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

Chapter 289 Long time no see
Xu Zhongling was envisioning a beautiful future.

However, the next moment, when they looked in the direction of his gaze, they frowned slightly.

Dust billowed in the distance, clearly indicating that a large group of people were hastily pursuing them.

The few scattered figures in front staggered and looked disheveled.

"There's...there's an ambush..."

The Liang army soldiers, dressed in black, raised their arms and shouted towards the leader standing at the highest point.

Just the next moment,
"Whoosh!"

An arrow pierced through the air from behind, striking his chest.

The fleeing soldier trembled, took a few steps forward, and collapsed in front of the towering, fortified city, falling just before his rescue.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The setting sun was like blood, and the shouts of battle shook the heavens.

An army that shouldn't have appeared rushed in from a direction he shouldn't have been.

Xu Zhongling remained calm, but kept scratching his arm, a vague sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

That direction is the direction away from the valley.

Normally, this should be the direction from which the ambush troops sent out to burn down the Bloodstained Army's supply lines would return.

However, they are now just a few disheveled deserters being hunted down.

Behind them were clearly the Blood-Clad Army's troops.

Why are the Blood-Clad Army's troops here?
If the Blood-Clad Army won, then why did they manage to burn the supplies?
As the problem was explored more deeply, the ominous premonition grew stronger.

He excels at finding flaws even in areas of great advantage.

Now, he has identified many of his own problems.

Various thoughts swirled in his mind, but before he could think for long...

"Whoosh!"

The spear pierced the sky and landed precisely beside Xu Zhongling, who was lost in thought.

The immense force struck, causing the gun barrel to tremble slightly.

Xu Zhongling suddenly turned his gaze and looked in another direction.

The elite soldiers sent out to pursue the enemy are now fleeing in disarray, their faces filled with panic.

"Come on!"

"Kill!!!"

Behind them, the roars and shouts of the soldiers were deafening.

Living beings can unleash terrifying power in their struggle to survive; never underestimate anyone's courage and perseverance in wanting to live.

The warriors who returned from hell were united in purpose and unstoppable.

They crushed Xu Zhongling's pursuers with overwhelming force and returned to the city once again.

It’s broken, it’s broken, it’s broken!

Xu Zhongling maintained a calm expression, but his fists clenched involuntarily and trembled slightly.

He clearly saw the most dazzling, muscular man in the very center of the crowd.

He rode a fine horse, wielding a large sword, exuding a majestic aura, slashing left and right with unstoppable force.

He is a war god on the battlefield.

Now that they are facing each other head-on, Xu Zhongling finally understands why this person was able to achieve such great things.

Their eyes met, and it was as if one could hear a furious roar echoing in their ears: "Xu Zhongling, don't underestimate me!!!"

He was a smart man, so naturally he didn't need Wang Huai to lay everything out for him.

Planted!

He underestimated Wang Huai; the seemingly rough and uncouth man had actually made subtle adjustments in the details.

The entire battle situation was changed because of this.

Wang Huai knew that Wang Liu's assassination must have been carried out by Xu Zhongling.

It seems that Xu Zhongling also intended to provoke him, and an enraged Wang Huai would surely send troops to attack Xiaoyao City.

The military has both real and fake aspects, making it difficult to distinguish between the true and the false.

However, if Wang Huai were to launch a full-scale attack on the city, it would undoubtedly be the Blood-Clad Legion that would be attacking it.

In this case, the places where supplies are stored will inevitably be left undefended.

Based on the fact that Xiaoyao City's strong fortifications had blocked the Blood-Clad Army's fierce attack, Xu Zhongling had sent men to ambush Ligu in advance. As long as he seized the opportunity to cut off their supplies, it would inevitably cause chaos among the Blood-Clad Army.

Then, send troops to attack, joining forces with the ambush troops to launch a pincer attack. This will surely allow them to defeat the enemy with fewer troops and the weak with the strong, and wipe out and incorporate the Blood-Clad Army.

This is Xu Zhongling's plan.

Unfortunately, Wang Huai, who had lost his younger brother, was not as reckless as he had imagined.

Having been schemed against many times, Wang Huai schemed against Xu Zhongling this time as well.

Since Yueyang City was given to Qian Yuan, it was no longer considered a city of the Great Qi, and there was no need to put in much effort to manage it. The Crown Prince, who was stationed in the capital, quickly handed over the city to the Crown Prince, leaving only a few ministers to manage it. He then personally led the remaining garrison south to help Wang Huai.

