Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

The sprawling kingdom encampments stood like forests, surrounding the city of Golden Bay on the seaside. More than thirty thousand Kingdom Legions gathered here, blocking all land routes and almost completely cutting off sea routes. At this moment, the vast city of Golden Bay resembled a 'fish trap' encircled by wooden bars, with the 'big fish' inside the trap finding it impossible to escape.

Faced with the siege of the great army, the Defending Army on the walls of Golden Bay was in a state of panic. The Feathered Serpent Priests and Sun Priests within the city prayed day and night, conducting sacrificial rituals to stabilize the morale of the Defending Army. Since the death of the Great Chieftain Kua Snake of Hidden Serpent City, the chieftains of various tribes from the East lacked cohesion and had differing thoughts. They held meetings every day but could not reach a consensus, almost creating an uproar within the council halls.

The Defending Army in the city was in chaos, while the besieging forces outside the city moved in an orderly manner, preparing for an assault. The five days set by the King quickly passed. By the morning of the sixth day, the attack officially began!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

Under the terrified gazes of the Defending Army on the walls, twenty Copper Cannons were unfurled outside the flat West City. Then, under the protection of two thousand Kingdom's Imperial Guards, the Artillery Camp operated the 'divinely bestowed' Copper Cannons, unleashing round after round of 'Divine Punishment' Thunderbolt!

"Boom!..."

Ten Sun Divine Eagle Cannons accurately fired at the Defending Army on the walls, knocking down erected wooden plank shields, leaving blood-red streaks. Ten God of Thunder Mortar Cannons launched whistling large stone projectiles, smashing heavily inside and outside the city walls. The heavy stone projectiles crashed down, creating one breach after another at the top of the sturdy stone walls. Pools of blood gathered where the stone projectiles landed, resembling the juice flowing from squashed tomatoes.

"Chief Divine bless! Fire!..."

"Boom! Boom!"

After every synchronized prayer, a round of thunder followed! The Divine Eagle Cannons could fire twice a quarter, while the Mortar Cannons fired once a quarter. The terrifying bombardment lasted for half a day, firing hundreds of large and small stone projectiles before it finally came to an end.

The overheated Copper Cannons needed time to cool, but the Kingdom Legion had long been waiting. When the 'Divine Punishment' bombardment ceased, thousands of Totonac Defectors shouldered ladders under the cover of Kingdom Archers, climbing the city walls like ants.

"Chief Divine bless! The War God grants Divine Power, causing all tribes to fight for the gods! Only in this way can redemption be achieved!"

"Feathered Serpent bless! Hold Golden Bay City! The Aztecs, colluding with the demons of the volcano, are a tribe of fallen spirits!"

Warriors of both sides shouted different slogans in the same language, wielding the same weapons, stabbing into different bodies. In just a moment, the city walls were stained with fresh death marks. These bright marks caught the eyes of the young King, vivid and striking against the backdrop of the blue sky and sea.

The Defending Army on the walls of Golden Bay largely consisted of Warriors from the various Totonac City-States. They had no way to retreat; although their morale was low, their resistance remained somewhat tenacious. A large number of javelins, rolling stones, and lime jars were hurled down from the high city walls, taking the lives of squads of Defectors, as if cutting weeds on the ground.

"The sky and sea, the city and people, truly a vivid battlefield!... It seems the Defending Army in Golden Bay City still has a last breath sustaining them..."

Xiulote stood high, observing the massacre on the West City walls, lost in thought. He watched squads of Defectors climb the city like ants, braving the shooting to climb the ladders onto the cannon-battered and dilapidated city walls. Then, these Defectors fought in close combat with the warriors on the walls, dying like ants on the city walls, with hundreds perishing every quarter!

Meanwhile, the stones and lime for defending the city were rapidly depleting, and even the arrows became sparse. However, the Totonac Warriors defending the city continued to receive new reinforcements, maintaining ample troop strength.

"Indeed, although the Mortar Cannon can breach the walls, the stone projectiles and gunpowder consumed are too immense. The walls of Golden Bay City are only five meters high; it shouldn't require complete demolition and might be taken with ladders!"

With this thought, Xiulote maintained a serene expression, lowering his eyes. The gunpowder weapons of the Kingdom Legion were transported from the Lake Capital City over thousands of miles. In a way, these precious siege weapons were even more valuable than the vast numbers of Defectors and would only be used at the most critical moment.

"Hmm... After two more days of attrition, the defending equipment should nearly be exhausted, and the morale within the city reduced to its lowest. Then, the Imperial Guard Legion's throwing vanguards can hurl explosive Clay Tribulus, attempting to breach gaps for the elite warriors of the main force to storm the walls!"

