Tenpyo Saka lead the peak experts who had just joined Yue Zhong to chase after the escaping Saint Wolf Riders, killing another 15 of them. The rest managed to escape albeit with great difficulty.
The moment the Saint Wolf Riders dispersed, Yue Zhong brought out a heavy-machine gun and begun to spray at the Gold Wolf Riders.
Those Gold Wolf Riders who had just charged into Tian Mu Town had no way out without the Saint Wolf Riders, and they continued to stay within the bunkers, before being wiped out by Yue Zhong’s subordinates and the 10 great triads.
Retreat!!
Retreat!!
……
Gugani saw the situation turning bad, and quickly gave the order to retreat.
The moment the Gold Wolf Riders heard that order, they abandoned the other corpses and quickly fled Tian Mu Town.
Yue Zhong then quickly ordered Ximen Lie to organize a team to pick up all that was left by the Gold Wolf Riders, and to organize another team of the Tian Mu Town survivors to begin repairs.
The Gold Wolf Riders had retreated from Tian Mu Town, but they only retreated beyond a few kilometers, and did not actually leave.
Gugani came and saw Dong-Er Molei missing his right arm, and spoke with an unfriendly tone:
Dong-Er Molei, what the fuck happened?
By retreating, whatever the Gold Wolf Riders had sacrificed was for naught. They had left over 700 corpses of their comrades back there. Every time he thought to the pointless deaths of their 700 elites, Gugani’s mind was filled with fear.
Those elites were the core strength of the Great Turkic Empire. By losing 700 Gold Wolf Riders, this was a huge blow to them. What was more scary was that even after such a heavy price, they did not manage to conquer Tian Mu Town. They were sure to be punished heavily upon their return.
Dong-Er Molei stared back at Gugani and hollered:
Shut up!! You fucking useless half-blood trash that rely on women to get to your position!! In Tian Mu Town, there’s an expert with all sorts of technologically advanced weapons. Our troops are not meant to breach cities, what the fuck did you expect?
Dong-Er Molei was shifting all the responsibility to Gugani, in actual fact, he was the first to charge at Tian Mu Town, and he was the one who rallied his troops to charge at Tian Mu Town. If it wasn’t for Yue Zhong bringing the Han experts under his banner, Tian Mu Town might truly have fallen at his hands. Now that he had failed, he vented his anger and frustration of his failure to Gugani.
Gugani’s countenance flashed with anger, before he lowered his head silently. He was indeed a mixed blood from Han and Uyghur descent. Before the apocalypse, it wouldn’t mean much.
However, the current Great Turkic Empire was very anal about blood purity. Because of his mixed-blood status, Gugani was often ostracized. If it wasn’t for his quick wit, and his offerings of a few beauties to Wu-Er Tuotuo, in addition to his skills, he wouldn’t have been able to climb to his position.
Even then, the rest of the Uyghur people still looked down on him, and would call him bastard. It was only in front of Wu-Er Tuotuo that they minded their words.
A savage and fierce glint flashed in Dong-Er Molei’s eyes as he spat:
Tian Mu Town cannot be conquered for now!! We shall retreat for the time-being, and go launch a sneak attack on Aga Town.
Gugani gasped in shock:
Aga Town! That’s the Manchurian territory, if we attack them, they will definitely not sit back and do nothing!!
Dong-Er Molei stared at Gugani and roared:
The Manchurians are also a bunch of trash that lost to the Hans before! How can they stand up to our Great Turkic Empire. They’re trash, the very epitome of worms! I’m the General, Gugani, are you trying to disobey my orders?
Dong-Er Molei had been injured badly Yue Zhong and his mood was foul. He wanted to vent his fury by massacring some enemies, at the same time to raise the morale of the Gold Wolf Riders. While a massacre would be a disaster for the victims, to the slaughterers, it was a quick way to bolster morale. In war, many generals would allow their men to pillage or rape or even murder. Even the American troops had sunk to certain levels during the Vietnam war.
One intelligence officer hurried in, his face pale with fright:
General!! Things are bad!! We discovered an armored troop rushing over here with great speed.
What?
Both Dong-Er Molei and Gugani were taken back.
Currently, the Gold Wolf Rider had just suffered a defeat, and lost over 700 elites, their morale was at a low. With this sudden appearance of an armored troop making its way towards them, it was obvious that there was no good intent.
Gugani asked:
Who are they?
The officer replied:
They’re the 8 Banners Army of the Manchurian Empire!!
About 10km away from the Gold Wolf Riders camp, there were 30 IFVs, 8 tanks, 40 machine gun-mounted vehicles, 10 122 Howitzers and a 1000 motorcycles making their way towards the Gold Wolf Riders.
Other than the fully motorized troop, there were 4,000 additional warriors riding on common horses and the Black Stallions, and a 3,000 foot-soldiers making their way to surround Gold Wolf Riders.
The retreat of the Gold Wolf Riders had been totally cut off by this army of over 10,000 people. There was Tian Mu Town in front, and the Manchurian 8 Banners Army behind.
In the command centre of the approaching troops, stood a burly middle-aged man decked in emperor clothes and a crown on his head. There was a tinkling glint in his eyes as he said:
Those Hans are sure capable, to actually force that animal Dong-Er Molei back!
Another middle-aged man with straight features and an uncommon aura stood beside the emperor and said respectfully:
My liege, other than his strength, Dong-Er Molei is just a brute. He only knows how to use force, and had actually tried to use his troops to breach the city walls. It was simply fighting with their weakness in their haste. However, for them to be defeated so fast, it has truly exceeded this subject’s calculations.
The man in the emperor’s clothes was precisely the emperor of Manchuria, Aisin Gioro – Xuan Zhen. The prim and proper man beside him was the most trusted aide of his, General Shang Ming De.
Xuan Zhen’s eyes were filled with excitement and fervor:
This time, as long as we eradicate the Gold Wolf Riders, we would become the 2nd largest faction out here in the Central Plains. Once we’ve swallowed the Turkic power, we would then become the largest! With the Central Plains as our base, conquering the entire country would not just be a dream! Haha!
The population in the Central Plains were quite spaced out, and the remaining survivors were thus more than other places. If they could really unite all the survivors, the entire strength would be a force to reckon with.
My King is wise!! My King is far-sighted, and this subject is simply inferior.
Shang Ming De sucked up to him, before throwing in a few words of advice: ‘My Liege! Kill a thousand enemies and suffer 800 casualties. To swallow the Turkic Empire, our losses will not be small, and there might be a chance that the Mongol King would try and jump on us then.
Xuan Zhen’s eye flashed with a cold but arrogant light:
The Mongol King? Hmph! This Emperor naturally has a way to deal with him. Ming De!
Shang Ming De quickly got on his knees and portrayed the very posture of a loyal subject:
Your subject hears!
Xuan Zhen looked at him and spoke strictly:
When we are done eradicating Dong-Er Molei, go to Tian Mu Town and extend an invitation for the Hans to join us. As long as they’re willing to join our Manchuria, this Emperor will confer upon them the status of Manchurians, and allow them to join our forces.
Xuan Zhen had been an ordinary Manchurian, and was actually not of Aisin Gioro’s descent. In fact, he was an ordinary farmer. However, he loved to watch dramas, and had idolized Puyi, the 12th emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who had been dramatized.
After the apocalypse, Xuan Zhen had awakened as an Evolver, and changed his name to Aisin Gioro Xuan Zhen, intending to create a new Manchuria. He made use of the chaos then, to gather like-minded people. However, Xuan Zhen had always felt the Manchurians to be the noblest of blood, and he would try and recruit powerful people of talent and confer upon them the status of a Manchurian.
In order to pull more experts in, he had employed such tactics, and as such, a huge number of experts had gathered under him. When he saw that the Hans in Tian Mu Town had been able to repel Dong-Er Molei, he began to entertain the idea of recruiting them.
Shang Ming De kowtowed:
Yes! Your subject obeys!
With the passing of time, the 8 Banners Army of the Manchu Empire got closer to the Gold Wolf Riders.
Gugani saw the approaching Manchurians, and his heart was filled with anxiety:
What do we do?
A wild and savage glint flashed in Dong-Er Molei’s eyes, as he roared:
Breakthrough!! Everyone listen up!! Charge and kill with me!! We will break past their lines!!
Kill!
Kill!!
Kill!!
The Gold Wolf Riders began to shout and holler with killing intent under the rallying cry of Dong-Er Molei.
Charge with me!!
Dong-Er Molei rode his Black Stallion and charged right for the 8 Banners Army.
The 3,000 Gold Wolf RIders immediately followed behind his lead, charging for their enemies with billowing killing intent.
Although Dong-Er Molei was violent and wild, he wasn’t an idiot He didn’t charge for the armored battalion, instead, aiming for the flesh and blood soldiers.
The 30 IFVs, 8 tanks, 40 gun-mounted vehicles, 10 122 Howitzer began blasting the Gold Wolf RIders Under the hail of firepower, many of the Gold Wolf Riders fell, their bodies blasted apart.
The cavalry and foot soldiers of the 8 Banners Army also fired their own guns at the incoming Gold Wolf Riders.
However, the Gold Wolf Riders were mainly riding powerful Black Stallions, and their maximum speed was faster than ordinary mounts In a few breaths of time, they had to pay the price of a few hundred people Dong-Er Molei had already charged right into the troops of foot soldiers.
Chapter 422: Miserable Victory of the Manchurian Army!
Although Dong-Er Molei had lost an arm, he was still as valiant and wild. He wielded his huge hammer and charged right at the enemy, smashing them into minced meat.
These foot soldiers were all common vagrants and had not yet undergone any proper training. They were mostly using wooden spears and the moment they were charged at by the Gold Wolf Riders, they quickly broke ranks and abandoned their armor and weapons to flee.
Hong! Hong!
The 10 122 howitzers began to fire non-stop. Rounds after rounds blasted the Gold Wolf Riders, tearing their bodies apart. The fearsome projectiles rained down and caused some of the foot soldiers of the Manchurian Army to be caught in the area of effect as well.
As Dong-Er Molei was engaging the foot soldiers, the 1,000-strong motorcycle troop revved and charged at the Gold Wolf Riders using their own firearms to kill those Gold Wolf Riders as well as their own comrades who were clashing against them.
Those 3,000 foot soldiers were after all, slaves and were made up of Hans and other races. Xuan Zhen had deliberately made use of them to attract the attention of the Gold Wolf Riders, sending them to be slaughtered, while wearing down their stamina and horsepower.
Dong-Er Molei led the Gold Wolf Riders and caused the 3,000-strong troop to scatter upon losing many of their people but the Gold Wolf Riders were similarly being bombarded by the 8 Banners Army from the other side.
The 4,000 riders of the 8 Banners Army prepared to launch a devastating attack. Many of these riders made use of sabres. Their objective was to prevent the Gold Wolf Riders from running and to control their movements. If need be, they would launch a mighty assault on them.
The ones who were truly out to kill the Gold Wolf Riders were the motorcycle troops and the armored vehicles.
Under the assault of the 1,000-strong motorcycle riders, many of the Gold Wolf Riders were shot from their mounts, as they screamed and wailed.
Charge!!!
Dong-Er Molei roared out with bloodshot eyes, his fury reaching a peak. He led 80 Saint Wolf Riders and did not focus on the foot soldiers any longer, aiming to break out instead.
Kill!
The 4,000-strong 8 Banners riders bellowed in response as they surged forward with their sabres pointing out, making their way for the remaining 1,800 Gold Wolf Riders.
The 2 top forces of the Central Plains clashed in this epic battle and engaged in a cruel and merciless slaughter that resulted a great deal of blood and body parts flying everywhere. In terms of actual power, the Gold Wolf Riders were truly much stronger than the Manchurian 8 Banners Army. However, because they had just been repelled by Yue Zhong’s army, they had been left defeated, their morale low, and their energy sapped. With the sudden pincer attack by the Manchurian 8 Banners Army, it served only to wear down their numbers even further. As the 4,000-strong riders of the 8 Banners Army surged forwards, even more Gold Wolf Riders fell.