Wang Huai has been silent these past few days, waiting for his son to return.

He personally led troops to attack Xiaoyao City, while the Crown Prince, who had just returned, defended Ligu and annihilated the bandits.

Wang Huai feigned a retreat due to morale collapse, prompting Xu Zhongling to send troops in pursuit.

The defeat of the Blood-Clad Army will also cause some chaos in Xu Zhongling's army.

Wang Huai was well aware of the value of his head.

At this moment, he turned back and launched a counterattack, joining forces with the Crown Prince to attack from both sides and wipe out a large number of their forces.

This move is somewhat risky, but Wang Huai has to take this path.

He had to lure Xu Zhongling's army out and annihilate them; otherwise, if Xu Zhongling concentrated all his forces to defend Xiaoyao City, it would be difficult to take it down in a short time.

Even if Wang Huai conquers Xiaoyao City and wipes out Xu Zhongling...

Then his defeat would be utterly devastating, and Xiaoyao City would surely be reduced to ashes.

He doesn't want this.

Now that Xu Zhongling's large number of soldiers have been killed, even if Xiaoyao City is very fortified, it can still be captured.

As the last glimmer of light disappeared from the sky, the sun set completely.

Darkness returned to the earth.

Wang Huai, riding his steed, stood before a group of menacing and fierce soldiers, looked up, and met Xu Zhongling's gaze from the high city tower.

The two kings met again, but the situation was completely different.

"How to do?"

"How to do?"

"How to do?"

Despite the situation, Xu Zhongling still wore a smile, scratching his bloodied arm and murmuring softly.

loss!

loss!

The situation has become complicated.

The Blood-Clad Army is a bunch of lunatics, they're too dangerous.

Their fighting power was too strong, and their numbers were too great. His plan failed, and nearly half of his army was wiped out.

It appears that the Blood-Clad Army has gained a significant advantage.

In this situation, what are their weaknesses?

Food shortage?

Internal turmoil?

Is Wang Huai's reputation bad?
What should he do next?

What other advantages does he have?
Xiaoyao City is well-defended; why forcibly conscript the city's inhabitants to defend it?
United Qian Yuan?

His thinking is characterized by a penchant for finding weaknesses in those who appear to have a significant advantage, and seeking the possibility of turning the tide in those who are at a great disadvantage...

As night fell, the firelight illuminated his ever-changing face, and his mind raced.

"Hold on!"

"Hold on!"

He shook his head and murmured softly.

He was extremely worried, terrified, and nervous.

But he remained calm and his expression was normal.

He accepted his failure, but he did not break down or give up.

He still has a chance!
Outside the city walls, Wang Huai had assembled his army and was at the city gates, but he did not issue any further orders to attack the city.

Although their morale was high, they were not capable of launching a surprise attack on the city, so the biggest advantage of attacking at night was lost.

This is not a good option, as the competitor has an absolute advantage in geographical location and lighting.

After a day of fighting and breaking out of a desperate situation, he knew very well that his army was now at its last gasp.

Tired, hungry, dehydrated...

Soldiers are human too, and they also need to replenish their energy.

Overdrawing your courage comes at a price.

and……

Before the last rays of the setting sun faded, he clearly saw the man in black robes standing next to Xu Zhongling.

His hands gleamed with a hazy, bloody light.

Suddenly, several figures appeared at the pass guarded by the city wall.

They were sinister and wore blood-red armor, obscuring their faces. Just standing there, they exuded a chilling and eerie aura.

Blood Lord.

When Qi Yuan defected, he naturally took these inhuman, ghostly monsters with him.

As for the earlier statement that these soldiers were all under the command of Wang Huai, just take that as a joke.

Leaders need to have a certain understanding of what's happening below them; if they don't understand anything, they can easily be deceived or misled.

Wang Huai was helpless; he truly didn't understand.

The Blood-Clad Army was invincible in the past, and these strange and powerful legions made indelible contributions.

Wang Huai, the former master, was well aware of the terror these soldiers possessed.

Now that night has fallen, visibility is obstructed, and fear is pervasive... If he were to force a siege, the monster legions that once helped him conquer all would likely cause him enormous trouble.

He had already learned his lesson from the last night's attack on Yueyang City.

He looked at Xu Zhongling on the city wall and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt a sticky feeling on his face.

Without realizing it, I reached out and touched it.

