It seems that the villain is targeting me.

Banur nodded, feeling very satisfied: his own children had all seen that this was a provocation by King Jialan.

The general gestured downwards to comfort his child a little, then he calmed himself down and looked at the generals sitting at the marching table.

"As Gwen said, this is definitely a trap," General Banur said in a deep voice. "But the fact that King Jialan resorted to such a lame provocation also proves one thing: he is at the end of his rope. Even if this method is crude, he must take the risk and try it."

Xiao Niao, as one of the highest-ranking officials here, also sat in the tent and listened to the meeting.

She didn't know much about military affairs, but the general's words were simple enough that Xiao Niao understood them quickly.

"King Jialan's food reserves are almost exhausted, and we can't drag it out any longer," Xiao Niao quietly discussed with the system. "If this guy isn't a fool, he'll definitely launch a counterattack while his men still have strength and try to break through."

"So even if we continue to wait, it won't be long before the Jialan cavalry attacks and puts up a last-ditch effort," the system said. "No wonder King Jialan said this: the battle will begin regardless of whether we go or not. His proposed solution is therefore quite appealing."

"And Charles is still in his hands after all," Xiao Niao couldn't help but shake his head. "The general is too loyal. If there's a chance to rescue Lawrence's son without affecting the war situation, he will definitely try."

One reason was the deep relationship between the general and the emperor himself. On the other hand, Charles was, after all, a general under the general.

Charles' reckless behavior caused such a huge loss, and Banur, as his immediate superior, should also bear joint responsibility.

As for his direct superior, the Captain of the Griffin Knights, he is even more unlucky: he will definitely be dismissed from his post after returning, and he might even lose his position as a Square Flag Knight. He has really worked hard for twenty years, but now he is back to the time before liberation.

Whether to go or not, Xiao Niao is willing to trust the general's judgment: they are serious professionals specializing in the field, and it is better for him, an outsider, not to interfere too much.

She was not worried that the general would capsize in a small ditch, but she was very worried that the eldest prince would die suddenly in the process.

Xiao Niao raised his eyebrows in worry. "Is Charles supposed to be okay? I mean, broken arms and legs are fine, but he needs to be able to breathe."

[You don't have to worry too much, bird.] The system is obviously also very concerned about the safety of the eldest prince. [I just simulated it several times. Even when both sides are preparing for the rain of arrows,

Even if Charles is placed in the middle, he won't die.

Xiao Niao couldn't help but sigh: "What a tough life! I'm so envious."

[As expected of a son of destiny.] The system also echoed.

Just as Niao Yitong was muttering to himself, the general and the officers around him had basically reached a consensus.

"...In short, this is a trap, but also an opportunity," General Banur slapped the table. "They're almost losing their patience. I'll order the entire army to prepare their ranks and march up the mountain according to the previously formulated encirclement and suppression tactics. We won't leave King Jialan any chance to exploit them."

"Any conspiracy must be based on military strength," the general said. "King Jialan is almost doomed. The only threat he can pose is a dying counterattack. We are heading up the mountain to meet the enemy now in order to seize the initiative."

The generals around nodded and agreed with the commander's decision.

They immediately began to discuss the details of the next battle plan and sent their own messengers to inform the Jialan people: the general accepted the invitation and they would come to the mountain as promised.

When the messenger returned, he brought back the news that the eldest prince was still alive.

Xiao Niao was not surprised by this, but the general was relieved: they have not received any message from the emperor yet, and it would be best if Charles did not die, as no one wants to take this responsibility.

When they prepared their army and went up the mountain again, it was completely different from the time when they hastily met the enemy.

The general made careful deployment of the army. The infantry phalanxes were on high alert and advanced in an orderly manner. Elite troops were also arranged to escort the left and right wings. It was like a tightly closed city wall with no flaws to be found.

The army moved slowly towards the mountain.

King Jialan had ambushed troops on the road for a surprise attack, but they saw that the imperial army had no intention of underestimating the enemy and their deployment was so thorough that even if they wanted to attack, they would not be able to do so with just that little force.

These people had no choice but to retreat back the same way and report the situation to King Jialan.

Although King Jialan didn't have much hope, when the situation he had been worried about actually happened, he still felt a sense of despair in his heart.

He thought, my country is going to decline.

King Jialan looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his face. "Great Changshengtian... is this the fate you have imposed on me? Am I doomed to fail in victory?"

Years of hard work and journey are about to come to an end. Looking back, he can only feel desolate.

King Jialan looked at the cavalrymen following behind him. These men were warriors who had followed him in battle for many years and were elites selected from various tribes on the grassland.

Before setting out on the expedition, he had promised these warriors gold, slaves, and herds of cattle and sheep.

