Chapter 46: Resisting a Full Day of Attacks

Both sides fought fiercely, the sounds of battle cries and clashing weapons intertwining and shaking the very heavens.

Relying on the advantage of the city walls, the defenders of Black Wind Stronghold managed to keep the alliance of bandits at bay for the time being.

However, the bandits were numerous and utterly fearless of death, launching wave after wave of assaults that pushed the situation to an extreme state of tension.

The men on the walls gradually felt their strength waning, their clothes soaked through with sweat. Some had even sustained injuries, yet they continued to hold their ground steadfastly.

The battle raged from daylight into the evening as the veil of night enveloped the entire battlefield.

Thanks to the protection of the walls, Black Wind Stronghold had not suffered heavy losses.

As night descended, both sides realized that continuing the fight would only incur needless casualties, and consequently, both factions entered a state of rest.

The moment the battle ceased, Chen Tong immediately ordered his subordinates to take inventory of the casualties and supplies.

Before long, the soldier responsible for the tally hurried over to report to Chen Tong.

"Chief Chen, after a careful count, we have lost two men in battle: Zhang Er and Li San. While defending the stronghold against the bandit assault, they fought bravely and unfortunately perished from arrow wounds."

"There are five heavily injured: Zhao Hu, Wang Qiang, Liu Mazi, Sun Qi, and Zhou Jiu."

"Twelve others sustained minor injuries, mostly from glancing arrow strikes or falling stones."

The soldier spoke with a heavy tone.

Hearing this, Chen Tong wore a solemn expression. He closed his eyes slightly, silently mourning the fallen brothers in his heart.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and said with firm resolve.

"Ensure that Zhang Er and Li San are given a generous burial. They died protecting our home, and we must not let their spirits grow cold."

Then, Chen Tong asked again.

"What is the status of our supplies?"

The soldier replied.

"We have about a third of our arrows remaining. The stones and rolling logs have also been heavily depleted, leaving only about half."

"However, our food and water reserves are still quite sufficient, so there is no need to worry for the time being."

Chen Tong nodded and said.

"Very well, I understand."

"Send men to continue closely monitoring the bandits' movements, and at the same time, rush the preparation of arrow shafts and other defensive supplies."

With these instructions given, Chen Tong immediately turned and walked toward the temporarily established medical tent.

At this moment, Xie Qingshuang was already busy inside the medical tent, meticulously cleaning various medical instruments in preparation for the upcoming treatment work.

Seeing Chen Tong enter, Xie Qingshuang hurriedly spoke up: "Brother Chen, I have finished cleaning all the tools. We can begin at any time."

Chen Tong gave her a grateful look and said.

"Chief Qingshuang, thank you for your hard work. We might need to trouble you to act as my assistant shortly."

Xie Qingshuang nodded firmly and said.

"Rest assured, Brother Chen, I will do my best to help."

Chen Tong walked aside and retrieved a pair of sterile gloves from a specially crafted box.

These gloves were obtained through his system exchange, making them an extreme rarity in this era.

Carefully donning the gloves, Chen Tong walked over to the first severely wounded man, Zhao Hu, whose abdomen had been pierced by an arrow, blood gushing continuously from the wound.

Chen Tong carefully cut away Zhao Hu's clothes to inspect the injury. While examining it, he said to Xie Qingshuang.

"Chief Qingshuang, use a clean cloth to wipe away the blood around the wound. Be gentle."

Xie Qingshuang promptly picked up a clean piece of cloth and, following Chen Tong's instructions, cautiously wiped the blood surrounding the injury.

Meanwhile, Chen Tong swiftly picked up a sterilized scalpel and meticulously cleared away the debris and crushed flesh from inside the wound.

"Next, I will perform the suturing. Please hand me the needle and thread," Chen Tong said.

Xie Qingshuang hurriedly handed the needle and thread over.

Taking them, Chen Tong began the delicate task of stitching the wound closed.

During the process, Zhao Hu occasionally let out groans of pain, but he clenched his teeth tightly and endured it with all his might.

"Bear with it just a moment longer, it will be finished right away."

Chen Tong comforted him in a soft voice.

Finally, Chen Tong completed the stitching. He applied a disinfectant solution to the wound and then wrapped it securely with clean gauze.

"There you go, Zhao Hu. Rest well, keep the wound dry, and it will slowly heal in a few days," Chen Tong said.

Zhao Hu looked at Chen Tong with gratitude and spoke weakly.

"Chief Chen, thank you. If not for you, my life would have been lost."

Chen Tong patted Zhao Hu's shoulder and said.

"Don't speak like that. We are all brothers; this is only what I should do."

Following that, Chen Tong proceeded to bandage and suture the remaining wounded men one by one.

Once all of this was done, Chen Tong had his men prepare a lavish meal, utilizing fine grains and dried meat to create various dishes for everyone to eat.

He knew that after such an intense battle, everyone was exhausted and hungry, and they needed to properly replenish their physical strength.

"Brothers, you've all worked hard. Come and eat something to regain your strength!" Chen Tong shouted loudly.

The men sat around in circles, eating the steaming hot food.

The fragrance of the meal drifted on the gentle breeze, gradually floating outside the city walls.

Having fought all day long, the members of the bandit alliance were already exhausted and famined. Catching this alluring scent now, they began to swallow their saliva involuntarily, their stomachs rumbling loudly.

The giant brute wielding twin hammers turned red with fury. He fiercely slammed his battle hammers into the ground and roared angrily.

"Damn it! Those turtle bastards inside are eating good food and drinking fine wine while we starve and freeze out here! I swear I'm going to smash this city open today!"

His voice, as loud as a bronze bell, carried far across the silent night.

A scrawny bandit chimed in from the side.

"Big brother is right! We've been starving all day while they live in comfort. We simply cannot swallow this insult!"

Another burly bandit with a fierce face shouted as well.

"Exactly! Let's charge in, loot their food, and drive them all out!"

Seeing the ravenous state of his subordinates, Wang Meng felt a stir in his heart, sensing that this was an excellent opportunity to boost morale.

Leaping onto a large boulder, Wang Meng shouted at the top of his lungs: "Brothers! You've all seen it—look at how well those people inside the city are eating!"

"They have endless grain, bottomless fine wine, and countless treasures!"

As he spoke, Wang Meng waved his arms wildly, his eyes flashing with greed.

"We toil away bitterly in these remote wildernesses, lacking enough food and warm clothes every single day. But as long as we capture this city, all those wonderful things will belong to us!"

"When that time comes, everyone can eat like royalty every single day, just like them. We'll never have to live this bitter life again!"

"Just think about it: mounds of pristine white rice, succulent meat, and fragrant, mellow wine—they are all waiting for us!"

"Brothers, are you truly content to starve with empty stomachs while watching others enjoy these luxuries?"