4: Battle of Sentinel Hill

The night was like thick ink, deathly enveloping Sentry Mountain. Sentry Bridge lay quietly on the back of the mountain, with sheer cliffs like axe-carved precipices on both sides. The treacherous terrain made Sentry Mountain a natural checkpoint; to pass through, one could only climb over it, as there was no way around.

At this moment, in the mountain stronghold occupied by bandits, Tom, having eaten and drunk his fill, was fast asleep in his room, lost in a sweet dream. Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps and shouting broke the silence of the night. "Boss, wake up quickly! Something's happened, Boss..." Tom was startled awake by the noise. He glared at the subordinate who had woken him with a face full of displeasure and eyes full of rage: "What is it? Has the sky fallen? Why the panic? If it's not something major, see how I deal with you!"

The subordinate, named Bandit D, explained anxiously, "Boss, something really has happened. A group of people dressed strangely but neatly, holding odd-shaped iron lumps in their hands, are walking up from the foot of the mountain. They want to come up! Our scouts at the bottom just reported back—there are at least several hundred of them!" Hearing this, Tom's sleepiness vanished instantly. He asked in surprise and disbelief, "Are you sure you saw clearly? You haven't had too much to drink and come here to talk nonsense?" Bandit D looked aggrieved, almost on the verge of tears: "I saw clearly! When I first heard the news, I didn't believe it either. This place is a wilderness where no one but us brothers dares to walk on Sentry Mountain. I specifically went to investigate, and there are indeed several hundred people."

Tom frowned, pondering to himself. Initially, he was somewhat shocked, thinking the Empire's regular army had arrived. But on second thought, the regular armies of the Great Empires would never appear on this barren Sentry Mountain. Moreover, he had over two thousand brothers here; even the small, ragtag army of Riquan City wouldn't dare go head-to-head with him. Thinking this, Tom quickly dressed, grabbed his cold, glinting Ghost-Head Greatsword, and walked majestically out of his room toward the mountain gate.

The night was as black as ink. Over five hundred Conscripts, holding ppsh-41 submachine guns, were lined up neatly outside the mountain gate like an indestructible wall of iron. Their expressions were cold and their gazes firm as they waited quietly in the darkness. On the cliffs flanking the gate, two thousand bandits from Flying Eagle Stronghold held torches aloft, their blazing light illuminating the night. The flickering torchlight reflected the sinister and arrogant expressions on the bandits' faces, making them look like a pack of beasts about to pounce on their prey.

"Hahaha, just these few hundred people dare to come up the mountain?" One-Eyed Dragon, a minor bandit leader, stepped onto a rock and laughed down from his high vantage point, his eyes full of contempt. "Where are you from? Why have I never seen you before? I'd say, no matter where you're from, you're just a bunch of cowards hiding in your shells!" The bandits beside him joined in the laughter, their harsh cackles echoing through the valley, sounding exceptionally arrogant.

Because the Conscripts showed no expression, One-Eyed Dragon thought they were terrified and became even more reckless. "You sons of bitches, why don't you kneel and kowtow a few times? If I'm in a good mood, I might just spare your dog lives!" a bandit with a face full of scars shouted at the top of his lungs, his words full of provocation. "Don't waste your breath. Looking at their pathetic state, they're probably too scared to move even if they've wet their pants!" another bandit said snidely, drawing another round of laughter.

However, the Conscripts simply gripped their gun stocks, their eyes bright as torches, staring fixedly at the bandits. They knew clearly that this was merely the bandits' provocation and that they must not be impulsive. They were waiting—waiting for Commander Wei He's order. As soon as Wei He gave the command, these bandits would experience the immense power and lethal damage brought by modern firearms.

"Oh, you really are cowards, not saying a single word!" One-Eyed Dragon sneered. "If you have the guts, come up! I'll stand here still and let you hack at me!" Saying this, he deliberately turned his back, putting on a look of utter disdain in an attempt to provoke the Conscripts. Seeing that the Conscripts didn't take the bait, the bandits' insults became even viler, with all sorts of foul language pouring out. But the Conscripts remained as motionless as boulders, still quietly waiting for the moment to counterattack.

