Chapter 634
Chapter 634
While Shen Lang was living a life fit for an immortal at home, Ning Zheng was enduring what felt like hell in the capital. He had lost over twenty pounds and now weighed barely a hundred. Getting even three hours of sleep a night was a luxury. Still, having served as the Grand Administrator of Tianyue for nearly a year, he was now exceedingly familiar with all government affairs. He was even handling many matters beyond the scope of his position, which had changed the court officials' impression of him. They saw Ning Zheng as a silent old ox who did his duty, a chivalrous soul who shouldered all the blame.
Ning Zheng was cautious and diligent in his duties, never shying away from hard work or fearing resentment. Moreover, he took the fall for everything under the sun. Matters the King held him responsible for, tasks the officials passed on to him, and even issues caused by the Crown Prince and the Third Prince—he had to take responsibility for them all.
The once brilliant, bustling, and prosperous capital had recently turned into a city as cold as ice. A nightly curfew was imposed, movement of the populace was restricted, and food was rationed. Wartime prices, compulsory labor, and wartime taxes were all part of the various wartime administrative measures. Ning Zheng handled all of it. Once the war began, there would be no time to spare, so the nation's strength had to be conserved beforehand. The districts directly under the capital's jurisdiction operated like cogs in a war machine. The sprawling, luxurious metropolis of old vanished, replaced by a ruthless city of war.
Everyone mocked Ning Zheng, saying he had earned the world's enmity, that he only did favors for the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, and that he was born to be the scapegoat. Yet, deep down, they all acknowledged his competence. They admitted that Ning Zheng was ruthless, upright, and capable when it came to his work.
However, with Ning Zheng's strict policies in effect day after day, the entire capital was exhausted and constantly on edge. This led to one thing that everyone unanimously desired.
'Just start the war already! We can't take this anymore.'
It had been months since Nangong Ao's grand army entered the Southern Ou Nation. Everyone who had once feared the war had grown numb and now just wanted a quick resolution.
'If we don't get a result soon, the anxiety will break us. Start the war already!'
King Ning Yuanxian, the officials of the State of Yue, its people, and even the entire Eastern world waited with wide eyes for the sound of war to erupt.
'Let's fight now! We've waited too long and prepared enough.'
The State of Yue had fully activated its wartime system, reaching a point where not fighting was no longer an option.
***
On the nineteenth day of the tenth month, an army of one hundred thousand under Prince Gong formally advanced to the walls of the Southern Ou capital, surrounding it completely. At that time, the State of Yue's one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-strong army was within the borders of the Southern Ou Nation, with one hundred thousand of them defending the capital. The supreme commander of the defending force was Zhu Lin. Princess Ning Luo defended Sand City, the second-largest city in the Southern Ou Nation. Nangong Ao defended Fallen Leaf City, the third-largest city. These three cities formed a triangle, positioned to reinforce one another.
Grand General Zhu Lin, Pacifier of the South, was eating his porridge as usual. He had been stationed in the Southern Ou Nation for two years now, pouring his heart and soul into every battle. Two years ago, he had been a commanding figure with jet-black hair, but now, most of it had turned gray, and he looked ten years older. This strange land had taken a heavy toll on him.
'Thankfully, this suffering is coming to an end. The day of the great battle has finally arrived!'
Contrary to expectations, Prince Gong, who had been like a stray dog, was now the King of the Great Southern Nation, leading an army of one hundred thousand against them. Zhu Lin's face showed no emotion, but his heart was in turmoil. This war would not only decide the fate of the State of Yue but also the fate of the Zhu Clan and Zhu Lin himself. If they won this war, the Crown Prince's position would be solidified beyond doubt, and Zhu Lin would replace Xue Che in the Privy Council, reaching the pinnacle of his military career. It would mean that the Zhu Clan would not only dominate the civil officials of Yue but also hold significant sway over the military faction.
'Heavens, please grant me, Zhu Lin, the chance to achieve this unparalleled merit!'
Just then, the sound of war drums thundered from outside, seeming to pierce the heavens.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*
General Zhu Lin finished the porridge in his hands at a steady pace. Then, he rose, spread his arms, and an attendant helped him into his armor. It was top-tier armor in this world, light yet sturdy, a gift from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. After donning his armor, Zhu Lin picked up his greatsword and slowly walked out of the main residence of the Southern Ou Nation.
He mounted his horse, and behind him, several hundred elite cavalrymen mounted theirs in an orderly fashion. They galloped like the wind toward the western wall and ascended it. From there, he looked out to see Prince Gong's army spread endlessly before the city. An army of over ten thousand could seem boundless, but with over one hundred thousand, it truly looked as if it reached the ends of the sky.
'Is that Prince Gong? Two years have passed, yet he looks the same—still as refined as before, only his skin is a little darker. He has become the monarch of the Great Southern Nation and the master of all the Savage Tribes, but he doesn't wear royal robes, making him look more like a chieftain. His clothes are simple, leaving his arms and shoulders exposed. He wears armor over his bare torso with a black cape. Is that a crown on his head? It's so crude, it looks like it was forged from ordinary black iron. Moreover, his hundred-thousand-strong army stands in a disorderly fashion, their formation completely lacking discipline. Where are the siege engines? The catapults? There are none, only crooked-looking siege ladders? This is no different from the army of a primitive tribe.'
Despite this, Zhu Lin felt no contempt or complacency in his heart. Because all he saw in the Savage Tribe warriors was a profound cruelty and a love for battle, with no trace of fear.
