My lord, spare his life!

"So, do you submit or not!"

Zhang Yang's entire arm was bulging with veins, her muscles taut as she mustered her last strength. Her punches, carrying the damp, earthy smell of the ground, landed with two muffled blows on the red-named man's head. She had endured Xia Gengshi's relentless fighting for nearly ten hours, the continuous battle stretching from night into day. Her arms were sore and heavy, her strength far less than before, yet the accuracy of her punches remained undiminished.

The heavy impact forced Xia Geng's head to slam into the mud several times.

Zhang Yang shouted, "I'm just asking you, do you submit or not!"

His forehead and face, stained with blood, were repeatedly rubbed against the mud, making them almost unrecognizable. Under this power struggle, Xia Geng's corpse struggled weaker and weaker, his fighting spirit crumbled inch by inch, and the force of his limbs pushing off the ground and digging became feeble.

Zhang Yang was also nearly exhausted.

Driven by an unwillingness to admit defeat, a refusal to lose face, and a fear of being ridiculed, she risked the dignity of the NPC code and tenaciously entangled Xia Geng's corpse, pressing its much larger body into the mud, causing its mouth and nose to sink into the mud and repeatedly suffocate.

"Do you accept it or not?"

Zhang Yang felt dizzy and her vision blurred. She gritted her teeth and endured the ordeal, squeezing out her last bit of strength to barely keep herself from losing consciousness. Finally, she heard a heavenly sound. The beastly roar that had escaped Xia Gengshi's throat was now filled with fear, cowardice, and pleading.

Zhang Yang, panting heavily, loosened her arms. She leaned back, cried out, and tumbled off Xia Geng's corpse, most of her body sinking into the mud. Using her limp arms, she propped herself up and sat up, letting out a hearty laugh: "Hahaha—"

The game designers really dared to create a boss with such maxed-out stats and mechanics; she can kill anything that other players can't!

Even stamina limitations couldn't stop her!

Zhang Yang staggered to his feet, looked at Xia Gengshi who was also trying to get up, and suddenly stomped on the other's shoulder. Xia Gengshi, who was kneeling and trying to get up, lost his balance and fell back to his knees.

"Submit to me!"

Zhang Yang issued the order by force.

Xia Geng's body trembled slightly. She lifted her eyelids to look down at Zhang Yang, who was looking down at her from above. Her confused mind was in a state of chaos. On one side was the lingering hatred, the hatred of being killed was etched deep in her soul; on the other side was the lingering fear.

Two emotions are battling within the same body.

A dull ache in her neck was replaced by waves of sharp, piercing pain, as if her soul had been torn in two. She blinked blankly, her previously dull and unfocused pupils gradually regaining their expression. She made a hoarse sound, which Zhang Yang neither understood nor cared to discern whether she was begging for mercy or cursing him. She simply leaned forward, pressing her weight and newly gathered strength onto the foot that was pressing down on Xia Geng's corpse's shoulder: "Submit to me, or I will destroy you!"

Zhang Yangsheng was tall and agile, and even while maintaining the posture of stepping on people, he could easily bend over. His cold peach blossom eyes magnified as they approached Xia Geng's corpse, and the coercion and intimidation were even deeper.

A painful cry escaped from Xia Geng's corpse.

The intense fear she felt completely overwhelmed the hatred deep within her soul, and she numbly forced out crimson blood from her heart. Zhang Yang accepted this submission, but she didn't loosen her grip. Instead, she casually remarked, "No, no, no, that's not enough."

While there are indeed certain limitations to the use of heart's blood, they are not absolute.

If someone who has given their heart's blood is determined to overturn the table, they can. Fan You specifically mentioned this to Zhang Yang during their tutoring session, intending to warn Zhang Yang not to overly trust those who have given their heart's blood, including Fan You himself, as they are not trustworthy.

Fan You tapped her desk with his finger, waking her up: "In this world, besides your lord, no one is worthy of your complete trust."

Xia Gengshi was killed by Zhang Yang, who also beheaded him and killed his colleagues. If Xia Gengshi never remembers his past life, that's one thing, but what if he does one day? Therefore, Zhang Yang needs an absolute safety net.

This type of insurance is also the most domineering kind in the relationship between ruler and subject.

Xia Geng looked at Zhang Yang in a daze, seemingly not expecting Zhang Yang to go back on her word after receiving her heart's blood. She was now a lamb to the slaughter, fish on a chopping board, powerless to resist. Guan Zong, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, secretly congratulating himself on his good fortune.

If Zhang Yang had pressured him like that back then—

Guan Zong shivered.

Once everything had settled, Zhang Yang finally loosened her grip and staggered backward, exhausted. This time, however, she didn't fall flat on her back; instead, she was firmly supported by a force. After regaining her footing, she turned to look at Guan Si, who had offered his help, and shook her head.