Within the Gold Wolf Riders forcers, Dong-Er Molei was like a meat grinder himself, his huge hammer swinging around like a tornado, smashing each and every warrior from the 8 Banners Army that got too close. No one could withstand a blow of his. With his 80 Saint Wolf Riders, they slaughtered their way through the 4,000-strong riders of the 8 Banners Army, causing them countless casualties.
Dong-Er Molei!! Go to hell!
Right as Dong-Er Molei was in the midst of his killing spree, a man wielding a crescent blade roared in anger as he charged over.
This man was called Tong Jia Guo, and he was a Strength-based Evolver leading the 8 Banners Army. He was renowned as a general who possessed great contributions to the empire.
Which fucktard has appeared?! Go and die!
As he charged in front of Dong-Er Molei, he was greeted with a savage laugh. Dong-Er Molei activated his Giant’s Blow, and the hammer came swinging down like a mountain at Tong Jia Guo’s head.
Tong Jia Guo brought up his crescent blade to block the attack.
Dang!
Following the loud ring, Tong Jia Guo and his Black Stallion were instantly pulverized.
General Tong is dead!!!
General Tong is dead! What do we do? What do we do now?
The moment they saw their general Tong Jia Guo killed in an instant, the morale of the 8 Banners troops plummeted.
As for the Gold Wolf Riders, they were still feeling high on their bloodlust and under Dong-Er Molei’s lead, they continued their massacre of the fleeing soldiers.
After he had caused enough mayhem which resulted in the 8 Banners troops to be plunged in chaos, he did not continue his assault for too long. Instead, he led the remaining 800 Gold Wolf Riders to flee.
Dong-Er Molei might be fierce and violent, but he wasn’t a fool. The experts in Manchuria were plenty and there was still the armored division to deal with. If he continued to kill, his remaining members of the Gold Wolf Riders would definitely die.
Under the protection of his personal guards, Xuan Zhen stared hatefully at the fleeing back of Dong-Er Molei and gritted his teeth as he spat,
Dong-Er Molei! This Emperor will definitely kill you!
This time, Xuan Zhen had deployed his entire troops to surround and kill Dong-Er Molei. While they had wiped out over 2,000 members of the Gold Wolf Riders, there were even more heavy casualties on their own. The 3,000-strong slave army had scattered and they only managed to recover a thousand.
They had lost a quarter of their 4,000-strong 8 Banners Army and at the same time, just like Tong Jia Guo, their strong experts and Enhancers counted amongst their dead.
To think that a force of 3,000 had actually managed to breakthrough a surrounding force of over 10,000 and at the same time, these had damaged the ranks and proper bearing of the troops. Xuan Zhen suddenly felt that he had severely underestimated the might of Dong-Er Molei. If they had equal forces, the Manuchrian army would definitely have lost.
Xuan Zhen’s voice was thick with killing intent.
Shang Ming De, this Emperor wants you to head to Tian Mu Town and tell them that if they surrender to us, this Emperor will bestow riches and women upon them. Otherwise, our army will march in and would not leave a single one of them alive!
Shang Ming De felt a chill as he kowtowed,
Your servants understands!
Shang Ming De thus carried a white flag and entered Tian Mu Town.
The moment he entered, he was brought in front of Yue Zhong as well as the remaining leaders of the triads. From the 10 great triads, they were reduced to 6 due to Dong-Er Molei’s slaughter.
Shang Ming De eyed the people present with arrogance and said,
I’m the envoy sent by the Manchuria Empire, Shang Ming De. Who is the leader of Tian Mu Town?
After all, Manchuria was considered one of the 3 main factions of the Central Plains. Hence, Tian Mu Town was just a gathering of a rowdy bunch. With the Manchurian Empire as his backing, Shang Ming De was naturally arrogant.
Yue Zhong eyed him nonchalantly and ordered,
Go drag him out and chop off one of his arms! Make sure he learns how to speak!
Li Guang waved his hands and 2 soldiers stepped forward, grabbing Shang Ming De to drag him out.
Shang Ming De immediately turned pale and began to plead,
No! Sir! Spare my life!!! Spare my life!!! Envoys are usually spared during any negotiations! Please!!!
Ximen Lie immediately stood out and stared at Yue Zhong,
Hold! Alliance Chief, the envoys are usually immune from such treatment. How about just sparing him this once?
Yue Zhong’s chilling gaze landed on Ximen Lie’s body.
When Ximen Lie was stared at like this by Yue Zhong, he felt his entire back turn slick with sweat and his body trembled, deeply regretting stepping out.
Yue Zhong had displayed his power out on the field for everyone to see. They had seen how Dong-Er Molei who was widely thought to be invincible, had been beaten back by Yue Zhong. At the same time, the 12 Guards who Yue Zhong had initially called out, after having lost 2, leaving 10, were experts as well, each of them not necessarily weaker than the leaders present.
As a leader of a faction, other than being strong, most of them had been involved with women and
managing affairs, as well as other small things. How could they hunt mutant beasts and become stronger as compared to the lone warriors?
Adding on the the many subordinates of Li Guang, Yue Zhong had been viewed as the true alliance chief. He had the strength and the might of people behind him. His methods were decisive and ruthless when it came to killing and under the stare of such a character, Ximen Lie was afraid that he would be killed in the next instant.
Yue Zhong then turned to Shang Ming De impassively,
Alright! I’ll give brother Ximen some face. Shang Ming De, since you’re the envoy of the Manchuria Empire, you should kneel and speak. If you’re unwilling, I can get someone to help you!
Yue Zhong had no intentions of killing Shang Ming De in the first place. He just wanted to suppress that attitude of his and make sure this Han that had turned into traitor to serve the Manchurians become obedient.
Having been frightened once, Shang Ming De lost all pretense of his pride and arrogance, immediately kneeling on the ground while his body trembles.
The noble Aisin Gioro, Xuan Zhen, Emperor of the Manchu Empire had ordered for your surrender. As long as you are willing to surrender, everyone would be able to join the 8 Banners Army, and become noble Manchurians. From today on, there would be riches and women waiting for you. If you choose to reject and disobey, the Emperor would order the 10,000-strong troop of his to charge into Tian Mu Town and will not leave a single living thing behind.
Hearing those words, many expressions changed. The Manchu Empire had actually deployed their 10,000 strong forces. The total strength of the army was more than the survivors inside the town and there were even tanks and cannons in addition to other various heavyweights. Due to the low possibility of victory, the 6 leaders actually had a slight inclination to submit.
The whole point of the alliance was to ensure that they stuck together and prevent themselves from becoming slaves. Now that the Manchu Empire was willing to recruit them and confer titles upon them, they were naturally moved and wanted to submit.
Yue Zhong’s eyes narrowed and he raised his Stinger and instantly fired a shot.
Peng!
Shang Ming De’s head immediately became a watermelon that burst, his headless corpse crumpled to the floor. He had never imagined that Yue Zhong would kill him without a word.
Alliance Chief!
Alliance Chief, what’re you doing?!
When the leaders witnessed it, their faces turned ugly. Things had happened too fast and they hadn’t had the time to react and could only voice out.
Yue Zhong spoke coldly,
I’ve killed the envoy of the Manchu Empire. You guys must be hating me to death. However, I’ve already killed him. According to the style of the Manchu Empire, even if you guys
surrender now, you would only face death. The Manchu Empire will definitely launch an assault on Tian Mu Town. After breaching here, they will not spare anyone. If you want to live, you guys had better muster all your strength to fight and retaliate. Only then, will there be room for survival. Ximen Lie, go tell the survivors in town that I have already killed the envoy of the Manchu Empire. Later on, when the Manchu Empire attacks, everyone would die. Gather them and get started on fortification works. The rest of you, rest well and await further orders! I believe that there will be a tough battle ahead of us soon!
Ximen Lie could only swallow his bitterness and replied,
Yes! Alliance Chief!
With a single move, Yue Zhong had tied the fates of everyone in Tian Mu Town together. They would win or lose as a whole. If the town was really breached, then everyone would die. Thus, all the leaders and lone warriors had to think of ways to defend against the Manchu forces.
The survivors were all shocked to the core when they heard Ximen Lie’s words and quickly gathered under him to begin working on the defences and obstacles in Tian Mu Town.
All sorts of vehicles, beds, sandbags, boulders, and broken down television sets were brought to the front to act as obstruction.
As everyone got busy, the chief of the Pink Triad, Zhao Li, came to find Yue Zhong.
Alliance Chief, our Pink Triad is good at setting traps. I have a pair of sisters who had the abilities to set traps easily. We hope you can assign us some manpower to help us set them.
At this critical point in time, Zhao Li could only gather her forces to help defend as well. If Tian Mu Town really fell, the whole bunch of female warriors under the Pink Triad would only suffer a fate worse than death.
Yue Zhong gave an order to Ximen Lie,
Good! Ximen Lie, go deploy a 1,000 men to Zhao Li and assist them with their traps!
Ximen Lie nodded and swiftly gathered a thousand men for her.
The Heavenly Demon Sect’s leader Fei Tu also came up to Yue Zhong,
Alliance Chief, our Heavenly Demon Sect knows how to construct simple landmines. Please grant us 200 men to help lay them.
Ximen Lie, assign 300 men to Fei Tu!
Under Yue Zhong’s orders, Ximen Lie assigned another 300 men to Fei Tu, who led his men to plant landmines at the entrance of Tian Mu Town.
Everyone within were offering their skills and abilities to help strengthen the defences, in the hopes of raising their chances of survival.
What’s going on? Where’s that dog Shang Ming De?
After an entire hour, Xuan Zhen frowned, as a premonition creeped up in his heart,
Could it be those fellows have captured him or he had been bought over by them and is already indulging in women?!
After hesitating for a while, Xuan Zhen summoned another Han over,
Geng Da Zhong! Go to Tian Mu Town and get them to surrender. At the same time, find out what happened to that stupid dog Shang Ming De!
Your slave obeys!
Geng Da Zhong kneeled down to kowtow before swiftly proceeding to Tian Mu Town.
There, Tian Mu Town’s soldiers soon brought Geng Da Zhong in front of Yue Zhong.
Chapter 423: Geng Da Zhong!
Yue Zhong eyed Geng Da Zhong coldly and said,
Your previous envoy Shang Ming De had been shot dead by me! Do you want to live or die?
Geng Da Zhong’s back was immediately drenched in cold sweat as he knelt down and kowtowed,
This slave wants to live! This slave wants to live! Please spare my life, Leader!
Geng Da Zhong wasn’t some person with integrity. Those with backbone would not have ran to become slaves of Xuan Zhen. With a single death threat, Geng Da Zhong had immediately gone weak.
Yue Zhong continued,
I need time. What methods do you have to delay Xuan Zhen’s invasion?
By now Tian Mu Town’s survivors were all busy with the fortifications and were preparing for a tough battle ahead. Every minute counts, so with every minute of delay, they would be better prepared.
Geng Da Zhong was perspiring profusely while trying his best to think of a way. He knew his answer would decide his fate.
His eyes suddenly lit up as he proposed,
That’s it! Leader, as long as you pretend to be willing to surrender, this slave will head back and tell Xuan Zhen that you’re willing to surrender. However, you need time to organize the belongings and wealth of the survivors and pleaded for another 2 hours of time. He will definitely agree and give you that time. I know his personality and 2 hours will be the maximum he would give. Anymore than that would be pushing it.
Yue Zhong replied coldly,
Fine! I’ll let you go back. But before that, I will implant some remote bombs in you. The moment Xuan Zhen attacks before the 2 hours, I will set the bombs off. Men, do it!
2 soldiers stepped forwards to press Geng Da Zhong down as another went to slice his leg open. Then, a small remote-controlled bomb was inserted into his thigh.
An Enhancer stepped forward and pressed the remote-controlled bomb, sending a green light to envelope the bomb.
Witnessing this, the expression of Geng Da Zhong turned pale. Yet, he didn’t dare to say anything. The one sitting on the throne in front of him had just killed Shang Ming De without any warning and was obviously short-tempered and vicious. He didn’t want to die here.
Another Enhancer with the ability to heal stepped forward and pointed at Geng Da Zhong’s legs, patching him up with a bright light. After the wound of the leg healed, the bomb was buried within his flesh.