It felt smooth to the touch.

He was a man who had fought on the battlefield, bathed in blood; he knew this feeling all too well. Blood, fresh blood.

"Your Majesty, you..."

Wang Huai's subordinates, who had been keeping a close eye on him, stared wide-eyed in shock.

In the firelight, a strange scene unfolded on Wang Huai's face.

Blood gushed forth, flowing freely.

It gushed out relentlessly from the eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears... eerie and terrifying.

Wang Huai shook his head, feeling as if the sounds around him were fading into the distance.

"His Majesty!!!"

"Quick, retreat!"

"withdraw!"

"Don't make any noise!"

My body felt weak, and I felt dizzy, as if I had fallen off my horse.

As consciousness faded, all I heard were the urgent calls of my subordinates.

After a long day of hard work, he was under a lot of stress and felt quite tired.

……

The massive army in blood-stained clothes finally retreated.

The soldiers guarding the city wall unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

so horrible!

The Blood-Clad Army with Wang Huai and the Blood-Clad Army without Wang Huai were two completely different legions. At this moment, these defenders also realized how terrifying the enemy they were facing was.

Some people have already started to back down.

Can't win!

Several more days passed, and the Blood-Clad Army did not seem to intend to take advantage of Xu Zhongling's weakness to attack the city again.

What happened to Wang Huai?

The retreat of the Blood-Clad Army was expected.

If Xu Zhongling were in Wang Huai's position, he wouldn't believe that Xiaoyao City could be taken in a single day.

After all, Xu Zhongling didn't have a single hand to go all in, and there were still half of the garrison troops in the city!
However, after this major defeat, morale has wavered, and things are likely to get tough for them from now on.

Xu Zhongling let out a soft breath, turned around, and asked Qi Yuan.

Wang Huai's departure was expected, but there were clearly problems with how he left.

Now Wang Huai also pays attention to intelligence management, making it difficult for his spies to infiltrate high-level decision-making.

He didn't know what Wang Huai's current situation was.

However, he knew it was probably related to Qi Yuan.

They've actually known each other for a long time.

We were playmates when we were young, but someone took him away and we haven't heard from him since.

As he grew older, he aged considerably, and his entire demeanor changed drastically.

After not seeing him for so long, Xu Zhongling hardly recognized him.

He knew that Qi Yuan had engaged in some cultivation, but to this day, he still didn't understand what kind of technique Qi Yuan was practicing.

Qi Yuan merely raised an eyebrow and asked him in return, "You want to spread rumors that Wang Huai is seriously ill and undermine morale?"

Xu Zhongling nodded matter-of-factly: "Yes."

If Wang Huai could just die like this, that would be the best outcome.

He wouldn't regret losing an opponent; he would only be happy about it.

He couldn't wait for Wang Huai to die.

"There's no need to waste time doing these useless things."

"Didn't you see? No matter how much you say, when that person mounts his horse again, those Blood-Clad Soldiers will still follow him without hesitation, and all the rumors and nonsense will vanish."

"Do you really think so many people believe in him because of my magic?"

Although he had broken ties with Wang Huai and left behind a letter saying that "a good bird chooses a good tree to perch on," Qi Yuan still held his former leader in high esteem.

Not everyone has the same spirit as Wang Huai, who rose from humble beginnings to his current position.

This road is incredibly difficult, beyond imagination.

Xu Zhongling scratched his neck, disliking this topic.

He then asked, "What exactly happened to him?"

Qi Yuan remained calm, gazing in the direction where the Blood-Clad Army was stationed, and said indifferently, "The Blood Demon Curse has been activated."

He did not lie to Wang Huai back then.

All the Blood Warriors can be led by Wang Huai.

However, the prerequisite is that Wang Huai must become one of them, and Wang Huai must be at Qi Yuan's beck and call.

He will become the strongest of the Blood Lords.

What is the Blood Demon Curse?

Qi Yuan simply pointed to a few strange soldiers guarding the city wall and said, "After experiencing great joy and sorrow, great anger and grief, and exhausting one's mental strength, one's eyes will be filled with blood and energy. Without joy or sorrow, without anger or grief, without desire or want, he will become one of them."

"Oh?"

Xu Zhongling raised an eyebrow.

In other words, Wang Huai will also become this inhuman, ghostly figure?

He then asked, as if to confirm, "Can this Blood Demon Curse be broken?"

