Chapter 49: Blood Red
After Wen Ning’an found Feng Qi, he saw him fighting alone in the enemy’s encirclement.
No, it wasn’t a fight, but a massacre.
Wen Ning’an had taken a shortcut and was now standing on the sandy gobi, with Feng Qi and the enemy army below. Wen Ning’an looked down and saw the thousands of enemy soldiers below, moving like a dense swarm of ants, forming a black blanket that covered the sand.
The enemy army surrounded Feng Qi layer by layer, but the one at a disadvantage was not the lone Feng Qi, but the numerous You King’s army. Wen Ning’an didn’t know what had happened, but Feng Qi’s inner energy was like a bursting flood. With almost a single swing of his sword, the wind from the blade could injure countless people, and wherever it passed, countless heads would fall. Rather than being besieged, the enemy army seemed to be sending themselves up like pieces of meat to be slaughtered by the butcher Feng Qi, killing one after another.
If a god stood in his way, he would kill the god; if a Buddha stood in his way, he would kill the Buddha.
Although he was invincible, Wen Ning’an felt an inexplicable fear in his heart. This was not normal martial arts and inner energy! At this moment, Feng Qi was like… like an Asura from hell, his whole being consumed by slaughter.
Feng Qi’s eyes were bloodshot and vacant, but a creepy, bloodthirsty smile hung on his lips, as if he were reveling in the killing. His robes had long been stained red with the enemy’s blood. His silver sword went in, and a red sword came out. The ground at his feet was a river of blood.
Boom—
The sand around Feng Qi suddenly erupted. The enemy army had originally thought it was gunpowder, but they found that it was true energy coming from Feng Qi’s palm. The small grains of sand, under such a powerful force, also became deadly weapons. The soldiers of the You King’s army felt as if they were being pierced by the sand, like a thousand needles sticking into them, and the surroundings were filled with heart-wrenching, painful howls.
Not far away, Wen Ning’an’s heart was filled with horror. Feng Qi didn’t need any help at all at this moment. If he went forward, he would only be a burden.
“General.” Another adjutant, Zheng Hanshui, rode up to Wen Ning’an’s side and reported, “The Li family’s army and the garrison have also been invaded! The imperial army was not affected because it was in the innermost circle.”
“Mmm, you coordinate with Feiyang and set up the formations.”
The war had just begun, and the situation was not yet clear. The outcome was uncertain. Besides, the terrain of Fengzhou was complex, and the battle situation in various places was different. At this time, it all depended on the tacit understanding of the various generals.
The sound of clashing weapons and armored horses was in his ears, but Wen Ning’an seemed to hear nothing.
Feng Qi has gone mad… mad…
Wen Ning’an’s hand, holding the reins, trembled slightly.
Seeing Wen Ning’an staring intently below, Zheng Hanshui couldn’t help but say, “General, His Majesty doesn’t seem to recognize anyone. Feihuan went down to help just now but was accidentally injured by His Majesty.”
Swoosh—
A red signal flare, trailing a long tail, exploded in mid-air, corresponding with the firelight that filled the sky.
Wen Ning’an’s gaze turned cold. He estimated for a moment in his heart. It was from the north of the Left Army.
The north army had fallen.
Wen Ning’an couldn’t help but look again at the man below who was red-eyed with killing. Feng Qi would definitely not be at a disadvantage, but… but…
“General, I will stay here and guard His Majesty. If anything happens, I will immediately lead my brothers down to protect His Majesty and bring him up. His Majesty is the Son of the Nine Dragons. My brothers will protect His Majesty with their lives. If it really comes to it, we will just be human shields. General, you can rest assured!”
Wen Ning’an’s hand gripped the reins tightly, and a few traces of blood appeared on his palm.
Swoosh—
Wen Ning’an looked up. This time, it was the Li family’s army.
Wen Ning’an took a deep breath, turned, and patted Zheng Hanshui’s shoulder. “His Majesty must be protected, and our brothers must also be safe. I’ll leave this place to you.”
“Yes!”
Wen Ning’an couldn’t bear to look down any longer and, without looking back, whipped his horse and left.
The night was as dark as ink. A row of flickering torches behind Duo Bo lit up the surroundings.
Two golden-armored guards behind him leaped from their horses and seized Qin Zhaohuang from the left and right. Under the sharp blades, Qin Zhaohuang dared not, and could not, resist.
However, the next moment, the two guards, as if possessed, began to foam at the mouth, their skin quickly turning purple.
Qin Zhaohuang looked at the men who had suddenly fallen beside him. Before he could react, he felt a strong gust of wind pass by and the rapid “clip-clop” of horse’s hooves. Then, his feet left the ground, and the scene before him swayed and turned upside down.
When he came back to his senses, he had already been pulled up onto a horse. The horse was galloping at an extremely fast speed, so fast that he couldn’t speak or open his eyes. Qin Zhaohuang felt his cheeks sting from the wind, and the scenery around him was just a blur of light and shadow, but he was not afraid of falling. His back was against the person behind him, his waist was held tightly by that person, and with the force of the wind, it was as if he were deeply nestled in that person’s embrace.
Qin Zhaohuang knew who the person behind him was without looking back.
In the whistling of the wind, Qin Zhaohuang seemed to faintly hear the sound of horse’s hooves and shouts of “chase” and “kill” in the distance. He guessed it must be the King of Youzhou’s men.
With a “swoosh,” a cold arrow came through the air, just grazing past him. Qin Zhaohuang was startled, and then his vision went black, his whole body covered by a large coat.
