As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 285 Why Did Only You Survive?

"No...no...this is impossible!"

"Why are you still alive?!"

Looking at the guard kneeling on the ground in front of him, Wang Huai stared at him intently, his expression out of control and his voice filled with grief.

He naturally recognized the disheveled soldier as the guard who had accompanied Wang Liu on his mission westward.

"Where's my brother?!"

"I need to see him! I need to see him!"

Even if someone is dead... we must see their body.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please take care!"

His trusted aides quickly supported the distraught Wang Huai, saying with concern, "Your Majesty, Lord Wang's... body is on its way back."

Even a human king is still a human.

Sometimes, a king needs to conceal his emotions so that his subordinates don't see through them.

But sometimes, true heroes don't need to hide their feelings, nor can they.

They are human beings too; they also grieve for the loss of their loved ones, which is only natural.

During the previous attack on Yueyang, Wang Huai never concealed his grief over the departure of the three ghosts.

At this moment, even her younger brother has died.

Everyone knows the pain Wang Huai is going through at this moment.

Upon hearing the words of his trusted confidant, Wang Huai's eyes narrowed, and he swayed as if he were about to lose his balance.

These people are truly ruthless; they didn't even leave him a shred of hope.

"Your Majesty...it is Qian Yuan!"

The disheveled soldiers knelt on the ground, facing the crazed Wang Huai, cold sweat pouring down their faces, their expressions flushed and tense.

He was just a guard, and now he had to face the grief and anger of an out-of-control overlord. The psychological pressure he was under was unimaginable.

However, he still raised his head and said directly, "We have reached an alliance, but after leaving Shenjiang, Qianyuan sent people to attack us and took away the tokens and the alliance agreement. Lord Wang... was also killed."

“I heard the leader of the assassins call us ‘Your Majesty,’ and I also heard him say that Qian Yuan had already reached an alliance with Xu Zhongling, which is why he came to intercept and kill us.”

He had repeated these words countless times along the way, and he had carefully considered his memories of surviving the ordeal countless times.

Only the Qian Yuan would address their leader as 'Your Majesty,' only the Qian Yuan would dispatch such an assassination squad, and only the Qian Yuan would head west...

All the evidence and contradictions point to Qian Yuan.

"impossible!!!"

Wang Huai's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he pointed directly at the soldier kneeling on the ground and roared.

The fierce aura emanating from the soldier made him shudder.

The wounded tiger bared its teeth, its ferocity and rage suggesting it was about to devour someone: "I understand, you are Xu Zhongling's spy."

"Guards, drag him away and tear him apart!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I heard it with my own ears, and I can guarantee that every word is true!"

"Your Majesty, I swear that if I have uttered even the slightest lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."

To be honest, Wang Huai's current situation is understandable.

But this hurt the feelings of the guards who had risked their lives to return.

Despite his injuries, he went to seek help and traveled day and night to return in person, hoping to bring back intelligence to His Majesty.

Seeing that Wang Huai didn't believe him, he became anxious and kept shouting loudly at Wang Huai.

It's one thing to die a glorious death in battle.

But if it's not there, it's not there; how can he accept such an injustice?

Spy agents may be exposed when faced with torture or life-or-death tests, because the truth cannot be hidden and falsehood cannot be made true; they are inherently vulnerable in terms of confidence.

If a spy were actually sent to deliver such a message, it would be easy for something to go wrong.

Xu Zhongling wouldn't make such a basic mistake.

If there were truly spies capable of deceiving the real thing, Xu Zhongling wouldn't waste such talent in a situation where success or failure is a matter of chance.

If not a spy, a truly loyal person, when wronged, can unleash terrifying power with unwavering determination.

Feeling wronged is the most unbearable emotion for a person.

This guard was a confidant of Wang Liu; he was deliberately kept alive and also deliberately allowed to overhear some of the conversation.

Everything about him is real, and everything he says is 'real'.

As for the outcome, that depends on his words and the intelligence of the people present.

"impossible!!!"

Wang Huai's mental state is now on the verge of collapse.

Anger, grief, and despair filled his mind, and he felt an urge to vent his frustration.

He now desperately wants to kill someone and seek revenge.

My temples were pounding, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, and my brain was barely functioning.

