Chapter 856
Chapter 856
Shen Lang unfolded the map and studied Bikin City in detail. This massive metropolis was only about four hundred *li* from Mulan City. This battle would be incredibly difficult. Bikin City was a coastal city built around a mountain bay. The large mountain to the north served as a natural barrier, and a valley in the center was fortified with a wall over ten *li* long and an astonishing eight or nine meters high. Moreover, the city's original garrison numbered over one hundred thousand, but now that Duchess Dipas had become the southern guardian of the Seilun Dynasty, she could summon another hundred thousand troops from the surrounding areas at a word of command.
The Amazon Legion was overwhelmingly powerful, so attacking the walls or storming the city wasn't an issue. The problem was that once they breached the walls, they would be plunging into a sea of over a hundred thousand soldiers. Even if they could win, they would suffer considerable casualties. Every Amazon warrior was precious; if a thousand of them were lost, Shen Lang would be in a difficult position.
For this battle, Shen Lang wasn't worried about how to breach the walls. All the difficulties lay in what came after. This was a battle between two different races, after all. Unless the enemy's leader was captured or killed, the hardship was unavoidable. Just as it was said that to defeat an enemy, you must first capture their leader, he had to get his hands on Duchess Dipas immediately.
"I'm thinking the same thing. Now that we have Count Austin as a prisoner, if we can also capture Duchess Dipas, Bikin City will be leaderless. That should at least prevent the war from continuing."
Shen Lang said as he spread the map.
"We need a group of our most elite warriors. We will launch a surprise attack on Duchess Dipas's mountaintop fortress, kill all the warriors inside, and take her captive."
"Duchess Dipas is a very, very powerful martial artist."
"I know. I've seen it myself. She's not inferior to Count Austin in any way, and may even be stronger. Her innate bloodline is superior, after all. But we have more masters on our side. With Princess Dora, General Quinine, and dozens of Amazon generals, we can definitely capture her. So my plan is for one hundred of the Amazon tribe's top masters to break through Bikin City's layered defenses and directly assault Duchess Dipas's residence to capture her!"
"Is… is that even possible? The Amazon masters are strong, but even they can't break through the defensive lines of a hundred-thousand-strong army in Bikin City."
"No, it's possible. It just requires a grand performance, one where we risk everything and descend as if from the heavens."
"What do you mean?"
"One hundred of the Amazon's top masters will fly to the skies above Duchess Dipas's residence and jump straight down from there."
"Fly through the sky?"
"That's right. Fly."
Zhang Chunhua's small mouth fell open. This touched upon a blind spot in her knowledge.
"How will they fly?"
"I will personally design and create a secret weapon in the shortest time possible. We will use that weapon to launch a surprise attack from the sky and capture the enemy commander. Dipas thinks I will use my eight-thousand-strong army to attack Bikin City. She is completely mistaken. I will take a city of a million with just over a hundred people."
Shen Lang had often considered using hot air balloons for surprise attacks, but the conditions had never been right. Now, finally, he could do it. The Amazon warriors were incredibly strong; they could even survive jumping from a hot air balloon. Anyone else would fear falling to their death or breaking a bone, even with a parachute. The more Shen Lang thought about this surprise attack plan, the more excited he became, his blood boiling. The probability of success was extremely high, and if it succeeded, Shen Lang would have created another military miracle—capturing a massive city defended by over a hundred thousand soldiers with just a hundred people.
Without further delay, Shen Lang began to design the hot air balloon. This time, he could design and build it freely, without any constraints.
As Shen Lang drew the blueprints, he posed a question to Zhang Chunhua.
"Chunhua, I heard you said you were going to spray your urine on my face?"
Zhang Chunhua replied in surprise.
"I was just saying. Which loose-lipped bastard snitched on me to you?"
"Many people. They were all indignant when they heard it. They seemed to think it was a great disrespect to me."
Zhang Chunhua asked in a seductive tone.
"So what do you think?"
"I'm actually looking forward to it a little."
Zhang Chunhua bit her crimson lips and said in a sultry voice.
"You didn't perform a miracle by showing up at the last minute to save us, so you don't need that punishment. But you were still late, so you do need to be punished."
"What punishment?"
"I'll spit on your face. How about that?"
"Go ahead."
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey."
The vixen Zhang Chunhua brought her crimson lips close to Shen Lang's face and spat squarely on it. Then, she immediately sat on his lap, held his face, and kissed him. After several minutes of passionate kissing, Zhang Chunhua asked.
"Scoundrel, when are you going to marry me?"
"After we return to the East."
"Actually, it's fine if we sleep together first and get married later. We're all people of the martial world; we don't need to be bound by trivial matters."
Shen Lang kissed her lips and whispered affectionately.
"The rooms here aren't grand enough; they're too simple. When I take Duchess Dipas's mountaintop fortress, I will choose the most magnificent room and the softest bed for you. How does that sound?"
Zhang Chunhua kissed him again and said in a trembling voice.
"Alright. But I won't get pregnant first. I'm not Qiu Yao'er; my body isn't that strong. I can't give birth at sea like she did. I'll give birth after we return to the East. Oh, right, scoundrel, when you marry me, what will my rank be?"
