If you’re asking me whether I’m scared or not, I can calmly reply, “No.”
I can reply in such a way, because I’ve experienced death. After experiencing it, you’ll naturally think lightly of it. Everybody has to experience death. The only question is whether you can accept dying at that moment or not. Death is a necessity just as eating and sleeping is for humans. What a living person wants to pursue is not just to exist, but internal feelings.
Death is insignificant if you’re dying for what you’re pursuing.
I’m not actually Troy. Troy and Zhu Liangzhe are both dead, albeit in different worlds. I’m now doing what Zhu Liangzhe wants to do in Troy’s body. To be honest, I don’t actually know if I’m thinking as Zhu Liangzhe or Troy. I just want to do what I want to do.
Who am I to the two of them? I might be the combination of them, but I might be neither of them, too.
I’m charging at the forefront right now with the wind whistling loudly by my ear. My cape fluttered loudly behind me as if it was a blood-red cape. Before me were anthropoids as large as mountains. They charged toward me, armed with massive axes. I could seemingly smell the foul stench on them.
‘I don’t know who I am right now, but I know that these feelings are genuine. I genuinely love Nier, Lucia, Luna and my two moms. I’m willing to sacrifice my life for their sake. I’ve gone through so much already. I may not know who I am, but I do have things I genuinely want to do and loved ones I wholeheartedly want to protect.’
I could feel Nier’s soft cheeks as if the spring wind brushed my skin. I could remember Lucia’s dazzlingly bright smile when she stood in the sea of flowers in her wedding dress. I could see my two moms looking at me with their blissful and consoled gazes. I also had the expectations of my soldiers that were willing to serve me following behind me.
‘It doesn’t matter who I am anymore. What’s important is that I have everything of mine that belongs to me. Thus, I will protect all of this. I won’t let anybody threaten any of this no matter what.’
‘I’m charging at the enemy for the sake of those I want to protect now. I’m not afraid of death, because I’m more afraid of them dying. I saw Mera die, and I saw Luna’s corpse. I never want to see anybody around me pass away in my arms again. I’ll do my best for their sake; I’ll establish a place where nobody can question me and put them in danger.’
‘I don’t want to be a hero, but if a hero can provide my family with a paradise, then I’ll be the first to step up!’
‘I’m getting closer and closer now!‘
‘We’ve closed the gap even more now!’
I could virtually see the saliva the anthropoids before me spat out as they roared. The irritating stench overrode the nice flower scent on Ling Yue. The ground rumbled beneath their footsteps. It was as if I was charging toward a mountain.
‘I don’t know if I can pierce their defences or how thick their skin is, but I’ve got no way back!’
The horde of anthropoids charged toward us!!
“Charge!!!!!”
I roared and the Earth Dragons roared correspondingly. The Earth Dragon riders aimed their long rifles at the anthropoids charging toward us. The Earth Dragons kicked up sand as though they were kicking up tornadoes with every step they took. I made way, and the Earth Dragon Cavalry formed a wedge formation. They were our sharp blade for cutting open a hole!
The charge of the Earth Dragons is as frightening as the charge of a horde of dinosaurs. Everybody gets scared when a gigantic wild beast charges towards them extremely fast, but the anthropoids weren’t fazed in the least. It was as though seeing the Earth Dragons added fuel to their fighting spirit. The anthropoids howled and charged toward the Earth Dragon riders and their shining spears under the sun!
I pressed my hand down on top of Ling Yue’s head gently, “Hold onto me tightly, Ling Yue. Don’t fall off. As long as you’re by my side, I shall protect you.”
Ling Yue grabbed my clothes. She looked at the anthropoids that were coming over akin to an avalanche and shook a little.
I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Tear their defence line down and annihilate them!!!”
The Earth Dragon Cavalry unit roared in unison. It was if two teams of anthropoids were charging at each other. The Earth Dragon Cavalry unit wasn’t scared of the anthropoid army in a tight formation. Similarly, the anthropoids weren’t afraid of the large size of the Earth Dragons.
The Earth Dragons charged right into the row of anthropoids at the forefront. Their flesh clashed. Their limbs and skulls flew into the air. Their roars and cries before death exploded comparably to bombs, creating a war melody for this war with a touch of blood. Not even the tall and large anthropoids could withstand the wild charge of the Earth Dragons. The Earth Dragons sent them flying, and then stomped on them, killing them. Our rifles pierced through the bodies of the anthropoids at the forefront, pinning them together. The riders then threw their guns aside and drew their sabres used for combating cavalry at their waist. They then began to maniacally cut down anthropoids left, right and centre. There was no need for technique or thought. We were surrounded by anthropoids on all sides. All we had to do was swing our blade, and we were guaranteed to spill blood.
Their stone axes caught a few souls, as well. Some of our Earth Dragon riders were caught by their wild swings. They would then smash our riders over and over until they were just a pool of blood. Corpses that were stepped on caused blood to gush out. The battlefield instantly became a swamp of blood.
The remaining siege towers were close to the city walls now. The brave soldiers, who were defending the walls, began to hurl explosives or pour flammable fuel onto the siege towers. When the protruding part of the ballistae stabbed into the towers, they began to pull the noose, forcefully pulling the siege towers that came close to the walls away or down.
‘I can’t allow the anthropoids’ siege towers get close to the walls! I can’t give them the chance to get onto the walls!’
The Earth Dragon Cavalry opened a large gap in the centre of the anthropoids’ formation, where the guards behind them and I poured right in. My guards sprayed the anthropoids on both sides with barrages of bullets. They didn’t need to aim; they were able to hit an enemy just firing randomly. The repeated-firing rifles blew the flesh of the anthropoids off. The bullets imbued with Mommy Vyvyan’s mana are no joke. Once they opened fire, bits of flesh and organs littered the sky.
Needless to say, there was lots of blood.
The air became stifling. The smoke, blood, foul stench and smell of burnt hair mixed together. The anthropoids bellowed as they charged at us. We didn’t need any strategy. Our only goal was to cut them down!
“Dismount!”
I shouted, and then carried Ling Yue off after I dismounted. I fired at an anthropoid coming over, blowing his waist apart. My guards dismounted without any hesitation. We formed a feeble defence line between the anthropoids’ siege towers and their infantry.
Ah, yes, you’re right. This is the equivalent of getting ourselves surrounded, but this is our only choice.
As long as they can’t get onto our walls, they’ll never have any hope of taking this city!!
My guards formed a defence formation and opened fire in succession with their guns. The residents used their special weapons to stand in front of my guards and engage the anthropoids. The Earth Dragons tore open a path, and they will soon commence another charge. As riders who carry the task of charging, they don’t need to stay and engage the enemy.
Nier looked down below and spotted the red cape on a silhouette, standing in the team below. She shouted, “It’s… It’s His Majesty!!!”
She was so emotional that she couldn’t wait to jump off the city walls.
Without any hesitation, Elizabeth grabbed the Valkyrie behind her and shouted, “Valkyrie! Lead the squad to charge out there! Open the city doors and assist His Majesty!”
“But… but… the city walls…”
“Let them try!” Elizabeth seemed to lose control of her rationality. She held her sword and stared at the silhouette below. She thundered, “Let those vermin try! As long as I’m alive, I won’t let either flag fall!! Warriors, draw your swords! Don’t let any of the bastards stand on our city walls! Bring it! Bring it!!!”