However, he knew that neither Xiao Xinyue nor Ming Chen would do such a thing.

No matter how unpredictable Mingchen may be, he would never kill Wang Liu.

There's no need for it, either emotionally or in terms of interests.

Even if we assume the guard wasn't a spy, and everything he said was true.

That must mean someone set a trap.

His face was contorted with rage as he glared at the tense guard, demanding sharply, "Why are you the only one who survived?!"

"Why, of all people, did you have to be the one to hear those words?!"

These two sentences get straight to the heart of the problem.

Since they were a well-trained and professionally skilled team of assassins, why did they leave one survivor?
Since it is a secret that the leader must not divulge, the subordinate should never utter a word about it and keep it to himself. Why did he have to say it in public under such circumstances?
It's all such a coincidence.

It's too coincidental to be true.

Clearly, these words were meant for the guard to hear, intended to convey to the right person that was supposed to hear them, in order to reveal the true culprit's unspeakable secret.

"His Majesty……"

The guards who escaped were unable to answer these questions.

All of this can only be attributed to his good fortune.

However, luck is often not recognized.

“Xu Zhongling…”

"what!!!"

"Xu Zhongling!!!"

"I will fight you to the death!!!"

His teeth were grinding together, and his fingernails dug into his flesh.

The warlord of the chaotic world raised his head and roared in grief, two lines of bloody tears sliding down his cheeks.

See beyond the surface to the essence.

Whoever benefits the most from the outcome of an event is often the murderer.

If the enraged Wang Huai believed the guards' message, he would surely mobilize troops to attack Qian Yuan.

The two sides broke the contract and went to war, and the only one who benefited was Xu Zhongling, who watched from the sidelines.

It not only relieved the current siege of war, but also caused the two countries to fight each other and deplete each other's resources.

Even without evidence, Wang Huai had already identified his enemy.

As Qi Yuan said to Xu Zhongling in Xiaoyao City, Wang Huai is not a fool and is not so easily fooled.

Wang Huai glared angrily at the kneeling guard: "You failed to protect the people you were supposed to protect, what are you even doing alive?!"

He hates.

Why was it this person who survived, and not his brother?

Although there is no reason for such resentment.

"Drag him away and behead him."

He had no interest in finding out whether the man was a spy or not.

Whether it is true or not, since Wang Liu has met with misfortune, then he should go and pay with his life.

Seeing his appearance, his subordinates around him fell silent.

Wang Huai has changed; he is now a vengeful beast.

He needs to kill; he needs to kill constantly to fill the hatred and anger in his heart.

"His Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, I am utterly loyal!"

"Why? Why are you treating me like this?!"

Several soldiers came forward to restrain the guard, preparing to drag him away for execution.

He barely escaped with his life from a group of bandits and risked his life to run back and deliver the message, only to be met with this fate.

The guard struggled and cried out to Wang Huai in despair.

He truly had no ulterior motives and was utterly loyal.

Wang Huai's face turned ashen, and he said coldly, "Drag him away!"

"Big brother..."

However, the next moment, he was jolted, his eyes widening as if he had heard something unbelievable.

The familiar voice echoed in my ears.

"Brother Liu! Brother Liu!!!"

In a daze, he seemed to see a faint shadow beside the guard.

Having experienced both great sorrow and great joy, he was clearly more inclined to believe in a better ending.

He cried out repeatedly, as if grasping at a straw.

I hope I'm not just hallucinating.

Is His Majesty so grief-stricken that he's having hysteria?

Seeing Wang Huai calling out to the air for his younger brother, the subordinates around him frowned, their feelings complicated.

Wang Liu's death was undoubtedly a devastating blow to Da Qi.

If His Majesty cannot withstand the blow, then the future of the Blood-Clad Army will be even more uncertain.

Wang Huai ignored them and strode forward, calling out joyfully, "Brother Liu, where are you?!" "Brother, I am indeed dead, please don't kill him."

"Big brother... calm down..."

"The Great Qi still needs you..."

The guard's scabbard emanated a strange power.

Intermittently, Wang Huai heard Wang Liu's voice again.

However, the sound became increasingly faint and ethereal, and the figures became more and more transparent.

Wang Liu didn't know if Wang Huai would see the underlying reasons for the assassination.

