Chapter 859
Subsequently, Princess Dora and her party conducted over a dozen more training drills, but they succeeded in landing on the mountaintop only a single time. The wind direction shifted too erratically, making it difficult to predict, and parachutes offered no way to steer mid-air; they were simply carried along by the currents. The plan could not proceed as it was. A hot air balloon was a passive vessel, incapable of flying to a precise target in the sky with any accuracy.
Princess Dora sought out Shen Lang.
“Once we jump, we're powerless. Isn't there anything that can help us control our direction as we descend?”
Shen Lang remained silent, and Princess Dora asked incredulously.
“You really have something like that?”
“I do. However, it is far more dangerous and requires exceptional skill. Moreover, we are running out of time. We must attack Jade Brocade City as soon as possible.”
“What does that mean?”
“Our provisions are nearly exhausted. If we delay the assault on Jade Brocade City any further, we will run out of food entirely.”
Lacking naval supremacy, Shen Lang's forces were confined to fishing in coastal waters. Venture any deeper, and the fleets of the Bloody Baron and Diphasi would sink their boats. After the great battle at Magnolia City, one might have expected the Bloody Baron to withdraw some of the pirates stationed along the coast. Instead, they became even more vicious and hostile. Fortunately, these waters had never been heavily fished. Shen Lang introduced the first fishing nets to this part of the Western world—nets so fine they could decimate entire generations of fish—and each cast yielded an enormous haul. But one could not survive on fish and shrimp alone. This merely slowed the depletion of their main food stores; it was not a fundamental solution. Now, the provisions in Magnolia City, down to the last of the staple grains and bean sprouts, were nearly gone.
Princess Dora eyed Shen Lang suspiciously.
“If our food is nearly gone, how have you managed to prepare dozens of dishes for us each day? You even provide three different kinds of yogurt.”
“You left your homes to entrust yourselves to me; I could hardly treat you poorly. Besides, I have you drink so much milk in hopes that you might… experience a second growth spurt.”
Shen Lang glanced at Princess Dora's chest, but the implication of his words seemed to be automatically filtered out by her. Princess Dora wasn't particularly sensitive, making it quite safe to act the rogue in her presence. Otherwise, a man with a mouth as crude as Shen Lang's would have been beaten to death a hundred times over by now.
“Give us the equipment, and we'll show you what we can do. We'll prove we're more than worthy of all the milk and ice cream you've been giving us.”
Princess Dora grabbed Shen Lang by the collar and, in a show of strength, lifted him clean off the ground. Her words, however, stirred a different kind of desire in Shen Lang.
“Princess Dora, I happen to have a… special kind of milk ice cream. I wonder if you might be interested?”
Shen Lang asked with a straight face.
“Not interested. Only a woman like Zhang Chunhua would find that appealing. I prefer normal milk ice cream.”
*Ugh! So you understood all along. You just couldn't be bothered to trade barbs with me.*
* * *
Shen Lang finally brought out the wingsuits. He did so with some trepidation, almost trembling with fear. Jumping from a hot air balloon at such a high altitude was dangerous enough, but a wingsuit would make the descent incredibly fast, multiplying the risk. But for Princess Dora, getting her hands on the wingsuit was like opening the door to a new world. This was true flight, true freedom. Compared to this, the parachute was garbage.
After handing the wingsuits over to the Amazon warriors, Shen Lang witnessed true masters of flight. All his worries had been for naught. The Amazon warriors were incredibly attuned to the wind, flying with unparalleled sensitivity. After grasping the theory and practicing just a few times, they displayed a masterful command of flight. They were far more skilled than Shen Lang, at the very least. A few days later, they conducted another drill for the operation to capture the enemy commander.
“Launch the balloon! To the skies!”
The hot air balloon ascended to an altitude of a thousand meters and drifted north. Just thirty minutes later, it neared the summit of Mount Dora. They were still several thousand meters from the peak, but to simulate combat conditions, Princess Dora gave the command even though the wind had yet to shift in their favor.
“Commence the jump!”
One by one, the Amazon warriors leaped out, their wingsuits catching the air. The thrill was palpable. Though it wasn't their first time flying in the suits, Princess Dora was still overcome with emotion.
*My Amazon warriors have conquered the land and even parts of the sea. Are we now to conquer the sky as well? Pledging our loyalty to Shen Lang was indeed the right choice. He performs one miracle after another and has opened the door to a new world for us. Shen Lang, if you can truly give us the freedom of the skies, then I won't mind trying your… new kind of milk ice cream. Despite my vow of celibacy.*
In a matter of minutes, the drill was over. All fifteen warriors had landed perfectly on the summit of Mount Dora. The drill was a resounding success.
* * *
More than twenty days had passed since the battle of Magnolia City. Things had not gone as Duchess Diphasi expected. She had expected Shen Lang to attack Jade Brocade City immediately. It would have been the wisest move. After her army of one hundred thousand was annihilated at Magnolia City, the defenders of Jade Brocade City consisted of a mere hundred thousand poorly trained, hastily assembled soldiers. Reinforcements from other regions had not yet arrived, while Shen Lang's thousands of Amazon warriors were in peak fighting condition. Thus, by pressing the attack on Jade Brocade City immediately after the battle of Magnolia City, without a moment's rest, he would have faced the weakest possible defense.