Qi Yuan shook his head: "There is no solution. My master told me that this curse was created by the gods and has been passed down in the world. It cannot be solved."

"Hey!"

Wow, such a hero, and this is how he ended up.

Somewhat funny.

Xu Zhongling chuckled softly, and her tension and fear eased considerably.

Then we should just hold out and wait for Wang Huai to die on his own.

With Wang Huai becoming a puppet, it would be easier for him to incorporate the Blood-Clad Army and inherit Wang Huai's legacy.

Qi Yuan is really good at keeping things to himself; he won't tell you anything unless you ask him.

When will it work?

"do not know."

"Huh? You don't know?"

Qi Yuan shook his head, very straightforward: "I don't know, maybe the curse will be cast today, maybe it will be cast in a few decades."

Xu Zhongling: ...

As the two were talking, a guard quickly approached them.

He moved closer to Xu Zhongling and whispered a piece of information.

Upon hearing the words, Xu Zhongling still wore a smile, but when she tried to scratch her nails, they dug into her flesh.

"The Qian Yuan Army is here..."

The guards' actions were unnecessary.

Even after walking a hundred steps, Qi Yuan could hear the guards whispering the information to Xu Zhongling.

Xu Zhongling didn't try to hide it from Qi Yuan, but simply said with a light laugh, "Mingchen and Lingyu are here."

House seemingly endless rain.

This has only made things worse for a family that was already suffering.

The Qian Yuan faction had very few soldiers, only eight thousand.

He is now facing off against Wang Huai's army, both of which number in the tens of thousands, so eight thousand doesn't seem to have much of an impact.

However, no one knows the current fighting strength of Qian Yuan's army.

Moreover, it was Mingchen and Lingyu who led the team.

These two are no less famous than Wang Huai.

Mingchen is a strange person in every way. Xu Zhongling and Qi Yuan have both studied him and know that he is not simple.

Could a prodigy who could simultaneously gain the appreciation of leaders such as Xiao Yu, Xiao Zhengyang, Xiao Xinyue, Wang Huai, and Qin Lou be ordinary?
When Qi Yuan was with Wang Huai, he always avoided Ming Chen.

Ling Yu goes without saying; he's a disciple of a military genius, known for winning against overwhelming odds, and he's never lost a game.

If Xu Zhongling had defeated Wang Huai and quickly seized Wang Huai's legacy, the eight thousand soldiers might have been able to escape thanks to the strong defenses of Xiaoyao City.

But now, Xu Zhongling has not only failed to stop Wang Huai, but has also suffered a great loss.

Now that these two biological fathers have arrived, it's like adding insult to injury. How can this battle be fought?
Qi Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Surrender."

"But we must surrender to Mingchen and Lingyu and hand over Xiaoyao City to Qianyuan."

"And we asked Qian Yuan to protect our safety."

Xu Zhongling: ...

He paused for a moment, then said, "Let me think about it some more."

He wasn't stupid; of course he knew what Qi Yuan meant.

The Blood-Clad Army wants Xiaoyao City, and now they are facing off here. They have paid such a high price just to reclaim their former capital.

Xu Zhongling casually presented it to Qian Yuan. This undoubtedly shifted the blame for their conflict with Wang Huai onto Qian Yuan.

Wang Huai could deliver Yueyang City, and Xu Zhongling could deliver Xiaoyao City as well.

These are not ordinary cities; once you have them, you can't easily let them go.

Qian Yuan would certainly not refuse something offered to him for free.

This seems to be the best path.

But... he didn't want to.

The future of handing over the initiative to others is too uncertain.

He had offended both forces, and the fact that Qian Yuan sent troops to help the Blood-Clad Army, which had a bad reputation, at this inopportune time already demonstrated their attitude.

Abandoning the only stronghold to fish in troubled waters might result in being dragged into deep waters and losing all sense of direction.

When it comes to national interests, morality is irrelevant.

As the two were talking, Qi Yuan seemed to sense something and his whole body froze.

His fingers kept counting, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Xu Zhongling had never seen this person so shocked before.

"This...this, how is this possible?!"

……

Inside the blood-stained military camp.

The pure white flames danced silently in one's pupils, radiating a soft light. Gazing at them was intoxicating, as if all the beauty in the world was burning within them, a sacred radiance, breathtakingly beautiful.

A few drops of blood, a bleak sight, were submerged within and disappeared.

"Brother, long time no see."

(End of this chapter)