My lord, spare his life!

"I'm so angry!"

Zhang Daji's actions thoroughly enraged the enemy general.

Ordinary swallows could not keep up with Zhang Daji's speed, but the enemy was the Black Tortoise Moon Swallow. At full speed, the gust of wind and the cold shadow chased after him, and even Zhang Daji was caught in the crossfire. Zhang Daji knew that this human was troublesome. He acted teasingly and provoked him, but secretly he was on high alert and dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

Its body twisted, instantly changing from a straight charge to a tilted stance.

In an instant, it darted more than ten zhang away, its trajectory unpredictable and without any fixed pattern, seemingly toying with the enemy general like a kite. The tips of the Crescent Moon Swallow's wings drew sharp blades of energy, several times almost brushing against Zhang Daji's wing roots. It never caused any damage, each time missing by a hair's breadth, but cutting dense, fine cracks into the thick clouds in the sky.

Zhang Daji and Wei Yueyan chased each other, the two birds flying on the wind, their figures like two streaks of light intertwining, occasionally accompanied by the sound of metal clashing. The enemy general also clung to them like a ghost.

Seeing that the battle was at a stalemate, Sun Ban's eyes darkened, and he calmly asked, "Which of your trusted generals can capture the traitor?"

Ha! Zhang's men actually dared to come to her territory and create chaos? Do they really think Sun Zhaoruo is a pushover? If she doesn't spare the life of this little beast today, how will she save face?

"My lord, this humble general requests permission to fight."

Sun Ban didn't even notice the appearance of the person who spoke.

"Very well, I will celebrate your triumphant return."

After the general who had volunteered for battle made his move, the guards whispered to Sun Ban, "My lord, it's windy outside. Please come inside the tent and take care of your health."

Sun Ban knew this was a euphemism from his personal guards; in reality, they were worried that she was exposed outside the tent and vulnerable to enemy attacks, which could lead to serious consequences. However, Sun Ban did not take the bait.

She raised her hand and waved her sleeve, saying, "Bring me a seat."

He added, "Get one for Hongtu to watch as well."

Zhang Ze sent two birds and a few people who could play musical instruments and sing over. Sun Ban naturally couldn't make a big show of it or put on a show of being ready for battle. She also couldn't be afraid and hide in her tent just because there were two birds flying overhead. Otherwise, it would make her seem cowardly to Zhang Ze.

Not only could she not hide in the tent, but she had to openly watch and enjoy what tricks the clown on the other side could come up with.

Zhang's tactic of having someone sing was indeed somewhat underhanded.

The more this was the case, the more Sun Ban needed to stabilize the morale of the troops, letting the soldiers and officers know that as their lord, he was not afraid of death, nor had he abandoned them, nor had he taken the villains' tricks to heart.

Wang Ba secretly observed Sun Ban's expression out of the corner of his eye.

The latter showed no change in expression.

He couldn't help but think to himself, "Tsk tsk, this woman has much more self-control than that mercury spirit from Chesi County."

The former governor of Chesi County was ambitious but incompetent, while his subordinate, Sun Ban, possessed some ability but lacked long-term vision. If they truly had foresight, why would they be content with a mere Dou County simply to preserve their public reputation? As for her supposedly subtle and forceful methods of controlling the eunuch county and Hu County? What good would that do?

It's not like you've actually eaten anything if you don't truly control it.

He cupped his hands slightly in thanks: "Thank you, please."

The two sat down one after the other, while their guards surrounded them.

At the same time, Zhang Yang, atop the clairvoyant, scanned the dense sea of ​​red names below, where a single green name stood out conspicuously. This green-named individual was the only one in the sea of ​​red with a clearly identified identity; the others were all names like "Soldier of a Certain Battalion," "Corporal of a Certain Battalion," "Captain of a Certain Battalion," "Unnamed Laborer," and so on.

Zhang Yang discovered a strange place.

The red-named players near the green-named king have exceptionally high titles.

They were all mid- to high-ranking military personnel.

Because these people were standing close together, and their names were also close together, Zhang Yang could only see overlapping words and names, making it difficult to distinguish them. Adhering to the principle of "better safe than sorry," Zhang Yang gambled that a big fish might be hiding in this direction.

With a quick thought, a large golden bow appeared in Zhang Yang's hand.

Because of the shooting location, Zhang Yang had to bend over to aim when drawing the bow with his hand. So he simply stepped on the golden bow with one foot, grabbed the bowstring with the other hand, and aimed at the general direction of the green-named person on the ground.

With a whirring throbbing of the bowstring, the arrow instantly transforms from a mere shadow into a real target.

Before Zhang Yang could even fire the arrow, a deafening roar erupted from below: "Who dares to harm my lord!"

The sound startled Zhang Yang so much that his heart skipped a beat.

With a swift release, the arrow flew from the bowstring.

A golden arrow pierced the heavens and earth, crashing straight down to the ground.

It was still several dozen feet from the ground when it was shot and shattered.