Yet, unexpectedly, Shen Lang had done no such thing. Now, nearly a month later, his army had still not appeared before the walls of Jade Brocade City. Reinforcements from all over the Bipa Province arrived at Jade Brocade City, followed by troops from neighboring provinces. No one wished to fall out of favor with the new Guardian of the South, especially with the immensely powerful Great Emperor Solon backing her.
The future emperor of the Seirun Empire was at the zenith of his power, his fame spreading like the midday sun. His might cast a shadow over the entire Western Continent, and no one dared oppose him. He was overwhelmingly powerful, displaying the same martial prowess and domineering spirit as the Great Seirun Emperor himself. His ascension to the imperial throne seemed a mere matter of time. To most, even his inevitable defeat of Queen Medusa was just a question of when. It was this overwhelming power of Great Emperor Solon that compelled armies from every region to flock to Duchess Diphasi's aid.
In the days that followed, new armies marched into Jade Brocade City almost daily. Not only the forces of nobles, but also mercenaries, arrived to volunteer unconditionally for the coming battle. The forces gathered within Jade Brocade City swelled, growing from one hundred thousand to one hundred and fifty thousand, and soon reaching two hundred thousand. This was a holy war to repel the outsiders. The Amazon tribe had become a disgrace to the Western world, traitors who had to be annihilated alongside the Easterners. They would be burned to ashes and scattered upon the sea.
Every day, Duchess Diphasi reinforced the city's defenses, stockpiling vast quantities of fish oil, logs, catapults, and gunpowder. With such a massive army, such a formidable fortress, and such an abundance of defensive supplies, Diphasi was confident. Even if Shen Lang brought a million men instead of a few thousand Amazons, he would not be able to take Jade Brocade City. This city would be the tomb of the Easterners and the Amazon tribe.
* * *
The next day.
Shen Lang led a force of five thousand Amazons north to attack Jade Brocade City. That was right. He marched with only five thousand. His target, however, was a massive city with a population in the hundreds of thousands. Its walls stood eighty to ninety meters tall, and it was defended by an army of over two hundred thousand. Whatever the outcome, this battle was destined for the history books. It would either become an epic legend or an epic farce.
Attacking a great city defended by over two hundred thousand soldiers with a force of just five thousand. It was an act of madness unprecedented in thousands of years of history. But Shen Lang, as he always did, intended to create another epic miracle.
* * *
It was not just Duchess Diphasi; the entire army and populace of Jade Brocade City eagerly awaited the arrival of Shen Lang's forces. The annihilation of a hundred thousand soldiers at Magnolia City had been a profound humiliation. This next battle would be a war to defend the honor of the Western world—a holy war. The two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers in Jade Brocade City yearned for battle, believing that only by slaughtering every last Easterner and burning the treacherous Amazon warriors to ash could they avenge their prior disgrace.
After a long and impatient wait for vengeance, Shen Lang's army finally arrived before Jade Brocade City. But when they saw the size of his 'army', they were utterly dumbfounded.
*Shen Lang, you Easterner, did you come here to mock us? You plan to attack our Jade Brocade City with so few people? Do you even have five thousand in total?*
* * *
“Your Grace, the Eastern clown has arrived.”
Eunuch Taren announced, but Diphasi seemed not to hear, continuing her frenzied slaughter. Her prey this time was a pack of dozens of savage beasts, including giant wolves and hyenas. She wore no armor, only short leather breeches and a leather brassiere, and wielded a single dagger with no shield for defense. The revealing attire showcased her explosive figure, so sensuous that even Taren, a eunuch, could not bring himself to look directly at her.
*Die, die!*
Duchess Diphasi's dagger flashed like lightning. The point of the exercise was not merely to kill the dozens of beasts, but to do so without suffering a single scratch. It was an incredibly difficult feat. She wore no armor; the slightest graze from a claw would leave a deep gash on her flesh. This training was intended to test her agility. It was akin to the training exercise of walking through a shower of falling leaves without a single one touching your body.
In just a few minutes, the scent of blood filled the arena, and every beast lay dead. Diphasi was drenched in crimson blood, but not a single drop of it was her own.
“Has he arrived?”
Eunuch Taren replied to her question.
“Yes.”
“How large an army did he bring?”
“An insultingly small number, Your Grace.”
The Duchess nodded and walked into her chambers. As she walked, she stripped off her blood-soaked leather garments, revealing her incomparably sensual form. Eunuch Taren did not follow, remaining outside with his gaze lowered, not daring to even look upon his mistress's shadow.
As the Duchess stepped into the large bath, the warm water instantly turned crimson. Several handmaidens came forward to wash her body, a sense of inferiority rising within them as they did. Their mistress's body was breathtakingly beautiful, the curves of her muscles looking as though they had been sculpted. Such magnificent curves seemed to belong only in a painting. Yet their mistress not only possessed the face of a peerless beauty and a noble bloodline, but her physique was also this magnificent. It was as if she had been blessed with the very essence of creation. In this world, only Great Emperor Solon was worthy of enjoying such a perfect body.