"I'm fine now."

Glancing at her stubbornly hanging at "1" stamina point, Zhang Yang felt a pang of indescribable emotion. From the moment she was born, she had been shrouded in a constant survival crisis, afraid to let her stamina run out. Even if she did, she would choose a safe environment without other players or red-named monsters, but such an environment didn't exist on public maps. There were always bored players appearing out of nowhere, checking every corner of the map. This was why Zhang Yang longed for a home of her own; a home represented private space and safety.

But this time, she broke her usual principles.

He let his stamina plummet below the warning line, without even considering the dangers of collapsing from exhaustion. Was it because this world was real? Because the environment was safe? Or for some other reason? However, there was one thing Zhang Yang was certain of.

Stamina stats no longer seem to be the most reliable indicator.

Her physical abilities are no longer limited by cold, hard data.

Normally, when her stamina drops to 1 point, she should be forced into a coma and unable to throw punches to defeat her opponent. But this time was different. When her stamina dropped to 1, her will told her that she could still hold on, and her stamina could no longer limit her.

This can be considered a victory of will over data?

Or was the original data falsified?

Zhang Yang was panting heavily, her mind blank, as if her brain had been mashed into a paste, unable to make sense of anything. Thinking was a more strenuous and arduous task for her than dealing with Xia Gengshi. Zhang Yang frowned, put the problem out of her mind, and refused to think about it.

"Congratulations, Godmother! Congratulations, Godmother!" As Guan Sisong released her hand, Lü Yuan brought Zhang Yang two old garments, an undergarment and a round robe. Both of these had just been retrieved from her baggage and tailored to Lü Yuan's measurements. She unfolded the undergarment and draped it over Zhang Yang's shoulders, and did the same with the round robe. "I hope Godmother will not find it offensive and will accept this gift from her daughter."

Zhang Yang asked, puzzled, "Huh?"

She thought of something and looked down.

That's when I realized I almost went naked.

Her harem pants were still there, though the legs were mostly torn, and her vest had long been ripped apart in the struggle. Fortunately, half a strip of cloth remained to cover her chest—this cloth wasn't for covering her private parts, but purely for securing herself and preventing friction. Besides, she was covered in thick mud from head to toe; what could she possibly see? Zhang Yang had secretly compared her own chest to those of Wang Qi and the other military officers; each of them had a much larger bust than her. These people didn't think anything of exposing their breasts, so why should she care?

Zhang Yang fastened the sash of his inner garment and draped his round robe over his shoulders.

"My son is so thoughtful."

"As long as my godmother doesn't mind that it was worn by her daughter, that's fine."

As soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, a chill ran down his spine.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Guan Si and Wang Qi's gazes meeting. Guan Si's was a warning, while Wang Qi's was a threat. Lu Yuan sneered inwardly, ignoring them completely. She was the first daughter her adoptive mother had ever taken in, and a legitimate military officer under her command. What were these two? One was barely considered to have brought the Hundred Ghost Guards to her adoptive mother, and the other was practically a hostage.

She smiled and asked, "Is your godmother hungry?"

"I'm hungry, I'm starving." This time, Zhang Yang's fear of stamina was completely shattered, but the habit formed over sixteen years couldn't be changed overnight. He felt uncomfortable as soon as he saw his stamina was about to run out.

Xia Geng's corpse remained frozen in place.

His wooden demeanor made him look like a mindless zombie.

Zhang Yang ordered the military medic, who had been waiting nearby for several hours, to treat her wounds. However, as soon as the medic approached, Xia Gengshi went into combat alert. Zhang Yang had no choice but to give Xia Gengshi the order: "You go down with the medic to treat your wounds first. Do not harm anyone innocently."

Xia Gengshi then became docile, softening the erect spikes.

Guan Zong muttered, "Tsk, how terrifying."

Even in his most arrogant youth, if he had encountered this Xia Geng corpse, he might have been beaten into a human-shaped biscuit.

"That's Xia Geng's corpse. Look who personally subdued it." Zhang Yang had a hard time dealing with this kind of BOSS with both stats and mechanics. If it wasn't powerful, wouldn't all her efforts seem meaningless? As she spoke, Zhang Yang paused and looked her up and down.

Guan Zong felt uncomfortable under their gaze: "What?"

Zhang Yang pointed at him and asked, "Young man, who are you?"

This isn't a market; how can she let strangers come and go as they please? Zhang Yang remembers people she frequently interacts with, and as a face-sculpting expert, she can pinpoint a stranger's facial features at first glance. This young man is unfamiliar.

How could an unfamiliar young man get into the high ranks of the military?

Guan Zong: "...Ask me again?"

He was itching to roll up his sleeves and argue with Zhang Yang.

