Chapter 730: The Hidden Experts Among the People

"Mere foot soldiers!" Li Tiao growled as he continued to cut down enemies, his face a mask of grim determination. By now, he had spotted several familiar faces—former Yellow Turban leaders like himself who had returned to farming but were now back in action.

"All those who’ve reached the Qi Refinement stage, follow me! We need to protect Lord Xuande in the city center!" After slaying a dozen soldiers, Li Tiao noticed more and more acquaintances joining the fray. He quickly assumed command, rallying the others with the authority of a former leader.

Responding to Li Tiao's call, over a dozen Qi Refinement-level warriors joined him as they charged toward the city center.

The people of Fenggao were primarily law-abiding citizens, but their past told a different story. A few years ago, most of them were either ruthless bandits from Mount Tai or desperate Yellow Turbans. Now, having finally gained some semblance of peace and stability, these citizens were determined not to let anyone take it from them. Grabbing their old weapons, they poured into the streets, joining the battle against Yuan Shao's soldiers and the private troops of the rebelling noble families.

The Yellow Turbans, fighting for their beliefs, were no less formidable than any trained elite soldiers. Many of Fenggao's residents were former leaders of the Yellow Turbans who had grown tired of war and returned to farming. But now, as they took up arms once more to defend their homes, their fighting spirit burned as fiercely as ever. In no time, they cleared the streets of the enemy.

The people of Fenggao may have appeared to be ordinary citizens, but beneath the surface, they were anything but. Many of them were seasoned warriors who had fought as Mount Tai bandits or Yellow Turbans. Though they had spent the last few years living peacefully, they had not forgotten how to fight. And in this era, where almost anything could be fashioned into a weapon, most households had a stockpile of swords, spears, and other arms.

As the city’s 300,000 inhabitants rose up, over 100,000 of them became combat-ready soldiers. In an instant, the bustling city of Fenggao transformed into a massive military camp, revealing the true ferocity of its people.

Faced with this overwhelming force, Han Xun's private troops and Yuan Shao's soldiers were quickly reduced to a joke. The elite city management troops outmatched them in skill, and the sheer numbers of the citizens-turned-soldiers overwhelmed them. Even the noble families' elite soldiers, who had been caught up in the rebellion, were no match for the sheer determination of the people.

"Brother Li, I saw someone commanding these rebels," one of the Yellow Turban veterans, his head wrapped in a yellow cloth, reported as he scanned the battlefield and spotted Han Xun. Having once led the Yellow Turbans, he recognized the telltale signs of a commander at work.

"A commander?" Li Tiao sneered. "Where? Brothers, let's take him out, no questions asked."

With that, a group of Yellow Turban veterans sprang into action. Armed with an assortment of weapons—swords, spears, and even makeshift arms like bricks, clubs, and farming tools—they climbed onto the rooftops and crept toward Han Xun. Once they were in position, they launched a coordinated attack, pummeling Han Xun with a barrage of weapons. Despite his formidable martial skills, Han Xun was caught off guard by the sheer ferocity of the assault. Before he could react, he was knocked unconscious and bundled into a sack.

The soldiers guarding Han Xun were taken completely by surprise. Before they could mount a defense, the veterans had already cut them down.

"No doubt about it, this one's a big fish. Look, his guards are wearing armor underneath their clothes," Li Tiao grinned, quickly stripping the armor from the fallen soldiers. Years of scavenging had honed his instincts to perfection.

"Time to scram!" After looting the bodies, the veterans made a hasty retreat, carrying their unconscious prize. With their commander taken out, Yuan Shao's troops were thrown into disarray, their cloud of morale shattered.

"Stop right there!" A group of ten Yellow Turban veterans charged down the street, shouting and waving their weapons. They attacked any Yuan Shao soldiers or rebelling noble troops they encountered, making their way toward the city's center. However, they soon found themselves face-to-face with the elite city management troops.

"These guys look like the patrol unit," remarked Xue Zhou, who wielded two sickles. After a brief clash, he quickly retreated, recognizing the formidable opponents before him.

"Yeah, I think you're right," Chen Hong, who was armed with a rake, agreed as he backed off.

The two groups eyed each other warily, weapons ready.

"Who are you? I don’t recall any soldiers in our ranks with such skills, and your weapons…" Qin Qi, leading a hundred city management troops, demanded as he stared down Li Tiao and his group of Yellow Turban veterans.

"That guy looks like Qin Qi. I saw him at the market a couple of days ago," Zhang Du, who was holding a hoe, whispered to Li Tiao.

Unlike the neatly uniformed city management troops, Li Tiao's group was a ragtag bunch, armed with a bizarre assortment of weapons ranging from farm tools to improvised arms. Despite their odd appearance, they were all Qi Refinement-level warriors, capable of holding their own in battle.

"Commander, these folks are just city residents. The guy with the hoe is old Zhang from the market, the one with the sickles is Old Man Xue from the teahouse, and the one with the spear in front is Li, the construction worker," one of the city management troops identified the group.

"Hey, Old Qin, let me ask you something—Lord Xuande, is he alright?" Li Tiao called out after confirming the identities of the city management troops.

"He's fine. We’re clearing out the rebels. What about you guys?" Qin Qi responded tersely, keeping his eyes on Li Tiao.

"Anyone who dared to rebel against Lord Xuande—we’ve killed them all! Nie Ying, toss that sack over," Li Tiao ordered one of his men, who was carrying a large sack and a club.

"Thud." Fan Zhe didn’t hesitate, tossing the sack over.

"What’s this?" Qin Qi asked.

"The enemy’s commander," Li Tiao replied, his expression unchanging.

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