Zhili’s tent remained in complete darkness, and he was still gazing at the night outside in a daze.
At this moment he was waiting, waiting to see whether Tulingtuo would once again enter his tent. Although he did not know that Tulingchen had gone to negotiate with Soron, many things became clear upon reflection.
“Your Highness, Duke Tulingtuo and Marquis Fu’e have come to visit.” Outside, the eunuch Li Zhu’s voice rang out.
Zhili nearly leapt up and said, “Quickly invite them in!”
Tulingtuo and Marquis Fu’e entered and performed respectful salutations.
Zhili said, “What important matter brings you two here?”
Duke Tulingtuo said, “In today’s battle, Count Jianze, commander of the right flank battlefield, went all in, mobilising nearly a hundred thousand main force troops to madly attack Sky Wolf Pass. He actually charged onto the walls three times, and the final time directly broke through Sky Wolf Pass. This is of great inspiration to us.”
Nonsense. The record at Sky Wolf Pass had given everyone inspiration. Anyone with eyes could see that.
But Zhili still played the fool and said, “Oh, what inspiration? Duke Tuling, you are a master of military arts. I am all ears.”
Duke Tulingtuo said, “We still have nearly four hundred thousand troops in our hands. Tomorrow we go all in to attack the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line. We fight to the death!”
Zhili fiercely slammed the table and shouted, “Excellent, it should be so. A fight to the death with Soron!”
After the three unified their thinking, all high-ranking generals and all feudal lords once again entered Zhili’s great camp.
Zhili’s central army camp, which had been silent for several hours, once again bustled with noise and excitement.
Only this time there was no great feast laid out. Rather, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.
Zhili, fully armed in military dress, stood upon high ground and roared loudly, “Tomorrow’s battle concerns the fate of the kingdom. We will fight to the last man, including myself. Whoever dares retreat a single step shall be killed without mercy! I guarantee this with the throne itself. We shall not withdraw until Soron is destroyed!”
Then, Zhili suddenly slashed his palm open, spread out a white banner, and used blood to write upon it: Fight to the Death, Retreat Means Death!
Eight large characters, each one a metre square, written with surging killing intent and astonishing momentum!
Then, Duke Tulingtuo was the first to slash his palm open, pressing his bloody handprint upon this banner!
Next was Marquis Fu’e!
Finally, every high-ranking general present and every feudal lord pressed their bloody handprints!
This was a battle of blood oaths. Unless the other side was completely dead, the battle would not end.
No fleeing, no surrender, no peace!
The two sides would fight to the death. Only one of the two could survive!
…
Inside the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line!
The final decisive battle was coming. The Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line held its final war council.
As the most important battlefield, the Wind and Thunder Fortress was commanded at the highest level by Soron, Zhiyan, and Ashi Liren. Later, because of the Luan Yang vengeance army’s joining, City Lord Tuli Wen also became a member of the battlefield’s highest command.
Apart from the four highest commanders, there were also ten commanders of ten thousand, including Tuli Yang.
“Tomorrow, Zhili’s four hundred thousand troops will madly attack the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line. Every metre of wall will face the frenzied assault of a hundred enemies.” Soron said, “Our cannons, burning oil, and trebuchets will inflict maximum casualties upon the enemy. But the enemy will certainly charge onto the walls. The final close-quarters combat will certainly occur.”
“At the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line, we have a hundred thousand men, the enemy four hundred thousand. So everyone prepare yourselves to welcome the bloodiest, most brutal battle!”
“If we win, Princess Zhiyan ascends the throne. Everyone present becomes a core force of the Raging Wave Kingdom. If we lose, we lose everything, even our lives!”
The so-called war council had nothing much to discuss.
It was simply telling everyone that there was no other path. Only desperate fighting remained!
Either the victor becomes king, or total defeat.
…
“I did not agree to Tulingtuo’s defection. Do you hate me for it?” Soron asked.
Princess Zhiyan shook her head.
Soron said, “This is equivalent to gambling with your kingdom, and pushing it into an abyss of ten thousand zhang.”
Zhiyan said, “I told you, at least up until now, it is not yet my kingdom.”
Then, Zhiyan gently caressed Soron’s face and said, “And moreover, all the stakes now pushed onto the gambling table were earned by you. The situation I have today was also completely earned by you. So whatever decision you make, I support it!”
Soron smiled and said nothing more.
Zhiyan kissed Soron and said, “Originally tonight I was going to continue draining you, but tomorrow’s battle is too critical. You still need to preserve your strength to kill the enemy, so I shall go to sleep first.”
“Alright.” Soron said.
Zhiyan went to sleep, but Soron could not fall asleep. He walked alone to the highest point of the castle, gazing into the distance at Zhili’s great camp.
The boundless military camp crouched in the darkness like a massive beast.
Tomorrow, this beast would launch its most frenzied attack upon the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line! What would the result be? Soron truly had no certainty.
“I made a mistake.” Soron said.
From the darkness, an incomparably beautiful figure approached. It was Ashi Liren, whom he had not seen for many days.
Even in the darkness, her figure rose and fell like mountains and rivers, emanating a demonic allure.
