(Lian Li POV)
The war was going just as planned.
The Dong dogs didn't even have any time to react to us, it was just a continuous stream of retreat after retreat for them with defeat at every engagement.
I'm sure at this moment their King should know of our invasion and Brendan should have a lead on Master's whereabouts right about now.
In the meantime, we have our own problems to worry about.
"So... They've gathered an actual response force eh?" Eris grinned, looking at the army gathered in front of us.
"Scouts report there's roughly about a million and a half of them," Elaria muttered, looking through her own binoculars.
"A million and a half against five hundred thousand... We're outnumbered three to one." Diao Chan muttered.
"Then it's an even fight," Kiyomi mused, a small smile on her face.
Manami giggled, "Ufufufu~ Such a shame that Cai Hong isn't here to join us for this, there's so many toys for her to play with."
I shrugged, "It can't be helped. The Dongs won't stop with their cavalry raids and she's the fastest response team we have."
"Ara? It seems like their little General might want to talk," Manami nodded towards their ranks where a group of horsemen were riding out of.
Elaria turned to me, "Well then, shall we? Sister Lian Li?"
I gestured towards the field, "After you, General Elaria."
"Oh stop it you," She giggled, reining her horse to gallop down the hill and towards the plains. "Remember, let me do the talking."
I shrugged, "You're the General."
The two of us rode our way towards the centre of the plains where four armored men were waiting for us on top of their own horses, one of them more heavily armored than the others. He even had a very distinct red plume sticking out at the top of his helmet.
That must be the lead clown of this circus group.
The two of us stopped a short distance away from him, close enough that we do not need to shout to be heard but far enough that neither side could easily cut the other down with a blade.
The clown scoffed at us, "And here I thought I would be facing against some kind of legendary General... Who knew that it was led by two little girls out of their kitchens?"
Elaria smiled at him, "And I thought the Dong's would send someone great to stop the two little girls who are slaughtering their way to the Dong King's doorstep. Who knew they sent a clown over to stop us?"
"I am General Han! I've lead armies before you were even walking little girl!"
"Ah, yes. Sending an old fashioned coot against a modernised foe, like that has worked before. The odds are definitely not looking to be in your favour, old man."
"Our King is generous... If you were to turn around and head back to your little well, we might even forget this ever happened."
Elaria laughed out loud, "AHAHAHA! What do you think this is?! A children's playground?! We're at WAR! The only reason your stupid king thinks such an offer can work is because he's scared of us! You dared lay a hand on our envoy and expect us to sit still?! NO! These lands of yours will burn and we will paint the ground with the blood of your people for this transgression!! The only way we will return is when your damned King's head is on a spike! You really are a clown for even suggesting such a thing!"
"How dare you little girl! Do you not realise you are outnumbered and out matched?! We will trample you!"
"Hmph! Outnumbered, yes. Out matched? You have no idea what you are talking about. We will slaughter your men even before they reach spear distance."
The stupid clown gestured at his army, "You do not yet understand the full might of Dong. To gather this many people is child's play! We can do this several times over! For every man you kill, two more can take their place! You will tire of this war way before we do!"
Elaria stretched her arms out, "Then come, every single soldier you send towards us will die. Bullets are cheap. It seems to me that you were sent here not knowing what you got yourself into... General."
"You are the one with no idea what you've gotten into, little girl. You've invaded our holy ground! We have our God's protection!"
For those words, I couldn't help but sneer at him despite Elaria's warning, "There is only one God in this world and He definitely wouldn't stand on your side."
"Those are blasphemous words little girl," The clown glared at me.
Elaria gasped, feigning surprise, "To think the Dongs actually had faith in a higher being. I thought all of you were faithless dogs who thought only for themselves with how you all like to roll around and die in the mud."
"You damned bitch... I will make you watch as I carve out your subordinates heads as offerings for our God!"
"Wow, and it seems like your god's into some really macabre stuff too, no wonder you guys ended up being so pathetic."
Hmmm? Wasn't Elaria like that once too? Guess I shouldn't mention that.
"Little girl, you dare?!"
Elaria turned up her nose at him, "I dare. And here's a warning to you. We are out of mercy to give. Unless you and your men run away from here, every single one of them who tries to fight us will die today. You can go see your stupid god in the afterlife then."
The clown actually unsheathed his sword, his followers doing the same.
I summoned a bolt of lightning to burn a patch of earth in between us on the ground.
"Any of you dare to cross that line, I will kill you right here and now," I warned them.
It looked like the clown actually considered ignoring my warning before sheathing his blade.
He sniffed at us, "No matter. Since you're foolish enough to reject my offer of a way out for you, I shall take pleasure in crushing your pitiful army into the ground!"
Elaria sneered, "I assure you, the feeling is mutual. Try not to die in our first wave of bombardments."
He reared his horse to turn around and away from us, "I will enjoy breaking the both of you after this!"
We watched him lead his posse away from us before we turned back around as well, returning back to our own lines where our sisters were waiting for us.
"I'm guessing the idiots refused to surrender?" Eris asked upon seeing our faces.
"The clown has his head stuffed way too far up his own ass to even consider it," I told her.
"It matters not," Elaria declared. "We'll do the same as before. Armored units on the front lines with supporting artillery bombardment. You girls will look for targets of opportunity to strike and take command of any available units to support you. Just in case anything unexpected happens, we'll pull back and regroup at waypoint Alpha with aerial Practitioners covering our retreat. Not that I'm expecting them to do much with that stupid anti-Technique barrier of theirs."
"Ufufufu~ Always so meticulous, Elaria," Manami giggled.
"It is all thanks to Onii-sama's teachings. Now let's go win this battle and mount that General's head on a spike!"
