The Empress’ Livestream

Since coming to Xiangyang district, Li Yun wondered daily if he could bear it.

Firstly, his lord beat him to getting the bandit’s head, but he could bear that since she was his lord who provides his daily necessities.

Yet now, once again someone beat him to making a kill and Li Yun cannot tolerate it. When he skilfully and easily retrieved his silver spear, he saw clearly who had competed with him for the kill. Li Yun was momentarily speechless. It was Jiang Nongqin, the commander of the women’s troops whose official position was also above him.

Just as he reclaimed his spear, he was mentally taxed and he had to use his spear to defend against an attack, then he abruptly attacked back and his spearhead consecutively killed two men. Blood had been spilled on the silver spear. With only a bright spark seen across the sky, the King of Hell had already mercilessly taken away two lives.

Li Yun’s eyes involuntarily fell on Jiang Nongqin. He didn’t see clearly when she had dashed in front of him and stolen the kill. Now, as he fixed his eyes on her, he realised Meng Hun’s words were true; this woman really can’t be provoked!

If most soldiers use their strength to overcome the enemy, they work in harmony with their comrades to attack or defend or to repel the attack. But Jiang Nongqin was an independent warrior. She has no need for others to coordinate with her and she goes by herself amongst her enemies. It’s alright if she doesn’t fight, but once she does, a life will be lost as her every move aims at a deadly spot.

With two unequal length short and long swords in her hand, as if a judge holding a brush and cancelling out names, she decisively takes a person’s life.

Comparing ferociousness, she appears no less frightening than Meng Hun or Liyun. But in contrast to Meng Hun’s exaggerated actions, and different from Liyun’s talented skills, Jiang Nongqin’s every move is performed to kill. Even when blood covers her face, she never flinches not even her brows.

Within a few breaths, she had already taken three steps and by her side lay five corpses. She doesn’t look like a general but more like an assassin; she undertook close range attacks and had an advantage over others. Li Yun had no time to consider before enemies surrounded him. Slowly, they formed an effective battle formation.

After experiencing this initial shock, the Tsing Yi army reacted readily this time. They quickly took up their weapons to fight back. Some were despicable and even caught a woman who panicked then used her as a shield while they hid behind her and tried to launch a sneak attack.

Because Li Yun was compassionate, he didn’t strike, but in a blink of an eye the woman who had been used as a shield already died at Jiang Nongqin’s hand. Her expression was frighteningly cold as if she was a carved wooden figurine. That Tsing Yi soldier who used the lady as a shield also didn’t react immediately and in just that split second, his neck was stabbed with a knife, piercing him from one side to another. He had thought Jiang Nongqin might pity her because she’s a lady and perhaps even put down her weapons, but her actions made Liyun doubt all that he knew about her.

They didn’t know that Jiang Nongqin’s three senses were already directed completely to Jiang Pengji. On the battlefield, there is no distinction between man and woman. Women will not gain any special advantage nor any severe treatment because of their gender. There only exists those who live and others who die.

If one becomes helpless just because an enemy soldier used a lady as a shield, causing his allies to be at a disadvantage, it isn’t just unfair to one’s comrades. This will also encourage other Tsing Yi soldiers to do likewise, leading to more women being used as shields. It is a vicious cycle.

Nonetheless, in a flash, Jiang Nongqin first killed the innocent shield then she killed the man who used the lady as a shield. She was on a killing spree on the battlefield and so calm as to appear coldblooded.

An idea crossed Li Yun’s mind, the long spear in his hands flew across to challenge the enemy’s sword, spear, knife, and axe. Using stealth and without anyone discovering until it was too late, his move was decisive and precise. A silver shadow was cast by his spear, a circular scar appeared on his enemy’s throat, his fresh blood spurting out profusely from the wound.

Let’s go into the spear tactics. Other than Li Yun’s teacher who taught him, no one else can compete with him. Moreover, Li Yun has already fought a bloody fight, his moves carried with them a never seen before aura, but he could switch between attack and defence smoothly, and even if someone goes in for close combat, he can face it head on.

An inch too long is a strong move, an inch too short is a risky move. On the battlefield, those like Jiang Nongqin who fought in close combat were at a disadvantage. But her moves were speedy and her bodily movements were impressive. It wasn’t easy for this mob of Tsing Yi soldiers to hurt her. The others in the women’s camp were not as powerful as her, but their performance had good points but also showed areas in need of improvement.

Two to three people formed a group and attacked an enemy together. However, their training period is indeed short so their psychological state is also weak. When faced with this bloody scene, it is inevitable that they will shudder in fear.

A female trooper unfortunately let the Tsing Yi army close in on her so she raised her sword, almost beheading their enemy…

“Ah…”

The trooper thought she were going to die but then they heard a loud groan of pain. She hurriedly opened her eyes, only to see there’s an additional two bloody cavities where the enemy soldier’s eyes had been. Her comrade who was fighting alongside her held two suspicious bloody orbs.

In the chaos, the soldiers hadn’t noticed the situation, but behind the scenes there were 300 vanguard battalion troops in hiding, waiting for the opportune moment to ambush their enemies. They had waited to provide reinforcements but before they moved, they saw with their eyes how another woman soldier gouged his eyes out. Those soldiers who witnessed the scene trembled in fear, they almost shot their arrows off target.

Useless.

The women’s camp cannot be provoked. Indeed, a dispute may cost you your eyes. Even the men are not as violent.

“Why are you idling?”

Her comrade’s commanding voice jolted the lady back to her senses, her body took the lead and reacted first. Pulling a dagger from her waist, just as the Tsing Yi soldier bent down in pain groaning, a knife was plunged into the back of his neck.

Their numbers were few and those men responsible for transporting the supplies had already escaped. They fled for dear life at the first round of firing.

The women cannot escape because they are tied up by hemp rope. How can the Tsing Yi army fight against the vanguard battalion?

Truthfully, before the vanguard battalion had even killed a few men, the ladies of the women’s camp experienced their first fear. But one by one, their faces focused on attacking their next enemy. Perhaps their individual strength was not enough but when they worked together, it was impressive and none of their enemies survived.

As stated, the soft persimmon must be chosen by pinching it, so when they discovered that a group of those who ambushed them were women, the Tsing Yi army decided to use those women troops are their escape point. Yet they quickly discovered after rushing over that these young ladies were more violent than their male counterparts!

In their eyes, those weak and frail ladies they thought to bully were incomparably ferocious, the long spears in their hands were improved versions and not the length of common ones. They are taller than them by two heads, but their weight is much lighter so that it’s easier to manoeuvre their weapon.

Puff, puff, puff…

The sound of the spearhead piercing into one’s flesh rose and fell in succession. The woman troops even shouted out louder and plunged the spearhead deeper and through their enemy’s stomach.

A killing spree may inflict fear in one’s heart, but it could also heighten one’s emotions. The female troops belonged to the latter category. They abandoned their fear of death and powered up their survival instincts. Almost every one of them displayed a formidable and eye-opening side.

Of the five hundred of them, half came from Hejian, and the other half had been recruited in Xiangyang district. No doubt the former’s performance was more stable and composed than the latter. Luckily, their teamwork had minimized the total number of casualties.