But he knew that if he died, Wang Huai would go mad and, no matter who he attacked, would surely lead the already precarious Blood-Clad Army to its doom.

He doesn't want this.

He couldn't die no matter what; he needed to say a few more words to Wang Huai.

He must not die!

Even until his last breath, he did not let go of his obsession.

This obsession prevented him from going to the underworld to witness reincarnation, and instead caused some strange changes.

Is it really possible for a person to become a ghost after death?
Now Wang Liu believes this possibility.

Blood-Clad Nine Ghosts' title is "Ghost," and now this sick ghost has truly become a ghost.

Clinging to the scabbard, he saw the soldier staggering eastward, dragging his wounded body as he trekked through mountains and rivers to return.

He knew that his guard was a loyal man.

He was already dead, and he didn't want Wang Huai to pay any more price.

He is not in good condition right now.

He was unable to control his will; his emotions were in turmoil, and his memories were jumbled. He didn't know what his fate would be, or when his will would dissipate. He needed a long time to sort himself out.

Upon the return of this fortunate guard, he encountered Wang Huai and forcibly relayed a message to him.

After only a few words, I felt like I was about to collapse.

"Brother Liu!"

Now Wang Huai can confirm that he did not have auditory hallucinations.

It really is his younger brother.

Regardless of what Wang Liu has become.

But hearing what my brother said is a good thing.

He called out again, but there was no response.

Staring blankly in the direction where Wang Liu disappeared, he was speechless.

Time flowed silently, and no one knew what Wang Huai was thinking. Not even himself.

The loss of someone important brings both immense sorrow and profound joy...

Wang Huai gritted his teeth and forcibly controlled his emotions.

"Stop it."

He waved his hand, signaling to stop the execution of the guard who had escaped.

He then pointed to the scabbard at the guard's waist and said, "Give me that."

He sensed, through a vague connection with his brother, that Wang Liu was right there.

"Forehead……"

Perhaps this guard was truly lucky, surviving yet another near-death experience.

He unsheathed his sword and handed it to Wang Huai in a dry, unadorned manner.

The camp was unusually quiet; the subordinates kept their eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent.

Wang Huai's expression was very strange.

Just moments ago, it was roaring and howling violently, unable to control itself.

He muttered to himself in the air, a look of delight on his face.

His face was still wet with blood and tears, but now he was calm again and asked for a scabbard.

Is someone who is moody and irritable experiencing mental health issues?

Everyone was trying to figure out what Wang Huai was thinking and considering the future situation.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Qian Yuan."

A messenger minister strode over and reported to Wang Huai: "The Emperor Qian has sent a letter, intending to dispatch 8,000 troops, led by Marquis Jing'an Mingchen and Marquis Zhongyong Lingyu, to aid our Great Qi and help us jointly punish the villain Xu Zhongling. We hope Your Majesty will grant your request and order the garrison not to obstruct us."

Messages kept coming in.

The guards who had just escaped said that Qian Yuan had broken the contract and sent men to intercept and kill Wang Liu.

Now another message has popped up.

For a moment, even the few not-so-bright military officers present were puzzled.

The barrage of messages was making their CPUs smoke.

Some people don't understand why Wang Huai shouted that he would fight Xu Zhongling to the death; their thinking is still stuck at the level that Qian Yuan was the real culprit who murdered Wang Liu.

What does Qian Yuan want to do by sending troops at this time?
Was it truly to rush to the aid of the Great Qi and eliminate Xu Zhongling?

Perhaps they intend to expand eastward and seize the land of the Great Qi?

"Your Majesty, you mustn't! Qian Yuan has ill intentions and would never send troops to suppress bandits. I fear that the suppression of Xu Zhongling is a pretense, and that his true intention is to attack our country and cooperate with Xu Zhongling from within."

“Your Majesty, Qian Yuan is on friendly terms with us and we have an alliance. There are suspicious things about Lord Wang’s actions. Why don’t we let them help us?”

"His Majesty……"

Wang Liu did not fight alongside the army, so the generals present did not have a deep affection for him.

Upon receiving Qian Yuan's intelligence, they immediately focused on the matter and began to speak to Wang Huai in unison.

