Daqin: I, Fusu, can summon the undead

Chapter 286 The Broken City of Fire
As Richuan Gangban's order was issued, the soldiers at the artillery positions scattered in the rear all looked bitter when they heard the order.

It is easy to imagine that they would be exhausted in the next day and night, after all, operating a cannon is very tiring and hurts the ears. Only when the barrel is overheated or waiting for ammunition can they have some rest time and enjoy the little peace.

But military orders were as firm as a mountain, so they could only act obediently in order to use up the ammunition that had been transported as soon as possible.

As for running out of shells, that was impossible. Four divisions plus two brigades carried more than 3,000 trucks of ammunition, and the headquarters could quickly deliver more ammunition.
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On the east wall of the Fire City, Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the explosion plow the positions outside the city and gradually extend to this side. He also knew that he could not stay on the wall, so he took Sarutobi Asuma and the family ninjas down the wall.

They used earth escape techniques to dig many underground spaces more than 20 meters deep behind the thick city walls, and connected them to each other. There were even wind escape ninjas who used wind escape techniques to ventilate the underground spaces to ensure smooth air flow.

But even though the shelter was twenty meters underground and reinforced with earth-style ninjutsu, it was still shaken by the constant explosions.

At night, Sarutobi Hiruzen hid in the shelter, feeling the still continuous shaking, his expression became even more solemn.

The space in the shelter is limited and cannot shelter nearly one million people in the city. It can only shelter 200,000 to 300,000 people. The rest are on the ground. Now the explosion has lasted for seven hours, and it is difficult to predict how many people are left in the city.

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In the early morning, when the sun shines on the earth, it also dispels the fear that has shrouded people's hearts all night.

When the bombardment and explosions that had lasted for fourteen hours stopped, the remaining people came out of their respective shelters and saw the brown earth, ruins and debris everywhere, and broken flesh and bones.

"How could this be?"

A surviving Fire Nation warrior looked at the scene in front of him and sat down helplessly on the brown ground.

"The Fire is gone!"

Not only the warriors, but most of the survivors collapsed on the ground. The sunlight dispelled the fear in their hearts, but it did not bring light and hope, but despair!

The once prosperous Fire City has now disappeared, the once towering and majestic Fire City walls have also disappeared, and the once magnificent and majestic Fire Country Daimyo Prefecture has also become a brown plain.

After a night of bombardment, the once prosperous Fire City, which could accommodate 300,000 people and housed 1.3 million soldiers, has become a ruin. It is devastated everywhere, with no intact building in sight. Only a few ruins stand alone, just like the survivors, who are very few in number.

"It's over!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen retreated away from the broken wall that buried the entrance, crawled out of the underground pit, and looked at the ruins that came into his sight. Even the five-meter-high city wall had been blown down for the most part. He suddenly felt waves of despair.

Without the support of the city, the remaining people would not be able to hold off the enemy for even a day, let alone ten days.

Behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sarutobi Asuma was looking at the brown and red ruins in front of him with his fists clenched.

Even though he was an elite jonin, even though he had participated in many battles, even though he had participated in the Third Ninja World War, he was so shocked by the scene before him that he was speechless.

After a long while, Asuma murmured, "Do they really disregard life?"

"Hokage, advisor Utane Koharu asked me to pass on a message to you. She said that it is impossible for them to hold on for ten days, and she has already led her family away." At this moment, a ninja ran from a distance, knelt on one knee in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen, still claiming to be reporting to you as the Hokage.

"Ah!" Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly and said, "I understand, you can go back!"

When he saw this scene, he knew that Utatane Koharu would do this. Not only Koharu, but Mitomon En and Shimura Danzo would also do the same. Having controlled Konoha together for so many years, he knew these three teammates too well.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen finished his sigh, two more ninjas quickly came in front of him, knelt on one knee and reported one after another:
"Hokage, Advisor Mitokado En sent me to tell you that the Fire City can no longer be defended and we need to evacuate as soon as possible to preserve our strength for the future. He has already led his people to evacuate!"

"Hokage, advisor Danzo Shimura sent me to report to you. Advisor Danzo Shimura said that the Fire City can no longer hold out for another day. I hope you will not offer any unnecessary resistance. You should dismiss the remaining civilians and soldiers and lead the ninjas to leave this Shura field as soon as possible. The lives of the ninjas must not be sacrificed in vain."

Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen said nothing, but just waved his hand to let the two ninjas who came to report leave.

"Hokage, hahaha~!"

After the ninja who came to report left, Sarutobi Hiruzen laughed at himself. At this moment, he just felt that the Hokage mentioned by the ninja who came to report was so ironic.

Does Konoha still exist? Can Konoha be rebuilt? Is the will of fire of Konoha still burning in this ninja world?

At this moment, he felt extremely regretful. For the sake of himself and the families of his three advisors, he weakened the other families of Konoha in the name of Konoha's civilian ninjas, suppressed and persecuted the geniuses of other families (he condoned Danzo to do this), and even destroyed the two families that established Konoha - the Senju and Uchiha. In the end, he abandoned Konoha, the civilians of Konoha, and the other families of Konoha.

But now, Konoha is gone, and his family has become a rat crossing the street that is despised by all forces in the ninja world. Even though the ninja world is facing destruction, they don't want to accept them.

At this moment Sarutobi Hiruzen regretted it. It was because of his wrong cognition and the influence of the other three people that he made so many wrong decisions, allowing the army from the other world to easily gain a foothold in the ninja world.

Asuma couldn't help but worry as he watched Sarutobi Hiruzen laughing at himself.

Although he was still angry at his father for abandoning Konoha, its clans and civilians, Sarutobi Hiruzen was his father after all.

After laughing at himself, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly said to Asuma with a serious face: "Asuma, from now on you are the head of the Sarutobi family. You should take the family ninjas and the wandering ninjas and leave. Father is old! Wrong thoughts have made father do many wrong things. The future belongs to you young people. Father believes in you."

"Father, I am the Hokage of Konoha. I cannot die in exile! Konoha only has Hokage who died in battle, not Hokage who escaped. I cannot bring shame to the previous Hokage. If you meet Tsunade, tell her that she is the new Hokage. You must obey her orders when you bring your family. As for the three advisors, ignore them no matter what they say."

"Yes!" Hearing this, Asuma gritted his teeth and responded.

He knew his father had made up his mind and he couldn't stop him, and he also hoped that his father could have a good ending and put an end to his past mistakes.

He also knew that this period of time by Sarutobi Hiruzen would prevent the family from being targeted like this.

(End of this chapter)