I’ll let you see the potential of the bomb in your body!
Yue Zhong then took out a similar bomb and threw it at a fake mountain and he pressed a button.
Hong!
After a loud explosion, the entire fake mountain exploded in 2.
Geng Da Zhong immediately turned paler, after all, who could still be happy with such a powerful explosive in their body?
Yue Zhong then replied:
That bomb is easy to take out with surgery. However, I’ve ensured that my subordinate had attached a sensory ability to it. The minute you dare to take it out or if there are any strange movements, I would be able to tell here and I will immediately press the remote. If you don’t believe me, you can go ahead and try it.
Geng Da Zhong immediately promised,
I trust Leader’s words, that you will not trick this servant. This servant will definitely not play around with his life and seeks Leader’s understanding and be rest assured that I will do my duty.
Yue Zhong replied indifferently:
You’re dismissed! I’ll let you go half an hour later.
Geng Da Zhong thanked him profusely:
Thank you Leader! Thank you Leader!
Zhao Jing Lei could not believe her ears and asked Yue Zhong,
Yue Zhong! You’ve gained the sensory trigger bomb skill?
If the sensory trigger bomb had been invented, then it would truly be a terrifying means to control people. Tenpyo Saka was being controlled by that chain around her neck. As long as it was forcefully removed without the right password, it would blow. Zhao Jing Lei was somewhat skeptical that Yue Zhong had such a skill.
The bomb was so tiny. She found it hard to believe that there was an additional sensory function in it.
Yue Zhong chuckled,
How can it be? It was all to scare him. Of course, the remote controlled bomb is real. However, if he does want to take it out, he could just do a simple surgery.
Zhao Jing Lei asked incredulously:
Aren’t you afraid that he’ll remove it surgically?
Yue Zhong answered,
For someone like him who values his own life too much, he would not dare to risk it. Even if he did, so what? All Xuan Zhen could do then is to invade us.
Zhao Jing Lei pondered for awhile. It was as he said. Even if Geng Da Zhong did figure it out in the end, it wouldn’t matter to Tian Mu Town.
Half an hour later, just as Xuan Zhen was becoming impatient, Geng Da Zhong had returned.
Congratulations, my Liege!! Tian Mu Town’s leader Yue Zhong is in awe and fear of you and has voluntarily submitted to you. However, he had a few conditions and hope that you will grant them.
Xuan Zhen was elated and asked,
What sort of conditions?
Geng Da Zhong responded:
First, Yue Zhong hopes that you can grant him a position as a commander. Secondly, he hopes that his own troops can remain under him and still be under his command. Lastly, he hopes that the personal safety and properties of his and his subordinates will not be touched.
Xuan Zhen frowned and asked,
How did you respond?
Xuan Zhen had always not favored the Hans and other races, never allowing them to handle any big things. He preferred to draft them into his army and be under the control of his own troops.
Geng Da Zhong responded:
Your slave deserves death. I had granted him the 1st and 2nd condition. As for the 2nd, your slave had vehemently declined. After much persuasion from your slave, he had agreed to forgo the 2nd condition. However, he proposed that once they have joined us, he wants to choose a 100 beauties to serve him and his faction. Furthermore, they have to be provided resources from the Manchu Empire. Your slave deserves death, as I have agreed to it.
Xuan Zhen’s frown lessened slightly as his eyes held a more appreciative light,
Well done! You’ve performed well Geng Da Zhong! You’re truly are a loyal subordinate! Since you’ve worked hard for this Emperor, this Emperor will naturally not mistreat you. After we’ve conquered Tian Mu Town, you will be gifted 5 beauties.
Geng Da Zhong immediately got on his knees:
Thank you, my Liege!
Xuan Zheng asked,
When will they come out to surrender?
Yue Zhong wanted to bring his men tomorrow!
The moment Geng Da Zhong’s words came out, Xuan Zhen’s frown became deeper.
Geng Da Zhong’s face was currently calm as he replied quickly,
Your slave naturally refused his request. Your slave told him that if he wanted to surrender tomorrow, it must be because he was thinking of delaying the time. Yue Zhong and the rest were immediately frightened and pleaded for this slave’s understanding. Thus, I gave them some time to handle their affairs. This slave did not want to hurry them too much and allowed them 2 hours to prepare. Yue Zhong and his men would then bring his men out to submit peacefully.
Xuan Zhen pondered a while before replying,
2 hours, right? Fine. This Emperor shall give them 2 hours.
Tian Mu Town was after all a force that had repelled the Gold Wolf Riders led by Dong-Er Molei. If Xuan Zhen wanted this faction to submit peacefully without any losses, he knew he couldn’t pressure them too hard.
2 hours wasn’t much to Xuan Zhen. If he could obtain Tian Mu Town without any damage, it would the best. He was even willing to wait a day. At this point, Xuan Zhen frowned and asked:
Where’s Shang Ming De?
Geng Da Zhong immediately became worked up as he replied,
My Liege! You must definitely punish that little shit! When your subordinate went to Tian Mu Town, he was already drinking and partying with a few beautiful ladies, getting himself drunk and forgetting his mission entirely. What’s worse is that he had actually fought over your loyal subordinate over women and scolded me. Please remember to punish him, my liege!
When Xuan Zhen heard it, he relaxed. He knew the problems of his subordinate. Shang Ming De was truly a conniving pervert and lusted after women. In his home, he already had a few women and was exceptionally vile to other women.
Xuan Zhen replied mildly:
I got it! When he’s back, this Emperor will definitely punish him! You’re dismissed!
Xuan Zhen knew that while Shang Ming De might be a lowlife, he was an obedient slave. It wasn’t necessary to say many things as Shang Ming De would automatically help him settle it. That was why he wouldn’t give up on him easily.
Geng Da Zhong replied without batting an eyelid before leaving,
Yes! Your Highness!
The moment Geng Da Zhong left Xuan Zhen’s side, he quickly went to his camp and packed up all his rations and weapons before using an excuse to leave the camp.
2 hours later, Xuan Zhen could not find any sign of Yue Zhong and a bad premonition arose in his heart,
GENG DA ZHONG!!! FIND THAT BASTARD FOR THIS EMPEROR!!!
Not long after, a guard came up to Xuan Zhen and reported,
My Liege! Geng Da Zhong had escaped!!
Xuan Zhen slammed his palm angrily on the table, splitting it into multiple pieces,
Fuck! That damned Geng Da Zhong! Damned Yue Zhong! You guys dare to hoodwink me! Convey my orders! We will immediately invade Tian Mu Town, and will not leave a single thing alive! Capture Geng Da Zhong and Yue Zhong alive! Those who would succeed will be raised to 3 military ranks and get some beautiful women. This Emperor wants them to die!!!
Under Xuan Zhen’s order, the Manchu Army that had not moved, immediately set off for Tian Mu Town.
Chapter 424: Battling the White Armor Army!
The first ones to act were the 122 Howitzers of the Manchu Empire, as they launched multiple rockets at Tian Mu Town.
Hong! Hong!!
With the loud explosions ringing and the rain of projectiles from the skies, many places were blasted apart.
Yue Zhong had organized for the survivors in Tian Mu Town to retreat earlier, however, under that blanket of firepower, there were numerous survivors and warriors that were either heavily injured, or killed.
As they were bombarded, the soldiers of Tian Mu Town had low morale. If it wasn’t for knowing the fact that everyone will be killed once the Manchu forces invaded, these soldiers would have long fled for their lives.
Li Guang came up to Yue Zhong and muttered,
This cannot go on! Leader! We need to handle their artillery!!
Li Guang had a resolute look as he said,
Leader, let me take some men to go deal with their artillery! Even if this old one dies, I will go down making sure those Manchu dogs go down with me!
Li Guang wasn’t a man who did not fear death. Initially, he had surrendered to Yue Zhong out of fear for his and his subordinates’ lives as well. However, under the relentless attack of the Manchu Empire, he knew that it would be a suicide mission to go and deal with them. Yet, he was willing, purely because he had a strong sense of patriotism.
Pi Jian Yi stood up,
I’ll go with you!
Pi Jian Yi was proud, arrogant, and slightly ambitious. However, he also had the hot-bloodedness that most youths had. Seeing how Li Guang was proposing to lead the most dangerous mission, his passion was ignited as well.
I’m willing to go!
I’ll follow you!
……
A number of other Han heroes also stood up as their eyes shined with a clear light. They were already prepared for death.
There were no lack of eager and passionate heroes. There was only a lack of a decent leader.
Yue Zhong had led the forces himself and his actions had spurred their bravado. At such a critical moment, they were ready to spill blood.
Yue Zhong eyed Li Guang and the rest of the men that had rose to the occasion, his eyes flashing with appreciation,
No need! Li Guang, you stay here and take over temporarily. I’ll go destroy the artillery. My command for you is that before I’m back, you guys will have to defend Tian Mu Town with all you’ve got. No one is allowed to fall into the hands of Xuan Zhen. Understood?
Li Guang was shocked:
Leader! No! That mission is too dangerous. If anything were to happen to you, what would we do?
Pi Jian Yi and the rest of the Han experts were also staring at Yue Zhong in shock. In most normal cases, the general would stand behind his troops, commanding them from a safe location. Ximen Lie and the rest had always done things this way.
When Yue Zhong had gained the seat as the Alliance Chief and obtained everyone’s cooperation for a short time, he could easily deploy the troops how he liked while staying at a safe place to give orders. Even Pi Jian Yi and the rest had fought at the frontlines and saw what Yue Zhong did. Hence, they had no thoughts to disobey him.
Even so, Yue Zhong was still suggesting to undertake the suicide mission himself. This caused Pi Jian Yi and the rest to be extremely shocked and touched causing their morale to increase even more.
Of course, some of the soldiers also saw the other side of the equation. Should Yue Zhong die, then Tian Mu Town was sure to fall. Just like what happened to Tong Jia Guo.
Yue Zhong stared at Li Guang and said solemnly,
No need for more words. I’ve made my decision. Convey my orders! Tian Mu Town is henceforth under your temporary control. Before I’m back, make sure you stay here even if you die!
Li Guang responded loudly,
Yes! Leader!
Yue Zhong then spoke to a corner,
Tenpyo Saka, you lead Pi Jian Yi and the rest to support Li Guang in protecting Tian Mu Town.
From the shadows in the corner, a slight distortion appeared as Tenpyo Saka walked out and nodded.
After assigning them duties, Yue Zhong flashed and disappeared out of Tian Mu Town.
He had just taken a few steps out when he immediately felt over 20 crosshairs aimed on him. Therefore, he quickly left from his original position.
Peng! Peng! Peng!
20 sniper rounds rained down onto where he was a moment ago.
Snipers!
Yue Zhong swiftly activated his Bone Encompassing Armor and his body was encased in a thick layer of bone carapace. At the same time, he activated his Shadow Steps and his speed exceeded 30 times that of a normal person, shuttling for the Manchurian Empire like a specter.
In the center of the Manchu Empire forces, a burly man possessing huge hands and deep eyes in addition to his bristle-covered face, stared at Yue Zhong coming from the distance with a cold look in his eyes. This man was the top Evolver in the Manchu Empire, Ao Dou. He led the most powerful force of the empire, the White Armor Army!
The White Armor Army of the Great Manchu Empire was like the Special Forces under Yue Zhong, the Saint Wolf Riders of the Gold Wolf Riders. They were a bunch of elites.
They consisted mostly of experts above level 30 and their combat prowess was truly something else.
Ao Dou used his whip and pointed at Yue Zhong, calling out in a deep voice,
Tu Sheng! Take your men and fetch me that man’s head!
Tu Sheng was one of the 6 main captains of the White Armor Army, leading 80 of the White Armor soldiers. Tu Sheng was a Level 63 Evolver himself.
Yes! Sir!
Tu Sheng responded before leading his men in a charge towards Yue Zhong.
An expert is here!
When Tu Sheng and his men moved, Yue Zhong felt danger and immediately whisked out his Stinger.
He eyed the galloping Black Stallions with their White Army soldiers on top, and immediately fired 6 consecutive shots.
