Slouching on the bench and with his eyes on his city doors, Ming Feizhen pontificated, “Proceed as I just mentioned. Return to your respective groups.”
Accordingly, Evil Spirits gathered around Abels. Qilin Guards assembled behind Long Zaitian. Emperor’s Entourage reported in to Dugu and Tie Hanyi.
Emperor Yuansheng, sitting beside Ming Feizhen, queried, “Constable Ming, there should only be one commander. Why are you splitting everyone up?”
“They all belong to a group and are loyal to their leaders. They will not obey me when I have no authority. I might be able to offer suggestions, but there is no way they will comply with my orders. They have chemistry with their comrades, which will bring out the best in them. That is all we can ask for. Moreover, if one is to die, the only place to die is beside one’s leader.”
The various teams already assumed assault formations.
“Your Majesty, you are tied to the world’s fate. Please stay on this side of the doors. If anyone escapes, please kill them on the spot.”
“I understand. I wish you all good luck!” Emperor Yuansheng and Lai Jingzhen rode away from the dust-laden doors of Nieyao.
The team leaders gathered around Ming Feizhen. Feng Xue asked, “Asking me to command is undermining your job as a strategist, isn’t it?”
“We might be equals when it comes to peddling nonsense, but you are unequalled as a military commander among everyone here. What sort of ninny would I have to be to trust my leadership skills over Nanjiang’s grand commander? You are the man for the job, Uncle Feng Xue.”
“… Still, you should give the final order.”
Noticing Ming Feizhen’s fixation on the doors separating from the fields of blood, inorganic wreckage and skeletons, Hong Jiu quietly inquired, “What’s the matter, Leader?”
“Nothing… Something just came to mind.”
“What?”
“Doesn’t matter anymore.” Ming Feizhen staggered as he tried to walk upon getting up. Once he steadied himself, he held out a hand. “Second, wine.”
Hong Jiu passed Ming Feizhen a big jug of wine from the long table. Ming Feizhen generously poured the “Oblivious” wine into his mouth. “Gentlemen, nobody knows if they’ll be coming back alive. Regardless of whence you came, you are now heroes. I offer you all a toast of respect for your courage.” He knocked every drop back, conveyed, “Gentlemen, let us meet again tomorrow,” then threw the jug at the ground, smashing it sonorously. “Open the doors!”
***
“Finally.”
Although it wasn’t what he wanted, Gewu had finished his preparations. The ten thousand armoured soldiers in the city weren’t stationed there to fight off an invasion; their goal was something greater – the conquest of Nanjiang. With the bandits under his control, reins over four states in his hands and more in his hands, the only thing he needed to complete his conquest was land.
Gewu and Le Kuangnu’s original plan was to deploy the elite army once Le Kuangnu started uproar to deal a heavy blow to Wanyu. Once he ascended Mount Ling and slid into the vacant iron throne, he would’ve completed half of his plan.
Le Kuangnu may have not had the opportunity to see the fruits of his labour go out the window, but Gewu was still alive, and he hadn’t forgotten what his goal was. The plan had changed, but the goal had not. Once his elite soldiers had wiped out the hubristic worms, he’d march on Wanyu’s royal palace with his four dragons. What was a little resistance to the fearsome Six Evils?
Ming Feizhen, your complacence will be your downfall and the downfall of everyone you care about.
The cost of complacence was one that none can afford. Once one let it in, hell would drag you down to a bottomless pit of misery. If this weren’t true, why did Gewu’s wife die?
“Reporting! The doors have opened, and the enemy has entered.”
“Hmph, how many of them are there?” responded Gewu.
“Their vanguard numbers a thousand, and there an estimated one thousand right behind.”
“So two thousand in total. A vanguard of a thousand? They brought quite a force from the Central Plan, huh? What hope does an unarmoured force of a thousand have against my armoured soldiers? Send three thousand cavalry from the beast and horse riding groups. Show those Central Plain barbarians what war really is.”
A while later…
“Reporting, our three thousand soldiers have reached a stalemate against the enemy forces. The vanguard is an exceptional group of fighters. Ordinary soldiers are unable to last a single exchange.”
“So? Their end is inexorably a crushing defeat. By my orders, send another two thousand soldiers as reinforcements. I want them annihilated. Gradually send the reinforcements to show them true despair.”
The smell of blood became pronounced a short while later, proving that a lot of people had fallen.
A while later…
“Now what?”
Panting, the messenger informed, “W-we are evenly matched! The enemy’s remaining thousand soldiers have joined the fray.”
“If they increase their numbers, deploy more men. You have five times their number, for crying out loud! Scram!”
A while later… The messenger limped back in bloody clothing. “Reinforcements! Reinforcements!”
“You need more reinforcements to take them down?”
“N-no, th-the enemy reinforcements have arrived!”
“Enemy reinforcements?” Gewu decided to fight the battle because, according to the pulse he kept on Nanjiang’s states, no state should’ve acquiesced to lending troops. “How many are there?”
“About… About… twenty thousand…”
The messenger’s pallor wasn’t due to oxygen debt; he was scared out of his wits.
***
“I get it now,” Ming Feizhen blurted out of nowhere.
“What do you get, Leader?” Hong Jiu asked.
“Nothing important.” Ming Feizhen flashed his pearly whites. “Just an ant.”