"Third?"
Zhang Chunhua sighed and said.
"Hah, fine! My status isn't as noble as Ning Yan's, after all. But she was formally married before, wasn't she? I, on the other hand, am pure in both body and name. So I think I can stand alongside her. Scoundrel, your identity as Jiang Li's son is so amazing. Even if I marry you as a concubine, it's not shameful; in fact, it brings glory to my family."
***
At a grand dining table, Shen Lang was hosting a banquet for the generals. The guests included Princess Dora and dozens of female generals. The table was laden with over a dozen types of dishes and dim sum. Princess Dora looked at the spread, unsure where to even begin. In the Amazon Kingdom, they ate only three things every day: beef, fish, and wheat cakes. But now, there were five kinds of cake alone on the table, and even ice cream. There were five different beef dishes, fish paste, vegetable salad, and more. There were even four or five different kinds of wine.
Zhang Chunhua had once asked Shen Lang why he bought so many luxury items. She hadn't known then, but to think he had bought them to treat the Amazon warriors.
"Princess Dora, my dear sisters, first of all, our beef is not as delicious as the beef on Amazon Isle. But since you are here, I will absolutely not let you down. Please, have a taste."
Princess Dora picked up a chocolate cake. The cake, only the size of a small palm, was neatly placed in a ladle.
*'Am I supposed to eat this one ladleful at a time?'*
After a moment's hesitation, Princess Dora shoved the entire cake into her mouth. The moment the cake entered her mouth, a look of bliss filled her eyes, and her stunningly beautiful face seemed to glow. It was so delicious. Next, she picked up a small bowl of ice cream and poured it into her mouth. It was so, so, so delicious. The food the Amazon warriors had eaten before was tasty, but it was very monotonous, with only a few varieties. Moreover, eating was merely an act of replenishing their energy. But at this moment, eating had become an act of pleasure. The happiness of tasting such delicious food was overwhelming.
"How is it?"
Shen Lang asked, and Princess Dora replied.
"To tempt people into such decadence. You are a devil, Miss Younana."
Zhang Chunhua's hand silently pinched Shen Lang's thigh hard.
*'Playing favorites, are we? Why didn't you feed me this kind of food before? I haven't even slept with you yet, and you're already treating me like a fish you've caught?'*
General Nan Feng was politely eating a dumpling. His eyes were only on Shen Lang. When he saw Shen Lang's face twitch slightly, he immediately understood what was happening and frowned.
"Lady Zhang, allow me to offer you a toast."
Nan Feng said, raising his cup. Zhang Chunhua quickly released her grip on Shen Lang's thigh and raised her cup to receive the toast from General Nan Feng. General Nan Feng looked at Zhang Chunhua and thought he ought to lecture her. Although this was a world beyond the sea, the etiquette between a lord and his subjects must be observed. Zhang Chunhua was being a bit excessive. Especially when she had previously spoken of spraying urine on His Majesty's face. If this were the royal court, she would have already been publicly impeached.
"General Nan Feng, you've worked hard."
Zhang Chunhua smiled charmingly, then took a spoon, scooped up some ice cream, and fed a bite to Shen Lang. Then, in front of everyone, she pursed her lips and gave Shen Lang a peck on the cheek. The others present saw this but thought nothing of it, acting as if they hadn't seen a thing. Public displays of affection were common in the Western world, after all. But General Nan Feng was startled, his face twitching.
*'How can he maintain his dignity? How can he maintain his dignity?'*
However, as of today, he could no longer publicly impeach Zhang Chunhua. They had all been subjects, but now she was about to become one of the mistresses. Nevertheless, General Nan Feng secretly decided to find an appropriate opportunity to ally with women like Meng Luonan and Black Pearl, and then privately lecture Zhang Chunhua. The necessary etiquette still had to be maintained, even if they were an exiled regime wandering overseas.
***
Bikin City.
The incomparably beautiful Duchess Dipas was dueling in a colosseum. This time, it was a true battle. The ferocious tiger from before was not only her training partner but also her pet, so she couldn't bring herself to use lethal force. But this time, she was facing a dozen large wolves. She was still dressed in revealing attire that exposed her arms, legs, and even her waist. Her fiery long hair further accentuated her seductive beauty. After taking a deep breath, she put on her helmet.
"Release them!"
As soon as her command fell, several cages opened simultaneously. A dozen wolves shot out like lightning and charged toward Duchess Dipas. These wolves had never been tamed and were only half-fed, so they were brimming with strength and were incredibly ferocious.
"Awooo—"
The wolves even knew how to use encirclement tactics. They were swift, incredibly strong, and as large as calves. The scene was almost too brutal to watch. Even a martial arts master would likely be injured in such a dangerous situation.
Dipas leaped powerfully into the air. Her body soared several meters high, and the dozen wolves followed her, lunging into the air.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.*
Then, Dipas's body fell from the sky. At the same time, her sword flashed like lightning, and in an instant, she had slaughtered all dozen wolves. From start to finish, the battle was over in less than three seconds. But killing these wolves was merely a warm-up. Next, a robust, white-haired man walked out.