The 6 bullets blasted apart amidst the White Armor forces, causing 6 of them to be blasted off their mounts, shattering their bones in the process.
The White Armor soldiers were all wearing Type 3 Mutant Beast hide, which the Stinger bullets could not penetrate. However, their own Endurance could not withstand the force of the blows and their body were hence, wrecked.
It could only be Endurance-based Evolvers like Dong-Er Molei that might stand a chance against any heavy firearms. Even if the armor on everyone else could block the actual projectiles, their weak bodies could not withstand the force.
Yue Zhong’s eyes narrowed, and another 6 bullets were reloaded quickly before he fired again.
This time, another 6 bullets landed on the bodies of the White Armor soldiers, knocking 6 of them off their mounts, with their bones shattered.
In just 10 seconds, Yue Zhong had dealt with 12 members of the White Armor force, killing them in the process. The rest of the soldiers were shocked and furious. Then, they began activating their skills.
A number of fireballs, ice shards, wind blades, air cannons, bullets, blades, darts, arrows, stones, and all sorts of weapons and abilities bombarded Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong dodged about like a ghost and managed to evade most of the incoming attacks. He only suffered 2 arrows that seemed to be slower than the rest, but was fixed on Yue Zhong.
These 2 arrows were from the Level 3 skill, Homing Arrows. The moment they were fired, they would strike their targets. The only weakness was that although they could chase their targets, their speed and power could not compare to the rest of the abilities.
Yue Zhong pulled out his Black Tooth Blade and casually swept them aside before flashing forward. The Stinger in his right hand fired again, killing another 6 members of the White Armor army.
Watching Yue Zhong kill his men easily, shock and fear filled Tu Sheng’s heart.
Strong!! This fearsome speed and those accurate shots. What a strong weapon. This fellow is truly a freak. No wonder Ao Dou wanted me to bring my forces to suppress him. He’s truly too scary!
Ao Dou watched as Yue Zhong makes use of his speed and his powerful Stinger to slaughter his White Armor troops. Then his eyes flashed with a solemn look,
Ming Shu Wu, Wu Tian Dao, the 2 of you, lead some men to go defend the artillery. He Sheng Quan, Ji Wen, Duo Xi. You three take your men and follow me to go kill that fellow.
Yes! Sir!
The White Armor 5 captains responded loudly, and began to move out.
Ao Dou himself led 3 of the captains and 360 Enhancers towards Yue Zhong.
He could already feel the threat of Yue Zhong’s might and he wanted to hurry and take out this problem.
As strong as Yue zhong was, it was hard for him to defend against all the elites of the Manchu army. He didn’t continue engaging with Tu Sheng. Instead, he pushed his speed and charged towards the artillery.
The Black Stallions were instantly left behind to eat the dust and the elites all stared dumbfounded at the extent of Yue Zhong’s speed.
Within 2 minutes, Yue Zhong had reached about 3km, near the artillery. He did not continue his advance. Instead, he pulled out his Level 5 Falcon II Sniper.
He loaded it with a 122 round and fired as a bright flash of light radiated from the Falcon II Sniper. It blasted one of the Howitzers, turning it into scrap metal.
Yue Zhong then continued to adjust his aim and trajectory, firing another round, destroying another Howitzer.
Chapter 425: Tough Battle!
Yue Zhong had spent all of his efforts to aim for another Howitzer and a bright flash shot out from his Falcon II Sniper, blasting the Howitzer.
The Manchu Empire’s Howitzers began to retreat.
At this time, Ming Shu Wu and Wu Tian Dao had arrived to provide reinforcements. Each of them possessing the skill Earth Manipulation. They conjured earthen walls, managing to block Yue Zhong’s trajectory. The remaining 5 Howitzers stopped their firing and began to move for another location.
Time to retreat!
Yue Zhong kept his Falcon Sniper, eyeing the approaching Manchurian troops and quickly turned around to make his way back towards Tian Mu Town. No matter how strong he was, it was impossible to deal with the entire elite force.
Yue Zhong’s speed had already reached 30 times that of a person which even a Type 3 Mutant Beast would find hard to beat. The White Armor troops on their Black Stallions could only watch helplessly when Yue Zhong destroyed 5 of their Howitzers before returning to Tian Mu Town casually.
Ao Dou looked at Yue Zhong’s back, his gaze turning dark,
Within Tian Mu Town, there’s actually such an expert amongst the Hans. It truly is a calamity for our Great Manchurian Empire.
After the world changed, many top Evolvers already had the abilities to influence the total might of an entire faction. A single high-level Evolver could potentially wipe out a team of elite soldiers. There were some who could even take on an entire battalion.
Ao Dou reported the outcome to Xuan Zhen, prompting Xuan Zhen to make a decision,
We need to crush their resistance entirely!!
The Howitzers thus began another volley of blasts, intending to blitz through the defences of Tian Mu Town.
30 IFVs, 8 tanks, 40 gun-mounted vehicles as well as a thousand motorbicycles formed a fearsome armored fleet, charging forwards with the 1,000 soldiers of the 8 Banners Army.
Such formation was already rare and extremely domineering in this apocalyptic world. Few factions could stand up to it. It was through such a method that the Manchu Empire had managed to raze 2 huge factions with over 10,000 survivors to the ground, exemplifying the idiom ‘using a butcher knife for the chicken.’
Xuan Zhen was placing more importance on Tian Mu Town purely because they had been able to repel the 3,000-strong force of the Gold Wolf Riders. Such a combat strength was enough for him to want to strike them down.
Seeing the entire armored fleet approaching, many of the experts of the alliance were dismayed.
Even the countenance of Pi Jian Yi was unsightly. His sword beams were truly overpowering but he had no confidence that he could slice through those tanks and armored vehicles. Furthermore, a single blast from them could kill him on the spot.
Moreover, there were 30 IFV’s following behind the tanks, and those IFV’s had powerful cannons and heavy machine guns themselves. They were enough to wreck a powerful Evolver’s body.
As the armored forces began to charge through Tian Mu Town, the 8 tanks took the vanguard position, blocking all the bullets firing at them. They adjusted their cannons and began to blast the bunkers.
The tanks were the strongest attack force of the Manchu Empire. Many factions would quiver in their shoes when they saw them.
What do we have to fear?! I’ll deal with the tanks. Watch how I destroy them!
Yue Zhong pulled out his Electromagnetic Gun and fired at one of the tanks. With a bright flash of light, the shot instantly pierced the tank, leaving a hole.
Yue Zhong continued to fire 5 more shots at that tank. 5 lights blasted through it, causing it to explode soon after.
Awesome!!!
That’s great!!!
Long live Alliance Chief!!!
……
Seeing the fate of that tank at the hands of Yue Zhong, many of the warriors instantly roared out excitedly as their morale rose sharply.
To these Han warriors, the tanks were the cause of their headaches. With the terrifying defence and offensive potential, they were usually helpless. However, Yue Zhong had destroyed one easily. Suddenly, these tanks no longer seemed invincible.
Yue Zhong clapped his hands and Lo Guang led men bringing out 40 anti-tank rocket launchers as well as 60 rocket launchers.
These are weapons I’ve prepared for everybody. Use them to take down the invaders!
A number of agility-based Enhancers and those with Marksmanship or Firearms abilities stepped up to help themselves to the weapons. They then stepped back to the battlefield with renewed resolution.
Inside Tian Mu Town, the Radiant Sun Triad were fighting a desperate battle as well. Using their rifles and machine guns to attack the tanks and armored vehicles in vain. The tanks could easily destroy the fortifications they had painstakingly built, instantly killing the soldiers within.
As the tanks paved the way, a number of IFV’s and gun-mounted vehicles charged in with troops of Manchu soldiers.
Tian Mu Town now had the weapons to counter the tanks and this caused Xuan Zhen to be infuriated. He wanted to hurry and subjugate the troops, hoping to make use of his advantage in firepower to overwhelm them. Every single tank was a precious resource to a faction. The destruction of any one them caused Xuan Zhen to weep in his heart.
As the Manchu forces began to march through the town, there was a sudden loud explosion beneath one of the soldiers, blasting his legs apart. The shockwave sent him soaring through the air as he screamed.
Upon seeing this, the rest of the Manchu soldiers felt a chill in their hearts, taking more careful steps.
Another 8 were taking careful strides in Tian Mu Town, when large holes appeared beneath their feet and they plunged into the 4m deep holes. Their bodies were then pierced by the steel spikes implanted within. 4 of them were instantly killed, while the remaining 4 screamed in agony.
A small squad were proceeding through the blasted zone, intending to search for survivors.
Peng!
Peng!
Suddenly, gunshots rang out. With 3 soldiers having their heads blasted apart instantly, the rest of them were shocked and tried to duck for cover.
Just as they got behind their covers, to the shock of 3 soldiers, homing arrows appeared beside them and pierced their bodies, as they screamed out.
At another part of town, 10 soldiers led a few IFV’s as they proceeded through.
Manchu dogs! Die!
A single young man suddenly appeared and fired a rocket at the IFV.
With a bright flash of light, the IFV combusted in a ball of explosion. If it were a tank, it might have been able to withstand a few rockets. However, the slightly weaker IFV’s could not withstand the blasts.
Peng! Peng!
There were some experts within the 10 of them and they hurried to fire at the youth, turning him into a sieve.
One IFV began to fire wildly with its machine gun chugging loudly, as a rain of bullets strucked one Han Enhancer, leaving him deader than dead.
Another Manchu Enhancer waved out his huge blade, decapitating his Han opponent, his head soaring through the air, and blood splattering onto the ground.
The entire Tian Mu Town had now turned into a meat grinder, with numerous soldiers on both sides losing their lives. It was simply a slaughter of both sides. One side, the Manchurians intent on massacring the Hans. The other, the Hans intent on fighting for their lives and honor. With the threat of death, even the most cowardly of men would become fierce beasts.
Yue Zhong had led 10 of his Guards to rush to the frontlines. He was wielding the Electromagnetic Gun, searching for the tanks, blasting them one by one.
Although Yue Zhong had the ability to use his Art of Fear to scare the numerous soldiers to death, the current state of the battle was that the Hans were at a disadvantage, and there weren’t any likely candidates to pilot the tanks. Hence, he chose to destroy the tanks.
Yue Zhong charged about on the battlefield, killing numerous enemies with White Bones by his side unleashing its inhuman abilities as well.
White Bones made use of its sharp bone spikes to help it run along certain structures, defying gravity, while its bone blades would slash through the necks of unsuspecting enemies. It was truly like a demon. Its methods of killing was cruel and merciless. From time to time, it could even manipulate 10 sharp bone spikes to shoot out. Its speed was three times faster than Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong and White Bones continued to shine brightly on the battlefield, attracting the rest of the Manchurian experts to target them.
With the majority of the attacks concentrated on Yue Zhong and his team, Tenpyo Saka was free to exhibit her prowess as an unparalleled assassin. From time to time, she would appear behind a White Armor soldier silently, plunging her blades through their necks before disappearing again for another chance.
By the time Yue Zhong destroyed the 5th tank, the elite soldiers of the Manchu troops had already joined in the fray. Sheng Quan, Ji Wen, and Duo Xi led 240 White Armor troops to charge into the fray, making their way of Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong, White Bones as well as the Guards were considered the top Evolvers of Tian Mu Town, and with their insane combat strength, they continued to fight at the frontlines, killing over 200 Manchu elites.
Sheng Quan, Ji Wen and Duo Xi had deployed all their strength entirely to annihilate this group of Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong and his team had already long since become the core and hope of those in Tian Mu Town. If it wasn’t for them, Tian Mu Town would have long since collapsed.
If the Manchurian troops could cause Yue Zhong and his group to disappear, then the defence of Tian Mu Town would likely crumble.
Have you finally arrived? Let me give you a present!
Yue Zhong eyed the approaching 240 elite White Armor troops and pulled out his Electromagnetic Gun, firing at them.
A bright light flashed, penetrating Sheng Quan’s body, making him fall from his mount, leaving a huge gaping hole in his chest. This terrifying Evolver hadn’t had the chance to demonstrate his prowess and was instantly killed by Yue Zhong.