That icy yet fragrant aura made one feel refreshed in heart and spirit, yet also somewhat disoriented with desire.
“What mistake?” Ashi Liren said.
Soron said, “Because of the great victory at sea, I overestimated the role of cannons. And on the Sky Wolf Pass battlefield, Count Jianze punctured that point.”
Ashi Liren said, “Why did you refuse Tulingtuo’s defection?”
Soron said, “Because it did not sit well with me.”
Ashi Liren said, “If tomorrow’s battle is lost, what will you do?”
Soron said, “Lead my family out to sea and become my maritime hegemon.”
Soron had acted the villain before the gentleman, seizing Haigang’s warships. So currently on the sea surface, there was no longer any force that could threaten Soron.
Ashi Liren said, “If tomorrow’s battle is lost, Zhiyan will naturally be separated from the throne. What will happen to my Rouran City?”
Soron said, “It will be most unfavourable.”
Ashi Liren said, “If tomorrow’s great battle is lost, I will yield the position of Lord of Rouran City and let Zhili appoint someone. Then I will take Yuan Ba, along with his birth mother, and follow you far away overseas. Is that alright?”
“Alright.” Soron smiled.
Ashi Liren gazed at Soron and said, “Do you know that as you continuously won victories and your power rose like the sun at midday, I grew increasingly displeased with you in my heart.”
“Huh?” Soron was startled.
Ashi Liren said, “Of course, I will always stand on your side. The so-called displeasure is that feeling of heart fluttering greatly diminishing, that I do not like you as much. The more brilliantly you win, the less I like you.”
Soron was speechless.
Ashi Liren said, “I also find it quite strange. Later I understood. I actually like tragic figures.”
Tragedy makes one become three-dimensional and delicate!
While victors become arrogant, flamboyant, ignoring everything around them.
Ashi Liren said, “Today you refused Tulingtuo, which I liked very much. Although this will make me lose the century-old foundation of Rouran City, I still very much like it. Only a madman makes a woman’s heart flutter.”
Then, Ashi Liren stepped forward and gently kissed Soron’s lips.
Soron’s body trembled. His mouth was filled with fragrance, softness, and coolness.
Then, Ashi Liren’s smooth, delicate little fragrant tongue slipped in, intertwining and sucking with Soron’s tongue.
The mouthful of sweetness made one completely intoxicated.
“Soron, don’t think of escape routes, and don’t think of going overseas. Tomorrow we fight to the death. Either we win, or we die.” Ashi Liren said in a trembling voice, her gaze filled with fanaticism.
“Is this encouragement, or a reward?” Soron asked.
“Both.” Ashi Liren said.
Soron said, “Then can I add one more request?”
“What?” Ashi Liren asked.
“Can I touch your bottom?” Soron asked, “I’ve been craving it for a long time. Your bottom is the best under heaven.”
“How long is one touch?” Ashi Liren asked.
“Half a minute.” Soron said.
“Alright!” Ashi Liren said.
Soron’s large hand eagerly grabbed it.
His hand was filled with fragrant smoothness, filled with softness, filled with creamy skin.
And Ashi Liren’s delicate body trembled slightly, feeling somewhat unable to breathe.
…
After returning to the room!
A slick, snow-white delicate body slipped into Soron’s embrace.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t drain my body tonight?” Soron asked.
Zhiyan kissed Soron and said, “Yes, but please drain me. Please ravish me, releasing all inner displeasure, all pressure, releasing it all within my body!”
“Truly?” Soron said, “When I go mad, even I frighten myself.”
“Argh… husband, I’m so frightened…” Zhiyan said in a delicate, trembling voice.
Soron instantly transformed into a fierce tiger, pouncing upon Zhiyan, this little white lamb.
Indeed, this night Zhiyan played the part of a weak and fragile little white lamb, pretending to be brought to tears by Soron, vividly lifelike!
…
Early the next morning!
Zhili’s army raised high the banner of blood writing.
Eight large characters written in blood: Fight to the Death, Retreat Means Death!
The full four hundred thousand troops were all arrayed in battle formation!
Forty formations, spanning several li, boundless and infinite!
Zhili led his most elite personal guard troops, seated upon a war chariot, at the rear of the forty formations!
He was fully armed in military dress, gripping a precious sword!
Today, as the Young Lord, Zhili would also personally enter the battlefield. The personal guard troops he led were not only enforcement troops. When all the armies had been expended, this army would also charge at the walls and fight to the death with Soron.
“Behind me are twenty thousand enforcement troops. In today’s battle, advance but never retreat. Whoever dares retreat a single step shall be killed without mercy!”
“Advance but never retreat, including myself. When all of you have gone up, it will be my turn!”
Finally, Zhili let out a great roar, “Fight to the Death, Retreat Means Death!”
Under the leadership of their respective commanders, several hundred thousand troops roared in unison, “Fight to the Death, Retreat Means Death!”
This voice was deafening, nearly making the heavens change colour and the earth tremble.
“Attack, heaven shall destroy Soron!”
With a single command!
Four hundred thousand troops, including Zhili himself, including all feudal lords, madly charged towards the Wind and Thunder Fortress defensive line several li away.
All or nothing, a fight to the death!