Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 156 Feeling Uncertain

Uncle Liu, the old archer next to Fang Qing, smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered, "Kid, don't be stubborn."

If it really doesn't work, remember to return it.

Uncle Liu followed Fang Qing's father in battles when he was young and knew the significance of this city. Now he is also fighting for Hesha City.

Gu Jinyan listened to their whispers and smiled softly.

She understood the soldiers' feelings and concerns, so she didn't say anything more, but her eyes revealed her deep trust in them.

These soldiers were her family, her most cherished comrades.

Gu Jinyan turned around and walked towards the second line of defense.

This is the middle section of the east wall, staffed by an elite melee unit responsible for hand-to-hand combat when the enemy approaches.

She stopped in front of a female warrior named Lin Min, who was a little older, with a resolute character, and held a heavy spear in her hand.

He has risked his life to protect others in many battles and is the "shield" of the team.

Lin Min,

Gu Jinyan spoke calmly, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, "If the enemy breaks through the front line, you will be the last line of defense."

As long as we hold this position, the east wall will not fall.

Lin Min lowered her head and gripped the spear tightly in her hand.

A burning flame ignited in his eyes: "General, rest assured, as long as I am here, the enemy will not be able to cross this line of defense."

Her words were firm and resolute, carrying an unwavering determination.

Gu Jinyan reached out and patted Lin Min on the shoulder, smiling slightly.

Lin Min had long since disregarded life and death, and this resoluteness made her feel both heartache and pride.

As women, they are at a disadvantage on this battlefield, but that is precisely why they are more resilient than anyone else.

Lin Min turned to look at her comrades beside her and said in a low voice, "Brothers, no matter what happens tonight, we'll stand here together, and no one will back down."

The soldiers beside her didn't say much, but nodded silently, their eyes firm, understanding each other without words.

This place is not just a defensive line, but the last stronghold they are determined to defend to the death.

Knowing the finite nature of resources, Gu Jinyan pondered for a moment and decided to pile the remaining oil and stones at the rear, preparing them as a last resort.

She walked up to a young soldier named Zhao Xiaohu. This guy was usually lively and active, but at this moment he was as calm as still water.

"Little Tiger,"

Gu Jinyan said to him, "Take some men and pile these oil cans and stones against the back wall."

Once the enemy gets close, ignite them with oil and hurle stones down from the city walls to try and stop their attack.

Zhao Xiaohu nodded, revealing a mischievous smile: "General, don't worry, anyone who dares to come up, I'll let them taste the 'greeting gift' of our Hesha City."

Gu Jinyan smiled. Zhao Xiaohu's fearlessness and optimism always brought a sense of ease to the soldiers.

Morale is the most precious resource in battle, and Zhao Xiaohu always has a way of relaxing everyone during tense moments.

Zhao Xiaohu led several soldiers to quickly set up oil canisters and stones, waiting at the rear to prepare to repel the enemy at any time.

After everything was arranged, Gu Jinyan finally had a moment to catch her breath. She stood on the edge of the city wall, gazing up at the night sky.

Lin Min walked to her side and said softly, "General, it seems things will be difficult today."

Gu Jinyan glanced at her sideways and smiled slightly: "Sister Min, we've come a long way, and we've fought our way out of difficulties countless times."

As long as we remain fearless, Hersha City will survive this calamity.

Gu Jinyan sighed, looking at her with a hint of heartache in his eyes: "You grew up on the battlefield since you were a child, and you've had a tough time all these years."

Lin Min shook her head, a gentle light shining in her eyes: "General, tonight we will live and die together, no one needs to protect anyone else."

Hersha is our home, and everyone here is my most cherished family member.

These words brought tears to Gu Jinyan's eyes, but she suppressed the bitterness in her heart and forced herself not to shed a tear.

As female warriors of Hersha City, they were well aware of their mission.

For Gu Jinyan, the east wall is not only a responsibility, but also a commitment; she is willing to protect this land with her life.

On the other side of the city wall, Zhao Xiaohu, Fang Qing, Uncle Liu, and a few others sat together, the atmosphere less tense and more warm.

"Little Tiger, your family is waiting for you to come home, right?" Uncle Liu asked with a smile, his voice filled with affection.

Zhao Xiaohu came from a poor family. His parents were old and frail, and he was the sole breadwinner.

Zhao Xiaohu scratched his head and forced a smile: "Uncle Liu, after I finish this battle, I will take the bounty given to me by the general back with me."

Let's renovate that dilapidated house so my mother can enjoy some retirement.

After saying this, his eyes revealed a glimmer of hope, yet tinged with a hint of sadness.

Fang Qing silently watched his comrades, feeling a touch of emotion within him.

He was young and unmarried, but harbored a vague feeling in his heart.

The little girl selling tea at the village entrance might still be waiting for him to propose marriage.

But at this moment, he was unsure whether he would return safely.

There were no superfluous words between them, only tacit understanding and deep trust.

They all knew in their hearts what this battle might mean, but they chose to be fearless.

On the city walls shrouded in darkness, every guard of Hesha City was fulfilling their oath.

The darkness before dawn was as thick as ink, shrouding the city of Hersha in a deathly silence.

On the city wall at the main gate, torches flickered slightly, illuminating the resolute faces of the people.

The young general Xu Zhen stood at the edge of the city wall.

