom," hitting surrounding soldiers with flying shards of metal and balls of fire, eliciting screams that did not cease.

"Quick, shoot them down."

"Dodge, dodge."

Ge Kun watched all of this in shock, his mind blank, were Qi people not out of supplies? They even ran out of arrows, where did the firearms come from?

The only possibility was that the Qi people had deliberately deceived him.

"Third Prince," the Deputy General said, "there may be reinforcements, reinforcements have arrived."

While speaking, another fireball fell, but this time it didn’t explode, instead bringing rolling thick smoke.

An acrid smell came, causing Ge Kun to cough to the point of being unable to breathe.

Everything around was shrouded in smoke, with soldiers anxiously running in all directions.

At this moment, arrows whizzed down from above, the panicked Liao soldiers like living targets, getting hit one after another.

Only a few remembered to use shields to guard themselves.

Arrows continued to rain down.

Ge Kun, shielded by others, sought refuge and tried to retreat outside the city. Despite their efforts to get into the city, now they desperately wanted to get out.

Ge Kun shuffled his feet through the crowd, finally discerning direction in the thick smoke, heading towards the city gate.

Coming closer and closer.

The smoke in the city had dissipated considerably, the gate at last in sight.

Ge Kun and his guard quickened their steps again, Ge Kun fixed his eyes ahead.

A gust of wind blew, smoke gently dispersed, and the scene at the gate began to clarify.

As the wind swept away the last shreds of mist, there appeared the stance of someone holding their lance with regal determination.

In that moment, every hair on Ge Kun’s body stood on end, because of this person and the imposing military formation behind them.

Song Xian rode into the city.

The Deputy General beside Ge Kun stepped forward to block.

A spear burst from the Deputy General, a section of the shaft passing through the body, blood yet to drip before Song Xian grasped it again in his hand.

With a slight force, the entire spear passed through flesh and blood, and in the next instant, the spearhead targeted another person.

"It’s Song Xian, Song Xian is here." After years of confrontation between the two nations at the pass, a commander recognized Song Xian.

With that cry, the previously ambushed Liao soldiers fell into chaos once more.

Were there not no reinforcements?

Had they not already run out of supplies?

How could Song Xian possibly appear here?

Ge Kun’s grip on his blade trembled, his gaze locked on Song Xian, with no thoughts except escape in his mind.

A battle had just begun, but with such disparity between the opposing commanders, the final outcome was obvious.

Ge Kun started receiving wounds, and the soldiers protecting him were dwindling.

The fight continued, but Ge Kun was devoid of fighting spirit, replaced by a profound sense of dread.

The Deputy General beside him fell again, a blood-stained spear pointing directly at his throat, blood from its tip and tassel dripping onto Ge Kun’s body.

Ge Kun’s pupils contracted, his lips trembled, as he watched helplessly as the young man leaned in, his deep gaze like a blade, ready to pierce his chest at any moment.

"I will not kill you," Song Xian said, "I will send you back to Liao."

Hearing the words, "I will not kill you,"

A fleeting bitterness rose in Ge Kun’s heart, he wanted to rebuke Song Xian, shout for the soldiers to fight bravely, to choose death over surrender, but he couldn’t even utter the word "no."

In a daze, Ge Kun’s body was heavily pressed down, his arms tightly bound with ropes.