The Great Emperor of the Roman Empire personally led the army out of the city, a turn of events that even Lin Tian had not foreseen.
He had initially expected only the Roman imperial army to march out.
To his surprise, the Great Emperor himself was leading the expedition. For Lin Tian, this presented a remarkable opportunity.
Therefore, he addressed his own soldiers:
"Since the Great Emperor of the Roman Empire is personally leading the troops, let us have a good game with them!!"
"Turn around, let's go meet the Great Emperor of the Roman Empire!!"
"Yes!!"
Upon hearing Lin Tian's command, his army turned without hesitation, following him directly towards the Roman Emperor.
They moved as if to claim their spoils of war.
The Romans, however, were unaware of this.
When their army encountered Lin Tian's forces outside the city, all of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing Lin Tian's army, they felt reassured.
The presence of Lin Tian's army meant that it had not been rampaging through the Roman Empire, giving them a chance to drive the invaders away.
Thus, with almost no hesitation, they declared war on Lin Tian's army.
"Daqin army, you always boast of Daqin's might. Do you dare to face us in a pitched battle??"
"A pitched battle? You have thirty thousand troops and we have fifteen thousand. Do you think a pitched battle is fair for us??"
Certainly, it was not fair, but the Romans desired precisely this unfairness.
Had Lin Tian's army numbered thirty thousand, they would not have dared to engage in a pitched battle.
It was for this reason that the Roman generals erupted into arrogant laughter after Lin Tian spoke.
"What? Are you from Daqin afraid now?"
"It seems Daqin is not as formidable as rumored, and your so-called ancient eastern kingdom is merely that!"
They intended to use provocation to force Lin Tian's army into a direct confrontation.
With their overwhelming numerical advantage, they aimed to defeat Lin Tian's forces decisively.
In their estimation, Lin Tian's army would not engage them directly.
The most likely course of action for Lin Tian's army would be to flee.
Therefore, the Roman army was already prepared for pursuit.
If Lin Tian's army attempted to escape, they would give chase without any hesitation.
Their pursuit would be relentless, a fight to the death.
They were determined to either annihilate Lin Tian's army or drive them completely out of the Roman Empire, reclaiming all lost territories.
With this thought, the Roman soldiers' spirits soared.
At this moment, the Great Emperor of Rome also began to anticipate the outcome.
He eagerly awaited Lin Tian's army's retreat. If they fled, he would achieve legendary renown.
After all, his personal command would have been the catalyst for Lin Tian's army's flight, a testament to his wisdom and might.
However, they still underestimated Lin Tian's army, and Lin Tian harbored no intention of retreating.
Even with the Roman Empire's thirty thousand troops, Lin Tian possessed the confidence to fight them.
Moreover, these thirty thousand Roman troops were a hastily assembled force.
While they presented an intimidating front, their actual combat effectiveness remained uncertain.
Consequently, as the Romans eagerly awaited Lin Tian's declaration of retreat, Lin Tian's response defied all their expectations.
"Since you wish to fight, why would Daqin fear battle!!"
"Soldiers, receive my order: Charge!!"
"Kill!!!"
Hearing Lin Tian's command to charge, the soldiers behind him moved without hesitation, surging forward with him.
Their swift charge reflected their fearless hearts.
Witnessing the ferocity of Lin Tian's army's charge, many Romans were stunned.
A wave of panic swept through many of them.
"They... they weren't supposed to flee? Why are they engaging us in battle?"
"I don't understand either. This Daqin army plays by no conventional rules!"
"They only have fifteen thousand troops. Where do they find the courage to charge thirty thousand of us?"
No one could provide them with an answer to these questions.
But in their eyes, Lin Tian's army was indeed charging.
Their fearless demeanor was enough to awe countless among the Romans.
Of course, some felt a surge of fury.
Many felt that their thirty thousand troops were being belittled.
Despite their superior numbers, the enemy showed no fear and instead launched a direct assault on their ranks.
This was an immense provocation.
Therefore, their generals did not hesitate to issue their own charge orders.
"Soldiers, our chance for revenge has arrived!"
"It was this army that killed many of our brothers and many of our people!"
"Now, they brazenly charge at us."
"Such arrogant behavior is unbearable! Today, we will crush this army and avenge our Roman soldiers!"
"Kill!"
"Kill them!"
With thirty thousand troops and their Great Emperor leading the charge, the Roman Empire indeed felt confident facing Lin Tian's army.
This confidence fueled their rapid advance.
Many soldiers charged forward without even fully comprehending their generals' words, simply following the momentum.
Then, they raised their swords, ready to clash with Lin Tian's army!
Within Lin Tian's ranks, the soldiers harbored the same determination.
The only difference was that Lin Tian himself was at the very forefront of the charge.
The other soldiers followed closely behind him, charging with all their might.
They had unwavering faith in Lin Tian's strength.
They believed that even if faced with an insurmountable obstacle, as long as Lin Tian led the charge, they could break through it.
Therefore, their charge was undertaken without any hesitation or fear.
With such resolve, Lin Tian's army advanced with a sense of fighting for their very lives.
...