But now, these powerful soldiers who dominated the grassland might be buried here together with him, the king.

The general actually overestimated King Jialan's reserves. The remaining slave soldiers under his command had been out of food for two days, and the cavalry and horses would soon have nothing to eat.

There is a saying in war: The first attack is strong, the second is weak, and the third is exhausted.

This statement also applies to the current situation: the soldiers of the Jialan people have suffered defeats one after another. Although they still retain some manpower, their morale has fallen to the bottom and they no longer have the bravery they had in the previous siege battles.

Under such circumstances, it was really just a matter of time before the remaining Jialan cavalry were wiped out by the imperial army.

The provocation King Jialan used on General Banur was indeed just a last-ditch effort, but he could not think of a better way to break the deadlock.

No matter what, he had to try. For the warriors who followed him to the border, he had to try.

This is the duty of being a king.

King Jialan made up his mind.

When the army was advancing and about to reach the Galan camp, the leading troops saw Prince Charles hanging on a crooked tree from afar.

The eldest prince was stripped of his armor and only wore a tattered piece of clothing. He was shivering in the cold wind, his face covered in dust and looked miserable.

During the days when the imperial army repeatedly thwarted King Jialan's sneak attack attempts, Charles, the eldest prince of the empire, had obviously suffered a lot.

Even from a distance, Xiao Niao could see the marks left by the whip on Charles' body.

As she got closer, she saw several Galan people gathered around the tree.

Among these Jialan people, there was a man who was particularly tall and had a very conspicuous scar on his left eye.

It was the first time that Xiao Niao saw him, but she quickly recognized that this man should be the king of the Jialan people.

King Jialan looked at the army led by Banur from a long distance. There was a calmness and indifference in his eyes as if he had seen through his fate.

Chapter 3000: No Need to Fight That Doomed War ()

Xiao Niao carefully observed the Jialan people's camp.

She is now some distance away from the front line of the army and far away from the Galan people's position. She is under the protection of the General's Guards and the Red Moon Knights. Logically, she should be invisible.

But Xiaoniao had a cheat: when she approached the Jialan army formation, she spent some cause and effect points to let the system help her scan the opposite position and analyze the movements of the enemy army.

This skill can only be activated when you are at a certain distance from the enemy. It is specially prepared for those who like to hack and slash tasks.

——It’s just that Xiaoniao chose the infrastructure farming route, so this skill has been gathering dust in the system’s source code.

Xiao Niao was riding on the horse, listening to the system's analysis. From the outside, it looked like she was just staring into the distance in a daze.

The system knew that the bird was not good at things related to this, so it spoke as briefly as possible.

"...After a brief analysis, their remaining troops are ready," the system concluded. "King Jialan has already abandoned those horse slaves, but the remaining cavalry may launch another attack."

"Ah."

Xiao Niao responded and stroked his mount's neck with his right hand, trying to ease his anxiety.

"Then it all depends on what conditions King Jialan will propose..."

King Jialan was obviously betting on how much they valued Charles, the crown prince of the empire - although he was destined to be disappointed on this point.

King Jialan, who was standing under the tree, had already put on a full set of armor. He drew out his blade and held the scabbard in his left hand against the eldest prince's back.

Charles had been exposed to the cold wind for a long time, and his entire back was numb. He thought that what was pressing against his back was the tip of a knife, so he immediately struggled uncontrollably, waving his hands and feet wildly, and his whole body swaying in the air.

The eldest prince had been hanging for too long and had no strength left. In addition, the soldiers facing him were all from his own country, so he managed to hold back and not shout shamefully.

The general's brows frowned unconsciously.

King Jialan poked Charles a few more times with an expressionless face, then threw the scabbard to the ground beside him.

He stood up straight, holding a sharp scimitar in his hand, and ordered his soldiers to pass on the message to the general.

"Since the great general of the empire has come in person, then we must follow your country's rules," King Jialan said. "I demand a one-on-one duel before the battle. If you win, I will order my men to surrender. If I win, you will retreat ten miles."

"If the general agrees, I will return this kid who attacked me to you regardless of whether I win or lose."

His conditions were quickly delivered to the general. The officers and staff around him looked at each other, and all felt that the conditions were a bit too high.

"Is he planning to personally lead the charge?" a cavalry general expressed disbelief. "...But I've heard these Yankees value violence, and even often choose their leaders through duels within their tribes. King Jialan himself should be quite capable."

"The question isn't whether this Savage King can fight well!" An aide turned to the general and said earnestly, "General, there's no need for us to agree to his terms. We should just seize the opportunity and attack head-on!"

"But what about His Royal Highness Charles?" another person argued with the aide. "If the Crown Prince is unfortunately killed during the assault, are you going to bear the responsibility?!"

