Before dawn, Zhao Zhu's cook army had already started digging stoves and cooking meals. After eating and donning armor, they were ready to attack Miyun County once more.

This time, not only did he get the five hundred Fire Crow Army that had been transferred, but he also asked for another three thousand troops and horses from the right-wing general, Zhou Liang. Combined, he had five thousand troops and horses under his command, marching with large banners, forming a dark mass as they advanced towards Miyun County.

The defensive force of Miyun County numbered only about a thousand, even with the forcibly conscripted laborers added; it was only about three thousand. Facing the well-armored and armed Food Protection Army of five thousand, the disparity was significant.

However, the opponents had just won a battle the day before, with morale running high. They surprisingly did not fear nor did they hide inside the city. Instead, they pulled out their troops, beat the drums, waved flags, and waited in the open field before the city for Zhao Zhu's forces to attack.

As the two forces faced each other, they shot arrows to pin down their formations. From fifty zhang apart, an officer emerged and shouted insults.

His mouth was full of words like traitors, urging early surrender.

Zhao Zhu ignored him and shouted, "Who doesn't know the reputation of our Food Protection Army? Why waste words with you?"

Speaking, he drew his steel fork and advanced straight on. His arm was injured yesterday, but after a night of recovery, it was mostly healed. Now he was fuming with anger, wielding the steel fork even more fiercely, aiming for the opponent's chest with every move.

After a few rounds, the officer was cowed, dragging his long spear as he fled defeated.

The deputy general, seeing the main general escaping, immediately led the troops to rescue. Zhao Zhu was no longer the naive newcomer; seeing the enemy's feigned retreat, he knew there was some trickery.

Without pursuing at all, he waved his hand, and his troops lethargically charged toward the enemy. The battlefield before Miyun County instantly became a place of slaughter between the two armies.

However, facing the ferocity of the Food Protection Army, the opponent's forces were naturally no match, even crumbling at a touch. But just as the Food Protection Army was about to press forward again, the defending troops of Miyun County reused an old trick.

Within their ranks emerged a squadron, revealing large green-skinned gourds strapped on their backs, carried on their shoulders, aiming at the Food Protection Army.

This time, the quantity was even greater, with at least five hundred men cutting across the battlefield.

It turned out that during the night, reinforcements arrived for Miyun County, with now five hundred strong Gourd Army entering the fray.

"Hoooo!"

As these gourd-carrying soldiers chanted and pulled the stoppers from the gourds, a gust of cold wind blew out instantly.

This cold wind was filled with the wailing of fierce ghosts, chilling to the bone, seemingly capable of freezing one's bones and blowing away their soul.

The soldiers at the forefront, in their most savage moment, were caught in the face by the cold wind from the gourd, and surprisingly, they were all momentarily stunned. Logically, ghosts and gods shouldn't dare to block the path of those enraged in battle.

But this gourd was different. The gourd's mouth was sawed short, faintly revealing a mass of white, sticky flesh inside, lacking facial features, yet possessing a mouth. Once the stopper was opened, it puffed its cheeks and blew outward.

The first breath cleared the mind, suddenly realizing they were on the battlefield, surrounded by swords and spears.

The second breath filled them with fear and panic, limbs seemingly immobilized.

The third breath induced even greater terror, the body still there, but the soul eager to flee the battlefield.

At this point, not to mention fighting, even standing was difficult, leaving them defenseless against the enemy's onslaught.

"Damn it, the Gourd Army is up to no good!"

Yesterday during the siege, they suffered at their hands and couldn't see clearly in the chaos. But this time, Zhao Zhu was closer and saw it all clearly. He cursed loudly, "Back in Green Stone Town, following Brother Ma Zi, we fought a group called the Tan'er Sect."

"Those demon people raised by Nursing Altar Aunt were similar to these gourd bearers."

"But that Tan'er Sect was scum, low-class stuff, at least knowing to hide when practicing. "

"But the Gourd Army actually brazenly trains this and uses it in battle?"

"..."

Beside him, the Think Tank Iron Mouth quietly said, "This is exactly the difference between the God-given King and the Ming King. Hearing the name God-given King suggests deep blessings, the best and favorable."

"But he himself is eccentric and ruthless, the least compassionate because he has always been blessed by ghostly gods, never suffering losses, so he cares nothing for so-called mercy and benevolence, only if it's useful."

"The Gourd Army is just the tip of the iceberg. Under the God-given King, there are plenty of demon people skilled in evil skills!"

"..."

"Even more vicious than the Official Zhou's hungry ghost army."

Zhao Zhu spat angrily on the ground, saying, "The hungry ghost army acted brutally back then, but they truly couldn't find food, whereas these people, in Quzhou, enjoyed good weather and abundant harvests more than we in Mingzhou, yet they also practice these evil skills!"

"Fortunately, I figured it out last night, and we must also train an army to counter them."

"..."

As he was thinking, the army's banners changed, and the forefront of the Food Protection Army also split to both sides.

A group of people dressed in leather, carrying iron frames on their backs appeared, facing the rows of green gourds. They too shouted in unison.

Each raised their left palm high, grasping a sharp curved blade in the right, moving in synchronization, slashing it across their scarred left palms, immediately splattering blood, then smearing it on their chests.