My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

"Da da da da—!"

Liu Che stood on the tank turret, holding a telescope, watching the wolf flag that was fleeing north in panic.

"They run pretty fast."

He sneered and picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Armored vehicle unit, give chase. No need to capture him alive; I said I'd personally send him to meet the Eternal Heaven."

"clear."

Three armored vehicles roared off, their tracks kicking up clouds of dust, moving faster than warhorses.

Yizhixie whipped his warhorse desperately, fleeing madly northward.

Behind them, the terrifying roar grew ever closer.

"Great Khan! Disperse and flee!"

King Hunxie roared and fled in another direction with a group of his personal guards.

Yi Zhixie ignored him and just kept running away.

As long as we escape back to the royal court, as long as we escape back to the depths of the northern desert, as long as we escape to a place where the Han people cannot catch us...

He still has a chance.

He also has...

"Da da da da—!"

A burst of gunfire rang out.

Yi Zhixie felt his warhorse suddenly sink, and then the entire horse fell forward.

He was thrown violently, rolled several times on the ground, and only stopped after crashing into a rock.

I saw stars before my eyes and my mouth was full of the taste of blood.

He struggled to his feet, only to see his warhorse, which had accompanied him through many battles, lying in a pool of blood, riddled with bullet holes, and lifeless.

He raised his head.

Three armored vehicles, arranged in a fan shape, were slowly closing in on him.

The dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at him.

Yi Zhixie straightened up and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

He was the Chanyu.

An eagle soaring over the grasslands.

Even if I die, I want to die like a Chanyu (ruler of the Xiongnu).

He slowly drew his curved sword, the blade gleaming in the sunlight.

"Come on!" he roared with all his might, "Come on! This Chanyu is not afraid of you!"

The armored vehicle stopped.

The roof of one of the cars was open, and a person leaned halfway out.

Black battle robe, golden armor.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che.

He looked down at Yi Zhixie, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Yizhixie," his voice wasn't loud, but it reached Yizhixie's ears clearly, "Do you know how long I've waited for this day?"

Yi Zhixie stared intently at him, the veins on her hand gripping the scimitar bulging.

"Han dog!" he hissed, "If you have the guts, come down here and fight this Xiongnu chieftain to the death!"

Liu Che smiled.

"A fight to the death?"

He shook his head, looking disdainful.

"You dare to challenge me?"

He looked at the fierce look on Yi Zhixie's face and chuckled.

"Aren't you wondering why we didn't use these during the last Northern Expedition?"

"Because of last time—"

He paused, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"It was my son who did it."

After saying that, he picked up a rocket launcher from beside him, slung it over his shoulder, and aimed it at Yizhixie.

Yi Zhixie's eyes widened.

He recognized it—it was this very thing that had just flattened the hill and shattered his last hope.

"Liu Che!" he roared madly, "Didn't you say you'd kill me with your own hands?! Come on! Use a knife! Use a sword! Be a man!"

Looking at his face, contorted with madness, Liu Che suddenly felt a little bored.

"Izhixie," he said, "I will indeed kill you with my own hands."

He pulled the trigger.

"But the 'personally' I meant is not quite the same as what you understand it to be."

"Ichiyo! Times have changed!"

"boom--!"

A flash of fire.

Yi Zhixie's figure, along with his final roar, was completely engulfed by the raging flames.

The smoke of battle has cleared.

All that remained was a patch of scorched earth and a few unrecognizable pieces of wreckage.

The eagle of the grasslands, the Xiongnu Chanyu, the arrogant Yizhixie—

And just like that, it disappeared.

Liu Che put down the rocket launcher, looked at the scorched earth, and remained silent for a moment.

Then, he raised his head and looked south.

There lies his Chang'an, his people, and his crown prince.

He retreated into the armored vehicle and closed the top cover.

"Go back," he said to the driver, "the war is over."

The armored vehicle turned around and headed south.

Behind them lay a devastated battlefield, the routed remnants of the Xiongnu army, and the end of an era.

Ahead lay the road to victory, the glorious return journey, and the lifelong dream that Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, finally fulfilled with his own hands.

The wind on the grassland blows gently.

Those Huns who managed to escape did not forget that day for many years.

I can't forget that small hill that suddenly disappeared.

I can't forget those steel monsters that spewed flames.

I can't forget that loud "boom," and then their Chanyu—

There is no more.

rumor?

What rumor?

That's not a rumor at all.

That is--

divine punishment.