Chapter 286: Land of Birth (Part 24)

Chapter 286: Land of Birth (Part 24)

Soldiers still alive were busily mending the walls, dragging out unrecognizable bodies crushed beneath.

The bodies of the commoners were returned to any surviving relatives, or buried on the spot if none remained.

Led by Zhuang Mingqi, thirty thousand soldiers stormed out of the Luoxia Pass. With just a wave from the deity, they vanished without a trace, leaving behind no remains.

A general, unable to accept this, led a party to the site of the disappearance, hoping to recover anything, even a mere horseshoe or a piece of armor.

But they returned only with heads shaken.

“Nothing was left.”

It's as if these thirty thousand mortals were but leaves, swept away by the wind, leaving no trace.

These are not the deities of old.

Those deities would act, with a mere gesture causing a hundred deaths or, with a flick of a finger, shattering walls as if hit by a siege engine.

Still, those feats seemed within the realm of human comprehension.

But this new deity's presence quashes any inkling of resistance.

The disparity is overwhelming, so vast it compels one to abandon even the thought of defiance.

At this moment, Luoxia Pass is eerily silent. No human voices are heard, only the creaking of carts used to carry the deceased.

Inside the tent, the silence is palpable. The crown prince, draped in his cloak, sits at the head, while the generals remain speechless, each face mirroring the same deep melancholy.

Then, someone breaks the silence.

"We should surrender."

All eyes turn to the speaker.

It's Qi Yeyi, one of the former commanders of Yuewu Pass.

Once he starts, the rest of the words come more easily.

"This deity is overwhelmingly powerful. How can we possibly resist? Thirty thousand soldiers... He merely waved his hand, and not even a single body remains. You all know how thick the walls of Luoxia Pass are. What do we have to wage this war with? This isn’t about morale anymore; it's about the sheer impossibility of victory. Your Highness, do you think you can defeat such a god?"

"Qi Yeyi!" Someone rebukes him sharply.

Without flinching, Qi Yeyi retorts, "Did I speak untruths? Even if we had two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand, or even half a million elite soldiers, what can we do against such a deity? Is this an entity we can overcome by merely shouting from the walls?"

As harsh as his words are, no one can find a rebuttal.

Qi Yeyi turned to the crown prince.

"Your Highness! Even for the sake of our citizens in Ru Nation, this battle is unwinnable!"

If they were to open the city gates and surrender, perhaps that supreme deity, recognizing their prudence, would spare the citizens of Ru Nation.

But if they resist and force the deity to breach the city, there's no guarantee he won't vent his anger by slaughtering them all.

Against such a deity, even the mightiest of men cannot prevail!

Qi Yeyi believed his words were justifiable. He wasn't driven by fear or self-preservation. If he were, why would he have staunchly defended Yuewu Pass alongside other generals? Why would he have stood firm against previous deities from Yi Nation and even defied the royal edict?

Back then, he, like the others, believed that though they faced a deity, there was still a chance of victory.

But this situation was entirely different.

This deity was insurmountable.

How could they fight a guaranteed losing battle?

A few scattered voices murmured in agreement.

The crown prince, seated at the head, remained silent, only to finally shake his head.

"Let me think."

As the assembled wondered what he might be contemplating, a mournful, agonized cry pierced the air outside the tent.

"We cannot surrender!"

Qi Yeyi's face darkened, sternly demanding, "Who's out there?"

The tent's flap was pulled aside, and two soldiers carried in a stretcher.

It bore a civilian whose legs had been crushed by the city wall.

Perhaps having caught wind of a potential surrender, despite his grievous injuries, he had struggled to the entrance of the tent.

Upon seeing the prince, his eyes, bloodshot with tears, pleaded,

"If you are to surrender, Your Highness, then slaughter every citizen of Luoxia Pass first!"

Luoxia Pass, sharing its borders with Yi Nation, had always known hardship. Its people had lived there for generations, and unless absolutely desperate, none would choose the life of a refugee.

Who among them hadn't lost kin to the Yi Nation's raids?

The city's passionate citizens, during wars, assisted the soldiers by supplying rations and mending clothes.