Yue Zhong then fired at the other 2 who were riding similar mounts as 2 shots that could pierce tanks blasted towards Ji Wen and Duo Xi.
Ji Wen’s danger perception was higher and the moment he felt the danger, he quickly got down from his horse. A powerful bright light shot past his body, barely brushing past him.
As for Duo Xi, he wasn’t as fortunate as Ji Wen, as his chest was also pierced by that shot, his corpse fell from the back of the horse before being trampled by the other mounts of the White Armor forces.
Of the 3 generals that led the White Armor forces to attack Yue Zhong, 2 had lost their lives to him. One was forced down from his mount, and this greatly affected the morale of the troops.
Yue Zhong continued to fire his Electromagnetic Gun without stop. Each stop blasting apart the bodies of the White Armor elites. Not even the Mutant Beast hides on their bodies could help them.
Ji Wen tore off the eye-catching yellow robe on him and hid behind a troop of his soldiers, pointing at Yue Zhong and shouting loudly,
Charge! Charge for me!!! He’s only a single person! As long as we can charge, it would be our victory!!
As a vanguard, Ji Wen was supposed to charge forth, yet now he was hiding behind his troops and didn’t dare to lead.
Under Ji Wen’s orders, the somewhat chaotic White Armor troops began to attack Yue Zhong once again. These were after all, the bravest elites of the Manchurian Empire. They ate the best and slept with the prettiest of women. Even if it were a devil in front of then, they would dare fight.
Retreat!!!
Yue Zhong had fired off 50 shots of the Electromagnetic Gun, killing his enemies before retreating explosively.
The speed of the Black Stallions were twice as fast as ordinary humans, and if they exerted strength, they would be able to cross a distance of 300m in no time. These 190 White Armored soldiers thus got on their horses and made their way towards the inner parts of Tian Mu Town.
The moment they entered Tian Mu Town, those White Armored Soldiers quickly got down and surveyed the positions, checking the places Yue Zhong and his party had gone through safely and quietly.
5 White Armor soldiers made their way through the street that had been ravaged by the bombs and cannons of their side, when suddenly, a White Bones appeared through a very old-fashioned brick wall, piercing the heads of the soldiers.
Chapter 426: Meat Grinder!
After making short work of 5 White Armor soldiers, White Bones leapt down from the debris and scuttled up a building like a ghost. It continued along the dark alleys, ready to strike out anytime.
3 White Armor soldiers were continuing along the wasted parts of town, when all of a sudden, a dark shadow leaped out from behind them. Their heads flew through the air as their headless corpses slumped to the ground.
Tenpyo Saka disappeared into the darkness again, having killed those 3 soldiers. Her strength laid in assassination and with such a complicated terrain and dark environments, it was naturally the best condition for her.
The 190 members of the White Armor army had scattered around in town and their assault had just gone on for a short while when 30 of their members were disposed of. This forced them to gather again to proceed as a troop.
As they reformed, their speed naturally slowed but their defence became tighter, making it hard for anyone to launch sneak attacks.
Behind, there were another 1,000 Manchurian elite soldiers ready to blitz right through.
Yue Zhong led his Guards to withdraw temporarily, conceding some posts to the Manchu Empire.
There were too many enemy soldiers. If they were to be trapped, as strong as they were, Yue Zhong and his team would definitely die.
It’s time! They can all go to hell!
Yue Zhong eyed the soldiers from afar, his gaze turning cold as he pressed the remote control in his hands.
Hong! Hong! Hong!
Terrifying explosions rang out one after another, as the entire devastated region blew up. Within those explosions, the 1,000-strong Manchu elite forces as well as the 160 White Armor soldiers were either killed instantly or heavily injured. Their wails and screams rang out as the ground was littered with corpses and dismembered body parts.
Ximen Lie wanted to establish the Great Han Alliance and there were plenty of explosives and remote-controlled bombs in his arsenal. He even had talents with the ability to construct bombs in his ranks. While the experts in the Radiant Sun Triad might not compare with the rest, it was still precisely because of their explosives that they carved out a territory for themselves.
Every single faction had something they could boast about in the Central Plains. Some had powerful leaders, some had numerous experts, while others relied on a certain strength of their own.
Yue Zhong brought them all together under the banner of the Han Alliance and forced them to a corner, pushing them to unleash their hidden trump cards and strength.
From afar, Xuan Zhen saw the earthshaking explosion in Tian Mu Town and a bad feeling rose up in heart.
A scout came up to him and kneeled:
My Liege!! Zhao Liang Dong and his team had died, while 500 of his 1,000-strong army had died, 200 heavily injured. Ji Wen and the rest are dead as well!
When Xuan Zhen heard this, he immediately screamed out in fury and despair,
Damnable Yue Zhong! Bastard! This Emperor will certainly kill you! I will make sure your death doesn’t come easy!!!
Having lost his 1,000-strong 8 Banners Army, Xuan Zhen truly felt the pinch. These were not some random survivors that had trained to become soldiers. Rather, they had been elite soldiers that had fought along his side ever since he started his conquest. They might not be comparable to the Gold Wolf Riders but they were still renowned in the Central Plains. With their deaths, Xuan Zhen felt like throwing up blood.
Xuan Zhen roared out in fury:
Kill!!! Kill!!! Kill!!! This Emperor will go out to kill those motherfucking Han dogs!!!
Xuan Zhen had been an ordinary farmer prior to the apocalypse but this Manchu Empire was carved out painstakingly by him. After he had become Emperor, his skills and level had stagnated a little, being weaker than Quan Sheng but he was still one of the top few Evolvers.
No!! My Liege, you cannot be rash!
Be appeased, my Liege!!! Be appeased! Those Han dogs are just ants. Our army will definitely win. Your precious body cannot be harmed!
Be appeased, my Liege!!!
……
A number of the officials got down on their knees and began begging. The Manchu Empire was also an authoritarian state. Hence, Xuan Zhen held a high position in their minds. If he were to die, the entire country would be plunged into chaos.
The strong preyed on the weak, this was the rule in the Central Plains. If the Manchu Empire was to really crumble, the various factions would gobble them up without leaving anything. For the prosperity of the country and their own sake, they would definitely not wish for Xuan Zhen to be in jeopardy.
One of the officials suggested,
My Liege, it’s been a long day. The soldiers are exhausted. Why don’t we withdraw the troops for today and resume battle tomorrow?
Xuan Zhen looked at the sky, noting that the sun had already set. There was not much daylight left and the Manchu forces were adept at battles out on the fields, not in city breaches.
Xuan Zhen pondered before giving the order reluctantly,
Withdraw!
With that order, the Manchu troops that had been subjected to the numerous deaths and casualties quickly pulled out. They were still elite soldiers. After all, even with the withdraw, they didn’t collapse.
The Han forces had similarly lost a lot of comrades and many are heavily injured. Most of them were exhausted and had no energy left to chase after the retreating Manchu forces. Some even directly laid on the ground to sleep right after the Manchu forces withdrew.
After Xuan Zhen obtained the results of the battle, he had been upset. Having activated 4,000-troops to march on Tian Mu Town, they had actually lost 1,900 with 500 heavy casualties. Only the remaining thousand were fine. They had lost 6 out of 8 tanks, 18 of their IFV’s and 20 gun-mounted vehicles. All 3 White Armor forces had been wiped out. This was truly one of the most devastating losses that had struck the Manchu Empire. In addition, over a thousand 8 Banners soldiers lost to the Gold Wolf Riders, cutting the Manchu force by half.
On the other side, Yue Zhong’s forces had huge losses as well. Of the 6 big triads, the leaders of the Pink Triad, Heavenly Wheel sect and Golden Wolf Triad had died and their experts were wiped out. Of the 430 Han independent heroes, 260 had died, and the rest were in various states of injuries. As for the 7,000 survivors, 800 had died to the blasts and gunfire.
Most of the defensive measures of Tian Mu Town had been expended, their bombs utilized, and their landmines together with the traps are fully set off. Even their remote-controlled bombs had been fully spent and the soldiers were all exhausted to the point of collapsing.
The entire Tian Mu Town was in shambles and all the warriors were tired. They had held on forcefully through willpower as the pressure by the Manchu forces had been too much.
Yue Zhong led the remaining 8 Guards to walk amongst the people, consoling the broken and encouraging the hopeless.
When Yue Zhong appeared, most of these soldiers were all excited. His performance had amazed them. Killing over 200 soldiers, destroying 6 tanks and he had even been fighting at the frontlines the whole time. He led his Guards to provide assistance everywhere they could, repelling many of the Manchu elites. If it weren’t for Yue Zhong, Tian Mu Town would have long fallen.
Yue Zhong ordered Ximen Lie to pick out another 2,000 able-bodied people to be drafted into various units. He even provided guns and sabres to equip these temporary fighters.
These survivors were mainly a motley bunch. If it were a clash on the battlefield, they would easily be killed. However, in the current state of Tian Mu Town, it was still possible for them to do battle. Of course, this was discounting skill level.
By the time everything was done and night had fallen, Yue Zhong ordered for food to be distributed to all the soldiers.
The soldiers dug in with gusto, eating their buns and drinking a little hot wine. It would likely be their last meal anyway.
Pi Jian Yi came up to Yue Zhong and asked with concern,
Alliance Chief! What do we do now? If they continue tomorrow, we might not be able to hold on.
Although Tian Mu Town now had an additional force of 2,000 soldiers, they were not versed in their weapons and it was impossible to expect them to fare well against experienced soldiers.
The Manchu forces had about 4,000 even after their heavy losses. If they truly hardened their hearts to go all out, Tian Mu Town was unlikely to remain standing.
After such a tough battle, Pi Jian Yi and the rest of the prideful experts had no choice but to admit that Yue Zhong was truly strong and had come to obey his commands wholeheartedly.
Yue Zhong’s gaze flashed with a solemn light,
I know. Tonight will be the crux. If we want to protect Tian Mu Town, it will depend on tonight’s outcome!
Pi Jian Yi faltered,
Night raid? We have too many clowns and it’s not suitable for an extended battle. Chief, isn’t it too risky?
Yue Zhong sat down and closed his eyes:
Rest well and recover!
Forget it! At most, I’ll just sacrifice this life of mine! In any case, I’ve killed my fair share today!
After which, Pi Jian Yi also sat down directly.
The rest of the 7 also sat down to regain their stamina.They were all exhausted, after having to run about everywhere to kill their enemies. Even if they were top Evolvers, their expenditure of their spirit and stamina was not low as well.
Chapter 427: Assassinating Xuan Zhen!
As night fell, under the cover of the darkness, Yue Zhong, his 8 Guards, Tenpyo Saka, Zhao Jing Lei and a few others crept out of Tian Mu Town. This was the remaining elite forces that could be activated. The other experts of the remaining 3 triads were too exhausted and needed to rest. There was only the peak-level experts of the Guards as well as Zhao Jing Lei who could still put up a fight.
Leader!
In the dark, Bai Xiao Sheng leading 80 elites, appeared in front of Yue Zhong.
So he still had some reinforcements!
Seeing the appearance of Bai Xiao Sheng and the rest, Pi Jian Yi and the other Guards were all shocked and a sense of excitement welled up in their hearts.
Now that the situation was dire, having extra strength was always better.
Yue Zhong nodded lightly and led his men towards the camp of the Manchu Empire forces.
The campsite had thick steel wires set up around it as well as countless sharp wooden fences around it. Outside of the fence, there were sharp roadblocks as well as deep trenches behind the fences. At every major entrance, there were machine guns and defence points ready to engage in any potential enemy. There were countless sentries all around the camp as well, including a number of large lights sweeping the external areas.
Being one of the largest factions of the Central Plains, it was a given that their defence would be tight unlike those miserable smaller factions that lacked proper fortifications.
Yue Zhong ordered:
The whole lot of you, wait here! Tenpyo Saka, come with me.
Amongst the Evolvers present, only Yue Zhong and Tenpyo Saka were extremely well-versed in stealth, night combat and assassination. The rest of his elites might be strong enough to deal with all of the guards of the camp but it would definitely alarm the other experts of the Manchu Empire.
