The city walls were swarming with Cao's soldiers, climbing up like a mass of ants.
Moments earlier, the general had promised a reward: whoever was the first to breach the city would receive one hundred taels of gold and five hundred bolts of cloth. Such a reward was significant, but what excited the soldiers most was the promise of being promoted three ranks.
Opportunities like this were rare and precious! The soldiers, already worn from the long campaign, felt a surge of energy. Victory was within their grasp, and the thought of riches and higher status fueled their determination.
The battlefield was chaotic, yet there was a clear method to the madness. Ladders were set up one by one, leaning against the towering walls. The foot soldiers pushed forward relentlessly, some slipping on the mud caused by the day’s rain, yet they quickly scrambled to their feet, refusing to miss this chance for glory.
However, while the plan sounded glorious, the reality was much more brutal.