Hearing of a possible surrender, how could they accept it without protest?

The prince spoke somberly, "If we don't surrender, I have no assurance of victory. And if the deity's wrath is incurred..."

“Even if the deity does not unleash his wrath! When gods descend upon us, does it promise us better days?” The soldier holding the stretcher, with tears streaming down his face, spoke up, “Your Highness, my family was once complete. I had playful yet bright younger sister... but when the deity declared his desire for a bamboo forest and demanded young boys and girls to tend to it, my sister was taken away, never to return. They say to nourish the bamboo, those children were sacrificed as fertilizer. My mother wept every day until blindness took her, and she tragically fell into a well. My father, now deranged, doesn't recognize anyone and babbles about planting bamboo for my sister... Your Highness!"

The soldier took two kneeling steps forward and fervently kowtowed.

"If we surrender, what of my sister, my parents, and countless citizens of Ru Nation?"

A hush fell over the tent.

The crown prince rose from his seat, approached the soldier, and gently helped him to his feet.

The soldier looked up with hope, but the prince merely brushed off the dust from his garments.

"It's getting late. Everyone, get some rest."

At his word, the tent quickly emptied.

Qi Yeyi wanted to say something but found himself at a loss for words.

Once the tent was empty, the prince discreetly coughed, wiping away blood from his lips before setting off.

He wandered aimlessly within the city walls.

There was indeed another way.

He knew how to transform someone into a vengeful spirit, but with Zhuang Mingqi gone, who could he choose to control this powerful entity?

Upon transformation, the spirit would become violent and bloodthirsty. The stronger it became, the more it risked losing its sense of self.

The creator of this spirit, if lacking in resilience, not only risked committing grave atrocities with its power but faced the torment of the transformation process. Should there be any hesitation, all would be in vain.

And the ordeal would be as torturous for the one carrying out the transformation as for him.

Zhuang Mingqi had been the ideal choice.

He was pure of heart yet decisive and resolute. For the sake of his people, he would've seen the task through to the end.

Without Zhuang Mingqi, most generals in Luoxia Pass hailed from Yuewu Pass. Unfamiliar to the prince, it was impossible to quickly identify a trustworthy candidate for this task.

But if the chosen one fails, would a powerful vengeful spirit within Ru Nation be any better than the advent of a god?

Lost in thought, the prince was jolted back to reality by a voice.

"Your Highness."

Turning, he found that a small group of civilians had gathered beside him.

Their expressions bore concern, but they tried to muster smiles.

One handed him a bag of pastries, while another offered a few eggs.

"Your Highness, you seem wounded as well. Eat well to restore your strength."

The Crown Prince hesitated, about to decline, but was resolutely pushed back.

"Your Highness... no matter the choice you make, please take care of yourself," the old farmer smiled. "Without you, Luoxia Pass would've been long gone."

Someone whispered, "If it's too dangerous, please leave, Your Highness. 'While there are green hills, one shouldn’t worry about firewood.' Once you can defeat that deity, then you can come for his head. By then, we can rest in peace."

The young prince, overwhelmed by their words and the food before him, felt a lump in his throat and was momentarily at a loss for words.

He didn’t know what to say.

Should he say, "I will surely defeat the deity"? But even that, he wasn't sure he could accomplish.

But then, what other answer do the people want to hear?

Just then, from afar, someone shouted his name.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! There are messengers from the army!"

As the prince followed the messenger back to the main camp, from a distance, he paused for a moment in surprise.

The camp, previously sparse with the absence of thirty thousand soldiers, now seemed crowded.

Many new soldiers had arrived.

Carts unloaded provisions and armor, and the new arrivals registered their names. Despite the darkness, the camp buzzed with energy under the torchlights.

Directing the unloading was a familiar officer.

Recognizing the prince, he swiftly approached, kneeling in deep reverence. "Your Highness! General Liu Feng and his men have come to assist!"

.

Years ago, the prince had stationed at Luoxia Pass, living amongst the soldiers. With their unified hearts, they had repelled the enemy, forcing them to remain in their fortifications.