Several leading officers were arguing in a mess. General Banur frowned even deeper, thinking secretly, and looked at King Jialan who was waiting quietly under the tree.

At this moment, Xiao Niao suddenly pulled the reins and drove the horse to walk to the side of the general, as if he had something to say.

The officers around her gradually hissed. Most of them knew this legendary half-human prime minister, so they all fell silent to see what she was about to say.

The Prime Minister of the Empire spoke calmly, "General, I think we should agree to King Jialan's conditions."

A murmur of disapproval arose among the surrounding generals.

The personal guard beside the general was the first to lose his patience - he was a personal guard brought out by Banur from the territory, and his whole heart was completely with the general.

The guard said to Xiao Niao, "Sir, we have such a good situation. How can we give up so easily just because of one person's reckless advance? If—"

The guard's eyes were filled with tears and his voice was a little choked.

"——If we fail in the competition, wouldn't all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the past few days have died in vain?"

Xiao Niao's expression was a little bewildered: "Ah? Are you really going to back off if you lose?"

Guards: “…”

Royal Guards: ...You guys really have dirty minds when it comes to tactics.

The Prime Minister, whose heart wasn't entirely pure, coughed twice and advised General Banur, "We can agree to his terms, but we'll have to release the hostages first. If we win, then everything will be easy to negotiate. If we lose, we can just turn our backs on him."

"All's fair in war." The bird concluded shamelessly.

General Banur nodded approvingly: "The Prime Minister and I have the same idea."

"General, there's one more thing," Xiao Niao continued mysteriously, "To be honest, although I don't have the talent to command thousands of troops, I have a capable fighter under my command..."

Just as she was plotting loudly and secretly, King Jialan's men came with a new message: he wanted to fight the general himself.

Xiao Niao's expression immediately changed, and he shouted back righteously: "Shameless Jialan people! How dare he say that? What the hell is he doing?"

"General! Let's ignore that guy and just charge straight ahead!"

------

-

On the other side, under the old crooked tree.

King Jialan stood quietly beside the hung eldest prince, listening to the messenger's report without saying a word.

A verbal message from General Banur.

The imperial army agreed to his request for a duel, but asked that the hostage be released first, and that he could not fight the general himself - both sides could send out their most valiant warriors, but could not designate a commander.

It was indeed quite shameless of him to designate a duel with the general: Banur was already old and at the end of his prime, while King Jialan himself was in his prime and had been a famous warrior among the northern tribes when he was young.

The Imperial Army now has the upper hand and has surrounded their camp. There is really no reason for them to agree to such unfavorable conditions.

King Jialan listened patiently to the messenger's reply, pondered for a moment, and said, "I can release the people first. It's okay if the person I want to fight in the battle is not the general himself, but I require a warrior of my status - I will not accept a duel with an unknown person."

The messenger was in a dilemma. He thought: Boss, we are almost wiped out. Why are you still putting on such a ritual? Are you going to vote or fight? Just give me an answer.

King Jialan saw the confusion and anxiety in the messenger's heart, but he didn't say much. He just waved his hand and asked the messenger to reply to the other party.

Prince Charles, hanging on the tree, lowered his head and quietly looked at the messenger's departing back.

From the moment he began, he had been standing there like a lifeless corpse, until he heard the Imperial Army's demands for releasing the hostages first, and then he seemed to come back a little.

King Jia Lan glanced at him and said calmly, "Congratulations, it seems you have saved your life."

Over the past few days, Charles has become completely afraid of this man. He dared not say a word and just kept his mouth tightly shut.

King Jia Lan didn't care whether he replied or not, but just muttered to himself: "Do you think I'm ridiculous? Do you think I will die today?"

Prince Charles's depressed and lifeless eyes showed some fluctuation: he was right.

"You're right, boy," King Jialan said coldly, gazing at the army not far away. "I will indeed die today—I will die, but the warriors under my command will not."

"They were once powerful warriors on the grasslands, but now they have been frightened by Banur's army. Now they are surrounded by the imperial army, like lambs surrounded by wolves. If this continues, my soldiers will no longer have the courage or the possibility to break through the imperial army's formation and will retreat back to the grasslands."

King Jialan was telling the truth. The Jialan cavalry under his command had suffered setbacks one after another, and their morale was on the verge of collapse.

No wonder he asked for a duel before the battle - in ancient times, this was a very common way to boost military morale.

"Continuous defeats will only make them think that the Imperials are invincible," King Jialan said firmly, "but nothing is invincible. I will win the duel on the battlefield. Once I chop off the heads of the Imperial warriors, I will command the cavalry to break out. Follow me in the charge and break through the Imperial blockade."

Charles was stunned.