Wolf Slaughter clearly remembered that the ambush was set by the Flying Owl Army!
His sworn brothers, who had followed him out of Wolf Valley for over a decade, had all perished at their hands.
While the battlefield was a soldier's destiny, a straightforward man like Wolf Slaughter wouldn't pretend to be magnanimous.
"Madam Speaker, if you are willing to trust me, a defeated general, then grant me command of the allied forces. I swear I will give those sons of bitches hell."
In the Great Culinary Era, there might be many culinary hunters and chefs, but military commanders were exceedingly rare.
Having commanded the Wolf Valley Militia for over a decade without defeat, his military acumen must be exceptional.
Zhang Wei nodded in agreement.
Mo Du saw this and immediately said, "General Wolf Slaughter's might is renowned throughout the northern lands. How could we not trust you? The allied forces of Yu City are entrusted to you!"
"Thank you for your trust."
"The soldiers trust me, and I trust General Wolf Slaughter. Please, bring them home!"
"I will do my best!"
Wolf Slaughter turned and left.
The Flying Owl Army was advancing aggressively, and he needed to make proper arrangements.
Furthermore, Wolf Slaughter needed time to familiarize himself with his new command.
Chu Xiang, standing nearby, whispered, "We've received intel that the leader of the Flying Owl Army has ordered the deployment of five Phoenix Koi from the depths of the Cloud Kingdom. Additionally, several other urgent orders have been dispatched. Mr. Zhang Wei, you should be cautious."
"The Flying Owl Army..."
Zhang Wei pondered for a long moment, considering the implications.
After a while,
"Chu Xiang, thank you for your intelligence these past few times."
"It's all for the Northern Allied Forces; it's my duty."
"I must admit, I'm somewhat impressed. You've even managed to infiltrate the Flying Owl Army. Your spies are truly masterful."
Chu Xiang smiled, "Infiltrating an army is not necessarily more difficult than infiltrating commercial strongholds. The Black List is quite adept at such matters."
Zhang Wei shook his head, a hint of mockery in his voice, "Unfortunately, without strength, no matter how well other tasks are performed, one cannot earn enough respect on the Black List."
Chu Xiang's face darkened.
Zhang Wei's words had clearly struck a nerve.
He was nominally the representative of the Black List and the second-highest commander of the allied forces.
But within the entire allied army, who could he truly command?
The Ten Heroes of the North?
Hurricane?
Qingcheng?
The Human Skin Doll?
Dream on.
Aside from the intelligence network he had cultivated himself, not a single person truly took Chu Xiang seriously.
"Life is already difficult enough, Mr. Zhang. Why must you speak to me in such a manner?"
Zhang Wei looked into the distance, his back to Chu Xiang, and said, "Improving strength is something I find quite effortless. Make good arrangements for your spies. Perhaps afterwards, I can help you."
Chu Xiang was startled.
A look of ecstatic joy immediately appeared on his face!
The matter of the Human Skin Doll and others had already spread, and coupled with their actions in the past two days, no one would doubt Zhang Wei's capabilities!
"Great Chef, you..."
"You are not entirely useless to me, but you must understand that what I give you, I can also take back at any time."
Chu Xiang knelt on one knee.
With fervent devotion, he said to Zhang Wei, "Sir, rest assured, I... I will not disappoint you."
...
Outside the city.
Catapults, heavy crossbows, and arrows rained down.
Unlike the weak forces encountered previously, the Flying Owl Army was well-equipped and had ample ammunition, with all manner of explosive and piercing weapons readily available!
The various Blade Masters of the Flying Owl Army stood nonchalantly before their camp, exchanging no words.
"Hmph, why is Makabaka being so cautious? These remnants of Yu City don't warrant such a wasteful barrage of ammunition!"
"They're just some rubble fortifications, mere tofu that can be destroyed with a few punches! Makabaka actually treating this as a siege battle, I'm truly at a loss!"
"Alas, the men with the catapults have been idle for too long. Let them stretch their muscles a bit. Don't be too selfish, one must share the credit..."
In the words of several Blade Masters, they clearly didn't take Mo Du's capture seriously, as if discussing how to divide food on a dining table.
The bombardment ended!
"Flying Owl Army's First Corps, follow me!"
"Second Corps, follow me!"
One corps consisted of 700 men, so two corps amounted to fourteen hundred.
Based on the defenses of Yu City, even half a corps would suffice.
What they didn't realize was that beneath the ruins of the fortifications, countless fervent warriors who had consumed 'Warrior's Blood' were awaiting them!
Wu Yong poked half his face out from between the stones, a cruel grin on his face, and snarled, "Boys, the confused little lambs have taken the bait!"
His subordinates drew their swords, licked the blades with their tongues, their fighting spirit surging!
After so long enhancing their strength, they finally had an opportunity to put it to use!
The Flying Owl Army arrived in an instant, and Wu Yong roared, "Brothers, show them the barbarity of the northern people!"
"Kill!"
The two sides clashed!
The battlefield was crisscrossed by the forceful energy of flesh and blood against steel!
Upon contact, both sides were stunned by the other!
The Flying Owl Army was skilled, their morale was high, and their armor was exquisite – far superior to their previous opponents!
Every Flying Owl soldier was a veteran who had survived countless battles. Not only were they proficient in swordsmanship and combat, but they also coordinated seamlessly, providing mutual support. Their three-man squads moved as one!
The Flying Owl soldiers were finding this battle difficult as well. The Northern soldiers opposite them were abnormally fervent. Although their techniques were rough, they were utterly fearless, as if their lives were not their own!
Even when their swords shattered, they used their fists to smash into the faces of the Flying Owl soldiers!
"Pah!"
Spitting a mouthful of blood, a Blade Master roared, "Are these lunatics? I've never seen such tenacious enemies!"
Blade Masters possessed a strength of roughly level 40-45.
Even after numerous upgrades, Wu Yong could only contend with the support of a team.
The Northern Allied Forces...
There was a severe lack of experts!
With over a dozen Blade Masters engaging, more and more Northern soldiers fell.
However, even so, the line did not show any signs of collapse!
And after the Blade Masters unleashed their initial onslaught, they were horrified to find how much of their stamina had been depleted!
In previous battles, a slight exertion would cause the enemy to collapse. They had never encountered a situation like this before!
"Damn it, how can they be so resilient!"
"Are you fools? Voluntarily trading your lives for my stamina, how stupid can you be!"
The Blade Master felt that his sword... was slowing down.
"Something's not right. The intel stated the enemy numbered no more than 1500. How many have fallen, and why are there still so many standing?"
"Damn it, call for reinforcements from the Third Corps!"
Although they still had half their strength remaining, prudence was paramount.
The initiative was on their side; why should they let their subordinates suffer for the sake of pride?
Facing the seemingly inexhaustible Northern Allied Forces, this Blade Master opted for a more cautious approach.
And once a glimmer of hope appeared, their fighting spirit began to wane.
The offensive of the Flying Owl Army grew sluggish.
Wu Yong drew his saber and roared, "Brothers, the time has come to repay the Speaker!"
"Don't be afraid of getting hurt; we have the Great Chef Zhang Wei behind us!"
"If we don't get a few scars, how can we dare to show ourselves at the dining table!"
Upon hearing the words "dining table," everyone's eyes instantly turned red, wishing they could inflict a wound upon themselves right then and there!