Hiss, hiss—
A thick venomous snake was coiled inside the coat. In the pitch-black darkness, a colorful, striped object suddenly appeared. Qin Zhaohuang was so scared that before he could scream, he saw the snake slowly prostrate itself beside him and rub its head against the back of his hand, obedient and gentle.
Qin Zhaohuang: “…”
The sound of clashing weapons and explosions that had been mixed in with the wind gradually faded. Qin Zhaohuang guessed they must have left the city and were gradually moving away from the battlefield. The person behind him must have taken a shortcut. He could feel the road the horse was taking was rugged and winding, and his stomach was churning. If not for being held tightly, he would have already been thrown up from the violent jolting.
Boom—
Unexpectedly, Qin Zhaohuang felt himself and the horse falling rapidly. Then, the person behind him suddenly hugged him and leaped from the horse’s back, rolling downwards. The world spun before his eyes, and dust flew. As they rolled, hard stones would occasionally scrape against his back. Qin Zhaohuang couldn’t help but bite his lip and frown tightly.
After finally falling to flat ground, Qin Zhaohuang propped himself up with a dizzy head and gasped for air. Looking around, all he saw was a small, dark space and sandy walls. There was a wooden board above his head, and light shone in through the cracks.
I see…
Qin Zhaohuang had a sudden realization. The horse must have accidentally stepped on a beast trap, which was why they had rolled into this hundred-meter-deep cave. He didn’t know if it was a blessing in disguise. This trap was extremely hidden. After they fell in, the wooden board at the top immediately turned and sealed the entrance, and the surrounding sand was also moved to cover the board.
“Ngh…”
A man had fallen behind him. Qin Zhaohuang turned his head, and as expected, it was Yu Qianshou. He was lying on his side, motionless, and seemed to have lost consciousness.
The faint smell of blood filled the air. Qin Zhaohuang was startled and, upon closer inspection, saw an arrow sticking out of Yu Qianshou’s back. The sharp arrowhead was embedded in his flesh, and fresh blood was slowly flowing out, making the black robe on his body a few shades darker.
Qin Zhaohuang looked at the desolate, empty surroundings, and then at the exit that seemed to be in the sky. He was at a loss for a moment and could only tear off his own sleeve with all his might, thinking that he should at least stop the bleeding for Yu Qianshou first…
Wen Ning’an, on Wuying, took the lead. His long sword pierced the armor of the enemy soldiers blocking the way, and fresh blood gushed out.
“Giant Elephant Formation! Reinforce the left flank and hold the line!”
At night, visibility was blurred and severely obstructed, so at this moment, Wen Ning’an held a torch and weaved through the thousands of troops of the Left Army, having the soldiers move with the firelight to ensure the formation remained flawless.
“Report—”
“The garrison has been completely defeated! There is a breach on the south side of Fengzhou!”
Wen Ning’an frowned. Gao Lan’s garrison has been completely wiped out?
The situation was not optimistic. Wen Ning’an thought to himself, It’s meaningless to defend to the death now. It’s better to burn the boats…
“All troops, listen to my command! Change formation to Falcon!”
“General!” Ren Feiyang, beside him, was startled. “Only attack, no defense?”
Wen Ning’an raised an eyebrow. “If we repel the enemy, what is there to defend?”
Fengzhou is their home! No one knew this land better than them. At this moment, it should be Fengzhou that was defending them, not them defending Fengzhou!
The Left Army’s sudden, unstoppable attack was clearly beyond the enemy’s expectations, and for a moment, they were caught off guard.
“Kill—”
The inky night gradually faded. The battle had been in a stalemate for a whole night.
Just before dawn, the You King’s army suddenly retreated without any warning. Firstly, they were worried about a trick, and secondly, everyone was in a bad state, their stamina not keeping up. So, Wen Ning’an did not have the Left Army leave their fortress to pursue.
He just looked at the suddenly quiet sand, feeling as if it were a dream. If not for the sea of blood and remains on the yellow sand and the foul smell still lingering in the air, everyone would have thought that last night’s bloody battle was just a dream.
Breaking through the gates of Fengzhou so unexpectedly, and then retreating just as unexpectedly. What is the You King’s army up to?
“General, the watchtower reports that the enemy has indeed left.”
After hearing the scout’s report, Wen Ning’an turned and had someone beat the drums to cease the battle.
The enemy army retreated like a tide, and only then did everyone feel tired. Some even felt their legs go weak, unable to stand as they collapsed onto the sand, gasping for breath, their lungs about to explode, their limbs as if they didn’t belong to them.
Wen Ning’an looked at his own hands. They were still immersed in blood, unable to extricate themselves, trembling slightly with excitement. He shook his head, pulled on the reins, and turned to look for the person he had been longing for.
Along the way, he saw physicians treating the wounded soldiers one after another, and the battlefield was also being cleaned up in an orderly manner. But when he arrived at the rear gobi, he didn’t see Feng Qi, only Zheng Hanshui standing alone at the side, his expression complicated.
“General!” Seeing Wen Ning’an walking towards him, Zheng Hanshui was startled and subconsciously averted his gaze.
A bad premonition welled up in Wen Ning’an’s heart. “Where is His Majesty?”
Zheng Hanshui didn’t answer, just lowered his head, his face pale, full of guilt.
Wen Ning’an’s face was blank. He tried to keep his tone calm. “Hanshui, tell me, where is His Majesty.”
“In… in the tent…”
Wen Ning’an turned and, with a flick of his sleeves, headed for their tent.