The capital of the Southern Ou Nation was quite large. Its walls were fifty feet high and twenty feet thick. To the Savage Tribe warriors, this city must seem immense. Facing such a formidable fortress would be a nightmare for any army. It meant that taking it would come at a great cost, demanding the blood and sacrifice of countless soldiers. General Zhu Lin faced Prince Gong, who drew his greatsword and said,
"Attack the city!"
At his command, the great army of the Savage Tribes surged toward the city walls like a tidal wave, their roars like those of beasts unleashed from a cage. The great battle for the Southern Ou Nation had officially begun.
***
"The war in the Southern Ou Nation has begun."
"The war in the Southern Ou Nation has begun."
Thanks to hundreds of messengers rushing about, the news spread throughout the State of Yue within days.
'The war has finally started!'
The people of Yue instinctively felt their hairs stand on end, their eyes widening. Though they were far from the battlefield, everyone held their breath, their focus crossing countless mountains and rivers to watch the war.
***
When the war finally began, the defensive lines of Tiannan Province entered a state of wartime readiness. The one-hundred-thousand-strong army held its positions, and all officers were in full armor, ready to march and support the Southern Ou battlefield at a moment's notice. In the capital, hearing the news that the war had begun, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
'The lightning has finally struck. Now, all that's left is to wait for the outcome, whatever it may be.'
Crown Prince Ning Yi and Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu remained on high alert. They had to seize the moment when the tide of war turned in their favor, when victory was within grasp. At that very moment, Crown Prince Ning Yi would immediately head south to the Southern Ou Nation, take command of the battlefield, and claim the fruits of victory in this war that would decide the nation's fate.
***
"So, the war has finally begun!"
Shen Lang sighed after receiving the news. The idyllic days he and Mulan had been spending were over.
"I'm going with you, my husband. I never want to leave your side!"
Mulan's resolve was firm, and Shen Lang nodded. The next day, he, Mulan, and Li Qianqiu boarded a ship and set sail for Nirvana Island.
***
Two days later, as Shen Lang once again approached Nirvana Island, he witnessed an utterly astonishing scene.
On the massive cliff before him, people were densely gathered. Over three thousand soldiers of the Second Nirvana Army were scaling the several-hundred-meter-high cliff with their bare hands. How treacherous was that cliff? A single fall would guarantee one's bones would be ground to dust, their body shattered. Furthermore, the Nirvana soldiers were tied together with ropes. This meant that if even one person fell, dozens would fall with them. Of course, it also meant that if one person was about to fall, the dozens of others could pull them back up.
Shen Lang watched as all of them climbed to the top of the mountain without a single person falling.
'Climbing a cliff hundreds of meters high with their bare hands? Th-this ability is truly astonishing. When they get to the battlefield, will there be any terrain that can stop them?'
Prince Gong's Savage Tribe warriors were impressive enough, traversing mountains, fields, and forests as if they were flat ground, but compared to the Nirvana Army before him, they were nothing.
***
Four hours later, the three thousand eight hundred soldiers of the Second Nirvana Army stood in orderly ranks on the training grounds. Shen Lang asked Grandmaster Nandu,
"Grandmaster, is this army complete?"
But upon seeing Mulan, Grandmaster Nandu didn't answer Shen Lang. Instead, his eyes widened in surprise.
"What is it?"
Grandmaster Nandu replied,
"Sh-she looks like someone I've seen in the ancient records!"
It seemed Mulan's appearance truly resembled that of ancient humanity. Grandmaster Nandu then scanned Mulan from head to toe, his gaze intense. Mulan was young enough to be his granddaughter, so his intentions were obviously not roguish. He was simply astonished by Mulan's extraordinariness. Her physical qualities surpassed those of most humans in this world.
"Grandmaster, is the Second Nirvana Army complete?"
"It is complete. All we need is for the wind to blow!"
Grandmaster Nandu replied to Shen Lang's question with utmost arrogance. More than an hour later, the wind began to blow. It wasn't a gale, but it was strong enough to be a fatal factor in archery.
"Ready!"
At Grandmaster Nandu's command, the three thousand eight hundred soldiers of the Nirvana Army nocked their arrows and drew their bows in unison. They all used two-stone heavy bows.
"Fire! Fire!"
As soon as his command was given, the Second Nirvana Army fired relentlessly, unleashing a continuous volley of arrows even in the wind. The power of the two-stone heavy bows was immense, drastically reducing the effect of the wind. And they weren't aiming at targets, but at the branches of a small thicket a hundred meters away.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.*
The arrows shot out like lightning, raining down on the thicket ahead, and countless branches snapped in unison.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish.*
The volley from the three thousand Nirvana soldiers rained down incessantly and furiously into the thicket. They fired an average of one arrow every three seconds. After three minutes, each person had fired over fifty arrows. That meant the three thousand soldiers had fired nearly two hundred thousand arrows. The small thicket a hundred meters away was stripped bare by the arrows. Most of the branches were broken by the arrows, and over a hundred trees were left like naked pillars. Shen Lang couldn't hide his astonishment at the sight, and neither could Mulan.
'Th-they're too strong! When this army appears on the battlefield, it will shock the world once again! Anything within their range is doomed to be slaughtered!'
Nandu said calmly,
"Shen Lang, the Second Nirvana Army is successfully complete. It is ready to go to war, create a miracle, and astonish the world!"