She instinctively stomped her foot back on the bow to avoid being thrown off by the golden recoil, but unfortunately, the unprepared Thousand-Mile Eye took a hit. It let out a short cry and, along with Zhang Yang and the others, dodged the oncoming brownish-yellow blade. Zhang Yang grabbed the others, steadying their balance: "Didn't I just hear 'Who dares harm my lord?'?"

I refused to believe it and opened the system log.

Sure enough, I saw a message that had been pushed to the top.

In the enemy camp, who could be addressed as "My Lord" by a red-named individual with the title of "Vanguard Lieutenant"? There is only one answer: the red-named individual below... no, near the green-named Wang Ba, there is indeed a red-named individual named Sun Zhaoruo!

Unfortunately, even with his eyes squinted, Zhang Yang couldn't find his target.

"It seems the only option is—"

She could only target the Green Name King.

Before he could even fire a second shot, the general who had inadvertently revealed Sun Ban's existence had already charged forward. Although his Starfall skill didn't grant him the ability to fly high like Wei Yueyan's, he could still use his superior strength to reach great heights and strike Zhang Yang with his spear.

The fierce wind from the gun didn't even lift Zhang Yang's clothes. Before his eyes blurred, a huge wolf's head suddenly enlarged, opening its blood-red maw to bite at his neck. After Kui Mulang, the young man holding a pipa smiled coldly, raised his hand, placed his fingers on the strings, and lightly swept them. Invisible sound waves rippled from the strings.

The sound waves were also strange.

The closer you get to the sound source, the calmer and more undisturbed the surroundings become; the farther you are from the sound source, the more violent the storm becomes. You hear no strange noises, but ancient, serene chants resonate from the depths of your mind.

Zhang Yang glanced out of the corner of his eye at the distant horizon, where dark clouds surged like waves.

"This red name is yours."

Zhang Yang wanted to try again.

Although there are many people in the red-name pool below, and it's uncertain which one is Sun Ban, what if she's lucky enough to draw Sun Ban and then shoot him dead with an arrow? Her luck has always been pretty good. Some observation samples with extremely bad luck who can't trigger game adventures no matter what they do like to borrow luck from Zhang Yang, saying that it can bring good luck.

Guan Si remained silent, simply tossing his pipa into Zhang Yang's arms before leaping off the back of the Thousand-Mile-Eyed Bird and onto the Kui Mulang that was flying towards him on the wind. This scene caused the enemy general's pupils to shrink in shock.

To reach Guan Si's level of effortless mastery is beyond the reach of ordinary people. With just one glance, the enemy general's back was already drenched in cold sweat, soaking through several layers of clothing.

Wang Ba subconsciously straightened his back.

He added, trying to explain, "Huh, who is this kid?"

Wang Ba wasn't surprised that Wang Qi hadn't come; if he had, it would have been easy for his identity to be exposed during the battle. He just hadn't expected Guan Si, who was following Zhang Yang, to have such abilities. He secretly compared Guan Si with Wang Qi in his mind, from appearance and temperament to strength and everything else.

Wow, they're really formidable rivals.

Which ruler doesn't favor his meritorious ministers?

With his handsome appearance and proven track record, which lord wouldn't fawn over Guan Si and try to win him over? Wang Qi is absent, but Guan Si is present; today's military merit belongs to Guan Si. Wang Ba sighed inwardly, not very optimistic about Wang Qi's future, and was anxious!

Sun Ban was unaware of what Wang Ba was thinking, and Wang Ba's flustered and cowardly reaction disappointed Sun Ban. This old bastard Wang Ba was a seasoned veteran, experienced in countless battles; why did he react so easily to every enemy? It was unbecoming of him.

She sat casually in a half-lotus position, twirling the jade thumb ring on her right thumb with her left hand, and said in a calm voice, "It is said that he is an unknown person from the Eastern Domain, who has accumulated a notorious reputation in places like Zongren County."

Guan Si's Hundred Ghosts Guards didn't hide their work, and Guan Si himself had no intention of concealing his identity. The fact that others could guess his background meant they were capable. This was how information about Guan Si came about; Sun Ban knew he was a formidable opponent.

Wang Ba: "Talented people emerge in every generation."

Sun Ban smiled faintly and said, "Hongtu is in his prime, full of energy and strength. Why are you acting like those pedantic cowards, lamenting that the younger generation is surpassing the older? This only boosts the prestige of others and diminishes your own. It's not like you who once caused such a ruckus in Dongxian."

Wang Ba's lips twitched. He increasingly felt that Sun Zhaoruo was no ordinary woman; she was more profound, composed, and remarkable than many self-proclaimed heroes of the era he had met. However, he wondered if her composure stemmed from ignorance, or from a trump card unknown to him. Wang Ba's eyelids closed slightly, and at that moment, a sudden sense of crisis arose within him. He abruptly looked up.

Three golden beams of light approached from different angles.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Wang Ba had a feeling that the target was coming for him. Years of combat had instilled in him a heightened sense of vigilance, causing him to instinctively grip the hilt of his sword at his waist, his buttocks almost lifting off the seat. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sun Zhaoruo maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, as if even a mountain collapsing before her wouldn't move. Wang Ba took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress his instincts, and calmly sat back down.

as predicted--

All three attacks were blocked flawlessly.