But then, when a deity intervened, the kingdom surrendered without a fight. The current emperor, fearing the army's loyalty only to the prince, recalled and scattered the massive force throughout the kingdom.

Now, an astonishing seventy thousand soldiers had returned to Luoxia Pass.

Inside the tents, familiar faces gathered, reminiscent of their unity three years prior.

It was only then that the prince learned that the emperor had fallen ill.

"It’s not an illness," Zhu Mingjun, who had rushed from the capital, said, a flash of anger crossing his face. "Hearing of the deity's arrival, the emperor wanted to surrender and even ordered the capture of beautiful young men and women for his palace. He also planned to build a celestial palace. This caused an uproar. Several officials were even beaten to death. To prevent revolts, he closed off the palace and claimed illness. Now the capital is in chaos, but fortunately, not all are useless in the court. Right Minister Yu sent a message for you."

"A country cannot be a day without its ruler."

But to this, the prince asked, "Did you know that the enemy has been graced by yet another deity?"

Everyone inside the tent exchanged glances and then knelt in unison.

Liu Feng pulled out a familiar tome from his chest.

"Please forgive me, Your Highness. After you left the Celestial Palace, a farmer's wife approached me, suggesting you might have been gravely injured. Concerned, I ventured into the palace and inadvertently found this tome."

Anticipating what Liu Feng was about to say, the Crown Prince interjected, "No."

Liu Feng, with piercing eyes, countered, "Does Your Highness keep this book with the intention of letting Zhuang Mingqi turn you into a ghost servant? He won't, and neither will any of us!"

"Your Highness is destined to be a great leader. How can you meet your end in such a place?"

"Without Your Highness, this old ox would have long become a ghost. Now that you are in need, use this old ox as your weapon!"

"That won't do..."

"Given my wide and chubby frame, I'd probably end up as a flail if I became a ghost servant! Let me be the first. With my martial prowess, I'd be even more powerful as a vengeful spirit!"

"You rash brat, with no knowledge of literature! It should be us, the cultured scholars, who go first to showcase the elegance of our kingdom!"

"My parents are in good health, and I have a younger brother. Furthermore, I've never married or had children. Aren't I the most suitable candidate?"

"By that logic, with no parents, no wife, and no children, am I not the most appropriate choice?"

The surrounding became a cacophony of arguments, as if they were competing for an honor, rather than meeting their doom.

After a heated exchange, everyone quieted down, turning their gaze to the silent prince.

"Your Highness, now is not the time for hesitation. The deity is watching closely, and we need to be prepared!"

"I can't..." The prince's face turned pale.

Everyone knelt in unison.

"We beseech you, Your Highness, to recognize our unwavering loyalty and love for our kingdom."

"Your Highness," Liu Feng, tears in his eyes yet smiling, said, "Forgive us... for making you see us off personally."

The night was cold and chilling.

Dark clouds had gathered unnoticed, with thunder seemingly reprimanding the events below.

Inside the main military camp, the candlelights had mysteriously gone out.

Soldiers who had followed from Yuewu Pass to Luoxia Pass were left confused.

"Why haven't the generals from the old Luoxia Pass come out?"

Beside him, another soldier was wiping his blade.

Upon hearing the question, the soldier paused momentarily.

"It won't be long now."

The querying soldier muttered, "What kind of answer is that?" but received no further response.

During the night, intermittent thunderstorms roared.

By the next morning, the sky remained densely clouded.

At that moment, the tent flap was raised.

The soldier who had asked the question was taken aback upon seeing the Crown Prince emerge.

"How is Your Highness...?"

But the officer beside him said nothing, simply and solemnly kneeling down.

Inside the entire camp, all soldiers who had previously been at Luoxia Pass followed suit, silently kneeling.

The Crown Prince spoke with a steady voice, issuing military orders, consolidating troops, tallying provisions — all indications of preparing for battle against the enemy nation.

Once all was set, he stepped forward.

Like a marionette leaving everyone's line of sight, he reached a secluded courtyard. There, the seemingly unscathed prince began to waver.

He leaned against a wall, staring at his blood-stained hands.

It was then he realized —

The once vibrant young general's hair had turned white overnight.