He surveyed the soldiers before him, his gaze firm and sharp.

The main gate, as the last line of defense for Hesha City, was the only way for the enemy to attack the city.

Xu Zhen knew that once the main gate fell, the fate of Hesha City would be completely in the hands of the enemy.

His voice was deep, yet it conveyed an unwavering determination: "Brothers, we are going to fight to the death here!"

If the main gate is lost, our parents, wives, and children will all fall into enemy hands.

Today, I only wish to die!

The soldiers' eyes were fierce and resolute, their silence revealing a shared belief in facing life and death together.

Each of them understood what they were about to face.

That fearlessness in the face of death caused everyone on the city wall to retreat even half a step.

Xu Zhen walked steadily to the first line of defense, which was composed of a heavily armed shield-bearing squad.

The shields in their hands were tall and heavy, like an iron wall.

Everyone shielded themselves behind shields, their eyes fixed intently on the distance, as if the enemy were already close at hand.

Xu Zhen walked over to a veteran and patted him on the shoulder.

This veteran's name is Qin Zhiming. In his early years, he followed Xu Zhen's father to fight on the battlefield and was the "iron wall" of this team.

"Uncle Qin, this battle depends on you." Xu Zhen lowered his voice, his tone filled with unquestionable trust.

Qin Zhiming smiled calmly, gripped his shield tightly, and said in a low voice, "General, rest assured, as long as I am still standing, no one will be able to step into the main gate."

His eyes revealed an unwavering conviction.

Even if the mountains crumble and the earth splits open, he will not back down.

Xu Zhen nodded and continued to inspect the defensive line.

These shield bearers will be the strongest bulwark at the main gate, and Qin Zhiming will be their pillar of strength.

This taciturn veteran had stood up for his comrades on countless life-or-death fronts.

This time, he was still resolute.

Behind the shield bearers, archers stood in neat rows.

Everyone gripped their bows tightly, arrows nocked, ready to strike at any moment.

Xu Zhen walked up to Wu Xinyu, the team's captain. Wu Xinyu was Xu Zhen's childhood friend and the team's most accurate shooter.

“Xinyu,” Xu Zhen said in a low voice, “once the enemy gets close, you are responsible for striking first to ensure they don’t get near the shield array.”

Wu Xinyu nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination: "General, rest assured, we will not give the enemy a chance to get close."

He lowered his head, silently inspecting the bow in his hands, arranging each arrow neatly, his mind completely focused.

A young archer beside Wu Xinyu asked uneasily in a low voice, "Captain, do you think... we can hold out this time?"

Wu Xinyu looked up at him and smiled faintly: "Whether we can hold out or not is not important. What's important is that we're here."

If we can't hold it, we'll perish with this city. What's there to be afraid of?

The young archer pursed his lips, a determined look on his face.

Wu Xinyu patted him on the shoulder, his gaze resolute.

These archers form the second line of defense at the main gate; they will kill as many enemies as possible before the enemy charges into the shield formation.

This buys precious time for the shield bearers.

Xu Zhen turned around and walked to a row of neatly arranged oil canisters.

The soldiers in charge of the kerosene were divided into groups, each holding a kerosene can, their expressions solemn.

The oil canisters are the last resort. If the enemy breaks through the first two lines of defense, these oil canisters will fall from the sky and burn into a raging inferno.

It will become the other person's nightmare.

Cheng Liang,

Xu Zhen said to the leading soldier, "Once the enemy approaches the city gate, you must immediately pour the oil down without hesitation."

Cheng Liang nodded and gently patted the kerosene can in his hand.

A cold smile appeared on his face: "General, rest assured, if the enemy dares to set foot on the city walls, I will let them taste what hell is like."

His words were filled with chilling murderous intent, and he gripped the oil canisters tightly in his hands, as if ready to throw them at the enemy at any moment.

Xu Zhen had complete trust in Cheng Liang's composure.

This seemingly stern soldier had already made up his mind.

Xu Zhen understood that the soldiers' fearlessness was not because they had no fear of death.

Rather, it's because they have something else they want to protect.

After the deployment was completed, Xu Zhen told the soldiers to rest for a while and conserve their energy.

The soldiers gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones. Some leaned against the city wall, gazing at the night sky, their thoughts drifting back to their homes.

Wu Xinyu found Xu Zhen, leaned against the city wall, and asked in a low voice, "Zhenzi, what do you plan to do when that time really comes?"

Xu Zhen looked at his brother of many years and gave a wry smile: "What can I do?"

"After this battle, if I live, I'll go back and have a couple of drinks; if I die, I'll be buried under this city wall. That would be a quick and easy victory."

Wu Xinyu was silent for a moment, then gently patted his shoulder: "Then it's settled. If we hold this city, we'll go back and have a good drink!"

The two exchanged a smile, their resolve conveyed in silence.

Wu Xinyu looked up at the night sky and said softly, "Sometimes I wonder if we're stupid. Is it really worth it for a city wall like this?"

Xu Zhen shook his head, his gaze firm: "This is not just the city wall, but also our family and our friends."

If even this land is gone, what's the point of living?

His words echoed in the night wind, and the soldiers around him listened quietly, feeling an indescribable resonance in their hearts.

They looked at each other in silence, their eyes filled with boundless trust and fearlessness.

They knew what they might be facing.