At most, it was just a bit windy, making people's hair fly.

At that moment, Zhang Yang felt a light flash above his head.

Lightning danced and flickered through the thick clouds, illuminating the sky and earth.

Boom!

A thunderclap resounded.

Zhang Yang realized that her luck wasn't good today. The lightning bolt almost struck the Thousand-Mile Eye, but fortunately, the Thousand-Mile Eye reacted quickly. In addition, Zhang Yang had been on guard against the sudden change in the weather tonight. The thunderbolt struck head-on with her golden arrow, scattering countless sparks.

A slight chill ran through my forehead.

"It's starting to rain."

The rain started earlier than Xiao Sui had predicted.

In the blink of an eye, the previously fine drizzle intensified, the raindrops becoming more noticeable on the skin, their chill penetrating directly. Zhang Yang glanced at the turbulent clouds, then at the crimson sea below, and said, "For safety's sake, let's retreat."

It would be shameful to die by lightning rather than at the hands of the enemy.

Guan Si did not object and took the opportunity to withdraw.

Seeing his posture, the enemy general knew that Guan Si still had considerable strength left, and his anger intensified: "You traitor, don't you dare escape!"

Guan Si ignored him and flicked out a thick black mist from his sleeve.

The thick fog transformed into hundreds of wolf shadows of varying sizes, pouncing on the enemy general from all directions. In the brief moment the enemy general swung his blade to strike, Guan Si had already nimbly landed back on the back of the Thousand-Mile Eye, standing beside the archer who was wildly firing his bow. The enemy general, seeing this, was stunned for a moment, then, realizing something, shouted, "Zhang the Traitor!"

Zhang Yang knew he was shouting at him.

"What thief?"

How did she become a thief if she didn't steal or rob?

The enemy general gritted his teeth and was about to give chase, but Zhang Daji had already anticipated this and deliberately lured Wei Yueyan, who was engaged in a speed battle with him, to block the enemy general's path. The two almost collided: "That woman is Zhang the thief! She actually dared to come here personally! Kill her!"

"What?!!"

Why would Zhang the thief come here in person?

The enemy general's voice was loud enough for the people below to hear even amidst the thunder and rain. Sun Ban, who was calmly putting on her exquisite raincoat, was startled and abruptly looked up at the almost disappearing dot. Her eyesight was excellent, and she could vaguely see several figures standing on the back of the clairvoyant. Her intuition told her that one of them was also watching her.

Could this person be Zhang the thief?

Instead of an answer, she was met with a sudden burst of golden light, which was still blocked by their combined efforts and did not harm her in the slightest. Yet, Sun Ban could sense an unsettling atmosphere in the air. Her intuition had never been wrong in the past few years.

Wang Ba asked in a deep voice, "Is it really Zhang the thief?"

Sun Ban pursed his lips tightly.

Wang Ba then said, "She actually dares to come?"

Immediately afterwards, others joined in with curses.

Sun Ban knew why they were so furious.

A few lackeys came to provoke them, creating a scene of being surrounded on all sides. This is completely different from the enemy leader coming to provoke them from above their camp. This Zhang thief is blatantly riding roughshod over her face.

Sun Ban: "It is impolite not to reciprocate."

The rain was much heavier than expected.

Perhaps, we can still give it a push.

Zhang's forces had not yet established a firm foothold and were moving at great speed. Even with Lu Yuan's assistance, it was impossible for them to know the weather patterns in various parts of the mountains beforehand, let alone gather a large amount of water-resistant equipment in a short time. Once the provisions got damp, the army would face the pressure of moldy food.

Sun Ban had previously planned to locate Zhang Yang's granary first, and then send troops to disrupt it. He didn't need to burn the granary, nor did he care about the number of enemies killed; disrupting the granary's operations was all that mattered. The scouts had even examined the excrement buried by Zhang Yang's troops during their march, trying to deduce the soldiers' food and physical condition… but they still couldn't pinpoint the target's location.

"The thief is in such a hurry to return, but..."

The one speaking was Wei Yueyan, a military general who had been flown like a kite.

He nearly killed or injured Zhang Daji several times, and even managed to cut off the archer's wings a few times, but the archer clung to him like a ghost. To avoid him, he had to release Zhang Daji, but this back and forth not only failed to close the gap between him and Zhang Daji, but also allowed the archer to peck at him, causing him to lose many of his armor plates.

Sun Ban shook his head: "It's not clear yet."

She naturally hoped that everything would go according to her plan, but reason told her that this time her opponent, Zhang Ze, was different from those before. He was more mysterious and more troublesome, and she could not use past experience to predict the situation this time, or she would suffer a great loss.

"After your previous encounters with them, are you confident of victory next time?"

"This humble general is ashamed. The villain is cunning, and those two star beasts are even more..." As he spoke, the general lowered his head, not daring to look directly at Sun Ban.

? ?|??w?`)