The shouts from his subordinates, as if they were from a vegetable market, made Wang Huai's temples throb.

The pain and despair were somewhat erased by the immense joy the moment Wang Liu's voice appeared.

He was somewhat bewildered, holding the scabbard, his mind blank.

No matter how strong one's willpower is, it is impossible to keep the brain functioning normally under such conditions.

Upon hearing the report, he lowered his eyes slightly and murmured softly, "Mingchen..."

He has two younger brothers; one of his closest relatives has died, while the other evokes mixed feelings in him.

Despite being rivals, Daqi and Qianyuan may have some unavoidable conflicts.

However, Wang Huai always believed that Ming Chen would not harm him, much less kill Wang Liu.

If Mingchen's expedition at this critical juncture is truly intended to harm him, Wang Huai will accept it.

He gripped the scabbard in his hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "Let them come."

"Yes!"

……

"You guessed right, my best strategy has become a mediocre one."

"If I had known this would happen, I would have had Xiao Chengde say that we were the ones who killed them."

On the city tower of Xiaoyao City, yellow flags fluttered in the wind.

Xu Zhongling stood on the hastily repaired city wall, gazing at the imposing army of the Blood-Clad Army, and murmured with a hint of regret.

This strategy of shifting blame westward is nothing more than a gamble on Wang Huai's intelligence.

If Wang Huai were smarter, he would have said that Xu Zhongling himself sent people to kill him. Smart people like to look at things from the opposite perspective and like to scrutinize details. Telling the truth would sound like a lie, so it can be ruled out first. After all, Qian Yuan and Da Qi are not without conflicts. Qian Yuan still wants to recover lost territory, so there are conflicting interests between the two sides. Naturally, Wang Huai would think of Qian Yuan.

If Wang Huai were more foolish, he would have said that Qian Yuan killed him. Wang Huai didn't beat around the bush; he was blinded by hatred and turned to raise an army to the west, determined to fight Qian Yuan to the death.

Xu Zhongling chose the latter.

The Blood-Clad Army currently has no intention of breaking camp and advancing westward, clearly indicating that their plan to divert the disaster westward has failed.

Wang Huai remained there to fight him to the death.

The only benefit of this operation was that it angered Wang Huai and cut off one of his arms.

Qi Yuan stood beside him, looking at a blood-red bead in his hand, and simply shook his head: "No matter what General Xiao says, Wang Huai will not send troops westward; he will assume it was us who made the move."

He had been by Wang Huai's side for a long time.

He knows Wang Huai very well.

Xu Zhongling shrugged. Since the outcome was already decided, he didn't want to discuss the topic anymore.

Xu Zhongling looked up into the distance and said, "It doesn't matter if this plan fails."

Given the current realities, this strategy is bound to have flaws that cannot be optimized.

This outcome was within his expectations.

"Now that my brother is dead, won't Wang Huai fight me to the death?"

"In your opinion, if Wang Huai recklessly attacks me, how long can this city be defended?"

A storm was brewing, and Xu Zhongling could foresee that he was about to face a tremendous test.

With his brother dead, Wang Huai is bound to go mad, and the terrifying Blood-Clad Army, seasoned by countless bloody battles, will charge forward relentlessly.

Never die.

However, opportunities often lie within risks.

It is not a bad thing to anger a leader, but a good thing.

Anger is a dangerous emotion for those in positions of power. When they lose control of their reason, they are prone to overlooking details and being exploited by others.

Qi Yuan shook his head and said, "It's unpredictable."

War is unpredictable.

Favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships are all indispensable.

Xiaoyao City occupies a favorable terrain. If the weather is suitable, Xu Zhongling is exceptionally talented, and his subordinates are united and determined. If they do not make any mistakes, they can hold out here until the end.

However, if even the slightest mistake is made, or if the enemy comes up with a brilliant plan, it could lead to utter ruin.

"Can't you use astrology to see who wins in the end?"

"No."

Xu Zhongling smiled but didn't say anything more.

It simply pointed to a mountain range in the northwest.

"Do you think Wang Huai ever considered this when he deployed all his elite troops for a fierce attack on the city?"

"Do I have the guts to ambush him with a surprise attack on his most vulnerable position?"

(End of this chapter)