Tenpyo Saka nodded expressionlessly and activated her Second Order Stealth, disappearing into the night.
Yue Zhong followed suit and disappeared as well.
The Alliance Chief truly has many tricks up his sleeves.
Pi Jian Yi thought silently as he watched Yue Zhong fade away.
During the day, Yue Zhong had used his Electromagnetic Gun to take down numerous enemies and his prowess had left deep impressions amongst all those present. Now, during the night, he even had the ability to engage in assassinations. Such an expert was rare to Pi Jian Yi.
Yue Zhong evaded all the searchlights, making use of the darkness to sneak into the camp noiselessly. With the cover of his Second Order Stealth, there was absolutely no way for the sentries to discover his presence.
That should be the lodgings of an important person. I should kill him.
Yue Zhong wasn’t too sure of the layout of the camp and had to fumble around. Hence, he chose the most eye catching tent and made his way there.
Outside the golden tent, there were 8 guards stationed and they held rifles as they radiated an imposing aura. No one would be able to escape their watchful gaze.
Yue Zhong instantly activated his Art of Fear, as a strong Spiritual blast enveloped the 8 guards, their vision turned black.
Yue Zhong made use of the window to rush into the tent. The moment he entered, he disengaged the Art of Fear and the 8 Guards regained their senses. Due to the short instant, they weren’t affected too badly but they weren’t sure what had happened either.
Inside the lavish tent, there were luxurious Turkish rugs on the ground and beautiful crystal lamps are hanging around. On a small podium, there was a redwood table with a large and imposing emperor seat. 2 bookcases were right beside the seat, filled with countless books.
Yue Zhong had just entered the tent when he heard a number of hurried footsteps. His heart skipping a beat as he dashed behind one of the bookcases and casted his Second Order Stealth again.
Curtains were pushed to the side as Xuan Zhen walked in from another part of the tent. The other 3 were precisely Ao Dou of the White Armor troops, Duo Ma who led the armored battalion, as well as Bao-Er Tai who led the 8 Banners Army.
Ao Dou and the other 3 were the trusted aides of Xuan Zhen and were the main pillars of the Manchu Empire. They were faithfully loyal to Xuan Zhen.
Xuan Zhen sat on the Emperor seat and looked to Duo Ma as he asked,
Duo Ma? How confident are you in taking down Tian Mu Town?
Tian Mu Town’s current fighting force was enough to alarm Xuan Zhen and he was worried about the outcome of the battle the next day. Should they fail, they would truly become a laughing stock of the Central Plains and worse, they would lose much of their forces. At the same time, it would cause Tian Mu Town’s prestige to rise and if they don’t manage to wipe the Han Alliance out, there would be many more who might join in the future.
Duo Ma answered with confidence,
My Liege, rest assured, Tian Mu Town is at the end of its ropes. Your subordinate dares to guarantee that the current actual force may not even number more than 300. Even if they equip the survivors with weapons, they’re a bunch of ordinary people and aren’t cause for concern. Tomorrow noon, I will make sure to crush their resistance and present Tian Mu Town as a gift for you, my Liege.
Duo Ma was confident of his words based on the intel he had obtained from his subordinates and made a judgement on the current state of Tian Mu Town.
Duo Ma looked at Dou Ao, his gaze unfriendly,
The only variable I’m concerned about is Yue Zhong. His strength is unfathomable. If he brought experts to defend, we might pay a heavy price. Today, if the White Armor Army had taken down Yue Zhong, we could have already conquered Tian Mu Town. As the captain of the White Armor troops, Ao Dou, is there anything you want to say?
Duo Ma and Ao Dou were both subjects of Xuan Zhen but they had friction between the both of them. Every time there was a chance, they would not hesitate to poke at each other.
Ao Dou glared coldly at Duo Ma,
Tomorrow, I’ll bring all my soldiers to deal with Yue Zhong. Even if we can’t kill him, we will draw him away from Tian Mu Town.
Ao Dou had seen the insane speed Yue Zhong was capable of. As compared to most other Evolvers, he knew there was no way they could hold him down. However, with the strength of the White Armor forces, it shouldn’t be too much to force Yue Zhong away from Tian Mu Town.
As Ao Dou and Duo Ma were starting to argue, Yue Zhong, who had been hiding behind the bookshelf, activated his Shadow Steps. He burst out with a speed 30 times that of a normal person and in addition to the Accelerate skill, with his Type 5 Treasure Windspeed Boots, his entire person was like a shooting star that shoots at Xuan Zhen. As long as he could take him down, the entire Manchu Empire was sure to collapse.
Yue Zhong suddenly burst out and no one in the tent was even prepared for something like this. Furthermore, his speed was simply too fast and in that instant, Yue Zhong’s blade had already sliced down at Xuan Zhen’s neck.
Xuan Zhen’s eyes flashed with shock but he didn’t even have the chance to react.
Just as Yue Zhong’s blade was sure to decapitate Xuan Zhen’s head, a bright bronze light radiated around Xuan Zhen’s neck, turning into a shield that protects him.
Yue Zhong’s Crocodile Tooth Saw Blade landed on the bronze shield, his 12-times Strength bursting out. However, all it did was to cause a loud ‘Dang’, and the bronze shield did not budge.
Truly the head of an empire, with such a life-saving treasure. Killing him is not going to be simple.
Yue Zhong thought to himself.
Stop!
Ao Dou was extremely alarmed and furious. He hurriedly shot forward and activated his Gravity Manipulation ability. Yue Zhong immediately felt a 4-times gravitational force weighing down on him. It felt like he was suddenly carrying a large boulder on his back, making it hard for him to maintain his speed. If it wasn’t for his 12-times Strength, he might have already been forced to the ground from that gravity.
Assassin! Protect the King! Protect the King!
Duo Ma pulled out his handgun and fired a few shots at Yue Zhong as he screamed out loud.
Go to hell!!
Bao-er Tai roared out in fury, his body suddenly turning large. His clothes ripped apart, and he became a were-bear, his height over 3m and his body covered in powerful furs. His ability was to transform into a were-bear, and with a speed of 12-times that of a person, he pounced towards Yue Zhong.
You can leave your head behind for this Emperor!
Xuan Zhen had also recovered, and he shot forwards like an arrow, his right hand carrying a powerful bronze-coloured Dou Qi, his fist whistling with a terrifying speed.
Dou Qi!! This fellow is indeed tough!!
Yue Zhong was taken aback and immediately pushed the Dark Dou Qi within him. Instantly, the gloomy aura covered his entire body, relieving the effects of the gravitational force on him by over two times. He also swung out with a fist at mach speed to meet Xuan Zhen’s fist.
The 2 heads of their respective factions could be considered the peak experts of the current apocalyptic world, and their fists were about to clash!
Following a loud, terrifying sonic boom, Yue Zhong was sent soaring through the air, crashing into the crystal lamps hanging from the roof. The lamps shattered, and he flew out of the tent.
Yue Zhong felt his organs jolted, his breath caught in his chest, as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He had not yet enhanced his Dark Dou Qi, and could not compared to the thrice-enhanced Bronze Dou Qi of Xuan Zhen. If it wasn’t for his high Endurance, he would have been pulverized.
Yue Zhong immediately sent out 2 powerful flaming tornadoes right at the tent, engulfing the people inside.
When he set fire to the gold tent, he activated his Shadow Steps and rushed about in the camp, setting fire everywhere while shouting at the top of his lungs:
Emperor Xuan Zhen is dead!! Emperor Xuan Zhen is dead!! Everyone, hurry flee!! Emperor Xuan Zhen is dead!!
Chapter 428: Burning Camp!
Flames arose from various parts of the Manchurian camp. Soldiers were burnt to crisp amidst their pitiful wails and screams. A number of soldiers managed to escape and were running amok in the camp.
When the soldiers heard Yue Zhong’s shout and saw the huge flames consuming the large gold tent, they were all shocked out of their wits, and the camp was plunged into chaos. Many fled in different directions.
Do it!!!
Bai Xiao Sheng heard the commotion and the shouts of Yue Zhong and his eyes flashed with a cold light as he led the elites under him towards the camp.
The various snipers within the elite team pulled out their weapons and began sniping the Manchurian soldiers.
Peng! Peng!
Following the sounds of gunfire, a number of sentries had their heads blasted into bits and pieces.
Bai Xiao Sheng charged towards the camp with a speed not losing out to Lightning. The blades in his hands swiftly sliced through the various defences, and made his way in.
At this time, the entire Manchurian camp was burning and the soldiers were panicking. They were easily dispatched by Bai Xiao Sheng and his team.
Xuan Zhen leaped out of the burning tent, into the skies with a huge amount of bronze-greenish Dou Qi, as he roared,
This Emperor is right here! This Emperor is not dead!!!
The earth shook, as a large earth pillar shot towards the skies. After raising about 10 meters, it opened up to reveal Ao Dou and Bao-Er Tao within.
Ao Dou shouted loudly,
We’re fine! Everyone, heed my command! Don’t panic! Regroup and get in your formations!
Under Xuan Zhen and Ao Dou’s enraged shouts, the entire Manchurian camp heard their words. However, it was burning badly everywhere. All the soldiers were still panicking and no one could remain calm.
Hong! Hong!
Yue Zhong’s Devil Flame managed to consume a particular storage that housed ammunition and explosives, causing it to instantly blow up.
Xuan Zhen watched with horror and screamed out in fury,
Damn bastard!!! Damn bastard!!! Yue Zhong, I want your corpse to be dismembered!!! I will definitely tear you apart!!!
Those explosives and ammunition were the precious resources of Xuan Zhen. As the army was backward, they could only manually reload those spent bullets and scrap together a few new ones. These supplies were purely from the past and the storage itself housed over 70% of the Manchurians’ supplies. Now that Yue Zhong had destroyed them, his Howitzers were basically useless.
After he roared out with fury, he began chasing after Yue Zhong together with Ao Dou and Bao-Er Tai.
A number of White Armor experts swiftly flocked around Xuan Zhen and his team, forming a fearsome squad.
Yue Zhong did not seem to care about Xuan Zhen as he kept on firing his Devil Flame everywhere, burning through the supplies. Each time he come across a soldier, he would just slaughter the unfortunate soldier instantly. The entire Manchurian camp had been turned upside down because of him.
One White Armor soldier was giving chase when suddenly, a blade noiselessly sliced through his heart from a dark corner.
The soldier heaved his last breath and fell down in silence while the blade disappeared.
Tenpyo Saka watched the fallen White Armor soldier, silently vanishing into the night to search for a worthy prey. She loved to assassinate powerful experts. Each time she killed one, there was a sense of achievement and superiority.
Xuan Zhen and the rest continued to give chase to Yue Zhong. Although they were beyond being enraged, they were basically helpless.
Ao Dou immediately proposed,
My Liege! This cannot go on! If we continue to chase him, we’ll only be led around by the nose. I feel that we should focus on settling the camp down and regroup the soldiers to deal with the invaders!
Xuan Zhen seemed to snap out of his blind rage and gritted his teeth to say,
Fine!
Once they had collected themselves, they swiftly began to reorganize their troops. There were many elite soldiers in this camp site and although many had been slain under the sudden attacks of Yue Zhong, Bai Xiao Sheng and his team, the rest managed to be gathered by their commanders and reformed their squads to launch a counter attack. Under Xuan Zhen’s orders, these squads formed into a large battalion.
The moment these elites were gathered, Bai Xiao Sheng and the rest would not stand a chance.
Disperse!
Bai Xiao Sheng judged the battlefield and gave the order to retreat. If they forced their way through, there was a chance to kill another 500 soldiers with his team. However, his own team would have to pay a hefty price. Therefore, he chose to retreat.
Under Bai Xiao Sheng’s orders, all those elites who had been following Yue Zhong hurried away from the camp. They were the strongest in sudden attacks, night raids and assassinations. Forcefully battling out was not something they could or should do.
Compared to the zombies with lack of intelligence, a thousand soldiers were still more than a feat for 100 Evolvers.
The moment the Manchurian forces regrouped, they went to defend the granary. Should the granary be destroyed, then their hopes would be dashed as well. They wouldn’t even have enough for the journey back.
