A cacophony of gunfire erupted.
These Japanese samurai who tried to escape, no matter how fast they ran, could not outrun bullets.
The Japanese samurai fell in droves, like wheat that had been cut down.
These Japanese samurai were all terrified; even if they were allowed to run, they couldn't move.
Their legs felt like they were made of lead.
Han Xin looked at the Japanese samurai on the shore, all of whom were lying in pools of blood, and nodded in satisfaction.
After disembarking, Han Xin surveyed the fortresses.
"Blow up all these fortresses, rush in and leave no one alive, don't let anyone escape."
"promise……"
The Japanese samurai inside the fortress were all terrified.
They watched helplessly as 20,000 Japanese samurai were brutally defeated in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
These 20,000-plus warriors who rushed out of the fortress were all elites from within the fortress.
Those who remain are mostly the elderly, the infirm, and the disabled.
Peace Fortress.
This is the largest coastal defense fortress in Kyoto Bay, located in Dongying.
The fortress was equipped with catapults, crossbows, trebuchets, and archers.
Looking at the advancing army of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Everyone was so angry they gritted their teeth.
“Those damned bastards killed so many of our people.”
"Let them in!" Ono Goji, the Japanese general on the outpost, drew his katana and shouted.
"All catapults, trebuchets, and heavy crossbows, get ready. Once they enter our attack range, fire them down!"
"Hi..."
On the walls of the fortress.
These Japanese samurai were all extremely nervous.
Soon, the catapults and heavy crossbows all aimed at the slowly advancing infantry and artillery formations in the distance.
However, just as the Japanese warriors on the city wall had finished adjusting, they suddenly found that the other side had all stopped.
Dozens of red-coated cannons and Napoleon cannons were all aimed at Ping'an Fortress.
These Japanese samurai were all puzzled.
"Damn it, why did they suddenly stop?"
"These damned Great Xia people, come here and meet your death."
"You damned beasts, what are you dawdling about for, you cowards?"
The Japanese samurai on the city wall cursed and shouted wildly.
However, what they never expected was...
Dozens of cannons were all aimed at the walls of Ping'an Fortress.
All the gunners skillfully aimed and loaded the ammunition.
"Loader, get ready to load solid shot."
"Aim at the fortress gates and walls and bombard them relentlessly."
"Ready to fire..."
With a command given, the thunderous roar of cannons erupted.
These shells, each weighing several kilograms, streaked across the sky like brilliant shooting stars, heading straight for the enemy's target.
The soldiers guarding the city wall were all terrified by the thunderous cannon fire.
Before they could react, more than a dozen cannonballs had already smashed open the city gate.
Dozens of huge holes were smashed into the heavy city gate, and wood chips flew everywhere.
The city gate, which already had dozens of huge holes, collapsed with a roar.
The Japanese samurai on the city wall were in an even more appalling state.
The powerful cannonballs flew up before the catapults, trebuchets, and heavy crossbows on the city walls could even fire.
The shells smashed these weapons to pieces.
None of the Japanese samurai operating the catapults, trebuchets, and heavy crossbows escaped death.
They were all smashed beyond recognition.
Some were smashed so badly that half of their bodies were gone.
Some were hit and suffered broken legs and limbs; every shell that flew over left a pile of minced meat on the scene.
The Japanese samurai who were drawing their bows and preparing to shoot all shrank back.
They crouched on the city wall, covering their heads.
The sound of cannons boomed.
These people were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they didn't dare to breathe.
"Damn it, their weapons went too far. They destroyed all our catapults and heavy crossbows."
"If this continues, we'll just have to stay here; we won't be able to fight back at all."
"General, the city gate has been smashed down, and these Xia people will soon rush in."
"What are you all standing there for? Light the beacon fires now! We can't possibly defend these medicinal herbs!" General Ono roared.
Soon, black smoke billowed into the sky.
"Takeuchi Renzan, quickly take your men to defend the castle gates. If the castle falls, their men will rush in, and we'll be in an even more passive position," General Ono roared at Takeuchi Renzan.
Takeuchi Renzan lay there, pretending to be dead.
But then he thought again, if Han Xin's troops were to break through, they would be doomed.
Takeuchi Renzan quickly got up from the ground and brandished his samurai sword: "Warriors of the Empire, follow me to guard the city gate."
The consequences would be unimaginable if the city gates were to fall.
Just then, a shell flew over with a whoosh.
Before Takeuchi Renzan could react, the shell hit him squarely in the chest.
With a thud, Takeuchi Renzan was blasted away by the shell, flying more than 20 meters before crashing heavily against the wall.
Everyone looked closely.
Takeuchi Renzan's upper body had been smashed to pieces.
The lower half of its body was already embedded in the wall, and it couldn't be pried out.
General Ono was greatly surprised when he saw it.
The Japanese samurai who were preparing to defend the city gate with Takeuchi Renzan were so frightened that they immediately lay down on the ground.
They knew that if they dared to make any further rash moves, they would only face death.
The shells came whistling in.
One cannonball after another pounded against the city wall.
The Japanese samurai lying on the city wall felt as if an earthquake of magnitude 8 had occurred.
Every shell felt like it hit their hearts.
A moment later, a rumbling sound rang out.
The entire city wall collapsed with a roar.
None of the Japanese samurai who cowered on the city walls escaped.
They dared not show their heads, and as a result, they fell down with the collapsing city wall.
Thousands of Japanese samurai were buried beneath the collapsed city walls.
Han Xin commanded the artillery and infantry to launch a simultaneous attack on more than a dozen coastal fortresses.
In the distance, the booming sound of cannons continued to echo.
These coastal fortresses, built at great expense by the Japanese, were rendered as fragile as paper under the bombardment of Han Xin and his men, proving utterly vulnerable.
Han Xin's army captured all these fortresses in less than half a day.
Han Xin climbed to the top of the city wall of the largest fortress—Ping'an Fortress—and looked into the distance with a telescope.
In the distance, the land stretches out flat.
Although he couldn't see the Japanese capital, Han Xin knew that if he advanced another hundred or two miles, he would reach it.
"Pass down the order: everyone rest, and we'll all set off one day from now."
"promise……"
The flags of the Great Xia Dynasty fluttered above more than a dozen nearby fortresses.
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