He had worked tirelessly for Zhang Yang, risking his life for him, and the first thing Zhang Yang said to him upon seeing him wasn't praise, comfort, or reward, but rather, "Who are you?" What, was Zhang Boyuan planning to renege on the reward?

Zhang Yang subconsciously looked up at the top of the other person's head.

"Guan Zong?"

"Ha, that's more like it." Guan Zong grabbed a handful of loose hair with his fingers to make himself look more presentable, then clasped his hands in a fist and knelt down, saying, "This humble general Guan Zong has not failed in his mission."

Zhang Yang was slightly surprised: "Your aura has changed too. Is it another attack of the Starfall? No, judging by the time, it shouldn't be this late. Besides, you didn't look like this last time you were affected by the Starfall; you only changed your body."

Guan Zong's "Descending Stars of Calamity" only alters his physical age, not his appearance. Otherwise, when they first met, Guan Zong wouldn't have been a middle-aged man with an infant's body when he was pulled from the stove. If he were a normal-looking baby, he wouldn't have been tossed around like that.

Guan Zongdao said, "It's not that the stars have descended to wrath; it's just that it has temporarily changed back to its previous form. It will be able to change back after a while."

Maintaining this appearance is quite strenuous.

Zhang Yang: "What did you look like before?"

As he carefully observed Guan Zong's appearance as a boy, he vaguely felt that the boy looked familiar. A moment later, Zhang Yang remembered. Guan Zong's appearance on the recruitment platform was indeed the same as now. Only, the young warrior on the recruitment platform had his face covered in blood, obscuring his facial features, making it difficult to connect the two at a glance.

Guan Zong stroked his smooth chin.

"Does my lord also find me handsome?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he lost control and staggered forward.

There was an extra footprint on his butt.

Guan Zong knew who did it without even needing to catch the culprit, and cursed, "You damned Guan Siyin, are you jealous of me?"

Guan Sidao said, "Frivolous and dissolute."

Guan Zong felt utterly wronged. He had already straightened his clothes, so how could he be considered frivolous and dissolute? Seeing that Guan Si was wrapped up in layers of clothing, he swallowed his arrogance. And when he saw Guan Si's fist, his temper melted away as easily as cream.

"Why aren't you taking care of Wang Gongsun?"

I call my behavior licentious and frivolous, but what do you call Wang Gongsun?

Wang Qi: "I'm not his brother."

Guan Zongdao said, "He didn't even acknowledge me as his brother."

For once, Wang Qi displayed remarkable wit and delivered a precise retort: ​​"Oh, then when that old man chop you up, don't call for his help."

Guan Zong patted his trouser legs and stood up.

"That won't work."

Regardless of the circumstances, as the other party's half-brother, one must protect them firmly in times of crisis.

Guan Si ignored the other party's shamelessness.

Guan Zong thought for a moment and then hid behind Zhang Yang.

"Although I was ugly when I was young, I was actually quite handsome. Isn't I more pleasing to the eye than a burly man with a thick beard?" Guan Zong, that old bastard, was shameless and would say anything.

Zhang Yang was disgusted by him.

Guan Zong still held a "trump card" in his hand.

"My lord, this humble general wishes to request a reward from you this time."

"You braved dangers and led over two hundred men to eliminate a major threat to our army, dealing a heavy blow to Sun Zhaoruo. Even if you hadn't said anything, I would still reward you. Whatever you want, I will grant it to you as long as it's within my power." Zhang Yang said this with great confidence.

First of all, she is rich.

Secondly, she made a windfall from Sun Ban.

High-end BMWs have several horsepower.

Little did anyone know, Guan Zongkai wasn't asking for a reward, but rather taking the opportunity to boast about his achievements. He continued, "This humble general has accomplished more than just this one feat. On my way back, I encountered Sun Zhaoruo's troops."

"What? You ran into Sun Zhaoruo? Is she injured?"

Not a single person was lost.

Guan Zongyang recounted his heroic deeds in a long and eloquent manner.

Sun Ban was terrified by the hundreds of soldiers suffering from diarrhea and vomiting.

It was a pity they had so few men; otherwise, they could have ambushed and killed her. If they were lucky, they might have even brought back Sun Ban's head to present to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang hadn't expected this detail: "It's already excellent that you made Sun Zhaoru suffer such a huge loss. You were right not to be hasty. We'll have a chance to take her head soon. There's no need to rush; preserving yourself is the most important thing."

The more than two hundred people that Guan Zong took away were all exceptional talents.

According to Xiu Ying's plan, a navy will be formed based on them in the future, which can be used in naval battles.

"This humble general will obey my lord's every command."

Having achieved his goal of showing off, Guan Zong felt relieved.

Seeing Guan Si's slightly furrowed brows, he felt twice as comfortable on the spot, and seeing Wang Qi's unhappy face, he was almost overjoyed.

That old bastard Wang Ba, that little bastard Wang Qi—

snort!

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