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It's June 1st, in the year 1215 in northern China. We're in Jong-do, capital of the powerful

Jin Dynasty. From the city's battlements, a weathered

old war veteran, his stomach rumbling with hunger, primes his muscle loader. The Jin

have been at the forefront of using gunpowder and developing firearms, innovations that will

change the face of warfare. But the veteran knows that this is a last-full-law on throw

of the dice. After the months-long siege, he is one of the few left defending the walls.

Beyond them, he can see Jong-do's attackers stretched out. They are the Mongols, the most

potent fighting force in the world. Under the leadership of the greatest military mastermind

of the age, perhaps any age, Genghis Khan. Khan is building piece by piece, the largest

empire the world has yet seen. And today, Jong-do stands in his way.

The city's rulers creep away during the dark of night, opting to take their chances

on the open ground. But the veteran is determined to protect his home town until the end. He and

his comrades have run out of shock for their guns. So instead, they melt down Jong-do's

reserves of gold and silver, reigning the precious metal down upon the attackers, better

than leaving it to be plundered. In the stifling heat, he fires off one final shot. At last,

the decision is made. There is nothing left to do but surrender. The defenders open the

...