The Manchurian troops guarded the granary tightly, with numerous White Armor soldiers stationed everywhere. Even Ao Dou, Xuan Zhen and Bao-Er Tai were standing guard in case Yue Zhong came.
Do you think that I’ll be helpless like that?
Yue Zhong stared at the granary and chuckled coldly, pulling out his Falcon II Sniper and aimed at one of the White Armor soldiers.
A bright flash of light shot out and the unfortunate soldier was blasted into pieces by the cannon round of the Falcon Sniper, his body parts splattered across the ground.
Seeing that, all the soldiers were frightened and quickly dove for cover, not daring to show their heads.
With a thought, Yue Zhong summoned the Type 2 Green Jiao-Python, opened its huge mouth and then he fired poisonous gas at the entire camp.
Ah!!! Help!!!
Save me!!!
I don’t want to die!!!
Help!!!
……
The poisonous mist of the Green Jiao-Python was even able to turn the rocket launchers and firearms into smoking puddles of liquid. The moment it landed on those soldiers, they began to dissolve, their eyes blinded and their bodies twisting and writhing. Their pitiful screams echoed throughout the night as their flesh dripped off their bodies.
Ao Dou glared at the Type 2 Green Jiao-Python spitting poison non-stop and he hollered with a furious look in his eyes,
Damn beast!!! You dare summon a Type 2 poison-type Mutant Beast!!! White Armor Troops, kill that beast!!!
6 White Armor elites with the Enhanced Bullet abilities immediately risked their lives to stand out and began firing at the Type 2 Green Jiao-Python.
6 flashes of lights blasted the body of the Type 2 Green Jiao-Python, resulting in 6 large holes as countless nodes of light dispersed from its body.
Having suffered heavy injuries, the Type 2 Green Jiao-Python writhed in agony and shrieked. Although it was just a summoned spirit beast, it can also feel pain when injured.
The Type 2 Green Jiao-Python twisted about before turning into light, disappearing from its position.
The corners of Yue Zhong’s lips lifted and a cold look flashed in his eyes as he whisked out his Electromagnetic Gun and fired at the soldiers who had stood out.
A beam of light shot through the White Armor soldier, his body blasted apart.
Before the rest could even react in time, another shot from the gun had already claimed the life of another White Armor soldier.
The remaining 4 soldiers quickly dove behind cover again to avoid being hunted.
Yue Zhong then disappeared from his location, quickly moving towards another spot after killing those 2 White Armor soldiers.
Fuck!!!
Ao Dou watched helplessly as Yue Zhong took out 2 of his troops which had the Enhanced Bullets ability and cursed furiously.
The skill Enhanced Bullets was a rare Level 3 ability, at the same time, it required the usage of a strong gun. Therefore, hunting strange beasts and zombies might not necessarily be easier for the users to level up as compared to those who used the melee weapons of the God and Devil System. Each and every one of those Enhancers with the Enhanced Bullet ability was treated carefully and in the entire Manchurian Empire forces, there were only 6 of them who had enhanced the skill thrice. Now, they had lost 2, which caused Ao Dou to feel the pang of the loss.
Yue Zhong had killed those 2 Enhanced Bullets experts and was now using his Second Order Stealth to hide in the dark, lying in wait. His eyes were fixed on the granary like a hungry tiger.
While the experts of the Manchu Empire were still there, he would not risk it to blitz into it.
In the dark of the night, the experts of the Manchu Empire did not dare shut their eyes, maintaining their high alert.
All of a sudden, a loud commotion with gunshots happened from a particular corner, attracting the attention of all the experts. By the time the White Armor soldiers got there, there were 5 additional corpses.
When the White Armor soldiers were drawn to that location, at another dark corner, 3 sharp bone spikes suddenly shot out from behind a huge boulder, nailing the soldiers to the ground.
When the elites turned their heads, White Bones had already retracted its bone spikes, leaping behind another huge boulder about 200m away, crawling on the ground like a predator. It disappeared in a few breaths.
Yue Zhong, White Bones and Tenpyo Saka were all adept at assassinating in the night without care for their faces. Every time they acted out, 2 or 3 would be killed and the pressure on the Manchu elites was mounting.
In the end, Ao Dou could not help but deploy the troops to tighten their perimeters, with the experts at the forefront. Yue Zhong and his team was forced to retract their weapons temporarily.
Early the next morning, many of the soldiers were already beyond exhaustion. They had been on the move since early the previous day, engaging the Gold Wolf Riders in a large-scale battle before entangling with the Hans in Tian Mu Town. They couldn’t even get a decent night’s rest due to Yue Zhong’s pressure on them. Under such circumstances, they were already on the brink of collapse.
Xuan Zhen’s eyes were bloodshot as he asked Ao Dou who had come forward to report,
How is it?
Ao Dou’s face was solemn,
We had lot 653 men last night, with 1,200 escaping. Right now, we only have about 2,800 soldiers remaining. With the ammunitions storage destroyed, our Howitzers can only fire another single volley.
When Xuan Zhen heard that, his face turned pale and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
My Liege!!!
My Liege!!!
The officials surrounding him quickly stepped forwards to support him.
Xuan Zhen wiped the blood off his mouth and spoke with difficulty,
Retreat!!! Convey my orders, we will withdraw immediately to the capital!!!
One general was shocked and he immediately asked,
Why? My Liege, Tian Mu Town is at its wits’ end. As long as we go at it with all our might, we will be able to take them down!
Xuan Zhen’s eyes flashed with clarity as he spoke each word slowly,
Last night, it was a team of 100 elites that had ambushed us. We might have the numbers now, but we are all tired. We can’t even bring forth half of our strength. Even if we did conquer Tian Mu Town, we would have suffered greatly ourselves. That would leave us open for the Gold Wolf Riders and the Mongol King. We need to preserve our strength for now.
As the head of a faction, Xuan Zhen knew how to weigh the pros and cons. His troops were already pushed to their limits and were tired. Right now, it was imperative that they head back to their capital.
Following Xuan Zhen’s orders, the Manchu Empire forces began to withdraw. They had arrived in arrogance and held the advantage, besting the Gold Wolf Riders of the Huangjin Clan. Yet now, they were forced to retreat in pathetic circumstances, with less than half their forces.
Seeing the Manchu forces withdrawing, Yue Zhong also heaved a sigh of relief. He had employed a number of tactics throughout the night, killing and assassinating them and had spent much of his Stamina and Spirit as well. He was likewise exhausted. If the Manchu Empire had insisted on attacking Tian Mu Town, he would have no choice but to fight it out with them, without any confidence of victory. Their retreat was the best option for both themselves and Yue Zhong.
Chapter 429: Victorious Troops!
The Manchu troops have retreated!!! We have fought them off!!!
We have defeated the Gold Wolf Riders, and defeated the Manchu forces!! We’re the strongest!!!
We’re the strongest!! Our Han people are the strongest!!
……
When the Manchu forces left, a resounding cheer erupted all across Tian Mu Town. All the heroes who had joined in the tough battle felt a sense of pride and elation. They had actually managed to fend off 2 strong factions of the Central Plains, and they could not help but feel a surge of pride. Furthermore, adding on to the brutal nature of the battle, they had gained a valuable experience, forging their mental fortitude and bearing as soldiers.
Only through war and the sweet taste of victory, that a unit could become elite. That was the reason why the troops of the past had such glorious histories, because they had forged themselves through countless battles and emerged victorious, become stronger as a whole.
During the Second World War, the German troops had continually emerged victorious over the British troops in Africa, causing the British troops to retreat constantly. It was because the British troops had their confidence shattered. It didn’t matter even a unit was well-trained or well-equipped, if they had no confidence, it would be for naught. After that, the British troops had regained their confidence under the lead of Montgomery, and it was the same troop that defeated the German troops, flipping the results back on them.
Amidst the cheers, Yue Zhong led the 8 Guards and Bai Xiao Sheng towards the people.
Long live the Alliance Chief!!
Long live Chief Yue Zhong!!
……
These Han warriors caught sight of Yue Zhong and immediately exploded out with cheers. They wanted to give their excitement and boiling pride a voice.
Yue Zhong had been at the forefront of battle these few days, and it was he who had defeated the Fierce Dong-Er Molei, and destroyed a number of the armored vehicles of the Manchurian forces, as well as leading some soldiers to launch a night raid on the Manchu camp. All his battle records were spread by Pi Jian Yi and the others, causing the various Han warriors to acknowledge him as their alliance chief.
When they had begrudgingly agreed to Yue Zhong as their chief, it was because the situation had called for it. However, now, he had truly won them over.
Yue Zhong looked at all of them with a silent appreciative glance, these 100-over heroes left from the cruel battle were good seedlings for his troops in the future.
Yue Zhong stood among them and his voice boomed out,
I’m Yue Zhong! I’m your Alliance Chief Yue Zhong! You have defeated the Gold Wolf Riders! Defeated the Manchu Empire! You all are the strongest! I’m proud of you!! As a Han, I’m proud to have you all as warriors fighting for us!! You are all heroes!! Without your valiant efforts, the 7,000-survivors here would become the slaves of those animals! It is you all who have protected our comrades!! You guys are heroes! Worthy of pride and our admiration!!
Many of them began to clap, their eyes brimming with tears. When they had arrived here initially, many of them had their own ambitions and thoughts. At this moment however, they were recognized as heroes, giving them a taste of the honor and glory to come.
Let me know announce the establishment of the Victorious Troops! You are all part of this unit, and in the future, under your lead, the Manchu Empire, the Turks, the Mongol King will all be beneath our feet, and all our enemies will tremble at our name! We will use our cannons, and weapons to let them taste our might, and pay their blood debts!! We will use our cannons and weapons to protect our precious comrades!! Victorious troops, VICTORY ALL THE WAY!!
VICTORY ALL THE WAY!!
VICTORY ALL THE WAY!!
VICTORY ALL THE WAY!!
……
The various Han heroes began to roar out with strong feelings. It was an infectious mood, as everyone, including the gun-totting survivors began to cheer out loudly.
Not long after, all the survivors in Tian Mu Town cheered at the top of their voices, the celebratory mood strong.
Yue Zhong then raised his hands, and the cheers came to a halt. He waved his hands, and a few of subordinates under Bai Xiao Sheng stepped forward carrying 2 large chests to the podium and revealed the contents to everyone.
Yue Zhong pointed to all the Evolving Liquid and announced,
These are Evolving Liquids! As long as you consume one, you can become an Evolver. You guys should be able to recognize the value of these vials. Now, they are yours! You are all heroes! I will grant strength to all of you, and hope that you can make use of this strength to kill our enemies, and protect our comrades!
Ximen Lie looked at the boxes and his eyes opened wide with fervor and greed,
What?! Evolving Liquid!! There’s actually something like that!?
There was a vast difference between Evolvers and ordinary Enhancers. Each time they leveled, the distance would be pulled apart. Almost all Enhancers hoped to become Evolvers. However, Evolvers were rare, and even as the leader of the Radiant Sun Triad, Ximen Lie was not an Evolver.
Yue Zhong swept his gaze across the people,
Line up to collect it! There’s only a limited amount on my hands, therefore I can only grant it to those who participated in the defence against the Gold Wolf Riders as well as the Manchurian forces. As for the rest, there will be chances to earn them. As long as you join the Victorious Troops, and obtain enough merits, I, Yue Zhong, hereby promise you that you definitely will become a strong Evolver. It’s easy to use it, just have to inject in. After injection, you will have a fever for a day, and after resting for a day, you will become an Evolver. As to whether you want to accept it, it’s up to you. I won’t force those who aren’t confident to try it.
The various Han heroes began to line up neatly to accept their Evolving Liquid. Many immediately injected themselves, as they trusted this leader who fought alongside them. However, there were likewise many who doubted. There were 50 of them who stood to one side, not willing to try it, just standing there eyeing coolly.
Since the onset of the apocalypse, and the crumble of society, human nature had truly changed. Although many of these heroes had fought alongside Yue Zhong, they still harbored a slight wariness. It was not easy to just trust someone and inject a substance that had unknown origins after all.
It could be poison, or worse, some form of control agent, then they would become puppets at the mercy of Yue Zhong’s control, turning into a bunch of zombies.
