Loser System and Berserker Me

Chapter 19: The Venetian Hindrance

In Constantinope, shortly before the Venetians and the Genoese ratted off to Momoana…

“Hu! We have finally filled the gaps!” Constantin XI murmured with a worried frown. “But how long will it last?”

The repaired sections of the wall were bound to be more vulnerable compared to the real thing.

Furthermore, their enemy would likely be firing their cannon every now and then, which meant that they would be living in terror for the coming period. They wouldn’t know when huge rubble would fall from the west wall and crush them.

It would be a harsh trial not just for the west wall but the garrison troops too.

“Suna.” Constantin XI turned to Madam Marti, who had been following him. “That cannon will likely blast through our walls very soon. A tough battle is awaiting us. I truly regret letting that engineer go!”

In truth, the Indomitable Cannon’s creator, Orban, had first visited Constantin XI with his blueprint, but with Romain’s empty coffers, he couldn’t afford to pay Orban’s wages, let alone construct that powerful cannon.

Thus, Orban turned to Momoana, who helped him to realize his blueprint, and the weapon was then used against his previous boss.

“…Let me ask him if he has any ideas,” Madam Marti said.

“It’s worth a try.” Constantin XI nodded.

The prophecy seemed to be slowly realized. Despite having previously thought it was just meaningless rumors that the people used to console themselves, Constantin XI was starting to waver after seeing what the Khitans were capable of.

Perhaps the prophecy might have really come from a seer?

“Isn’t that simple?” Shu Yichao exclaimed after Madam Marti explained her words via gestures. He waved his hand and said, “We’ll conduct a night assault.”

While he was farming mobs along the Ink Sea, he realized that this mod had a high penalty for night battles. Often, the enemy forces would crumble at a barrage of arrows or a single charge.

Since that’s the case, I might as well do a night assault.

But Shu Yichao and the others didn’t notice a nearby mercenary eyeing them.

Later, the mercenary found an excuse and left his position. He disguised himself before heading to one of the houses in the residential district.

“The Khitans are planning to assault the Ottomain barrack?” A bespectacled woman with braided hair closed the accounting book in her hands. “That’s interesting. If that destitute emperor had sent his own troops, his army would have died en route. Those incompetent Romains won’t survive long without their walls.

“However, it’d be a different story if the Khitans led the way instead. I have to admit that those Khitans are the strongest warriors I have ever seen. The Sultana’s army is overshadowed like fireflies before the brilliant moon.”

“Senato, what should we do?” the confused mercenary asked.

Instead of answering the question, the bespectacled woman looked at her table.

Before her, a sachet of fragrant black pepper, a small plate of white sugar, and a roll of smooth silk glowed beneath the dim candlelight.

“I’d have never thought that Khitans would have such commodities,” the woman took in the fragrance before replying in intoxication. “I bought them at a hundredth of their usual prices. Anyone who manages to bring them back to Venice will immediately become a rich man.”

“So, what do we do?” The mercenary was still confused.

“Inform the supervisor of this news,” the bespectacled woman said, “and have him relay it to the Ottomains.”

“Ah?” The mercenary nearly dropped his lower jaws out of shock.

“What’s there to be shocked about?” The woman eyed him. “Only in times of desperation will people take out their best stuff. This city can be pushed even further, don’t you think?”

The mercenary was dazed.

“That’s why I hate dealing with stupid people.” The woman puffed up her cheeks.

She had ample reason for doing so.

First, she could use this chance to gather the luxury items the Khitans had spread across the city. These added up to an astonishing amount of wealth.

Second, she could weaken the Khitans, so as to force the Romains to rely on Venice’s support. Through that, they could fight for more privileges for their commercial city.

Third, she could lend a helping hand to the Khitans after they suffered heavy damage. Supposing they had more of such valuable commodities, she would have struck a gold mine if she could negotiate a long-term trading agreement with them.

Fourth, the Genoese must be harboring the same thoughts too, so they had to act fast or else this piece of news would become worthless!

“Just do as I say.”

“Yes, Senato,” the mercenary replied before rushing out.

“Speaking of which,” the bespectacled woman rested on her chair and muttered contemplatively under her breath, “are those Khitans really humans?”

She had been secretly keeping an eye on Shu Yichao and his warriors. While they ate, drank, and fought like any other human, she couldn’t help but sense a sliver of malevolence from their actions. They felt like monsters clothed in human skin, awkwardly imitating their actions…

“Haa, I’m probably just overthinking it.” The woman took off her spectacles and rubbed her eyes.

Just like that, the two scheming commercial cities delivered the news concerning Shu Yichao’s imminent night assault to Momoana.

“That’s not a bad idea.” A sharp glint flashed across Momoana’s eyes.

She knew that the two commercial cities were scheming something, but what about it? Her greatest enemy right now was the Khitans. It would be ideal if she could exploit this opportunity to eradicate the Khitans.

Thus, she began secretly mobilizing her troops.

Momoana ordered her men to dig out a ditch near the Constantinope’s walls. She stationed some soldiers and concealed it with wooden planks.

She dug out a second ditch near the Ottomain barracks. She placed horse repellers in front of the ditch and planted sharp spears inside the ditch, so as to ensure that the Khitans wouldn’t be able to pass through it. She secretly deployed 8000 soldiers in the vicinity and stationed some of the cannons there.

As soon as the Khitans crossed the first ditch, the soldiers would spring forth to block their path, and they would be bombarded by cannons.

Momoana didn’t believe that the Khitans could still fight their way out of the encirclement under such circumstances.

So, the 10,000 soldiers lying in ambush waited from sunset to nighttime, then from nighttime to midnight, till…

“It’s two hours away from daybreak.” The fatigued Momoana’s eyes were red. “Why is there no movement from the west wall? Did those despicable merchants dupe me?”

While she wondered if she had made the wrong decision, the night assault commenced, just that things didn’t go the way she anticipated.

Boom!

It was a thunderous rumble so loud that it made her ears ring. The earth shook, and dust and stones flew everywhere.

And the source of the explosion—

“No! My cannons!!!”

Momoana turned to look toward her cannon site. A searing red cloud rose amidst the rippling heatwaves.

At the same time, countless silhouettes darted across the Ottomain barracks like specters, leaving screams of misery in their wake.

Pandemonium had befallen the Ottomain camp!

“How is this possible?!” Momoana felt light-headed.

How did those Khitans sneak to the back of their military formation? Did they fly over?!