"What's the situation? Have you figured it out?" Tom had now arrived beside One-Eyed Dragon. One-Eyed Dragon immediately smiled flatteringly, "Boss, they're probably just some passersby. I see they aren't carrying weapons, just an iron lump that isn't even as long as my greatsword." Tom nodded, secretly muttering to himself, "Although their clothes look like uniforms and resemble those of a Mage Legion, it's absolutely impossible. They couldn't appear here. It wouldn't be worth their while to act against a group of bandits like us—we're not worthy."

At this thought, Tom felt relieved, and a glint of greed flashed in his eyes. He gave the order for his subordinates to charge at the Conscripts; in his view, these people might be carrying some valuable treasures. From the rear, Wei He saw the situation at the front clearly in his mind through a special method. At this moment, the fire of anger in his heart was completely ignited by the bandits' arrogance. Furthermore, these bandits were blocking the Conscripts' path to rescue him. He decided not to endure any longer and immediately ordered the Conscripts to counterattack.

With the order given, the once quiet battlefield was instantly filled with gunpowder smoke. The bandits skillfully grabbed their greatswords and spears, surging out from every corner like a tide. They shouted slogans, attempting to crush the Conscripts with their numerical advantage. However, before they could reach the Conscripts, dense gunfire tore through the air. Over 500 ppsh-41 submachine guns spat tongues of fire simultaneously, bullets raining down on the defenseless bandits.

Under the suppression of such intense firepower, the bandits simply could not get close to the Conscripts' defensive line. Some had only rushed a few steps before being hit by bullets and falling into pools of blood; others tried to find cover, but under such fierce fire, it was to no avail.

They tried to launch a charge relying on their numbers, only to be mowed down in swathes along the way. The scent of blood quickly filled the air. In the once noisy valley, only the rising and falling screams of agony and the deafening roar of gunfire remained.

Under the Commander's direction, the Conscripts advanced methodically. They took full advantage of the ppsh-41 submachine gun's high rate of fire and fierce power, forming a crossfire network that left the bandits with no breakthrough points.

Every shot hit its target with precision, and every movement was coordinated seamlessly. Meanwhile, the bandits were in a complete mess; they had never seen such terrifying weapons, and the fear in their hearts gradually took over.

As the battle continued, the bandits' resistance gradually weakened. They began to realize that the cold weapons in their hands were utterly powerless against such formidable firepower. Some bandits threw down their weapons and turned to flee, but the Conscripts pursued them relentlessly, giving them no chance to breathe. In the dark mountain forests, the Conscripts were like hunters in the night, closely following the fleeing bandits and eliminating them one by one.

After several hours of intense fighting, the more than 2,000 bandits suffered heavy casualties. The ground was littered with the corpses and blood of bandits, and most of the once bright torches had gone out, leaving the entire battlefield in a shambles. The bandits who were lucky enough to survive surrendered one after another, kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy.

This battle, which had seemed so lopsided in strength, ultimately ended with the 500+ Conscripts using the powerful fire of their ppsh-41 submachine guns to successfully wipe out over a thousand bandits and capture more than 500.

Among them was the bandit leader Tom. When he was brought before Brad, bound hand and foot, his eyes were filled with fear and resentment.

After the battle, the long-disturbed mountainous region finally welcomed a long-awaited peace. However, Wei He kept Tom alive not out of mercy. After all, with the firepower of the Conscripts' ppsh-41 submachine guns, they could have completely wiped out all 2,000 bandits armed only with cold weapons.

Regarding Riquan City, except for the places he had been, everything was still a complete mystery to Wei He. He needed someone who understood the area to help and rescue him. Wei He was still uncertain whether just 500 Conscripts could fight their way into the city and rescue him from prison.

Through Aaron's memories, Wei He knew that the combat power of this world was not to be underestimated. He had to be fully prepared, and Tom might just be the key figure for him to break the situation in Riquan City.