After accepting the liquid, some of the Han heroes felt their bodies shuddering, and they slumped to the ground, panting loudly.
Witnessing this, many of them felt shocked, and turned to look at Yue Zhong, their gazes filled with slight suspicions. If he couldn’t explain properly, they would immediately fall out with him.
Alliance Chief, what is the meaning of this?
Alliance Chief, please explain!!
Facing the scrutiny of the people present, Yue Zhong maintained his calm and said,
I’ve already mentioned this, in order to transform into an Evolver, after taking the liquid, you will burn with a fever, after a day, you will naturally recover and become an Evolver. All of you can wait a day, and see if my words are true or not!
Seeing how firm he was, while many of the heroes were still uncertain, they didn’t dare ask further.
After all, they have seen how casually he had slaughtered his enemies, and was likewise cruel and vicious in his handling of any resentment at the start. Before anything was certain, they didn’t dare to have a falling out with him.
Yue Zhong summoned Ximen Lie,
Go get some nurses to take good care of these heroes!
Ximen Lie replied courteously,
Yes! Alliance Chief!
Currently, many of the Radiant Sun Triad’s elites had perished in the battles, and there were only some ordinary warriors left. None of them were a match for Yue Zhong nor his Guards. Hence, Ximen Lie had long since abandoned all thoughts of vying for the Alliance Chief seat, instead, choosing to become Yue Zhong’s subordinate.
80 women were selected by him to become temporary caretakers, in charge of all the fainted Han warriors. Some of them were worried that Yue Zhong might do something else, thus they offered to protect the their comrades and friends Yue Zhong naturally allowed them.
Early the next day, one burly Han warrior opened his eyes and immediately exclaimed,
Oh! Where’s this?
Li Da Nu, you’re awake!! How do you feel? Have you become an Evolver?
Li Da Nu, you’re alright! How’s your body?
A few Han warriors saw that Li Da Nu had woken up, and immediately crowded around to ask.
Li Da Nu rubbed his eyes and stared blankly for awhile, before a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes,
En? Oh yes!!! HAHAHAHA!! This Father, I, have become an Evolver!!! This father has become an Evolver!! I even learnt the Werewolf Transformation ability!! This father is invincible!! Hahahaha!!!
Werewolf Transformation?! Transform for all of us to see!!
Come on, do it! Let’s see if you’re just boasting!!
……
The crowd immediately hooted and egged him on, they knew while he had always been a Strength-based Enhancer, he definitely did not know the Werewolf Transformation before.
Fine!! Let me show you guys!!
He roared out in mock fury, and immediately his muscles became ripped, fur grew everywhere on his body, and his frame lengthened itself. Within seconds, he had transformed into a powerful werewolf over 2m tall.
He really became an Evolver!!
Holy, Alliance Chief’s words were not false!!
Damn it!! I should have gone to get one!!
……
Seeing Li Da Nu transformed into an Evolver, and even comprehending the powerful Werewolf Transformation skill, instantly leaping beyond their levels in strength, many of them who did not collect their Evolving Liquid felt regret and envious.
Chapter 430: Situ Jin!
A number of the Han heroes also began to wake up from their coma, each of them having evolved to an Evolver. They had learnt new abilities, and their strength had undergone an earthshaking change.
This situation caused the entire Tian Mu Town to go crazy.
Those who had been eligible, but not did not take the Evolving Liquid due to their misgivings the day before, approached Yue Zhong and pleaded profusely,
Alliance Chief!! On account that I’ve given my all to protect Tian Mu Town, please grant me an Evolving Liquid!!
Yue zhong eyed them coolly and rejected,
No way! I gave you guys the choice yesterday, and you guys did not treasure it. Let me give you this opportunity then. You have all become commanders of the Victorious Troops, I hope that you will use your strength to obtain merit in order to exchange for the Evolving Liquid. As long as your achievements are sufficient, I will grant you the Evolving Liquid, and help y’all become Evolvers In my hands, there are even better versions! As long as you accumulate merits! Spread the mighty name of the Victorious Troops and let our enemies fear us! Only then, I will gift you these precious gifts.
After they were rejected, those warriors began to join the Victorious Troops to undergo strict military training.
When they saw the astonishing effects of the liquid, many survivors were also tempted, and wanted to join the Victorious Troops to gain strength and make a name for themselves. The signup rate for the unit suddenly increased explosively.
Yue Zhong chose a good 2,000 seedlings to join.
After establishing the Victorious Troops unit, Yue Zhong then led the rest of the survivors back towards Qi Mu County.
Arriving there, Yue Zhong got Bai Xiao Sheng to train those 2,000 survivors, while assigning others to go collect the survivors of the other 10 Han factions.
After the battle in Tian Mu Town, the matter of Yue Zhong’s leading of the Han Alliance to repel the Gold Wolf Riders and Manchu Empire soon spread throughout the Central Plains like wildfire.
Of the 10 Han factions, the Radiant Sun Triad had already become part of Yue Zhong’s faction, while the chiefs of the Green Bamboo Triad, and Heavenly Demon Sect began to lead their 4,000 survivors to join Tian Mu Town. The Blue Triad, Red Triad, Golden Wolf Triad and even the Pink Triad also submitted to Yue Zhong, bringing their own survivors, instantly growing the faction to a mighty size of 30,000 people.
The attention of all the powers in the Central Plains soon fell onto these huge Han Alliance, and everyday, there would be solo warriors who arrived to join them.
Out in the Central Plains, besides the 3 large empires, the Han Alliance had suddenly become the 4th faction.
Alliance Chief! Someone requests an audience!
On a particular field, Ximen Lie came running, noting Yue Zhong training his body by carrying a large boulder. At the same time, he was under the pressure of 4-times gravity while activating his Dark Dou Qi.
Every day, after settling his affairs, Yue Zhong would use this method to train his Dark Dou Qi, in order to get a better sense of it. Sometimes, employing an additional skill that was familiar would mean an additional trump card on the field.
Yue Zhong threw the huge boulder to the ground, and took a deep breath, his eyes turning to fix on Ximen Lie,
Who’s looking for me?
Ximen Lie replied:
It’s from the People’s Army! The Mongol King Hu-E Ran’s subordinate Guo Ming had led a troop of a thousand soldiers to attack them. The envoy is here to seek assistance. Chief, are you going to grant him an audience?
Yue Zhong frowned as he pondered, before saying,
Let him in!
A man in tattered clothes that looked dusty and pitiful, yet his stature straight and his gaze resolute came before Yue Zhong. He spoke,
Lieutenant Ying Kong of the Border Guards greets Chief Yue. I came seeking your assistance in deploying your troops to rescue our Huyan Town.
Yue Zhong looked at this man with appreciation and said,
Can! I can deploy my troops to your town. However, I want the survivors to all come under my faction, including your troops!
Ying Kong stared right back at Yue Zhong without any fear,
I would like to ask Chief Yue a few questions!
Please ask!
Ying Kong immediately shot,
First, If you were to lead the Han Alliance to defeat the Mongol King, the Manchu Empire, the Turk Empire, how would you deal with the survivors from these 3 factions?
Yue Zhong did not hesitate and immediately replied,
Those whose hands had been stained by Han blood would be executed. Their families would become slaves. As for those ordinary citizens, as long as they did not partake in any activities in harming the Hans, and surrender, I can treat them as ordinary citizens as well. However, there will not be any privileges. In my Han Alliance faction, all citizens are equal, I would not mistreat any particular race just because. Likewise, there would not be any pardon any offences. Even any Hans within the 3 main factions, as long as their hands are dyed with their fellow Hans’ blood, they would not be spared!
Yue Zhong’s principle had always been an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. He would handle violence with violence, and repaid evil with evil. He had no particular hatred for the rest of the races, after all, when he was in university, he had many friends of different races as well.
However, in this apocalyptic world, there were many nationalistic or racist people. In the west, there was the Nazi Germany, the Japanese right-wing faction, the brutal nature of Country A, as well as the white supremacists of America and Europe as well. They all felt their own race to be the strongest and viewed other races with contempt.
During peace times, they already had a certain degree of power. In this world where trust was lacking, any nationalistic person could quickly gather like-minded individuals like a beacon.
Ying Kong then continued,
Second, half of the survivors in Huyan Town are Mongolians, how do you intend to deal with them?
Yue Zhong replied indifferently,
If they didn’t do anything wrong, they are still eligible to become my citizens. I’ll treat them fairly just like the rest of the survivors, as long as they’re willing to work, I can guarantee that their quality of life would not be worse off. If they have committed any major offences, then, they will be dealt with. This has nothing to do with their racial background, just themselves and their conduct. Same goes for the Hans in my camp.
Ying Kong looked at him fearlessly and said,
Good! Chief Yue, in that case, as long as you keep your promise and treat everyone fairly, the People’s Army would join you. I, Ying Kong, am a Mongolian myself.
Many Mongolians had aspects of their lives that intertwine with the Hans, therefore, marriages between both sides were common. Not every Mongolian wanted to capture a Han to be a slave.
Although Ying Kong was Mongolian, he was a Border Guard with a strong sense of honor. He and his comrades had continued to protect the 800 survivors of Huyan Town through their resolute wills. To them, there were no distinction between Mongols or Hans, it was just Chinese and foreign invaders.
The actions of the self-proclaimed Mongol King of raiding various places to get slaves crossed a line with Ying Kong. He did not approve of it. Somehow, Guo Ming, Hu-E Ran’s subordinate, had set his sights on Huyan Town and the 800 survivors there, intending to subjugate them. Since Ying Kong and the rest of his comrades were at their wits’ end, they could only approach Yue Zhong for help.
Yue Zhong made the decision to assist, and immediately deployed Bai Xiao Sheng, Yin Shuang as well as 50 Special Forces Evolvers towards the base of the People’s Army.
The Victorious Troops were still undergoing training, and under the guidance and instructions of the various elites who had been through battles, they were all slowly but surely getting stronger. Before their training ended, Yue Zhong wasn’t willing to send them on a live exercise.
In his plans, this Victorious Troops will be one of the strongest armies he had to sweep through the Central Plains. He needed to ensure that they were of the highest standards.
Huyan Town was a small town in the Central Plains, with a population of about 2,000 in the past.
With the apocalypse, the Border Guards that had been stationed nearby managed to save 500 from the zombies. Due to their protection, the survivors from the surrounding areas began to come, and boosted the population to 800.
This small town had led a life of little conflict, and now, their peace was about to be disrupted. A thousand-strong unit of riders kicked up a storm of dust as they arrived in front of the town.
Guo Ming, as the leading captain of this unit, pointed to the town and ordered coldly,
Kill! The first person to make his way in will be promoted 3 ranks, and given 5 bulls, 10 beauties. After the town is ours, other than the Mongolians, everyone else is to be our slaves! Kill!!
Kill!!
Kill!!
Kill!!
……
The riders charged forth with bloodthirsty looks towards Huyan Town!
Peng! Peng! Peng!
From Huyan Town, there were suddenly loud gunshots that rang out, instantly killing a number of riders.
However, due to the lack of firearms, as well as the absence of heavy firepower, there were only about 60 .81 rifles. Furthermore, having been utilized often, the bullets remaining were very limited.
A soldier came up to a man with a burly frame, a huge moustache and beard, and said,
Captain! I only have about 5 magazines left!
This bearded soldier was the leader of the the Border Guards, Situ Jin.
Situ Jin replied,
Save the ammunition, let them come closer, then we fire!
Another soldier had a face of concern,
Captain! The bullets are dwindling! I don’t think we have more than 200, but they have a 1000 people, what do we do?
Situ Jin looked at all of them, a grin on his face,
What’s there to be worried about? Once the bullets are out, we still have our blades! Without our blades, we still have our teeth and fists! Protecting the people of the country is our duty! There are 800 of our fellow countrymen relying on us! Protecting them is our duty, our responsibility! I know it will be hard for us to live past today, if you want to leave, I won’t blame you! You all have been the best soldiers this country could have gotten, and are my good brothers! Whether you choose to die here with me, or to leave and live on, you will forever be my close friends and brothers!