The sky gradually darkened, and the setting sun slanted west. The red clouds reflected the red blood, the city walls stained with death. When the horn to call back the troops sounded, the massacre on and beneath the city walls abruptly paused. The assaulting Defectors, covered in blood, leaped off the walls as if granted amnesty, retreating to the rear camp.

The Totonac Warriors defending the city also panted heavily, tidying up broken weapons and arrows. Their faces were mostly numb, showing fear, exuding exhaustion, and concealing sorrow.

After this day's slaughter, six to seven hundred perished on the walls, and over a thousand enemies were killed. These slayed enemies were all Totonac Defectors, driven by the Kingdom Legion to assault the city. The warriors on both sides of the wall were still comrades-in-arms of the same faction months ago, yet now they fought to the death! Amidst this, not a single genuine Mexica was killed—how could that make the enemy retreat!

"Oh, All Gods! The brutal Mexica possess such thunderous weapons and so many expendable Defectors..."

The Great Sun Chief Qiqini ascended the walls, inspecting the grim scene of bodies piled upon the fortifications, stepping over the battered and uneven damaged walls. His limbs suddenly became weak, his steps staggering.

"Ancestor bless! This Golden Bay City... it seems won't hold until the rainy season!..."

Chieftain Qiqini murmured softly, a hint of despair showing on his face. But beneath this despairing exterior, there seemed to be something hidden, just not yet resolved. After inspecting the ramparts and consoling the warriors of various tribes, he had just descended the city wall when he saw his trusted aide hurrying towards him, reporting urgently.

"Great Sun Chief! The chieftains of the Eastern tribes have gathered at the temple again! They are arguing over their casualties and are clamoring for you to go over!"

"Ah! The chieftains of the Eastern tribes... What do they want from me?"

"Witness of the Ancestors! They probably want our Golden Bay tribes to take on more city defense responsibilities, to send more warriors to guard the ramparts... They're saying it's the city-state of our Golden Bay tribes, not theirs!"

"Golden Bay City... is our city-state!..."

Upon hearing this, Chieftain Qiqini repeated softly, his inner scale swaying violently. Complex emotions showed on his face, with some angry words stifled in his chest, yearning to burst out but forcibly held back. After a while, he sighed, collected his thoughts, and nodded.

"Hmm, I'll go over there immediately! Have the city prepare some wine and beauties, and entertain the chieftains of the various tribes well!"

Darkness descended, mingling silence with the clamor, shadows flowing under the bonfire. When dawn came, it was another day of brutal siege, and then another day! The battlefield on and below the ramparts was already saturated with vibrant and dusky reds, heaped with various dead bodies. Such a sight of a mountain of corpses, even the kingdom's warriors who were seasoned in battle, found it somewhat alarming.

"Chief Divine, protect us! The morale on the top of Golden Bay City is nearly depleted, and the defending machinery is also exhausted. The surrendered Totonac soldiers have suffered four thousand casualties, reaching the threshold of what is bearable. So, starting tomorrow, we shall dispatch the javelin vanguard to begin the true and thorough assault!"

"Once Golden Bay City is captured, we must select a group of heroes who have achieved battle merits, reward them generously, and assign them to the Totonac vanguard camp! In this way, we can both consume and select, swiftly assimilating the surrendered army..."

Xiulote grasped the Scepter of the King, gazing into the distance, his face displaying the king's indifference. He turned back to the camp, looking away from the bloody battlefield, merely waiting for dusk's descent and the rise of a new sun.

Dusk deepened, the camp solemn. The young king sat in the tent, looking at the map of the Totonac land, his gaze already settled on the eastern bank of the Great River, near the forested plains along the river, precisely where the cities of Cone House and Coyote were.

"Family Head!"

Xiulote wore a thoughtful expression, absorbed in the view, when he heard a hushed call outside the tent.

"Hmm? Ecatl, what's the matter?"

"Family Head, an envoy has arrived…"

Guard Commander Ecatl lowered his head and entered the tent, followed by an envoy draped in a black robe and wearing a hood. As soon as the envoy entered, a faint scent of flowers spread throughout the tent.

Seeing this, Xiulote raised an eyebrow, his expression turned stern. Memories of long ago surfaced in his mind, and a hint of indigo blue seemed to flicker in his eyes.

"Ecatl?"

"Family Head, this envoy has been checked by the maiden Yilian... She carries no concealed weapons, nor any poison."

Guard Commander Ecatl reported cautiously to the king in the tent.

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, Xiulote raised an eyebrow and looked at the envoy in the hooded black robe.

"Honorable Death God Excellency! Please do not worry…"

The envoy laughed lightly, her voice magnetic and alluring. Then, with a gentle tug of her hands, she pulled off the black robe and hood, revealing a strikingly beautiful face, long flowing black hair, and a slender, graceful figure clad in pure white.

"As you can see, there is nothing on me... Absolutely nothing..."